Pumping Schedule?

I have an electric pump which is wonderful can't live without it. I found that pumping first thing in the morning even after the baby eats because that is when I am the fullest works really well. Also try to relax when you pump because it is harder to have a let down when you feel stressed or rushed. The next time is around lunch time to pump the more you pump the more milk you will get it is slow going at first stick it out it is well worth it.

I suggest to pump right after she's done eating. That's what I did. I had the same concerns, but that's what I did and it worked. Good luck.

HI S.,

congratulations on your wonderful new girl. I went back to work after each child at 6 weeks and was able to breastfeed them all, and pump for when I was at work. It is exhausting and requires being discplined. What I did was, while still on maternity leave, pump one hour after morning feed. So if baby started feed at 8a, I would pump at 9a, even if baby did not finish until 8:40 and even if baby wanted to feed again at 10a. Initially, you get barely anything but after a few days, your body starts to adjust and makes more milk, the baby does just fine as she will nurse more, thus increasing your production. In the morning, you produce larger volumes of milk (mostly carbs) and at night it is less volume (more fat and protein). I would put the baby in a bouncy seat or the car seat while I pumped, sometimes the baby would fuss but I would just try to get through the pump as I realized I had to get the extra pump each day to store for when I worked. Sometimes, I added an extra pump at night and stored that also. It means you are trying to trick your body into thinking it is feeding twins, don't get discouraged if very little milk at first, it will increase and don't worry, baby will get the right amount. Just keep yourself rested and well hydrated as it will be very tiresome for you. I was alone at home but it is nice if you have support (someone to soothe the baby while you pump) Make sure you have a good pump, it is much faster if it is an efficient pump. Also, if possible, keep yourself relaxed, thinking good memories of the baby while you pump.. then you will have much better let down.

There are many ways to do this. My sisters used to feed only one side and pump the other and save and store that. We both thought our own way was best:)

Good good luck and stick with it, it is so nice to be able to come home from work and just crash and breast feed the baby, it is nice bonding time.

A. K

(was working mom of 3, now home after fourth child)

Hi Sara - before i went back to work I pumped an hour after I fed my son for about 10 minutes and it seemed to work well. It is just enough time for your body to produce more milk before the next feeding. The best time for me to pump was right after the first morning feeding since your milk supply is high at that point. I would avoid it later in the day since your supply goes down as the day goes on. I first started using a manual pump as well, but upgraded to the Medela Pump In Style and what a difference! You can get so much more out with it! Good luck!!

Hi S.,

Congratulations on your new baby girl! My son is 4 months old now and the time just flew by so fast! I went back to work 3 weeks ago and am now successfully on a pumping schedule. What I did was start pumping long before I went back to work to get a good freezer stash going. That way I would always have backup food because in the beginning I was afraid I would not be abel to keep up with the deamnds of my feeding baby. So I pump after I feed my baby in the morning. Like everyone said, it will take some time to get more volume as your body needs time to get used to that extra "feeding/pumping session" that you are giving it. but your body will eventually start producing more milk if you keep pumping at that time of day every day. Monring is always best beacuse your prolactin levels are the highest so your body can make more milk then. So after I fed my baby and then pumped, I would pump 3 or 4 more times at work every 2 - 3 hours, feed the baby 1 or 2 more times when i got home from work depending on the time i arrive, and then i pump atleast 1 more time before I go to bed. I worked so hard to build up my milk supply with herbs and extra pumping sessions that now I think my body has stabilized and is producing enough milk to feed my baby and keep adding to the freezer stash. I also have my mom feed the baby pumped milk from the fridge from Tuesday to Friday and then on Mondays she gives her freezer supply so that I can start using up the old milk in the freezer since it is only good for about 3 months or so. Hope this helps! Feel free to email me. I think i have been though it all.

Also, nto sure if anyone has mentioned that most insurance companies will give you an electric pump if you get a prescription from your doctor. Call your insurance company and ask. I have HMOBlue and they sent me a Medela Pump in Style, great pump, for free. I know Tufts also does this. If you are going back to work and want to keep up your supply, you will definitely need a double electric pump. manual pumps are more work, you have to pump longer and they are not as efficient at getting the milk out. No pump really is. Your baby is the best at getting the milk out, but an electric pump is the way to go to maintain your milk supply. You can also rent electric pumps from the hospital. Good luck to you and your daughter! You should be very proud of yourself for giving her the best give you can ever give to her! keep at it!

