building a freezer stash...

missangie · Apr 6th, 2012, 00:46 AM

I am so stressed out about whether or not I have an undersupply of milk and here is why...

My baby is almost 4 weeks old and I have been breastfeeding him since day 1 and when he was 2 weeks I started to pump once a day to start to build a freezer stash. I have a medela freestyle double electric pump and the first time I pumped I did it right after I fed my LO and got .5 ounces. (yes, 1/2 an ounce!) I cried, I really expected to get more. I came on here and someone mentioned to do it in the morning because you produce more milk then and to also wait 45 min to an hour after I feed LO and then pump. I have been doing that now and have never pumped more then 2.5 ounces total. Often it is only 1.5 ounces.

On another forum alot of moms were mentioning 6-10 ounces and now Im worried. What is normal, what is not? How can I pump more? My biggest fear isnt that I wont have a freezer stash its more that maybe if thats all Im pumping, maybe I just dont have a lot of milk being produced and maybe my LO isnt getting what he needs...

any advice or tips?

mummyruston · Apr 6th, 2012, 02:05 AM

No advice as such as I pump
In a morning and only manage 1-2oz max!

I also block feed through the night on my right breast and then pump my left.

Ive been told to eat porridge for breakfast and invest in fenugreek supplements to boost milk supply...

KerryGold · Apr 6th, 2012, 02:10 AM

I always pump in the morning before I BF LO (or at the same time is the most efficient technique but I don't know if you can do one breast only on a double?)

Babies are MUCH more effective at getting the milk out than a pump, so 1 don't judge how much milk your LO is getting from a pumped volume and 2 pumping shortly after a feed means your LO has drained your boobs!

As long as your baby is on the breast they will get milk, so don't worry about pumping first.

Good luck!
xXx

Kelly81 · Apr 6th, 2012, 03:24 AM

That amount is totally normal, some lucky ladies can pump much more but from reading posts on here over the last 11 months it seems like 1-2oz is normal

It's annoying though, I've been pumping every morning for months to have a freezer stock for when I start back at work next week, I've only been getting 2oz per day too

Cee108 · Apr 6th, 2012, 05:10 AM

I second KerryGold - sometimes, after I've pumped for half an hour at the breast and seem to be getting nothing after the first 2 oz for a good 10 minutes, I'll put the little one on my breast and he'll be literally dribbling milk down his chin! Babies have a much more effective sucking action so don't think this is all the milk you have

Fenugreek and lots of water helps too.

Plus, milk has a different consistency (watery foremilk vs creamier hind milk which is high in calories) - I sometimes get only 1.5oz that is very very creamy and my 8 wk old LO will be full for 3-5 HOURS after that feed - I demand feed so I don't worry about him going hungry ... but he obviously isn't. Other times I will pump out 4oz of watery milk and an hour later, he'll be hungry for about 2oz worth of milk again.

So, as long as baby seems satisfied, don't worry about the quantity you pump out. Plus, you're BFing directly so there's a good chance your LO is getting all he needs

youngwife20 · Apr 6th, 2012, 05:41 AM

Please do not take what is normal for others to be what should be normal for you like every one says what your getting is normal. I have an over supply and get 9 ounces from each breast in 30 mins few times a day not always a good thing because she doesnt even eat 18ounces per day and i keep forgeting and needing to throw alot of milk away coz i only like to keep it 24 hours n fridge coz i dont think my fridge is very afficient. . thats normal for me because ive had an oversupply since she was born. so if i suddenly dropped to 1 ounce id be concerned . but if i started out getting one ounce then that would be normal for me. but also the key to pumping is massaging. and doingn it infront of my little one as soon as my baby makes noices they leak xx

missangie · Apr 6th, 2012, 09:14 AM

thank you everyone, Im not sure why it bothers me so much! I do feel like my LO gets enough, he goes about 3 hours between feedings (sometimes only 2 and sometime 4 but usually 3 hours on the dot haha) and when he is eating he always has milk dribbling down his face. Plus, once he stops if I squeeze my nipple, more milk always comes out so I do think he is getting enough but in the back of my mind I just worry for some reason.

My MIL came over last night and he was acting hungry (right after I had been feeding him and every time Id try to feed he would just stop and fall asleep) So my thoughts were that he just wanted to suck and wasnt hungry. She kept saying maybe he wasnt getting enough and really was hungry. That has only happened the one time last night but I think thats where a lot of my worry comes from

KerryGold · Apr 6th, 2012, 10:21 AM

My LO went through a phase of feeding until she was sick because she just wanted to suck at 6 weeks so we gave her a dummy for a few weeks to stop the

She doesn't have it now though.

xXx

youngwife20 · Apr 8th, 2012, 01:14 AM

Tell her to mind her own business. its comments like tht tht makes mums worry my baby constantly routes even after shes eaten and every always says things like tht . Therre babys thedy might just wanna suck fo comfort hun xx sounds like ur babys gettin enuf to me but if in doubt get them weighed regularly x

