Breastfeeding: Are you using the wrong breastpump?
I'm nursing a four and a half month old and I also pump milk for bottles. I only work two to three days a week for four to five hours. I am worried that I'm unable to express enough milk. I have a friend who can express seven ounces at one time. I can only get express two and a half ounces. I begin by expressing milk in the morning (7am) and continue throughout the day. It can take me a day to make a four and a half ounce bottle. I love to breastfeed and I'm afraid my milk in decreasing. She seems to be full when I feed her and she sleeps all night. Should I be feeding her more milk? I'm using is athe Gentle Expressions battery/electric pump. Should I invest in a different one?
Question:Debbi Donovan
Debbi Donovan is a Board Certified Lactation Consultant, as well as a retired La Leche League Leader. For more than a decade, Debbi... Read more
The amount of milk you are able to express is dependant on several factors. Expressing small amounts does not necessarily indicate to me that you have an inadequate milk supply.
The style of pump you have chosen, Gentle Expressions, is intended for occasional use. It is okay when used for a night out, but I would not recommend it for regular use, to help maintain a milk supply. A pump that might be more suitable for your work schedule is something like the Nurture III or the Medela Pump in Style. These pumps are purchased (not rental.)
When you say you are expressing your milk throughout the day, I'm not clear on when you are doing it, or how much time you are spending. What I would recommend is choosing a schedule for expressing your milk that will work well for you.
Since you are gone for only four to five hours at a time, your baby would only need a two to three ounce bottle for each of the two to three days you work each week. (Four and a half ounces is quite a lot. Babies fed breastmilk need to take in less than their formula-fed peers.) That means that each week you will need to express no more than about nine ounces of milk. Nurse your baby just before you leave for work and again upon your return home.
On the days that you are home, I would recommend trying to express your milk first thing in the morning before your baby nurses. Most women have a very abundant supply first thing in the morning, particularly if it has been several hours since your baby has nursed. If you are single pumping, plan on spending about 20 to 30 minutes, switching sides each time the milk slows down to a trickle. Double pumping is quicker and easier, and usually nets a bit more milk. It takes less than 15 minutes. When your baby wakes, nurse as usual. Since your breasts make milk as you nurse, there will still be plenty for your baby. If she does happen to get a little less, she will let you know if she is hungry.
Setting this type of schedule and using the proper style of pump will free you up from being constantly worried about how much milk you're able to express. You might only need to express milk on 2 or 3 mornings a week, and forget about expressing the rest of the time. Best wishes!
Warmly,
Debbi
