Going Back to Work Soon, Need to Start Storing Breastmilk for Daycare

I used to get up in the middle of the night between feedings and pump and then store that milk. At first, I didn't get much but after a little while, I was getting about 4 ounces. I froze my milk in bags and laid them flat to freeze. This made it easier for the daycare to store my frozen bags at the daycare. I always kept about 4-8 ounces at daycare frozen to be used in case my daughter wanted more milk than I sent (we had to send fresh/defrosted milk each day). I started storing and giving my daughter a bottle about once a week after about 2 months old. Happy to answer any other questions off-line. I am still breastfeeding at 18 months and working full-time since 4 months.

The more you pump the more you will produce.
You will also need to pump while at work once or twice.
I did it ! Only breastmilk for 14 months.
I would leave my sitter with fresh milk in a bottle and two bags of breast milk for her. It would last her until about 3:00.
I pumped in the morning before work.
I pumped at work and pumped again at home once or twice.
I used the double electric pump.
I had my freezer stocked with milk.
Good luck !
J. Daniels
Breast fed all three of my boys until the age of 1.
NO FORMULA :o)

I had the same problem when I was going back to work. I started bf'ing on one side while pumping on the other. Then I would switch her and pump on the other side. The more I pumped, the more milk I got. I drank more water and took fenugreek, too, but it was the increase in pumping that caused me to have more milk available. I never had much extra saved up - it was a day-to-day thing for me in that I would pump at work for what she needed for the next day. I don't think I ever got ahead in terms of having a backup supply. That's a little stressful, but it worked for a year. Good luck!

I also had a low milk supply and was able to increase it with lots of extra pumping. Every time your baby nurses try and pump right afterward. This should stimulate your breasts to produce more milk. Also to help store up extra milk have your husband or another caregiver feed your baby formula for one feeding a day. While your baby is being fed, go ahead and pump and store your milk for later.

Good luck pumping while at work, its hard work but well worth it, and it gets easier over time.

Hi there. It's really important to keep hydrated by drinking lots of water. Try to get as much sleep and rest as possible. That part is difficult...Eat healthy and well-balanced snacks/meals. To increase your milk supply you can nurse more often or pump more often. This most definitely increased my supply. As far as how much milk to store, you should have about 4-6 ounces for each feeding. Pump and store as much as possible. If you don't have it already I would recommend "Nursing Mother's Companion" by Kathleen Huggins. It's a great book for nursing moms and have lots of great info. Hope the info finds you well and great job! Blessings.

A little about me:

33 years-old with a 3 year-old boy & 14 month boy(whom I'm still nursing:) )

My lactation consultant said you should have four-4 oz. bottles for each day you are working. What worked for me was to pump 15 min. BEFORE I nursed my son. I was concerned there would not be enough milk for him, but there was! The baby can pull more out than the pump, of course. You may want to pump before or after each nursing session to get enough milk stored. And pump after your baby goes to sleep (like it is an extra feeding), that should increase your milk supply. Be patient, pumping is not fun, and you don't get much out at first. I was the same way and eventually I could pump out 2-4 oz. Good luck - you are doing a wonderful thing!!

There is a great book called "Nursing Mother's Companion" that cover all sorts of logistical info (how to store, for how long, etc) as well as great input about returning to work and how to remain close with your baby, etc.

Good luck - it will be hard at first be you'll both be fine!

Y.,
We have very similar profiles....I'll be 30 this year, married, and my little boy is 4months old now.....so I've just been through what you're going through. The lactation consultant at the Riverside Community Hospital's Women's Services Center (they have a breastfeeding walk-in clinic on Mondays bwtween 9am and 12 noon at the Corner of Brockton and 14th Street if you live anywhere near) recommended to me to pump one breast WHILE the baby is feeding off the other. I guess the stimulation and emotional response from the baby helps with lactation while you're pumping the other side. Then switch and let baby nurse on the side you just pumped and pump the side she finished on. It's akward at first, but if you have an electric pump (not manual) its do-able. Also drink more water.....a lot more. Good luck....hope it helps!

J.

I started using the breast pump between feedings to increase my production. Make sure to pump both sides for maximum production. You may also look into breast milk donors through your closest childrens hospital, donors have certain criteria to meet for their milk to qualify. I never used it, but have had friends donate to it. I froze my milk in a deep freezer to have milk for when I went back to work. I had a weeks worth stored at all times, but I produced like a milk cow, so what ever you can produce is enough as something from you is better than nothing.
Good Luck,
D.

I had a hard time getting enough milk too especially when I pumped at work andhad to start supplementing but one thing that worked well for me to store some up was to pump on one breast while feeding on the other side...a little tricky to manuever but it can be done and I found I got more milk that way so I could freeze it.

Hello, have you tried the Mothers Milk tea, also? You can see info at: www.tealand.com/MothersMilk.asp. It is found at health foods stores. I found that my milk eventually dried up from using the pump as opposed to nursing, even though I only worked 25 hours a week. I held out until about 9 months, which was better than nothing. And if you want your milk to dry-up after weaning, rub campho-phenique on the breasts, it works really quickly. Oil of camphor is the trick.

