Babies: 0 - 3 Months
kristinasmall
member
Options
Question about exclusively pumping
kristinasmall
member
Due to latch issues, I'm having to pump exclusively. I'm finding it very difficult to make time to feed the baby (3 days old) and care for her, and still pump, and care for my 3 yr old and 5 yr old, and SLEEP! Do you pump every time your baby eats, or just a certain number of times per day? Im thinking of trying to pump 4-5 times per day, even though she eats about 8. I think I pump more than she eats so I can still have enough. This just isn't really working...especially through the night. Feeding her, getting her back to sleep, and then pumping....by the time I get back to sleep, she is waking up for the next feed it seems....
Thanks!
Kristina (Hayden Reese, born 4.27.11)
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Question about exclusively pumping
LO eats 7 times a day and I pump 7 times a day.
It is so much more work than I imagined, and I don't have other children!!
I think as long as you are making enough to keep up with LO in the next few months then 4-5 times a day is probably okay.
i try to make sure i pump 6-7 times a day which usually keeps up with his supply. i'm actually in the process of switching him to formula, though. i'm a pumping failure. i couldn't BF because he was a lazy eater and would scream after each BF session because he was still hungry.
pumping was the only solution but finding 30 minutes 6-7 times a day (because it takes me that long to even get 4-5 ounces) is almost impossible. i try as soon as i get DS to sleep but usually i get hooked up to everything, start, and he wakes up.
i hate that i'm starting the transition now, i wanted to go to 6 months, but that's just not possible.
sorry for unloading on you.... i can't imagine trying while still taking care of other LOs. my only advice is to just pump whenever you have free time and hopefully you get enough of a supply going that you're not struggling to keep up.
good luck!!
TTC #2 since 1/14
Miscarriage d/t blighted ovum 8/14
I try to pump every time she eats to keep up with her. The best habbit we have gotten into is getting her to put herself to sleep. At night I feed her a bottle, then swaddle and lay her in bed while I pump right next to her so I can pop her binky back in and by the time I'm done pumping, she is asleep. During the day, I feed her and she sits in her swing while I pump. We first started trying to get her to put herself to sleep at 6 weeks and it sometimes takes 20 minutes of popping the binky back in her mouth but she does it and I think its helped a ton!
Good luck
I'm also EPing, and pump every time she eats - 8x a day for at least 15 minutes each time. I am now block pumping due to an oversupply, so I only pump one side each time. My ultimate goal is to get her latch corrected and get her to nurse directly by 4-8 weeks.
I have no experience trying to do this with other little ones around, so I hesitate to give any advice, but it did get much easier for us one we both got into a routine. DH usually feeds her while I pump, but he's going back to work so we're getting into a one parent routine. I'm starting to pump 45-30 minutes before her feeding time, then feed her what I pump. I just got the handsfree Medela freestyle and want to try to feed her while I pump and bring our time down.
Check out kellymom.com for tons of helpful information.
Caitlin 4.17.11 Madeline 10.20.13