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Hi there ladies.. I'm very new to all this (mommyhood, nursing, pumping, etc). My son Owen was born November 12th and is a very happy healthy little boy. I return to work right after xmas so I've been trying to pump to establish a supply for him to eat while I'm at work 3 days a week (12 hour shifts). I work as a L&D nurse so getting breaks to pump isn't going to be difficult..they're completely on board. I just honestly don't even know where to start. I have been trying to pump after every feeding and usually I get about a half ounce total between both sides. At 5am I wake up and feed him then pump and as of lately i've been getting around 1.75-2oz combined, which is great.. but unfortunately during the day he's been nursing me dry and still being hungry so I've been having to feed him some of the expressed milk. I'm drinking plenty of fluids and taking fenugreek 2pills 3 times a day. I'm also eating oatmeal every morning for breakfast.
Since you ladies are much more knowledgeable than myself I figured I'd ask if there's a better way to do this? Would it benefit me to add a pumping session? am I missing a vital component? or is it really just that he's only two weeks old and i'm still establishing a supply? He has been cluster feeding the last two days and it's draining me but I know it's totally worth it but honestly with him feeding this way adding pumping is useless because he's eating everything I've got, plus some. Any and all input is greatly appreciated!!
Hi welcome to the board. I'm Charlie, mommy to dd Charlie.
Congratulations on your baby boy! How often is Owen waking in the night to nurse? I would try adding in a pump between the hours of 12am and 3am, if you can manage. Also, you can you might want to try taking 12 capsules of Fenugreek a day. In my exclusively pumping online group, several of the moms swear by domperidone (sp?). You can't get it here in the US but it's readily available in Canada and has been used for a very long time to increase milk supply. It might be worth doing some research on it. Also, you might want to try nursing Owen on one breast and pumping on the other. I'm not sure if your supply is equal in both breasts but you could nurse him from the breast that has the better supply.
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Hi welcome to the board. I'm Charlie, mommy to dd Charlie.
Congratulations on your baby boy! How often is Owen waking in the night to nurse? I would try adding in a pump between the hours of 12am and 3am, if you can manage. Also, you can you might want to try taking 12 capsules of Fenugreek a day. In my exclusively pumping online group, several of the moms swear by domperidone (sp?). You can't get it here in the US but it's readily available in Canada and has been used for a very long time to increase milk supply. It might be worth doing some research on it. Also, you might want to try nursing Owen on one breast and pumping on the other. I'm not sure if your supply is equal in both breasts but you could nurse him from the breast that has the better supply.
i tend to make twice as much milk on the right than i do on the left... or at least i was.. now it seems to have evened out. he was just diagnosed with reflux and since sleeping him in a papasan seat he slept almost 6 hours the night before thanksgiving then last night he was up every 2 hours again so it truly varies. As of lately he has been nursing on both sides and draining me so pumping isn't getting much of anything after a feeding. During this cluster feeding stage he has been nursing on both sides and then is still hungry. I'll up my fenugreek intake. Thanks for the suggestions.. I'll look into the domperidone also
Hi there! Congrats on your baby! I think you're doing really great with pumping every time you nurse. This will signal your body to make more milk. And I totally agree with Charlie, in this stage, since you want your breasts to make more milk, you *might* have to wake up at midnight (wee hours, 12mn - 4am) for an additional pumping session. I heard this is where the prolactin levels are highest? Also, it's okay even if you don't get anything from a pumping session, the most important is pumping and nursing as often as you can! Try every 2 hours for the first few weeks. It will make you feel tied up to the pump and your baby to the boob, but I heard that's the fastest way to be able to build a supply. I don't have any more tips, I'm sure the other ladies can come up with more. GL! Let us know how it goes!
