Advice on Pumping

I found that if I pumped after I fed her I got no milk and it only hurt. So I started pumping in the morning and giving my daughter a bottle. I found in the morning I had more milk and that she was okay with a bottle in the morning and I had the rest of the day to nurse her. It also prepared my body (and mind) for going back to work when I'd have to pump in the morning anyway. Also, have you tried feeding him only on one breast and pumping the other. I found that sometimes she would get enough out of the one side and I could take that opportunity to pump the other side fully. Good luck!

H.,

I am so sorry you have to return to work so soon. I hated returning to work, too.

A couple of things to consider. First, you are tapping your breasts twice right now - once when you feed your son and then again to pump, so it isn't unusual that your pumped supply is low.

When you return to work, your son won't be nursing, so your pumping will get all of your milk, so you should see larger returns. I think once you return to work, you will find that you pump enough at work to supply your child's bottles the following day.

It's hard to build up a stored supply when your baby feeds on demand, but pumping first thing in the morning would help, because it is when your breasts should be fullest.

If you can build up a 2-3 day supply before you return to work, I think you will find that it is sufficient.

Safe ways to build your milk production other than nursing and pumping include the herb Fenugreek, which you can find in a health food store or Wholefoods. There are also several teas made with it, one is called Mother's Milk. I haven't used them, but I am told that with some sugar and milk, they aren't too bad.

Oatmeal is a natural milk boosting food, so try to eat at least a serving or two a day (and yes, instant, cookies, etc. count).

I have also had luck with guided meditations - see Anjionline.com, and click on the store link. I think the nursing ones are on a CD called A Bond Like No Other, and you can download them instantly. I have found that relaxation is CRITICAL to the process. If I am stressed, my milk will never let down.

Obviously a good pump is also a help.

Good luck,

C.

The best time to pump is once you wake from the night or a nap. But to increase your milk supply and have spare milk you need to pump 8 to 12 times a day. If you pump after you feed your son than you will also be telling your breasts that more milk is needed than just what he consumes.

Another way to tell your breasts you need more milk is to try and get your son to be on your breast as much as possible and have as much skin to skin contact as you can with him. Instead of giving him a binky try offering your nipple. It will stimulate your milk. Also allow him to sleep against your breast when finished. The close contact will trigger milk making hormones.

I know this sounds like a lot and it is. Unfortunately you may pretty much have someone or something attached to your breasts constantly for the next few weeks to acheve your goal.

Make sure you are eating well. It takes a lot from your body to make milk so feed it what it needs. Also drink at least 8 oz before going to sleep so you body has the liquid it needs to make as much milk as possible. You should wake up overflowing with milk if you keep hydrated.

There is also a pill that your doctor can perscribe to increase your milk supply. It's called Reglan and from what I've read it's completely safe. It has been known to double your supply. Also I know it sounds strange but a beer once a day may help also. Some don't think it works but I had good results. Little to no Alcohol will enter your breast milk and what does will be expelled by your body within an hour (including what would be in your milk). I read it's something with the yeast in beer that helps stimulate milk supply.

Last piece of advice. Visit the website for La Leche League. There it will help you get in contact with breast feeding specialist in the area who will call you and give you lots of great advice. These women are wonderful and very caring. They also hold monthly meetings if you would like to attend they are also local.

I H. this helps and good luck. Breast feeding is very demanding so give yourself a pat on the back for everything you are doing.

First of all, GOOD FOR YOU for being so committed to breastfeeding! How refreshing to hear that!

As a general rule, most moms find the best time to pump to be first thing in the morning (before you even nurse your son). Your prolactin levels are at their peak then. Also, your son would be more effective than a pump, so they'll still be plenty there for him after you pump. Also, fresh milk will be fine at room temp for about 8 hours or so, so I know some moms who would pump that morning & that way they had at least 1 fresh bottle through the day (since a few nutrients are killed when refrigerated & then a few more when frozen).

Also, you can increase your supply by taking Fennugreek (3 tablets, 3 times a day; takes up to 72 hrs to work. Once your sweat & pea smell like maple syrup, it's working!), babywearing, co-sleeping, pumping while nursing, eating oatmeal, staying well hydrated, nourished & rested.

