https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 17 Apr 2026 07:55:01 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-pumping-insightadvice-needed#post-2299715 Wed, 23 Sep 2015 16:35:29 +0000 ldh112 2299715@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@buttermilk: my experience is similar - hospital grade pump didn't do much better for my pumping supply issues and I can only get an ounce or so here or there by pumping.<br /> Like others have said, great pumping output doesn't always happen for everyone. (I sure didn't know this ahead of time!)</p> <p>It sounds like you are doing all that you can without going crazy so try not to beat yourself up! I have had to supplement with formula and it really isn't the end of the world, as hard as it was to initially make the decision. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-pumping-insightadvice-needed#post-2299465 Wed, 23 Sep 2015 14:00:25 +0000 MenagerieMama 2299465@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>You're doing great! Sometimes if the work day is stressful I watch a video of LO on my phone to relax and get the milk flowing. Have you tried that? I keep favorites on my phone just for that sometimes ;) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-pumping-insightadvice-needed#post-2299383 Wed, 23 Sep 2015 13:15:52 +0000 Mrs. Pickles 2299383@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsBucky: I'm in the same exact boat!<br /> I think you're doing everything right and you're a rockstar for making it to 6months :)<br /> with my first I made myself insane with pumping when I went back to work.. I was pumping 12 times a day and I just couldn't hack it anymore so we started supplementing. I had so much guilt and felt like I was a failure<br /> this time I'm pumping as much as I can .. and if he needs extra a little formula doesn't hurt<br /> I keep telling myself being stressed about it makes things worse.. you're doing the best you can for your baby and you're awesome!! Hugs :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-pumping-insightadvice-needed#post-2299344 Wed, 23 Sep 2015 12:54:30 +0000 buttermilk 2299344@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am definitely one of these women who doesn't respond well to a pump. My LO is 5 weeks and I pump several times per day after nursing to be able to supplement with pumped milk. I don't get much - half an ounce total per session on average. BUT I literally don't get anything at all unless I am very relaxed. Most of the time I pump laying back in bed, eyes closed - deep breathing and imagine myself in a pool of my own milk somewhere deep in the rainforest LOL. I can pump for 5 mins but the milk doesn't start flowing until I relax &amp; visualize. So my point is just that as hard as it may be, I would really try to not work while you're pumping and just set aside that time to breathe and relax. Come up with your own little routine. Sounds like you're doing pretty good already so I can't imagine that wouldn't help. Also play around with the pump settings. I only get milk during the stimulation phase weirdly. I rented a hospital grade pump this month and haven't noticed a difference. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-pumping-insightadvice-needed#post-2299309 Wed, 23 Sep 2015 12:33:10 +0000 snowjewelz 2299309@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I always have to pump for 20+ min too! Honestly my supply def started going downhill after 6 mo. I think maybe you don't need to pump 4-5 times, but maybe 3 times but longer? </p> <p>I also think b/c they drink so fast with the bottle, they're full but they don't realize it yet. DD drinks 4 oz fine the whole time. I think 5 oz 3x for a 6mo is totally enough! He is prob starting solids too anyway right? </p> <p>I totally feel you on this, pumping has been THE single most stressful thing besides sleep!</p> <p>I've had to supplmenet starting at like 6.5-7 mo, and am kinda weaning now at almost 10 mo. It's really hard to NOT be hard on myself, but it is what it is and as long as they're eating and are healthy! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-pumping-insightadvice-needed#post-2299307 Wed, 23 Sep 2015 12:31:58 +0000 MamaCate 2299307@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I just saw your reply: you are a rock star for pumping so many times without a hands free bra! I don't know how you do it! I would see it you can get that figured out as soon as you can and see if that helps! It was key to my pumping survival! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-pumping-insightadvice-needed#post-2299301 Wed, 23 Sep 2015 12:29:24 +0000 Adira 2299301@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsBucky: &lt;3 Hugs! Pumping and feeding my first son was one of the MOST STRESSFUL parts of being his mom! It was so stressful to be his sole (or main) source of food and I was constantly worried whether I was sending enough. And it didn't help that he was in the lower percentiles for weight and everyone was telling me he wasn't getting enough. I also sent three 5 oz bottles, just like you, but I wasn't nursing as much at home, which is why I feel pretty confident your son is probably getting plenty.</p> <p>Here's some info about paced feedings, which may help your daycare providers: <a href="http://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/feeding-tools/bottle-feeding/" rel="nofollow">http://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/feeding-tools/bottle-feeding/</a></p> <p>Here's some info about how much milk your baby actually needs: <a href="http://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/pumping/milkcalc/" rel="nofollow">http://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/pumping/milkcalc/</a> It's usually 1-1.5 oz/hour.</p> <p>As for getting the hands-free bra to work - it took some figuring out for me too. What I do is put it on and zip it slightly so that it stays in place. Then I push the flanges through each side, zip it the rest of the way up and stick my hands down the top to adjust the position of the flanges over my nipples. And make sure it's TIGHT. You want your boobs basically squished in that thing to ensure a tight seal with the flanges and good suction.</p> <p>Based on your response, I'm guessing you're pumping one side at a time? If that's truly the case, definitely work on getting the hands free bra to work for you. Double pumping will give you better output than pumping one at a time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-pumping-insightadvice-needed#post-2299300 Wed, 23 Sep 2015 12:27:53 +0000 MamaCate 2299300@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsBucky: Hugs! It is so hard to get into a groove at the beginning. It sounds like you are doing a ton of things right but here are a few thoughts:<br /> -I agree that 5 oz bottle might be a lot and might be due to the ease of the bottle and comfort of eating in the new environment for LO. We are trying to do "paced bottle feeding" to help address this.