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Last edited by mutleysweet; November 28th, 2009 at 12:59 AM.
hi and welcome!!!!! your baby is still very small. anhd his tummy is only the size of his fist. so what you getting out is awesome!!
i wouldnt pump too much cos you dont want an oversupply. it causes major issues.
maybe choose once a day to pump. the best time is the first feed of the day. nurse only one side and pump the other side.
also remember you wont need a huge stash, cos you will be pumping in place of nursing so your output will be a lot greater.
relax and enjoy this time with your lil boy.
another thing, try avoid bottles tilol he is a bit older. alot of ladies have had major issues with nipple confusion. just let him nurse as much as he wants to. its natures way of establishing your supply.
you're doing great!!! that's actually a great to pump so early. i didn't start pumping til 4 weeks and only got 0.5-1 oz after BFing. i just kept at it - pumping 30 min after BFing 2-4x/day. also, once i had enough, i gave him a bottle and pumped in place of the morning feeding since supply is greatest in the morning. i agree with kerian that you should wait til after 4 weeks to introduce the bottle. i had NO oversupply and managed to get 80 oz in the freezer in 4 weeks. once you start back at work, try to pump as often as the baby eats for 20 min/session. you will likely produce enough for the next day and not have to dig into your freezer stash. GL!
you're doing great!!! that's actually a great to pump so early. i didn't start pumping til 4 weeks and only got 0.5-1 oz after BFing. i just kept at it - pumping 30 min after BFing 2-4x/day. also, once i had enough, i gave him a bottle and pumped in place of the morning feeding since supply is greatest in the morning. i agree with kerian that you should wait til after 4 weeks to introduce the bottle. i had NO oversupply and managed to get 80 oz in the freezer in 4 weeks. once you start back at work, try to pump as often as the baby eats for 20 min/session. you will likely produce enough for the next day and not have to dig into your freezer stash. GL!
How long did you pump for initially? I usually do 10-15 minutes after each feeding and make sure to do 2-5 minutes after the milk has stopped. I would love an 80oz stash in my freezer! I just feel like when I pump it out he is hungry again and there's no milk to feed him from the breast so he usually eats nearly everything i've pumped.. it's like i'm not ever able to get ahead. Thank you again for the help!
How long did you pump for initially? I usually do 10-15 minutes after each feeding and make sure to do 2-5 minutes after the milk has stopped. I would love an 80oz stash in my freezer! I just feel like when I pump it out he is hungry again and there's no milk to feed him from the breast so he usually eats nearly everything i've pumped.. it's like i'm not ever able to get ahead. Thank you again for the help!
When pumping after a feeding, I did 10-15 min. When pumpng in place of the morning feeding, I did 20 min. Keep at it and your supply will increase. You are constantly making milk, so just keep baby on the breast! That 1st month is so hard b/c of all the growth spurts. You should be able to star saving more for your stash in a couple weeks. GL!
it sounds like you've been doing great given the age of your little man, but personally - I think that if you're worried that he's not getting full you should quit pumping (except perhaps the first pump of the morning) and just BF BF BF.
The best way for your body to establish the correct supply for him is by BF'ing - as soon as you stop with the breast and supplement with a bottle of BM, you're telling your body that it doesn't need to make more (pumping won't stimulate your body enough).
Like Kerian said, you "shouldn't" need a huge stash. You just need enough to get you through the first day (and some spare for peace of mind) after that, you should pump in a day what you need for the next day.
Good Luck and try not to worry. Drink lots and eat lots too and hopefully you'll have no problems getting all the milk your little guy can dream of.
Hi & welcome! Sounds like your LO is going through a tremendous growth spurt which explains the cluster feeding. This should also trigger your body in to making more milk. Fenugreek can make your LOs reflux worse, being that it can create some nasty gas so if you see him more uncomfortable, that is the likely cause. Something to substitue the fenugreek with is More Milk Plus. I swear by that stuff. It is a pretty penny but worth it.
Congrats!
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Hi & welcome! Sounds like your LO is going through a tremendous growth spurt which explains the cluster feeding. This should also trigger your body in to making more milk. Fenugreek can make your LOs reflux worse, being that it can create some nasty gas so if you see him more uncomfortable, that is the likely cause. Something to substitue the fenugreek with is More Milk Plus. I swear by that stuff. It is a pretty penny but worth it.
Congrats!
Do you use the capsules or liquid astrid? and how often do you take it?
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