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03-12-2012 at 6:06 PM
SweetTurni...
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Pumping Questions for EBFers

I want to pump a couple of times a day to start a small freezer stash and also just to help my supply (can't hurt, right?).

How do you knnow when to pump around feedings? She sometimes goes 1-3 hours between. Like today, she nursed at 10, 11 (one side only, she fell asleep), 12:30ish (longer feeding, both sides) and now it's almost 4 and she's still sleeping but starting to stir. If I had pumped at 11, she would have been a bit disappointed at 12:30, no? I made that mistake when we were first home and pumped til nothing came out and she got hungry before I was really ready again. Do you just have to wait til there's more of a schedule and they're older before starting pumping?

Also, if I just pump for 5 minutes a side after she eats, and it's only a couple of ounces, can I put the pump/ bottle in the fridge and then add to the same milk at the next pumping session? I don't want a bunch of small bags, I'd rather fill them to 4 oz than like 1 or 2.

I just have the small manual Medela Harmony.

PS: Sorry if this is a dupe, I got an error the first time, waited and reloaded the page and it wasn't there, but who knows with TB!


♥ ♥ ♥ 2 losses, 1 miracle ♥ ♥ ♥

 
03-12-2012 at 6:12 PM
biddy53178
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I'm not sure about the first part of your question because Aiden doesn't BF but I know you aren't supposed to mix warm milk with cold stuff already in the fridge but I mix more than one pumping sessions worth of milk together to make one bottle (it takes me an entire days worth of pumping to give him two bottles) after its already cooled in the fridge.

Trying to conceive since Oct 2008, missed M/C June 1, 2010, IF treatment Spring 2011, BFP June 2011, Aiden Thomas born Feb 12, 2012. Lilypie Angel and Memorial tickers Lilypie First Birthday tickers
 
03-12-2012 at 6:26 PM
WearingRed
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I had no shortage of supply so I could pump 8-10 oz after a feedings without issue. So I don't know about timing problems. But if you pump small amounts you can mix after they are the same temp.

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03-12-2012 at 8:13 PM
Luvmybella
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I'm working on the same thing now. Alot of the advice I've been given is to just pump after the first morning session since that is when your supply is highest. Right now your baby and body are still establishing a supply and if you pump too much you could have an oversupply issue. If you really want to add another session, add one at night after she goes down. Like others have said, you can add to milk, just remember add the same temp- cold to cold, room temp to room temp.


BFP#1 2/4/11 m/c 3/4/11
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03-12-2012 at 8:37 PM
SweetTurni...
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Thanks, ladies! I figured that was the case with mixing the milk.

Is it bad if they're mixed at different temps? I'm curious why? I did that the first two times I pumped- into the same bottle. Should I toss that?


♥ ♥ ♥ 2 losses, 1 miracle ♥ ♥ ♥

 
03-12-2012 at 8:52 PM
jertie
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Here's what my LC told me:  Pump first thing in the morning after you've fed LO.  Pump 10-15 minutes on each side.  You may only get a little for the first couple of days, but after that your body will start getting the hint that you want to increase your supply and it will start making more milk for that one feeding.  Once you start getting an ounce or more, freeze it.  What ever you get the following day, pop it in the fridge for 30 mins, then you can add it to the frozen milk from the previous day.  I don't have time to pump in the morning so I do it at the last feeding of the night and I get about an ounce or two - not a lot, but it adds up pretty quick and it's so great to know that there's some backup milk in the freezer in the event that I'm not around.

The reason that you're not supposed to mix frozen and fresh from the tap milk is that the fresh from the tap will partially thaw the frozen and you're not supposed to refreeze thawed milk.  GL!!


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03-12-2012 at 9:06 PM
Karen1998
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I think the temp thing may have to do with breaking up of the fats.  I don't think it necessarily makes the milk "bad," it just isn't preferable. 

Have you ever used room temp butter and cold eggs to make cookies?  Once you cream the butter and sugar together, they're all happy and fluffy.  Then, you add in cold eggs and suddenly, everything curdles and separates.  The reason this happens is because the coldness of the egg makes some of the butter reharden (i.e. get cold again) and causes a separation of the emulsion.  My guess is that the same thing happens when you add warm to cold milk. 

As for adding cold milk to frozen milk, the cold milk will actually bring the temperature of the frozen milk up above freezing as well (thus unfreezing it).  However, maybe the LC recommended it as the temps are close enough together that it matters less.  I'm just guessing on that though.

Fresh BM is good in the fridge for 6-8 days so you can hold several days of pumping before freezing.  That's what I do.  Like Biddy, I mix bottles of cold expressed milk to make bottles for DS.  Since I EP, I tend to mix "morning milk" with milk from other times of the day before freezing it.  "Morning milk" (i.e. my first morning pumping) is the most plentiful and is also high in foremilk and low in hindmilk.  You gradually have more hindmilk throughout the day, with the most being from the last pumping of the night.  So, I tend to mix my morning milk with other higher fat pumpings before freezing so my freezer stash is more even on fat distribution. 

