i have a question on breastfeeding and pumping?

Question

i am a mother of two and with my second child i have been breastfeeding longer then i did with my first. i have been pumping and storing so that my husband can feed her if i want to sleep inn, or go somewhere. but she breastfeeds almost every hour and by the time she is done i will go to pump to store it and nothing will come out. i have tryed to get her to go every two hours and sometimes she will but mostly one hour. she is 6 weeks old (i have a madela) so if you know what i can do to make this work i would be very greatfull. thank you for your time.

Answer 1

The more often you pump or nurse the more milk your body willk produce. warm towels will also encourage the milk to let down.
Good Luck

Answer 2

She is only 6 weeks old. The first six weeks are all about getting breastfeeding established and getting your milk supply ramped up. She has Soooooooo many growth spurts in that time period SOooooooo close together. (10 days to 2 weeks, 3 weeks and 6 weeks.) You will hopefully find that she begins to space out feedings to the 2 hour point once she is through this 6 week growth spurt.

Have you tried feeding her on one side while pumping the other side?

Are you using a double of single pump?

Let her get past this growth spurt and then see if things get better.

Call LLL or a Lactation Consultant for some one on one help.

Answer 3

Don't wear yourself out trying. The first thing you can do is drink lots of water. If she eats every hour, then pump immediately after feeding. Give it about fifteen minutes, and then stop. If there's no milk, then stop anyway. Supply is best first thing in the morning (that's when I pump), so try then. It may take a couple of weeks for your body to go ahead and make the extra milk because it's used to what your baby's been eating. Just keep pumping once or twice a day. Give it time, and don't stress. Good luck!

Answer 4

How long have you been on this feeding/pumping schedule? From what I remember, the ladies at LaLeche League told me to keep pumping after every feeding (even if I got little more than 1/2 an ounce from both breasts). Of course, they encouraged me not to bottle feed due to nipple confusion. I must admit that once I went to the bottle my baby had a harder time on the breast. The two methods of feeding require two methods of suckling. A bottle is easier for the baby to suck and the baby gets lazy at the breast. However, I needed my breaks too! You might want to try an herb called "Fenugreek". This is sold in many health food stores and the instructions are on the bottle. It is not harmful for your baby and it helps build your milk supply up. It makes you smell like maple syrup but it really worked for me! Good luck!

Answer 5

Baby's go through a growth spurt at 6 weeks old. Your breasts will make however much she eats. If you're not getting anything after she nurses, try pumping 5 to 10 minutes longer than you are already. It may take a day or two, but you're supply will increase. When her little growth spurt subsides, she'll eat less frequently, and you'll be able to pump and store the excess milk.

Answer 6

You are going to have to look after yourself first to produce enough milk. Drink lots and lots of fluids, eat enough (and don't work too hard lol) Then pump first thing in the morning before she wakes up for her feed, or put her on one breast and the pump on the other. That was the only way I could do it, as my boy did exactly the same(constant feeding). You'll have to keep this up every day though, otherwise your body will once again not make enough to feed and pump.Good luck.

Answer 7

I would check with a lactation consultant.The more u breastfeed the more milk u produce so keep pumping and nursing.My lactation consultant told me to take Fenugreek,to help increase the supply,u can find it at a vitamine or herb shop.Hope it works out for u.

Answer 8

Your milk will increase as needed so you should should wait about 15 min to 1/2 hour and try to pump then. The more you pump the more your milk will begin to increase. Be careful though if you get it built up and the suddenly stop pumping you could become engorged. (have too much milk) So try to pump as little as possible.

Answer 9

Is she falling asleep or just eating a lot? Try waking her up by changing her pants, burping her or taking off a layer of clothes. She may just be entering a nice growth spurt and you'll just have to ride it out for a couple of weeks. I breastfed my boys for 15 months each and I wasn't able to pump a decent amount until they were almost four months old, they ate too much too often. You can contact your hospital's lactation nurse, your local La Leche League or WIC office for help.

Answer 10

If you aren't opposed, supplement with a little formula. I know the lactation consultants are very opposed to this - but then again, it was their advice that nearly put my son back in the hospital. I breast-fed & then supplemented w/formula for times when breast feeding just wouldn't work or when I didn't pump enough to leave for a no-mom feeding. It was helpful to have both my children willing to take formula (or formula and milk combo) in a pinch. (Try Carnation Good Start, they seemed to go between that and breast without problems - it even smells more like breast milk- and I tried them all).

You can also pump after she eats. You won't produce much at first, but eventually your body will think that she requires more and make more -so you will have some to pump after she eats.

Your breasts automatically adjust to demand, so you have to trick them, but it may take a little time.