Seeking Breastfeeding Moms Who Have Returned to Work

Just buy a good breast pump and take it to work, start pumping right now and store it for later. Breast milk will last for six monts in the freezer. Good luck!

My co-worker feeds her baby an entire feeding on one side and pumps the other. The milk that's pumped is put into the freezer. She was told to do the feedings this way by a gastro. (He said the baby was only getting foremilk when she was doing 10 min. on ea. side.) It worked to get her freezer stocked before she came back to work! Hope this helps.

Hello, I too was determined to breast feed my son upon my return to work. I return when he was 9 weeks old. I pumped twice a day or whenever I got a chance. IT was hard. I really wanted to spend my free time with my co-workers. Not alone in a conf room pumping. I always thought of stopping! But it was too important to give up. So i continued. He is now 14mos old and I still nurse him and now trying to wean. once he was 6-7 mos old I stopped pumping and only nursed him when we were together. Ususally first thing before he went to the nanny/ child care and right when I arrived home. Then he would nurse when he wanted to during the evening. It worked out that way. He would sometimes take formula in a bottle. other times he wouldn't and the nanny had to feed him rice cereal mixed with formula. He only wanted me, no bottle! although he did take it in the beginning. I had the best luck with the Playtex nursers with the bags. I hope this helps! You will feel so good about yourself if you continue. It is hard, but so worth it!

Good luck!!!

L.

Hi M.! I'm a mommy of an 8 month old little boy. I've been breast feeding since he was born & want to continue until he is 1 year old. I returned to work in February & it has been very tough with the breast feeding & pumping. It�s a lot of work & I consider it to be one of my "duties." I never get to stock my freezer. Its pretty much a daily feeding/pumping routine for me. One of my friends referres to it as �booby bootcamp. � I wake up 30 minutes early everyday & pump each breast for at least 10 minutes. Even if nothing is coming out it stimulates your breast to eventually produce more milk. Then I pump once during my work day. Normally during my lunch hour in a closed/locked office. Lunch hour is no longer mine! You might want to talk to someone in your HR department at work about securing a place for you to pump at work. Then once I get home the baby is usually ready to eat so I breast feed & then pump. I've gotten in the habit of trying to pump every time after he eats (excluding the middle of the night feedings). It really is a daily battle for me to just pump enough bottles to get him through my next day at work. But somehow it just works out. You also have to drink LOTS of water & eat high protein foods. Especially right after pumping/feeding. It helps replenish YOU after all that feeding & pumping & helps your body to produce more milk. Breast feeding is REALLY tough in the first few months but if you can get through it only gets better.

I pumped for 18n months for my daughter, so I speak from experience ;-)
You don't mention how young your son is, but I am guessing fairly young if he is still eating that much. I would suggest pumping first thing in the a.m., when your breasts are most full, or in the evening if he falls asleep before emptying your breasts (if he nurses for a shorter peiod on a given night). Also, because your body produces milk at the time of day that the baby needs it, you will have to start to set up a time to pump that would correspond to the times you anticipate pumping at work. For example, i pumped around 10 am, 1pm (lunch) and 4 pm when I was at work (ok, often I missed the 4pm due to meetings and I ended up pumping in the car on my home!)....but the point is, you'll want your body to be producing enough milk during those times of the day so that when you get back to work, your breasts will be full and ready to pump at those times.
Yes, at the beginning it will be hard,a nd you'll feel like a cow with feeding at the breast and pumping 24/7, but it really will be worth it for him once you head back into work.

As for freezing, you don't need to combine. I often froze bags with just 2 ounces of milk, when other bags had 4oz, and some even six, depending on how well I did pumping. If he needs 4 oz, it can always be made up of two, 2oz. bags. it's also helpful for the caregiver, when they're not sure if the baby is hungry or not--why waste a full 4 oz bag if the baby's not ready to eat yet? Just taking out a 2 oz bag is better...you can always add to it.

