Pumping - Minneapolis, MN

Are you back to work already? Is there a reason you are pumping instead of feeding her from the breast? At only a month old, it is typically recommended to feed her from the breast as much as possible before the bottle - unless it is someone else feeding her, obviously. :0) In a few weeks, I would try the bottle, but not now, unless you have to (if you are planning on staying home with her, I would just continue with the breast and not worry about the bottle). Your breasts are constantly producing more milk. It is very unlikely your breasts will ever really be empty. If you need pumped milk, the best time to do it is after she has nursed. You will get all of the the hind milk and you know she won't need to eat for another 2 hours. The more you nurse her and the more you pump, the more milk your body will produce. Your body works on supply and demand - the more milk that is required of it, the more it makes. If you pump, then she wakes up and needs to eat, you should still be able to nurse her. I breastfed all 3 of my kids ( for 9 mos, 12 mos, and 21 mos), so feel free to let me know if you have any other questions. It is a wonderful thing you are doing for your baby, and for you, by breastfeeding her. And good for you for asking for help when you need it. You may want to ask your pediatrician for a lactation consultant incase you have other questions (most peds dont have a lot of breastfeeding info unless they are a mom who has bfed her baby). Good luck and congrats on the new baby!
S.
____@____.com

I have two boys, one is 6 months and the other is 2 years old. Things went a lot more smoothly (related to pumping and bottle-feeding) with the second due to the following:

1) The nice folks at the hospital advised me to introduce a bottle within the first 2 weeks if you plan on bottle feeding. (With the first baby, I waited 4-6 weeks, and bottle-feeding was very frustrating until he was about 3 months old.)

2) I started pumping as soon as my milk came in so that I got a good supply. People advise against this because of the supply and demand rule (if you're engorged, you don't want to make more milk, right?), but it worked well for me. Since the baby only needed to feed on one side, I would pump the other side after feeding the baby. Then I discovered a huge time-saver: pump one side while feeding on the other side. I couldn't figure out to do this with the first baby, but somehow I made it work this time. If you have a boppy pillow, use it to support the baby "football-style" on the side you're feeding. Pull the pillow out on the side you're pumping so there is room for the pumping gear.

I did end up having more milk than the baby needed, and he didn't like frozen milk. (It might have picked up some weird smells from the freezer.) Instead of freezing the extra, I just gave it to my then 18 month-old, adding it to his regular milk.

If your baby sleeps longer stretches during the night, you can try pumping during that time, although I'm sure you don't want to wake yourself up in the middle of the night! Or just try feeding on one side in the morning (and pump the other) since that is the time you typically will have the highest supply. Also, whenever you give your baby pumped milk, make sure to replace that bottle by pumping again.

Check out the other posts on the site about increasing your milk supply, as well.

Good luck!
E.

My midwife told me to pump after she was done eating. It will fully empty your breasts & get you body used to pumping. For my 2 children I was able to feed on one side then pump on the other but that was after I nursed a while to get used to nursing. Try not to be frustrated or in a hurry while pumping it makes it harder. Good luck & do your best to stick with it. It took me a while to get a schedule going.

Are you pumping to get a stash in the freezer for emergencies, or to build up a stash for when you go back to work?

If you are a stay at home mom, then don't worry about having a stash in the freezer, however I know its nice to have some built up just in case.

At this point what you want to do is set a pumping time. First thing in the morning whe nshe nurses, only nurse from one breast, then pump the other one. That is all I did for both my boys and I had a really good freezer stash that lasted well past thier first year. They rarely took a bottle, but we did put it into sippies for them nd also used it for thinning homemade baby food or oatmeal.

Another thing you can do is set up a pumping time after she goes to bed. Let her nurse and then an hour or so later pump both breasts before you go to bed. Your body will respond thinking this is another feeding and will start making milk for that 'feeding'.

your breasts always make milk, they are never truly empty.
The only downfall of pumping after she eats is that your body will make too much milk, and she own't be able to nurse enough to get the hindmilk. So setting up a dedicated pumping time, or pumping the opposite breast she eats from frist thing in the morning is a great option!

KEEP FEEDING/PUMPING....DON'T GIVE UP!!! I breast fed and pumped for both of my babies and am so glad I didn't give up. Your breasts will produce what the baby needs. The more you feed/pump, the more they will produce. It may take a week to notice the difference.

First thing is, its hard to figure things like this out, exspecially as a 1st time mom,and frustrating. A lot of women give up. But you can do it. its natural. If it is important to you than you'll figure it out. Are you trying to pump to get a bottle in the freezer? are you trying to increase your milk supply.i was told from the lactation specialist to wait until the baby is 3 months before introducing a bottle. My doc says babies really don't get " nipple confused" but they DO have prefrences. My son nursed every 2 hours on the dot. Its tiring and yes hard to pump. what i would do is to pump in the morning when your supply is the highest. Pump after feedings. Pump between feedings however your baby may want to nurse more often but if you do it for a few days your milk supply should increase. the only down side to that is that you will have to keep pumping ( since your baby won't eat it) or u'll loose it. Your Breasts are never "empty" they are always making more. I hope this helps! Good luck!

Try pumping after she's done eating and make sure you pump every last drop out of your breasts. This will increase your milk production and you will be able to make more milk to pump. When you first start pumping off the last of that milk, just keep adding to the same bottle (at least for one day) Milk is only good in the fridge for 24 hours, so if you get more than a bottles worth, consider freezing some for storage. Your boobs will generally only make enough milk for your baby and your baby's schedule...so if she eats every 2 hours, your boobs will be ready every 2 hours. Increasing your milk production will be the only way to get ahead of her schedule and trick your boobs into making more milk for her, and eventually, you'll be pumping alot more excess milk after she's done eating. At first, you might not notice much left, because she will be drinking most of it before you get the chance to pump it. But, later you will be getting alot of excess milk and you'll be able to store the extra milk. Good luck.

Pump after you feed about 30 minutes after and then you will be surprised but your body will get used to it. I also pumped at exact times. In the morning after I nursed him because I was really full, and then again in the afternoon. You will be surprised that the baby can get more then the pump. If the baby needs to feed again you will have some milk. Your never really completely empty. Keep up the good work! Relax and get used to the pumping. It gets better. I found the pumping while watching TV was relaxing!