Also, many babies who's mothers return to work will do something on their own where they naturally cut back on eating during the day & increase it in the evening and night to maximize their time w/ you.

I think that as long as your caregiver is responsive, your son should be fine & can continue to be fed on demand while in their care.

Have you read "Nursing Mother, Working Mother" yet? It's supposed to be the bible for working moms!

Good luck!
A.

Dear H. W-
I know it maybe difficult, but so not give up. Here are some tips and answers to your questions.
1) The best time to pump for me was after the baby fed. It helps to empty the breast and trigger the body to make more milk. Try to pump both breasts after each and every feeding. I know it maybe tiring, but invest the time and effort and it will pay off.
2) To increase supply-try fenugreek. Its a natural spice/herb used in India, Egypt and the Middle-East. You can try getting it at GNC or on-line. It really does work.
3) Pumping immediately after your on demand son is fed will not affect his supply.
Please let me know how it goes--Good Luck!!!
Remember to drink plenty of fluids (about a gallon a day) does not have to be only water...

Your body will respond and make more milk. Be patient. A little stored milk each day will be quite a supply by the end of 8 weeks. Make sure you mark the milk and start using it every few days. Breast milk can only be stored for a certain amount of time. Then when someone else is feeding the child a bottle, you can pump. Just don't give the baby more than 1 bottle a day until you're ready to go back to work. You don't want any nipple confusion.

To save some time, try pumping on one side while your child nurses on the other side. If you don't feel comfortable holding the funnel, you can hook an elastic band (or a series of them) around the base of the funnel and then the hook on the nursing bra. Then, once the seal is established, you can support the bottle with your upper arm and have your hand free to support the baby.

Find someone in your area for support--a lactation specialist or La Leche League member.

H.-
I never had success either until I had to with my third child. He was a preemie. I used the Madelia. (I think that is how you spell it.) It is wonderful. The best way to pump, is to pump after nursing him. Also, before you go to bed and first thing in the morning. A schedule would be best for everyone, but I understand that that is really hard. The Madelia is not cheap, but it is well worth it. I would recommend the double pump. It makes pumping faster. It would be very easy to take to work with you, too. Once at work, I would pump in regular intervals, like before you start work, at lunch, mid afternoon. Just my thoughts.
K.

I feel for you, I know how hard it is to go back to work after having a baby!!! It's GOOD thing that you're starting to "stock pile" now! I tried to pump twice a day about a month before I started back to work. I would pump in the morning after she took her first nap of the day and I'd pump a second time before I went to bed. You'll find a schedule that works for you. Try having someone other than you give her a bottle of expressed milk to get her used to taking it. As far as a pump, I used the Lansinoh breast pump. We purchased it on-line from Target for about $125. I LOVED IT! Good luck to you Mommy !

Hey H.,
Although its been a while, this is what I remember.....pump often because that is what increases supply-dont forget-put it off or not try because your not getting a lot. Also relax-the one thing that effected my pumping dramatically was stress-I actually had to stop feeding child #1 due to that. At times I felt like all I was doing was pumping but I did it as long as I could for all 4. In addition to my electric pump, I had a hand held from Advent-WONDERFUL! Plus now there are all those convienient ways to store it, good luck! DOnt give up!

If you have 8 weeks to go, I would not do anything yet. Relax, enjoy feeding on demand for another four weeks. You need a 1-2 day supply for the first day of day care. But you might want more so you can go out and let someone else give him a bottle (so he can practice for day care!).

To answer your questions:
1. Morning is the best time to pump (you probably notice you are more "full" in the morning)
2. Pump more often, over a few days your supply will increase. Fluids, fenugreek, special teas, all contribute to increased supply.
3. As long as you leave 1 hour between pumping and feeding, there should be no decrease with his on demand supply. I would pump about 1 hour after his first morning feeding, then he'll probably eat 1 hour later - I expect 2-3 hours is normal between feedings?

