Pumping away from baby

[saffrongirl]

I guess this is for those who work outside of the house or somewhere away from your baby. I'm working four hours at a time and I generally feed Nora right before I leave. Then I pump after about two hours at work (when she's eating apart from me) and then I nurse her when I get home. I nurse usually one side per feeding. So my question is, when I pump should I pump from both sides or just from the side I'd be feeding from if I were with her?

Also, today my dad was feeding her from a bottle with milk I had pumped earlier in the day. The milk was pumped at about 9:45PM and sat on the counter until he tried to feed her around noon. She wouldn't take any of it. My mom then showed up and warmed the milk and then she finally ate it (four hours after I had nursed her last). Do you think the milk had just gotten cold and so she didn't want it or do you think it was that she didn't want it from my dad? Also, isn't four hours really long for her to go between feedings (although she does go four hours at night...)? She's 9 weeks old.

Thanks!

[cristeen]

I'd pump both sides.

And she may not have wanted it right then, she may not have liked the temp, she may not have liked the way he was holding her or the bottle, any number of things could be the reason she refused the bottle the first time. I know my little guy who only gets the bottle has times when he's clearly hungry and yet refusing to eat.

[ilovejeff]

my situation is the same and i pump both sides

[2boyzmama]

at work i pump both, but for my last pumping (2.5 hours before getting home) i don't do a full pumpong on one side, if that makes sense.

twice i've been away for other reasons, and only pumped the side that he would have fed on.

it all depends on what your goal is...if you just want to make sure that you have enough milk for when you're gone, and that your supply doesn't drop, then you could pump just one side. but if you double pump, you will build a small freezer supply, which can be a good thing. beware that your overall supply will go up just a little with one double pumping a day, so on the days that you don't work, you may feel a bit full. you could single pump on those days (pump the side she isn't feeding on, do it during the time you'd normally be at work).

and the bottle...who knows? babies can be finicky breastmilk can be left out for 4-6-8 hours at room temperature (depending on what source you read!!) and shouldn't effect the taste of it. if she ever does refuse a bottle entirely, check your milk for lipase (just dip your finger and taste it). you can read about lipase on kellymom.com