How Can I Pump Enough Milk to Return to Work and Still Breast Feed My Son?

Hi D. - I also have a Pump in Style, am taking Fenugreek capsules, have tried Mother's Milk Tea, relaxation techniques (candles, music, etc). I am pumping exclusively now and the best results I have gotten was from renting a Medela Symphony pump which is a hospital grade one. I went from pumping an average of 1.5 oz to 2.5 oz. RC health center let me rent for 2 weeks to try it out before committing to month long rentals. Hope this helps and good luck!

Hello D.,

First of all...don't worry. Whenever I was anxious - I would always find it harder to pump and often found that I would pump less.

I pumped and worked and breast fed both my kids for one year until they graduated to cows milk.

Before going back to work, I stock piled frozen milk as you are doing, but I always got more if I pumped WHILE feeding. It's a little awkward till you get used to it, but it worked better for me. Have baby on one side and pump on the other and switch as needed. They always get what they need. I then would pump before I went to bed while baby was asleep.

I typically pumped before work, once in the morning, during my lunch and before I left work and sometimes again before I went to bed. My husband was doing drop off - so would need a bottle to feed baby with first thing in the morning.

Remember when you are away from your baby, you will find you pump a lot more volume.

Both my kids would drink between 16 oz - 20 oz at day care over three feedings depending on what time I picked them up.

I would distribute the milk in three bottles for three feeds about 6 oz each bottle. It always seemed to be enough. They did not always take it all and that was fine. If they had left over or I got there early - then I had a bonus bottle for the next day but I always marked which bottle that was so that it got used first the next day. We were never allowed to leave milk in the daycare fridge over night.

It is quite a committed process and you need to be dedicated if you are going to use breast milk exclusively, but it was definitely worth it for me and my kids.

The important thing is to do what works best for you and them.
If you are stressed, it will probably be harder to pump.

Looking at a picture of your baby while pumping may also help or just thinking about your baby.

Trust your body. You will produce enough for your baby.
I became a little stressed when one day care center, (which I did not chose, by the way), told me that they needed 32 oz on hand at all times! Even if my baby was there for 10 hours which they never were, they would not have drunk that much!
My daycare let me keep some in their freezer in case an extra feed was ever needed.

Also as baby transitions to cereal etc, their needs change.
So bear in mind that solid foods, when the time comes, will also supplement in their own way.

It is definitely worth the investment in a good double electric pump - which I think you have. I actually spent more time setting up, taking down, rinsing the pump and storing the milk than actually pumping at work!

Hope this helps.

S.

You will be able to pump a lot more, because pumping will replace the feeding and the more you do it the easier it will get. My daughter ate around 30 ounces (6 ounce bottles) and she was around 19 pounds.

Dear D.,

Reading the responses to your question is a reminder of how different our bodies are. I have a 6 month old son and have been working 6 hours a day since he was 3 months old. My son is in the 95th percentile for weight for breastfed babies and has always been a eager nurser. I had to feed him 1 bottle a day of formula for a week or so to save enough breastmilk for a couple of days of daycare. At work I have to pump at least 3 times to get enough to meet his needs the next day (9-11 oz split into 2 bottles). He would still be very hungry when I came to pick him up, so for the past month and a half I have topped off his breastmilk with 10-20% volume of formula. I mix up 6 ounces of formula, add ~2 ounces to each of 2 bottles and send the remaining 2 ounces along in case I'm late or he's especially fussy. He weighs about 20 pounds now. It works for us and I still think of him as a breastfed baby. Best of luck!

Before I returned to work I started pumping every morning while nursing my daughter. It’s a little bit of a juggling act but having her there helped with let down and once my body learned to let down for the pumping sound the pumping started going a lot better too. Its also easiest to pump in the morning b/c you tend to have more milk anyway

The best time to pump (for me) is when my son is in bed at night. I'm not sure of your son's sleeping through the night. We got my son on a routine around 3 months (bath and story about 830pm and wake up for feeing around 7am then back to bed until 10am) so I would pump before I went to bed and set my alarm around 5 to get up and pump for about 10 min (each side but thank GOODNESS you have a Medela double pump. Such a GREAT investment) The one true way to build your milk supply is to breastfeed and pump as much as possible. Breastfeeding is all supply and demand. A friend told me that she would pump immediatly after feeding her daughter. You might also try pumping the other breast while breasfeeding. We always have formula at the house JUST IN CASE he goes through all of his milk that I've pumped.

One other thing that I would suggest (I learned this the hard way) is to introduce a bottle to your little one about 2 weeks before you go back to work. Maybe have the dad/family member feed him your milk once a day, about 2 oz or so. My son SCREAMED and would not eat the first day I had to go back to work. Luckily my boss was undertsanding and let me come in late that day but my mom had to take care of a VERY fusy baby which broke my heart.

**I just found this on-line**
A 4-month-old weighing 14 pounds needs 28-32 ounces

Good luck fellow breastfeeding mommy and keep feeding that baby your liquid gold!!!

Check out the La Leche league website, they have a lot of great tips for working AND breastfeeding moms. I was very concerned also, but I went back to work full-time when my daughter was 3.5 months and managed to not have to give her any formula until she was almost 1 year old. Make sure you pump at least three times (in an eight hour work day). Also I wish someone had told me to start pumping right before I went to sleep once she started sleeping for longer stretches at night, because that is when you can really pump a lot and get your supply in your freezer up. Near the end when I was unable to pump enough during the day I was waking up at around 4 AM to pump also. It's not easy, but so rewarding...helped alleviate some of the guilt I felt at not being able to stay home with her to know that I was still "feeding" her. Good Luck, and feel free to contact me with specific questions if you want to.
R.

Hi D.,

I know its time consuming, but after as many feedings as you can, pump. Drink lots of water and try not to worry. All of those things can affect your milk supply. Whatever you pump, just freeze it. Good luck to you and its really wonderful that you are going to continue breastfeeding!

Molly

It is supposed to be a supply and demand process, but reality is sometimes you have to supplement to give your baby enough nutrition. Personally I never produced enough and had to mix it up from the first month on even after taking fenugreek. Have you seen a lactation specialist? They tend to be anti formula, but reality is you have to feed your baby so they grow. And as far as how much should your baby eat by 5 months, there are general guidelines in many baby books, but go by what your baby does, if your little guy is hungry feed him til he is satisfied, he will let you know when he is full.

I think the best way to build up a supply is to pick a certain time of day (between nursing sessions) and pump at that same time every day. This will help produce more milk and once you have a decent supply, you'll be fine when you go back to work. When I first went back, I didn't feel like I had enough built up, but it worked out fine. I was also feeling like, I would supplement if needed, but wanted to avoid it. There are days he eats more than I produce while at work, but there are also days I produce a little more than he eats, so I can stay even...and even some days get ahead a little. Save everything that you pump, and continuosly pump when you can, and I'm sure you'll have enough of a supply by the time you go back! Good luck! Hope all goes well!