[sunshinedays]

i'm trying to prepare myself for the possibility of exclusively pumping once bubs is born (due June, cleft lip, unsure of palate...). I have to say that reading everyone's stories in here has made it seem a less daunting task.

I BF DS1 until he was 2 months shy of 3, so you could say breastfeeding (or at least the provision of breastmilk) is important to me.

I am still scared tho as when DS was about 3 or 4 weeks old I had to express one side for two weeks, and I got almost nothing SO while i had good supply I just didn't seem to be able to pump (and that was with a hospital pump).

I would really appreciate hearing people's routines for pumping - how long each session took, how many sessions a day, for both the early days and once bub is a bit older. At the moment I'm nervous about being about being able to pump while looking after a newborn and a 3 yo.

[lucky 2]

Hi all,

I am starting a new thread, the link to the old thread is here, I hope you will find the emotional and practical advice you need to make the best out of your challenging situation!

All the best,

luckytwo, Moderator of the Breastfeeding forum

[lucky 2]

This is a quick response and doesn't cover all of your questions.
Have you looked at any resources rt bfing and cleft lips?, it can be done for some bubs, I haven't much experience but I see and hear about it a bit. Try and find a LC who has experience with this, perhaps check out the pinned section in the bfing forum about Resources/finding a LC.
If you will be expressing a lot I reckon you'd be best to arrange for the hire of a Hospital grade electric pump in the beginning (once milk is in) and once supply is established then getting a double electric pump, quicker to use. Is there a LC available at the hosp where bub is born?
My sister exclusively expressed for 7 months with a double pump, she has an excellent supply! I double pumped partially for an older baby for 15 months, not as intensive as exclusively for a young baby though! A smaller pump which attaches to a belt is a medela Freestyle pump (double) and it retails $500+, you can also get and extra "hands-free" bra attachment which means you can double express with both hands free. It sounds like a good look! lol.
I hope you get some more replies.

[CharliMarley]

If you don't want to spend all that money on a pump, the ABA hire out pumps and they have all the latest ones.

[sunshinedays]

bumping this back up

thanks luckytwo. Bub does have a cleft palate as well as lip so definitely preparing to express as breastfeeding very highly unlikely. I am meeting with the hospital LC next week, and my midwife is also an ABA breast pump hire coordinator which is very helpful!

would love to hear from those who were able to express exclusively how they did it - ie how often they pumped at the beginning, when they were able to pump less and still maintain supply.

I am happy to report i have begun to express ante-natally and am doing alright!

[sunshinedays]

*bump*

my baby is now 8 days old. For some damn reason we did not prepare properly in terms of having enough bottles (well, we didn't know what sort she would be able to use due to her cleft).

Right now I want to go to bed not wash bottles and pump bits. How many of each thing (bottle, pump bits etc) did you have?

How much did you store?

My supply is good.... i am getting around 200 ml a session sometimes more, yesterday I got around 1.4L. Baby is taking less than 500ml a day. I'm overrun with milk! My boobs are engorged most of the time. I'm only pumping five times a day at the moment, for 10 minutes a side (less if the bottle fills up first). I'm scared to pump less due to engorgement, reducing my supply too much but it is crazy!

Sorry, late night ramblings (well, it's late if you have a newborn!) from someone who is just over it right now. I am seeing an ABA counsellor/friend tomorrow who hopefully sort me out a bit.

but any advice, anecdotes etc would be welcome.

