how in the world

[Caittune]

does one pump and nurse at the same time? I just tried and the only success I had was to successfully soak my shirt and annoy the baby.

I need to pump because I have to work at my DD's preschool. I had been offering formula but I hate to use formula and now I'm pretty sure my dd is milk intolerant so the milk based formula is out.

I have low supply so just pumping a bottle is a big deal. I am lucky if I can get half an oz. She also seems to be going through a growth spurt so the evening snuggle time I have with my other dd is becoming more stressful becuase she can't go very long without eating and DH wants to use the formula during those times. I understand his frustration at not being able to feed her when she's crying for food.

thanks for suggestions! I'm using an avent isis if that info helps. I wonder if i need an electric?

[smpayne]

I was never able to pump and nurse at the same time. Sometimes I would pump after I nursed, but would only get less than an ounce. I only had success getting anything when we missed a feeding (ie: at work). Sometimes I could get a little more than an ounce about an hour after nursing.

Not being able to pump alot does NOT = Low Supply. Baby can almost always get more than a pump. However, if you aren't pumping when you miss a feeding your supply will drop.

[PatioGardener]

I can pump one breast and nurse on the other, but I use an electric pump. Even then I need a towel...

[Mama2 '05'06]

I can pump one side and nurse on the other but I'm using a Medela electric pump. It was really hard at first but after some practice it got easier. I also got a slanted breastshield so I don't have to sit up so straight and lean into the pump, I can just lean back and relax. I actually find it easier to get more milk if I pump while nursing b/c I get the natural letdown on both sides. The LC told me to pump on one side and nurse on the other and then switch sides with both pump and baby. At first, I was just feeding whatever I pumped to the baby in a bottle after nursing but eventually with More Milk Special Blend and the pumping routine, I have been able to build up my supply.

[Caittune]

I'll have to look for the slanted shield that would probably be helpful because that was the problem earlier. Nmilk was kjust running back out of the flange. I am looking at a better pump too. The avent isn't going to do it I don't think.

[texmati]

I couldnt figure it out until I saw a pic once-- I think on mother to mother or something? I'll search when I get home.

[patronus]

i do this for dd's first feeding of the day.
i sit cross-legged in a recliner, with a boppy pillow. dd nurses in the football hold on the left. i put a boppy under her and center the boppy to the left, leaving a gap under my right breast.
my pump (medela pump in style) is sitting on a table next to the chair, i set it up the night before.
i put the flange on and between the suction & being wedged between the chair arm (right), my lap (bottom) and the edge of the boppy (left), it stays in place.
most of the time it doesn't leak but i still put a burp cloth under it to catch anything.
it takes practice, but you'll get the hang of it!

[texmati]

here is the tutorial I saw.

Found it!

[LaughingHyena]

It definably takes practice and I only ever managed to do it on one side. I may have managed the other side with an electric pump but I could only work the isis with my right hand. If she only had a quick feed then I sometimes pumped the other side too once she was finished.

I found sitting cross legged on the floor was easiest, I didn't use a pillow but I can see I might have needed one if DD had been smaller. Also make sure to have your shirt pulled up on both sides before you start. Once I got DD latched on and comfortable I could start pumping, I found I had to lean forward quite a lot. More than when pumping alone.. I have to say even doing it while she was feeding I still only got a couple of ounces max. Most days it was and ounce.

I found it best to work the pumping in at a specific time each day, pumping between feeds never yielded much for me.

[Llyra]

I did it all the time with an electric, because all you have to do is hold the flange there. But with a hand pump I don't know that I could. I'm not that coordinated.

The beauty of pumping at the same time as nursing is if you have trouble getting a letdown for the pump--- baby elicits the letdown, which happens on both sides, so the pump just has to extract the milk, not stimulate it to let down.

[Caittune]

Thanks for the link to the tut. I'll have to take a look when babe is not nursing. I'm going to check put new pumps tomorrow. I've been pumping first thing before dd wakes up and average about 3 oz on the side she hasn't nursed on all night.

[LilyRN]

Have you tried a hands-free pumping bra? I haven't had any success pumping and nursing at the same time without one, even with an electric pump. You need about 5 hands to do it, I think!