Community› The Bump Month Clubs› October 2012 Moms
October 2012 Moms
New Discussion

any working moms supplement with formula?

Starry AgainStarry Again member
in October 2012 Moms

any working moms supplement with formula?

 

I am only pumping about 10-12 ounces a day and my daughter often takes 14-15 while I'm at work. I have about 70 ounces stashed away so I should be good for another month or so on breastmilk, and I am trying various ways to up my output but I don't want to kill myself doing it. I was doing everything it takes at my old job to keep up (waking up early to pump, squeezing in sessions all weekend) and quite frankly it was ruining my life.

If you do have to supplement with some formula, do you give a bottle of straight formula or do you mix with BM? For instance my daughter normally takes two 4 ounce (morning) and two 3 ounce (afternoon) bottles while I'm gone - 14 ounces total. If I have 11 ounces of BM and 3 ounces of formula would you just make one all formula bottle or would you mix it between 2 bottles?

Also did supplementing totally kill your supply? I have no problems nursing when I'm around her all day - it's just the pumping that sucks. 

DD 9/15/12
Report Reply to Post

Re: any working moms supplement with formula?

  • elfchiqueelfchique member
    I'd experiment. My first choice would be a separate bottle of straight formula and if she wasn't tolerating it well, I'd try mixing.
    All that said, if you added some fenugreek or some herbs do you think you could increase your output without adding more pumpings?
    Lilypie - Personal pictureLilypie Fifth Birthday tickers Lilypie First Birthday tickers
    Report Reply
  • Loading the player...
  • Starry AgainStarry Again member

    imageelfchique:
    I'd experiment. My first choice would be a separate bottle of straight formula and if she wasn't tolerating it well, I'd try mixing. All that said, if you added some fenugreek or some herbs do you think you could increase your output without adding more pumpings?

    I tried Fenugreek for 5 days but never smelled like maple syrup which is what I hear you do when it is working (also my output never went up). I did 3 days with 6 pills a day and 2 days with 9 pills a day - do you think I should try again for longer?

    I was going to try with the mother's milk tea but it seems like a PITA to be making it at work but it does get good reviews.

    I ate a ton of lactation cookies and oatmeal but didn't notice a difference there either. 

    And I drink a shizz load of water, like a gallon a day. 

    DD 9/15/12
    Report Reply
  • MplsMurphMplsMurph member
    We've been suplimenting for awhile. I send him to daycare with whatever I pumped the day before, typically between 6 and 9 ounces. He gets BM bottles first and then once it is gone any other bottles are all formula. I ask DCP not to mix BM and formula in case he doesn't drink it all, don't want to throw out even a drop of BM! Not sure how suplimenting has impacted my supply, it has always been an issue so we are just trying to give as much BM as possible.
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
    Report Reply
  • Starry AgainStarry Again member
    imagemeganole25:

    Re: Tea

    I uses to make a huge batch of it, sweeten (w/ honey) then put in the fridge. I would then drink 1 - 2 glasses a day. Much easier then making and drinking warm. 

    Great idea. The one time I made it the taste was pretty bad so honey would definitely help. 

    DD 9/15/12
    Report Reply
  • elfchiqueelfchique member
    imageStarry Again:

    imageelfchique:
    I'd experiment. My first choice would be a separate bottle of straight formula and if she wasn't tolerating it well, I'd try mixing.
    All that said, if you added some fenugreek or some herbs do you think you could increase your output without adding more pumpings?

    I tried Fenugreek for 5 days but never smelled like maple syrup which is what I hear you do when it is working (also my output never went up). I did 3 days with 6 pills a day and 2 days with 9 pills a day - do you think I should try again for longer?

    I was going to try with the mother's milk tea but it seems like a PITA to be making it at work but it does get good reviews.

    I ate a ton of lactation cookies and oatmeal but didn't notice a difference there either. 

    And I drink a shizz load of water, like a gallon a day. 


    Yeah, maybe not. I take the more milk plus tincture which is disgusting but is small and portable. Fwiw, I don't smell like maple syrup at all.
    Lilypie - Personal pictureLilypie Fifth Birthday tickers Lilypie First Birthday tickers
    Report Reply
  • crushinitcrushinit member

    I don't have any advice but wanted to say I'm with you that pumping sucks. I just started back at work this last Thursday and already hate pumping. 