Hi S..
Try pumping first thing in the morning. Also, if you can't fill a bottle while pumping, put the pump and bottle in the fridge and go back to it later. Since your baby is only a few weeks old, your body will start to produce more milk soon and pumping shouldn't be a problem.

I would contact the lactation consultant at the hospital where you delivered. If you want a referral, Elena at Anna Jaques in Newburyport will offer you a plethora of information. You can just call Anna Jaques birthing center and ask for her. She gave me wonderful advice, and I pumped for months and months and months. She also holds a breast feeding group in Haverhill on Thursdays and in Newburyport on Tuesdays (I think), so you can inquire about that - it's fun and free.

If your daughter doesn't have a full feeding, pump as soon as she's done to empty the breasts. Or pump on one side while she feeds on the other, and switch for the next feeding. Or pump an hour after she's finished a full feeding. The more you pump the more milk you'll get, but you have to patient at first. Don't be discouraged if you only pump an ounce.

As for how long, pump a few minutes after the milk stops, to signal your body to produce more milk. The amount of time you should spend pumping just depends on your body that day. Remember to drink tons of water, too.

Good luck!

Hi,
I, too, was once in your shoes, only my daughter wasn't born early. However, as a prior military mom, I was also concerned about establishing a feeding schedule for my daughter who was also a cluster feeder. I am not a lactation nurse, but I will share with you advice and a schedule given to me by a lactation nurse. First, I would highly recommend a Medela electric dual pump. It is a costly investment, but it is very discreet in appearance, and you can use it again if you plan to have any more children. My personal opinion is that it is the closest suction to that of the child, and all of my breastfeeding friends also agree.
As for the building your milk supply, some people say pump after you finish nursing (pre-work return), and others say the opposite. I found that I pumped more early in the morning and before I nursed my daughter. Some experts would disagree b/c they say the infant may become lazy and not work for it, since the initial "let down" of the flow has already been done by the pump. Again, you will have to find what works best for you.
The pumping schedule that was given to me was to pump two hours after arriving to work, right before or during lunch, if I could a couple hours later, and once before I went home for the day. My pump schedule went something like this: 9 am, 11'ish, 2'ish, and 5'ish. I will admit that the 2'ish pump schedule was more of a bonus for me given my job at the time. Also, if I was home in the 5'ish hour, I would pump then nurse my daughter. I will say, that drinking a gallon or more of water a day really helped to pump more in a shorter period of time. Once you get the hang of it, each session will probably be 10-15 min long unless you are really engorged. And, if and when you can, allow your daughter to latch on (ie; possibly co-sleep, or primarily nurse her on weekends).
Sorry this answer is so long, but I really believe in breastfeeding. With the schedule I gave you, I was able to nurse my daughter until 9 mos, after which we decided to try--with success for our son!
I hope this info is helpful to you, and good luck with your breastfeeding!

The more you pump or nurse, the more milk your body creates. Pump before she nurses, when you feel fullest. That way you should get a good amount of milk. Your breasts will still make enough milk for her to nurse. I also used to nurse on one side and pump the other at the same time. That "let down" could be golden for the onces not lost into a nursing pad. I had used electric and hand models over the years. I liked the Avent for a hand model.

S.,
What I did when I had to pump was for a few days I would get out what I could after my daughter nursed, until I had enough for two feedings. Then, every time I was away I would just pump when she was supposed to be eating. Since your baby is unprdictable, would it be possible for the caregiver to send you an email or text when they settle in to feed the baby, so you can know you are pumping as much as she is eating? Or maybe while you are at work you could set up specific pumping times. You want to pump each breast till it's empty, because pumping is not as eficient as the baby so you want to get the most out of it. Your body will make as much milk as you use, so as ong as you stay regular you'll not run out of milk. It also helped me a lot to think about the baby or something relaxing while I pumped. If I was stressing about work or trying to go fast, nothing would come out. If I relaxed I could finish the job with a hand pump in 10-15 minutes.
Good luck!

