Pumping Moms

[lunarlady]

Are you a mom who is hooked to a pump regularly in order to express milk?  Well, here is a new place to come chat it up with other pumping moms about milk expression, supply issues, pump problems and solutions!  Maybe you have a NICU babe, WOTH, latch issues, or multiples.  Whatever the reason you are hooking up the horns, you are welcome to join this tribe!

A little about me:  I'm a WOHM who pumps for my DD, now 8 months.  I have to pump two to three times a day to get enough for her daily feedings and it is tiresome.  Some days I hate that woosh-whoosh sound and I'm counting down to the day I can HUTH (hang up the horns) for good and say goodbye to the pump.  Other days I feel like my pump breaks are a chance to think about my kids, and I savor the moments alone I get with just me and the pump in the midst of an otherwise hectic day.

[lunarlady]

Any thoughts on ways to gently help encourage working moms to pump rather than turn to formula?  Whenever a coworker is peggers, esp. with their first, I always want to help encourage them to pump and offer a supportive ear but don't know how to do so.  Pumping at work can be so isolating.  Thoughts?

[MamitaM]

I pump! I don't do it for my own baby though,I do it to donate my extra milk so I'm not sure if this is my tribe or not. I do understand the whoosh whoosh sound of the pump. Sometimes I think it's saying bad words! lol

[lunarlady]

I donated milk with my first kiddo, but with this chunky monkey I struggle just to meet her needs. It is an awesome thing to do, however, and I always felt good about helping babies in need.

[joliara]

I'm a gestational surrogate (someoneelsesbaby.blogspot.com if you're interested in my story) pumping for my SurroPrincess. She was born Monday - I nursed her for two days in the hospital, and she got a day's worth of formula after I was discharged and she was held for bililight therapy. We're hoping I'll be her exclusive food supply for awhile. 

I EBFed my two boys for about a year and a half each and never had trouble, but this is my first experience with pumping. 

[Redheaded_Momma]

I pump too b/c I WOH. My DD is 9 months and I used to pump 2x/day while at work but am now down to just once a day at work. I feel just like Lunarlady in that the time I spend pumping while at work allows me to just sit and think about DD. I also shared some of my EBM with another family b/c she was having supply issues. That felt great! Nice to meet you all!

[HeckedyPeg]

I went back to school in Jan so I'm pumping between 1-2x/day during the week. I pump in my car, since there is no extra room at the school, but I find it more comfortable! :) My DS is 11 months, and he really relies on that bottle of milkies so dad can put him to bed, hehe

Actually, in the last two weeks I've noticed that I'm producing less milk on my right than my left. I don't think it's just the pump either, because when DS is nursing he finishes and gets frustrated on my right side. After pumping I usually have only half the amount from the right side than the left. Has that ever happened to anyone here? The really strange thing is that my total volume of milk has stayed pretty consistent! weird.

[cat13]

I'm not a pumping mom, but I will be after this little one is born and my all-too-short mat leave is over. I don't know anyone IRL who has pumped for more than a few weeks, so it's great to hear that it works for you all! 

[2xy]

I was a mom who expressed milk a loooong time ago. I don't use the word "pumping" because I didn't use a pump. I used my hands. Hand-expressing was far easier and more gentle (IMO), and I mention it whenever it comes up because everyone nowadays seems to think an expensive pump with annoying parts to clean is essential, and it's not. Two clean hands and a container are all that's necessary in many cases. It surprises me that on MDC, nobody seems to know this.

[joliara]

Originally Posted by 2xy 

I was a mom who expressed milk a loooong time ago. I don't use the word "pumping" because I didn't use a pump. I used my hands. Hand-expressing was far easier and more gentle (IMO), and I mention it whenever it comes up because everyone nowadays seems to think an expensive pump with annoying parts to clean is essential, and it's not. Two clean hands and a container are all that's necessary in many cases. It surprises me that on MDC, nobody seems to know this.

