Breast-feeding and Pumping

It sounds like you are doing great! Baby is gaining, doctor is happy, so no need to think about supplementing!

Do not worry about the amount you are pumping right now. How much you pump is NOT a measure of how much the baby is getting. Babies are MUCH better at getting milk from your breast than a pump is. How much you pump almost never reflects how much milk you actually make.

In the meantime, you can play with your pump settings and how long you pump, so you can figure out how to get the most from your pump since you are getting ready to go back to work. For me, I got the most from the pump if I made sure the pump settings were not too high (if the setting was high enough that I was uncomfortable, I got less milk instead of more). And I had to pump for at least 20 min each time, because I'd have an initial letdown of milk right away, and then after about 15 min, I'd have another letdown of milk. I also got more milk if I consciously relaxed, closed my eyes, and tried to imagine that the baby was in my arms. I got less if I multitasked while pumping (In reality, once I went back to work I still did multitask - I got a hand-free pumping bra and worked on my computer at work when I was there. I got less milk this way, but my job didn't allow me to stop working for 30+ min 2-3 times per day, so this was my compromise.)

ETA: Oh, someone else's response reminded me of this. When giving bottles, make sure you are using the newborn slowest-flow nipples, and do not change as he gets older. 1) Your baby has great suction power from nursing and he will chug too fast if you use a larger nipple. With one of mine, if it went down too fast from the bottle, it was more likely to come right back up. And 2) I never understood the concept of changing sizes anyway. Women's breast nipples don't get bigger holes as the baby grows, why should the bottle nipple change as the baby grows?

Learn to repeat to yourself - what I pump is not a reflection of how much milk my baby gets from nursing. Babies are better at getting milk than any pump.

Based on what you are saying - making enough wet diapers, being satisfied after nursing sessions and growing appropriately - I would say you are doing fine.

Pumping is not related to nursing. Mentally I consider them two distinct activities. I never did produce much from pumping but I was able to exclusively nurse when I was with my baby. When we were separated, I provided supplemental formula along with whatever saved breastmilk I was able to produce. I tried to get a stockpile with pumping but it never worked. I did everything recommended to keep my pumping levels up - drinks lots of water, pumping with a good quality pump at the right speed for my body for long enough at each session to get a second letdown, took supplements, etc. My body just didn't respond well to pumping and producing I suppose so I never pumped enough to meet my baby's demand.

In my opinion bottles are much easier to get milk from so a chugging bottle baby doesn’t raise my eyebrows. When I returned to work and my baby was receiving bottles (either formula or breastmilk), I used the newborn nipples to provide the slowest flow possible out of the bottles. It drove the daycare crazy but my reasoning was twofold. I didn’t want my baby getting impatient with nursing and I didn’t want him eating way too much at one sitting because it was easier to get the milk. Nursing is naturally a slower process than bottle feeding. My oldest was bottle fed and my youngest nursed. It always amazed us how much easier and faster bottle feeding was than nursing; we had to adjust our thinking about feeding durations with our youngest. Good luck and congratulations on your new baby.

Nursing at the breast is a lot more work for baby. He "chugged" from the bottle because it doesn't require much effort. Either way, he's fine. :-)

Good on you for breastfeeding!

The good number of wet diapers, and the fact he is gaining (and that the doc isn't worried) all make me think your little guy is just fine!

My thought is that a nipple is NOT like a breast, and the flow of the milk is different, and usually much faster. Also, at five weeks, your milk supply is doing a balancing act. Trust in the fact that you will make what he needs! Breastfeeding is truly a 'supply/demand' system in action. Perhaps some moms here who have breastfed more recently will have nipple suggestions.

His needs will change over time. There will be growth spurts where he mad need more, and your body will make more. Trust me, when he is hungry HE will let you know.

Best!

T., I am a childcare provider and I am so amazed by the human body at times :). I find it amazing that Mom will pump at work and bring me those bottles for the next day and that amount is almost always the exact amount that I need. If you are able to pump a little to build up a stock in your freezer that will really help you. I always ask that Moms bring me a couple of bags of frozen milk just in case something happens to the fresh bottles.

BTW: When preparing the bags of milk to freeze be sure to leave just a little air in the bag, don't squeeze it all out. The milk will expand when it freezes and if there is no room for expansion will break the bag. I can't tell you how many times I've set out a bag of frozen milk on my counter to defrost and come back to milk all over the place!!!

M.

Your son will be much more efficient than a pump, and if he's happy and pooping and peeing, then he's fine. Your milk will change over time so rather than give him 8oz when he's older, he'll get 4 of your much fattier milk to sustain him. He might just have been a little hungry still, and you could then have nursed him to top him off. You'll find over the next weeks about how much to give him per bottle so that his caregiver can feed him while you are at work. IMO, give the caregiver at least one frozen portion to keep in the freezer just in case (milk spills, and you CAN cry over it) and make sure they know how to feed a breastmilk fed baby. If memory serves, my DD started daycare at 14 weeks with 2.5 ounce bottles.

Kellymom.com was my godsend for all things nursing, including bottle feeding, going back to work, etc. You'll be fine. :)

My kids are now high school and college age - so it's been a while but I loved nursing my babies and I believed that - if possible - mother's milk is the best option. It's not always possible to pump and I get that - but if you can do it - it's a great gift to give your child. If you can't - well we live in the 21st century and formula offers a good option.

I pumped in my office a couple of times a day when my kids were infants. I learned a lot from another mom in my office whose kids were about 5 years older than mine.

