I am about to have my third baby. While I did breastfeed with the first two, I felt like I didn't do it for as long as I wanted and was never able to build up an ideal "reserve" for bottle feeding for husband/sitter when I wasn't home - they often ended up having to mix with formula.
I made an attempt to ask about this issue recently on this site, but just got a lot of women telling me that my social life was too important to me and I had my priorities mixed up. I am at a stay-at-home-mom. I am with my kids ALL THE TIME - we spend all day together playing, going to museums, etc. But, my husband and I had our first baby before we were even married and have found that it is important to frequently set aside time for our relationship - we do date nights etc. I was hoping that rather than trying to put guilt on me, someone could speak to the methods they used to both breastfeed and build up some stored milk. My one friend said that she would pump after each feeding - isn't that very time consuming? How do you feed a baby every 2-3 hours and then pump for 20 mins after and still manage to get the other kids off to school/soccer/etc.?? Did you start pumping right after the baby was born, or did you strictly breastfeed for a while? What did you find was the best method for storing breastmilk? Fridge or freezer? Bottles or bags?
Thanks in advance to anyone who can help me figure out the schedule here!
Bags in the freezer. Just pump for about five more minutes after feeding, not a full session. Even one more ounce of gold is good.
The only thing I can think of is a automatic pumper, do they make them?? If so, feed the baby and pump the other breast. That way both are being "used" and hopefully tricked into making more for you to store.
As for storage...I have no clue. Maybe someone else has an idea.
Good luck.
I did exclusive pumping b/c actual breastfeeding was very difficult for me and inverted nipples! I pumped every time I fed and it was very time consuming but it worked pretty well. I think the suggestion of pumping one side and nursing on the other seems like a really good option. I got a hands free boustierre and it was a miracle worker! It enables you to pump without having to hold the bottle so you can nurse, bottle feed, or even read a book! ;) I also had to pump in between feedings for a while. It was annoying and a bit painful (get some lanolin for sure) but I was okay with it. I did start pumping in the hospital to try to get things moving.
For storage I used the bags in the freezer. I did use the fridge too but I think it was mostly b/c I was pumping exclusively. I would pump and then just either leave it out or put it in the fridge for the next feeding, but if you're not going to use it within the next day or so, I'd go ahead and freeze it. But, be careful b/c once you thaw frozen milk you have to use it right away or it will go bad within about 12 hours.
And for the record, your priorities are not screwed up. It's sad that other moms feel the need to make each other feel bad about their choices. We are all trying the best we can and having a good relationship with your husband and feeling good about yourself are all part of being a good mom!
I exclusively BF my son (now 15 mo), and also pumped and had a huge supply built up for when I was working or needed a break. Don't let anyone get on your case for pumping and leaving your son with a trusted caregiver, I'm a firm believer that I am a better mom when I have had a nice evening out with the hubby to be able to be a wife and not just mommy for a few hours. I have heard about pumping after nursing, I personally never did that. I started pumping a few days after my milk came in, and after that would pump every morning on the side my son didn't nurse on. He slept through the night very early, so I would go from about 11pm to 6am or so without nursing. With nursing on demand ALL day I would be very full in the morning. So he'd nurse until he was full on one side, and I could usually get 4-8 ounces from the other. He never took more than 4 ounces in a bottle, so I would get 1-2 bottles a day to freeze. I would save in 2 oz amounts at first, then 4 oz since that would get 1 bottle. You don't want to save in large amounts since once it's thawed you have to use it or toss it. I also would have to pump after we would be gone for an evening, so that would replace whatever he had drank while I was gone. We gave him a bottle for the first time around 2 weeks and he never had any problem going back and forth. At the most he would get maybe 4-5 bottles a week while I was working part time. I used Lansinoh storage bags, they can lay flat and can save you a ton of room in the freezer. A good rule of thumb for saving breastmilk is the rule of 5s: 5 hours at room temp, 5 days in the fridge, 5 months in the freezer (per our lactation consultant). Breast milk will separate, so when you give it out of the a bottle, you have to swish it around pretty good. Don't worry if you see it's thicker at the top after it's been sitting. Good luck, and I'm sorry people gave you a hard time.
I can't answer to BF'ing because I chose not to BF my daughter. Just not for me.
I am responding because I want to say kudos to you and your hubby for making date nights priority. I believe it is crucial for a couple to maintain their couple time.
