How frequently do you pump and how much do you get per side?

[lkmiscnet]

I pump about 1-1.5 hours after my LO nurses (since he nurses about every 2.5-3 hours) and get about 1 oz per each side. Typically, first thing in the morning, I can get about 1.5-2 oz per side and then it dwindles as the day goes on.

[groovyem]

I exclusively pump, I get about 1oz per hr from rt and about 2/3oz from left. I've heard it's supposed to dwindle as the day goes on (also when you are sick) but mine never has and I have been pumping for 6mo. My sister was the opposite of me. Yea, I have an abundance of milk. I had to buy a freezer. I try to pump as many times per day that she eats, 5 sometimes 6.

[Peony]

Once in a great while I was able to get 1.5 ounces, it usually was at the most 1/2 ounce. I don't pump anymore, it just isn't worth it for me, I am able to arrange my meetings, etc... so that I can feed before him before and after.

[brinalicious]

My lo, now 4 months old, eats about every 3 hours, too. I have found the best way to pump is to feed her and pump at the same time. I get 3-4 ounces, sometimes more, when I do this. I always have enough milk the next time she eats, and I typically only nurse on one side at a time anyway.

[texmati]

I pump at work and only get 3 *maybe* 4 ounces total each time I pump. .

[brinalicious]

Originally Posted by texmati

I pump at work and only get 3 *maybe* 4 ounces total each time I pump. .

How often do you pump? Do you have an electric pump? Do you get 3-4 oz per side, or altogether? When I pump at work I get less than when I pump while feeding my baby, but I average around 3 oz per side every 3 hours or so. Have you done anything to build your supply, or more importantly, does she need more milk, i.e. is she eating more than you pump? If she eats what you pump and is not still hungry, and she's growing nicely, then you are probably pumping just the right amount.

[texmati]

Nope that's all together. I work from roughly 10-5 (sometimes I leave early!). I pump twice at work, once at 11:30ish and next at 2 or 2:30. I just came back from pumping and got less than 3 ounces.

I'm barely making what DS eats. I some times think he might eat more, but DH is a good at making it last. I rush home to feed him every now and again.

I have PISA, and proper sized flanges. I've only been at it for two weeks, and DS seems to be surviving, but the babysitter sometimes mentions that she thinks he could eat more. I will be quickly outpaced though, he's getting bigger and bigger, and I'm pumping less than I did last week.

I am trying ot build my supply. I just don't know what to do-- I *leak* milk when I'm with DS. I feel full even after I pump. I just don't know what gives.

[_betsy_]

Texmati - check out Kellymom.com for great tips to help with pumping.

I've found that for me, it's all mental. If I'm thinking about how many ounces I'm getting or how many ounces I need, it all stops.

I usually pump 4-6 ounces total, pumping three times a shift (twice during and once right after my shift). I WOH FT, nights, so baby is asleep when I get home. Usually.

My average yield is 4 ounces, total. I drink lots of water, try to get as much rest as possible, and know there's freezer stash to fall back on if need be. DD2 is 13 months old, and I'm keeping up with her just fine. A few months ago (DD2 was around 9-10 months old), we burned through the freezer stash. I cried every night I came home and saw that DH had had to use more of the freezer stash. But I sucked it up. I pumped once more each day for 2 weeks and all of that went into the freezer.

Same thing happened when DD1 was around that age, I thought there was no way I was going to be able to keep up with her demand. But both times, it worked out just fine. With DD1, DH switched to using the larger 8 ounce bottles, and though she was taking in the same number of ounces total, she was taking it in a bigger portion all at one time. With DD2, we started letting her eat more solids - and the girl loves food, not like her big sis! We had some early allergy concerns, but she seems fine now, after just letting her gut mature more.

Anyways, sleep well, eat well, get plenty of water, try not to stress about it, think loving thoughts about your pump while you're nursing, nurse one side while pumping the other, have baby brought to you to nurse when you're at work, try eating oatmeal.

[groovyem]

There are supplements you can take to try and increase your milk. I've heard they can work really well. Check around on this website as I have heard other people mention them.

[Vespertina]

Right now I'm EPing as DS has tongue tie issues and we're waiting to see if the ENT will offer to take care of it (practice doesn't accept my insurance and the procedure, including office visit, is $934).

