- Pregnancy
- Baby & Toddler
- Parents
- Getting Pregnant
- Baby Names
- Product Reviews
-
Registry
- Community
-
More
Want a personalized experience?
Download the free app
Houston Babies
XP: Question about pumping and giving bottles
I am starting to pump so I can give LO bottles when we are out in public (NIP just isn't for me) and for when LO is away from me. I decided that I would pump an hour after DS ate so I would have an hour before his next feeding. (He eats every 2 -3 hours.)
This was an epic fail because when I fed him an hour later he nursed forever and was still hungry. There was just nothing left. And he cried so much and could not be consoled, so we fed him the bottle I pumped. I can express about 3 ounces total in a session if there has been enough time after a feeding. I really need to increase my supply.
When do you pump so you can have a stash of breastmilk but still have enough for your LOs feedings?
Also, when you are out in public and you have a bottle of cold breastmilk, how do you warm it? Do you give it cold? Leave it without the ice pack so it hits room temperature?
TIA!
Dx: PCOS and short luteal phase
18 cycles (3 with our RE) - Metformin + Clomid + HCG booster did the trick!
BFP #1 6/22/09 EDD: 3/2/10 DS born: 3/8/10
TTC #2 since Dec 2011
BFP #2 7/8/12 EDD: 3/18/12 M/C @ 9w1d: 8/16/12
This discussion has been closed.
Re: XP: Question about pumping and giving bottles
pump 30-45 minutes after nursing and having a nice tall glass of water. Many moms find that they produce more milk in the mornings versus late in the day, but it's not true for all moms...you'll have to try things out. If you do this then you'll have enough for your LO and still be able to pump.
In public...you keep it cold until you use it and you need to warm it to your baby's taste. They have portable bottle warmers that work with a car charger and some that are like a warm/ice pack and they are one time use things until you get back home and boil the bag again (BRU has both types).
Also, it wasn't that there was nothing left. Your body constantly makes breastmilk. Pumping when you did - and then DS eating when he did - just signaled your body that it needs to make more.
In all likelihood, DS was just frustrated because he had to work harder than he was used to to get the milk out. And a BF baby will almost always take more from a bottle, if offered, because they don't have to work to get the mlik out - it's free and easy.
Although on the boards you will often read about women who can pump insane amounts (but remember, some of them are pumping in place of nursing), 3 oz total is really good, especially at this point. According to kellymom.com, anywhere from 1/2 to 2 ounces is "normal" (https://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/pumping_decrease.html)
Also, it may make you feel better to look at the maximum stomach capacity illustration here - https://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/milkcalc.html
To get my supply up, I would pump immediately after nursing my DS. It took a couple of days for it to make an impact but then I was able to get a little extra to start building my bottle stash. Morning pump sessions were essential in building my supply b/c I had more milk then he ate then.
When ever we were out, I would just ask for a cup of hot water to heat up the milk. Most every place I asked was very accomodating so don't think you'll run into any problems there. Sometimes, I wouldn't even pack the bottle with ice if I knew he was going to eat soon...since its suppose to be good for 8 hours. Towards the end of breastfeeding, my DS was very impatient and when he wanted his milk he wanted it and would take it cold.
HTH...I found the breastfeeding board very helpful while I was doing it!!!
I did the pumping 30-45 min after he ate, or right away to let my body think he needed more to eat so it would produce more.
As for warming it, I would either run it under hot water in the bathroom sink or just take it out without an ice pack if I knew we were going to be gone less than 4-5 hours. There were some occasions when DS would take it cold because he was so hungry. Now he'll pretty well take it chilled any time.
Thanks for all the replies! I feel so much better about this and am going to refocus my efforts on pumping and drinking more water. Last night I was so ready to give up. But it was also midnight and my reflux baby had spit up almost an entire feeding and I felt like I had nothing left for him.
I appreciate all of the advice!
Dx: PCOS and short luteal phase
18 cycles (3 with our RE) - Metformin + Clomid + HCG booster did the trick!
BFP #1 6/22/09 EDD: 3/2/10 DS born: 3/8/10
TTC #2 since Dec 2011
BFP #2 7/8/12 EDD: 3/18/12 M/C @ 9w1d: 8/16/12
Thanks for all of the information.And the link is exactly what I needed. Thank you!
Dx: PCOS and short luteal phase
18 cycles (3 with our RE) - Metformin + Clomid + HCG booster did the trick!
BFP #1 6/22/09 EDD: 3/2/10 DS born: 3/8/10
TTC #2 since Dec 2011
BFP #2 7/8/12 EDD: 3/18/12 M/C @ 9w1d: 8/16/12
You're doing great--don't worry. I had the same problem at first, I had no idea how to get in any pumping time with DD was eating every few hours.
What worked for me was/is drinking LOTS of water. Also, I never felt like pumping after she finished eating because she nursed forever at that age. So, I began pumping as soon as I woke up and right before I went to bed. However, if DD woke me up to eat, then I lost that pumping time. So, it took me a month or 2 to get to the point where I actually was building a freezer stash.
I'm not sure about warming the bottle, I never did for DD and she has always been able to drink it cold without a problem.
Also, I feel your pain on the reflux--is your LO taking anything to help? DD has taken AXID twice a day since she was a month old and it makes a huge difference with her pain from the reflux, but it never helped with her spitting up.