And, as for defrosting, what worked best for us was to put water in a coffee mug, heat that to boiling, then take it out, give it a quick stir, then plop the frozen bag of breatmilk into the mug (it will float, so be sure the mug doesn't have too much water in it).

Good luck! aND A goood online resource is breastfeeding.com, or nursingmom.net for questions like this! La Leche Leage also has a site.... lalecheleague.org

I wish you luck--and always seek the support you need. More moms should try this!

Oh, and remember, whenever I felt guilty about "taking the time" to pump at work, I reminded myself that I worked with people who took three or more "smoke breaks" a day--and wasn;t this a MUCH better use of 20 minutes?

--J.

http://familydoctor.org/828.xml

go to this website may be this can answer your questions.. I think it has important information that can help. If this website doesn't help try do do a google search and you can get different websites with information. When you search just type the question. like, storing breast milk.

Thank you. :)

Hey M.,
You can definitely pump after every feed. This way you are completely draining your breasts and then they can refill. As you know, the more you feed and pump, the more you make. Also, you have more milk right when you wake up. Therefore, I make myself wake up 15 min before my 3mo old wakes up I pump. I store that amount then I breast feed him. Then I put myself on a strict schedule everyday. I would pump and every 3 hrs (and always right before I go to bed). It can be tiresome and frustrating, but you will have some stock for when you return to work. Now that I set myself on a 3 hr schedule. I continue to do that now that I am working. Therefore, I am still freezing and have plenty to take to daycare everyday. I could go on and on abt this. If you are having production issues, look into taking Fenugreek and Blessed Thistle to increase the amt you are making. You start by taking 4 tablets ea 3x/d. They worked wonders for me. Hope this helps. C.

there are quite a few things you can do . the first being pump early in the mornings when your milk is most pentiful, pump after feedings that you find will be around when you would pump at work, pump and extra time in the am if you can to start to stock up. you can freeze it for 3-6 months and in a deep freezer for 12 months. I do free breastfeeding counceling at babies r us on okeechoobee blvd. If youd like to come one time and ask questions your more than welcome. or you can email me at ____@____.com . i can send you a lot of info about pumping and going back to work as well. theres a plethera of info out there i just dont want ot overwhelm you .

Here are a few links that should help you out:

http://lalecheleague.org/vbulletin/

http://www.lalecheleague.org/helpform.html

http://www.lalecheleague.org/cbi/cbi.html

http://www.lalecheleague.org/NB/NBstorage.html

http://www.lalecheleague.org/NB/NBpumping.html

http://www.lalecheleague.org/NB/NBworking.html

These should give you pretty much everything you're wanting to know! Good for you for breastfeeding AND continuing after a return-to-work!

Hi M.,

I was reading the responses and I haven�t seen this idea yet, so I thought I�d throw it out there.

Do you *have* to return to work? If so, does it have to be full time?

If you can put off returning to work until after your son is weaned, then it will be one less thing to worry about. Or, if you can return to work only part time, it won�t be as difficult a transition for you both.

I have the medela pump. I also was concerend with milk issues after returning to work. Here is what I did. I would pump around the schedule feeding in the restroom at work. Or set up two times a day. If your still nursing at night your body should adjust the milk supply to what he is eating. The milk is good for around six to seven days. Keep a cooler under the desk or in the locker. You can freeze and rotate or just use fresh milk. This worked out great for me!

Enjoy it!!

What great advice from everyone.

Hi M., first let me say don't ever give up BREAST MILK IS THE BEST MILK. My daughter nursed every 2 1/2- 3 hours like clockwork. When I decided to return to work my first thought was to bottle feed, however, she refused the taste so I began pumping while she was asleep and after she would nurse. It worked. I was able to store so much milk and still have more than enough for her. Give it a try hopefully it will work for you. And by the way, my daughter is now a healthy 3 years old weighing 37 pounds, very active, and never took a bottle or pacifier. Does she still nurse?....... COME ON!!!!!!!!!!The girls teeth chew chicken now and I would definetly not let them near me after the way she eats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Anyway, I hope everything works out for you and your son. Just don't give up. Have a GREAT DAY! M.

