Very overwhelmed & stressed about breastfeeding & pumping

[spunky84]

Obviously I still have a little time before I really need to worry about this, but honestly, I've been stressing for months over this.

I plan to breastfeed, but seeing as I have to returned to work 6 weeks post delivery & that LO will be going to day care, I need to pump. Ideally, once I return to work, I'd like to breastfeed in the evenings and on the weekends still - mornings before work I'm not so sure about (I really don't know how to expect that to go - I think it might depend when she's hungry - might either have to pump before work & let DH bottle feed her before daycare or if she's hungry, breastfeed). Anyone have thoughts on that?

Anyway, I'm overwhelmed because I don't know what I'm doing or what I'm supposed to do or how I'm supposed to do it.

I want to build up a supply in advance. I don't want to have to pump strictly for the next day. I'd like to have a little stock for just in case.

Since I want to be able to keep my hands free, I got the Medela freestyle pump. At work my pumping schedule is half an hour at 10 am and at 2 pm (I start at 7 am and leave at 3:30pm).

How do I build up a supply while I'm breastfeeding during maternity leave? How do I keep up once I'm back at work?

I got a Medela magnet with storage information - like how many days things keep if you refrigerate, use an ice pack, freeze, etc., but I don't understand or know what I'm doing when it comes to storage.

If I'm strictly pumping to save a supply prior to work, would I just pump into a storage bag? I have bottles for storage & for feeding, but I really have no idea where they come into play. I have a lot of bottles and accessories and whatnot (honestly not even sure if I needed everything).

Can anyone help or shed some light on this? Are there any really good resources or specific step by step scenarios that I could use as a guideline? I'm scared I'm going to screw something up at either hurt my supply or I'm going to make LO sick by doing something wrong.

Also, sterilizing - any info on this? I have very little knowledge. The most I know is that you sterilize after purchasing, before use, but from the bits I'm reading, I'm gathering that this isn't all?

ETA: Also forgot, what do I do with the breast milk while I'm at work? Would ice pack be sufficient until I get home?

How do I prepare her milk for daycare? They like LO's milk to be in bottles & labeled & basically ready to use.

 

[CatherineK]

Don't stress! I've breastfed all mine, and pumped at work for a year each. Once you get into a pattern, it's not bad. I am running out the door now, but kellymom.com is a great resource!

 

[CatherineK]

Just a quick note- in the US, don't worry about sterilizing all the time- that's a UK thing. I only sterilize new parts. Also, if you can find a copy of the book "so that's what they're for" on amazon, it's a good resource that's easy to read!

 

[spunky84]

Thank you so much for that information! Very helpful.

I looked around the website & it looks like it has a lot of good information. I haven't had a chance to go through all of it, but I did go through some & already feel a little bit better about it. Looks like there is a lot of good information and helpful guidelines.

I just ordered the book - it looks like it will be interesting.

That's good to know about the sterilizing! Makes me feel a little bit more relaxed.

Thanks again, I really appreciate it

 

[seaweed eater]

Please take a deep breath it is much easier to understand once you are doing it! I remember feeling overwhelmed while I was pregnant, but it's not as complicated as it all sounds. You'll figure it out!!

We are lucky to live in a time when the worst that can happen is that our babies have formula. But it sounds like this is something you really want, and chances are you will be able to do it. Persistence really counts for a lot. Many, many women give up when they don't have to. Not a value judgment, because there are always tradeoffs involved and BF is more important to some people than to others. What I'm trying to say is, if it's really important to YOU, then it's often possible to make it work.

Ideally, once I return to work, I'd like to breastfeed in the evenings and on the weekends still - mornings before work I'm not so sure about (I really don't know how to expect that to go - I think it might depend when she's hungry - might either have to pump before work & let DH bottle feed her before daycare or if she's hungry, breastfeed). Anyone have thoughts on that?

Combining breast and bottle is totally doable as long as you don't introduce the bottle too early. Around 4 weeks is a good time, or maybe a bit earlier. From what people post on this forum, my sense is that babies are unlikely to refuse bottles around that age. It's much more likely that they will refuse them closer to 3 months. (If you are working full time from 6 weeks, your baby should be totally fine at 3 months because she will be used to it.)

You probably will BF in the morning. Keep in mind that you probably will be pumping at least once for each time LO feeds. So it's much more convenient to nurse if you're around.

