How do I start to build up a small stash of breastmilk?

[jess5377]

So, my LO is 2.5 weeks old and while I'm exclusively breastfeeding (EBF) now, I do want to start to build up a little freezer stash of milk so eventually, in a couple of weeks, my DH can take on a feeding or two.

How would you suggest going about doing that? Should I pump an ounce every time I feed? Just pump an ounce at one feed a day, like in the morning? I don't want to end up engorged because my body thinks I need a tonne of extra milk and I don't want to mess up the rhythm we seem to have going now.

Any help or tips would be appreciated, thanks.

[NCmama]

I started by nursing first thing in the morning and then pumping right after. ALWAYS your best milk supply is in the morning. Then once there was an established night time feeding and I knew he would sleep a little longer, I would nurse to sleep and then pump.
I was going back to work 12 hr. days and by the time I went back half of my freezer was stocked with breastmilk. At one point I thought about donating it!

[Juliacat]

I'm interested in hearing about this, too. I like the flexibility of having milk on hand, but I don't want engorgement to come back.

[2boyzmama]

I started by pumping the side he wasn't nursing on for one feed a day. Usually the first morning feed. So I feed him on the left and pump the right.

With my other two, I would pump right after putting them to bed for the night, because they always had their longest "chunk" of sleep in the first chunk. But my third guy won't go to bed unless I'm in bed with him, so that was harder to do with him.

[ShwarmaQueen]

A word of caution, I started pumping off excess BM when DS was about 1 1/2 weeks. It caused major oversupply issues and DS was gasping and sputtering constantly, and it also turned his poop to green because he was getting too much foremilk and not enough hind milk, so the only solution was to pump off some of the foremilk and that just kept the problem going. So then I had to block feed for hours and hours (seriously like 6 or 8 hours sometimes) to empty one breast and after realizing that most of these issues came from pumping too soon, I stopped and FINALLY my supply has adjusted now (almost 6 wks postpartum). I spoke to a LLL leader and she said it's best to wait until 4-6 wks (when your supply has regulated) to start pumping.

[CarrieCo]

I wish I had an over supply issue! I have never had too much milk!!! I can't be disciplined enough to pump every two hours just to have some for the second baby! I also have no idea how I am ever going to build up a supply!

[deny_zoo29]

My LO is 7 weeks old now and I have almost 200 oz frozen in our deep freeze.
How I do it is that I usually pump when I wake up in the morning (about 6:30am) and get about 5-7 oz total, then I nurse as usual throughout the day about every 3 hours. The last feeding before bed is usually around 9pm and DP gives it to DD as breastmilk in a bottle. I pump again before we go to bed at about 10/10:30pm and get another 3-5 oz. SO each day I get about 5 oz extra to freeze.
Not sure if this will work for you but it's how I do it and it's worked well for me. Good Luck!

[charleysmama23]

Originally Posted by NCmama

I started by nursing first thing in the morning and then pumping right after. ALWAYS your best milk supply is in the morning. Then once there was an established night time feeding and I knew he would sleep a little longer, I would nurse to sleep and then pump.
I was going back to work 12 hr. days and by the time I went back half of my freezer was stocked with breastmilk. At one point I thought about donating it!

This is what I'm doing and it's working well. I started at 3 weeks as my pedi said to wait until then to assure that a. he'll take a bottle with minimal fuss and b. he won't have nipple confusion. It's worked great, we aren't having any problems. So right now we're doing the pump after the AM session, and once he drops a feeding at night I'll add a nighttime pump session.

[jess5377]

Thanks everyone! I think I'm going to take it real slow and easy by just pumping an ounce or so each morning on the breast that she doesn't feed off. I'll try that for a week and if I don't hit any major problems (overproduction, etc.), then I'll amp it up to two ounces.

Slow and steady wins the race, right?