The Dr. Sears Breastfeeding handbook offers great suggestions--available at the library. I stock piled my breast mile (I even pumped on one breast while my child nursed the other!!!) I could get 8 oz at a go!!!! Couldn't believe it and I was using an Avent Isis hand pump of all things!!!

Good luck. Many women successfully do it- once you get the hang of it, it will be easier.
D.

Hey there, I too am a first time mom and plan to return to work in a busy veterinary hospital on Sept 13th. My daughter is now 3 weeks old and I have already began pumping a week ago. I get close to 2 ounces per breast if I pump long enough and I just put the date/time on the milk storage bag so I know which needs to be used first. It can stay in the freezer up to 3 months frozen, after thawed-dont refreeze-just put in fridge if any left, but is only good for 24 hours after that. Sometimes I pump the left breast while she is feeding from the right. Other times I pump both breasts after she has finished eating. I try to get in one good pumping in the middle of the night as well after she has eaten. Just remember, all this pumping is going to increase your milk supply so beware of engorgement problems, you will have to start pumping more often. You can always bring a lunch box cooler w/ice packs to store your milk when you start back to work and just pump at least 2-3 times your work day if it is an 8 hour period. Hope this helps, good luck!

The only thing I can tell you is to start pumping now to build up your supply. I've never been able to get more than 2 oz out of each pumping TOTAL. I think I'm an exception, though. Other people I know could get 6 oz total from each pumping. I wonder if I'd started pumping earlier if I'd have more milk.

M.,
Congrats on BFing this far! The best thing to do is contact your local LLL. I will include some links to help. Please feel free to contact me for support at ____@____.com son is six months old today and we exclusively BF.
Good luck! :)
FAQ on Pumping Frequency
http://www.lalecheleague.org/FAQ/pumpfreq.html
I'm pumping my milk to feed my baby, but my supply is going down. What can I do?
http://www.lalecheleague.org/FAQ/pumpwork.html
FAQ on Returning to Work
http://www.lalecheleague.org/FAQ/returnwork.html
Human Milk Storage Information
http://www.lalecheleague.org/FAQ/milkstorage.html

I was in your shoes once and I pumped my milk ahead of time and froze it what was then the plastic nurser bags. It worked fine. Away for me, really didn't mean my presence wasn't there for my baby. The more you pump, the more the milk will come down.
Best to you.

I nursed all three of my kids and pumped when I returned to work. I tried to "Stock up" on Bmilk before I went back. Do what you can, but don't make yourself crazy. I am a teacher and had only 1 time a day when I could pump. With my first child, I had been pumping so much prior to returning to work that I was in a LOT of pain when I couldn't unload the bmilk that my body had become used to producing. I learned from that experience to use what I could comfortably provide, and give them formula the other times. You do what you can! All three of my kids continued to nurse every morning, afternoon, and night until about 1 year old. They are healthy, intelligent, and happy and are none the wiser that I snuck that formula in! :) Wokring and having children is stressful as it is; don't stress over the milk issue! Good luck!

Hi M. and congratulations!! I have 2 boys, 6 yo and 3 yo, and I exclusively breastfed both of them for the first year of their lives. I returned to work with my pump in hand! What I did prior to returning was pump first thing in the morning while I was nursing and then throughout the day as I was nursing. It helps the milk flow better and you get a better supply going. The more you breastfeed/pump the more your body will produce. It is a supply and demand process! Make sure you are drinking plenty of fluids. After pumping you freeze it, and remember to put the date on it, and tell your caregiver not to microwave the milk. When you are at work you will probably want/need to pump every couple of hours to keep your supply up. And again drink plenty of fluids. I hope this helps! Best wishes! G.

