Breastfeeding

Barely pumping enough

Lately my daycare has been telling me my 4.5 month old LO has been extra hungry. I am currently giving him 3 3 oz bottles and one 2-2.5 oz bottle (the last one of the day since he will be able to nurse an hour and a half after that) for nine hours apart so that's 11-11.5 oz, but the last couple days I've been pumping like a madwoman and put an extra half ounce in each bottle (so 13.5 oz or so total). To get the original 11 oz I am pumping every 2 to 2 1/2 hours for like 45 mins! To get the extra I pump on the weekends. I'm lucky enough to work from home so I can stay hooked up to the pump all day but I'd really rather not. My boobs hurt and my laptop is sticky because it's covered in breastmilk! I have tried Mother's Milk Tea, brewers yeast, oatmeal, cookies, fenugreek, extra nursing sessions (baby is just too distracted, he's usually quick with the nursing these days). LO is only in the 5th percentile and I know he's fine, plenty of diapers, doctor says he isn't worried, etc but I am still stressed. Plus I don't have a backup stash anymore so it's really hard for me to get away for more than a couple of hours without lots of extra pumping and it really just isn't worth it. I guess I am just looking for someone to tell me this is normal or something to take the pressure off! I feel like post partum anxiety plus being cooped up because of winter is really causing me to over analyze. Thanks for listening to this rant...

Re: Barely pumping enough

  • singingirl96singingirl96 member
    edited January 2015
    Pumping pals will charge your Life. Buy em
    Me: 36 (Endo) DH: 39 (Azoo)
    5 DIUI - BFN
    IVF#1 - BFP - AJ 7/12
    FET#1 - BFP Due 7/24/14
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  • edited February 2015
    I found I really needed to be "in the zone" to effectively pump.  If you are working away for 45 minutes with your boobs attached to the pump, your mind isn't really there.  I would try stepping away from the computer to a comfy space in the house (maybe the nusery) where you can reconnect your mind with your baby.  I didn't work at home, but I would go in the room, close my eyes, think only of LO and would even visualize running water or a waterfall and that would allow me to relax and have a good letdown.  If my mind wasn't focused on LO, it didn't work for me.  Maybe that would help?  Then you could just do 15 minutes of "dedicated" time instead of such a long time multi-tasking.


    **DD1 - 7/9/98**

    **DS - 11/9/00**

    **DD2 - 4/30/13**

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  • Thanks all - I actually have the Pumping Pals but I had such a hard time getting them centered on my nipples that I gave up and went back to my regular flanges. I tried all the sizes...any tips?
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