At the start I had low supply because he wasn't able to drive/stimulate it. Since I started using the hospital grade pump and supplements it has increased a good deal. I usually yield about 5.5-6 oz total every 3-3.5 hours. If I go 4-5.5 hour stretches at night then I can usually get 8-9 oz with my first session in the morning.

I ordered domperidone just in case I couldn't keep it up with pumping. I've been using Motherlove's More Milk Special Blend and fenugreek to increase my supply.

[texmati]

Originally Posted by _betsy_

Texmati - check out Kellymom.com for great tips to help with pumping.

I've found that for me, it's all mental. If I'm thinking about how many ounces I'm getting or how many ounces I need, it all stops.

I usually pump 4-6 ounces total, pumping three times a shift (twice during and once right after my shift). I WOH FT, nights, so baby is asleep when I get home. Usually.

My average yield is 4 ounces, total. I drink lots of water, try to get as much rest as possible, and know there's freezer stash to fall back on if need be. DD2 is 13 months old, and I'm keeping up with her just fine. A few months ago (DD2 was around 9-10 months old), we burned through the freezer stash. I cried every night I came home and saw that DH had had to use more of the freezer stash. But I sucked it up. I pumped once more each day for 2 weeks and all of that went into the freezer.

Same thing happened when DD1 was around that age, I thought there was no way I was going to be able to keep up with her demand. But both times, it worked out just fine. With DD1, DH switched to using the larger 8 ounce bottles, and though she was taking in the same number of ounces total, she was taking it in a bigger portion all at one time. With DD2, we started letting her eat more solids - and the girl loves food, not like her big sis! We had some early allergy concerns, but she seems fine now, after just letting her gut mature more.

Anyways, sleep well, eat well, get plenty of water, try not to stress about it, think loving thoughts about your pump while you're nursing, nurse one side while pumping the other, have baby brought to you to nurse when you're at work, try eating oatmeal.

Originally Posted by groovyem

There are supplements you can take to try and increase your milk. I've heard they can work really well. Check around on this website as I have heard other people mention them.

Thank you both for all the support-- I have been trying to boost my supply, so much so that I woke up with swollen hard breasts this morning. I think my issue is more just trying to let down for the pump-- I've been lookign at baby pics, ect, but I think it's just the stress. Or bad pumping technique? I thought saw some improvement last week, but this week the extra ounce is gone.

I didn't mean to thread hijack, OP!

[Dmitrizmom]

I will pump if it has been more than 3 hours since dd2 last nursed. I pump for 10-15 minutes, double pump, and get between 7 and 10 oz... anybody want some?

[Blessed_Mom]

Originally Posted by Dmitrizmom

I will pump if it has been more than 3 hours since dd2 last nursed. I pump for 10-15 minutes, double pump, and get between 7 and 10 oz... anybody want some?

I could use some....tips that is.

Is this all natural or are you on supplements? Did you do anything different - like take Dom right after delivery (for instance)....

[Dmitrizmom]

all natural - in a previous generation I would have made a great wet nurse. I tend to have oversupply issues amd leak like crazy until my babies are pushing a year old. I pumped when dd1 was an infant and donated to a milk bank.

I find that I do best if I completely ignore the pump. CNN, the morning show, anything that occupies my mind and blocks out the sound of the pump... I do firmly massage from periphery to nipple as I'm pumping to help strip the milk out. Sometimes, pressure on the armpit side of my breasts will increase the flow.

I have nursed after pumping and my nurslings don't seem to have any trouble getting filled up.

HTH

[_betsy_]

I read while I pump at work. Totally makes it easier.

I also have a secure room with a locking door, and the company's backing - which sounds stupid to think of as a reason I can comfortably pump, but the reassurance that I have a place to do it and the company's support to pump makes it easier to get comfortable. I don't think I could pump in, say, a non-locking office, or the bathroom or something. Or if there was a clock in the room. I don't care how long it takes! 18 minutes or 14 minutes, whatever.

What is your pumping space like? Can you listen to music or watch TV or read a magazine while you pump?

[hotharmony]

breast compression is what did it for me. Before I would get on the pump I would massage my breast in a downward motion for a minute them hook up and focus on one breast at a time with massage and them move to the other breast. Also after you get your first letdown stop your machine and give yourself one or two minutes and then start the whole process all over again.

