Breastfeeding, etc. - Page 8 « Back to Group Discussions

[Jaimee]

I would guess he's getting around 4oz if you're pumping 2oz off the other side.

[seraf]

Haha, ok, so how much would he be getting if I pump 5 ounces from a side while he nurses the other side?

I leak 1.5-2 oz when he nurses the other side if I put the milk saver in. And I leak through my shirt if I do t put anything in. 

Nicole, I chill and combine with the milk saver. 

[jbk21]

I wonder about this too.  I think if we're pumping WHILE nursing  then it's likely almost equivalent to what they are getting.  Who knows though.  The formula for what they would be eating in expressed breastmilk at each feeding is weight in lbs x 2.5 or 3, divided by number of feedings each day.  So Dylan weighs 12 lbs, so he eats 30-36 ounces a day (supposedly) and eats every 2 hours so 12 times a day.  Thus he's eating 3-3.6 ounces each time but I'd assume he gets more than that because if my breasts are about the same fullness and I pump while he eats, I get anywhere from 4-8 oz from one side.  He doesn't always drain the side he is nursing on and sometimes I can drain the pumped side better.

All that to say, who knows.  But I don't think their tummies are really big enough to take in 6-8 ounces yet.  I'd say 3-5 or so.  
 

Originally Posted by seraf 

Haha, ok, so how much would he be getting if I pump 5 ounces from a side while he nurses the other side?

I leak 1.5-2 oz when he nurses the other side if I put the milk saver in. And I leak through my shirt if I do t put anything in. 

Nicole, I chill and combine with the milk saver. 

[IwannaBanRN]

Originally Posted by seraf 

Haha, ok, so how much would he be getting if I pump 5 ounces from a side while he nurses the other side?

I leak 1.5-2 oz when he nurses the other side if I put the milk saver in. And I leak through my shirt if I do t put anything in. 

Nicole, I chill and combine with the milk saver. 

Milk saver?
 

Nevermind. lol I googled it.

[birdhappy85]

Breastfeeding is going better and becoming a tad less stressful (knock on wood!). I'm getting more used to the frequency of feedings; it's not as much of a shock to my system anymore to have so little hands-free time. And Sora just came out of a growth spurt. I can breathe a bit more with the cluster feeding dying down. I know there are more growth spurts to come, but wow - this break is refreshing! I'm pumping once or twice a day to keep a small stash in the refrigerator for DH to feed the baby once at night on his days off to give me a break when I'm at my most tired. That routine is working really well for us! I don't think I'll end up pumping extra to freeze for a while. I don't know how people manage to pump enough to build up a stash at this stage. Does anybody know how quickly our breasts fill back up with milk once you've pumped them empty? I haven't paid attention enough to know.

[seraf]

Why do you multiply by 3? Is that how many ounces it takes to support that weight?  I have no idea how many times a day he nurses. Many. And at 14 pounds that seems like a lot of ounces.  That means I need to pump a lot more to go back to work. 

Originally Posted by jbk21 

I wonder about this too.  I think if we're pumping WHILE nursing  then it's likely almost equivalent to what they are getting.  Who knows though.  The formula for what they would be eating in expressed breastmilk at each feeding is weight in lbs x 2.5 or 3, divided by number of feedings each day.  So Dylan weighs 12 lbs, so he eats 30-36 ounces a day (supposedly) and eats every 2 hours so 12 times a day.  Thus he's eating 3-3.6 ounces each time but I'd assume he gets more than that because if my breasts are about the same fullness and I pump while he eats, I get anywhere from 4-8 oz from one side.  He doesn't always drain the side he is nursing on and sometimes I can drain the pumped side better.

All that to say, who knows.  But I don't think their tummies are really big enough to take in 6-8 ounces yet.  I'd say 3-5 or so.  
 

[CDsMom1031]

I don't know how people manage to pump enough to build up a stash at this stage. Does anybody know how quickly our breasts fill back up with milk once you've pumped them empty? I haven't paid attention enough to know.

Yes! THIS!!! I pumped yesterday while Conner was sleeping, trying to build up my back to work stash for when I return on Monday... I got like, 3 oz. (SUPER jealous of you ladies that get so much out of your breasts, BTW.). When Conner woke up an hour and half later to eat, you could tell he was frustrated with how little he was getting from me. And mind you, in the 90 minutes I had between pumping and feeding, I drank probablyyy 5 glasses of water trying to build my supply back up quickly.

And the pumping while nursing thing doesn't necessarily mean it's more accurate. I've pumped while nursing before and still only get 2-3oz.

And according to your equation (Which I found before so I've used that to determine how big to make my pumped bottles), he should be getting 3-4oz. a feed. I'd have to wait a solid 4 hours before my boobs would give me that from both combined!

