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really need to start building up my BM stash
...so that I have enough when Annie starts daycare in a few weeks. ?I've been kind of giving just a partial effort to store milk but unfortunately i've also had to throw a lot of what i built up because she refused the bottle for awhile (though we kept trying, hence the trashed milk)
Anyway, i am frustrated because i can't seem to find the right groove to get into with pumping. ?The most successful i have been is pumping once after a night feeding, then after the first morning feeding, then before i go to bed. ?But like i said, it just hasn;t "stuck" . ?We've been traveling a lot and haven't had a set schedule all summer, which i know adds to this, and i'm getting discouraged. Any advice/tips? ?How did you do it?
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Re: really need to start building up my BM stash
I definitely waited too long to start my stash, but after all of the initial problems I had, it was the very last thing on my mind. Anyway...
Make yourself a schedule and stick to it, regardless. Pumping after feedings seems to work really well for most people (it didn't for me, but only because of my supply problems). Does she feed from both sides at every feeding? If not, feed her from one side and pump the other. If you want to be really drastic about it, you can always get up in the night to pump, even if Miss A sleeps through.
Even if you only get an ounce or two after a feeding, either freeze it or save until the next session and add to it. Every little bit helps! Good luck!
My LO only feeds off one side so I would occasionally pump the other side. Also, I pump (on one side) whenever I feel engorged (usually in the morning). I never had a set routine for pumping, as I just did it whenever I felt the need or felt that it would be awhile until LO would want to eat. LO doesn't have a set feeding schedule, so I didn't have a set pumping schedule.
I only pumped every other day or less between 1-2months of age, then I started pumping about once a day. I had more than plenty when I returned to work. Keep in mind that whatever you pump at work can be given the next day for daycare, so you won't often need frozen milk unless you start to have supply issues. I prefer to use fresh milk since it's better for the baby.
Good point, and that makes me feel a little better.
make sure she will drink milk that was previously frozen too!
When Paige was really little, I'd have to pump an ounce off each side before feeding her. I stopped right around two months (though I wish I hadn't until I went back to work... I just wanted a break from the pump).
She was STTN at that point, so I'd wake up super-engorged. I would pump one side first thing in the morning (before she woke up) and then just nurse her on the other side.
I would get about 4 ounces from that pumping session... which pretty much completely saved our BF relationship. :-)
Cynthia mentioned pumping at work for the next day's bottles... I can tell you from a year's experience, you will never get as much from the pump as the baby gets from nursing (i.e. she'll want more than what's in the bottle). The first few weeks we were ok - I was pumping 4 ounces per session and she was eating 4 ounces per session. But sooner than later, she started eating 6, then 8, then 9 ounces of milk per session and I was still pumping 4 ounces (and eventually less than that, more like 1-2 ounces - I just couldn't get a letdown). It's easy to burn through whatever stash you have at that point. If I hadn't been pumping that 4 ounces in the morning (even on weekends) and had a small stash from the early days, we would have run out.
So... IMO, if you're returning to work, pump as often as you feel like you can. You will not regret it and you will soon understand that every ounce is like liquid gold.
But that said, don't beat yourself up if you need to supplement with formula!! There are plenty of wonderful, brilliant, smart, perfect babies that were raised on formula!!
(((hugs))) to you, Jocelyn, because I know how frustrating, stressful, and confusing it can all be.
The only advice I have based on my personal experience is however it happens, make it work. Sounds harsh, I know.
Whenever you find the chance, pump. It might not be at the same time every day, but as long as you're pumping a few times a day you should be fine.
Ditto the whole thing about feeding Anne fresh milk from the day before. You'll only need to use one days' worth of frozen milk the first day to get started, if that makes sense.
Hang in there!
OK, I'd like to amend my answer after reading Brenda's response.
Exactly what she said.
I was also never able to pump enough for Ella's next day's feedings. Some women can (lucky them), but it seems fairly rare from what I read on the boards.
I think my advice is this:
Do the best you can, and take it one day at a time!
I got through it by setting small goals: 1 day, 2 days, 2 weeks, 8 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 12 months. I was constantly telling myself "just get through today and you will be one day closer to your goal."
Pumping at work gets extremely exhausting. Setting these goals made me feel like I was working towards something... that there was an end in sight.
One day at a time!! :-)
Thanks for all of the advice and encouraging words!
Right now, anne nurses on both sides. ?I don't often feel really full, but like all of you said, i just need to keep at it and pump whenever i can. I also need to figure out how much she will take so that i bring enough to dc each day. ?When I give her a bottle now, it's just 2.5-3oz but I feel like she might take more when she's nursing.
Anyway, thanks again for the support!?