We set this priority before our daughter was born 17 yrs ago and have very rarely missed a weekly date night. It does not have to be big and fancy every week... just having time together to talk means so much.
Congratulations on your baby and I wish you success with your feeding.
I hated pumping and wasn't a very good milk producer for the pump either and I still managed to go back to work and breastfeed my DD for a year and a half without ever resorting to a drop of formula.
I would say don't pump for the first two or three months if you don't absolutely have to. During that time there were only two instances in which I would pump: to relieve a clogged duct and if I absolutely had to leave my baby. You want to build a good nursing relationship with your newborn... and the pump is a nuisance (at least it was to me).
The easiest way to pump if you have nursing down is to feed your child on one breast while simultaneously pumping the other. It's very efficient and you may get better flow as well.
I had to have a reasonable supply for daycare, so I made it a habit to get up early in the morning and pump with the first feeding that was when my breasts were fullest and pumping was easiest. I would completely pump one breast, nurse the other and then pump the nursing breast since there was typically a bit left.
If you are only going to give the occasional bottle you really do not need to build up a huge supply... one of the biggest mistakes people make is storing their milk in huge units. It is better to store it in 2 ounce units (2 ounces per freezer bag or bottle): milk is easy and fast to defrost, but must be used or tossed once defrosted. Most young babies don't take more than 2-4 oz in one feeding and if you store 6 or 8 oz at a time you will end up tossing the rest. If your baby is still hungry you can always easily defrost another 2oz....
If you are not bottlefeeding every day freezer is best, I preferred freezing in bottles over bags, if your freezer is large enough to hold a bunch of bottles.However if you are pumping for a specific purpose... say you pump three bottles over two days in order to go our the third day, fridge is just fine.
More than anything try not to stress. Your baby will be fine if he gets formula once in a while while you're going out to dinner or a movie...
Good luck!
I am a working mom, so my priorities must be REALLY messed up...
I had my first baby in law school, the second just as I was starting my career, and breastfed both, so I am a pumping pro :) I breastfed exclusively for about 6 weeks, then started pumping for 2 weeks to build up a small supply for the first days away. Some women have a lot of overage- I would see posts about women having freezers full of milk! I found that I was always just ahead of the game by a few ounces. So don't beat yourself up if you don't have gallons stashed away! I had the most milk first thing in the morning. I would feed on one side, pump on the other, then switch sides with both. If I was only gone for an hour or two, I would pump/feed when I returned. Don't feel bad if you only pump an ounce or two, they do add up. You should freeze or use pumped milk within about 24 hours. Frozen milk can last for months. Definitely bags, they can stack easily. You can also put bags from one week or month into a freezer bag, that way it is easy to find the oldest milk to use first. Oh, and if you leave milk with a sitter while you are out on a date and only away for a couple of hours you can leave the feedings that you think baby will need plus a bag with only an ounce or two. If you are running late and baby is super fussy, they can mix the milk with a little water to pacify until you get there. That trick saved my kiddos from meltdowns a few times! Plus it is a good use for any milk that you have to freeze before you have a full bag.
Well first of all, you CAN pump after a feeding, but when I did this, I only did so for an extra ounce or two. I didn't want my body producing too much.
The "hindmilk" (at the end of your feeding session) is creamier and fattier than the "foremilk" (the milk at the beginning of a feeding/pumping session). So keep that in mind - if you nurse first, then what you pump after will be fattier in content. If you pump and ounce or two extra before a feeding, then your child will nurse and get a fattier content. Found interesting info (and even a picture of hindmilk/foremilk here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breast_milk ).
I did have to pump before my son was 4 weeks old b/c I had to go back to work for a couple of days (I was a teacher - end of year things to get done). I can't remember exactly how I saved enough for those couple days, honestly. The kiddo probably fell asleep after nursing 15 min on the left, 5 min on the right, so I pumped for that extra 10 minutes on the right to "even out the boobs." Sometimes he would sleep late, but my boobs would wake me up engorged. I'd pump at 2am (both breasts, 15 or 20 minutes) and get a large number of ounces that way. Of course, sometimes I'd wake up to pump at 2am and he'd wake up at 2:45 hungry. Well, luckly the breasts can't really "run out" of milk. He just got a fattier hindmilk which had higher protein content.
