Pumping Breast Milk

Hi,
I fed all my children w/pumped breast milk while I could. My breasts did not have a lot of milk to give, but whatever I could pump out I would feed it to them.
My baby daughter had the most, maybe cause she was my 3rd child. I don't really know.
But none of my kids wanted to "latch" on, so I just exclusively pumped.
Good luck
C.

I had trouble breastfeeding when my son was born. It's kind of a long story, but I can tell you that I got in touch with a lactation specialist and she suggested I try Fenugreek. You can get it at vitamin stores, GNC for example. It has worked for friends of mine, however that wasn't working for me. So I talked more with my doctor and she prescribed Reglan for me. It worked wonderfully! My son wasn't even physically breastfeeding after 2 months, but I was able to pump breast milk for him until he was 9 months old. I wasn't able to solely provide him breast milk, we had to supplement with formula, but my doc said even a little is beneficial. I hope this helps you!

I felt my supply was low for awhile too, so I tried the fenugreek. After three or four days (two-three tablets twice a day) I not only smelled like maple syrup, but I had more than enough milk. Good luck!

I did Breast Milk exclusively for six months, then after adding food continued with breast milk until my son turned 1. I worked full-time so pumped much of the time. I always - for an entire year - made just enough milk to give to my son. I tried the herbs, I drank tons of water, all the tricks the lactation consultants gave me but in the end, I was just not making extra. It worked for me, although the stress level was horrible! I went back to work when he was 4 weeks old, though, so maybe that had something to do with it.

I would suggest buying a really great pump if you can afford it (my son's five now so I don't know which are good these days). Like some have said, renting is more expensive.

Also, I made all my son's baby food after he turned six months old so that cut down on cost. Jar food is gross and expensive so I just made everything that went into his mouth. That might help you to justify the cost of a breast pump.

Just my thoughts and experience. I would say as long as you're making enough to feed your daughter, you're doing ok! At the end of 12 months, I had about 10 ounces of "extra" in my freezer and that was it!!!! That stunk! My babysitter at that time had an entire shelf in her freezer devoted to frozen breast milk - I was jealous!

Hi H.,

I my son had terrible latching problems. I spent a lot of money on lactation consultants...and ended up exclusively pumping for 5 months. In addition to some information from the lactation consultants, I got the most helpful information by joining the yahoo group "Pumpmoms." For the first 6 or 8 weeks, you really are supposed to pump every 3 hours to keep up your supply. After that, you can drop a pumping session-probably the one in the middle of the night. Yes, I set an alarm for middle of the night. It was pretty horrible. I don't know how I did it now. Be sure to drink lots of water, eat well, & get rest. You might also try Fenugreek or the "Mothers Milk" supplement sold at Whole Foods and other heath food stores.

Exclusive pumping can be very very exhausting. I don't know your situation or if you have any help around the house, but I wish you all the best with your efforts. My son was finally able to latch around 3 mos., but by then, he only nursed for comfort. When he was really hungry, he SCREAMED until he got a bottle. I didn't have much support or help to really practice with him once he was latching. I know someone in a similar situation who basically stopped everything and practiced latching all day once her son was able to latch around 3 mos. So, it is possible. In my situation, my milk supply decreased when I could not keep up my pumping schedule any longer. Good luck to you!

Everyone seems to have given good advice, but just wanted to comment as I exclusively pumped as well. I also contacted this site to get advice on how to do it and how to keep up the supply as if I were 'naturally' breastfeeding. My schedule was exhausting, but in about 2 months I had a whole deep-freeze full of expressed milk!
For two weeks I pumped every two hours - even at night. I would pump at least 20 minutes each time. After two weeks I went to 3 hour increments but remained at 20 minutes each time. After those two weeks I continued every 3 hours during the day and would then only pump after my son got up in the middle of the night.

I will be completely honest - it EXHAUSTED me!!! However, as I said, I had plenty of supply and I knew he was getting the best.

During that time I CRAVED water - I bet I drank 2 gallons a day. I also made sure I ate a great breakfast; I've always been a huge breakfast eater anyway, however during BFing I made sure to eat a well balanced breakfast to not only keep me going, but to help my supply.

Good luck and congrats on your new little angel!