Apr 6th, 2012, 00:46 AM	#1
missangie Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 1,281	building a freezer stash... I am so stressed out about whether or not I have an undersupply of milk and here is why... My baby is almost 4 weeks old and I have been breastfeeding him since day 1 and when he was 2 weeks I started to pump once a day to start to build a freezer stash. I have a medela freestyle double electric pump and the first time I pumped I did it right after I fed my LO and got .5 ounces. (yes, 1/2 an ounce!) I cried, I really expected to get more. I came on here and someone mentioned to do it in the morning because you produce more milk then and to also wait 45 min to an hour after I feed LO and then pump. I have been doing that now and have never pumped more then 2.5 ounces total. Often it is only 1.5 ounces. On another forum alot of moms were mentioning 6-10 ounces and now Im worried. What is normal, what is not? How can I pump more? My biggest fear isnt that I wont have a freezer stash its more that maybe if thats all Im pumping, maybe I just dont have a lot of milk being produced and maybe my LO isnt getting what he needs... any advice or tips?

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Apr 6th, 2012, 02:05 AM	#2
mummyruston Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 1,189	No advice as such as I pump In a morning and only manage 1-2oz max! I also block feed through the night on my right breast and then pump my left. Ive been told to eat porridge for breakfast and invest in fenugreek supplements to boost milk supply...

Status: Offline

Apr 6th, 2012, 02:10 AM	#3
KerryGold Mum (Mom) BnB Elite Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Cheshire Posts: 10,122	I always pump in the morning before I BF LO (or at the same time is the most efficient technique but I don't know if you can do one breast only on a double?) Babies are MUCH more effective at getting the milk out than a pump, so 1 don't judge how much milk your LO is getting from a pumped volume and 2 pumping shortly after a feed means your LO has drained your boobs! As long as your baby is on the breast they will get milk, so don't worry about pumping first. Good luck! xXx

Status: Offline

Apr 6th, 2012, 03:24 AM	#4
Kelly81 Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: London / Herts, UK Posts: 912	That amount is totally normal, some lucky ladies can pump much more but from reading posts on here over the last 11 months it seems like 1-2oz is normal It's annoying though, I've been pumping every morning for months to have a freezer stock for when I start back at work next week, I've only been getting 2oz per day too

Status: Offline

Apr 6th, 2012, 05:10 AM	#5
Cee108 Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: London Posts: 729	I second KerryGold - sometimes, after I've pumped for half an hour at the breast and seem to be getting nothing after the first 2 oz for a good 10 minutes, I'll put the little one on my breast and he'll be literally dribbling milk down his chin! Babies have a much more effective sucking action so don't think this is all the milk you have Fenugreek and lots of water helps too. Plus, milk has a different consistency (watery foremilk vs creamier hind milk which is high in calories) - I sometimes get only 1.5oz that is very very creamy and my 8 wk old LO will be full for 3-5 HOURS after that feed - I demand feed so I don't worry about him going hungry ... but he obviously isn't. Other times I will pump out 4oz of watery milk and an hour later, he'll be hungry for about 2oz worth of milk again. So, as long as baby seems satisfied, don't worry about the quantity you pump out. Plus, you're BFing directly so there's a good chance your LO is getting all he needs

Status: Offline

Apr 6th, 2012, 05:41 AM	#6
youngwife20 Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Manchester Posts: 6,042	Please do not take what is normal for others to be what should be normal for you like every one says what your getting is normal. I have an over supply and get 9 ounces from each breast in 30 mins few times a day not always a good thing because she doesnt even eat 18ounces per day and i keep forgeting and needing to throw alot of milk away coz i only like to keep it 24 hours n fridge coz i dont think my fridge is very afficient. . thats normal for me because ive had an oversupply since she was born. so if i suddenly dropped to 1 ounce id be concerned . but if i started out getting one ounce then that would be normal for me. but also the key to pumping is massaging. and doingn it infront of my little one as soon as my baby makes noices they leak xx

Status: Offline

Apr 6th, 2012, 09:14 AM	#7
missangie Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 1,281	thank you everyone, Im not sure why it bothers me so much! I do feel like my LO gets enough, he goes about 3 hours between feedings (sometimes only 2 and sometime 4 but usually 3 hours on the dot haha) and when he is eating he always has milk dribbling down his face. Plus, once he stops if I squeeze my nipple, more milk always comes out so I do think he is getting enough but in the back of my mind I just worry for some reason. My MIL came over last night and he was acting hungry (right after I had been feeding him and every time Id try to feed he would just stop and fall asleep) So my thoughts were that he just wanted to suck and wasnt hungry. She kept saying maybe he wasnt getting enough and really was hungry. That has only happened the one time last night but I think thats where a lot of my worry comes from

Status: Offline

Apr 6th, 2012, 10:21 AM	#8
KerryGold Mum (Mom) BnB Elite Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Cheshire Posts: 10,122	My LO went through a phase of feeding until she was sick because she just wanted to suck at 6 weeks so we gave her a dummy for a few weeks to stop the She doesn't have it now though. xXx

Status: Offline

Apr 8th, 2012, 01:14 AM	#9
youngwife20 Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Manchester Posts: 6,042	Tell her to mind her own business. its comments like tht tht makes mums worry my baby constantly routes even after shes eaten and every always says things like tht . Therre babys thedy might just wanna suck fo comfort hun xx sounds like ur babys gettin enuf to me but if in doubt get them weighed regularly x

Status: Offline

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