how to nurse & pump?

[geo_girl]

Hi there,

I will only be able to nurse our newborn for about 4 weeks after he/she arrives before starting chemotherapy.

I plan on pumping & storing as much as I can during that period.

Could you knowledgeable ladies please tell me the most effective way to pump (i.e. timing - before nursing? after nursing? somewhere in between?)

...and also the best way to store any of my precious milk!

thank you,
charlene

[geo_girl]

bump

[Carita]

Have you checked kellymom.com for information? - I would start there first. I would say pumping right after a feed is a great start until you know what kind of internal clock for feeding your son has. Every baby is different with bottles and how much and every mama is different with pumping, but kellymom has a lot of great advice! Good Luck - and good job!!!!

[yasinsmama]

I am pumping right now just to build up a stash for when I go back to work. If I pump throughout the day, I do it after a feeding. DS only usually eats from one side at a time, so I can get a 1-2 ounces from the unused breast.
If he sleeps longer than 4 hours at night, I get up and pump then also (at the 4 hour mark). I am paranoid about going longer than 4 hours without feeding or pumping. I also pump 1st thing in the morning after he nurses. I have always read that this is when you will get the most milk, but that is not the case for me. I get pretty much the same amount all day, unless it has been 4 hours.

[Romana]

I am so sorry you will be having chemo and unable to nurse.

You want to pump after a feeding unless you're having foremilk issues and specifically want to pump some foremilk off before nursing your LO.

You naturally have a higher supply in the morning, so a good way to build a supply is to pump right after your baby has his or her first good morning feeding. I started doing this this time when ds was less than a week old, and within 2 weeks I was getting 10 extra oz each morning. It built up gradually - the first few times I pumped, I got next to nothing (0.5 oz, 1 oz, or so).

In your position, I would also pump on the breast the baby is not nursing from during every feeding to the extent I could stand it. It'll be hard, because you have to set up each time etc. Definitely get your hands on some hands-free pumping bra options so you have what you need. But I would try very hard to be pumping on the other breast during each feeding. It means your baby will be nursing a ton and you'd basically be trying to support the babe on one breast, but we know it can be done. Your body can step up to the plate and make a ton of extra milk. What I'm suggesting is to essentially behave as if you had twins, but the pump is one of the twins. Make sure you alternate which breast the baby is feeding from and which breast you're pumping from.

Storage: I personally like the Lansinoh bags. They are plastic breastmilk freezer storage bags. The best way to store the milk is to pump, pour it into a bag, seal it and put it directly in the freezer, preferably a chest freezer or the back of a freezer compartment (preferably not on the door). In your situation, I would freeze milk in 2 or 3 oz portions so that there is a minimum of waste when you go to use it.

You may also want to check to see if you have a lot of lipase in your milk. This can be tested by freezing some milk for a couple of days and then smelling/tasting it. If it smells slightly soapy, sour or rancid, you may have extra lipase in your milk. If this is the case, to be on the safe side and be certain the baby will take the defrosted milk, I would scald the milk before freezing. It's an extra step but I would hate for you to pump like crazy and then have your baby not take the milk.

There is info on all this stuff, including the lipase issue, on kellymom. GL and let me know if you have any other questions. I'm currently pumping for my second child while I work full-time and I remember how uncertain/confused I felt when preparing to pump for my first baby.