Hi H.-
Like many of the other mothers here, I also exclusively pump. I've been going strong for 5 months. I pumped every 3 hours until I went back to work. It's hard for me to get away a lot, so now I pump every 5 hours and I'm doing fine (I get a much larger supply each session). I occasionally do not have enough milk, so I supplement a bottle of formula if my son's still hungry. I felt guilty at first for adding the few feedings of formula each week, but I've come to the belief that it's okay. It keeps me sane and I know I'll stick with the pumping much longer if I don't constantly have the fear that I don't have enough milk. Drinking a lot of water helps me keep up my supply. Good Luck!

Hi H.,
Have you tried calling your Lactation consultant? If you don't know how to get a hold a one call the hospital you delivered from and they can help you. Although I know there is a pill you can get from GNC. When the nurse called me when I got home from the hospital w/ Luke she told me about it and it's perfectly ok to use. I forgot what it's called, but if you go there and ask the salesperson they'll bring you right to it. It's where the prenatel vitamens are. Hope this helped!

A.

pump and freeze, date and time the bags and feed them the oldest milk first. of course baby sulkling stimulates more milk to produce.

Due to several factors, I could only pump in order to provide my sons with breast milk which i did for 6 months. First, I would buy a good pump because it will cost you more to rent it for that length of time than it would to buy it. I rented for my first son; bought for my second son...it was much more cost effective.

Re: milk volume. Are you drinking enough water throughout the day? Are you eating properly? Dieting at this time is such a temptation but so counterproductive to excellent health for you and your baby. Lots of things can affect milk volume--stress is only one. You might contact a dietician at the hospital where your baby was born. You might contact a lactation specialist. Ask your doctor for referrals.

It can be done. But if it doesn't work, remember to NOT beat yourself up. We all do the best we know how and the best our body will do.

Good luck.

I've read that pumping doesn't drain the breasts the same way breastfeeding does. So if you pump exclusively, your milk supply will probably be lower than if you were feeding your baby directly from the breast. In addition to staying well hydrated and eating a balanced diet, there are herbs that can boost milk production. Your local Whole Foods or natural foods store might be a good place to start.

Best,
R.

Hi H.-
My daughter is now 12 weeks old, but when she was about 2-4 weeks, I had to pump breastmilk on one side due to a really cracked nipple. I was worried about the amount of breastmilk I was getting and really it is all about supply and demand. Your body will adjust as long as your consistent with it. Something that will help (because I use it now) with producing a little more milk is a supplement called Fenugreek. You can find it at Whole Foods. I have been using it now for a couple weeks due to going back to work and having to pump milk and feed her all on the same day. It has no side effects except for making you smell a little like maple syrup. Good luck!

It has been a little while, but I nursed all three of my children (10, 8 & 4) exclusively until they were ready to eat some solids. I think the best/safest advice is really to drink lots of water, eat well, and to try and relax while you are pumping. You might even try to look at your child or a picture of the child (if you're not at home) while you are pumping. You can also help by massaging the breast towards the nipple while pumping. Just remember to really check into supplements with your doctor first before using them, not just the store clerk, because this will be passed on to your child. Good Luck!

H.,

I just wanted to tell you how awesome you are for exclusively pumping (EP'ing). Yes, in a perfect world, we would all be able to nurse for at least a year. But sometimes, it just doesn't work out that way.

In response to the posters who say that you should nurse rather than pump (even when it's horribly hard for you and pumping provides a somewhat workable alternative), sometimes you have to do what you have to do, and them telling you that the solution that you've found is inferior doesn't provide any help or support. I'm sorry that you received responses like this.

The comments on power pumping, oatmeal, More Milk Plus and staying hydrated are right one target. If those options don't significantly improve your supply, talk to your doctor about getting a presription for Reglan, or consider obtaining domperidone. These medications can make a HUGE difference for some women.

One other tip - and I wish that someone had told me this in the early stages - is that if your child is healthy and was born at term, you can store your pumping gear in the fridge (in a ziplock) between pumping sessions. I found the hardest part of EP'ing was the amount of time I spent washing my collection bottles and breast shields - pump, wash, feed, pump, wash, feed - defined my life for the first several months (that, and horribly chapped hands!). When I found out that I could store my gear and simply wash ONE set of pumping paraphenalia at the end of the day, my life improved dramatically.

hth,

A.

I have known a couple people who exclusively pumped, and from what I've heard, it's really tough.
My first thought when I read your post was that my son nursed a LOT more often than every three hours for the first couple of months. If you're exclusively pumping, more frequent pumping is the best way to build your supply.

