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2nd day back at work - PUMPING BM

  1. #9
    evgreen is offline Registered User
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    Thanka2, thank you for all the tips. I've been eating oatmeal anyway almost everyday! I'm trying the calcium supplements now to help maintain my supply as well. Hope my cycle doesn't return so soon.

    Gracey, pumping 3 ounces between feedings is actually really good! Have you tried to practice pumping in place of a feeding instead of between feedings to see how much you get? When I pump between feedings I usually only get 2 ounces maximum. I can get 4-5 ounces when I pump in place of a feeding. It usually takes me 2-3 pumps to get a whole feeding if I pump in between feedings. Once you have a full feeding in a bottle, you can try having someone else give the bottle while you pump.

    I'm really sorry that your workplace is not very supportive of breastfeeding or even taking breaks. I can imagine thinking about it alone is very stressful. I don't have any tips in that department but I totally agree with Thanka2's suggestion of contacting LLL. Perhaps pumping 3 sessions of even 5 minutes everyday at work is better than going 8-9 hours pumping only once!

    Last edited by evgreen; 12-19-2011 at 10:30 AM.

  2. #10
    evgreen is offline Registered User
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    Oh try also using an electric double pump. I use the Medele Freestyle, but I had to buy it from the states. Takes much less time than a single pump!


  3. #11
    thanka2 is offline Registered User
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    Quote Originally Posted by charade View Post
    By "afterwards", do you mean right after your baby breastfed...i.e. without a break? Didn't your breasts feel sort of empty after your baby fed... but did you just pump anyway?
    Well, actually, the point of pumping isn't always just to "get milk" out--if you're building up your milk supply--part of it is to keep stimulating your breast so even that little bit you get afterward--if you're doing it consistently all day, every day will signal to your body to produce more breastmilk. This is the way to build up your supply. So, no I didn't really take a break afterward. Every little bit counts because breastmilk production works on a "replacement system"--your breasts will produce and fill with the same volume of breastmilk that is being demanded so to get more milk you have to keep pumping a little bit at a time which adds more demand on the production which produces greater yields over time. Also, when I was breastfeeding in the beginning, rarely did my daughter feed on both breasts so if I breastfed and then pumped I would get whatever milk was left in the breast that had not been fed on (or had been fed less on).

    I also pumped for my son but want to do better this time round. I'll try the fenugreek thing also.
    Fenugreek works best if you take it with domperidone--if you're doing both of those together it should help a ton. You can get ground Fenugreek in a glass jar at City Super for a good price. I walked into a local pharmacy and told them I wanted domperidone in 10 mg tablets and I bought like 200 tablets--I think they were like 0.30/tablet or something. Don't buy it in a bubble pack because it's too expensive--only buy it when you can buy per tablet and you'll get a better deal. You have to take 30 mg, 3 times/day.

    My experience is that the pump will not give as much milk as direct breastfeeding. I was also advised to eat a good breakfast and pump after and also to eat protein-rich food.
    Yes, I think a hearty breakfast is good because I always yielded way more in the morning than I did in the afternoons--even at the mid-morning pumping.

    Also, the more one stresses about how much milk one is getting through the pump, the less one gets in my opinion. So my approach was to try and be 'whatever' about the quantity and just do my best.
    I agree.
    Last edited by thanka2; 12-19-2011 at 02:27 PM.
    “Many women have described their experiences of childbirth as being associated with a
    spiritual uplifting, the power of which they have never previously been aware …
    To such a woman childbirth is a monument of joy within her memory.
    She turns to it in thought to seek again an ecstasy which passed too soon.”

    ~ Grantly Dick-Read (Childbirth Without Fear)

    Mother of Two
    JMW, boy, born November 29, 2007, 9:43 pm, USA
    MJW, girl, born March 17, 2011, 4:14 pm, HK

  4. #12
    thanka2 is offline Registered User
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    Quote Originally Posted by evgreen View Post
    I'm really sorry that your workplace is not very supportive of breastfeeding or even taking breaks. I can imagine thinking about it alone is very stressful. I don't have any tips in that department but I totally agree with Thanka2's suggestion of contacting LLL. Perhaps pumping 3 sessions of even 5 minutes everyday at work is better than going 8-9 hours pumping only once!
    I was just thinking and I don't know what type of work you're involved in, Gracey but, is it possible for you to come to your boss and say, "Look, this is very important for me and my daughter's health. I need to take these short breaks during the day to pump but I am willing to stay after hours for an extra 45 minutes or hour to make up for lost time just to show you I'm not trying to 'slack off' during the work day." Again, I don't know if this is practical in your line of work but this type of gesture really shows your good faith to your employer and willingness to go the extra mile.
    “Many women have described their experiences of childbirth as being associated with a
    spiritual uplifting, the power of which they have never previously been aware …
    To such a woman childbirth is a monument of joy within her memory.
    She turns to it in thought to seek again an ecstasy which passed too soon.”

    ~ Grantly Dick-Read (Childbirth Without Fear)

    Mother of Two
    JMW, boy, born November 29, 2007, 9:43 pm, USA
    MJW, girl, born March 17, 2011, 4:14 pm, HK

  5. #13
    charade is offline Registered User
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    Thanks Thanka! I hate the feeling of pump on empty breast but I'll try to suck it up and do it more this time to get that supply going.


  6. #14
    bonita is offline Registered User
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    I second the medela freestyle. The double pump stimulates both breast at the same time, usually resulting in more milk. It also cuts pumping time in half since you are pumping both breasts simultaneously.

    Looking at kid's photo helps.

    Do you work at a desk? A cubicle? If so, have you ever consider using a nursing cover & a hands-free pump? Might take a little bit of practice at home to make it smooth and discrete. Mind you, if your working place is super quiet, this might not work.

    I work in TV, when I used to go on location, I'll bring my hand pump & freezer bag to pump at least once in a 6-hour shoot. I might not be able to get a lot of milk, but at least I wouldn't go too long without stimulation on the breasts.

    Hope everything works out for you.


  7. #15
    evgreen is offline Registered User
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    My sister in law pumps while she drives with a nursing cover! But she lives in California so it's very much a driving culture. I guess people can get pretty creative when it comes to pumping.

    Also, forgot to mention, I built up most of my freezer stash by pumping on one side while baby nursed on the other side.


  8. #16
    bonita is offline Registered User
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    evgreen: I do the same thing, too, nurse and pump simultaneously. Best output. In fact, whenever I pump like this, I get more than my baby can eat in one feeding.


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