I assume you already have a pump, but if you don't I just got the Medela Freestyle - handsfree, dual phase suction, compact - I love it!

When my kids were nursing, I pumped about an hour or so after I fed, usually 3 -4 times a day at the beginning to get the supply going. You've got 3, so that will probably be a big challenge, but try it. I also would pump right before bed, depending on what time I went to bed and when I expected a hungry litle one to wake up. Good luck.

Don't panic if you're not getting that much NOW - when you're pumping to replace a feeding there will be much more. It's great if you can get extra now to build up your freezer stash, but that's not reflective of how it will be when you return to work.

I used fenugreek to build up my supply when pumping, and when I was trying to get it back up (due to illness, etc) and it worked great! Made me smell like maple syrup, but worked great.

And I don't think any pumping you do now will affect your son adversely; you're just going to make more and pump more.

your milk supply is highest in the morning, lowest at night. If you pump after he has just finished eating it will stimulate more milk production (even if you see nothing coming out) This will give you more of a supply, so you will get more as you continue to pump! Good luck!

Here's what I've done for my three sons:
Invest in a good, double electric pump. I've used Medela, you can also rent them from the hospital or a lactation consultant.
I would pump immediately after feeding (on both sides) which seemed to increase the milk supply slightly. Another thing that I did, since my boys usually just nursed one side at a feeding, was pump whichever side not fed.
Good luck - pumping is hard work, but a wonderful gift to give to your son if you can!

I always have the best success with high volume of milk when pumping when I pick a time that I feel pretty full - first thing in the am or shortly before I anticipate a feed. It always seemed the baby would have more success with nursing after I pumped than the other way around. This is especially true as mine get older and I am less sensitive to outside things to make me let down.

The other big thing for me is drinking as much water as I can stand - the more hydrated you are, the more you body has to create milk.

I had to return to work when my daughter was 7 weeks old. I started to build up my supply when she was 4 weeks old. I was always a one side feeder. She was full, so I stopped offering her the second side. I would then pump from that side to build my supply.
I drank tons and tons of water, ate oatmeal every morning and when I needed to I took fenageek(sp?) the liquid stuff is better than the pills.
I found it helpful that I pumped one side while I nurse my daughter. I got more milk that way. Pump often too, every 2-3 hours. If you are adding more "feedings" to your day, your milk will increase as well.
It didn't affect my daughter at all. When she was at daycare, she ate every 3 hours, but when we got home, she would still feed on demand.
Feel feel to contact me if you want. I made it 15 months with my daughter and she never had a drop of formula.

Hi there!

If you can get a week or so's worth of the milk he'd eat while you're at work, you'll be okay. Sneak in the pump on one side while he's nursing on the other; pump as soon as you get up before he realizes his buffet is occupied with something other than him. If you're feeling a little full (but not yet overfull) sneak in another session occasionally, pumping both sides at once if possible. Oatmeal and dark beer (hops in general, I think) are good for increasing milk supply, as are red raspberry leaf and a few other herbs i can go into if you like (or you can look up!).

If you can get a few days' worth of milk you should be able to keep pace with a little effort while you're at work. Make sure you have eaten and are hydrated! This was my biggest hinderance; they say famine-stricken mothers can still feed their babes and that may be so, but i know those mothers weren't pumping for their kids because my body is sure reluctant to give up the milk to the pump when I haven't had enough food or am too dehydrated. Try to relax if possible, though this isn't easy at every workspace. And, very important: try to sneak in pumping frequently throughout the night. Four sessions of pumping for five minutes was always more effective for me than one session of twenty minutes. Unfortunately this also isn't always possible (it wasn't always for me) but even two shorter sessions will help more than just one over lunch or whatever.

I think that early, i was able to pump approximately 4-6 ounces a shift using a Medela double-pump-in-style. It was usually enough to cover the my son's feeding while i was at work the next day. I'm still pumping at work at 15 months, and he's never had a drop of formula. (Not an open criticism of supplementing. Just making a point that it's not always necessary.)

