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February 2011 Moms
pumping ?
so I have been pumping since week 3 or 4 and alternating with formula. I do not create any extra BM, just enough for a 4 oz bottle and then I have to pump again if I want to feed him more BM--anyways is it just me (I know everybody is different) but sometimes I can pump for 5 minutes and get 6 oz and other times I pump for a half hour and barely get 3oz--I'm headed back to work tomorrow and will only be able to pump once during the work day, so I'm wondering if it'll even be worth it anymore- I'll probably have to pump 4 times a day just to get 1 bottle 
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Re: pumping ?
I am headed back to work a week from today, and I have never been able to pump more than about 1 1/2 ounces at any pumping session (no matter how long I've waited between feedings). So we have been supplementing with formula since DD was 3 weeks old. At first I did feel guilty giving her formula, but she has grown so well since starting the formula. Really was a great decision for us. We haven't decided if I will completely wean her in the next week or so, but most likely we will. Takes so much stress away knowing she is getting enough to eat and not having to stress about not pumping enough. GL!!!
I completely understand where you are coming from. I had to supplement right away because my milk had not fully come in. I was really disappointed but, I decided since I was going back to work that I would just start pumping.
Pumping was great because my husband was able to feed dd and they have a great bond. However, even though I ate the oatmeal, drank the mothers milk tea and increased my pumping frequency I was never able to catch up with her.
My doctor suggested taking some type of prescription but we decided against it because it just felt un natural. FF was working well and dd was eating and gaining great. Since I was pumping so often I started to get really sore and never felt like I was making progress. We met with a LC and she said to pump a little less to help with the soreness. She also said that as long as dd was getting at least 1 bottle a day of BM that she would be just fine.
So, I stopped stressing about pumping so much and now just enjoy dd without feeling like a terrible mom. She is doing great.
Yeah you pretty much have to start a freezer stash like 2 months before you return to work in order to have enough built up to have a one up on what is stored vs what your pumping each day in order to keep up with it. I go back in 4.5 weeks and I only have 16 oz frozen, that is only enough for one 8 hour day I am away from him and it has taken me a week to get those 16 oz ugh. My original goal was to have 2 weeks worth in the freezer but my new goal is 5 days haha how sad.
I am pumping in between feedings but I usually only get around 2 oz with those, and LO eats 4 oz of BM bottles. The main way I have gotten anything frozen is he sleeps through 1 feeding time each night when he does a 5 hour solid sleep time. So when I wake up I am usually engorged, feed him on one side then pump the other side and I usually get 3-4 oz with that one. I would have more if I would BF him at the 3am feeding and skip my husband giving him a bottle, but thats the time I get to sleep and they get to bond so I don't want to stop that. If I have to do bottles of 1/2 BM and 1/2 formula for daycare when I go back when he is 14 weeks I am ok with that