Before I went back to work I pumped first thing in the morning, right before I fed my little one. It apparently is when you have the most milk (and it seems to be true). It worked for me. Now that I am back at work I pump three times a day. Is there anyway you can get a Pump in Style? I think it makes a difference in terms of amount pumped. Good luck!

S.,
Congrats on you new adventure. I to have just had a baby who is actually 2 months today.
I have been on leave from work and now need to return.
I begun pumping @ 4 weeks so her Dad could participate and bond like us.
What I have done is what I was told to do @ the hospital and by attending feeding classes too.
After each feeding I pump both breasts for 15 minutes each. I know that there isn't a lot produced but a 1 month old only needs 2-4 ounces and you will get it over time.
I realized that the more I worry about it the less I produce. So my words to you, is go on and enjoy your new adventure and use the freezer to accumulate lots of milk for your baby so you can back to work without that stress.
GOOD LUCK
G.

HI S.! I had the same concerns (I went back to work in late Jan. when my son was 3 1/2 mo.), so I called a lactation consultant. She suggested to feed on one breast in the morning and pump the other during (which I could never do) or right after b/c the breasts are usually more full in the am. I usually pumped for 10-15 minutes, but I've never used a manual pump regularly (so it may vary). I found that the more I got in this habit, the more I was able to express. I also pump twice a day at work, so I can rotate my frozen supply! Be sure that you are given time at work and a place to pump-I'm pretty sure it's the law (I kmow it is in NY stste). Congratulations on your little lady!! Happy pumping and good luck with everything:)

The key for pumping (I stored 350 ounces before going back to work after 12 weeks)is to drink LOADS of water and eat oatmeal once a day. (Not the instant kind.)

Remember that you always have enough to feed your baby - it is a supply and demand process, if you pump (makes your body think it is a feeding) after a feeding, you will have more the next feeding because of it. You never run out of milk provided you are taking care of your body the way you need to (avoid coffee, caffeine, chocolate).

I used a hand pump to store up my milk and always pumped after the first and second feedings and then before I went to bed at night. Remember that your milk is more plentiful in the morning. Once I went back to work, I used a Medela pump n style and pumped for the number of bottles that my son ate during the day. If he drank 3 bottles, I pumped 3 times. Your supply should be such that you pump out almost what you feed him in a bottle if you are eating/drinking enough. The key is to eat a lot of calories even when back to work. I noticed that if I did not drink enough water or eat lunch, that my supply would go down. (Also, when your menstrual cycle starts back up, your milk production goes down just before your period starts.) The other thing is to really relax when you are pumping - at home and work. I pumped with my son in the room because his smiles and and laughter made me feel better. The other thing is to think you have a lot of milk and you will - your mind is very powerful and if you focus on happy things, etc. your milk will flow even more. I pumped for 11 months and am still feeding my son frozen milk (I have a deep freeze freezer that keeps milk good for 4-6 months) and am down to one breastfeed a day but it is SO worth it and once you get a system down, it is not too difficult to maintain. Good luck!

Hi S.,

Congratulations on your wonderful new daughter! Enjoy her the time goes sooo fast.

I have a suggestion or two for you for pumping, could you try to put a little aside each time you pump to feed her? This way you will always have enough to feed her when she is hungry and can put some aside as well. That way you can have some extra. I am not sure how long does the milk last?

The other thing is you need to stay relaxed and take care of you.
I live in methuen and am a Licensed Massage therapist. I am schooled in many techniques and modalties among prenatal and post natal which is wonderful for relaxing you and helping you to stay focused on taking care of your daughter.

Remember this - We can not give from an empty vessel- we need to take care of us first so we can take care of our family.

If your interested infinding out more about massage, even if you can get once a month in , it will do wonders for you.

You can email me at ____@____.com.
I live in Methuen as well

Have a wonderful day!

J. M LMT, AMTA

firstly I think you should get an electric pump if you plan on doing this for any length of time. I pumped for all my kids and the electric one lasted through them all (4 breast fed for first year).
Maybe you should pump after feedings when she's only taken one side. It's a demand thing- so once you start pumping you will create more milk. You will get a good supply shortly. If she does go 4 hours sometimes you could also pump at the 2 hour mark and you will still have plenty when she's ready. If you're nervous about that you could pump one side. Again- it won't take long to kick in and you will be letting down every 2 hours.