Hi M.,
Breastfeeding was a tough road for me too, but I'm now almost to 6 months and it's going well. I didn't start storing until about a month before I went back to work too, so you've got plenty of time. I usually would pump in the morning after I fed her. I'd feed my daughter with one breast and then pump the other. Both breasts were full in the morning so it wasn't taking away from her.
Are you going to be able to pump at work? I hope so. If you are, then the amount you need in your freezer is really just what you need to get you through the first day and then what you need in case of an emergency. Actually, I haven't used any frozen milk yet b/c the first day I went back we used milk I had pumped the week before.
Hope this helps! Good luck and it's worth it!
Jenn

Hi M.,
I have 4 children and BFed all. You didn't mention how old the baby is. Your breast mild grows with your baby, so in the begining you must put times on the milk to make sure the milk is used in the correct order. I pumped directly into one of those bottles with the bags so I didn't have to touch the milk and I could write on the bag and freeze the bag without contamination. Then when I was ready for it, I could just thaw it in the bag and use the bottle or transfer it to a regular bottle, again w/o touching it. I guess it's ok to combine milk after a while, but if he is a newborn you must write times and not combine. Pump whenever it feels comfortable for you.

Hi - It sounds like you have the desire to continue to BF once returning to work so I am sure you will be successful! BF'ing was not easy for me at first, but we both soon found our rhythym and it became easier - even with me returning to work.

My son is now 3 (and I am due at the end of this month with #2), but I continued to pump and feed him until he weaned himself at 10 1/2 months. I pumped three times a day at work (about every 2 - 3 hours, so I was in sinc with him once I got home). I also increased my water intake while away as this helped me produce more milk. When I was with him (at nights and the weekends) we only nursed so that my supply was more than ample. Most likely you will go through some transition periods as you introduce solids and he does not take as much milk, but your body will self regulate. Once he started to do this, I decreased my pumping sessions to twice a day and then finally once a day. If at one session I did not get enough milk to satisfy him I would combine the bottles from two sessions and occasionally I did have to supplement with formula (although not very often).

I hope this helps!
B.

Hi M.,

I think you've made a really wonderful decision. It won't be easy, but you sound committed. I returned to work when my daughter was 12 weeks old and continued to breastfeed until she was 15 months old. The overall suggestion I can provide is to pump as much as you can and stock up as much as possible. Even though you'll be pumping at work, I definitely hit some supply and demand challenges along the way. I remember dissolving into tears one day when I realized I had left a bag of milk sitting on the counter to spoil. I did have to supplement with formula occasionally (1-2x a week or so?) and I don't think the bambina suffered too much :)

Here's an article on some of the logistics (I was interviewed for part of it): http://www.investors.com/breakingnews.asp?journalid=31450...

Can't think of what else to tell you. If you have any specific questions, please feel free to email me directly at ____@____.com. I feel like I encountered just about every possible barrier to breastfeeding!

Best of luck,
J.

I breast-fed after returning to work. My company has a breast-feeding program and provides mom's a private area to pump and even provided the pump free of charge. The lactation consultant suggested that I start increasing my milk supply and suggested an herb that you can obtain at GNC called fenugreek. Its a licorice tasting herb from the fennel family. After several days I did notice an increase in supply. Your body will adjust to the demands placed on it from pumping to nursing, too. I continued this until my son was about 8 months old. He adjusted smoothly from bottle to breast too.

If you have access to a lactation consultant (maybe through your breast feeding services at the hospital you delivered at) definately ask her for some guideance.

Best Wishes,

R.

Will you be in a position to feed him directly at any point during your work day?

Although, I haven't had to do this (fortunatley) I do try to counsel women on the subjject (I'm a doula)

Pump full bottles, but only freeze in 2-4 oz increments, so that the caregiver isn't waisting your milk by trying to feed him everytime he peeps. Pump the same time (s) everyday so that your body recognizes when it needs to make that extra milk...that'll also help on days off when you are able to feed with the breast. To help increase milk supply for pumping (if it's a problem) try diffusing the essential oil, clary sage when you are pumping...you can even just put it on your feet.

