Pumping at work « Back to Group Discussions

[TeamGR]

Hi everyone,

So I've returned to work 2 days/ week, and will be going back full time in the fall. The issue for me is how much to pump. I leave the babysitter with 8 ounces for the 6 hours I am gone- and most of the time he drinks all of it.  So far, I've just been doing "replacement pumps"- pumping when the sitter tells me he's eating, so I stay on the same schedule.  The problem is I am barely (just barely) making 8 oz while I'm gone... and the second pump I make considerably less than the first pump. (I have a super fancy double electric)... I've been reading that perhaps I should be pumping more often to make sure I make up for the milk the pump can't clear? Or adding an extra pump at night after he goes to sleep to make up for the loss over the day?   I'm mainly worried about two things:

1) My supply going down because I'm replacing feedings with pumpings. 

2) Making sure he has enough milk for the baby sitter the next day.  I have a moderately sized freezer stash, but pumping to replace each day is important so I don't slowly dwindle my stash to nothing.   

Hints and tips would be welcome!  Overall, he's getting enough milk, and certainly we're EBF all the other days, so hopefully that helps the issue. 

[atomicrocket]

I would definitely try adding another pump in while you're gone. How long are you pumping for each time?

Sometimes if I feel like there is still milk left in my breasts after I pump, I'll wait a little while (say a half hour) and pump again. I usually get a lot after the second pump. I realize you may not be able to do this at work, but it might be worth a try. Also, for me, relaxing is key. If I try to do too much while pumping, I don't pump nearly as much.

[Maternalove]

Okay so I have several suggestions that I WISH someone had told me with my first LO.

1. Breast compressions: Pump until the milk stops or slows considerably. Then give each breast a good massage and pump for another few min. 

2. Buy better flanges. I HIGHLY rec the Pumpin Pal ones. They've made a world of difference for me.

3. Relax and bring something of baby's with you. A picture is good, but a blanket with his smell is even better!

Good luck!

When all else fails, I would do a pump session after he goes to bed.

[TeamGR]

I've been pumping for 12 minutes each time, not sure how I settled on that number, probably something I read either here or on KellyMom. 

I will definitely try the breast massages and adding a bit of pumping in after my longer pumps. The problem of course is the number of meetings etc I have to get it, I'm lucky I get the two 15 minute breaks at all. 

I think I will add in the evening after bed pump anyway, it's always better to have more milk in the freezer, even if I can up my production at work. 

Thanks :)  Now if only I could get him to stop screaming every time we got in the car (it's a new thing, just since last week, but I have a 45 minute commute each way. Hell). 

[hildare]

i don't even know for how long i pump each time; i usually do an 11-11:30 pumping and one at 2 ish.  at my 11 one, i get lots of milk, not so much at the 2 session.

i know one trick is to let the pump continue even after the milk stops for several minutes.  that tells your body you need more next time. 

consistency with the time is also an issue for me- i think having a routine can increase the amount somewhat. 

another website i like is workandpump.com   in addition to kellymom. 

i don't have a huge stash built up, but kiddo doesn't always eat the same amount every day and every friday i try to put just one extra bag in the freezer.  i pretty much only replacement pump, but there's about an entire 4 days in the freezer.  i also usually spill some somehow, and have to use extra to replace it. 

when i had my 1st kid, she was extra hungry so i would feed her then pump early/first thing in the morning and got a surprising amount even after she had eaten.  that might work for you, too.

[atomicrocket]

Originally Posted by Maternalove 

1. Breast compressions: Pump until the milk stops or slows considerably. Then give each breast a good massage and pump for another few min. 

Breast massage is a really great idea! You can even massage them while you pump and it should help.

12 minutes is probably fine, teamgr. Pumping longer can help supply if it seems you are not emptying your breasts well, but one really important thing I have learned is that frequency is much better for your supply than duration. If you can't pump more at work, adding in an extra session at night will help.