[texmati]

Originally Posted by Dmitrizmom

all natural - in a previous generation I would have made a great wet nurse. I tend to have oversupply issues amd leak like crazy until my babies are pushing a year old. I pumped when dd1 was an infant and donated to a milk bank.

I find that I do best if I completely ignore the pump. CNN, the morning show, anything that occupies my mind and blocks out the sound of the pump... I do firmly massage from periphery to nipple as I'm pumping to help strip the milk out. Sometimes, pressure on the armpit side of my breasts will increase the flow.

I have nursed after pumping and my nurslings don't seem to have any trouble getting filled up.

HTH

Hey DimitrizMom!! Congratulations on your homebirth!!! One question I did have-- how soon after you had your baby did you start pumping? I didn't start till after 3 months-- I think i may have missed the window to ramp up supply.

[texmati]

Originally Posted by _betsy_

I read while I pump at work. Totally makes it easier.

I also have a secure room with a locking door, and the company's backing - which sounds stupid to think of as a reason I can comfortably pump, but the reassurance that I have a place to do it and the company's support to pump makes it easier to get comfortable. I don't think I could pump in, say, a non-locking office, or the bathroom or something. Or if there was a clock in the room. I don't care how long it takes! 18 minutes or 14 minutes, whatever.

What is your pumping space like? Can you listen to music or watch TV or read a magazine while you pump?

I'm pretty lucky as far as pumping location at work. I have an office within an empty office area that I'm using. I could read a magazine, or use a laptop, but I'm constantly staring at the horns. Otherwise, how do you know if anything is coming out?

Mayb I should try pumping blind lol!

One question for you mama's, I don't notice a difference in output from when I pump right after DS eats, and when I pump at work. Is that the case for you all as well? It's as though I only have 3 ounces for pump-- no more!

[cubbbyaf]

I stopped pumping last month when dd was seven months, I still bf at home, but sup formula during the day now.
- I wasn't so lucky with pumping at work, I had no place to pump exept the bathroom, which was very small and only had one stall, and there are 8-9 other women who work here. I had to sit on the toilet to pump, and often stop mid pump to let someone go. Or at the least be interrupted by people asking how much longer I would be. Or even just chat for a few before they left. Not something that was comfortable. It was very hard to keep pumping for as long as I did. Sometimes I just gave up the session with only getting a few drops. But on average I would be able to get 4-6 oz but that would ususally take me half an hour while double pumping. I usually pumped twice a day at work and once in the evening at home.
-I was fortunate enough to be able to nurse on my lunch break because daycare is only 1.5 miles away.
-For pumping It help me to put the pump bag on the floor in front of me when I sat on the toilet and place a magizne on top and read while I pumped. I would lean forward (to have gravity on my side) and also would try to massage the breast and try to push the milk down. If i thought too much about not getting anything, I would never get letdown.
- If I had to pump at home I could not get anything if I let dd nurse first. I had to pump to make sure I had enough milk for the next day and then she could nurse (because she is much more effective at getting the milk out than the pump), or else I had to get up at 2 am and sneek in another pump session
- Tried nusing and pumping at the same time a little, but it was very hard for me to manage especially as dd became more interested in grabbing everything

[Dmitrizmom]

Originally Posted by texmati

hey DimitrizMom!! Congratulations on your homebirth!!! One question I did have-- how soon after you had your baby did you start pumping? I didn't start till after 3 months-- I think i may have missed the window to ramp up supply.

Thanks!

this time around, I only pump when i'm going out for more than an hour (choir rehearsal, CCD for the kids). didn't do much pumping in the first several months. I had about 50 oz (about 7 pumping sessions) in the freezer when I went for what was supposed to be my 1st day back at work. When I lost my job, I stopped pumping.

with dd1, I didn't pump much the first month but after that was pumping pretty consistently - I went back to school full time when she was 7 months old and was pumping 3 or 4 times a day.

with ds, I was back in classes when he was 3 weeks old. I pumped from day 3 with him (when my milk came in I got so engorged that he couldn't latch on. LC at the hospital let me use "old bessie" to pump that first time and she was shocked when I got out over 10 oz in 10 minutes.)

I've found that hydration is key to maintaining production for pumping. A big glass of water about 20-30 minutes before seems to help alot.

When I needed to get more out, I would add a pumping session.