Questions about pumping
So, I finally got my breast pump and I'm ready to introduce a bottle to allow my DH to feed him in my absence and to get him used to taking the bottle. We have not had issues BF and he latches like a champ (and takes a pacifier).. so I think a bottle is ok. I don't go back to work until May, but I also want to create a freezer stash of BM.
So, any tips on how to do this?
I normally only feed one side at a time. He very rarely takes the other as I think I have a lot of milk or something. I do not want to increase my supply too much either.
So should I nurse him one side and then pump the other or should I pick a totally different time and pump both sides?
How much BM should I give him? Whatever I pump from one side in a sitting and see what he takes?
I've been reading kelly mom and some other websites, but wanted first hand info on what worked for you. I'd like to give him the bottle soon as he will be 6 weeks old on Friday.
Re: Questions about pumping
Both of my kiddos were/are one side feeders. What I do is I pump an extra feeding (one side only) around 9:00 pm. I picked that time, because both kids are in bed, and I didn't want to figure out pumping right after the baby fed, etc. During this pumping session, I get anywhere from 3-6 oz.
When I started Stella on a bottle, we started by giving her three ounces. I figured I could heat up more if needed, but that I didn't want to heat up too much and have wasted the milk.
I am pumping almost daily because I am soon going back to work and want to build a freezer stash in case I don't pump enough every day when I'm at work. I was super lucky with my DS my freezer stash was so big I actually stopped pumping at work around 10.5 months. I don't pump every day because honestly I don't like pumping and sometimes my toddler or life gets in the way. I always pump in the morning because that is when your supply is naturally the highest usually about an hour or so after she eats (mostly because by that time she has gone back to sleep and I have had time to make myself breakfast, dress the toddler, etc.) I always pump both sides even though she only feeds off of one side at a time. I do not have issues of having too much milk on the days I don't pump.
I freeze my supply in 3-4 ounce bags so when she gets a bottle it is almost always 3 ounces. Sometimes she is still hungry but since she's only gotten a bottle when I''m home she has twice nursed for a short time after the bottle. I hate to waste pumped milk.
When I was on maternity leave (after birth but before we got thrush at 2.5 months old), I pumped at 2 am or so. I was full to bursting and leaking enough to wake me up so I'd get up and pump. DS would usually eat then but only take one side.
I froze in 2 oz sized bottles that I then had to defrost for a regular bottle later. If I had to do it over again, I'd freeze in 1 oz portions in a tray. If you freeze it in small portions like that, later on you only have to defrost what you intend to use, reducing waste. Milk that has been frozen is only "good" for about 24 hours after it has been defrosted. Milk that has never been frozen can last MUCH longer in the fridge. And you don't actually have to toss breast milk if your baby doesn't finish it in one sitting (unlike formula which can't be used if your child doesn't finish a bottle after starting it) -- you can put it back in the fridge and use it again later. DS would occassionally fall asleep mid-bottle and I made my mom and DH put the bottle back in the fridge to give him his afternoon nap. If I came home to a bottle on the counter, oh man was mama in a pissy mood.
These guidelines from LLL are useful. https://www.llli.org/faq/milkstorage.html
oh man, reading this makes me think back to last year when I was trying to start pumping and figuring out when and how often, etc. I just remember being stressed, and I remember coming here and asking and getting so many different responses. You have to figure out what is going to work best for you. With that in mind, here is how I handled it:
I first started pumping in the morning an hour after Ellie ate. Ellie was also a one sided eater, but I would pump both sides an hour after she ate. I would get about an ounce from the side she just ate from and 3-5 oz from other side.
Once I had a stash going, whenever John fed her a bottle, I made sure to pump about that time.
Ellie started having longer stretches of sleep at a pretty young age, or only eating on one side at night, so I would get up and pump the other side during her 1 middle of the night feed
Hope this helps.
The good news is, you can pump at diffn't times to see what works best for you. One or two days of a pumping schedule won't significantly increase your supply.
~~ married 8.11.07
~~ DD1 1.16.11 ~~ DD2 1.3.14 ~~
~~ BFP3 12.22.15 MMC 2.29.16 @ 13 weeks ~~
~~ 2 D&Cs (3.1.16 and 3.10.16) for MMC
~~ BFP4 10.27.16 MMC 1.23.17 @ 16 weeks ~~ D&E 1.26.17 ~~
When I first started I found pumping in the morning worked best for me. I was so engorged, I would try to pump before feeding A, because otherwise it seemed like she would choke. Even if she wanted to nurse right after pumping, it's always been okay.
It took me awhile to get the hang of pumping, I had to really relax (now it's quick and easy). Like you, I didn't want to increase my supply too much, but I would also pump if I felt really full. I built up a good stash. Though we haven't needed to use much of it, it gives good piece of mind...and, there have been a few times lately when I have not been able to pump much and we have needed it! Now if I want to try and get in an extra pump, I can only get anything in the evening.
We would give A 3oz. When you first begin the bottle, maybe just try 1-2oz, so you don't waste any.
There really is no one right way, do what works for you.
Cooking Blog