Breastfeeding

Pumping questions...

I started pumping today, so DH can give some feeds (he is begging) :) Just to get started I pumped on my right side an hour after she ate (we had a DRs appt this am so didnt have time earlier), I didnt do the left cause I knew she would be waking up to eat soon and wanted to be sure I had some for her. Heres my question... whats the best way to pump... do the breast opposite where she is feeding right after she eats? or wait an hour and do the same breast she just ate at? or what?

Also when I pumped jsut now I got 1 ounce, at my next session can I add to the already expressed milk that I just pumped in the fridge?

And when DH gives it to her does he need to warm it out of the refrigerator?

Re: Pumping questions...

  • the milk is good in the fridge for about a week, give or take a day so its ok to add milk to already stored milk, just make sure the oldest milk is not too old!

    its nice to warm the milk, BM from the boob is warm, but some babies take it cold...but you LO is so new i would warm it =)

  • If you are pumping to replace a bf session, just pump both breasts before she gets hungry and have DH feed her that freshly expressed milk.

    If you are pumping to start a stash, then it's a little trickier b/c you dont' want to "steal" what LO needs to eat.  I pumped after he nursed to make sure he could get his fill first.  I didn't get a ton; maybe an ounce or two, so I added the ounces up from two days worth before freezing.

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  • A nurse told me to only add the milk together after they had both been chilled to prevent bacteria growth.  I always warm it up....if I am planning on feeding her a bottle, I will leave it out to let it get to room temp.  Newly expressed BM is good for around 4 hours at room temp, so chilled BM probably a little londer.  I normally nurse LO on both sides, so when I pump I do both sides....I try to pump when I know she will take a longer nap, which is normally in the morning.  I get about 1 oz/breast about an hour after I nurse her.

  • Right now, if building a stash I would only pump (both breasts) right after little one eats to avoid "steal" milk from her.  This will also allow you to get the fattier "hind" milk.  

    If you are giving bottle, you should pump both breasts fully.  You want to be careful not to skip pumping if giving a bottle or you may hurt your supply (especially so early on). Then you can either put milk in the bottle that you had stashed and have baby eat while you are pumping or wait till you are done pumping and use the fresh milk

    You can combine milk.  Unless you're going to use it right away, I'd make sure the new milk is chilled before combining with the already chilled milk.

    You will want to heat any chilled milk for such a little one.  To heat, do NOT microwave it, just run the bottle under warm water or put  it a pot/bowl/cup of warm water until it is warm (not hot).

    I once tried to give LO a cold bottle of EBM (we were in the car, on a highway and we couldn't warm it up) and it was a waste.  He just let it all run out of his mouth.  We had to stop at the  next rest stop so I could warm it before he would take it.

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