While preparing the freezer, before returing to work..go ahead and pump after you feed and combine, like you suggested.

There is a really neat book about women nursing after they go back to work called Hirikis Daughters...it's kind of uplifting.

HTH.

S. Mills
Touched By An Angel
Childbirth Services, Inc.

Hi,
I exclusively breastfed 2 children and worked. I went back to work @ 12 weeks with the last one, and I agree it is not easy...but know that it does get easier as you go along. I would recommend you buy a book called nursing mother, working mother by Gayle Pryor, excellent source of information. I'd be happy to talk to you by phone. Email me privately, and I will send number. How old is your son?

here is what i did: a couple of weeks before going back to work i started pumping in between feeding sessions in order to start stocking up. it took a couple of days to start getting enough from pumping, and it is very time consuming, but it's the only way to have the milk for those first few days you're gone. then when i started at work i pumped throughout the day at the times when my son would normally be feeding, and used it the following day in bottles for my son to eat. it's tough at first but then it all works out. good luck.

Keep at it!! The more you pump the more your body will produce. I usually waited about 1 hour to pump after my son nursed. It's the whole supply and demand thing. The more you pumpp and nurse the more your body will product. Drink lots of water!!! It is extremely tough sometimes but so worth it. My son is done nursing and I miss the bond that we had while nursing. trust me there were days when I wanted to just go out and buy formula. Good Luck :)

Hi M.,

I returned to work when my son was 12 weeks old and I continued to BF. I found myself not having as much time to BF when I was at work, because I only got 1 lunch break during the day. So what I started doing was pump on one side while my son was on the other. That way I could freez what I pumped. I BF'd for a 1 year so when he started to transition to baby food I would continue to pump on the same schedule that way I wound't run out. I mean honestly it just worked out and became a way of life for me. Some times I would double pump and have my husband bottle feed him Breast Milk. It was very successful. Well I hope that helps and good luck with BFing.

That is precisely what you do. You can combine your breadt milk and save it that way, or you can breast and formula feed. One thing that worked for me was having my new born son (1 month) on one breast and pumping the other. I got a good 6 ounces out of one. Then i would switch him to the one I just pumped and pump the one he was suckling on and got a good 6 ounces out of that one. Make sure to also stay well hydrated (recommendation 6-8 glasses a day). Good luck!!!

Hi M.,

I also breastfed my children while working full time. Before I started back, I pumped a little extra. I would pump halfway between feedings. I pumped at night, sacrificing a little more sleep. Your body gets used to the more frequent "feedings" and will produce a little more. You won't be able to stock up a whole lot at first, so start as soon as you can. As your baby gets older, and your child care provider begins combining the milk with a little cereal, the feedings will go farther. I am a teacher, so at work I pumped at every recess and lunch and afterschool, keeping a cooler handy and then freezing. after 4 months, I started drying up as my students needed me at recess for extra help, and so I couldn't pump. But every month you can do it makes all the difference!! My kids are very healthy, and have never had an ear infection.

Congratulations on your new baby! I am a pediatric emergency physician and returned to work while exclusively breastfeeding all 3 of my kids. Here's how I did it.

Stored lots of milk before I went back by putting pump on one side while baby nursed on other side, esp in morning. The baby nursing will give you a great milk letdown. I always worried that I'd be cheating the baby out of milk but if I did switch the baby to the pumped side after finishing the nursed side, they never seemed dissatisfied.

I did become good at pumping one side while in the car! Not too hard if you wear nursing tops.

I sneaked away whenever I could at work, and pumped when I could.

Don't get stressed if it's harder for the milk to let down at work. You're still getting the stimulation and you'll keep producing plenty. Just stock up on what you can pump during nursing sessions.

In a NICU you have a huge advantage I expect, because there's probably a place you can go to pump.

