https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 09 May 2026 13:18:21 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-start-eping#post-731167 Sat, 20 Apr 2013 05:08:06 +0000 LaineysMom 731167@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sjedwards6: Are you sure you want to exclusively pump? EPing is so much more work than pumping to supplement feedings. The only reason why I EP is my daughter's severe reflux (I'm fast flow, she needed slow flow..).</p> <p>This was how I started establishing a pumping routine:</p> <p>First Step (Pump 2X daily): I started to really build my stash about 3 weeks PP. I would do DDs middle of the night feed, then DH would wake her up 4 hours later to do her morning feed. I would wake up 2 hours later and pump (completely empty my breasts). About 2 hours later DD would wake up and I would feed her again. I would offer both breasts since I had just pumped a couple hours before. I would BF her at night then pump right before I went to sleep and again completely drain my breasts. We did this until she was 1 mo. and her pediatrician said we could let her sleep as long as she wanted at night.</p> <p>Step 2 (Exclusively Pumping 5X): Around 4 weeks was when LO started sleeping 6-8 hour stretches and due to her reflux not improving I decided to stop BFing. I have a crazy letdown, and I couldn't bear to see my LO struggle so much to eat.. I was pretty desperate to do anything to help fix her reflux. I started pumping 5X a day for 15 min. With a power pumping session every other night or so.. I would pump first thing in the morning, then every 3-4 hours throughout the day, and right before going to sleep. I kept up this routine until DD turned 4 months when I reduced to 4 pumps a day.</p> <p>I still make enough milk to cover DD's needs and freeze some. I think my freezer stash is somewhere around 800+ oz. now after 5 months of EPing. I know I've been really lucky with my supply, as most women find that they have to pump more often than I do. Still, it's a huge commitment and if I could I would pump only once or twice a day and BF the rest of the time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-start-eping#post-730834 Fri, 19 Apr 2013 21:50:14 +0000 sjedwards6 730834@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hi,<br /> I've been exclusively BFing for 7 weeks now, with the exception of bottle feeding a few times. I pumped to eliminate discomfort. I want to pump to bottle feed more and to prepare for returning to work in two weeks. This may be a dumb question but how do you start EPing? I don't pump enough in one session. I guess my question is how do provide the first feedings? </p>