Hello H.,

My son is almost 6 weeks old. We breastfed from the start, but due to difficulties we decided to pump and feed at 2 weeks. My son uses the breast only as a pacifier to soothe himself, but receives his nutrition from the bottle.

At first my supply could not keep up with his demand and I very reluctantly supplemented with formula. It was agonizing for me, but better he eat something than nothing at all. However, with consistent pumping and Mother's Milk Tea he is now exclusively fed expressed breast milk and I have an overabundant supply of milk! In fact I end up freezing much of it. It took less than 2 weeks for my supply to catch up. Here is what worked for me:

1) Make sure you are eating a well-balanced diet and drink LOTS of water. My doctor's office said a gallon a day!
2) Try Mother's Milk Tea 3-5 times daily. Can be found at Whole Foods, Vitamin Shoppe, or other health food stores.
3) Along with pumping every 3 hours, make sure you pump everytime he feeds. So if she feeds every 2 hours, you pump every 2 hours. That way you are mimicking the pattern she would take at the breast and your supply will keep up with his demand. This is especially important when she goes through a growth spurt and wants to feed every hour. Once your supply catches up, you can pump on a more regulated schedule.
4)Try Power Pumping - pick an hour at night and pump for 10 minutes, then break for 10 minutes, pump for 10 minutes, break for 10 minutes and then pump for another 10 minutes. The whole process will take one hour and you will be pumping for a total of 30 minutes. Try this for three nights in a row at about the same time and you should see an increase in supply within 48 hours. You can try this tactic up to once a week. Don't do it everyday! You will exhaust yourself and probably damage your nipples.
5) Lots of skin-to-skin contact. Your hormones will respond to the contact with the baby and stimulate milk production.
6) Wear your baby around the house. Again, same concept as skin-to-skin. The increased contact by carrying your baby with you in a sling or other baby carrier should help activate those hormones. It may be difficult with your back problems though, but any increased contact with the baby should help.

I hope this works for you, but talk to your doctor to see if he/she has any suggestions. It's a harder road we both chose, vs. straight breastfeeding or formula feeding but well worth it! I know from my point of view, there is a lot of support out there for mothers who want to breastfeed (if you know where to look) and it seems to be the societal norm to formula feed. There aren't any "groups" out there for women like us and it seems both sides would want to push us in the other direction. Be proud of the fact that you are working hard to provide what is best for your baby despite your back pain. It will pay off in the end!

Good luck!

P.S.
Be careful what type of storage you select for your breastmilk. Glass kept in the refrigerator tends to have the leukocytes (the cells that transfer your immunity to your baby) stick to the sides; however, glass is good for freezer storage. If you are going to freeze in plastic bags, make sure you use those specifically designed to store breast milk in order to preserve the fat and antibodies. As much as possible, give your baby refrigerated vs. frozen milk as you lose some benefits in freezing milk. However, I am sure frozen breast milk is still better than formula. For people who breastfeed straight from the "tap" so to speak, this is not much of a concern because expressed milk only represents a portion of the baby's diet. For us the proper storage is essential.

I did exclusive pumping for 4 months and it was exhausting, but I did manage to find some ways to really up my supply. I ate oatmeal for breakfast every day, pumped every 2 1/2 hours (but took a break overnight to sleep), pumped for 20 minutes minimum each side, and always stayed hydrated by drinking lots of water during the pumping. I felt like a cow, I was making so much milk.

My favorite supplement to help increase supply is "Lactation Blend" by Vitanica. It contains Fenugreek, Blessed Thistle& about a dozen or so other herbs. For many it begins to make a difference within 24 hours. You take 1-2 capsules 1-2x/day. When I was nursing my twins I figured I'd start with the highest dose - Hey! I was trying to keep up with twins. I ended up painfully engorged 24 hours later. I suggest you star slow and then increae your dosage if you need it. If you live in the Oak Lawn area you can find it at American Health Foods on 95th Street between Central and Cicero, across from the Metra station. 60 capsules per bottle for avout $17 there. It can also be found on vitamintrader.com. Good luck!

I pumped exclusively for my daughter until she was 10 months. We tried so hard to nurse but it just didn't work out. She couldn't latch properly, which caused bloody nipples that wouldn't heal. It was the worst pain I've ever experienced, it hurt more than giving birth. I went several times to a LC but we couldn't get her to latch the right way. So I rented a hospital grade pump and pumped as much as I could. Whatever she didn't eat, I froze. After I healed, I did try to nurse her again and so we ended up nursing about twice a day and doing pumped bottles. (If I tried to nurse her more than that, my scars would break open again.) It was fine for us and in the end she was getting breast milk. Which to me, was all that mattered. She still got lots of cuddles and skin on skin contact. Yes it was very hard, and you have to be dedicated but it's possible!

