How much do you pump?

[Drewslady149]

I was just wondering how much do you all pump in one session???? and how old your baby is....my problem is this my DD is 4 months and weighs a whooping 21 lbs....(she is my chunky monkey) she is a boobie baby but when I am at work I pump about 5 ounces but the problem is this....she eats like 15 in a period... I try to pump when I get home but somtimes she is hungery wen I get home so I just end up feeding her instead....I work about 5-6 hour shifts with an half hour drive time each way so I am gone. I feed before I go and pump or feed when i get home but when I am at work I go about 4 hours before I pump. I have dipped into my freezer supply but that is almost gone....any suggestions??? I can't really pump more then once my boss gets upset because I work such short shifts I am just wondering if that herb funksgie or whatever it is called is safe and works or if I should do somthing eles...
:confused:

[StElmosFire]

My DD is 14 mos (almost) I pump 1x a day and I get anywhere from 7-10oz.
When I first started I pumped 3x a day then weaned to 2x and now I am only 1x.
I would pump on my break, lunch, and break. Then my breaks, now just on my lunch.
Fenergreek is safe. I really don't know mama. You are doing everyhing I can think you can do.

[sferguson17]

Is this a decrease from what you used to get, or has it stayed pretty consistent?

With a half an hour drive, I would get a handsfree pumping bra (if you don't already have one), and pump in the car on the way to and from work. (I use the easy expressions, but I've read that you can make one by cutting slits in a sports bra). That would give you three pumping sessions total. Even if you don't get a lot from the pump on the way to work, it would be stimulating your supply, & over time should help it increase. Also, don't worry about not having enough for baby when you get home, even if you pump on the way. She is much more effective at getting milk out than a pump. I've put DS right to the breast immediately after finishing a pumping session, & he's been content. What kind of pump do you have? Most people get best results from an electric dual pump. I use the Medela PIS. When I pump in the car, I use the cigarette lighter adapter to plug the pump in (you have to buy it separate).

You could try Fenugreek. A lot of people have had good luck with it. Check here (http://www.kellymom.com/herbal/milksupply/fenugreek.html) for more info. Be sure to note the amount you have to take as it is quite a lot. When you smell like Maple Syrup, you know you have the dosage right. I've heard it noted that it is more effective when used in combination with Blessed Thistle, so you could also try that.

Good luck!

[maabell]

I am pumping as I type, so if weird, forgive me.
I drive about 30-45 min each way and work 7 hours at work.

I dropped the bottles and had to stop...
I feed baby right before I walk out the door and then pump twice at work. 4 hours from last feeding and then 3-4 hours from that.

I pump 5-8 ounces first session and 3-5 next session, my baby is 21 weeks old and is about 16 or so pounds.

I started eating oatmeal and it greatly increased my milk. Plus the more I rest and drink water and stay calm, the better my supply is.
Hope this helps.

[carterandcalliesmom]

My DD is 4 months (15 weeks) - 13 pounds (wow, is she too little?)
I sometimes pump when I get up depending on if it is early enough and if I am engorged or not. I get anywhere from 5-12 ounces. I then feed her right before I leave for work (7:30 am I leave) I then pump three times at work (sometimes less if I have clients/apts.) She is hitting a growth spurt i think so I have been doing every 2.5 hours instead of every 3. I pump 3-4 ounces when I pump every 2.5 hours and 4-5 when I do every 3. DD will probably be wanting 5 ounces at a time now at daycare so I will be pumping more often at night or morning.
I had major supply issues with DS and pray I can make it a year this time! :) I wish you luck!

[debrosskyle]

Hi there. My little one is almost 6 months and about 15-16 lbs. My schedule is as follows: bf in the morning when he wakes up, pump in the car on the way to work, pump every 2.5 to 3 hours at work (usually 3 or 4 times), pump in car on way home, bf when I get home (unless it’s bed time when I get home), bf before he goes to bed, pump right after (sometimes), pump at 10 pm before I go to bed. Bf if he wakes during the night and sometimes pump right after. I get 3-5 oz when I pump. He takes 4 feedings while I’m at work and eats 6-7 oz per feeding, usually a total of 19-26 oz, but has eaten 30 before. I sometimes add a 2am pump. When I went back to work, I started taking Fenugreek which really helps with my supply. I have a freezer stash that we use when I don’t pump enough. We give him fresh first and frozen when that runs out. So far I’m able to keep up with him and I’m not nearly as worried as I was when I first went back to work. I pump on the weekends and that milk helps me keep even. It helped me to think in terms of goals. My first goal was to give him breast milk for at least 4 months, second goal is 6 months, third goals is 8 months, fourth goal is 10 months, and fifth goal will be 1 year. I’m lucky to have a job where I can just close the door and pull the special “motherhood” curtain and pump in my office. I even pump during conference calls. I use a PIS. I have two—an older one that a friend gave me and a newer one. The new one stays in the car and goes into the office with me. The older one stays at home and is always hooked up. Hands free bra is a must! Good luck.

