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Babies: 0 - 3 Months
hjl050308
member
Just pumped for the first time...questions...
hjl050308
member
Good morning ladies. I just got done pumping for the first time. I pumped after his first feeding and got a combination of 1 ounce from both sides. I have some questions.....how did you build up your supply? Is there anything I should be doing before/during/after to be more productive (i.e. drink water, eat something, etc)? Are you supposed to pump after each feed?
Also, a question about storage.....can i combine later pumps during the day to the earlier pumps? I.e. do I use one storage bag per pumping session or per day? I'm really confused (if it's not obvious already).
For the time being, I just want to pump enough to allow my DH to give DS one/two bottles a day, but I need to know how to increase what I pump, since I'll be going back to work in 9 weeks.
TIA for your help!
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Re: Just pumped for the first time...questions...
Typing one handed, so forgive me.
Continued pumping will increase your supply. My 1st time was similar and now I get usually 3-6 ounces per session. Massaging your breast as you pump really gets the milk out... sort of move your hand toward the nipple. Water and oatmeal seem to help too.
You can use the same storage bag, but have to warm up the bag... milk has to match in temp.
Your pumping output will increase as you pump more. Keep drinking lots of water and try to stay relaxed when you pump.
I feed on one side so I always pumped while DS was eating. I just pumped the other side.
As far as storage, you can combine pumps from the same day, but don't combine warm and cold bm. Let the warm bm cool in the fridge for at lest 30 minutes before combining it. Also, I would start by storing smaller amounts in bags (2 or 3 ounces) since you LO is so young. As he gets older and eating more, you can start storing more in one bag.
In the first few weeks, I would pump after each feeding for about 10 minutes. There were some feedings that my DD would only eat from one side so I pumped the other side. Defintely drinks lots of water and eating oatmeal helps, too.
As far as storage, you can combine multiple feedings into storage bags once the milk has cooled from all of the feedings (is this clear) or you can freeze right away from a single feeding. I tried to freeze in 4 oz increments in the beginning and now I freeze 5-6 oz at a time. I usually leave a few oz in the fridge at a time in the little Medela bottles and then I will freeze once I am done working for the week or if I have too much milk in the fridge that might not be used within a few days.
Try to look at kellymom.com. It is a great website with answers to questions regarding breastfeeding, pumping, storage, etc.
BIC: Good to know about the bags breaking. I use the Lansinoh bags, too. I haven't had a problem (yet!) with my larger bags but I will start freezing in the smaller increments again since I cry over lost milk.
I generally pump about 1 hour after the first morning feeding and then again if DH gives DS a bottle (so when I would normally BF him to keep my supply). ?In the beginning I would only get 3 oz combined from both breasts; however over time my supply just naturally increased as DS ate more/needed more. ?
As for the storage, if I freeze BM I put what I get from one pump into one or two freezer bags and freeze it. ?If I put it in a bottle in the fridge, I will combine BM to get the right size bottle. ??