I only kept a few ounces on hand in the FRIDGE. The rest I put in the freezer in bags. I had various size bags - this one had 5 ounces, this one had 8 ounces. This one had 3. I wished later that I had done all 5 oz bags so it would be easier to count and pour. Do what works for you. It's like LIQUID GOLD so you may pay more for bags, but doing small 3 oz bags may be best at first so you don't thaw and then end up not using it.
Only pump after the feedings that are easiest for you. If you wait 45 mins to 1 hour after a feeding you will have time to have a good amount to pump. Example-if you know your LO goes 3 hours between the noon and 3 pm feeding pump at 1 or 1:30. Depending on your let down, 15 mins may be enough.
Also, if you have a time of day (usually in the am) when you are very full, pumping right after a feeding can be very effective.
I would start with one pumping session per day as to not get an extreme over supply, and increase from there.
Hope this helps.
J.
Just to know: not all women CAN pump.
I made the lactation consultants cry... Because I had a huge supply (my son was an extreme eater... Apx 20 oz per feeding ever 2-3 hours), that was super versatile (I could and did wet nurse in a pinch), but we could never get more than a couple ounces with a pump. ANY pump. From 'Mooooooo" hospital grade electric ones to dinky little handheld ones, and everything in between. We tried before, during, and after nursing. Didn't help. Tried having a beer. No help.
So I could never be gone for more than 2 hours a stretch.
Formula isnt the end of the world if you end up in the camp that pumping just doesn't work for.
I know it's different with me since I had twins, but I started pumping right away to establish a big supply. I imagine it works the same with singletons. So, at the beginning, yes, pump after each feeding if you can manage. This will trick your body into thinking there are more babies to feed and boost your supply. Then, you can pump three times a day. After a few months, and supply is enough, you can pump twice and probably be fine. This is just my experience, though. Make sure you eat well and eat things to help keep your supply up and drink lots of water. I did breastfeed my girls, but they got a bottle of pumped milk once a day so I could get a break and I always had enough in the fridge. If you won't be using so often, then freeze. What is the rule?: 3 hours on the counter, 3 days in the fridge, 3 months in the freezer? Can't remember. We used the bottles and those viles that worked with the Medela Pump in Style system, but if you need a larger quantity, use bags. Throwing out breastmilk is so depressing, so guage how much your baby is drinking to keep in the fridge and freeze the rest. :) Good luck!
It's been a long time since I pumped and froze my milk (before the internet lol!) but I just followed the guidelines given to me by my doctor and my favorite nursing book, The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding. I'm sure your doctor or midwife can and will provide you with specific information too.
As far as pumping, I always had a LOT of milk so it was pretty fast and easy for me. I usually did it when the baby had a shorter than normal feeding, I would pump right after. I got about 2 oz in ten minutes. I pumped a lot in the first few months, when the milk was really flowing and built up a nice supply in the freezer (I used the bags.) I had a Medela pump, battery operated, it cost about $80 in the mid 1990's and it was worth every penny, it helped me feed three babies!
drink lots and lots of water,eating oatmeal now and in the morning the way you like it will help increase your supply to pump that extra bottle then pour it into a breastfeeding bag label the date then store it in the freezer,don't worry how many ounces typically during th day I can do 4 then later on overfill the bottle you will get an increase supply in a few weeks if not sooner.Breastfeeing is time consuming at times not all the time,but if you already have that in your head that it is then it is possible you will not want to feed your baby for as long as you hoped for,enjoy that time to bond cuddle read sing to your baby it can be done even with all the chaos around you.I have both a Medela hand pump and the Medela electric pump I use them both the hand one makes it easier to travel with
I pump to donate, and the most efficient way for me is to pump one side while we nurse the other. I usually do that mid-morning, when I can sit down and relax. It feels like you need three hands to do it, but once you have the hang of it it's not hard. It takes advantage of the letdown you're already having and keeps it from soaking your shirt!
Good luck. I exclusively breatfed and never did figure out how to pump, or even to get them to take formula from a bottle.