I never gave any formula to any of my babies, and was able to breastfeed exclusively until close to 2 years of age for all of them. As you'll see, once they start solids their need for breastmilk is diminishing and you won't be pumping as often, etc.

Best of luck!

J.

M.,

I started storing milk in the freezer 2 months before I started back at work. I would nurse my daughter on the right side and then pump from the left side afterwards and vice versus. After doing this for a little while my milk supply increased and it was no problem. I would normally only pump first thing in the morning when I was the fullest and maybe one other time during the day so my daughter was able to have enough to eat. The stored supply of milk really came in handing once I started at work. Once I started back at work I would pump every 3 hrs from both sides so I was able to pump more milk then my daughter would eat since she normally only feed from one side every 3 hrs this created extra milk to store as well. Good luck!

B.

God, do I sympathize with you. It's hard to stockpile at the same time when the baby eats so much. I breastfed my daughter for six months, and it was tough. Most times she wouldn't make it to three hours, even though every other mother I talked to said their babies went 4hrs between feedings. Katie gained weight the entire time, so she was getting enough. I never found out exactly why, maybe it was because she ate so much, maybe it was because I didn't make enough milk; the doctor and lactation consultant both said the pump just didn't stimulate my let-down. Anyway, I was never very successful with pumping. Most times I only got out 2-3 ounces - and that was from both breasts when she skipped a feeding. Once a day, we'd give her Pedialyte to replace a feeding to help with gas pains. It really helped. When she had that feeding, I pumped. I combined milk pumped at different pumping sessions within a 36hr period until I had enough for one feeding, then froze it. How have you done so far with the pumping? How much are you getting out? How old is your son? Will he be starting solid foods anytime soon? If so, that would help too because you'd have more time between feedings and could pump when he eats solid food. Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that if you have difficulty, or if you just can't get enough out, it isn't necessarily something you're doing wrong, sometimes it just happens that way. Such a confusing business, breastfeeding, isn't it?

M.,
I have 2 girls and went back to work at 6 weeks with both. I breast fed both exclusively for 6 months...it is doable, but very demanding on you and you must be determined. I think you should try to have your baby go a little longer between feedings...if he is sleeping, don't wake him up to feed him, instead pump and freeze your milk. Then, when he wakes up you'll still be able to nurse him. I tried to pump at least once a day. I was very efficient though and would get a lot of milk which helps. Stock up on as much breast milk as you can and you'll be able to do it. When I went back to work I would pump during the day to produce enough milk for the feedings my baby was having during the day and then I would pump one last time at night when my daughter went to sleep. I hope this helps. Be diligent and you'll be able to do it! Good Luck.

The best advice I got when I was nursing is that it's not the quantity at each feeding that matters, but the frequency of the feedings - the more often milk is demanded, the more you will produce. So, if you want to stock up, pump in between feedings for a while - you won't get much at first, but your body will adjust. Or, if your baby already feeds every few hours, try pumping one breast and then offering him the other side. He'll likely want to nurse sooner the next time to make up for the smaller quantity, which will force your body to up its production. It pretty much works the same way as when baby goes through a growth spurt - they eat more frequently because they're not getting all they want at one feeding, and eventually, your body catches on and simply starts making more. also, once you're at work, pump at least every 3 hours, because pumping is less efficient than a baby is nursing, and your body will respond by gradually decreasing the milk production!
You'll get the hang of it, I pumped for almost a year... it can be done.
Good luck!
S.

Hi M.,
I had to pump and store the 6 weeks that my dd was in the nicu, and we were told by our lactation consultant not to mix them unless ur feeding it to the child but not to freeze and then add more onto that and freeze....I dont know exactly why not but that is what we were told. By the time she came home we had over 300 of those little bottles from the nicu and it wasnt easy to pump and then feed and what not.....about you not having enough, it depends on how much you pump for and how many times a day. I drank the mothers milk tea from the whole foods store, it doesnt taste too great but it works like a charm. The lactation consultant at holmes was great.
best of luck
J.

WWW.KELLYMOM.COM

HTH, S.

