If you pump (or have in the past)

skroops · August 2011

A few questions for you...

How long do you typically pump for and how many oz do you get per pumping session? I'm trying to figure out how many times I am going to need to pump during the day to get enough to send to DC. I usually can get about 3 oz at a time pumping from one side, but that is pumping during the day while I am home with her and still nursing her. So I'm thinking that once I am away from her all day long I will start to get more since I am not nursing AND pumping throughout the day. Do you think that would be the case?

Also, for those of you that pump(Ed) regularly for work, did you only pump while at work, or did you try to fit in an extra session in the morning and/or at night?

And lastly, did you do anything special that you found helpful to keep your milk supply up? (pills, tea, water consumption, diet, etc?)

TIA ladies. Switching daycares at the last minute means I couldn't send them early like I originally planned so the first day that they will be there I will already be back to work and there won't be any "easing into it".

TinaL99 · August 2011

skroops:
A few questions for you...
How long do you typically pump for and how many oz do you get per pumping session? I'm trying to figure out how many times I am going to need to pump during the day to get enough to send to DC. I usually can get about 3 oz at a time pumping from one side, but that is pumping during the day while I am home with her and still nursing her. So I'm thinking that once I am away from her all day long I will start to get more since I am not nursing AND pumping throughout the day. Do you think that would be the case?
I pumped for about 20 minutes each session. At the most I got 4oz/session (for both breasts) but I was never a huge producer. I would think you would be able to get more than at home w/o having those nursing sessions.
Also, for those of you that pump(Ed) regularly for work, did you only pump while at work, or did you try to fit in an extra session in the morning and/or at night?
I pumped at home at 5:00am, nursed at 6:30, pumped at 9:30, 12:30 and 3:30 at work. I probably should have pumped at night, too and will most likely do that this time around right before bed.
And lastly, did you do anything special that you found helpful to keep your milk supply up? (pills, tea, water consumption, diet, etc?)
I drank nothing but water all day (after my decaf coffee in the morning). I was inconsistent with the Fenugreek and Mother's Milk tea so I can't really speak to how those might have helped me.

GOOD LUCK! It's so hard and I hate pumping but it's only temporary!

TIA ladies. Switching daycares at the last minute means I couldn't send them early like I originally planned so the first day that they will be there I will already be back to work and there won't be any "easing into it".

jewelsonu · August 2011

my first week back I was getting 13 oz between 2 pumping sessions. by the time i finished pumping (7 months) I think I was only getting around 6 oz. i have tried everything under the sun to increase my supply// pills, cookies, water, gatoraide, tea, prescription pills. Walgreens now sells a combo milk thistle and fenugreek tablet. Of course they didn't carry it when I needed it. I have at least 1 unopened bottle of fenugreek if you want it. I might also have mother's milk tea.

I always pumped before I left for work b/c most of the time noone was awake, then twice at work . If I worked the night shift I would pump as soon as i got home.

pumping for me was a chore and i hated it so I probably didn't pump as much as you are supposed to.

day194 · August 2011

Everyone is different on how much they get, so you'll have to wait and see. But you definitely should get more when you're only pumping during the day and not also nursing.

I can tell you for me I always had to pump one more time than the # of bottles I was sending. I did the extra session at night before I went to bed.

There were times I tried to give my supply a bump. I used Fenugreek Seed pills and also did power pumping sessions. That seemed to work for me.

I also didn't easy into daycare, but I did do a day of pumping instead of nursing and giving L the bottles to get an idea of how I'd do. That made me feel more confident on my first day back to work.

Telyco · August 2011

Hmm...I have never heard of people actually getting MORE milk once they stop nursing. Maybe for the first couple of days, but then your body will adjust to the demand and the pump is less efficient. The working moms I'm friends with all have to pump at home just as much as at work to keep up. I give you guys SO SO SO much credit.

I didn't pump while at work but I pumped at night to increase my supply...the power pumping thing really helped (10 min on 10 min off for a hour I think?) and Mother's Milk Tea really helped me too - I drank a lot of it. So after a week I went from pumping 1 ounce in the evening to 5 ounces.

xKimx · August 2011

I was lucky enough to get away with only pumping 2x during the school day when P was around L's age.

BethPSU · August 2011

I worked 2 days/week all year and pumped for those days until Pierce was 1. I would pump 1x at work (was away from home 7 hours). I generally got between 7-10 oz. I would have to pump at least 1 other time to get enough to leave for the day. I would get about 3 oz at home in between feedings.

orangeluck · August 2011

I made it a habit to pump one side in the morning while she was nursing even on weekends/days off to buffer and build a stash. Pumping was stressful for me (did it in the car when away from home due to the nature of my job) but built a great stash so I never really worried about having too little.

Fenugreek worked to increase production when I was sick but it would not be something I personnally would use long term. It made me smell like maple syrup.

Sorry I can't remember if you sent BM in to DC before; I always sent one extra bottle just incase (due to the nature of my job if I was going to be late picking up). I numbered the bottles for the order I wanted them used so that the extra could be used for the next day without me worrying that it was old stock.

kac0807 · August 2011

skroops:
A few questions for you...
How long do you typically pump for and how many oz do you get per pumping session? I'm trying to figure out how many times I am going to need to pump during the day to get enough to send to DC. I usually can get about 3 oz at a time pumping from one side, but that is pumping during the day while I am home with her and still nursing her. So I'm thinking that once I am away from her all day long I will start to get more since I am not nursing AND pumping throughout the day. Do you think that would be the case? Also, for those of you that pump(Ed) regularly for work, did you only pump while at work, or did you try to fit in an extra session in the morning and/or at night? I was taught to pump until the milk stops coming so I never set a time limit I would just pump until it stopped. They say if you keep going a little past that it will help your body to think you need more and start producing more too. I struggled the entire time I BF with my supply so I pumped every chance I had. I think I usually only pumped once at work...maybe twice when she was younger and eating more often...and then I would pump before I went to bed at night and also in the morning before work if she wasnt' awake before I left for me to nurse her.
And lastly, did you do anything special that you found helpful to keep your milk supply up? (pills, tea, water consumption, diet, etc?)As for things that helped me, I needed more fat in my diet, so I ate a bowl of ice cream every night before bed....granted this didn't help me lose all of my baby weight (until I stopped nursing and could quit the ice cream) but kept my supply up. I made sure I drank a ton of water...as if I was pregnant still and I also drank the Mother's Milk Tea as often as I could. I actually liked the taste of it so it didn't bother me.
TIA ladies. Switching daycares at the last minute means I couldn't send them early like I originally planned so the first day that they will be there I will already be back to work and there won't be any "easing into it".

skroops · August 2011

Thanks for all the input ladies. It is very helpful! I never really thought about the pump being less efficient than the baby and that causing me to get LESS milk when I am at work compared to when I am home and fitting in pumping during naps, etc. I really hope that won't be the case, but I guess I need to be prepared for anything. I should be able to pump 3x during the work day, and could probably pump once before work if needed too. We will see how it goes...

Thanks again for all the responses. I know I have asked a lot of questions about this, so I appreciate all the advice.

Kristen61607 · August 2011

it really varies - I get about 50-55 oz per day but i ep. i pump for 15-20 minutes and can get anywhere from 4 - 12 oz during 1 session

im a sahm

i eat oatmeal every morning with flax meal and brewers yeast and take more milk plus and goat's rue (that really helped the most). i also power pump on occasion,

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