I have actually heard drinking a beer or two can help...

It does take a good 4 weeks to get your milk supply fully established. It's good that you're looking ahead to be able to provide for her while you are at work. At 2 weeks, she'll go through a growth spurt. Keep on nursing her as often as she wants. How often and how completely she empties the breast tells your brain how much milk to make her.

After 4 weeks, you can start pumping and storing. Make sure you have milk storage and transportation information.

If she's taking one breast at a feeding and you are coordinated enough, you can nurse her on the left and pump the right simultaneously. At the next feeding nurse her on the right and pump the left.

If she's taking both breasts, nurse her first, then pump. You may not get much at first. You want to nurse her just as much as she needs and the pumping will be extra. Since this will signal your brain that you need to make more milk, you will be able to eventually pump more out.

Keep in mind, the baby is the best pump and you won't be able to pump out what she does. So just because you don't pump much out, doesn't mean that she gets out the same amount.

Good Luck!

If you can pump in between feedings, you will increase your supply. You get most milk in the mornings, so if you can pump inbetween the first two feedings of the day (like one hour after she eats first in the mornigng), you can store that...you might get a little at first but it will increase. I also used to pump once after my son went to sleep for the night. - so if you went to sleep at 7, I would pump at 9:30 before I went to bed. Try that at first. When you go back to work, your supply will most likely go down, but some women have success pumping every 3 hours or so during their work day (that's what I did) With the two extra pumpings, plus the milk I pumped at work, I had enough to keep my son on breast milk up to 8 months. But I know some women can go longer. If you have more questions, call the PUmp Station in Santa Monica to speak with a lactation consultant (free over the phone). Good luck!

Dear Y.. This is what worked for me when I wanted to reserve my breastmilk for freezer storage. I breast fed all three of my children. In order to save the breast milk that would leak while my baby would suckle from the opposite breast I would place a tea cup under and slightly touching my other breast thereby saving the "run-off" milk. I did not use a breastpump as I preferred to express what was left from each feeding (i.e., reserving the rich milk and encouraging more milk production naturally; as back up just in case something happended to me. And I nursed my last baby for 4-years. During her first 6 months she became quite fat from the rich baby's milk (e.g., cubby neck, arms and thighs). However, she lost all the baby fat once she started walking (one week before she was one and she began speaking her first words a bit before that as well). As for storage, I had a frozen supply (i.e., then stored in disposable plastic bags that fit in bottle holder) which was then dated with a Sharpie permanent marker. Using the older frozen milk first (i.e.,if need be because I was a stay at home mom but if I had to be away my husband would thaw the frozen milk bags in warm water). And I would throw out any frozen milk when it was in the freezer for 6-months; as per my pediatrician, Dr. Christine Nelson in LB, CA and author, "Know When to call your Pediatritian." Gee, I sure do miss this great lady, pediatrician and mother who adopted and raised her son meanwhile running her own successful practice. Dear Y. B. my warmest regards to you and your. My eldest is Junior at UC Berkeley, my second in attending Santiago Canyon College, and my youngest was recently accepted at CSUSF. She is currently a senior in HS and writes thought-provoking and humanistic articles for her HS newspaper. Please enjoy your children for who they are as they are individuals (i.e., unique and special abilities that will continue to reveal themselves if we as parents simply choose to notice and see the positive and to reinforce positive/"good behavior," instead of focusing on negative behavior (e.g., being over critical and giving attention only when children mis-behave). I hope this will be helpful not only for breastfeeding; also it's merely my belief that has worked for me and my many adolescent clients (i.e., the positive reinforcement, not the breastfeeding!). With warmest regards. Sincerely, T. Nakagawa MFT-Intern

Hi Y.,

Of course nursing more increases milk. But she is only 2 months so there is only so much you can do.

To stimulate and bring on more milk, try 'Organic Mothers Milk' tea from Traditional Medicinal. I'd cut out using the Fenugreek once you start the tea.

When my kids were newborn to infants I drank this tea for the first few months and it's like you become this WATERFALL of flowing milk. Every Mom I've suggested it to and those I know who use it.....it works for them the same way.

I still nurse my now 18 mo old daughter and haven't needed the tea since she was 6 months. I still have an unbelievable milk supply even though she's down to nursing about 2-3 times a day/night.

My son nursed for 2.3 yrs and I also always had a supply. If I need a 'boost' I drink the tea...it's just that fast after one cup. You can also make a pitcher of 'iced' tea from it and drink it all day.

Of course you'll want to try and get enough rest which seems like a joke at times. But if you can eat well for sure and eat often, even just 'snacking' all day if you can, (i,e: carrots, fruit with a source of protein like a slice of cheese or something, etc).

The only complaint I read about on this site once - is the taste...outside of that I never heard anyone complain about the taste of it. So if you don't like it just as is...if that doesn't do it for you...and you must, add just a 'dab' of sugar...not substitutes either.
It'll be fine.