First, I can't stress enough that you really need a high-quality electric pump. I would pump 20min to a 1/2 hour or more- with a hand pump, it would take way too long to get the milk flowing and pump. I used the Playtex Embrace; the other models of that level are the Medela Pump-In-Syle and the Ameda Purely-Yours. (You are not supposed to buy them used because of HIV risk, but as a molecular biologist, I quickly realized that this is B.S., because the only parts that come in contact with milk are the cups and maybe the tubing. Just get new tubing, etc. HIV is very weak, and certainly will not survive on dry plastic for long- that's why it needs to be transmitted fluid to fluid- but you can just buy the new tubing to be safe.) One thing about the Embrace, though: it is very comfortable, but the motors have a tendency to break down, and mine did. The customer service was excellent, and they had a new motor to me the next day, but that would not be the case if you got one used.

Anyway, I would say, pump AFTER the baby has fed, when there is some milk left over (usually in the morning). Try to get her to drain one breast all the way, then go for the other, and then pump what she doesn't drink. This will also help you produce more milk. (I started pumping later, since I had a few months before going back to work, and ended up with problems producing enough milk when I went back. I was told by a stay-at-home Mom that she started pumping right away in this way, and produced so much milk she had plenty to give away.) So, in some ways, there is a silver lining to your having to go back right away- if you start pumping early, you can not only save up milk in your freezer, but you will also produce more in general, since you are "feeding" both a live baby and a pump!

Also, for when you go back to work: I found that I really needed to get into a different mode in order to produce milk. What worked for me was to make a screensaver on my PC of pictures of my baby. (In settings, go to screensaver options, and there should be an option to choose a slideshow of pictures from a folder of your choice.) I would close the office door, get the pump attached, and then start looking at the baby pictures. After a minute or so, when I started to get all Mommy-gushy at my cute little boy, the milk would start flowing! Alternatively, you could use a little photo album of physical photos. (If you don't have a private office, see if your work can provide a comfortable, private place for you to pump- i.e. not the bathroom. In some states, this is a legal requirement. A rarely-used conference room would be ideal. There are also models that work off a cigarette lighter, if you feel more comfortable pumping in your car, maybe with a light blanket covering you.)

Remember also, that if you don't produce enough milk after a few months and must use formula, keep breastfeeding and pumping- your baby will still get the good antibodies and trace elements from breast milk even if many of her calories come from formula. Good luck!!!!

Congrads on your baby. With you going back to work I think you nees to start getting her on a better schedule, which is hard. My daughter is 2 months and she eats every 3 hours unless she's sleeping I let her sleep. Depending on how many hours you work I would invest in an electric pump. I have a manual one that I'll use at work but I only work part time. My daughter doesn't latch well so I use my electric pupm all the time. I pump every three t four hours. Since you are breast feeding you might want to try pumping an hour after she eats. Try to drink a lot of water and to eat good and rest when you can. I find that the days that I rest good and make sure I'm eating and drinking enough that I produce more milk. i drink a lot of the Mother's milk tea or the woman's nursing tea(by yogi tea) both are available at shaws and whole foods and amazon.com
good luck

Hi S.,
Congrats on the new baby. Motherhood is so wonderful, and the bond you have with your child when breastfeeding is amazing. Not to mention healthy. My daughter is 2 y/o and I breastfed for 13 months. She was premature, so she ate every hour for several months. I went back to work when she was 3 months old. What I would do is pump 3 times a day at work, and then when I was with the baby I would only nurse on one side and try to pump the other. This was very effective, my milk supply did decrease toward the end, and I had to supplement with a soy formula, but I just mixed it in with my breast milk. One more thing, I am not sure if you have tried a bottle yet, but you may want to start having your husband/friend or someone give your baby a bottle of pumped breast milk at least once a day to get her used to the nipples and someone else feeding her. My daughter would not take a bottle from me, but she would from her Dad. I used the Avent bottles, she seemed to like those nipples the best.
Good luck,
Jen

Breastfeeding is all about supply and demand. the more that is "demanded", the more will be supplied. You might try pumping a couple of ounces from each breast before you nurse her. Your body will recoginize that more milk is needed, so it will start producing more, usually takes a day or two. Or, on the times that she nurses from one breast only, pump out the side that she didn't nurse on. Again, your body will think the baby nursed on both sides, and produce milk on both sides. My son nursed every 2 hours around the clock for the first month, so I know all about supply and demand! :)
the milk freezes up nicely, so you can build up a good supply for the baby sitter. I used to pump a lot when he was a baby, because I was afraid I would run out, but I never did. I had an overabundance, but it did come in handy when I was ready to go out for the evening. I had all those nice little nursing bags (Gerber disposable bottles) all set in the freezer. Hope this helps. Good luck!