Good luck! It's worth the extra amount of effort, and once you get the hang of it not as much a hassle as it seems. :o)

You have already gotten lots of great advice, but I recommend a few things:

1. seeing a lacation consultant. The breastfeeding resource center in Glenside is great. Some insurance reimburses you and they also have a sliding scale. They will do a back to work consultation which can help you plan how to pump at your job, and how to prepare. I pumped once in the am to make a bottle and then whenever she took the bottle to build up a supply.

2. I recommend aiming for one weeks supply, that way if your supply drops for some reason (illness, trip, schedule changes, etc...) you have a reliable cushion.

3. there is a website - kelly something - that has a ton of info about successful pumping with daycare. Try to find it as she explains how to maintain/build supply and juggle working!

Good luck - H.

Hello H.!! I pumped after both of my boys were born when I returned to work. When you worry that your supply is dwindling, then you can pump more often. Although I'm all about letting wee folks eat on demand, since you're going to be returning to work, you could try to establish a "schedule" of some sort within the next few weeks -- give yourself a good 3-4 weeks to establish the schedule. There are some herbal supplements that you could take as well, but check with your trusted medical professional before you take 'em. Fenugreek is what my friend uses to increase her supply. Just don't give up. Also, try having a pic of your wee one, be sure that you are in a relaxed atmosphere, and do self-boosting self talk. Many blessings and good luck!

Mom of two wee men, Professional Counselor and Professor of Sociology

Hello H.,

I breast fed all my children, including the twins. I did not have to go back to work. I liked to know a little bit more info. So you say you feed on demand, would you say it is every 2hrs to 3hrs? Do you wake for feedings during the day? From my experience, just increase the feeding/pumping. Supply and demand. Pump in between feedings. How is your nutrition? I guess there could be a number of factors that could inhibit the milk production. I don't think there is any could time to pump. It shouldn't affect your son if you stick with the same schedule. I H. I help in some little way. Take care
Angela

#1 The best time to pump is in the morning, since you just had all that rest.
#2 Take your baby to bed with you, and nurse in the side-lying position. Drink Mother's Milk Tea from Traditional Medicinals. Get plenty of rest, and remove stress from you life.
#3 If your son is still a newborn, make sure to offer to nurse before pumping. Or, nurse on one side, and pump on the other.
H. that helps!

I nursed both my sons now 7 & 10 and went back to work. The best advise is to get a good pump, like the madela. You can pump both at once it is fast and efficient. Get a hospital quality pump. This makes all the difference.
I used to pick a time when they would be napping around noon so that I could continue around that time when I went back to work. It helps to pump because you are telling your body you need to make more milk. Make sure you eat right and drink lots of water / liquids. If you do not have a good pump you will easily get fustrated!

I never had luck pumping either, I'm not sure how to increase your supply, maybe drink more fluids, but I do know that they sell hand expressors that are cheap and work great. That was really the only thing that worked for me, and you can freeze breast milk for 3-6 months I believe. Best wishes to you, I know it's hard when I went back, nursing was never the same and I couldn't wait to start whole milk, because my daughter wasn't fond of formula either. Tare care! E.

1. Have a great pump or rent one from a hospital
2. Relax, have picture of baby, drink lots of fluids
3. From the advice I received from my first born overseas...drink beer, eat soup, drink water and eat while you pump.
Good luck
from a mom still nursing a 2 1/2 year old!
www.homemadegourmet.com/tuesday815101
To benefit Diamond Blackfan Anemia, a rare disease my son has

Okay...this is coming from a mom who breast fed on demand, and pumped. I fed first....then after the feeding, I pumped. I usually got an extra ounce from each breast after she fed for twenty five min. Who knows the amount she was getting beofre hand. When she was napping, and I needed to pump, I would pump like four ounces from each breast. Even after I pumped, and knew I did not have hardly anything....I placed her on my breast like normal....then I would bottle feed the remainder.(Like half of what I pumped) I would then store the leftovers....Put them on all the time....that is how you will up your supply!!!! Eat oatmael, and yeast foods.....Dark beer....red wine...ect....I fed for a very long time, and miss it!!!!!The best time to pump is after they have eaten. Increasing the supply is just as much the baby as you....Feeding on demand is also going to help build you up.....The more you feed the more you will make....hense why wonam who do not feed dry up....baby is better than pumping....it is the way of the latch...

