Pumping to start a freezer stash - how do I do this?

[Limabean1975]

I just started pumping last night. DD is 3 months old. I never pumped a stash with DS - I pumped early on to help with low supply, but never got much and did not do it later.

This time, I want to have some milk in the freezer in case of emergency and/or for occasional use.

I was not sure if I could pump well, but it's looking pretty good. 2 ounces from one side in 10 minutes (with an Avent manual pump) last night, samea gain tonight.
I'm figuring pumping just 2oz/day is good enough- should build a small but decent stash soon. Or should I try for more?
What I am wondering is - if I pump once a day, should I pump both breasts? Should I pump one and alternate one night to the next? Or just pump the same breast every time so that breast produces to match the pumping??

[Mrs-Mama]

I have an electric pump, so it's a little different, but....I pump one side each morning while nursing on the other. I pump about 4 oz per day. I stay at home, so I use the milk if my mom or MIL keeps DD for me, and also just to have backup if I run out while DH is home and DD becomes inconsolable. I do have quite the freezer stash, though, b/c I rarely use even half of what I pump...but, better to have it and not need it, right?

You may find that you are able to pump more in the morning than at night. I tend to switch which side I pump about every other day, but it's not perfect. DD usually only nurses once per night, so I nurse on one side then nurse on the same side first thing in the morning and pump the other "fuller" one.

[Limabean1975]

At least for now, mornings are NOT a good time to pump...mornings are a time to run around getting breakfast for me and DS, nurse while running around, defend DD from DS's aggression and/or over-enthusiastic affection...etc. It's ridiculously chaotic given I only have 2 kids!

But getting 2oz in 10 minutes seems good enough to me...and could do more if I do both sides, or even continue on the one side (when I stopped pumping last night and tonight, there was still milk coming, I just decided to stop at 2oz).

Thanks for your input!

[LindsC]

When I started pumping to build a freezer stash I was pumping first thing in the morning after her first feed of the morning. I would pump both sides with an electric pump and usually get from 3-5oz.
I was never able to get the hang of pumping one side while I was nursing her on the other side so I just decided to pump both sides after feeding her.

[curious&eager]

I started pumping one time and then the baby got hungry, so my dh helped me pump and feed at the same time. It worked wonders on my manual pump. When my baby was done eating one side in 10 minutes, I had a 5oz bottle pumped from the other. Granted I was full and that's why I was pumping. It was so much easier than do it babyless. But, I'm new to pumping and maybe I just need more experience with my pump to get it out faster. On other tries, it took me 30 minutes to get 2.5oz.

[wombatclay]

There is also a product called "my milkies" (or a "milk saver") which is basically a shell that fits over your breast and collects the let down/leakage while you nurse your babe on the other side. It's not usually a huge amount, but it's easy to collect and one way to build a stash without interfering much with normal life.

When I was pumping to build my stash I added an evening pumping session (after my shower when the girls were in bed and I was relaxed). I pumped both sides, every night, and about the same time so that my body would just adapt/maintain that supply level. I ended up donating much of that milk when I became a SAHM but kept some for emergencies so... as long as your babe is doing fine I wouldn't worry about having "too much" of a stash. No matter how much milk you have saved you'll be able to find a good use for it!