Your daughter is probably just establishing herself as a breastfeeder as far as the inconsistent feeding times go. Although try to make sure that when you think that she is hungary she isn't in need of someting else (ie sleep or diaper change) because then she weon't eat a full meal and will be hungary sooner. You will likely have a difficult ime preparing as much milk as you will need with a manual pump. You may want to look inot renting or even a second-hand pump, it will save you precious time. Also, to increase your milk production you can wait 10-15 min after nursing, then pump for 10-15 min. This will stimulate your body to produce extra milk. It will tell your body that your baby needs more food, and you can store that. You could do it at consistamt times each day (ie am,pm, although most women have more milk in the am than in the pm). It will take maybe a wk for your body to really make a larger amt. Make sure you drinks lots of water. If you only feed her on one side you could pump on the other side to save it.

Also, as she gets older she will become more effective at breastfeeding and will likely get quicker and more efficient at the breast and will wither fall asleep after one breast or tell you she has not had enough and need the other. Until she gets older make sure to try to wake her with burping to make sure she has had her fill or she will be hungary sooner and this may cause cluster feeding. (Cluster feeing is normal, and great at night, the baby's way of preparing for fewer calories at night)

I hope this helps, I have 2 small boys and I am an OB nurse. I love to help anyone who needs it. Breastfeeding is such a wonderfull and potentially frustrating undertaking. Good luck. T.

After her first early morning feed, 5ish or so??this really depends on what time it usually is, you should pump just after this, as you have the most milk in the AM, the more you pump and she feeds, the more you will get>> then again in the afternoon, maybe when she takes a nap?, and then again at night, you might have to do another late night midnight.>> My friend use to pump and then feed, pump and feed...I never did this, I just suplimented with Formula as well as what I could get through the expressing, and then once I got back to work, it all worked out and I didn't have to supliment. I pumped in the AM break, @ lunch, and @ the PM Break...drink lots of fluids, and I was told to eat Almonds they help give you more milk, oatmeal, and something else,. call your lactation consultant at the hospital where you gave birth, they are a wealth of knowledge with this stuff!!!!

Hope this helps!!!

I remember being very "full" in the mornings, so I would pump after my daughter's 1st feeding. Then you might want to have the pump at the ready for the times she only takes one breast..pumping the other. The more you pump, the more milk you will produce and it will all work out. I remember the more difficult times being when I was actually at work..fennugreek helped with milk production.
Hope this helps and good luck!

Hi,
I think if you had an electric pump you'd see a big difference. Maybe a friend has one you can borrow? You get SO much more milk that way AND it is much more efficient, which will be good once you are back at work. As far as a schedule goes, I think if you just do it whenever the time is right you'll get a lot of milk... like if your daughter only eats on one side, you can pump the other side... or if she doesn't eat for very long, pump afterwards on both sides. I always found that I had the most milk in the morning so if you pumped right after the first feeding in the morning you may get a good stash going! Hope this helps... good luck!

I have to tell you that with my son it didn't matter if I pumped right before he ate there was still enough to go around. I don't know if you are feeding on both sides but you could try pumping the side you're not feeding on if you're going one breast a feeding or if you are doing both, try pumping after she's eaten.

And actually it's a good thing to pump after they've eaten since you get more of the hind milk into the bottle. If you don't you could (and I stress could) end up with too much front milk in her bottles and cause digestive tract issues. I learned that the hard way with a month or so of green mucousy diapers before a La Leche League leader told me about hind/front milk imbalance.

And don't worry... that first day back you're going to pump out most of the milk she would have eaten anyway so even if you only have enough for a few days you should be okay.