Breastfeeding - Exclusively Pump?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would put baby on the left boob, Haakaa the right boob, freeze whatever I get, then switch for the next feeding. Sounds like right now you’re producing more than baby needs (right? He’s full from one boob so you’ve got a full boob of extra milk?) so if your supply dips a bit, so be it.

Do NOT exclusively pump dear lord. If you want, it might make sense to pump the non-baby side each morning (so, one pump a day) when you’re fullest to build a bit of a freezer stash but that’s the max I’d do.

OP here. I do not want to do this as I do not want to lose my supply. The lactation consultant I work with told me it’s too early to lower my supply because I may end up losing it.

I make around 32-40oz/day and do not want to decrease it since it isn’t that much. The lactation consultant and pediatrician said he eats 24/oz day now but will likely be eating up to 32oz/day by 3 months.

Your baby is only 4 wks. It takes time for both of you to adjust. As he eats more your supply will increase. It is really easy in these early stages to get freaked out by what everyone is telling you but it seems like you are doing just fine. Single side feeding is a totally normal thing. That with a hand held should be fine until the two of you get a schedule going.

[Anonymous]

I don't understand why you are pumping milk your baby didn't need. Just switch him to the other breast before he is finished. Another idea is to switch boobs every feeding. I would always switch breasts to start the feed. Your body will make enough for your child there is no need to pump.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would put baby on the left boob, Haakaa the right boob, freeze whatever I get, then switch for the next feeding. Sounds like right now you’re producing more than baby needs (right? He’s full from one boob so you’ve got a full boob of extra milk?) so if your supply dips a bit, so be it.

Do NOT exclusively pump dear lord. If you want, it might make sense to pump the non-baby side each morning (so, one pump a day) when you’re fullest to build a bit of a freezer stash but that’s the max I’d do.

OP here. I do not want to do this as I do not want to lose my supply. The lactation consultant I work with told me it’s too early to lower my supply because I may end up losing it.

I make around 32-40oz/day and do not want to decrease it since it isn’t that much. The lactation consultant and pediatrician said he eats 24/oz day now but will likely be eating up to 32oz/day by 3 months.

Please don't worry about losing your supply. It sounds like you're doing a great job breastfeeding and it is hard to do. Your body will make enough milk for your baby. When your child needs more milk your body will naturally make it. Supply can go up and down with your child's need. There is no need to pump and make extra milk when you don't want to. Breastfeeding exclusively is hard enough. I breastfed for 3 years and never pumped. Believe in your body's magical ability to regulate and feed your baby like it was made to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would put baby on the left boob, Haakaa the right boob, freeze whatever I get, then switch for the next feeding. Sounds like right now you’re producing more than baby needs (right? He’s full from one boob so you’ve got a full boob of extra milk?) so if your supply dips a bit, so be it.

Do NOT exclusively pump dear lord. If you want, it might make sense to pump the non-baby side each morning (so, one pump a day) when you’re fullest to build a bit of a freezer stash but that’s the max I’d do.

OP here. I do not want to do this as I do not want to lose my supply. The lactation consultant I work with told me it’s too early to lower my supply because I may end up losing it.

I make around 32-40oz/day and do not want to decrease it since it isn’t that much. The lactation consultant and pediatrician said he eats 24/oz day now but will likely be eating up to 32oz/day by 3 months.

Please don't worry about losing your supply. It sounds like you're doing a great job breastfeeding and it is hard to do. Your body will make enough milk for your baby. When your child needs more milk your body will naturally make it. Supply can go up and down with your child's need. There is no need to pump and make extra milk when you don't want to. Breastfeeding exclusively is hard enough. I breastfed for 3 years and never pumped. Believe in your body's magical ability to regulate and feed your baby like it was made to do.

This is not true for many people. A supply isn’t established for 12 weeks and this can cause her to lose her supply. Many women have low supply and their bodies don’t magically make more when their child needs. OP is making a normal amount of milk and her baby will end up needing it in 1-2 months.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why you are pumping milk your baby didn't need. Just switch him to the other breast before he is finished. Another idea is to switch boobs every feeding. I would always switch breasts to start the feed. Your body will make enough for your child there is no need to pump.

If she switches before he is full to eat form both breasts he will not get any of the fatty milk. This can cause weight gain issues and she will likely lose her supply and have to supplement.

[Anonymous]

I would keep pumping and keep your supply up until he increases his food intake. My babies at started eating 32oz/day by 3 months.

[Anonymous]

The latching gets easier as baby grows. I pumped and fed for two or three months before I got her to latch 100% of the time. It was worth it.

[Anonymous]

I would give yourself two more weeks. If you're still miserable, switch to formula. By then the baby has gotten the biggest benefits from breastfeeding anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would give yourself two more weeks. If you're still miserable, switch to formula. By then the baby has gotten the biggest benefits from breastfeeding anyway.

bizarre comment- she currently has an oversupply. my baby is almost 6 months and still doesn't need 40 oz a day. our pediatrician said on the high end she needs 29-32 oz now. i'd focus less on trying to preserve oversupply. i did triple feed for a month and it was so exhausting. use haaka or hand express/manual pump after to catch extra but no need to pump up extra supply.

my supply fluctuates between oversupply/undersupply on any given week- but my worst fear about losing supply would be having to heat bottles in middle of the night and pump, so much easier to nurse then and on the go.

[Anonymous]

Yeah there is something missing in this OP, unless your kid isn’t gaining weight you’re pumping to create an over supply. You may just have high capacity boobs and your kid only want one, or swap them in the middle of the feed. I would do 10 mins on one side then swap, he would do 10-15 on the other side and that was the feed. No pumping required

[Anonymous]

I'm an exclusive pumper (premie wouldn't latch, didn't produce enough milk). While I wish I had tried to BF my little one a bit longer (less washing bottles, easier at night), there are some nice advantages, the main one being flexibility to be away for more than 3 hours or being able to sleep a bit longer if you have others around you who can feed your kiddo. Maybe try to introduce a bottle for one feeding to have that flexibility? Do what's best for you, every situation is different.

Regardless, 30-40 oz is an amazing supply! Keep it up, be kind to yourself, you're doing great

[Anonymous]

I don’t get this at all. Your current plan just stimulates oversupply. Just let the baby eat off one breast and then at the next feeding offer the opposite breast. Your supply will regulate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The latching gets easier as baby grows. I pumped and fed for two or three months before I got her to latch 100% of the time. It was worth it.

OP here. We don’t have any latch issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would give yourself two more weeks. If you're still miserable, switch to formula. By then the baby has gotten the biggest benefits from breastfeeding anyway.

OP here. I’m not switching to formula. I make plenty of milk and eats just fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would give yourself two more weeks. If you're still miserable, switch to formula. By then the baby has gotten the biggest benefits from breastfeeding anyway.

bizarre comment- she currently has an oversupply. my baby is almost 6 months and still doesn't need 40 oz a day. our pediatrician said on the high end she needs 29-32 oz now. i'd focus less on trying to preserve oversupply. i did triple feed for a month and it was so exhausting. use haaka or hand express/manual pump after to catch extra but no need to pump up extra supply.

my supply fluctuates between oversupply/undersupply on any given week- but my worst fear about losing supply would be having to heat bottles in middle of the night and pump, so much easier to nurse then and on the go.

OP here. The pediatrician and lactation consultant said he would eat closer to 32oz/day by 3 months. Most of my friends who breastfeed ( track with scale), exclusively pump, or formula feed had babies taking in 28-32oz by 2-3 months and that stayed until like 9/10 months.