Breastfeeding question...?

Question

OK.. I am trying to pump and get a supply because my husband and I want to take the older kids the an amusement park and leave the two babies with grandma for the day. When I pump, I am lucky to get a total of an ounce from both sides together. Now that makes me wonder if my supply is good enough for my 5 1/2 month old son. Does anyone have any input on this? I have a hopsital grade breast pump.. its a medela.. Thanks!

Sorry, I am ONLY breastfeeding my 5 month old.. my 22 month old weaned at 16 months.

Answer 1

When are you pumping? The best time for most women to pump is first thing in the morning before the first breastfeeding of the day.

How are you pumping? Most rental pumps can pump both breasts at the same time. Double pumping will give you *more* milk (not to mention that it takes half as long). Sit next to your baby while pumping, so you can see, hear, and smell him. That will also help you get more milk. Ironically, some women pump more when they *don't* think about the baby. If sitting next to baby doesn't work, then try to think about something else--read a book or write e-mails.

How regularly are you pumping? Pumping every day at about the same time of day every time will help your body adjust to it and produce more. Try it for at least a week and see if it improves. If you have been pumping occasionally and not regularly, 1 ounce at a time is actually quite a lot!!

Which pump are you using? Of the Medela rental pumps, the Classic is the best. I don't know if they are still producing it, so you may have to search to find one. In addition, contact Medela and explain your situation. They may have a specific suggestion or be able to point out some small detail in the instructions that you missed. (In fact, it's a good idea to check the pump carefully to look for worn or cracked parts *and* reread the instructions to be sure everything is correct.)

Hospital-grade pumps are the most effective type, but a pump that doesn't fit a particular mother won't work effectively, even if it is theoretically the best one. You may want to try a different pump, or try hand expression instead (see sources section below).

How much you can pump *in no way* indicates that you are not producing enough. There are women who have *way* too much milk and cannot pump a single drop.

Answer 2

If your son is gaining and healthy then there is no reason to worry about your supply. There is no way to measure what he gets each time but I am sure it is plenty. (If it isn't plenty than he would be nursing around the clock...this is typical during growth spurts because it helps to increase the milk supply to meet the growing baby needs.)

Pumping is totally different from having the baby to breast and you have to get used to it. Also, you will need to pump for about 15 min or maybe even for as long as you usually nurse. Basically you are mimicing a nursing session with the pump. Sometimes its common to have 2-3 let downs per session. It also it helps to try to relax when pumping. If you can, pump in a dark room and do some deep breathing to relax yourself. Or whatever method you use to relax will help.

Just a side note...when you go to the park how will you release your milk? You may be in a lot of pain by the end of the day. If you have an electric outlet in the car, bring the pump so you can at least express some of the milk...

Answer 3

Sometimes a hospital grade pump does not work well for certain women. As a medical professional and mother of four who breastfed and compared pumps, the Avent Isis was the most effective pump for me. Try different pumps. Your supply is likely adequate for your baby. Very rarely are there problems with this. Pump at night every two hours to increase your supply, particularly if you are breastfeeding two. Increase your fluid intake dramatically while you are building up a supply for while you are away, and don't pump before or after feedings. Don't forget that feeding a five month old anything but breast milk is not only unnecessary, but can increase their chances of developing food allergies. It will also cause your milk supply to dwindle as they take in less an less. Many pediatricians now recommend holding off foods till seven months. Good luck, and try that ISIS! You can get it at the grocery or department store!

Answer 4

The amount you pump has no bearing on the amount of milk your baby gets. Some women can't pump a drop but have more than enough milk for the baby. The only way I could pump and get any decent amount was to let one side get engorged (not really the best thing to do) and nurse the baby on the other side all day. After about 6-8 hours I could get a few ounces out of the neglected side. It's not really a smart thing to do because it could cause mastitis, but I had to leave the baby at 3 months so I could have surgery and I didn't want to give her formula. Hope this helps!

Answer 5

That is because a baby is always more effective than any pump. Try adjusting the setting a little stronger. If that doesn't work, it may be the pump and not you at all. trying calling the place where you bought it to discuss a replacement. If all else fails, freeze the milk one ounce at a time. Eventually you will have enough to make it through your outing. Formula? ICK!! Here's a great book "So That's What They're There For" very helpful and an easy read.