The other quickie stimulant is Organic Carrot Juice. Works great too ...but I enjoyed the tea better and it was just as fast if not faster in producing.

Keep up your regular nursing schedule. But I suspect as the tea starts to make an abundance of milk you'll be able to pump more and get alot into storage....without messing up your daughters schedule.

Once you start working try and nurse as much as you can when you are home to keep the body stimulated.

As for STORAGE:

(since my scanner isn't working I'll type out for you the 'rules' of breastmilk storage, from the book THE BREASTFEEDING BOOK (everything you need to know about nursing your child from birth through weaning ) BY MARTHA SEARS, R.N. & WILLIAM SEARS, M.D. (they have 8 kids).

Where Stored:.. Storage Temp in Fahrenheit:..How Long:

at room temp.......60 degrees............24 hrs
at room temp.....66 to 72 degrees........10 hrs
at room temp.......79 degrees..........4 -6 hrs
refrigerator.....32 to 39 degrees........8 days
freezer compartment
inside frig..........varies.............2 weeks
self contained freezer
unit of a frig.......varies.......3 to 4 months
separate deep-freeze
w/a constant temp....0 degrees.....6 months or longer

Look at the Medula line of the correct storage containers to use depending on what kind of system you want to have.

Get as much milk as you can - stored. If you can keep up the natural nursing and then pumping the rest (should the tea do for you what it has done for others).

Especially if you can get all this going before you go back to work, you may have so much milk stored...that if the nursing when you get home still slows down or is at a minimum...or once you are back to work you just dry up, then at least you will have all this milk to be able to provide your daughter even afterwards. Keep nursing as long as you can. It's huge for babies.

I'm a SAHM so it was all easier for me of course. But plenty of my friends, although it took quite the commitment, were able to pump at work still and then nurse when home and keep it going quite a long time. For others it was just too much trouble to pump at work and subsequently gave up. And they didn't store enough either.

I think you can do this.

The book mentioned above is so great. Anything and everything you want to know about breastfeeding is available.

Ok...here are the chapter headings to make it easier to figure out if it's a worth read to you:

Why Breast is Best
Getting started
Common Concerns Breastfeeding Mothers May Have
Nutrition and Fitness While Breastfeeding
Taking Medications While Breastfeeding
Troubleshooting the Most Common Breastfeeding Problems
A Consumers Guide to Breastfeeding Products
20 Tips for Breastfeeding While Working
Nighttime Breastfeeding
The Fathers Role in Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding for Babies and Mothers with Special Needs
Funny(and not so funny) Things That Happen on the Way to the Breast
Toddler Nursing and Natural Weaning

All chapters broken up by sub chapters so that you can really get an answer quickly when searching through.

Well, I hope that all helps. You'll be fine...relax... the first one is always the hardest and the scariest with all it's new adventures. ;o)

God Bless

Good luck...you'll be fine.

I had the same issue when I had to go back to work after having my daughter. I don't know if your daughter is sleeping thru the night yet, but when mine started to, I would still set my alarm and get up in the middle of the night once to pump and put the milk in the freezer. It seems a little crazy, but if you have everything set up and ready, you are only up about 10 or 15 minutes, then back to bed. It's worth it!

hi Y.
Along with the Fenugreek you can drink Mother's Milk tea. I still drink it sometimes and my son is 16 months old. I would say to try pumping as much as possible. When I was nursing 6 times a day I felt that I wouldn't get milk from pumping b/c the baby was getting it all. I ended up buying a manual pump ($30) and it worked like a charm. I have the nice Pump In Style electric pump but the hand held manual one worked awesome. Is your baby going to be in day care for 8 hours a day? Anyway, I hope that helps. I would try pumping here and there during the day and definitely at night and start storing it away. (using the manual pump) While your baby is at daycare try to pump at work as many times as you can. (you could probably use the electric pump at work). Once you are only pumping during the day you shouldn't have a problem getting enough milk. What kind of pump do you have? -A.

If you aren't against formula once a day give her a bottle of formula and then pump for that feeding and then store. then you know if she tolerates formula and you can store breast milk, also you know if she will take a bottle. This is what I did so my twins didn't have all formula the first day I went back to work. When you go back to work you are going to need to pump as often as baby eats.

I have been back to work for two weeks. What worked for me was pumping an hour after her first feeding of the day (milk supply is greatest in am)beginning two weeks before I went back. I was able to get 2 oz. from each breast. After a few days of this, I also started pumping an hour after two other feedings. I had enough milk stored up for the first 2 days I was gone. I have to drive 30 min to work, so I pump right when I get there, at my break, at lunch, and right before I leave. I am now producing way more milk than I need. For 3 days before I went back, I also fed her the bottle at the times she would get it while I was gone, so she would be used to it.

start drinking a dark beer every day. one beer won't hurt your baby and it really ups your milk like nothing else. if you don't want to drink beer, add brewers yeast to your food. It helps, but not as much as beer.

