Exclusively Pumping for a preemie - need tips/tricks

[Anonymous]

I’m exclusively pumping for my 3 day old preemie. He’s healthy but not strong enough to nurse. My plan is to pump until he is able to nurse or at least until the winter is over. I have a Spectra S1 and a MomCozy S12. Any tips/tricks will be helpful and needed as my supply comes in.

[Anonymous]

Any tips/tricks?

[Anonymous]

Buy a converter that allows you to pump directly into Lansinoh storage bags (from the Spectra) or into a bottle (we use Dr. Brown's). Even if you're planning to use the milk right away and don't plan to store it, it cuts out the work of having to clean the milk storage bottles before putting them in your baby's bottles.

[Anonymous]

There are no tips/tricks. This is your life now. Pump while he sleeps, feed when he wakes, pump again when he sleeps. Repeat.

I'm sorry, I wish i had better suggestions. It just really sucks. You will get through it, but I think it is helpful to know that you aren't doing it wrong, it's just hard.

--preemie mom who made it 4 months pumping (kid never was able to nurse) before I switched to formula and regained my sanity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Buy a converter that allows you to pump directly into Lansinoh storage bags (from the Spectra) or into a bottle (we use Dr. Brown's). Even if you're planning to use the milk right away and don't plan to store it, it cuts out the work of having to clean the milk storage bottles before putting them in your baby's bottles.

I would pump into the baby's bottle if possible. But an adapter if needed to hack the flange to the bottle. If using the little hospital collection cups - you can get disposable nipples or use Dr browns caps

The problem with the bag is the measurements are never accurate especially when you're dealing with mls. And the transfer loss. In the beginning when every ml counts it matters

[Anonymous]

Stay hydrated. Rest when you can. But pumping every 2-3 hours with one 4 hour stretch overnight is really it.

Once you transition to milk from colostrum see how your early supply is. Some people start pumping ounces and ounces at 3-5 days others are still pumping nothing or just a few mls. Both are okay. It will just give you an idea of how strict you need to be

But while you're establishing supply the more times you remove milk the better.

More frequent removals over length of pump so if you can only pump 10-15 min go for it.

Utilize a wall plug in - like Spectra for most pumps but consider a portable or manual for when you're at the hospital or if you can use a symphony when there that's great! I'd always keep a Medela hand pump in the car .

[Anonymous]

I'm sorry- no magic tips. I didn't have a preemie but exclusively pumped 7 months after my kid self weaned at 6 months and was allergic to anything but amino acid formula.

If supply is an issue pump frequently ( I had to do it every 2-2.5 hours). I also found the massager/heaters very helpful. Get a good hands free bra ( I liked I think simple wishes brand) and make sure you are sized correctly for flanges. We did pump into collection bottles and then transferred to Dr. Brown bottles. We ended up buying 7 sets of flanges/cup things so we didn't need to wash and dry between use but could do it all at end of the day. It was a lot of washing.

[Anonymous]

I ended up an exclusive pumper for my #2 (due to torticollis). Honestly there were things that made it better to me than nursing with my #1 (which obviously did not go that well). DH could feed and put her to bed. which was a huge sanity help for me. With #1 it was all just me! I did it for 6 months. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

I like to batch all of my milk for a day into a larger bottle/vessel and pour bottles from it, then portion the rest into storage bags at the end of the day. Keep in mind that the bottle sizes will gradually increase until they cap out at 4-5 oz, so I’d recommend making storage bags of varying sizes, but trending towards those larger bottles if you are starting to build up a stash!

I think a lot of pumping bras are really uncomfortable (including Kindred) but my favorite brands for wearing all day are the Boobie brand one and Larken, and I also like the Bravado clip on attachment to comfier nursing bras.

If your nipples are sensitive, try the Coboo natural pumping spray from Amazon.

If you start dealing with an oversupply (which I think is easier to happen when you go straight to exclusively pumping), stretch your pumps out to every 4 hours. I think this time interval is super manageable personally!

[Anonymous]

I had a preemie. No tricks. Just pump every 3 hours. The NICU had a pump for me there so is pump in her room as well. If the NICU has a lactation consult I would use them a lot to practice putting him to breast.

[Anonymous]

All of the advice here is good but I'd add this: sometimes, your body/baby just doesn't cooperate. I tried everything under the sun, it didn't work. Fed is best and sometimes, that means formula. I would have been a happier mom had I accepted that truth earlier. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous]All of the advice here is good but I'd add this: sometimes, your body/baby just doesn't cooperate. I tried everything under the sun, it didn't work. Fed is best and sometimes, that means formula. I would have been a happier mom had I accepted that truth earlier. Good luck.[/quote]

Yes this 1000x

Our hospital had donor milk available for NICU babies and a bridge program so we could take some home. That's another option if you want to buy more time if your milk is taking time.

I thought I'd be against it but choose it and took some home. $5/ounce was too much to sustain so we did end up giving formula after a week and half. Ready to drink made me feel better knowing it's sterile. Also much easier to handle logistics of. I kept pumping around the clock and now make 15-17oz a day and baby is taking 17-20oz. They tend to cap out around 25oz a day or well 25oz is a full supply so agree with PP- consider that if you have a good supply right off the bat when freezing!

Take care of you too and no matter what the feeding journey looks like you're doing great

[Anonymous]

Sorry for not coming on here sooner. My milk came in last night. I’m pumping every 3 hours as advised by the hospital nurses. It’s varies how much I get each time - is this normal? My other questions are below

- Do you hand wash or can we just use the dishwasher and sanitize to make things easier?

- Do you think it’s best to buy a big mason jar and many store milk into it? I saw some doing that online but read you can’t mix just pumped milk with cold milk. Or is it best to store each pump session individually in bottles?

- How many pumping bras are needed? I have two.

- Is coconut oil fine to lube up the pump and my nipples before pumping?

- How long do you need to pump? I’ve read 15 minutes and some say 30 minutes.

- We were advised to wait two weeks to start trying to nurse. How often did you try to nurse while pumping?

[Anonymous]

How much output should I be getting? Which pump is best? I used the handheld Medela to pump out the colostrum. I have the Spectra S1 and MomCozy S12. So far I’ve pumped.

10:32pm: 1.65oz ( 15m)
1:31am: 1.72oz (15m)
4:35am: 2.12oz ( 18m)
7:30am: 2.25oz (18m)
10:30am: 2.55oz (20m)
1:30pm: 3.75oz (30m)

This is what I got from both sides. Is this normal? So far my son has eaten 1-1.5oz every 2-3 hours. Is this normal?

[Anonymous]

We are using the Philips Avent glass bottles.

I have just been using Medela 2oz and 5oz storage bottles.