[Drewslady149]

i THINK i may Start to pum three hour on the first time the pump o the way home....I am going to try fungreek but also MAABELL you said oatmeal help ur supply??? how long did it take to start take affect?

[bronco4grl]

I work 8 hour shifts and pump 3x for 20 min each time. I usually pump during the drive on the way to work, at lunch (3 1/2-4 hrs after I pump in the mornings) and then once in the late afternoon (about 3 1/2-4 hrs after lunch). I get 10-16 oz. My son is 15 mon old and drinks 6-12 oz in a cup at daycare.

When my baby was 4 months (and he was also big for his age) I had to pump 5x a day to keep up. He took 3-4 4 oz feedings at daycare. I got up about 30 min to 1 hr before him and pumped before I showered for the 1st pumping, pumped 3 x at work (before I figured out how to hands free pump so I could pump and drive) and also pumped after he went to bed.

By the way, I found that I could do the hands free pumping w/o a special bra. I just put the horns of the pump on my breasts and then pull the flap of my nursing bra up over the bottom of the horns. The flaps hold the horns in place without even being hooked. I don't know if this is because I am large breasted or what.

bronco4grl
Mom to Timothy 9/06

[kyalamode]

Man, I feel inadequate! How are you ladies pumping so much??? I have a 6 month old boy (28 inches, 19 lbs 9 ounces as of this morning), and he eats 4-6 ounces 3 times during the day at daycare (plus 4-5 ounces in the morning, and usually bf all evening before bed, and sometimes once in the middle of the night). I pump at work 2-4x per day (I try to get a pumping in every 2 hours) and I'm lucky if I can get 2-3 ounces per pumping. I've completely depleted my freezer storage, so now whatever I pump is all he gets and we have to sometimes supplement with formula (which I HATE). Luckily, he is also on solids so that is also a source of nourishment. When he was wee little I could easily pump 5-6 ounces per pumping session, but ever since I went back to work, my supply is slowly diminishing. He's very adept at BFing, so he can get it out of me, but since my supply is so low, he has to eat at least 3-4x before bed, and even then he's still hungry (thus the formula supplement). I haven't tried fenugreek, but I think I might.

So for you ladies who are still pumping a lot, good for you!

Additionally, for anyone who has a boss that is being difficult about you pumping, look into your state's laws because many states (like Oregon) have laws that REQUIRE your boss to provide you with time AND a place for pumping as a bfing mom. If they don't, you could sue them for discrimination. Look into it. :-) (I'm an HR professional.... It's good to know these things!)

[Drewslady149]

so i started to pump while I was driving yeaterday....LOL yo should have seen one of the looks I got while I was switching the pump lol that was too funny....but I brought home 14 oz instead of only 5 ;D yah for me and yah for baby

[sferguson17]

:woohoo:

That's great!

[Drewslady149]

:woohoo:

I felt like dancing like that LOL
although I told my co-workers " I bet mt drive to work was more productive then your drive to work.....they weren't as amused as I was :roflol:hugegrin:"dance3": I was tickled pink I LOVE the smilies here I have to say the best I have ever seen...does any one know if I can use them anywhere or just here?

[dockim328]

My ds is 6 months old and taking 4 oz every 3 hours for sitter. i pump at work every 3 hours and only get 2-3 oz per session. so i have to pump in am after nursing him before work and at night before i go to bed. He usually nurses once during the night. So I take fenugreek, more milk plus, and i eat oatmeal. I'm concerned b/c he has only gained 1 pound in 2months. He is down from the 25 %ile to 10th. I'm concerned he is not getting enough calories and his stools are getting hard (not enough fluids). So I may have to start supplementing during the day since I don't pump enough. UGH

[madelsmama]

I may have misunderstood your post, but did you say your baby drinks 15oz. in a 7-8 hr. period? If that's correct, then your careprovider may be overfeeding your baby. Just a thought!

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/bottle-feeding.html
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/milkcalc.html

[bartondoc]

Fenugreek has worked well for me, I notice a difference by the next day usually. It is traditional in latino culture to make a hot drink with oatmeal for women who need to improve their milk. I didn't think much of this until I read the above comment. I will try it now.
I pumped at work while my son was two and three months old, but I never got as much with the pump as I know he had to be eating. (compared to how much he took from the bottle and compared to how much volume he needed based on his weight). I will resume work in about six weeks so I am starting to try to pump again to build up a supply, but when I resume work this time I expect I will have to go at least eight hours without pumping at work. Any advice on how to pump very fast? (I will be doing good to get a ten minute break, 20 minutes will not be realisitic). I hope I only have to work three nonconsecutive days a week, but I may have to work two days in a row sometimes. I am so thrilled that my son has never had formula, and I accept that starting work may mean starting supplementing, but I want to avoid that if possible. But I have to work again.

[scarlett]

I just started to pump. My baby is 2 weeks old and 6 pounds. I pumped last night for the first time for about 45 minutes and only got 3 ounces. Is that normal will I get more as she gets older??