Why go back to work when you can be at home with your little one and not worry about storing the milk...Stay home....it will be well worth it in the long run

I am going through the same situation - I read that immediately after feeding your baby you should try to pump for maybe 10 minutes or so - it stimulates more milk production. I have been able to do this a couple of times already, and I was able to get about 1 1/2 oz off the breast I just fed my son on, and 2 1/2 from the other, for a total of four ounces. I figure you need to kind of calculate how many times your baby will be feeding while you are away from her and try and at least have two days worth, and pump as much as you can... I don't know how long I will be able to do this...I do not want to give my baby formula (he's 2 months as well)but if I cannot pump enough, or I cannot pump while I am at work, I might have to have him drink formula while I am gone, and breastfeed him when I am with him...or pump as much as I can, so I can really limit the amount of formula he receives...it is really tough. I think it really does depend if you have a private, clean environment at work where you will be able to pump when away from your baby.

Drink chicken broth or eat chicken soup. A phillipino lady told me to do this when my son was born a premie. I looked at her wierd. She said believe me it works. It worked. Also, be sure to drink a lot of fluids.

Your supply is highest between 1-5 am. I pump every night at 1 and get four ounces with my Medela Pump in Style.
If your daughter breast feeds every three hours, she needs about 3 ounces per feeding. Your breast milk (unlike formula) constantly changes to meet your growing babies needs, so she won't need to increase the amount she drinks per feeding.
I hope that makes sense! Good luck!

Hi Y.-
I was very concerned about my milk supply before going back to work. While breastfeeding on one side, pump from the other side; store whatever you manage to get out, adding to it throughout the day. After a few days, your milk supply should increase & if you continue to do this as often as you can, you will eventually have a decent supply built up. Remember: whatever your baby is getting now, you will be pumping out when you're back at work pumping regularly. I think I had about 10 or 15 5oz bags stored when I went back, but I managed to keep up with it by pumping. Unfortunately, I've had a milk supply issue almost the entire time I've been breastfeeding and while fenugreek works, I found Mothers Milk Plus (Henry's, Wild Oats, etc) works the best. Good Luck. & enjoy your time off with your little one...time goes too quickly.

Hi there,
I just weaned my 15 month old and have been working and pumping since month 3 - it was hard work. I would say just keep pumping. My son never drank more than 8 or so ounces while I was gone and I was lucky to be able to nurse him at lunch. My advice would be to get up eary - or whenever you are engorged and pump. That was how I got a little supply. I never had more than one or two days supply, but was able to pump enough at work for the next day. Also, don't beat yourself up if you have to supplement a bottle of formula to get you by - whatever amount of breast milk you can provide is GREAT! I think we moms put to much pressure on ourselves - good luck!

First off, kudos to you for showing such continued interest in breastfeeding!!! I wish more moms did that.
Your story was exactly my own. I, too, could not produce enough milk when pumping. The only way to produce more milk is to nurse more often. I've always called it the "nurse on demand" method. It's really frustating, though, to nurse baby and pump while she sleeps, right? It's perfectly safe to add a "seconds" of breast milk into the original stored bottle. That was the only way I could get a full bottle of breastmilk.
As far as how much you should be able to pump...that I'm not sure. You're doing your best, Mom -- keep your head up! Baby will be all the healthier for it.

Hi Y.,
Like you, I am going back to work in a week and my main concern is pumping. I had problems since the beginning, I started from a couple of drops of milk to about 2 oz. per pumping session. Through out the day I pump after each feeding. I have been pumping since the beginning, so I have probably only a week's worth supply in my freezer. However, it is through, you produce what you demand. So start pumping after each feeding and just collect it and store. You'll be surprise how much it adds up and also how your breast know to produce more milk. My breast feel funny if a day goes by and I haven't pump. Just relax, because I noticed that as soon as I stressed my milk supply began to decrease.
Good luck with going to work and I know its hard, but if she must supplement with formula its okay.
Good luck and hope your supply increases.
Ceci

Hi Y.,

I have breastfed all of my children and with the last two I retunred to work and pumped by breast milk for the baby while working.

I think the main thing you need to remember is that breastmilk production is all about supply and demand. Have you experienced the times when you baby is on a growth spirt? The baby nurses more frequently or longer and your production goes up to meet the need.

How things worked for me was that with my son (he is 11 now). I returned to work when he was 3 weeks...and I had never been successful at pumping before. Anyway, at two weeks I got a double pump Medella breastpump (I think they are the best). I hadn't really had time to pump and store up any milk for him. Since I didn;t know I would be returning to work so soon. What I did was I would either nurse or pump right before I left for work. Pump at my first break. Return to his daycare to nurse at lunch time...if he had just been given a bottle, I would pump again and leave the milk for daycare. If my childcare provider had held him off, then I would nurse him on one side and pump the other. That way they had a bottle for the afternoon. All in all, it worked out fine. I ended up nursing him until he was 15 months old. As he got older, it worked out that I would nurse him before I left for work, at lunch and as soon as I returned from work. The pump was awesome though! One of the most important thing you need to try and do is just not stress out about it. Provide your baby with the milk that you pump, but always have a formula back up just in case for your daycare provider. I believe that the daycare provider is really the ticket, meaning that if they are big breastfeeding supporters, all things will work out perfectly.