If your back is the only problem and it's better, I would try to get her to nurse first before pumping. Pumping was horrible on my back! She's still young enough to learn and it would be so much easier! Try contacting your local LLL for help.

If nursing doesn't work out, like some one else mentioned the yahoo group "pumpmoms" is wonderful! You've also gotten some good suggestions on what to do to increase supply. I've tried all of it! You can find good research online as well. Of course, it's all about supply and demand. The more you nurse/pump the more you'll produce. Good luck to you!

Here's the link to the Pumpmoms group. You have to become a member of yahoo, but it's free. If it doesn't work, go to yahoo.com, click on "groups" and search "Pumpmoms"
http://groups.yahoo.com/search?query=Pumpmoms

I exclusively pumped the first time due to latch-on problems. I currently pump at work and before going to bed at night. My milk has decreased but not to a point of giving it up. My dd still nurses and I pump at work and she gets enough. It was scary when I first started noticing a decrease but it has not gotten to the point that I will have to stop. I tried the fenugreek that others have posted as the best but it made me sick. definitely make sure yo get plenty of water and other fluids and watch the caffiene.

Nursing is the most effective way of inducing milk. I have a harrington rod in my back and two bone clips and needless to say have a lot of back pain but I didn't notice it being harder on my back to nurse versus to pump. I would get a good boppy and a comfortable chair and nurse your baby. Drink lots of water and eat some oatmeal.

Hi Helma.
I've also been pumping exclusively for other reasons and had the same issues. Go to GNC and ask for Fenugreek; it's an herbal supplement that can help bring on more milk. Also there's a tea called Mothers Milk (also at GNC) it contains fenugreek but unless you like drinking ALOT of tea i'd stick with the pill. Hope this helps

Stay well hydrated, and try fenugreek and blessed thistle supplements. Also, breastmilk is produced on a supply-in-demand basis. The more you pump/nurse, the more your body will think it needs to produce. Best of luck!

I exclusively pumped for 11 1/2 months and just quit about a month ago. Kudos to you for keeping it going:) Its not an easy thing to do but it becomes just part of your life after while. LOL I would suggest pumping every 1-2 hours for 10min to increase your supply. I pumped every 2 hours until I had a huge supply and then went down to 3 hours slowly. They say if you wnat a bigger supply to "power pump" which I think would be every hour? You can google it and find a ton of info. I always just did 1-2 hours when I needed to boost my supply. Feel free to email me anytime if you have questions. Good Luck

Go to www.kellymom.com and do a quick search. They are the pros on this.

The best thing you could possibly do is nurse that baby! Your baby will stimulate more milk than any pump will get out of you. I understand it might have been painful for you, but if it's sitting up that is killing your back -- lay down and nurse, it's a good way to get your own rest while nurturing your child. I just finished nursing my 22 month old 2 weeks ago, I did pump because I returned to work when he was 8 weeks old. I found that when I was pumping I got very little result, so when I was in the presence of my son I was sure to put him on the breast and that always increased my supply right away. Apparently there is a hormone that they can release to help the process or something, don't give up on it because it's the best thing you can do for your baby! I would also suggest the Fenugreek as well, I tried the Mother's Milk tea as week but couldn't stand the taste. Good luck to you and God bless you for making the decision to give your baby the very best!

I was coping with low breast milk supply and baby was not taking any supplement. I had to breastfeed my son but nothing was going to help. Thank God, I found a remedy that increased my supply. It was Healthy nursing tea.

Yes, there are people who exclusively pump and it's very very hard for them. At 5 weeks, I really don't think you should give up nursing yet. Work with a lactation consultant to reestablish nursing, please! Make sure you offer your baby y our breast EVERY time you feed her. Give it a good 5 minutes before you resort to the bottle. Try putting a bottle nipple over your breast if you must, or try an SNS. Manually stimulate your breast so you have a letdown before you offer it to your baby so that she will find it easy at first. I'm sure some of the other nursing moms here will have some other good tricks for you, but I would personally only resort to exclusive pumping as a VERY last resort. If you do end up going that road, the yahoo group "pumpmoms" has lots of good info and many women who do this.

