XP: Pumping to increase supply?

LittleDelany · May 2011

Hello ladies

DS is almost 4 weeks old and nurses like a champ. I've pumped a few times just for kicks and get about 4oz a day. I do have a dilemma approaching and need some helpful hints and tips.

My bff is getting married on June 11th and I'm in her wedding. DS and I are going to fly to VA from LA, and I was planning on leaving him with my mom while I'm doing pre-wedding and wedding stuff. I'll fly into town on Wednesday, and the wedding is Saturday. DS is a really good eater and and I'm thinking he eats about 6-8oz per feeding (I fed him the other day, on both sides, for about 45 minutes and he downed a 3oz bottle). I'm worried that I won't be able to pump enough milk in the 3 days leading up to the wedding to leave DS with my mom for 6-8 hours.

When I do pump, it's usually at his first 3 feedings - I feed him on one side, pump the other, and then finish pumping on the side that he just finished.

How do I utilize the pump to increase my supply to more than 4oz a day? And will I be able to do this in a 3-week time period?

Sorry so long, but TIA for your info!

RunningGal900 · May 2011

How many times a day does he eat? 8 oz seems high for a feeding to me (according to kellymom, BF babies eat 19-30 oz a day). https://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/milkcalc.html

Do you need the 4 oz a day you are getting now for anything between now and the wedding? Couldn't you just freeze and bring it in a cooler? If baby eats 8 oz, every two hours and you're gone for 8 hours, that's 24 oz. If you need it for 3 days, you could get that in the next three weeks. I believe that you can fly with BM - you just have to declare it.

I don't know about pumping to increase supply, but I'd be concerned if you pump a bunch, you'll trick your body into making more than you and your baby need leading to an oversupply. I'm dealing with an oversupply problem now and it's a pain to correct.

Feel free to ignore everything I'm saying. I'm new at this myself, so the above is just my two cents.

LittleDelany · May 2011

RunningGal900:
How many times a day does he eat? 8 oz seems high for a feeding to me (according to kellymom, BF babies eat 19-30 oz a day). https://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/milkcalc.html
Do you need the 4 oz a day you are getting now for anything between now and the wedding? Couldn't you just freeze and bring it in a cooler? If baby eats 8 oz, every two hours and you're gone for 8 hours, that's 24 oz. If you need it for 3 days, you could get that in the next three weeks. I believe that you can fly with BM - you just have to declare it.
I don't know about pumping to increase supply, but I'd be concerned if you pump a bunch, you'll trick your body into making more than you and your baby need leading to an oversupply. I'm dealing with an oversupply problem now and it's a pain to correct.
Feel free to ignore everything I'm saying. I'm new at this myself, so the above is just my two cents.

He may have only eaten that much once - I don't bottle feed regularly so I'm just guessing. If I could fly with frozen BM, and then put it in my mom's fridge to thaw and use it within that 4 day period, that would be perfect - I just don't know what the guidelines are on how fast you have to used thawed BM (I looked, maybe I missed it somewhere).

ETA: He eats probably 5-6 times during the day (30-45 mins each time) and tends to cluster feed at night.

RunningGal900 · May 2011

You are supposed to use thawed milk within 24 hours. But I'm wondering if you put enough ice packs in a cooler, if it would stay frozen enough to go straight back to the freezer and you could thaw each day as needed. I would consult an LC about that.

BLM10 · May 2011

Just agreeing with PP that is is highly unlikely that your baby is taking 6-8 ounces at a time at his age. My DS is 5 weeks and will take 3-4 ounces in a bottle or 2 after nursing 30 minutes. How much you pump has nothing to do with how much he gets. Are you getting 4 ounces a day or a session?

LittleDelany · May 2011

BLM10:
Just agreeing with PP that is is highly unlikely that your baby is taking 6-8 ounces at a time at his age. My DS is 5 weeks and will take 3-4 ounces in a bottle or 2 after nursing 30 minutes. How much you pump has nothing to do with how much he gets. Are you getting 4 ounces a day or a session?

Last night DS took just over 5oz in a bottle from DH. I'm not sure if he does this at every feeding but it seems he eats more at night.

I'm only getting 4oz a day.

cpb79 · May 2011

I would take a day to see how much he actually eats from a bottle. He might be over eating if he isn't used to a bottle since it comes out quicker/easier than the breast. I've been pumping and bottle feeding due to some issues and Colton only takes 3oz everything 3 hours (aside from preparing for bed when he eats every 2) and he is 6.5 weeks old. Since your lil guy took 5oz at night, try it during the day and see what he takes. HTH Btw- where in VA are you going? I live there. :-)

RunningGal900 · May 2011

cpb79:
I would take a day to see how much he actually eats from a bottle. He might be over eating if he isn't used to a bottle since it comes out quicker/easier than the breast. I've been pumping and bottle feeding due to some issues and Colton only takes 3oz everything 3 hours (aside from preparing for bed when he eats every 2) and he is 6.5 weeks old. Since your lil guy took 5oz at night, try it during the day and see what he takes. HTH Btw- where in VA are you going? I live there. :-)

Agree. My DS takes more at night.

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