With my youngest, I pumped and worked too. But since I stayed home with her longer, I was able to stock pile the milk. I actually froze milk from the very beginnning, just to relieve pressure cuz I had so much milk. So, I saved that for when I gave her bottles (which I hope you have trained your baby to take a bottle, cuz that can be a major problem if not.) Anyway, just to keep my milk stock up, I would pump after I had fed her just so that I had more stimulation and would produce more. You should not pump, then nurse cuz then you are depleting the amount and calories for that feeding. If your baby sleeps all night or for a long period at some point in the day, you can feed them then pump until you are empty andn store that milk. Just make sure that you have at least a few hours for your milk to replenish.

Best wishes for your successful return to work and continuing your nursing. I enjoyed nursing so much...I hope you find it as rewarding.

Feel free to contact me if you have any more questions or concerns.

T.

What worked for me was... Feed your daughter and 1 hour after pump. even if it is 2oz, keep it in the fridge and keep adding to it throughout the day. You can then freeze it (with-in 24hours of pumping) After 3 days i would pump after she would eat and i would get enough or close enough to store. I would freeze 4 oz at a time so that its easy to thaw. I just had enough to cover the first day at daycare. I pumped at work and that milk would cover the next day. Hope this helps. if you have another question email me. :)
Good Luck

Breastmilk is produced on a "supply and demand" basis. So you will need to pump between feedings to get your body to recognize that there is a need for more supply. It will take some time, but soon enough you will be producing enough milk to store. It also works the same way in reverse- when you feel as if you have enought stored up, just start decrease your pumping sessions.

I would say you need a few days worth of milk built up, that way if your production doesnt keep up one day or two, you wont be left feeding formula. I agree, that you need to keep hydrated and a good diet. But sometimes I dont get much either when I pump. Try pumping on a very regular basis and at a time when you have no distractions and are not stressed out. It seems for me, that when I'm rushing around and pressed for time I dont get as much milk as when I am relaxed. Another thing to think about is a special hands-free bra that will hold your breast shields and a car adapter for your pump. That way you can pump to and from work, in the car. Yes, it will look funny if someone sees you, but multi tasking in this way can make life a whole lot easier. Good luck!

Y.,

You need to start pumping both regularly and frequently. You'll likely need 15-20 ounces of breastmilk a day to feed your daughter. So if you start pumping now, even if you only get an ounce or two a day and save it, you'll have enough for that first day.

I don't know what sort of a breastpump you have but they are not all created equally. I'd recommend a good, double electric pump like an Ameda Purely Yours or a Medela Pump in Style or a hospital grade rental pump if that isn't what you are using. For me, my most productive pump of the day is first thing in the morning. If you are going to start off pumping just once a day, each day, that is probably your best bet. Your nursing hormones are generally highest in the wee hours of the morning (2 a.m. to around 5 a.m.) so many women pump then. I've always just pumped when I get up. To a really large extent, producing breastmilk is supply and demand. You are producing what your daughter is eating and no more because you haven't been demanding more. When you first start pumping, you won't get much but if you keep doing it consistently at roughly the same time each day, you should see your milk supply start to increase but it will take a week or so of consistent pumping. Pumping has 2 purposes, to get milk and to stimulate supply. So even if you aren't getting much on the first day, it is worth the effort because you are stimulating your supply. You should double pump (a hands free bra is really helpful - I have an Easy Expressions Bustier I got off ebay pretty cheap) for at least 20 minutes (I usually pump for 30 because that works best for me) - whether you are seeing milk coming out or not.

I would recommend trying to store as much milk as you can. Those first few weeks of going back to work are stressful and they can be hard on your milk supply. But the basic idea is that you need at least enough for the first day and then in theory when you are pumping instead of nursing during your work day, you should be able to get enough milk to feed your daughter the following day (that really varies though according to your supply, how effective your pump is, how well you react to the pump, if you are pumping frequently enough and emptying your breasts fully, etc...) Pumping is an art and a science. But the main idea is that you have to do it, do it consistently and faithfully to get the milk you need. I've nursed and pumped with both of my babies and it is a lot of work and very time consuming. But I consider it well worth it. For my first child, I had to pump 4-5 times a day each day during the week (first thing in the morning, around 10 a.m. at work, lunch time, 3 p.m. at work and then again before bed) plus twice each day on the weekends (first thing in the morning and then again before bed) in addition to nursing full time when I was home to get enough milk to feed him at daycare. Luckily for me, I started pumping shortly after my second child was born (and knew what I was doing that time around) and kept my supply high right from the beginning (I started pumping every day at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. while I was on maternity leave in addition to nursing on demand) so when I went back to work my supply was high enough that I could pump only 2-3 times a day (10 a.m., 3 p.m. and sometimes I'd add in another session at some point if I didn't have enough) and get enough milk. It is heck of a lot easier to maintain your supply than increase it but increasing it is definitely possible.

