Expert: Sally Wendkos Olds - 10/10/2007

Question
MY son is currently 5 weeks old.  I will be returning to work at 12 2weeks.  I desperatly want him to be only on  brestmilk when he goes to day care.  I have startered pumping with the Medela pump in style.  But I can barley save 4 oz in 24hours.  When should I be pumping when he is constantly eating.  I do not seem to have enough milk for both.  WHat can I do to make this work well.

Answer
Dear Wendy,

First, congratulations for giving your son the best start in life by breastfeeding him!

I'm a little confused about when you will be returning to work -- when your baby is 12 weeks old, 12 weeks from now, or 2 weeks from now. If it is either of the 12 weeks, you have time to build up your milk production. If it is 2 weeks you may have to supplement with formula for a while. In either case you should continue pumping to build up your milk supply. One way that a lot of women find success with is to pump from one breast while the baby is suckling on the other.

In terms of how much milk you will need, that depends on how many feedings you will miss while you are at work. Four ounces of pumped milk will probably be enough for one feeding unless your baby is very big.

I am attaching an excerpt from my book (see below), with suggestions for effective pumping. I hope they help.

Good luck!

Sally

Sally Wendkos Olds
Author, THE COMPLETE BOOK OF BREASTFEEDING: Eiger & Olds, 3rd edition 1999, published by Workman Publishing & Bantam Books, and available in most public libraries, bookstores & La Leche League chapters.
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  BOX 17-2
ENHANCING MILK PRODUCTION WHEN EXPRESSING OR PUMPING

You may want to try one or more of the following methods to increase the amount of milk you can collect for your baby. Different ones work well for different women in different situations. If you're pumping at work, for example, some of these suggestions will not apply. As with the rest of this book, take the suggestions that make sense to you, see which ones work, and stick with them.
  * First, take care of yourself: get as much rest as possible, and be sure you're drinking enough liquid throughout the day.
  * For two to five minutes before you begin, do deep breathing or some other relaxation exercise.
  * Drink a cup of hot tea before beginning. If your baby is not sensitive to cow's milk products that you eat or drink, you might try warm milk or cocoa.
  * Make yourself as comfortable as possible. If you can, sit with your feet up.
  * If you have time, massage your breasts. Just before you begin, if possible, lay a warm towel on your breasts for a minute or two. (The towel is helpful, but not essential.) Then massage your breasts gently, one at a time, starting from the top and moving around the sides and the bottom, moving your fingers in a circular motion. With your fingertips, stroke yourself lightly from the armpit, from above and below the breast, and from the middle of the chest toward the nipple. You don't need to massage or stroke the nipples themselves. (If necessary, you can massage your breasts even while you're dressed.)
  * Pump both breasts at the same time, using a good electric pump.
  * If you are expressing one breast at a time, switch breasts at least once during each session and preferably twice, to insure maximum draining. Usually the second expression on each breast is briefer than the first.
  * Pump frequently. It's better to pump three times for no more than 10 minutes each time than to pump twice for 15 minutes each time. It yields more milk, it's more efficient, and it's also more comfortable, since it will cut down the likelihood of trauma from too much pressure exerted for too long a time. Some women get sore nipples from pumping more than seven or eight minutes on a breast.
  * Prop a photo of your baby in front of you. Look at it and remember what it feels like (or imagine what it will feel like) to have him at your breast. (Or use a photo of you nursing your baby.)
  * Visualize your baby in your mind. Imagine what she looks like, sounds like, feels like, smells like when she nurses.
  * Make the time go faster while you're expressing or pumping by talking with a friend, listening to the radio, reading something light, or watching television.
  * If your baby is present but cannot suckle and if you don't need two hands to express, hold him while you're pumping.
  * Wear comfortable clothes that open up or pull up but still cover your shoulders, so you don't get chilled.
  * Listen to a musical record that you associate with nursing. This works best if you play the record initially during actual breastfeeding sessions; then when you're expressing, hearing the same music may help evoke the memory and the sensations you felt then. (Handel's "Water Music" gets high marks from women who enjoy classical music.)
  END OF BOX