Oh yeah...traditional medicincals mothers milk tea(yummy), fennel

Hi H. !

I used to pump one side while my baby nursed on the other. That way I was already relaxed, and let down came naturally. I used an expresser, which is the cylindrical kind of pump, you create a vaccuum, and since my baby was nursing on the other side, and I was generally full then, the milk came out in sprays, and I only had to keep the vaccuum rather than keep pumping. If you do that regularly -- I did it when I was full - like in the middle of the night and after naps; your milk supply will increase, so you won't be "stealing from your baby", and you'll have a bunch to put in the freezer, too. If your son doesn't get enough to eat, he'll just demand more, and the stimulation on the nipples will increase your production. Also, he's able to suck and get a whole lot more out than you will be able to by pumping, so I wouldn't worry about him going hungry It isn't likely to happen.

What IS likely to happen, is that it will be really difficult for you when you go back to work. He'll take the botle from someone else, but it's gonna be tough to schedule in pumping breaks -- depending on your job. I worked in customer service, and I ruined a whole lot of tops because I leaked before I was able to run off to the rest room and pump.

That was child #1. Kids 2, 3, and 4 never had it so good. They got nursed from mom and took formula at the babysitters, because with other children at home, and stuff, it just wasn't as easy to do it again. the first one had breast milk in all her bottles, and powdered formula in her cereal for conveniece after she was eating cereal. The others all ended up on bottles when i went back to work. You do what you want to do, what you have to do, and what works best for you and your family.

I'm impressed that you are able to do this on child #3 !!! You're doing a whole lot better than I did at that point !!!!

:-)

It has beeen some time for me (my youngest is 12) but I also faced the same problem. You will probably have to start getting into a schedule for feeding before you return to work. I found the best way to pump was as I was nursing. (I had breast pumps but found that I could be more effective doing it by hand, and it was less disturbing to the baby.)I would have her nurse one side and pump the other. Then switch the next feeding.The milk already drops and is much easier. You may find that your milk supply is low at first but the more you do it the better it will be. Drink lots and lots of fluids. Your body will adjust. I also made arrangements with my sitter to have her hungry when I arrived from work and I would nurse her before leaving for home.

Good for you, H.! I returned to work when my son was six weeks old - he's 5 months now - and I've continued to exclusively feed breast milk. After a family vacation, my supply really seemed to drop, which I realize it does from time to time (stress, not taking care of myself like I should, breaking routine, etc). What really helped me was to not freak out about pumping. It also helped ease my mind to have a day or two's worth of feedings as backup in the freezer. I've only had to tap into my frozen milk once. The rest of the time, my son has milk pumped from the day before. I realized when I stressed about pumping, I didn't let down. Now when I pump, I look at current photos of my son, roll my shoulders, take a few deep breathes, and relax. The milk flows. Best of luck!

Hello H.,
I did breast feed my baby for 6 months and had a Lactation consultant and lactation class before and after I gave birth to my baby. There is some good literature about this issue, too. However, based on my experience and the advices of the lactation consultant, here are my comments.
1) The best time to pump milk is early in the morning when you fully restored the supply from the day before. It is also a coincidence that the right breast ,in many women, has more milk supply than the left one.
2) The more you breast feed you baby, the more milk you supposed to produce. You can pump with the equivalent frequency in order to keep your supply at the right level. 10 minutes, in average, is the time that is suggested to pump for each breast. You can adapt it according to your own supply. A little bit more of time will not harm.
3) It was better for my to schedule the meals and my son and I could work it out very well. However, everybody is different and I am the one who think that whatever makes you feel well and comfortable with is the best thing to do. There is no rule of thumb to follow, but your own experience and suggestions you think are worth it to adapt to you and your baby.

best regards to you and your baby

Get the book "So That's What They're For!" by Janet Tamaro. There is a great chapter with everything you need to know on returning to work and pumping. And it's an easy and fun read. Good luck!