I exclusively pumped breast milk but had to supplement with formula too. I pumped every three hours while he was a newborn (at night I went a little longer - like four or five hours between pumping). When he got a little older and my milk was far more established (around four months), I started pumping every four hours and sleeping through the night without pumping (about 7-8 hours) and still got about the same amount of milk (about 20oz per day). My little one is a hearty eater (he weighed about 10 pounds at birth and 21 pounds at 6 months!)and I only had to supplement around 12oz of formula each day to put with the expressed milk when my little guy was around 5 months old. I stopped pumping when my little one was 6 months old and I returned to work but I was happy that I had done so for the first 6 months of his life. I found that when I would start to decrease in milk production, I would drink plenty of water before pumping, eat well, and keep my pump times consistent and this always seemed to help. For now, since your little one is only a little over a month old, I would keep my pump times at every three hours (possibly four hours between pumpings at night so you can sleep a little) until your milk production is well established. You can play around with lengthening the pump times once your little one is a little older (around 3 months old). Either way, I found I had to supplement with a little formula so that my little guy had enough to eat. Hope this helps.

more sleep
more water
fenugreek tablets
mothers milk tea
try to relax when pumping, look at the baby or a picture of her while you pump

J.

Hi H.:

I have been EPing for 5.5 months now and let me tell you - it does get easier. Those first few weeks were so hard, but now pumping is just part of my normal day.

I also recommend joining the PumpMoms group on Yahoo. There are a ton of exclusively pumping moms on there willing to share all of their pumping experiences with you. I also felt like you when my baby was at that age and joining that group really helped me. I went from barely meeting my baby's needs to having to buy a second small freezer to stash all the extra milk. You can do it, too! Be consistent (every 2-3 hours), stay hydrated, and try some of the dietary tricks to increase supply like eating oatmeal and taking supplements like fenugreek and blessed thistle. Oh, and try power pumping and doing compressions while pumping. These are also very helpful tricks.

Congratulations on choosing to give your baby your precious mommy's milk, regardless of the method of delivery. Happy pumping!

aside from what you learn from us ladies here, you should go to the LeLeche League website. www.llli.org

you will find all your answers on their forums. also you can post your questions there and have a lactation consultant get back to you as well.

I exlusively pumped for 8 mo and stopped because I was tired of all that and also my child refused the milk even from the bottle. When he learned food can come in solid form he stopped drinking.
If you want to get more milk: pump more frequently, use pump with good suction, make sure you drink adequate amounts of liquids and SLEEP. Get naps, establish night sleeping schedule with family members (you do not have to feed the baby, they can give your milk and you can sleep).
Another TRICK I used: after pumping, I just set there attached to the machine for about 10 min, and then started the pump again for about 5 min. That helped the "deep" milk to come down so machine can suck it out and the breasts got emptier, to stimulate more milk production.
Good luck! I only wish men can breastfeed to feel what we are going through!

I exclusively pumped for my second child as he couldn't ever latch on well. My advice is to keep pumping every three hours and make sure you completely empty both breasts. At 5 weeks babies aren't taking a lot of milk and may only nurse at one breast. You may find it helpful to lay warm washrags on your breast prior to pumping.

A couple of additions to some of the recommendations. More Milk Plus in the tincture form is great and better than fenugreek alone. I bought mine at Whole Foods, but I know you can get it at other health food stores, GNC will not carry it. Make sure you are drinking half of your body weight in oz, so if you weigh 150, then you will need to drink 75oz of water per day. If you are dehydrated, your milk supply will decrease too. I could always tell when I pumped if I drank enough water or not, it was like a 2-3oz difference! www.kellymom.com is a fabuluous website to get answers and suggestions regarding b-feeding and pumping. They suggest eating oatmeal every day too. Eating enough protein as well, at least 2 free-range, grass-fed eggs per day and no your cholesterol will not go up, that is a myth proven by research. 2 eggs per day is the maximum. 1 c of Oatmeal is a great morning snack, put 2T of nut butter to boost the protein content, you have an ideal snack.

Also pump in the morning, about an hour after you feed her too help boost your supply, plus it is the greatest in the mornings.

Good luck and please let me know if you have more questions.

J. W.
Wellness Educator/Lifestyle and Wellness Consultant

Pick up the baby and nurse her. This will increase the supply. Someone suggested pumping for 20 minutes on each side...wouldn't it be better for both of you if you were holding your tiny baby in your arms and nursing? Less stress, more loving touch.