There is a yahoo group called "PumpMoms" that I belong to. It is really helpful. Tips and advice and support from moms who are trying to do the same thing you are trying to do - feed their kid.

Good luck! I've certainly done a lot of pumping, if I can help in any way, email me, ____@____.com

T.

Hi Y.,
I can sympathize with your dilemma. When my daughter was born (she is now 8)I had some medical problems right after delivery and was put on a medication that was dangerous to the baby if she drank my milk. Anyway, I tried to 'pump and dump' but I could barely get any milk from the pump. I ended up re-lactating when she was 3 months old, and she was fully breastfed until she was 15 months!
Perhaps your problem is similar to mine, you just can't get milk from a pump. I hated that pump so much, that I would not have any let-down when I used it. Here are some things to try:
try putting your baby right near the pump when you are using it. Her presence, smell, sounds, will stimulate your let-down and milk supply. If that is not possible, (if you are at work, for example) try using a photo of her.
To increase your milk supply, try swith-nursing. Feed on one side for 3 min then switch to the other for 3 min, then back to the first side, and so on....Your body will think you are nursing twins and increase your milk supply. Also, try 'Mothers Milk' tea (available at Whole Foods and natural pharmacies) Good luck to you and your baby!

I am not sure how you can increase your supply, but be careful with the fenugreek. I ended up at urgent care with heart palpitations! It is not regulated by the FDA and I found info on line that says it can cause irregular heart beats. Wish I knew that before I took it. Docs said that was most likely the cause.

Hi Y.,
That's great that you want to keep her on breast milk!
I have a few suggestions:
1)Breastfeed her often before you she starts daycare. This will increase your milk production.
2)Try pumping often, even if you just get a little bit of milk at a time. Pumping often will also increase your milk production.
3)**Make sure you are drinking PLENTY OF WATER every day, and that you are eating enough and healthy.**
4)At Whole Foods they have some drops by Motherlove, called More Milk Plus. This contains dried fenugreek seed, blessed thistle leaf, nettle leaf, and fennel seed. I would suggest consulting with you doctor before you try it. You can see this here: http://www.motherlove.com/
5)Once you start working, make sure you pump regularly at your work, maybe 3 times during the day. This will continue the production of milk. If your work has a problem with you pumping during the day, express to your doctor how strongly you feel about keeping your baby on breast milk and to write a note to your office stating that you have been ordered to pump x number of times a day. Then, it's harder for your office to give you problems.
6)Read the book called Womanly Art of Breastfeeding by La Leche League International (www.llli.org). La Leche League has monthly meetings you can attend in your area. You can find a meeting place in your area if you go the the website above.

I hope this helps. Good luck.

M.

PS: By the way, Y., please DO NOT let responses like the one from "Dana W" put you down. It is so understandable that not every mother can have the luxury of staying home and quitting work after having a child. This doesn't mean you love your child any less. It upsets me when people try to make you feel bad instead of helping, when all you are doing is being a good mom by doing everything possible to keep your child on breast milk. This site should be to help out and not criticize one another.

Good luck! Remember that work places are required by law to accommodate your nursing needs as much as they can. Due to the traveling nature of my job I found the most relaxing place for me was actually my car. The Medela Pump in Style has a car adapter.

As some of the other moms have written demand dictates supply. When I needed to keep up/maintain my milk supply, my lactation consultant told me to pump after feeding the baby (you'd be surprised at how much there's still left) and to pump between feedings. You will feel like a milk cow chained to the pump for a while (so if there's anyone who can come help out/keep you company do it), but you should get your supply up soon. Lastly, eat well and be well rested. Nothing kills production like stress and fatigue. Good luck!

Hi Y.,
You will only need the first day's supply when you begin daycare because when you are away from her you will be pumping regularly and you can use that for the next day's feedings.

If you increase your water intake, you should produce more, even if it's just an ounce or two if you pumped after each feeding you would be able to get enough for that first day. Or at least for the first morning feedings, then you could pump at work and take her that (on your lunchbreak) for the afternoon.

I've also heard (and experienced) that beer will help increae milk production. It has something to do with the yeast in it. You may choose a non alcoholic beer.

Good luck,
J.
Working Mother of 8 yr old girl, 6 yr old son, and new 7 week old nursing baby girl.

Good luck with this- it really is quite a commitment! I was able to exclusively feed my little guy breastmilk (plus eventually solids) until he turned one while working fulltime and never had to supplement with formula. A couple of weeks before I returned to work, I started pumping immediately after each time I would nurse during the day. This really increased my milk production so that I was able to store up a little bit. I would also pump off just a little bit immediately in the morning before his first feeding. I didn't have a bunch stored up before I returned to work, but enough that I felt like a I had an emergency backup. When I returned to work, I would pump after his morning feeding once, then once or twice during the day. I would then take this fresh to the baby-sitter with him the next day. We rarely had to use any of the frozen during the whole year, but it was a good reassurance. Any time I had extra breastmilk, I would also freeze it. This really worked well for me. I wish you the best.

