Hello and happy Wednesday. I have a question for you ladies who BFed your preemies/micropreemies. I have been pumping every three hours. I originally got some very wrong information from my lactation consultant that has now been corrected. But I still am barely getting an ounce with each pumping in the first half of the day, and the second half of the day is even less. I'm drinking a lot of water, eating, trying to relax, stick to the schedule, etc etc. I'm wondering if it's just harder because I don't have my baby with me/near me while I pump. So my questions are...
1. Did you have any issues like this? Did you find a way to help solve them?
2. Did you find that when you actually started breastfeeding, you were able to get more?
Thank you in advance for any insight! May a shiny unicorn cross your path today.
Re: BFing question
Are you using the right size flanges on the pump and are the little membranes intact as well (the little yellow things).
Make sure you are drinking and eating enough and I've heard pumping with a photo of your little one nearby can help, not sure if it really helped me or not.
You can try cluster pumping sessions where you are pumping on and off more frequently as well. This mimics the cluster feeding that infants do. Check out this link before for other tips.
https://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/pumping/pumping_decrease/
Since you had bad information up front it may take a bit of time to re-establish your supply. Keep it up and make sure you are getting up to pump during the night. I know it sucks but it is so important in establishing and maintaining your supply.
Good luck!
I'm not new. I just hate The Bump.
Everything is intact but I know there's at least one size up of the phalanges I could try. I'll look into that. I get up at 1, 4, and 7 to pump. At 1 and 7 I get something but at 4 I get nada. Hopefully that will change with time.
I'm not new. I just hate The Bump.
I have a Medela PISA, which is what they recommended but I don't know if it's hospital grade. I'll find out. I do look at a pictures of LO. I used to pump at his bedside but lately he's been having lots of As and Bs so I don't want to be in the way if his hr drops, especially because a lot of times I'm the first one at his bed. BUT he should stop doing those pretty soon so maybe I can start again. Thanks!
I'm not new. I just hate The Bump.
I am able to use the hospital pumps while I'm there now! We had parts for that one but when we moved we lost them. DH just found them for me last night. Woohoo!
I'm not new. I just hate The Bump.
Yes definitely use the symphony while at the hospital! It's a way better pump. I rented a symphony to use at home too for the month my son was in the NICU and then bought a Pump in Style once my son was home from the NICU.
The difference the hospital pump makes is incredible! I'm so glad DH found the parts.
I'm not new. I just hate The Bump.