Speaking of which, if your work schedule permits, you could go in to daycare and nurse her if the pumping seems overwhelming or if for whatever reason she's struggling with bottles (again, seems unlikely to me if you introduce @ 4 weeks). Just know that it's an option, again if you can get away from work.

I want to build up a supply in advance. I don't want to have to pump strictly for the next day. I'd like to have a little stock for just in case.

Fair enough. But keep in mind that uses of the freezer stash are pretty limited: https://www.workandpump.com/freezerstash.htm
I've never, ever had to use mine for supply reasons -- only when I've been a klutz and left the fresh milk on the counter.

That said, here's what I settled into and what I wish I'd done from the outset. Cultivate a SMALL oversupply. That means, try to produce slightly more than your baby is eating. I aim for 3 oz extra every day. I started pumping around 3 weeks PP and I've been able to keep that up. Since you're going back early, I'd start at 2 weeks.

So, put your pump away and don't think about it for the first 2 weeks. Then, pump a little and see how you go. It helps to do it at the same time every day but you probably won't be able to manage that with a newborn, which is fine. Supply is highest in the morning and overnight. If you manage to fit in 20-minute sessions, you could do 1-2 of those a day, or you could pump for a few minutes after each feed.

Probably one of two things will happen. 1) You will find it easy to pump tons of milk (e.g. your baby is a great sleeper and you are constantly waking up engorged and pumping off 5oz). That's good, but make sure not to overdo it or you may end up with more of an oversupply than you want. Or 2) you will have a 24-hour cluster feeder and you will get barely 1oz per session, which will freak you out. Just stick with it. Don't stop pumping when there's no milk flowing. You're trying to give your body the message to make more.

At work, try pumping for 20 minutes at each of those times. If that doesn't get you there, try 10 min on, 5 min off, 10 min on (you may be able to get slightly more this way). You may need to pump an additional time or two at home in order to keep up.

Your baby's sleep patterns will be changing a lot in the first few months. Probably around 6 weeks things will be improving. That means you'll have random nights/mornings when you will wake up engorged because LO is sleeping for longer than you're used to, which means you can add a few more ounces to your stash.

I usually pump into bottles even if I'm just going to pour it into a storage bag. Everything goes into the fridge. You can only add cold milk to cold milk (not warm), so that way I can figure out the quantities to freeze later on.

I freeze in 4s and 2s. I wouldn't do anything larger than 4. You can't re-use milk that's been thawed so if you freeze a large amount and LO doesn't drink it, you'll have to throw it away.

If you have a dishwasher, that counts as sterilizing things you don't have to put them in boiling water or anything. Also, if you use Medela bottles, those come with bags you can use to steam sterilize things in the microwave.

I'd probably put the milk in the fridge if you can, rather than just using an ice pack, but ice pack is probably ok too. Remember that milk can be out at room temp for 6 hours, so if you're going home after picking up LO, the milk from your second session can just go right into the fridge at home.

As for how to prepare for daycare, mine has labels I have to fill out every time (with name, date, contents), and I do that at home. The milk inside is cold. I put it in the fridge at daycare. That's it!

I think I got to all your questions. Let me know if not. Seriously, you will be fine you sound very well prepared!

 

[lysh]

Seaweed gave you great advice already...I might repeat a few things as I skimmed....but relax!!! I was stressed out at first, but it all worked out. To build a supply before going back to work, my lactation consultant told me to pump and nurse with our morning feeding as the supply is the greatest in the morning. I never pumped a lot at once, but I would at least get 2 oz a day that way. I personally saved 2 oz in storage bags because DD only ate a little bit at once and I did not want it to go bad...4oz might work if your LO eats more.

I did not sterilize between pumping sessions at work as I did not have good water to clean with where I worked. I kept my milk in a cooler and it was fine until I got home.

When you are home and on the weekends let LO nurse as much as he/she wants....kept my supply just fine as I was not a great pumper!

 

[spunky84]

Thank you so much! This has all been very good information and really appreciate it!

I still feel a little anxious about it, but I'm assuming that's just going to be the case until I actually start breast feeding and pumping, but after reading the responses, and reading the website (and soon the book), I'm starting to feel a little more confident about doing this.

I'm going to have to book mark this so I can remember to refer back to it!