Were you able to get a good amount from doing this? I never seem to be able to express that much manually, and when I've tried, it's been pretty painful, too (probably partly because I'm already sore from having been pumping for two weeks). Between sore nipples and engorgement, it is too painful to try very hard to get much out. Also, how long did it take you? Since I'm exclusively pumping I need to be able to meet a full day's worth of needs - right now I am on the electric pump for 20-30 minutes 8-10 times a day. I can't imagine spending even MORE time trying to get milk out, but if it's a similar time frame and you have tips for getting a good supply in a gentler way, I'm all ears! I was just starting to wonder if I'll ever stop being sore from pumping. 

[2xy]

I was able to get a good amount, but I didn't exclusively express....I only did it at work, usually once in the morning and once in the afternoon. I usually got between 5-6 oz. Not bad for my little A-cups. :lol

The reason I started doing this was because I found pumps to be too rough, causing sore nipples. Especially with being small breasted, I felt like half my boob would get sucked down into the funnel. However....another thing is that I didn't even begin pumping/expressing until the baby was about 4 weeks old (to build up a stash in the freezer), and by then the engorgement was gone. I'm not sure how to overcome what you are dealing with at present....maybe later on you can skip the pump. I dunno....I just found all that equipment to be annoying since I was working full-time. It was much easier for me to aim into a container and cap it, especially since my presence WAS missed from my workplace and I felt a time crunch. Washing pump parts would have just taken up more time. I seem to recall it taking about 15 minutes.

[HeckedyPeg]

Originally Posted by 2xy 

I was a mom who expressed milk a loooong time ago. I don't use the word "pumping" because I didn't use a pump. I used my hands. Hand-expressing was far easier and more gentle (IMO), and I mention it whenever it comes up because everyone nowadays seems to think an expensive pump with annoying parts to clean is essential, and it's not. Two clean hands and a container are all that's necessary in many cases. It surprises me that on MDC, nobody seems to know this.

I've tried hand expressing (because pumps really are a pain in the butt), but not much comes out. I'm wondering, is there a method that works better than others? 

[Snapdragon]

how much do you all generally pump out in one session? I started pumping about 2 wks or so ago and right now I love it! It is sort of a different situation than others here probably- ds is 15 month old. Since about 12 or 13 months I started having a challenging time nursing- due to teeth and other issues- and I found myself nursing him less and less :( it got to be where he was practically weaned but I really still wanted him to nurse and have milk- but he would regularly turn away from my offer to nurse- I think he could ffel my reluctance. I tried hand expressing but my supply was getting low! IT was sad for me as I wanted to nurse him till at least 2 ideally. I finally got an electric pump (rneted ) about 2 or 3 wks ago- and the first time I pumped I only got 1/2 an oz! this happened a few times and then it started increasing to one ounce each time. Now, I get 2 oz's most of the time and I feel so abundant! I think other people get more than that but to me it feels bountiful! Now I just nurse him one time a day, first thing in the morning. Then I pump 3-5 times a day! But I love it because I am finally feeling my breasts filling up with milk regularly- and my milk is so much more abundant! I have to go pump now actually!  So ds is getting way more breast milk than he did before I got the pump.

[JudiAU]

I wft and ebf. I pumped until LO was 18m with my first. I also donated a lot of milk (700 oz) to a milk bank and a woman with an adopted baby. He self-weaned at around 22m which was younger than I hoped. I was also pregnant.

My DD is 23m today and I still pump once a day at work. I didn't donate any milk with this one because I had to struggle to keep up. She just doesn't nurse like my first and my supply has always been lower. Hoping to avoid premature weaning. I've also had a hard time letting go I think because I am not pregnant this time. My goal is to stop this week and we'll see if I actually do it.

And no, I don't love pumping but I really believe in ebf optimal nutrition for the first two years so I am trying to make that goal.

