When to start pumping and how much?

[kblackstone444]

My little one is due on Friday.  I will have to go back to work full time at 6 weeks.  I will only have time to pump once daily during work, twice on a good day, so most my pumping (and feeding) will have to be out of work hours.  I work in a daycare, so I can't just leave my work to go pump.  I work alternating shifts- some days 10-6, some days 7-3 and some days 8:30-4:30.  My shifts can't be changed.  When should I start pumping and how much should I save up before I go back to work?

[crystal_buffaloe]

Will your daughter be attending the daycare where you work? Is there a possibility of nursing her (at least at lunch?) there?

Also, a huge freezer stash isn't always ideal/necessary. You'll shoot for pumping on Monday what she'll use on Tuesday, pumping on Tuesday what she'll use on Wednesday, etc., so that most of the milk that she gets is fresh and not frozen.

[kblackstone444]

My son will be with a babysitter and I most likely won't be able to get to the babysitter's house during break to nurse him.

How many days can a stash stay in the fridge without freezing?

[texmati]

Just a hey!!! from your DDCC! I'm also 'due' soon-- on monday, and just packed all my pump stuff up for the hospital.

A few things--

A pumping session need only take 10 minutes. I can understand if you can't even get that at work, but don't feel that you need a half hour break to pump. If you need help getting set up for a quick as possible session let me know!

Common advice is that you should start pumping after BF is well established (3 weeks or so).  For me though, this time I'm going to educate myself on the signs of over supply, and start pumping as soon as my milk comes in, or before if it looks like the baby is having trouble. I'm hoping to pump for my older DS. You don't need a big stash to be successful pumping. You *do* need to get used to the pump, and let the baby get used to the bottle. In your situation, I'd start pumping ASAP, but hold off on giving the baby any pumped milk until 3-4 weeks.

The first 3 mos are important for building supply. Ideally, you would pump each time your baby gets a bottle, but that's not going to be possible for you. It looks like you'll be gone for 8 hours at a stretch at the most. I'd try very hard to get 2 pumping sessions in that time. If you can only pump once during that time; I'd also consider adding a pumping session at night after baby goes to bed, or in the morning if you get up sooner than him/her.

[texmati]

Originally Posted by kblackstone444 

My son will be with a babysitter and I most likely won't be able to get to the babysitter's house during break to nurse him.

How many days can a stash stay in the fridge without freezing?

cross posted! 7 days. And I'd make doubly sure that the baby sitter was educated on how to handle bm (don't toss a partial bottle, etc).

[pinky]

Originally Posted by crystal_buffaloe 

Will your daughter be attending the daycare where you work? Is there a possibility of nursing her (at least at lunch?) there?

Also, a huge freezer stash isn't always ideal/necessary. You'll shoot for pumping on Monday what she'll use on Tuesday, pumping on Tuesday what she'll use on Wednesday, etc., so that most of the milk that she gets is fresh and not frozen.

yes, yes, yes!

This is also important for maintaining your supply.  If you're supplementing from the freezer, it's still supplementing as far as your breasts are concerned, and can compromise your supply.
 

[crystal_buffaloe]

I've heard 5 hours on the counter, 5 days in the fridge, 5 months in the freezer, 1 year in a deep freeze. But I think those are conservative, and I'd do a sniff/taste test before I pitched anything ever. And I agree with the PP, make sure the babysitter is educated about how to handle expressed breast milk so that she's not overfeeding the babe or pitching milk after a feed (like she should do with formula).

Personally, I would start pumping at 4 weeks and offer the bottle (say every other day) at 5 weeks. That would give you two weeks to learn the pump and the babe a little time to practice. It helps if you are out of the room/house and someone else gives the bottle. And don't freak out if your LO doesn't take to the bottle right away. She'll learn.

You might not get much milk the first few times, but you can save it in the fridge and add it together to make a bottle. I pumped for 10 minutes each morning before I returned to work -- I'd feed the baby, take a shower, and then pump -- or sometimes things would be hectic and I'd pump during her morning nap.

If you can only pump once at work, I agree with the PP that you will probably want to have an extra pumping session at home, too. You can also nurse right before you leave your baby (at the baby sitter's house, even) and right when you pick her up to minimize the bottles she'll need (and your discomfort if you're starting to get full). What I do at work is to set the pump up when I come in, at break wash my hands and pump, and leave it where it is (remember that it's good for 5 hours sitting out), then pack everything up after work when I'm ready to leave. That way, I just need to get away 10 minutes or so to pump. Hopefully you have a lunch and then another 10-minute break in the day sometime.

Is there a private place at work you can use? I actually sit in the floor in an empty classroom. I could use an office, but the classroom has a sink in it and it's empty the whole time I'm at work, so I can leave my stuff hooked up, plugged in, and sitting out.

ETA: I'm not gone as long as you are, though, so you might need/want to refridgerate your milk while you're at work. If you don't have a fridge (of if you don't have time on your break to prep it for the fridge, an insulated cooler works (I'd bring one big enough to put the horns/bottles in so that you don't need to wash between times, just once at the end of the day, probably when you get home).