[Abraisme]

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/milkcalc.html

Breastfed babies need 18-30oz of breastmilk per day.  The average is 25oz.  From my previous pumping experience my breasts make a little over 1oz per hour.  So, if you're able to pump 4oz every 4 hours that's perfectly normal!  I'm not sure where J got her info, but I'm pretty sure the info from Kellymom is correct.  The amount will vary some if your baby is going through a growth spurt, but mostly it's around 25oz per day, no matter what the age.

"Current research tells us that breastmilk intake is quite constant after the first month and does not appreciably increase with age or weight, so the current findings are validating what moms and lactation counselors have observed all along."
 

Originally Posted by TTCChloeOrConner 

I don't know how people manage to pump enough to build up a stash at this stage. Does anybody know how quickly our breasts fill back up with milk once you've pumped them empty? I haven't paid attention enough to know.

Yes! THIS!!! I pumped yesterday while Conner was sleeping, trying to build up my back to work stash for when I return on Monday... I got like, 3 oz. (SUPER jealous of you ladies that get so much out of your breasts, BTW.). When Conner woke up an hour and half later to eat, you could tell he was frustrated with how little he was getting from me. And mind you, in the 90 minutes I had between pumping and feeding, I drank probablyyy 5 glasses of water trying to build my supply back up quickly.

And the pumping while nursing thing doesn't necessarily mean it's more accurate. I've pumped while nursing before and still only get 2-3oz.

And according to your equation (Which I found before so I've used that to determine how big to make my pumped bottles), he should be getting 3-4oz. a feed. I'd have to wait a solid 4 hours before my boobs would give me that from both combined!

[jbk21]

Huh, interesting.  I read it somewhere during my first pregnancy, but I guess I never thought about how that actually worked out- interesting.  Yeah I'd trust Kellymom too.  

If Shay is nursing a lot he is probably snacking quite a bit.  So he might just be taking an ounce or 2 each time  
 

Originally Posted by seraf 

Why do you multiply by 3? Is that how many ounces it takes to support that weight?  I have no idea how many times a day he nurses. Many. And at 14 pounds that seems like a lot of ounces.  That means I need to pump a lot more to go back to work. 

[seraf]

I had heard that number before, but it would make sense that babies are getting different amounts of milk if one baby is gaining 1/2-1 oz a day which is supposed to be average, vs a baby who is gaining 2.5-3 oz a day. 

How long does it take to fill back up?  I don't know. I nurse on one side for a couple of hours, maybe 3 or 4 nursing sessions. I have to wait for him to take a longer nap before I can put him on a new side or he will bring a lot back up. So I'm guessing he gets a few ounces the first feed then only one at a time for the additional feeds.  I let down and spray every time he nurses, but the milk is thicker/whiter once he takes out all the foremilk the first time on a side. Also, if I nurse til I feel dry and irritated on one side and he seems frustrated, if I switch sides I will STILL leak from the "dry" side. 

If I'm going to pump while feeding. I will keep him on the old side and pump the new side. And then I don't have to wait to switch, he can nurse either side when they're both drained. 

I think its one of those things that carries from woman to woman. If I had a more sensitive scale I would love to weigh him before and after feeds for an accurate intake for a day. My little science experiment. 

[seraf]

J, cross post, yeah he snacks a lot because he falls asleep all the time. He is a BIG boy. I have prob 80-100 oz in the freezer so I guess I'll just see what they use. I think there will be a lot of trial and error because he will inhale a 5 oz bottle and then ask to nurse so he can fall asleep. I don't think he can take a leisurely suck on the bottle so I think there will have to be some bink action. I have told DP I would like him to have a breather every 2 ounces because I don't think he can stop. 

[jbk21]

Hehe, yeah I think our babes are probably on the "high" end of that kellymom estimate, right??  

I think it probably varies woman to woman too, as far as how long it takes to fill back up.  I am never empty.  Ever.  Never was with DS1 either, even when he was only nursing at bedtime and naptime- because some days (rarely) he'd want to nurse in between and I'd still have some.  So there may be *less* but I found that he could always stimulate let down after let down if he would stay on long enough.  I can feel my milk come in every 2 hours on the dot now, but I am pretty darn full in between.  It's just that when I feel it come in I get REALLY full- uncomfortably so.  But then I can easily pump 6 oz on a side even without him nursing at the same time, so that's likely as full as I get.  

Joanie if you're wanting to build up a freezer stash you can always try to increase your supply- fenugreek, oatmeal, skin time, etc. Also the more your breasts are empty, the more milk your body will be signaled to produce.  It might be time consuming and stressful right now, but you can always try to increase it later when you're in a good routine.  

