When to start pumping for wohm?

[Pinoikoi]

I go back to work mid August.. when should I start pumping to store up? Dh will be sahd.. Start now (baby not yet 2 weeks old?) and do I do it at a specific time every day to increase my supply at that point? So far baby shows no signs of any sleep pattern that I could slip an extra "feeding" into said time slot.. should I try pumping one side while nursing instead?

[Sharlla]

i started pumping day 3. the bigger stash the better. i pumped every feeding while she nursed the other side
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[ShwarmaQueen]

I starting pumping at 1 wk and it was a HUGE MISTAKE. I created an oversupply, DS had green poop, he screamed when the milk was flowing so fast, milk was spraying across the room because I was so full, all the time. Just wait. I think 4 wks is the recommended time frame, so that your supply can adjust to what baby takes.

[Hannah'sMommy]

I agree, wait at least 4-6 weeks. When are you starting back at work? If you start back at 3 months, that's plenty of time to build up a decent stash. You definitely don't want to start too early and create and oversuppy. The first 4-6 weeks your supply is just getting established.

[Sharlla]

at to go back at 6 weeks so waiting 4 weeks wasnt an optio. oh and i only have a few bags left. im gld i started when i did or we'd be supplementing wth formula a long time ago
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[Pinoikoi]

Originally Posted by Pinoikoi

I go back to work mid August.. when should I start pumping to store up?

Originally Posted by Hannah'sMommy

I agree, wait at least 4-6 weeks. When are you starting back at work? If you start back at 3 months, that's plenty of time to build up a decent stash. You definitely don't want to start too early and create and oversuppy. The first 4-6 weeks your supply is just getting established.

I don't have a 3 month window. Baby is two weeks old tomorrow. Return to work in August.

[Quinalla]

I would start now personally, just start once a day for the first few days, then move to maybe twice a day depending how much you are getting. And don't be discouraged if you don't get much, I never did when I was BFing all day, but now that I am at work and replacing feedings, I get a lot more.

[Hannah'sMommy]

So sorry Pinoikoi, I promise I re-read your post several times, I totally missed the August part! Personally, I would wait another week. But its all a matter of personal preference, and especially how well you react to pumping. If you are able to get a decent amount in a pump session, waiting isn't such a big deal. But if you have to work hard for every ounce, starting sooner might be better. I've been blessed to be able to pump really well, and I didn't really build up much of a stash before returning to work, just pumping some starting a week or two before work. Does that make sense?

Good luck!

[texmati]

I'd wait another week as well. Also check out this link about using a freezer stash responsibly:

http://www.workandpump.com/freezerstash.htm

Just keep in mind, although a freezer stash will give you sense of security, if pumping is going well, you shouldn't need to use it. Until I got pregnant, I had a rule that I would always at least pump as much as my son ate that day. (now my motto is, "do what you can, try not to fall asleep at work.").

I ended up donating a bunch, and now that I"m pregnant, we are working our way through my freezer stash. But I feel that had I not become pregnant, we would have done fine without one.

I'd also do a couple of trial days, before the big back to work day. Wear your work clothes, have DH do bottles and you pump. We did this for two days and it was huge load off my mine to know that I could easily produce what ds needed.

[Sharlla]

yeah but if pumping isnt going well? or baby eats a lot. im only gettning 6 oz on work days and 2 oz when im home. i know way to many mamas tha found they couldnt supply the demand and gave up or heavily supplemented. btter to err on the side of caution and have too much than not enough. besides i would love to be the one to be on the receiving end of a mama who makes too much and im sure somone else would too
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[texmati]

Originally Posted by Sharlla

yeah but if pumping isnt going well? or baby eats a lot. im only gettning 6 oz on work days and 2 oz when im home. i know way to many mamas tha found they couldnt supply the demand and gave up or heavily supplemented. btter to err on the side of caution and have too much than not enough. besides i would love to be the one to be on the receiving end of a mama who makes too much and im sure somone else would too
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I understand-- as I mentioned in my post; I too am relying on my 'freezer stash' to supplement currently.