Answer 6

Medela is usually pretty good at stimulating a 'let down' so I would thing that it's doing that job. But in case it doesn't, you may have to stimulate "let down" on your own. You can try thinking about your baby and/or have a picture of your baby to look at while you pump. Also, you can massage your nipple for a couple of seconds before you use the pump. Another idea is to to pump longer. Sometimes it will look like there's no more milk but then if you just leave the pump for a minute or so more, the milk with gush out again.

Answer 7

The amount that you can pump is NOT an indicator of supply. Even the best breastpump is only man's best imitation of a nursing baby. If your baby is latched on correctly, then he will always get more than you can pump. It is quite normal to need to pump 2-3 times to get enough milk for one feeding for baby (remember.....the pump simply cannot get as much milk as a baby who nurses effectively).

Many moms are able to pump more milk per session when they are separated from baby. This makes a lot of sense because any milk pumped when you are still nursing full-time is "extra" milk -- over and beyond what baby needs -- that you are asking your body to provide! It's like you're faking your body out to think that they baby is wanting to nurse more.....like a growth spurt. After a few days of doing this every day, your body SHOULD respond, just like it responds to baby's increased requests to nurse during a growth spurt!

Are you pumping both sides at the same time? Dual pumping is usually better at getting a letdown than single pumping. Some moms respond better if they put the baby on one breast and the pump on the other.

What time of day are you pumping? Morning is typically better than evening. Do you do any breast massage before you pump? Or apply heat to your breasts? Have you tried pumping right after baby nurses so that you've already had a letdown for baby? Do you notice a feeling of letdown when you pump?

Are you getting good suction from the pump? Is it pulling in not just the nipple but some of your areola tissue as well? Moms with larger areolas and nipples may find that they need a different horn than the ones that usually come with the pump. If you have large nipples/areolas then you might contact the place you got your pump and find out if they have the larger horns.

Start the pump out on a higher suction until you get a letdown and then you can turn it down a bit if it is uncomfortable.

How long do you pump at a time? It's recommended that you double pump for about 15 minutes. This will help to ensure that the pump removes an optimum amount of milk from the breast. Then keep pumping for 2-5 minutes after the last drops of milk. BUT never pump more than 20 minutes at once. If the flow of milk seems to slow or stop before that 15 minutes is up, take the horns off and slightly reposition them on your breasts. This can help to get a second letdown and to empty different milk ducts.

That said....DO NOT sit there and stare at the horns and watch what is coming out the whole time you are pumping. You will stress yourself out which will make it HARDER for you to have a letdown for the pump! Distract yourself. Watch tv, read, play on the computer...do something other than stare at the pump.

QUESTION:
What do you intend to do about engorgement while you are at the park? Do you have a battery attachment for the pump to pump in the car? Or a manual pump that you can take along? You should be sure to think ahead and plan for how you will express your milk during the time you are apart from baby or your trip will be no fun for you at all!

Answer 8

I encountered the same problem. You have to pump frequently to get the amount of milk you want. I had to start pumping 5 to 6 times a day before the ounces were good. You breasts will produce as much as your body tells them the baby needs to get full. If you are pumping frequently then you will be able to produce alot more. I watched mine jump from 2 ounces to 8 in just a matter of a week. Good luck

Answer 9

pumping stimulates differently than the baby so as with anything else practise makes perfect. Do not dump that one ounce refridgeate it and keep adding to it. breastmilk stays good for up to 8 days in the fridge. Also when r u pumping? If you are doing it after feeding the baby that could be the problem. U can also give the baby formula for that one day. Don't feel bad for that u deserve a break!!!! I use ISIS from avent and it works great

Answer 10

If your son is an appropriate weight, then yes, he is getting enough...however, some women just cant pump alot. The pump feels different than your baby, and psychologically it's all linked. Try looking at a picture of your baby or trying to think about your baby nursing while you pump, it may help. I can relate - I cant pump worth a darn, but my six month old gets plenty of breastmilk!