Questions for Moms who exclusively pumped...

Why did you choose to exlcusively pump rather than breast feed?

How much milk would you get each time you pumped?

How often and how long would you pump for?

When did stop pumping? Was it bc you ran out of milk or just decided to stop?

Any tips for increasing supply?

Thanks!

Message edited 1/25/2012 8:05:20 PM.

Re: Moms who exclusively pumped...

bump?

Re: Moms who exclusively pumped...

I only exclusively pumped for 6 weeks. I only got between 3-5 oz each time. I weaned myself off so I didn't dry up. You can eat oatmeal to try an increase. Plus there is a mothers milk tea you can get.

Re: Moms who exclusively pumped...

I pumped because DS was in NICU. I had very little supply (like barely covered the bottom of the collection bottle). It never increased. One of the nurses that I was working with recommended Fenugreek. I took it, but it did not help my supply. She said that she knows a lot of women that had luck with it. I was just one of those women that never got a supply.

Re: Moms who exclusively pumped...

I am a mother of triplets, so I do not know if that increased my supply (they say your body knows), but I have exclusively pumped since they were born and now they are almost 7 months old. In the beginning (when they were in the NICU) I would pump 7-8 times a day and get 8-10 oz total each pumping (making about 70-80 oz a day. Once they began sleeping through the night I would pump 6 times a day and pump out between 10-12oz a pumping. Now I am only pumping 3-4 times a day. I am slowly weening myself off. In the morning I still pump about 12 oz, but during the day I only pump around 8oz. My supply is definitely going down.

I never took any supplements to increase my supply, I always made enough to feed all 3, and I was able to build up an awesome freezer stash when they were in the NICU.

Re: Questions for Moms who exclusively pumped...

I pumped for 6 weeks. I hated it and found it very time consuming. I pumped because DS was having a hard time latching. I wished I didn't give upbreast-feeding so quickly and had a consultant come in to help us. I used to get about 7-10 oz a session after the first week.

Message edited 1/25/2012 8:34:09 PM.

Re: Questions for Moms who exclusively pumped...

I pumped until ds was 3.5 months. I def had supply issues and had to supplement sometimes if ds was going through a growth spurt. I took fenugreek, ate oatmeal etc nothing really worked!

He would not latch and I couldn't bear to hear him cry and see him hungry and frustrated. I gave him formula in the hospital bc my colustrum didn't come in until I brought him home.

I stopped bc I was going back to work and he was still waking every 3 hours

Re: Questions for Moms who exclusively pumped...

my twins are 4.5 month old and im still pumping. My girls started out in the nicu and I had no choice but to start out pumping. the LC's advised that I pump every 3 hours. AFter 3 months of trying to breast feed my premies an LC convinced me that it was not in any of our best interests to keep trying.
Depending on the time of day I can get anywhere from 4 to 9 oz.

I pump 8 times a day and am trying to drop a pump.
Power pumping is great for supply and herbal supplements

Re: Questions for Moms who exclusively pumped...

Re: Questions for Moms who exclusively pumped...

Why did you choose to exlcusively pump rather than breast feed?
I was planning on formula feeding because breast feeding just wasn't for me. DS was 9 weeks premature and I wasn't given much of a choice...they told me to pump and so I did. I would have done anything for him at that point.

How much milk would you get each time you pumped?
When I first started I'd get around 4-5 ounces each session but as he grew older my supply steadily increased. I think at my most I was getting around 8 or 9 ounces.

How often and how long would you pump for?
I started out pumping every 3 hours for the first 2 weeks then dropped one overnight session. I gradually over the 6 months that I pumped increased the time between session. I would pump until no more milk came out. Between 10-30 minutes.

When did stop pumping? Was it bc you ran out of milk or just decided to stop?
I stopped pumping after 6 months because I didn't want to any more.

If you have any other questions feel free to FM me.

Any tips for increasing supply?

Thanks!

Re: Questions for Moms who exclusively pumped...

Why did you choose to exlcusively pump rather than breast feed?
I started out BFing, but DD was jaundice and had to go under phototherapy, so I was forced to pump. I tried to BF after, but DD would not stay awake to feed. She would instantly fall asleep anytime I got her to latch on. I saw two LCs and neither could give me anything new to try to keep her awake. She was losing too much weight, so I just kept pumping for about 4 weeks.

How much milk would you get each time you pumped?
Usually 1 ounce. I was super excited if I got 2.

How often and how long would you pump for?
20-25 minutes every 3 hours.

When did stop pumping? Was it bc you ran out of milk or just decided to stop?
My supply wasn't increasing, no matter what I did. DD was starting to eat more and I couldn't keep up. The stress was just not worth it for her to get 1 bottle of BM a day.

Any tips for increasing supply?
Oatmeal, TONS of water, Fenugreek, a good balanced diet. None of it worked for me, but hopefully it will for you. Good luck!