<br /> -do you have a hands free bra? With one, you can pump and work at the same time potentially. I used to do paperwork and make phone calls while pumping in my office to multitask and not feel like my pumping time interfered with my ability to get stuff done so I could get home to my family.<br /> -maybe try oatmeal for breakfast or lactation cookies? Oatmeal helped my supply rebound after an illness.</p> <p>And, if none of these things work and you are killing yourself for a few ounces, a bottle of formula a day will not be the end of the world and you should still be able to maintain your nursing relationship. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-pumping-insightadvice-needed#post-2299295 Wed, 23 Sep 2015 12:22:13 +0000 MrsBucky 2299295@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Adira: Is it weird if I admit I cried when I read your response? Thank you so much for even just replying. I'm so dang emotional about all of this! My husband knows how important this is to me, and he started researching renting a hospital grade pump, so we may do that. I've only been pumping for about 10-15 minutes on each side because, again- taking time out of work has been so hard. I'm also having a stupidly hard time getting my hands free bra (simple wishes) to work. Usually I'm on email trying to keep up or on a conference call while I pump (sad but true). I just don't want him to be hungry--- I already feel guilty enough about being away from him anyway. He even got bitten by another baby on Friday! Of course he is transitioning fine and other than being more tired than usual, he seems like his normal happy self. Why is this so hard?!?! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-pumping-insightadvice-needed#post-2299291 Wed, 23 Sep 2015 12:19:55 +0000 josina 2299291@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>How long are you pumping for? When I wanted to increase output I would pump longer, so around 25 minutes, but I did get multiple let downs.<br /> It sounds like you're doing everything right though! My LO also always took 3- 5 oz bottles, and eventually less with more food. At 10 months he's typically taking 2- 5 oz bottles. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-pumping-insightadvice-needed#post-2299285 Wed, 23 Sep 2015 12:15:04 +0000 Adira 2299285@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hugs to you! Pumping at work and ensuring you have enough is really stressful, I totally get it. Unfortunately, some women just don't respond well to a pump - is there anyway you could look into renting a hospital grade pump to see if the pump is the issue?</p> <p>It really sounds like you're doing everything right. How long are you pumping for? With my first, I didn't get my second letdown until 20-25 minutes, so I always had to pump for 30 minutes. And what are you doing while you're pumping? If you're watching the milk flow and getting frustrated or stressed, that can affect your supply. I like to read a book while I'm pumping so that I don't think about it at all.</p> <p>You could try turning your last pump of the day into a power pumping session. That's where you pump 10 minutes on, 10 minutes off, 10 minutes on, etc. for an hour.</p> <p>Considering how much your son nurses though outside of daycare, I suspect the three 5 oz bottles is MORE than plenty! Babies drink more from bottles than the breast because it's just easier. And if they drink too fast, they won't realize they are full when they are done. Find some info about how to bottle feed a breastfed baby for your daycare providers so that it takes longer and the baby actually fills up while drinking it instead of gulping down 5 oz without even realizing it. And if you aren't, make sure you are using the slowest flow nipples on the bottles.</p> <p>And don't feel guilty if you send three 4.5 (or even 4) oz bottles some days if that's all you have! Your baby is not going to starve considering he's nursing 3-4 other times at home! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-pumping-insightadvice-needed#post-2299275 Wed, 23 Sep 2015 12:02:21 +0000 MrsBucky 2299275@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ladies, I am in serious need of help figuring out what I am doing wrong or what I could be doing differently/better. For context, I have an EBF 6 mo and I just went back to work on Monday. (he started a transition week to daycare last week where he went progressively longer each day) I have a very hectic job- I WFH when my project allows but am on the phone basically all day, and am on a client site the rest of the time. My son nursed on demand prior to starting daycare and always seemed to get enough- he has been gaining fine, so I feel like my supply was adequate for his needs.</p> <p>He is taking 3, 5 oz bottles at daycare each day- they say he finishes them all and when they started out with less, he seemed like he was still hungry.</p> <p>I don't have a huge freezer stash- I had about 40 oz, and now it is down to about 25. We don't have a great freezer or really the freezer space to have 100's of ounces stored anyway.</p> <p>I am currently pumping 4-5 times a day to try to eek out enough milk for him. He still nurses in the morning, before bed and 1-2 times over night. I pump once after he goes to bed (he goes to bed around 7-8 and I pump around 10). The other 3-4 times are during the day. I am drinking so much water I have to use the bathroom constantly, and am taking 1240 mg of fenugreek 3 times per day. I smell like maple syrup. Yet still, I can only seem to pump 2-4 ounces on both sides each time I pump. I am using a PISA. I do compressions on each side to get a little bit more at the end of each pump. I never seem to get a second let down no matter how long I pump for. I have been able to cover his needs for the most part for the next day, but it is always so close and I always seem to come up a bit short of 15 oz. I'm so worried that as work gets more hectic it is going to be harder and harder to make the time to pump 3x a day and still make it to daycare to pick him up and get everything done for work. He has just started solids this week so isn't eating a ton yet, plus I know the majority of his nutritional needs should be met by breastmilk (or formula) anyway.</p> <p>I know that supplementing is an option, but I'm so worried doing so will be the beginning of the end for our nursing relationship. I wanted so desperately to make it to a year. And I was making enough for him when we were together all day! I'm just so heartbroken that this is so hard and don't know what else I could be doing differently/better to produce more to make sure I have enough for him each day, and maybe even a little extra to freeze just in case. </p> <p>Any advice is greatly appreciated. Sorry for the novel! </p>