Pumping Before I Feed? Does this make sense?

[poorlittlefish]

My DD will be 7months old tomorrow.  I pump for her while I am at work but I am not pumping enough.  I currently pump on my way to work and 3 other times for a total of 14oz.  Daycare usually ends up thawing some frozen for her each day so she takes between 14-17oz.  We have started her on solids at lunchtime and she gets about 2oz of solids and then 2oz of solids at dinner.  She would eat more but I am working to keep her diet mainly milk.  Anyways, the only other time that I have to pump on a daily basis would be on my way home from work. 

If I pumped 1-2oz on my way home and then feed her when I get home, does that make sense? 

Or am I just taking milk from her at night to give her during the day?  I have literally no other time in my day to pump (not at work, we cosleep and she gets up every 45mins at night from 7pm until I go to bed).

Thanks!

[Llyra]

Have you ever tried pumping WHILE you feed her? I used to do it all the time-- I'd put baby on one breast, and one flange of the pump on the other breast, at the same time. It's a juggling act, if baby is fussy about her nursing position, but it can be done, and it gets easier with practice. The first few times you try it, she may protests, if she's used to taking both sides. She may want to cluster feed a bit. But if you keep it up for a few days, and do it often enough, you kinda trick your body into thinking it's nursing two babies, instead of one (the way us mamas of multiples do) and the supply increases accordingly.

If you really want to go whole-hog, after she finishes her side, switch her to the already-pumped side, and then let her nurse awhile on that side, and put the pump on the first side. Often baby is able to elicit a few extra letdowns, on the "empty" side (breasts are never empty) and that milk will be the richest, creamiest hindmilk. You can do this indefinitely. Even if you only get a half ounce or less, the more you take out, the more your breasts will get the message that more is needed. This is how I managed to build a freezer stash and nurse twins, at the same time.

Don't worry about taking milk from her in the night, to give it to her in the day-- there isn't a finite amount of breastmilk. That's why mamas can nurse two or even three or more at once. If baby and/or the pump demand more often, more will be made.

[crystal_buffaloe]

17 ounces plus solids seems like quite a bit for daycare to be giving her -- especially if you're nursing frequently at night. Does anyone besides daycare watch her? Do they seem to need that many bottles?

Could daycare feed two meals with solids (breakfast & lunch) and you just nurse while at home at night?

If you really do need to be pumping more (and not working with the DCP about not overfeeding/proper bottlefeeding of a BF infant), I like the PP suggestion to pump on one side while you nurse on the other, but if you'd rather, pumping in the car on the way home won't take any milk away -- your body will just learn that it needs to produce more then.

[poorlittlefish]

Yes, it does seem like a lot but I do trust that daycare isn't overfeeding because she eats the same when home with my DH.  She is there though from 7am until I get home from work at 5:40.  She wants to be "full" and won't be satisfied with smaller bottles.  She is on newborn flow nipples as well.  I have seen it with my own eyes that she wants more in those bottles and gets really angry if it isn't there.  I do trust DC isn't over feeding because my older DD ate 12oz until she was 1 and we moved to cows milk so I do think that she listens to the baby in that regard.  We co-sleep and she eats through the night (not sure how much) and I feed her 2 times at night before bed. 

Our Dr. recommened waiting on adding another meal of solids until she is another month or 2 old.  She said it is important that she be eating mainly BM or Formula.  I will have DC add in breakfast at 8-9 months.

[mauri456]

maybe switching her meal time would help too...if she does breakfast/lunch she may space her bottles a bit for you

[crystal_buffaloe]

Just to clarify: what I suggested in my post was that she eat both of her meals at daycare (breakfast and lunch) so that you could only nurse while you are home with her in the evenings. That should help on both fronts -- since the DCP would be feeding more solids, they might not need to offer as many bottles and also more nursing while home with you would boost your supply.She would still only be eating 2 meals.

It seems like I suggest this a great deal, but I think it's good advice -- would it be possible for you to nurse at daycare dropoff and pickup? That might tide her over just a little longer so as to need fewer bottles as well.

[MEcatlady17]

I wanted to second the idea of having DC feed breakfast and lunch rather than having her eat dinner solids until you are more comfortable with her getting more solids.  I have pumped before nursing my DD for quite some time.  It does slow the initial flow of milk, but DD is SO good at bringing more milk down that my pump didn't that I will often hear her gulping even though I just pumped.  I usually pump when I get home and feed DD within 15 minutes or sometimes an hour later. Never any problems.  If I let her nurse first she empties the breast so well I have a hard time pumping anything and my pump doesn't get the same great let down...I also pump again before I go to bed and when I get up in the morning in addition to while at work.  It is a lot...but we are at 12 months now and I am slowly going to back off from the pumping.  

My other thought is why limit her to 4 ounces of solids?  Yes, breastmilk should make up the majority of her diet.  Solids can be for times when you are away and not given as much when you are together as she will likely nurse more frequently then.  Can you take her lead?  Is she taking purees or chunks?  Is she interested in self feeding?  Would she eat more if you let her?  My DD took to solids with gusto at 6 months, eating chunks and self feeding quickly.  Initially I didn't offer much for solids at home and saved the meals for DC provider.  On days that we were home all day together I only offered 1 or 2 small solid meals. At 9 months we really started incorporating consistent meal times at home as well.  She never cut back on nursing sessions and even now at 12 months she will nurse 6-8 times a day along with a ton of table foods for meals and snacks.  If it seems like your DD eats solids and then doesn't want to nurse, than I would definitely limit the solids until you are ready for her to nurse less.  However, she may eat solids at DC and not change her nursing pattern at all when you are together... :)