Wow. There are an awful lot of "parenting experts" on this board... Never let anyone make you feel bad for going back to work or doing what's best for you and your family!

I took domperidone/Motillium to up my production when fenugreek just wasn't cutting it. "The Nursing Mother's Companion" recommended the following website: http://www.inhousepharmacy.com/digestive/motilium.html

It worked very well. Good luck!

Hi Y.,
I'm the working mother of an exclusively breast-fed 5 month old and went back to work we he was about 2 1/2 months. I called the lactation specialists at St Jude for some advice on this very topic when I went back. They suggested drinking plenty of water, eating oatmeal, and pumping after I feed him at home (I also pump regularly at work, of course) in order to increase the supply. It's like your tricking your body to think she's eating more and it'll adjust accordingly. But it's my understanding that it takes 72 hours for your supply to adjust to an increase in demand, so be sure to have some patience. There was one week about a month ago where he was eating tons and I didn't seem to be keeping up, so I tried these things and though it took a few days I actually started getting more. My other advice would be to store whatever you can, no matter how little it looks. It will add up. As far as how much you need really depends on how much your little one is eating each day. Mine only takes about 3 ounces at a time from the bottle on average, but I have a friend whose child eats 5 (but also goes longer in between). If there's a breastfeeding workshop you can attend (like at St Jude in Fullerton) they can tell you how much your baby is eating at a feeding by weighing her before and after. Hope this helps and good luck!

Don't worry about getting ahead. If you worry, you will be placing yourself under stress, which can prevent you from building the supply you want. I turned out to be an underproducer, no matter my pumping after my daughter's feedings. When I returned to work, I would pump every 2-3 hours. This would supply me with the next days' feeding. Again, since I was an underproducer, I ocassionaly had to supplement one bottle of formula per day.
I tried many many home remedies, including old wives tales and researched the internet. I found that oatmeal worked best for me. Of course everyone is different and what works for some, may not for others. An old wives tale was to drink a warm beer once a day. I didn't notice a difference with fenugreek or warm beer. I noticed the greatest increase with oatmeal. My sister made if for me by the gallon and I would drink 2-3 glasses of it a day. My daughter was sleeping through the night, by this time and I would get up twice a night to pump.
My sister-in-law was lucky enough to be an overproducer, but her endocrinologist told her that women with thyroid conditions, like me, tend to be underproducers. Have you be screened for thyroid function?
Again, do not place yourself under stress. You are already doing the best you can for your baby. Believe me your effort to breastmilk exclusively is admirable and your daughter at this age has gotten the maximum benefit to your effort. Any further breastfeeding from this point on is gravy. By the way, my daughter is going on 20 months and still nurses twice a day. I may be an underproducer, but the consistency has awarded me with a healthy girl.
Good luck!

I know the feeling. I thought that i wasn't getting enough milk either but your body knows exactly how much to make. I was told to lean over and shake your breast to get the ducts working or rub the glands under your armpits to stimulate the milk as well. or you can always use formula as a supplement. also my son only eats about 2oz every 2-3 hrs so i don't know how much your child drinks but just plan on at least 8 oz. i think that should get you at least 4 feedings. but, always take enough just in case.also, you can freeze your milk for 2 weeks. good luck.i was told if u drink too much(liquids) it will deplete your milk.

I am in the same position as you. My little guy is about 9 weeks and I'm going back to work at the end of the month (so sad). To be honest I don't have any great suggestions for storing other than either pumping to increase your supply or supplement with formula and then pump and store the missed feeding. If you're like me this prob doesn't sound appealing because you are breastfeeding for a reason! My plan is to pump while I'm at work during the approximate times he would feed (this too might be quite challenging) and to have my childcare provider feed my boy that milk the following day. I do plan however to keep formula on hand just in case. The thought of your baby going hungry is intolerable. I think as a breastfeeding mom we're always questioning if we'll produce enough to sustain our child and I think that's a common fear. Sorry I couldn't be more help, but would you mind sharing any good advice you get with me because I'm struggling with the same issues? Oh and you might want to talk to a lactation consultant for more help. Your healthcare provider should be able to connect you. Thanks and good luck to you!

Hi Y.. I'm also surprised at the responses that tell you to "just stay home", like it's that easy. I'm sure if you could, and if you wanted to, you would. So don't even let those comments phase you. You are doing a great thing by continuing to breastfeed your baby. I also am back at work and what I do is nurse the baby when I get up in the morning (around 7:30), then I pump at work in the late morning (around 10:30), then I'm fortunate enough to see my baby at lunch and nurse him then, but if you can't, just pump again around 1:00. Then have one more pump in the afternoon around 4:00 and when you pick your daughter up from daycare, nurse her as soon as you can. You would then use the 3 bottles you pumped during the day for the next day. If you get into that routine, you should have enough fresh milk. It's still good to have some backup stored, so in order to get some extra, you'll just need to pump an extra couple times. The best times are after her morning feeding and try after she goes to bed.