When I pumped before I went back to work, I pumped an hour after feeding.

Good luck for starters. If your son has only been on the breast there is a pretty good chance that he may NOT take a bottle. But if he does I would suggest pumping and starting him on the bottle a couple times a day before you go back. I had a lot of problems in this area also. I could not get my daughter to take a bottle and went thru 3 sitters in 2 weeks because all she did was cry cry cry, she would NOT take a bottle. I had to forget about work and stay at home. Also keep in mind that frozen thawed bmilk tastes completely different than fresh milk. But once you do go back to work, take that pump with you cuz youre gonna need it. You will get so full at work that your gonna hurt. If you can pump on breaks a few times a day, and maybe again right before you get home to feed him, your freezer stock should get full in no time. Just make sure to date and keep it fresh. Im sure the lactation consultant at work can give you some ideas as well. Also, just incase, you probably dont want to pump from the same breast after you feed him, cuz he will drain you out, and trying to pump will hurt and youll get nothing. Plus if you do get anything it will be the much thinner,lighter milk and it probably wont keep his tummy full as long and you will have to pump twice as much(as well as bottle feed him twice as much). If you really want to do it you can, your body will produce milk based on his demand, if you need more you will make it.

It's been a while (my son is now 4), but I still have pretty vivid memories of returning to work and breastfeeding. I started stockpiling a few weeks before (check, cuz I don't remember how long you can freeze breastmilk, make sure you label and date the milk). I would pump after feeding and then freeze. I also started taking Fenugreek which is helps milk production (it comes in pills in the vitamin section of the drug store). I don't know how your milk production is, but I had issues and had to supplement later on with formula. It wasn't my ideal, but you do what you have to do. The most important thing, of course, is your baby getting enough. Does your baby take a bottle now? If not, you might want to incorporate some of the frozen milk in a bottle into his diet now in case it takes him a while to adjust to bottle feeding (some do). Actually, you might consider (once you have some milk saved up) feeding from the bottle during the day (when you would be at work) and breastfeeding at night. I also tried incorporating a "false" feeding where I would just pump even though it wasn't time for a baby feeding. Supposedly, your body will make more milk if it thinks more is required. It didn't work for me, but again, I was having problems producing enough milk anyhway. Although I did make it 9 months before I had to start supplementing (my son just couldn't get enough). I don't know if this helps at all. Sometimes just knowing others have gone through the same thing is the biggest help. If you have any specific questions, feel free to email me. And good luck! Remember you have to do what feels right and works for you.

Hi M.,

Don't worry you have plenty of time, unlike you I just started pumping and storing the week before I started back to work....yikes...anyhoo, my daughter started daycare when she was 12 weeks old and I send 5 5.oz bottles per day. I pump after she feeds in the morning and then 2 times at work and again in the evening. I know that I have to play catch up so I am going to try to pump more while at work, say every 2 hours or so...so that I am at least pumping three times a week.

Anyhoo,

I hope that that is somewhat heplful even though are situations are different a lactation consultant or the internet may help also.

Take care,
M. D

Hi M. -

Onee way that I started my stockpile of breasticles (what I call frozen breastmilk) is that I would start off in the morning by pumping one breast while I was feeding off the other. I found that I have the most milk supply first thing in the morning, so it was easy for my son to get enough and still pump enough for another feeding. You can also pump one breast exclusively while feeding off the other.

Another option you can do is pump both for at least ten minutes after the first feeding. Oh, and when you do pump - I recommend at least 20 minutes on a full breast.

Once you get a good few days worth of milk, you should be OK to pump at work and then feed your child with that milk the next day. By the time my son was 3 months, I had to go back to work, too, an at that point, I had him eating at 8, 11, 2:30, and 5:30, so I was able to time it out so that I pumped first thing in the morning, and he got three bottles (8, 11, 2:30), and by the time I picked him up and got home, I nursed him at 5:30 and again at bedtime.

Hope this helps!