1 - Always get yourslef a glass of water or some other beverage and drink it while nursing or pumping - you can't produce fluids unless you replenish. Be deliberate about that.
2 - YOu will produce as much as your child needs. Supply and demand - As baby grows and needs more you will produce it.
3 - Get a good pump - it makes a HUGE difference. I tried a cheap hand one at first and it was awful. Then I bought a small medela pump that was a huge improvement. But with my second child I bought the dual Medela pump a case and a plug. I could get the pumping done really quickly.
4 - YOu don't need to buy the expensive medela storage bags. I bought the playtex bottle inserts, some good clips and would pour the milk into the storage bags and chill them in a small upright insulated bag with one of those blue freezer blocks. My coworker/friend told me not to freeze it at work, just chill it until I got home becuase you can't thaw and refreeze breast milk - it gets sour. (it's no pasturized like store bought cow's milk). but once home I'd freeze it.
5 - I used heavy duty freezer bags to store the playtex bagged milk in from the time I pumped them and put them in the insulated bag - then into the freezer at home. EAch one was dated with a sharpie so our babysitter could use them by date.
6 - Insturct babysitters or daycare workers to thaw the milk in warm water - just put the bag in a coffee cup of warm milk. - they may have to re-place the wamr water a few times until it gets to room or body temperature.

With my first child, a girl, she only had formula one time in her first year - I was a little (more than a little) obsessive about it. Even when she began to drink milk I still nursed her at bed and nap time. My son was a different story - he was always STARVING. So I pumped as much with him as I did with his sister, but I was OK with giving him formula if he needed it. so the ladies at daycare had formula as a back up if needed. If he finished the breast milk he's then get formula.

AS you prepare to go back to work y0ou don't need to have weeks of milk in the freezer - you really only need one or two days ahead of you - but I understand the "need" to have a reserve stockpiled. I don't recall but I assume I did - it just gives you some emotional security.

What you'll find when you get back to work is that your breasts will let you know when to pump. You'll get very full and rock hard boobs and if you don't pump you'll feel like you might explode. I would pump once in the morning (10:30 ish) and once in the afternoon - around 2:00. I observed that I produced more in the morning than the afternoon - it could have been stress, it could have been the natural rythm of things. So I made a conerted effort to drink a lot of fluid in the late part of the day so I'd have a supply when I got home.

You will figure out how to do it and set up a routine that works for you. I had an office where I could close the door and have privacy. I feel for the women who don't have that kind of arrangement - unless there's a nursing room - which would be fabulous!

The strangeset place I had to pump was in the bathroom of an airplane on the way back from a client meeting. I know I annoyed another traveler becuase I was in there for at least 20minutes - but it was the late afternoon and I hadn't had a chance to pump in the morning. I was leaking through the pads and my sweater - and soon my suit jacket...! Another time I pumped while I drove - luckily it was winter and had gotten dark but I was in heavy traffic and knew it would be at least another 90 minutes before I got home and I had been at a client's office all day!

The things we do for love!

Ugh, that is what I hated about pumping... you suddenly start overanalyzing the milk production down to the ounce. I was good friends with my pump because a) I was still breastfeeding when I returned to work and b) breastfeeding was always a struggle for me, I never seemed to produce enough milk.

It won't be the end of the world if you need to supplement. I was able to feed all three of my babies with a combo of nursing, pumped breastmilk bottles, and formula bottles... up to the time with each that *I* felt ready to simplify and move to just formula bottles (4 or 5 months for me). I pumped at work for several months each time. Really good tips below about the pumping!

Also, you might find you pump more than that when you are doing it in place of a feeding (for example during your sessions away from the baby when you go back to work) rather than squeezed in between the feedings.

You are doing great!! I know exactly how you feel. I was in grad school with my first and working full time with my second. My schedule was pump in the morning on one side while baby nursed on the other side. I personally found that I got more when I waited around 3 hours to pump, even when the baby would eat every 1.5 to 2 hours. I got more when I was "full" than in two shorter sessions, but that depends on the individual. I would also plan to feed him as soon as I got to the sitter's. If I was running late, she would give him a "snack" of half milk, half water, only and ounce or so. I kept milk bags where I only pumped a little just for this purpose.
Don't plan to pump enough in one day to feed the baby for that same amount of time. It may happen for you, but it rarely worked that we'll for me. I had to pump on the weekends in that morning session to keep ahead of the game. My first had a total of 2 cans of formula over his first 18 months. The sitter had the cans as emergency backup but rarely used it. For my second, he never, ever had formula. Mostly because the sitter was different and she was really, really supportive of breastfeeding and she really helped with timing feedings, avoiding wasting a bottle on cranky instead of hungry, etc. Over time, the baby's demand may change so he eats more when you are around, less during work hours.
PM me any time you need a pep talk!!

Add in an extra pumping session and pump for a few minutes after the milk stops. This will help tell your body to produce more milk.If he is gaining wait he is fine. Don't worry :)

First thing in the morning is a really good time to pump. You tend to have more milk then, even right after nursing. So I would pump then in addition to any other times you're able to do it. Babies usually get more when they nurse than you are able to get out from a pump, so you usually need to pump more often than you would nurse in order to provide enough milk for each feeding.

Don't look at supplementing as a bad thing. Do your best to nurse him whenever you can at home and to pump as much as possible. But, if it's not enough, don't beat yourself up about it. Take the stress out of it by telling yourself it's ok to just do your best and supplement a little bit if needed.

Congrats on your new baby. Being a new mom can be tough but it sounds like you're off to a pretty good start.