pumping, kangaroo care, tummy time, pumping...

pinksandbermuda · March 2012

how are you managing all of these things?

DD eats every 2-3 hrs, and I am having a hard time keeping up with all of this, especially the pumping. The pumping is killing me! I hate it.

She BF's, takes a bottle of expressed breast milk, and then I pump afterward, since she isn't strong enough to just BF. Those activites take about an hour or more, she is a slow eater. Especially if I need to wash the bottle parts first. I would like to just cuddle her after she eats but that is awkward with the pump strapped on.

I change her before she eats and sometimes just leave her in a diaper to have some kangaroo time before and after eating. This pushes back the pumping a bit. I'm always worried about keeping her warm enough during the transition and disrupting her putting clothes back on and off. She always freaks out.

Tummy time usually gets lost in the shuffle, I'm trying to get her warmed back up or back to sleep or both. Does it count if shes on her tummy on my chest during kangaroo time?

Sometimes I just want to take a short nap or a shower or fix something to eat... but then remember I have to pump again! The pumping itself doesn't take that long, but I have to get all the parts together, sometimes I realize they need to be washed etc.

How are you guys doing it?

pinksandbermuda · March 2012

here are a couple of pics so its not all b!tching and moaning! Her adjusted age is 38 weeks

gringa78 · March 2012

I hear ya. It's exhausting. This is only week 2 for me, and I feel like I'm going to collapse. What I have started doing is pushing the pumping a bit for (1) more sleep at night and (2) more time cuddling my girls. They also get formula. I don't do tummy time with the girls explicitly, but having them on their belly on my chest during kangaroo time kills 2 birds with one stone. They lift their heads once in awhile and that's good enough for me right now. I do kangaroo care for 30-45 minutes prior to feeding and for the same amount of time afterwards to help with digestion. I am in the NICU for 2 feedings a day and pump 2 times (once every 3 hours) while I'm there.

Best of luck! I didn't pump at all last night and I had the first full night's sleep in over a month. It totally rejuvinated my soul.

snoangel79 · March 2012

I hit a wall last week after a month of pumping. My supply is not super... I was only able to provide for my daughter (who was the smaller twin). With having them home and feeding them I burned out pretty quickly (she is now mostly on formula) taking two breast pumped feeds in 24 hour period. My son has been formula fed mostly also. I put them to breast once or twice a day too. Last week my stupid medela symphony (hospital rented) pump got milk in the tubes once again! I nearly had a friggin breakdown and now have been pumping my breasts with an Avent non-electric single. It sucks... I will continue to give some milk to both, I know it helps keep them regular because the iron in the formula tends to bind them up. I cannot justify "beating" myself up over it as my supply has never been great. I am doing what I can and luckily it affords me to be able to sleep a few hours a night and not have a breakdown...

jennifer1w · March 2012

She is adorable!

vsalt31 · March 2012

I allow longer times between pumping. Somedays I may even have a 6hr break from it. I know that everyone says not to do that, but I was being spread too thin waking myself up every few hours. And, I agree w/ the poster that tummy time can be a few minutes at a time. I don't think I'd count the chest time, sorry. Good luck!

CTbride79 · March 2012

I hear ya on pumping ruling your life! I feel that way right now. And my DS will not even go to breast because he's gotten so used to the bottle, so I feel like I never get a break. I also feel like I've been losing my supply ever since he came home 11 days ago, since I went longer stretches inbetween due to exhaustion or lack of time, etc. So now I am contemplating if it's even worth it to continue. My pediatrician said to not drive myself crazy over it...that it was ok to stop if I felt I couldn't pump anymore in addition to everything else. My goal right now is to make it til his due date (April 3rd) and then decided whether I continue from there. But I feel good knowing that at that point he will have had breast milk for 8 solid weeks.

kswifetobe · March 2012

Hard is not even the word!! In the beginning it is pump pump pump, but I can't speak from too much experience but it does get a bit easier. I am still trying to pump for my twins and since they are both home the hospital it has gotten even more diffiuclt. Set goals and be proud when you reach them and be okay if you do chose to stop pump when you reach the date. It will get easier and with each day that passes she is getting bigger, stronger and believe it or not one day older which means one day closer to being on other things besides breastmilk/formula. I keep trying to remember it myself, they are only little once and as long as we are doing what we can we are giving them the best shot. Don't be too hard on yourself about the tummy time thing, they get it more often than we realize. Oh yeah, I have tried to make pumping as relaxing as possible. It is my time to sit down, shut off the world, read a trashy magazine or veg in front of the tv. Make it 15 minutes of doing something you want to do not have to do. You have done great so don't worry!

ssg73 · March 2012

I exclusively pumped for 1 year and these are the tricks I learned.

Get extra pumping supplies. I ended up having 3 full sets of everything. That way I was not washing each time. This was a life saver and I really think the nicu should tell you this right off the bat. If I had the three to begin with I would have been a much more sane person.

I also started putting the parts in a plastic baggie in the fridge between a pumping session so I didn't have to wash it between each time. A bit cold on the old girls but they warm up quickly.

kck329 · March 2012

ssg73:
I exclusively pumped for 1 year and these are the tricks I learned.
Get extra pumping supplies. I ended up having 3 full sets of everything. That way I was not washing each time. This was a life saver and I really think the nicu should tell you this right off the bat. If I had the three to begin with I would have been a much more sane person.
I also started putting the parts in a plastic baggie in the fridge between a pumping session so I didn't have to wash it between each time. A bit cold on the old girls but they warm up quickly.

