My LO is 6 weeks and I'm already back at work, ugh. I'm afraid my supply isn't going to increase when he has a growth spurt. Is there anything I can do to help my body out? If it makes a difference I work 4 days a week. I seem to have made it through the 6 week growth spurt but I'm worried about those that are coming. LO nurses all the time when I'm with him, I think we have a transfer issue but thats another topic all together. He nurses about 10 times when I'm with him and then I pump 3 times everyday.
-
When you suspect a growth spurt, take the weekend to catch up. Do a nurse in all weekend. I also added an extra pumping session at work for those few days. Three days of less work to get to a point I could work more. Weekends are a godsend.
-
I would suggest always pumping (if possible) what you need for the next day. Send some extra milk to daycare with your baby in case he has a growth spurt and needs more milk in the day. If he ends up drinking the extra milk, pump pump pump to make up for it! That way your body is always producing what your baby is eating and the extra pumping will signal you to make more, just as if your baby was nursing! And nurse as much as possible when you're together!
-
I would say every time you pump, completely empty your breasts and then continue to pump for five-ten minutes to tell your body that it still needs to produce more.
-
I would do 1 or 2 power pumping sessions a day when we hit growth spurts to help stimulate milk production.
-
My LC advised what PP mentioned, either power pumping or adding sessions the next day if your baby had a day with extra high consumption.
Also, FWIW, my LO is five months and I make just what she needs but I've managed to stay on top of it despite the odd day with a peak in consumption. I do have some in the freezer. I tend to think she's making up the difference when we're together and nursing rather than looking for a ton more at daycare during growth spurts. This may mean lots of night nursing, but it's doable.
-
@Revel: what's a power pumping session?
-
@Jennimac: It was described to me as pumping for about an hour - ten minutes on and ten minutes off (so 30 total minutes of pumping in the hour). It's not something I've ever actually done! But it was recommended to me by my LC as a way to mimic a growth spurt if away from baby.
-
@Revel: that's good to know!!! Thanks!!
Reply
Subscribe to our newsletter
- Google Plus
- Stumbleupon
- Twitter
- Facebook
- Pinterest
- Favorite0
8 comments