Thanks!

Re: Questions for Moms who exclusively pumped...

I was never fond of the idea of actual breastfeeding but I knew that I would want my kids to have the benefits of breastmilk. I felt even more strongly about this when my twins were born at 30 weeks and the nurses said how good it would be for them to have the benefits of breastmilk. Also I didnt like how with breastfeeding you wouldnt really know the exact amount that your baby was drinking.

In the beginning I was pumping every three hours. I would get anywhere from 2-5 oz. each time. I pumped both breasts at the same time and would usually go for 15 minutes each time.

I gradually pumped less and less, not because I wanted to stop but because I was so sleep deprived and busy with the twins that it was often not a priority. I also had a huge freezer stash that I knew I could fall back on if I didnt pump enough one day so I think that's why I didn't feel bad about slacking at the time. After about 3 months I had pretty much weaned myself from pumping and they were getting whatever freezer stash I had mixed with formula.

Im pretty sure if I kept up with pumping on a regular basis then my supply would have been good for awhile. But it just wasn't working for me that way.

Re: Questions for Moms who exclusively pumped...

I chose to EP because DD stunk at nursing and I had no patience for it. I had pumped since day #4 or so because she wasn't gaining weight and the Ped had me pump, BF, and do formula and I fell in love with pumping

I pumped every two hours in the beginning, then 3, 4 as she got older. I never had a great supply, I think the max I would pump a day would be about 24oz, so I always had to supplement.

I stopped pumping at 7m because my supply totally dropped.

I never had luck increasing my supply and tried all of the tricks

It was the best decision I made at the time but when and if I have DC#2 I am going to try nursing again because pumping is a LOT of work...

Re: Questions for Moms who exclusively pumped...

Why did you choose to exlcusively pump rather than breast feed?
DC was a tongue-tied preemie who would not latch. Didn't have the jaw strength and was SO sleepy all the time.

How much milk would you get each time you pumped?
I'm a terrible pumper and at my best would get 3-4oz in a session. Every other session was much less. In a typical day I get 16oz. total.

How often and how long would you pump for?
Every 2 hours at first, for 20-30 mins a session. Now at 6mo I pump 6 times per day.

When did stop pumping? Was it bc you ran out of milk or just decided to stop?
I reached my goal and my sanity and work are starting to suffer--so I am thinking of stopping.

Any tips for increasing supply?
DON'T EP!!!!!! Every LC I saw said that if I nursed from the breast I would likely not have the supply issues I have. However DC was so hard to feed I got frustrated and gave up trying to nurse.

Thanks!

Re: Questions for Moms who exclusively pumped...

Re: Questions for Moms who exclusively pumped...

Why did you choose to exlcusively pump rather than breast feed?

I knew I had to go back to work and wanted to make it as simple as possible. DD always took so long to nurse, I would get antsy.

How much milk would you get each time you pumped?

Between 12-16 ounces.

How often and how long would you pump for?

When I started back at work at 3 months I was pumping 5x a day for 15 or 30m.

When did stop pumping? Was it bc you ran out of milk or just decided to stop?

I stopped pumping at about 11 months. I decided to stop and still had about a month's worth in freezer supply lol

Any tips for increasing supply?

I always made oatmeal cookies and had them with a huge glass of milk before bed, I swore this helped but I always had oversupply issues anyway.

Thanks!

Re: Questions for Moms who exclusively pumped...

10 months of exclusive pumping because my daughter just never latched well. We tried and tried. I expected to stop at 6 months, but I was inspired by others who had gone all the way to a year, so that was my goal. I just couldn't, though... I dried up. I pumped every 2-3 hours and started out getting about 8 oz at a time.... by the last couple months, I was lucky to get 2 oz. I stopped when it dropped below an ounce because it was no longer worth it to have to not spend that time with my DD so I could work all day at it to make one bottle.

Re: Questions for Moms who exclusively pumped...

Why did you choose to exlcusively pump rather than breast feed?
I have triplets and it is just easier for me

How much milk would you get each time you pumped? It varies, but it took a while for my milk to come in. I think they drink more because the drink pumped milk.

How often and how long would you pump for? I started pumping every 2 hours during the day and 3 hours at night (this can help increase your supply too) Then once I was getting enough to feed all 3 of them, I only pump when they eat.

When did stop pumping? Was it bc you ran out of milk or just decided to stop? The boys are only 5 months old, but with DD, my supply dropped when I returned to work. I weaned off after that for 3 months.

Any tips for increasing supply? Fenugreek, Oatmeal, Blessed Thistle. Power Pumping (pump for one hour on for 10 minutes, and off for 10 minutes). I drink the mother's milk tea as a PP said and take Fenugreek. I drink a LOT of water, that helps too.

Good Luck