Good luck and don't stress, that will make your production go down. You're doing a great job :)

I have two kids and know lots about nursing as I had many problems:
1. DRINK WATER. More than you think. Breastmilk is like 80% water. AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE GET REST. Stress more than anything contributes to low supply. Tell yourself you have enough milk.
2. You have the most milk in the morning and your supply dwindles throughout the day as your body knows you don't need as much milk in the pm. Upon waking, nurse the baby, wait about an 45 minutes, then pump. IT'S TOO HARD TO TRY TO PUMP WHILE NURSING ON THE OTHER SIDE. It's like a juggling routine, and you'll only get 1/2 the milk you need.
3. Do this again (pump 45 min.) after your second feeding. The more you pump, the more your body thinks the baby needs more milk and will produce more.
4. Store milk in coldest part of the freezer, not touching the sides of the freezer.
5. Get the Medela instant sanitizing bags for the microwave. Easiest, fastest way to clean pump supplies.
5. I think it's unrealistic to think you'll have a whole supply, just do your best to stay a couple days ahead, and try to not put pressure on yourself.
6. Beer can help. Know it takes about 4-6 hours after you drink it to appear in your milk. I still think water and the nursing mom's tea (from whole foods) is the way to go.

Good Luck!!!

I had a problem with storing breast milk and my mom suggested that i feed my son on one side then when the other side feels full to pump instead of nursing. so i tied it and it worked. also you should try to store at least 8 ounces so that she has enough to eat while you are at work

Hi Y.,

My mom has told me that soup with carrots helps. Also, drink lots of liquids. Lots. I'm not sure as to how many bags of milk, but I think you should try to store as much as possible. Just be sure you put the milk in the fridge before you put it in the freezer. Good luck!

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Keep a log of your baby's growth. http://gagazine.com/join/

Check out a milk supply-boosting tea like Mother's Milk Tea--which you could get at any health food store--that has fenugreek plus other milk-enhancing herbs like Blessed Thistle. Do you have a double-electric pump? The hospital-grade ones are the best for expressing large amounts of milk. You could try hand-expressing, too--that usually yields more. Try pumping/expressing more often, and the same times every day. Massage the breast while pumping. Try pumping on one breast while your baby nurses on the other.

Hi there.

I breastfed my son for a year and worked...so it can happen! I would start pumping in the morning for storage. If you consistently do it it'll start to up your production which will up your supply. You just need to be really regular with it. Also, stay as rested as possible and drink a ton of water. All that milk has to come from somewhere, right? Once you go back to work, I found it helpful to put "meeting notices" on my calendar everyday at the same time so that I could pump and always had that time blocked off. At lunch time, I went to see my son and nursed him then as well. It worked...

-M

Try drinking beer. BUT make sure you time it that you pump when it is not in your system anymore. It helped me and didn't hurt my little girl. Just to let you know also make sure you have lots of clean bottles, you will need it!!

Hi,

I worked with a Lactation Consultant to increase my supply and she suggested pumping twice a day for 15 minutes AFTER I feed my son. Save whatever you get - even if it's hardly anything. Everyday you can add it to your bag of breast milk and then freeze it when you have 4 oz OR after a week (whichever comes first). You should freeze amounts of 4 oz and 2 oz. When I first started doing this I hardly got anything too. But after being consistent I started seeing an increase. Now I get anywhere from 2 oz to 5 oz every time I pump. Also, you should pump at the same time every day. Good luck!

I did not read through all of the responses so this may be redundant but my advice and what worked for me is:
1. Pump every morning after the first morning feeding. If you can, also pump after the second and third feedings of the day. Even if you only get 1 ounce, it adds up. Later in the day there is less milk
2. Give your baby one bottle every day or so of pumped milk. Let your husband or someone else feed and you can pump instead. This will tell you about how much she takes in a feeding by what you pump out. Mid day is good for this.
3. Drink water, gatorade, etc all day long
4. Daycare centers will require individual bottles and will dump any left overs. Home daycare will save leftovers if you ask (typically). You'll have to pump more or supplement at a daycare center.
5. When you go to work, make sure you have pumping breaks at the same times you would normally feed your baby and make sure you still drink enough and eat your snacks.

Good luck - it should go well. I stored up an ounce or so at a time to get 3 ounce bottles and pumped at work until my baby was 12mo. She never needed formula supplement because the body really does know what to do.

when i spoke to the lactation nurses at hoag hospital they suggested pumping immediately after my son's first feeding (i guess you have the most supply in the morning). a way to increase milk supply is to pump for an additional 10 minutes after each feeding for 24-48 hours. this tip came from a nurse at the hospital and it has worked when i have noticed my supply dropping. i hope that this works

ps when i really stressed about my milk supply i would set my alarm at 3 in the morning for an extra pumping session to trick my body into thinking i was nursing more (i would suggest trying this before you go back to work because i did it while i was working and i nearly killed myself with lack of sleep