North Carolina Babies
AnneNC
member
Pumping?
AnneNC
member
Good evening ladies, just checking in briefly before its time to nurse again. 
I was reading ECU's pumping post and here's my question---new moms, when are you finding time to pump? Are you fitting it in during the day (b/tw nursing sessions)? Brooke is actually doing really well at night right now, letting us get some good sleep in so I suppose I could get up in middle of night and pump (yuck).
I need to get some momentum going with the pump and not sure where to start. ?
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Re: Pumping?
Around that time I would pump in the morning, about an hour or so after he first nursed. I always was able to get a lot in the morning, so I had some to start a freezer stash.
I would also occasionally pump in place of a feeding so DH could give J a bottle if I wanted to escape for a little while. Usually I pumped more than he needed, so I would freeze whatever I thought he wouldn't need.
If she's sleeping good at night, you could try pumping after she goes down but before you go to sleep...if there's anytime in between!
Good luck!!?
I didn't start pumping really until DS was about 3-4 weeks old. Then I would pump in the morning b/c that's when I had the most milk. I would pump on one side while DS nursed on the other side. It was awkward to do b/c I had to use a football hold to feed him, which we really never did except for when I was pumping... also I had to hold the pump with my other hand, so it was pretty crazy.
But anyway, I'd pump on one side while he nursed on the other. Then when he was done with the first side, I'd switch sides and pump on the other side, just in case the pump would get a little more out. I think I got between 2-5 oz a session and I froze all that milk.
Doing that every other day for a few weeks, then every day towards the end of my maternity leave, I had a stash of about 80 oz when I went back to work.
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I've been able to pump and freeze about 5-6 oz./day based on one pumping session. I pump when I feel engorged (usually only on one side is really engorged, although I do pump both), b/c maybe it's been a while between feedings. I think my body is ready to feed every 2-3 hours, so if DD goes 3-4 hours between feedings two feedings in a row, I usually get rock hard and need to pump to feel better. Or for example, today DD slept from about 4:30a-8:30a, so when she woke up, I fed her, but I was extremely engorged, so I pumped for 20 mins after and got 5.5oz., which went right to my freezer stash.
I've pumped about 1-2 times per day, depending on her feedings and how 'the girls' feel. Depending on what I get, I freeze or put in the fridge. I freeze if it's a good pump (5+ oz.) and if it's less, I put it in the fridge for DH to use. I've been having him do about 1 feeding per day, preferably at night, to help me get some rest. Or if he feeds her and I feel engorged, I'll pump them to get another pump session in.
Overall, I have no set feeding or pumping schedule, but just pump when I have the time or feel like I need to for pressure relief. It feels SO good after I pump if I'd been engorged! It's the little things that make me happy nowadays - lol!