Pumping and keeping up with Baby

evertz · August 2013

LO has started to demand three 6oz bottles of milk at daycare (18 oz total) but I'm only pumping an average of 16 oz while I'm at work. I have some freezer milk stashed but not a lot - and I'd rather not send it all to daycare but instead use it for when I'm out of town for work and/or date night with the hubs.

I'm wondering how to get those extra 2 oz. Baby has been STTN for a while now - he typically goes down around 9pm and is up around 6:30 or 7 the next morning. So I'm thinking I could add another pumping session a few hours after he goes to bed... I'll have to figure out a new bottle making/washing/getting pump ready for next day/etc. routine but that's not too big of a deal.

Anyone in the same boat? What are you doing to make sure you have enough milk for daycare?

ceamac0127 · August 2013

This happened to me and I was so defeated. I tried everything to get my supply up but I just couldnt do it. We broke down and supplemented the last few oz we were missing and after that pumping was so much easier and during some sessions I would pump more than normal because I wasn't stressing about it. I knew that I would pump what I could and she might just have to have a few ozs of formula as well.

TexasAggie06 · August 2013

Eat oatmeal, drink TONS of water, maybe consider taking fenugreek or brewers yeast, make lactation cookies... and add pumping sessions or power pump for a day?

mariahrb · August 2013

I pump 7 times to get the 17.5 oz my LO needs. That includes a session at 130am. :-(

OhSewCrafty · August 2013

Dream feeding! Ginny goes to sleep around 8pm and wakes up again around 5 or 6am. I LOATHE pumping any more than I need to, so instead I worked on dream feeding. Around 10:30 or 11pm, before I go to bed, I pick her up and she nurses for 15-20 minutes -- all while half/mostly asleep. I plop her back in her crib and then go to bed. Its a nice way for me to wind down before bed too. She gets the extra calories and demands less during the day.

katie6/26/04 · August 2013

I pump in the morning either before she eats or right after depending on what time she wakes up. I get 12+ ounces at that pumping, so it more than makes up for anything I'm short.

katie6/26/04 · August 2013

I forgot to say i pump every morning regardless if it's a work day or not.

Mandmeesh · August 2013

Your idea to squeeze in one more pump a few hours after bed is a good one. Just remember that it'll take a few pump sessions for your body to realize it should make more milk at that time, so don't be discouraged that first day with half an ounce!

. Good luck

JBDamonM · August 2013

cmcmillan0901 said:

This happened to me and I was so defeated. I tried everything to get my supply up but I just couldnt do it. We broke down and supplemented the last few oz we were missing and after that pumping was so much easier and during some sessions I would pump more than normal because I wasn't stressing about it. I knew that I would pump what I could and she might just have to have a few ozs of formula as well.

This is me as well.ive never been a good pumper, I was good with keeping up the first month back to work, although I'm hindsight she probably could've eaten more. My pedi wanted us uping her ounces at her 4 month appt so I have started supplementing. I know this decision is not for everyone but its made life over here so,so,so much easier! I personally do not feel bad about it as I'm still giving her as much breastmilk as I possibly can, but again I know not everyone feels that way!

hatroopes · August 2013

I pump in the mornings in my car on my drive to work. I have about an hour commute so I usually pump for at least 30 minutes and get between 10-14oz. I pump twice at work and on my drive home and get between 4-6oz each time. Depending on my output that day, I might pump once again after DD goes to sleep for at night.

Meggs2559 · August 2013

hatroopes said:
I pump in the mornings in my car on my drive to work. I have about an hour commute so I usually pump for at least 30 minutes and get between 10-14oz. I pump twice at work and on my drive home and get between 4-6oz each time. Depending on my output that day, I might pump once again after DD goes to sleep for at night.

My friend got pulled over the other day while pumping because her tail light was out!!! She was so nervous and wasn't sure if she should worry about detaching herself or getting her license and registration. She ended up just getting her l and r and kind of had her arms wrapped in front of her. She explained herself right away and said the look on the cop's face was priceless. She ended up getting a warning! Lol

hatroopes · August 2013

Meggs2559 said:

I pump in the mornings in my car on my drive to work. I have about an hour commute so I usually pump for at least 30 minutes and get between 10-14oz. I pump twice at work and on my drive home and get between 4-6oz each time. Depending on my output that day, I might pump once again after DD goes to sleep for at night.
My friend got pulled over the other day while pumping because her tail light was out!!! She was so nervous and wasn't sure if she should worry about detaching herself or getting her license and registration. She ended up just getting her l and r and kind of had her arms wrapped in front of her. She explained herself right away and said the look on the cop's face was priceless. She ended up getting a warning! Lol

LMAO! Good to know I can always use that as get out of jail free card.

JanessLynn · August 2013

TexasAggie06 said:
Eat oatmeal, drink TONS of water, maybe consider taking fenugreek or brewers yeast, make lactation cookies... and add pumping sessions or power pump for a day?

This.. And mothers milk tea has helped me.

evertz · August 2013

Mandmeesh said:

Your idea to squeeze in one more pump a few hours after bed is a good one. Just remember that it'll take a few pump sessions for your body to realize it should make more milk at that time, so don't be discouraged that first day with half an ounce! . Good luck

Lol. This is exactly what happened! I got 1/4 of an oz total. Lame! I know it'll take a couple days to build it up. Guess I'll have to keep it up over the weekends as well.

24ladybug · August 2013

OhSewCrafty said:
Dream feeding! Ginny goes to sleep around 8pm and wakes up again around 5 or 6am. I LOATHE pumping any more than I need to, so instead I worked on dream feeding. Around 10:30 or 11pm, before I go to bed, I pick her up and she nurses for 15-20 minutes -- all while half/mostly asleep. I plop her back in her crib and then go to bed. Its a nice way for me to wind down before bed too. She gets the extra calories and demands less during the day.

OMG love this! I am currently breaking even but it's mostly since she waits for me and only uses the bottle as a snack. I did this last night and seemed to go well.

kreeper611 · August 2013

I don't pump the 15oz that DD needs during the work day. I only get enough by pumping right after she eats in the morning. Actually, she eats on one side and I pump on the other at the same time.

With DS I had a much harder time and only kept up by pumping an hour or so after he went to bed. I never woke up overnight until Ineeded tto build a stash to go out of town - I would wake up on the weekend only.

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