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October 2012 Moms
Ken&Anna
member
Another "Is this normal" question about Pumping (XP from Breastfeeding)
Ken&Anna
member
Mobile: Another "Is this normal" question about Pumping (XP from Breastfeeding)
I've been back at work now for 2 and a half weeks. My LO is 3 and a half months old. During the day at daycare, she gets 4 bottles with 3.5 oz. in each one. She also nurses 4-5 times/day in addition to that... usually once in the morning before I go to work, twice in the evening and once in the middle of the night.
My question is this: in order to pump enough milk to send her with those 4 bottles, I need to pump 5 or 6 times per day: usually 4 times at work and depending on how LO does with sleeping, again either in the evening after she goes to sleep (around 10 or 11 PM) or in the middle of the night (around 2 or 3 AM). Is it normal to need to pump 5-6 times to get 4 bottles?
Does it sound like I have "low" supply? I'm already taking Fenugreek to help my supply, and I am going to start having oatmeal every evening for dessert. Other suggestions?
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Re: Another "Is this normal" question about Pumping (XP from Breastfeeding)
Yes--I have the Medela Pump-in-Style, and each time I pump at work I pump for 15-25 minutes. I always make sure to pump a few minutes after the last drop of milk comes out.
Have you ever fed her from a bottle at home during the day to see how many ounces she eats? When I was going to work and let my husband feed our LO, he only ate, at most, two five ounce bottles during the workday -- one around 10 or 11am and another at 2 to 3pm. This was with me feeding him from the breast at 8am right before I left and at 5:30pm right when I got home.
Every baby is different, but is it possible you're feeding her too much at daycare and thus expecting to pump too much?
My son seems like the same type of eater.
I feed him at 6:30, when he wakes up and pump afterwards, getting 2oz usually. I then pump at 10:30 getting 4 / 4.5 oz. I then pump at 2:30, getting about 4oz. Depending on when my husband fed him last, sometimes I pump when I get home 5pm. I then pump after he has been in bed and we have been up for awhile....getting 3oz. So I'm right on the line of pumping enough. I also take Fenugreek and eat oatmeal every morning. I should add it at night, good idea.
Just today I decided to pump while I eat at work (duh) - so I pumped 4oz at 10am, 3oz at 12:30. And I will pump again at 3, hoping to get atleast 2oz.
I'm starting to stress myself out about it - which is not helping. ugh!
Sorry for all the data - I hoped that helped.
Open Heart Surgery @ 5 months old.Happy, healthy, and as normal as could be! We thank God every day.EP/BF for 12.5 months
TTC#2 - November 2012
BFP #4: O'd on CD25 (Aug. 2014). DD May 6, 2015. RCS planned.
Beta@14dpo: 184, 17dpo: 520. 44 hr. doubling time. p4: 54U/S 8 weeks 1 day, 161 bpm
From what I understand, this is completely normal since the pump isn't as efficient as your LO. It's frustrating, I know.
I am also taking fenugreek and do the oatmeal, tons of water, etc. I also just started taking Blessed Thistle in addition to the Fenugreek, so maybe you want to try that?
I was under the impression this did the opposite, so I added a session. Should I be stretching them out instead?
Open Heart Surgery @ 5 months old.Happy, healthy, and as normal as could be! We thank God every day.EP/BF for 12.5 months
TTC#2 - November 2012
BFP #4: O'd on CD25 (Aug. 2014). DD May 6, 2015. RCS planned.
Beta@14dpo: 184, 17dpo: 520. 44 hr. doubling time. p4: 54U/S 8 weeks 1 day, 161 bpm
Yeah, I wouldn't wait longer between pumps. Of course you will get more if you wait longer; your body has had more time to produce. I had a meeting run long the other day and I went 4 hours between pumping instead of 3. I still only had my usual 13 oz at the end of the day.
If you don't pump often enough you run the risk of your body saying "oh, she doesn't need as much milk as often" and it may slow down your production.
I do this schedule EXACTLY. I get about 9 ounces first pumping session and about 7 second pumping session. Then I am full again to feed him about 5:15 or so. Seems to be working. I was pumping three times, but I was only getting about half as much during my mid and late afternoon pumping session. I am actually getting more just pumping the two times. I don't know if that's normal, but it's been my experience.
Two things, one, I highly recommend the book Mother Food, I doubled my pumping output after reading it (and I EP). Second, you should increase the time you pump for. I get my first letdown almost immediately, then a second at about 11-13 minutes and a 3rd 17-19 minutes. The best thing I learned from Mother Food was that you should be pumping anywhere from 2-5 minutes after the milk completely stops flowing or when you get another let down. I increased my pumping from 15 minutes to 25 minutes, that coupled with adding some food that helps with lactation and have doubled my supply.
As for my schedule, I pump at 5 AM and get 8oz, 8:30 AM and get 5oz, 11:30 AM and get 5 oz, 2:30 PM and get 5 oz, 5:30 PM and get 5oz, 8PM and get 5oz, then sometime between 12:00-2:00AM and get 8oz.
my goal is to pump enough so that he can have at least one bottle of BM every day for the first year of life. Since I EP (because he wont take the boob) my goal is to pump until 6months when we introduce solids. I currently have over 600 oz in our deep freezer and usually freeze at least 15 oz a day. I supplement with 1-2 bottle of formula a day to do this. He usually doesn't eat 40 oz though.