I worked & pumped with all 4 of my kids, so I feel your pain!

Here are my suggestions...

1. Morning. Your supply is highest then.
2. I didn't know that there was an "unsafe" way. LOL! Just nurse/pump more frequently. The best is if you add sessions in rather than just increasing the length of a session. For example, if you nurse at 7 a.m., don't pump immediately at 7:30. Play with your son a bit, get yourself some breakfast, and then pump around 8:30. You will have plenty of milk for your son when he wants to nurse again at 9:30 or so... Oatmeal is also supposed to increase supply, and there is Mothers Milk Tea that you can buy at some healthfood stores or the natural food products sections at Wegmans.
3. My kids were all fed on demand. (Are still mostly...I mean, we have meal times and if they ask for a snack close to a meal we tell them to wait...but in general, if they ask for a snack we just say "go look on the healthy snack list and pick something out." We don't say "well snack time is not for another 45 minutes, you need to wait...") We continued to bottle feed the expressed milk on demand. My girls in particular preferred their milk "fresh from the tap," so they didn't really take much from the bottles--they waited for me to come home and then "cluster fed" in the evenings. I learned to deal with it. We co-slept simply because I got more rest that way what with DD#1 keeping a night time nursing through to her first birthday.

I wish you the best!

Hi H.,

Congratulations on your new baby and on making the decision to breastfeed him! I went back to work when my son was almost 4 months old and I pumped at work until he was 15 months old. He never had any formula - so it can definitely be done! Getting 6-8 ounces per day on top of what you are feeding him directly is really great! That will give you a good cushion for when you go back to work. I would always give my son whatever I pumped from the day before during the week so he had fresh milk most of the time, but then on Fridays I would freeze what I pumped and on Monday's he would get older frozen milk - that way I always made sure I was turning over my stash of frozen milk. I also wrote an article on pumping and working which may help you as you prepare to go back to work. Here is a link to it. Let me know if you have any questions after reading it and I would be happy to help out: <http://www.mothersboutique.com/woandbrtifor.html&gt;

J.

A Mother's Boutique
Breastfeeding clothing, nursing bras, breast pumps, slings and accessories
MamaSouce members save 10% off their first order (excluding breastpumps) with promo code MAMASOURCE.
http://www.mothersboutique.com

raspberry leaf tea. Or Yogi Mothers Tea, both promote lactation. Drinking TONS of water, try for a gallon a day- no joke.
The more you pump and the more your son nurses the more milk you should have.
If you can, talk to a lactation consultant!

Good luck,
R.

H. I had the same issues with both of my children. The first thing you need to do is start giving your son a boottle of breast milk atleast once a day and then increase it to 2 bottles the next week and so on. The next thing you need to do is pump every 2-4 hrs. out of the breast your son doesn't feed out of. This will get you producing more milk to store. If you have to sneek a small amount of formula into the breast milk. You can start at a 1/2 oz. to see if he'll take it. Make sure you have a good pump to start with. Good luck

Hi,
I breastfed my daughter for a little over a year. I went back to work at 12 weeks. I started at 3 weeks pumping at least 5 min. on each side before every feeding. She was not affected becuase the demand was there and my milk supply increased. I froze the milk in those little plastic storage bags and wrote the date on it. Within days, you will see the milk increase. By the way, 6-8 ounces is good, keep going and never give up. Just make sure to pump before every feeding. As she got older and I would be exhausted at night, I would supplement with a bottle of formula before bed to give me an extra hour or two of sleep that was much needed. Good luck!

By the way, I went and bought an electric pump that could pump both brests at one time. Made life much easier.

I recently went back to work and in order to successfully pump while at work, make sure you always make time. When I had my daughter 3 years ago and went back to work, I found myself saying that I didn't have time to pump. In turn...the supply dried up. When I went back to work a few months ago after my son was born, I committed to pumping every day at the start of my lunch (I am a teacher so I have the same lunch every day). I pumped and caught up on reading a magazine utilizing a spare conference room in our building (we affectionally dubbed it the "pumping station" b/c three nursing moms used it at various times during the day. Try to read or do something while pumping. It makes the time go by faster.

