I am the proud Mommy of a 2 1/2 week old little boy who was 4 weeks early and only 4# 9oz when we left the hospital! I had no idea how much love there could be in my life until he came!! I was very lucky that he has taken to breastfeeding like an old pro and because of his size, I was advised to nurse him every 2 hours until he started to put on some weight. We are at the point now where we are trying to stretch out feedings to 3 hours at night and on demand during the day (seeming to be every 2-3hours). I want to be able to increase my milk production so that I can start pumping and saving milk for when I try to introduce a bottle at 6 weeks. I will only be working 2 days a week, but Daddy wants to feed him too! Since we have a deep freeze, I thought I would start saving as soon as I can. Even though he feeds often, its only for 10 minutes on each breast so I don't think I am making a whole lot of milk. I am looking for any advice on how to work this all out - what kind of schedule I should have and how often I should pump. I was told that pumping after he feeds will help increase the supply but I don't want to get engorged. What do you ladies think? Any advice is welcome! Thank you!!
the web site kellymom.com has a ton of useful information about breastfeeding. good luck!
pump after nursing
drink lots of water
mothers milk tea
fenugreet
relax and get as much sleep as possible when resting you will produce more so take a day nap if you can
I think moms these days think way too hard about this sort of thing - and worry too much :) Your boy is doing just fine. Lots of babies - mine included - NEVER stretch their feedings out to 3-4 hours. My son ate every 2 hours like clockwork until he was 4 or 5 months old. 10 minutes on each breast sounds fine to me. Some babies are "hit and run" eaters (my son was) while others settle in for a liesurely 45 minute meal. Be glad you have a fast eater! As he gets bigger (2.5 weeks is still really young) he will naturally stretch it out at night. i know it's killer for now but hang in there.
You can pump after a feeding to make more milk, but if you're exclusively breastfeeding him, he'll do just fine helping you regulate - no pumping necessary. If you want to pump to store up some extra for your husband to bottle feed him, try pumping one side while nursing him on the other. You'll also get more in the mornings than later in the day.
T.:
congratulations.... I am sure that you are doing fine. There is no "time" that breastfeeding "should" take any more than there is an appropriate amount of time it takes you to eat.
Some of us eat more often some less. One is not right or wrong.
I would recommend pumping in the morning. We have more milk in the morning and richer milk at night. - if you pump 1 oz. each morning in a week you will have 7 ounces. It accumulates quickly.
P., RLC, IBCLC
Pres. Lactation Support Group, Inc
www.lactationsupportgroup.com
Actually I think it's the opposite- if he is only nursing for 10 minutes each side he is probably getting plenty and your production is fine.
I think I would try adding a pumping session between two feedings at a time when you think you would pump at your job. You may have to wait a little longer until the feedings spread out a bit more. I would probably wait until he is at least 4 weeks old to try pumping or bottle feeding. Right now he is still getting the hang of the breast and the breasts are still getting the hang of him.
If you are concerned about supply a hospital grade rental pump or dual electric pump are usually he most effective at maintaining supply.
Good luck and congrats on the babe and being able to nurse a preemie.
I had this exact question myself, and I am attending a breast feeding support group today. I want to start storing some frozen supply for when I go back to work part time. I did receive some literature from the Lactation dept at discharge, and it says that pumping after your morning feeding is best because you do have more of a supply. As long as you stay consistent with putting the baby on your breast, I don't think you will get engorged. If I find out anything else, I will email you.