    One website I read (can't rememeber which one right now) said to just send what you pump and baby will adjust to eat more when they are with you. I'm not sure I agree with that. If your baby is hungry then they are hungry and need to eat.  

    Report Reply
  • Starry AgainStarry Again member
    imagemrs. kash:

    I don't have any advice but wanted to say I'm with you that pumping sucks. I just started back at work this last Thursday and already hate pumping. 

    One website I read (can't rememeber which one right now) said to just send what you pump and baby will adjust to eat more when they are with you. I'm not sure I agree with that. If your baby is hungry then they are hungry and need to eat.  

    So this happened a few of the days I worked. Not because we wouldn't feed her more (I had more in the freezer) but she just didn't want it.

    It totally blew. She was up all night eating and I could barely sleep. Honestly I would rather give her some formula than have her only eat 10 ounces from 8-5 if it means that I will be up all night. 

    DD 9/15/12
    Report Reply
  • PixelPosyPixelPosy member

    I'll be here soon, as I have the same issue with low pumping output... But in her first month we supplemented since she wouldn't latch and I preferred separate bottles. Formula has to be tossed if not finished, so that ruins a mixed bottle once offered.

    Report Reply
  • Starry AgainStarry Again member

    great point on tossing mixed formula / breastmilk bottles. I selfishly want to give her the formula bottle first so any formula spit up and poops are dealt with by daycare (the smell bothers me but I am sure I would get used to it).

    I am just going to take it one day at a time and try not to freak out about it until we need to start. 

    DD 9/15/12
    Report Reply
  • PixelPosyPixelPosy member
    imageStarry Again:

    great point on tossing mixed formula / breastmilk bottles. I selfishly want to give her the formula bottle first so any formula spit up and poops are dealt with by daycare (the smell bothers me but I am sure I would get used to it).

    I am just going to take it one day at a time and try not to freak out about it until we need to start. 

    I don't think there is anything wrong with letting daycare handle the formula, after all the only reason LO needs it is because of daycare. :)

    Have you tried listening to some relaxation music while pumping?  I haven't tried this yet, but might be worth a shot if the herbs aren't working for you. https://scienceofmom.com/2012/04/12/pump-up-the-music-improving-breast-milk-production-in-the-nicu/

    Report Reply
  • MeginUTMeginUT

    I had to supplement with my first.  I had to work really hard to get 5 oz. total during the day which was enough for one bottle.  I would send that to daycare and then they would use that bottle to make formula the rest of the day.  Then, I would nurse him at night and on the weekends.  

    I've been back at work since the end of November with this one and I'm not having any problems and my freezer stash is growing faster than the rate we can use it.  I'm pumping 5 oz. in the morning when I first wake up and then getting around 12 oz. pumping at work.   I've heard this is a common second time phenomena, but there are a couple of things I'm doing differently that may be attributing to a better supply.  One is I'm really concentrating on drink a ton of water.  I mean a ton.  The second is that I've been taking all of the middle-of-the-night feedings.  With my first, my husband was usually still up at 2 a.m. and would give him a bottle.  With this one, I've been doing all of them and if she sleeps, my boobs wake me up by 4:00, 4:30 in the morning and I get up and pump.  Like I said, I don't know if this is making the difference or if it's just a second time mom phenomena.  

     The other thing I want to add is that when I made the decision that it was okay to supplement with my first, a huge wave of relief came over me.  I was already stressed out by work and taking pump breaks and leaving work on time to pick up the baby  and yada yada yada, I didn't need one more stress or anyone making me feel like I just wasn't trying hard enough.  We're all doing the best we can and being a working mom of an infant is hard.   We do what we have to do.  

    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
    Report Reply
  • CibottiBunCibottiBun member
    imageMeginUT:


     The other thing I want to add is that when I made the decision that it was okay to supplement with my first, a huge wave of relief came over me.  I was already stressed out by work and taking pump breaks and leaving work on time to pick up the baby  and yada yada yada, I didn't need one more stress or anyone making me feel like I just wasn't trying hard enough.  We're all doing the best we can and being a working mom of an infant is hard.   We do what we have to do.  

     

    Thank you for this.  It made me feel better.  I am going to have to start supplementing soon, and this seriously made the choice easier to handle. :) 

    image
    Baby #1: Due 10/16/12: Due Date Baby!imageimageimage
    Image and video hosting by TinyPic
    Report Reply
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards
"
"