[Snapdragon]

Originally Posted by HeckedyPeg 

I've tried hand expressing (because pumps really are a pain in the butt), but not much comes out. I'm wondering, is there a method that works better than others? 

in my limited experience I only got a small amount when I hand expressed. NOw I pump and then hand express- and that works well! If I just pump I don't think I get it all out but if I just hand express it doesn;t stimulate it enough

[Monarchgrrl]

Hi ALL!!! Glad to join this space. I EP (exclusively pump) for my DD, age 8 months. Sadly, I was only able to nurse her for the first month. But I'm glad that I responded well to the pump (and Domperidone) and she's only ever had breastmilk. :) I also WOTH. DW is the SAHM. We had such a hard time nursing. There were too many issues to go into but things have gone well with pumping. I can't hand express and the only pump that works for me is a hospital grade pump that I have to rent monthly. And even then I have to do constant, major breast compressions to get anything out. It sucks, but even with that we are both SO much happier with pumping and bottles, rather than nursing. It was like night and day with her when we switched to bottles. Before having my baby, I never would have even though anything like that. I thought I could just nurse until she self-weaned. She had other plans, though. I used to have to pump 8 times a day and even get up at 2am every night for 6 months, even though DD STTN. :( I HATED that. But now I'm down to 5 times per day and not middle of the night pumping! WOOHOO! I seriously feel like a new woman! My goal is to continue pumping until she's 15 months old and then switch to goat or cow's milk. I have visions of HUTH at 1 yr but I'm sure I'll just stick it out a few more months.

[organicmamacafe]

I relate to this topic! I actually didn't have enough milk with either of my children (according to multiple lactation consultants - hey, I was desparate!). Regardless, I was determined to give them what I could and with my second, turned to exclusive pumping to speed the process. Even then, I would be lucky to pump 20oz/day. Ugh.

I was a LLL devotee, rested and exercised mildly, imbibed and ate every lactogenic drink, food, herb that I could find - to no avail. I joined an online support group and devoured books on the subject. I even turned to prescipts, which helped a little. In the end, I pumped 9 months and quit feeling a failure.

Looking back, I don't feel a failure anymore. I realize I was under the strong effect of hormones. However, I'll never submit myself or my family to that kind of dedication again. I still believe firmly in breastfeeding. However, I think there are some women for whom the LLL maxim, "The more you nurse, the more you'll have." (Bah!!) is more of a curse than an encouragement. Some women are not meant to nurse. I think, if it doesn't work for me next time, I'll take my amazing lactation consultant's advice, "When your determination to nurse (or pump in my case) begins to interfere with your overall experience as a mother, it's time to stop. You are more than your breasts to your baby."

[Earthy Mama]

I have a love/hate relationship with my pump. I love it because it enables me to provide the absolute best food for my LO and hate it because I feel like a freaking cow!!! I only work pt but still have to pump 2-3 times a day to get *barely* enough for her. Now she's 9 mo so she can supplement with solids, but I hate that I can't ebf anymore.

[Cynthia Mosher]

Hi everyone! 

We have a new feature that allows forum members to create "clubs" of their own that have many of the same benefits of a forum, including multiple threads, a member's list, and group messaging. All tribes are invited to switch from the one-long-thread here in FYT to the new Social Groups. You can read more about it here. Let me know if you have any questions but please post to that thread so I can keep everything in one place. 

[cat13]

Hello, I wanted to bump this thread to connect with any other pumping moms out there. I could really use the support.

DS is 5 weeks old and I'll be going back to work in 4 more weeks. Yesterday I just started pumping to make a stash, and now I'm worried that maybe I started too late? I have a couple of small bags in the freezer from the early days when I had serious engorgement, but now I'm really starting. I want to pump twice a day, but am having a hard time finding the time! I'm up early right now while DS and DH are sleeping in so I can pump. I want to pump between feedings, but when my newborn wants to eat every 1 to 1.5 hours, and have a 20-45 minute feeding, there's not much "in between" time. 

How are you other pumping mamas doing?