These tips help a lot. Here are few more I've picked up--

-pump while you bottle feed, it saves a lot of time. Or pump one side while BFing the other

-if you LO is naked while you BF then that is Kangaroo time

-do tummy time as you can, don't freak out if you aren't getting it in all the time. She can probably only tolerate a little bit anyway and she needs to sleep at this point.

But can I ask, why are you both BFing and bottle feeding each time? Are you working with someone to help transition to full BFing?

OrganicTeacher · March 2012

kck329:
ssg73:
I exclusively pumped for 1 year and these are the tricks I learned.
Get extra pumping supplies. I ended up having 3 full sets of everything. That way I was not washing each time. This was a life saver and I really think the nicu should tell you this right off the bat. If I had the three to begin with I would have been a much more sane person.
I also started putting the parts in a plastic baggie in the fridge between a pumping session so I didn't have to wash it between each time. A bit cold on the old girls but they warm up quickly.

These tips help a lot. Here are few more I've picked up--
-pump while you bottle feed, it saves a lot of time. Or pump one side while BFing the other
-if you LO is naked while you BF then that is Kangaroo time
-do tummy time as you can, don't freak out if you aren't getting it in all the time. She can probably only tolerate a little bit anyway and she needs to sleep at this point.

All of these....

But - My dr said that if you are engaging him or her during kangaroo time, then that can count as tummy time as well. They are able to lift their head and look around, you can use black and white toys - there are lots of things you can do with it.

Also - I would suggest having a TON of bottles available. I don't know how your supply is - but I have a small freezer stash - and I pump either exactly or twice as much as he needs - so I am able to freeze more than I give him. Each day I go to nurse 2x a day (we are just learning and starting to wean off the bottle) and then we follow up those times with a bottle. Other times DH gives him the bottle and I pump. He doesn't have the energy to get it all out of me! So I prep the maximum amount that we know that he can take, and we store about 5 bottles in the fridge that are prepped and ready. Then I can just drop them into a warm bath before giving them to him at room temp-ish.

I also enlist the help of my husband when he is around to do stuff. He washes and sterilizes all the bottles and pump parts one time a day (we have about 8 bottles and I have 2 sets of pump parts and 2 nipple shields), and he does the night feedings when I wake up at night to pump.

I am going to a breastfeeding support group with the LC at my hospital this next week - and we are going to work on my latch. I would LOVE to get rid of the bottle when he comes to eat with me, but I am doing it slowly and cautiously because I don't want him to get frustrated with eating. But... that is also dependent on him!!!

Also - Like one of the PPs said - I don't pump every 2-3. I will give myself a break, and then cluster pump later on in the day if I went to far apart. Medela makes these awesome wipes that are made for your flanges and stuff if you aren't washing right away. When I cluster pump I use those and leave the milk out (since it is only out for an hour) and then once I have two pumps in it, it goes in the fridge. I wipe off the flanges and throw another set of volufeeds or bottles on it and do it again. If DS is awake while I am doing this - I have this little pillow type thing called the Boppy Newborn Lounger, and he hangs out in there next to me. That is also a time that he could do tummy time. If you take your pumping to the floor, you could do tummy time at the same time. Sorry - I am a multitasking crazy person - I am actually pumping while doing this.

OH! And get yourself a pumping bra if you don't have one. Then you can follow up with the bottle AND pump - or do whatever else and pump. It has saved my sanity. I have two of them so when one is in the wash - I can use the other. It is by medela and is just a little bandeau with holes that zips up the top.

Hope this helps!!!

pinksandbermuda · March 2012

Wow, so much good advice, thank you. I am going to have to re-read all of this!

The LC at the hospital said to BF for 5-10 mins so she is used to it and keep practicing. But she is not getting enough from that so I have to give her the bottle. We tried to just do the breast but she always seemed hungry and didn't have the energy to keep BF'ing. I have a follow up appt to go over transitioning to just bf next week. She may start to get strong enough after her due date they think.

Great tip about the pump parts. I will have to get more of those, it is making me nuts. Also I didn't know we could put them in the fridge! They should tell us these things!

We just came back from the dr's and she had a great checkup. She's been gaining an ounce a day on average since her last visit and grown over an inch. Knowing she is doing well helps me keep up this routine. He wasn't so concerned about the tummy time (or lack thereof).

Thanks again for the help, I am going to use these tips and keep my sanity I hope.

HJOHNSTON411 · March 2012

It was tough, for sure! Buy extra pump parts! I HATED washing all the stuff because it felt like I was always doing it. I invested in two spare sets of shields, etc. and stocked up on the disposable bottles from the NICU and steam cleaning bags. My primary nurses hooked me up big time:)! But that made it a little less repetitive.

Also, you must invest in a good hands free pumping bra - or two, if you don't pay attention and overflow your bottles a lot when pumping ha. That thing was my saving grace because I could eat, email, Bump, etc while I pumped!

Hang in there!!

tarapiag · March 2012

Agree with much of what the PPs said.....would definitely say to invest in extra pump sets. Also I enlisted DH to bottle feed after we BF so that I could pump and save some time. Trying to do it all myself by the 8th week home got to be too much since she wouldn't latch, so we just gave up trying to BF and switched to EPing, which I've been doing for 8 months. Wouldn't necessarily recommend it; BF would be easier I think, but for me it was more important that she got BM and I could function around the house. Good luck and congrats on working so hard on it; you are doing an awesome job!

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