EPers - a question for you!

sunnydays99

Did you always have enough to exclusively pump or did it take a while?  I just started last week and I have to supplement approx 1/2 of the feedings with formula.  I only pump about 2-3 oz per session   I'm working on upping my supply but I'm just looking to see if others dealt with this and eventually were able to keep up with their LO.

tashacu02

I started pumping the day after I got home from the hospital. It took a couple weeks for me to build a stash. But, in the beginning I was pumping every 2 hours around the clock to build up my supply. I had to supplement with formula for about a week and then had enough to give exclusively BM to my DD. I think I was able to build a stash b/c DD wasn't eating every 2 hrs when I was pumping that often. Plus I was getting 3-4 oz total and she was only drinking 2oz at a time. I hope this helps. Just be sure to eat enough food and drink plenty of water. I notice that my supply decreases a little if I haven't had much water or had a lot of caffeine.

browneyes_24b

You can do this!  I had to supplement around 6 weeks with DS.  He hit a growth spurt and between mastitis and my supply being all over the place we had to give him formula at night.  I kept with my pumping schedule and around 8 weeks I got ahead of him.  Since then I've been able to store every night.  Keep your water intake high, eat lots of protein and calcium.  Try not to worry too much, when I get stressed my supply reflects it.  G/L!

Mrs.Husband

I started EPing at 4 days old and have always had enough without supplementing. That being said, I've definitely seen an increase in my supply as the weeks have gone by. Whereas I used to get just enough to stay one bottle ahead of him, I am now 6 bottles ahead of him and freezing at least 5 oz a day and usually more. As others have said, just keep pumping and watch your water intake. I also drink Mother's Milk tea occasionally and eat oatmeal with flaxseed in it almost every morning for breakfast.  

*kms*

My milk didn't come in until day 4 so we supplemented til then.  On day 5 he had about 1/2 BM and 1/2 formula.  Day 6 he had only one formula bottle and hasn't had any since. 

I have a huge freezer stash that I am trying to work through.  Right now I pump pretty much exactly what DS eats so I'm no longer freezing large amounts...which is good!  I have no more room!

Hoax

At 3 weeks, I was only able to pump total of 10 oz and had to supplement. I was pumping 7x per day then.

Now I am able to pump 30 oz per day and am pumping in 5 times per day. YOu can do it.