I got into the routine of pumping one side in the AM before work and nursing from the other side; pumping at 10:45; nursing before my son's bedtime on one side and then I would pump both sides before I went to bed a few hours later.

Before I went back to work, I pumped and froze some milk to have a supply. We recently lost our power so some of it had to be thrown away b/c it melted but some was able to be saved. This has become my safety net.

What type of pump are you using? I swear by my AVENT manual pump but I have also heard good things about the medelas. Maybe invest in renting a hospital grade pump for a week and see if that increases your milk. Remember, the more your son drinks or the more you pump, the more milk you will have.

I wish you the best of luck and H. that you are able to continue nursing your son.

hello H., i am a mother to a five month old boy. when my son was two weeks old i was in the hospital for five days. i got home and my supply was low so i called a lactation consultant. she said that there is an herbal remedy that is called fenugreek (can be found at GNC) that is suppossed to increase your milk supply. it should not harm your baby b/c it is all natural. i would contact a local lactation consultant or your pediatrition and make sure it's okay before you try it. just wanted to pass the info along. also the best time that i pumped was in the morning. i went back to work a little over two months ago and i use half formula half breastmilk in his bottles and he takes it like a champ!

The best advise I can give you is to pump after you have fed the baby. Pump about 10 min if you can. Drink water!!!!! I don't know how often the baby is feeding but if you can get a few pumps in a day at first that's a great start. Drinking water really does help.
I'm back to work with a 5month old and I pump. My daughter wouldn't take formula at all either in the begining so I would pump after she ate. It will start off as not that much milk but if you stick with it the milk will increase. Pump before you go to bed and in the morning if that is off feed times. Good Luck!!

Hi,
I have breatfed my three kids too, with my youngest the longest(one year). I made sure I was drinking enough fluids throughout the day, and make sure you are getting enough calories. You may want to try pumping one breast while the baby is sucking from the other, if you can swing it, or just pump on the side the baby did not suck from, or sucked from second. Not sure how you feel about alcohol, but sipping a little actually does produce better let down. It did for me anyway. Maybe you want to try it before bed, and pump then.
H. these tips help.
M. P.

I never did on demand, but I would recommend giving a bottle for at least one feeding a day. Give breast milk in a bottle that you have pumped previously. Pump after you have given your baby the bottle. The best way to get a lot of milk is to pump when the baby would actually nurse. If you begin to replace one feeding with a bottle each day or even two, your baby will be more used to the bottle when you return to work. I don't mean to criticize your method of feeding, but keep in mind that caregivers may have difficulty keeping up with on demand feeding when they are caring for several babies. I would shoot for some type of a schedule so that you can tell them what his typical feedings are. When you start back to work, you will just need to have two days of milk so that you can stay ahead of the game. Best of luck to you, I know this is so hard!

Hi H.,

First of all - GOOD FOR YOU! I know it's a lot of work to pump, work and take care of a family, so pat yourself on the back:)

1. Morning - if your son gets you up early, but not early enough to "get up" (i.e. 3-5am), feed him, put him back to bed and go pump. That's how I kickstarted my supply. At first it was 1-2 oz, then a full 6-8 in one sitting (and in less than 30 mins!). As we tapered off (around 1 year), my supply went back down to 1-2 oz over a hour.

Once in a while, she would sleep through, so I'd get up with my husband (5:30), pump, go back to bed, etc. Eventually, I had some "stock" in the freezer.

2. Supply depends on demand. Pump in the morning, feed on demand through the day, and if you can manage another few minutes before bed (I did at one point to help prevent leaking overnight), it will increase. Old wives' tales that may have a bit of truth to them included eating more oatmeal (I did every morning, along with walnuts for omega 3s, raisins, bananas and soy milk), and of course DRINK a ton of water.

3. How old is your son? If he's exclusively breastfed, I wouldn't squeeze in any more pumpings during the time he's "mostly awake". If anything, you'll be increasing his supply. If you have introduced cereal, then I'd be less worried about when you pump.

GOOD LUCK!