I guess I'm just trying to say that a large freezer stash isn't absolutely necessary to be successful pumping at work. Nice to have-- absolutely. However, oversupply is no walk in the park either. Neither is trying to pump after every feeding while caring for a two week old.

[Punchy Kaby]

I have had to go back to work 2x at 6 weeks pp, I would wait a week and then try fitting in a pumping session. If you are blessed with a great pumping supply, then go easy at it, just one a day. If it is a challenge then try feeding one side then pumping the other side. Do a couple of shorter practice days of pumping/leaving the baby with daddy for a few hours so you can get a sense of how your baby will take a bottle. My first was great at taking a bottle, my second wouldn't take it for 6 weeks and it was very hard for my DH. She would go for 6 hrs (when she was 6 weeks old) and wait for me to get home. Some babies need to 'practice' with a bottle everyday for a little bit.

Good luck! It's challenging, but pumping is soooo worth it! I BF DS for 2.5 yrs and currently DD for 14 months, I stopped pumping for DS when he was 18 months as he was eating enough and I had a good supply. I haven't stopped pumping for DD yet.

[Hannah'sMommy]

One other note, two weeks before I went back to work, I did start pumping after as many feedings as possible (especially after the morning feeding, usually turned out to only be a couple times a day) to help out supply and make it easier to pump at work. Plus then you'll build up a bit of a freezer stash. When you start working and pumping, your output will most likely visibly drop the first week or two, but it will get back to normal after that. Take pictures of your baby with you, stay relaxed, and maybe even eat some oatmeal and take some fenugreek to help with that drop some.

[JollyGG]

I slipped the pumping sessions in at times I was really full. The easiest for me was when babe first started sleeping a bit longer at night, I'd wake up really full. So, I'd feed the babe and them pump since I was so full. It made me more comfortable and built up my freezer stash.

So I'd just look for those natural times when you a bit fuller than babe can handle.

Then as it got time closer to time to go back to work I slowly moved those pumping times to the times that I would need to pump at work. The last couple of days I switched to pumping at those times and hubby feeding a bottle just to be sure it was going to work for us.

[Pinoikoi]

Originally Posted by texmati

I'd wait another week as well. Also check out this link about using a freezer stash responsibly:

http://www.workandpump.com/freezerstash.htm

That was an interesting read... I KNOW there were days with my son that milk got tossed because dh let it thaw and didn't use it in time or the bottle was only half empty or spilled... still, human error OCCURS.. sometimes it just can't be avoided no matter how diligent.

[rhiOrion]

Originally Posted by Hannah'sMommy

When you start working and pumping, your output will most likely visibly drop the first week or two, but it will get back to normal after that. Take pictures of your baby with you, stay relaxed, and maybe even eat some oatmeal and take some fenugreek to help with that drop some.

That is so good to hear! I was about to be all doom and gloom and tell her to start getting a good freezer stash right now! Because I'm having a hell of a time pumping enough. Taking More Milk Plus, plus eating oatmeal. I've been considering ordering some Dom. So I'm glad to hear that it might fix itself. (I'm on my second week back to work)

But still, OP, I'd definitely try to have a good freezer stash, just in case.

[Hannah'sMommy]

And one more thing I just remembered, drink plenty of water! I totally notice that on the days I don't drink enough water, my pumping output decreases. Especially with all this hot weather we're having!

[listipton]

I had to go back at 4 weeks with ds and I hate to pump, so I just didn't beforehand. What I ended up doing was pumping the morning I left, pumped again mid morning, went home at lunch to feed him & drop off milk, had mom bring him in for one feeding mid- afternoon, and pumped once in the afternoon. To be fair, this was my second child and I respond well to a pump, so I always had plenty. Turns out ds was a reverse cycler and wouldn't take anything pumped anyway. He was ebf for almost 12 months & he is still bfing at 20 months.