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Pennsylvania Babies
Pumping to Store up Freezer Stash?
I really need to get on the ball to start storing breastmilk since I sadly go back to work in about 3 weeks. I feel like somehow I've let this slip by me. I've known I needed to get my stash going, but have been procrastinating-likely because I don't want to face leaving her/heading back to work.
Anyway, I'm still feeding Ella about every 2-3 hours during the day. At night, she might go anywhere from 4-7 hours. During the day I always have good intentions to pump, but by the time I feed her and do that routine, play and get her down for a nap she is up again. She doesn't usually nap more than 40 mins at a time, so I don't really have much down time. We've been trying to get her weight up, so I feel like I'm always feeding her and don't usually have time to pump - if I do, I need that for when we're going out or if I need to leave it at home if I know I'll be out.
So- how did you build up your supply? I'm not sure how I can fit in pumping sessions when I'm already feeding every 2 hours. I'd basically sit in my rocker all day if that were the case! Ideas?
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Re: Pumping to Store up Freezer Stash?
I always pumped after I nursed to increase my supply and slowly it started to build up and I would freeze the extra. Especially in the morning I would pump after he nursed because he wouldn't "empty" me so I could get a whole extra feeding to freeze then. If he didn't eat every 3 hours I would just pump anyway and store it.
I started pumping after I would feed in the hospital to increase my supply and I had about 2 months supply in the freezer when I went back to work and thank god because it was hard to pump enough to keep up while I was at work.
I agree that I would pump after she nurses in the morning. Does she nurse from both sides for every feeding? Ethan only nurses one side so I would pump the other side every morning around the same time. I would lay him on the floor next to me and play while I pumped.
Good luck and try not to stress too much. I didn't use any of my freezer stash. I pumped enough during my work days for his bottles at daycare (when he was taking them). Now it's a different story but I have pumping issues and we're 13 months into it.
TTC since Jan 07. Dx with PCOS Jan 08
Thanks for all of your responses! So, Friday-Saturday I pumped after some feedings and in between some feedings and managed to get almost two 3 oz bottles in about a day and a half. Ella feeds off of both sides each time though, although sometimes her 4 am feedings she'll only do one side if she falls asleep and is done. So, even pumping after feedings is only giving me maybe half an ounce. I felt like I wasn't as full though the entire day and I felt like it may have been affecting how much she was getting.
When the doctor's were concerned about Ella's weight and we were really pushing feedings, I talked to my OB about my supply. She said that 18-24oz for a 24 hour period was normal for a one month old baby. Now that she is needing a bit more, I'm barely hitting that 24oz range if I pump for 24 hrs exclusively . I picked up Fenugreek and Mother's Milk today. Anyone have any experience with any of these products? I'm hoping that they'll increase my supply so I can start pumping 2x per day at least and not decrease the amount she is getting.
I tried Mother's Milk, but when I realized how much you have to drink each day, how much it costs and how much I really dislike the anise flavor, I gave up. If you like it and want my leftovers (a box and a half, at least), let me know.
Fenugreek on the other hand, is working great for me. I think. I started it when DS was about 4 months old, when I panicked about a possible supply drop off after I had returned to work part-time. I still take three pills, three times a day (here's where I get it, cheap), and I don't know if it's the herb itself or the psychological effect it has on me, but something works. So I plan on taking it until I'm ready to quit pumping.
And a tip about pumping -- for some gals it helps to think about your baby and waterfalls of milk and cries for feeding. For me and a couple other moms I've talked to, we get the best pump response by NOT thinking about pumping, nursing or anything related to the horns hooked to the boobs. I rig a few rubber bands so that I can pump hands-free, and then I proceed to write, edit, e-mail etc. And suddenly 15 or 20 minutes have passed, and I have a couple ounces on each side. I do pause to massage the girls a few times each pumping session, but taking my mind off pumping gets a much better response for me.
Good luck! And remember -- anxiety and stress are your WORST pumping enemies!
Around the 4.5 month mark I got sick and my daily pumping supply started to go down. I would usually get anywhere from 16-20+ ounces from 4 pumping sessions at work where as now I am only getting 10-15 so I've had to pump once or twice over night (or after feedings in the evening) to make up the difference for his bottles the following day. I started fenugreek (3 pills 3 times a day) last week and today I'm starting to see a little difference. Hopefully it continues and hopefully it starts working for you too. I know how hard it is to relax and not stress when you aren't getting the amounts you think you should be. Babies are much better at draining a breast than a pump though so even if you aren't getting the 24 ounces in 24 hours from exclusive pumping that doesn't necessarily mean Ella isn't getting all she needs. I know that doesn't help your pumping situation but it makes me feel better when feeding Jack.
I also have tried the whole pictures of baby, thinking about baby, playing videos of baby on my phone . . and honestly I feel like I tend to get more when I just zone out and read a book or magazine for the 15 minutes I'm pumping. I think its because I'm more relaxed when I'm not stressing about a let down.
Liz thanks for that link! After seeing your deal I'm embarrassed to admit what I paid for the bottle I hastily bought on amazon last week.
I EP'ed and never had a stash, but I wanted to mention eating oatmeal to help with supply (I ate it for breakfast, ate oatmeal cookies all the time, and ate granola, too!). And I tried blessed thistle with fenugreek to help boost my supply.
Here is a recipe for lactation cookies - with oatmeal oatmeal and brewer's yeast. They're really yummy! I always thought of them as my "reward" for a pumping session, espeically when I was pumping in the middle of the night!
Oh my gosh!! I too paid WAY too much for my fenugreek after seeing the price that Liz found!
I too just rushed out and got it so I could start right away. Oh well, next time! Thanks for posting that.
And yay, the Mother's Milk isn't working out too great. To me it tastes like black liccorice, which is something that I can say I hate, so I don't think it will be lasting too long with me either, especially for the fact that I'd need to drink it 3-5 per day.
Jen - Ella was sleeping longer periods, but then we were waking her again to eat. Now that she can go longer, I think we've trained her to wake up every 4 hours
I really hope she can start sleeping longer before I head back to work. I'd much rather have the sleep time, even if I do wake up to pump quick!