I also agree about pumping after your first morning feeding.  As an EPer, I can tell you that pumping and feeding at every feeding is an insane amount of work and if you don't have to do it, then don't.  I'd try one pumping session in the morning and only add more if you need more milk.  You also have to remember that your baby is much more efficient than the pump, so even if you feel like you're tapped out, the baby can still likely get milk out.  I completely stressed over this in the beginning and wish I'd taken a more relaxed position on it.

In case you haven't already checked it out, this is a great site for BFing info.  www.kellymom.com


BFP#1 4/17/10...EDD 1/6/11...M/C 5/28/10 BFP#2 11/19/10...EDD 8/4/11 Squeaker born 7/30.  
03-12-2012 at 9:38 PM
Izabella22
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Ditto about not overdoing it with the pumping... I had to pump a bit in the first week so we could cup feed LO after each nursing to help get rid of his jaundice and I way overdid it and wound up with oversupply... its settled down now but definitely try adding one pump session a day and see how it goes. It can take some time for your body to respond well to the pump and the freezer stash adds up pretty quickly... I moved mine to our basement freezer and was shocked how much there was and I'm hit or miss w/ the pumping now. 

Easter 2010 BFP #1: EDD 12/7/10 Natural m/c 4/17/10 at 6wk 5days.
10/6/10 BFP #2: EDD 6/14/11 Mtx shot 10/15 (5w3d) for cervical ectopic pregnancy
5/11/11 BFP #3 3rd times the charm!!! Beautiful baby boy born 1/10/12 7lb 14oz 21 inches
 
03-13-2012 at 4:22 PM
Froggy76
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Meh, I pour warm milk into cold milk all the time because once it's cold, the fat sticks to the sides of the bottle.  It's always been fine.

Also, you might want to freeze some bags with 1-2 oz.  I like having mostly 4 oz bags, but sometimes I'm just a little short on a bottle and need to pull from the freezer to top it off.  Also, remember that if you are combining milk before freezing, label it with the date of the oldest milk.

If you pump too soon before a feeding, LO will just have to work harder to get the milk, and that will also help your supply.  You could also try pumping one side while LO nurses the other side.  I really don't think you can do it wrong, so just do what's convenient for you, without creating an oversupply.


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03-13-2012 at 6:52 PM
Ernie52408
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The best thing to do is to get on a pumping schedule. Your body will be prepared for it. I wouldn't overdo it on pumping. I pumped once-ish a day for 3-4 months and I was able to build a sizeable stash just getting 3-4 oz a day.

As far as mixing milk, I never knew about the different temp rule...my milk and son are fine.

Just a side note. Before you go crazy making a stash, freeze some milk first. Then thaw it and taste it (taste it yourself, don't rely on LO). I discovered after I had pumped for 3-4 months that I had excess lipase and my entire freezer stash was useless.


We'll never hold you in our arms, but we'll always hold you in our hearts. natural m/c 5-28-10 @ 6w Dx: MTHFR- compound hetero & Lupus Anticoagulant Syndrome BFP: 8/27/10 ~Sawyer Liam, our little miracle, born 4/17/11 @ 37 weeks 6 days. Image and video hosting by TinyPic 
03-13-2012 at 10:16 PM
SweetTurni...
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Ernie52408:

The best thing to do is to get on a pumping schedule. Your body will be prepared for it. I wouldn't overdo it on pumping. I pumped once-ish a day for 3-4 months and I was able to build a sizeable stash just getting 3-4 oz a day.

As far as mixing milk, I never knew about the different temp rule...my milk and son are fine.

Just a side note. Before you go crazy making a stash, freeze some milk first. Then thaw it and taste it (taste it yourself, don't rely on LO). I discovered after I had pumped for 3-4 months that I had excess lipase and my entire freezer stash was useless.

I wouldn't pour warm milk into frozen, but I guess if I don't have to, I won't mix it with fridge temp either.

I was also thinking that maybe 1-2oz would be okay, if I have to thaw more than one bag, then that's better than wasting half of a too big bag.

What does excess lipase do in the freezer? How would I tell?


♥ ♥ ♥ 2 losses, 1 miracle ♥ ♥ ♥

 
03-13-2012 at 10:48 PM
erinlovesd...
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SweetTurnip:

What does excess lipase do in the freezer? How would I tell?

Lipase is an enzyme that breaks down fat in the milk. When there is an excess, it breaks the fat down quicker, which causes the milk to go bad faster. Milk that contains excess lipase will have a metallic or soapy smell/taste to it. As long as it doesn't smell sour or rancid, then it is okay to feed it to your baby. Some babies will reject the milk because of the taste, but S has never had an issue with it.




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