You shouldn't let anyone make you feel guilty for spending time away from your baby. Neither should you stress about occasional bottles of formula when you don't have a stockpile. Good moms can use formula :-)
I usually fed my boys on only one side per feeding. It worked well for us, though some people will insist on nursing both sides at each feeding. The nurses at the hospital kept insisting that I switch sides after ten minutes, but like I said, baby and I knew what worked for us. When I had to pump I would pump the other side while baby was nursing, which helped my production, but honestly, while I had an abundant supply and could have nursed a daycare center, I didn't ever produce much for the pump. After a while I decided it wasn't worth stressing over, and scheduling my life around pumping sessions. I decided to just enjoy the time nursing my son and feed him formula if I needed to. Happier mama, happy baby.
Don't compare yourself with anyone else and don't let anyone make you feel guilty for caring for your babies in a different way than they do.
I also want to express my disappointment that people on this site gave you a hard time about needing some time away. As a SAHM I know how important alone time is to my sanity. I will let you know what I did, but if pumping proves to be difficult for you (time consuming, ineffective etc), then do what you need to in order to still have your date nights. That could be giving formula, only staying out for a couple hours at a time, or even feeding your baby before you leave, go to dinner, stop at home and feed again, then go back out for a movie or play or whatever.
Anyway, it is generally not recommended to start pumping until your baby is about 2 weeks old. You need to use that time to focus on recovery and establishing a strong nursing relationship. I was fortunate to have babies that slept well early on so I was engorged every morning, way more milk than my baby could take at a feeding. I pumped after the morning feed and that was all I needed to do. I didn't go out a lot so pumping 1-3 oz every morning was more than enough to cover my time away. Pumping after every feeding is really overkill for a SAHM wanting to build a stash for nights out. Most women have the most milk in the morning as compared to the end of the day, so I would think that should be enough. Or if you have a time when the baby takes a full feeding but only nursed on one side or hardly at all on the second side, pump the side the baby did not fully drain. Getting only an ounce at a time is still good, it will build over the week to make a full feeding. I am guessing you are not out long enough to need to cover more than one feeding. And if you don't pump while you are out you can feed the baby when you get home and then pump after that feeding because you will probably be overfull from missing a feeding. If you will not use the milk within a few days I would freeze it. it is worth investing in the good milk storage bags like Medela. For a young baby I would freeze 2oz per bag, then you can make a 2,4, or 6 oz bottle, based on how much they need and you will have less waste. I encourage you to check out kellymom.com or le leche league (llli.org) for all the "rules" regarding safety/proper technique for milk storage. I wish you the best, and enjoy that time away!!
I can't offer much personal advise as I never did master the whole pumping and breastfeeding full time thing either. (we live 1000 miles away from any trusted babysitter(family) so that wasn't an option) but I agree that you need couples time (guilt free). Have you looked on http://kellymom.com/ they are my go to for ANY breastfeeding question. Good luck and enjoy your dates :)
Kellymom.com is a good resource. I also suggest you consider a breastfeeding class or a meeting with a good LC so you can go over what you had issues with before.
I didn't pump after every meal. When I was prepping for going back to work, I'd pump when she was napping. You can also pump one side and nurse the other (and start on the pumped side for the next feeding). The trick is supply = demand. You can also do things like take a pump and a cover with you and either plug into the car or use a battery pack to extend your evenings out and provide milk for your baby. If you know that you won't need it all the time, then pump and freeze in advance of an outing (like first thing in the AM or after baby and big kids have gone to bed). I know someone who pumped in the small hours of the AM for 2 weeks to get enough milk to leave her son for a weekend trip. It can be done.
Personally, it wasn't time consuming. I used a Medela Pump In Style Advance and doubled pumped for about 10 minutes. That was personally enough for me. Most women only get a few ounces per session and you'll find out what your "normal" is for this baby. Remember, too, that rather than your infant needing more and more milk as it gets older, your milk will fatten and change so the same or similar amount will be enough whereas you'd need more formula.
If you freeze, pump first into bottles to measure, then put into pre-labeled bags. I used Lanisoh and Medela and didn't have leaks.
Even though I was going back to work, I did not start pumping til about halfway through my maternity leave. I needed to learn how to nurse and get my supply going before I pumped. You may also remember that supply evens out. My sister did not know this (and I feel terrible for not telling her but one of her friends was supposedly an "expert" and she was talking to her a lot) and threw out milk she didn't use for the day vs freezing it and ended up having to supplement much earlier than she wanted.
If I used the milk in a few days, I left it in bottles in the fridge, with the date on them. If I wasn't going to need it right away, I froze it.
Hope that helps.