[Jaimee]

Originally Posted by jbk21 

I am never empty.  Ever.  Never was with DS1 either, even when he was only nursing at bedtime and naptime- because some days (rarely) he'd want to nurse in between and I'd still have some. 

This is true for me as well UNTIL I got sick with the stomach flu when dd was 8 months old.  I couldn't eat or drink much for 48 hours and my milk was GONE.  I had to work really hard to get it to come back and poor dd was ravenous (she wasn't really eating solids at that point and had been sick herself)... we almost went out and got formula.  The same thing happened with ds when I got the flu for 2 weeks.  I was so dehydrated that I barely had anything.  A good reason to have a freezer stash!
 

[Jaimee]

Sara... this might be too personal a question, but I was wondering how you and your partner were going to handle breastfeeding once the second baby comes.  Will you both breastfeed and cross nurse so that you do not have to continue to pump at work once Shay is older?  Or will you only breastfeed Shay and she only breastfeed the new baby?  Just curious as when I lived in Austin a lot of mamas I knew were cross nursing while taking care of each others children and I thought how great as cross nursing has many benefits not to mention the fact that baby is getting breastmilk while mom is away without the need to pump.  And you two are in a unique position where you could do this as well, but I know it's not for everyone.

[meesh933]

Originally Posted by Jaimee 

Sara... this might be too personal a question, but I was wondering how you and your partner were going to handle breastfeeding once the second baby comes.  Will you both breastfeed and cross nurse so that you do not have to continue to pump at work once Shay is older?  Or will you only breastfeed Shay and she only breastfeed the new baby?  Just curious as when I lived in Austin a lot of mamas I knew were cross nursing while taking care of each others children and I thought how great as cross nursing has many benefits not to mention the fact that baby is getting breastmilk while mom is away without the need to pump.  And you two are in a unique position where you could do this as well, but I know it's not for everyone.

I've been wondering this as well. How nice to be in such a unique position to not have to pump at work!

[jbk21]

Cross nursing!  That would be so awesome!  

[seraf]

Not too personal. The plan is to both nurse both babies. I don't expect she will make enough milk to nurse one baby 5 days a week and then 2 babies for 16 hours while I'm working and I hav had mastitis so many times that I dare not skip a pumping, 

I do th

ink it will be amazingly convenient to both be able to nurse them, tho. If she wanted to take them into town for a few hours she wouldn't have to mess with bottles and trying to warm them. Wouldn't have to worry about how much milk to take and could be more spontaneous in general.

It would also be nice if one of us was exhausted at night or sick. I could see us falling into a routine where I got up with both babies in the morning so she could sleep in and she could easily nurse them both while I make dinner or something. 

I am not sure If Shay will nurse with her once he is so old but I'm hopeful. He has latched on with her a couple of times but he was really hard to get to latch on even to me in the beginning. 

I have nothing against cross nursing except that I once got thrush nursing a friends' newborn because her milk wasn't in yet and she was exhausted from nursing him and ready to go buy formula. Both my older kids have nursed with their other mama with a SNS (they refused the bottle ) and they have nursed with a friend. 

Wow, I'm chatty on the topic. I will surely update once that time comes.  

[jbk21]

I'm pretty jealous, Sara.  That will be AWESOME.  That will be so nice while cooking or for in the mornings, like you mentioned.  

[IwannaBanRN]

Originally Posted by jbk21 

Hehe, yeah I think our babes are probably on the "high" end of that kellymom estimate, right??  

I think it probably varies woman to woman too, as far as how long it takes to fill back up.  I am never empty.  Ever.  Never was with DS1 either, even when he was only nursing at bedtime and naptime- because some days (rarely) he'd want to nurse in between and I'd still have some.  So there may be *less* but I found that he could always stimulate let down after let down if he would stay on long enough.  I can feel my milk come in every 2 hours on the dot now, but I am pretty darn full in between.  It's just that when I feel it come in I get REALLY full- uncomfortably so.  But then I can easily pump 6 oz on a side even without him nursing at the same time, so that's likely as full as I get.  

Joanie if you're wanting to build up a freezer stash you can always try to increase your supply- fenugreek, oatmeal, skin time, etc. Also the more your breasts are empty, the more milk your body will be signaled to produce.  It might be time consuming and stressful right now, but you can always try to increase it later when you're in a good routine.  

You could throw a dark beer into the mix too. You'll relax and it'll increase your supply alot!

 

[seraf]

The thIng I wonder, if we each skipped the same feeding every day would our bodies think the baby was sleeping through the night and bring back AF?  I'm not sure how that will work. But I know she would like to sleep in and I think the cluster nursing of predawn might be enough. Or would the extra milk production of nursing 2 babies keep AF away longer? I don't know but I will someday.