[lucky 2]

Hi sunshinedays, Congratulations on the birth of your baby .
Good luck with your meeting tomorrow, I'm sure you'll get your supply sorted out in time and a good routine for expressing, its just a bit early for that at 8 days.
Check with your friend tomorrow but I'm not so sure that restricting the volumes you express is ideal at this time, ie when the milk has come in and establishing, you will probably make more milk this time round (sounds like it, 2nd preg).
? express one breast as much as possible and the other enough for comfort and then next expression swap breasts and express the other one fully, if you are careful and keep an eye out for signs of blocked ducts/mastitis you may be able to keep a bit of a lid on production.
Overall, having a supply that is over what bub needs is more ideal (for successful long term expressing) than accidentally going into undersupply (seems unlikely at the moment I can imagine).
I suppose I am more used to women expressing both breasts fully 6 or > times each 24 hours and the breasts recovering from initial engorgement. If you did this I know you will maintain an oversupply for the short term anyway.
I'd love to know what your friend thinks, she will be the best to advise you as she can see what is happening.
According to the ABA they recommend after each expression session to rinse the pump parts and store in a closed container in the fridge till next session or just put straight in to the container and fridge, but cleaning "well" once each 24 hours.
That sounds much easier than cleaning well after each expression!
I'd be cleaning the bottles and teats though after each feed.
http://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/bfinfo/pumpsug.html
I'm not the one for answers on how you manage it all but I wanted to wish you all the best.

[Littleboysblue]

congrats sunshinedays, sounds like bub is going to getting plenty, and so will your freezer.

im just going down this path atm- DS is 4months old abd since the start every feed has been a battle attatchment issues, breast refusal and no weight gain are just a few of our issues. So i have decided to express for days and bf overnight

i have a hired electric pump atm but have a medla swing coming- can i buy a second atatchment to make a double?

It seems as though my supply is fairly low as it is so im hoping to increase this. yesterday i expressed around 500mls and ds only drank about 400mls of this plus 2 feeds overnight? is this enough for a 4 month old who is only 6kgs? he just wouldnt take any more.
im taking fenugreek and pumping every 2.5-3hrs.

gah! i fed ds1 until 16months, so this a bit daunting and stressful for me- mother guilt is a b**ch!

i only have 2 bottles, and just wash them when its done- i dont stealise after each use- just hot soapy water wash then one a week i pop them through the dishwashr.

[lucky 2]

i have a hired electric pump atm but have a medla swing coming- can i buy a second atatchment to make a double?

It seems as though my supply is fairly low as it is so im hoping to increase this. yesterday i expressed around 500mls and ds only drank about 400mls of this plus 2 feeds overnight? is this enough for a 4 month old who is only 6kgs? he just wouldnt take any more.
im taking fenugreek and pumping every 2.5-3hrs.

Hi, I don't think you can double pump with a Swing.
In regards to volume of intake and is it enough?, perhaps keep monitoring for pale wee, poo, growth and general behaviour (settling after most feeds) and growing out of clothes.
Good luck with your feeding issues Littleboysblue, I've known bubs to refuse to feed and go back at 6 months of age! Fickle little people .

[sunshinedays]

Hi littleboysblue - i am pretty sure luckytwo is right, you can't double pump with the swing. i was told that the average consumption for a baby 1-6 months of age is 750 to 800 ml a day... hard to know how much your litle one is having given you are breastfeeding as well! I would go with what luckytwo said re monitoring nappies etc.

gah! i fed ds1 until 16months, so this a bit daunting and stressful for me- mother guilt is a b**ch!

i know! i am always having attacks of the guilts it is hard! especially after one successful breastfeeding relationship.

i don't know how you are surviving with only two bottles! ihave heaps now, and we still run out. I don't think i could handle washing after each feed. but then, there wouldn't be much to wash. How do you dry them? I find they take aaages to drip dry??

*chicka* i am hoping you will pop in here to keep this thread going

how are you coping expressing 7 times a day? I have already dropped down to 6. I hope it doesn't stuff with my supply... but i just couldn't handle doing any more than that. even now i struggle.

Brings me to a question: when does everyone express?

I am currently aiming for 2am, 6am, 9am, 2pm, 7pm, 10pm. But bubs has slept thru midnight to five a few times (lucky me!!) so i've been missing out on the 2am. I like the big gap during the day as it makes me feel like i still have a life. My DH is going back to work tomorrow and I am struggling to work out how i will fit in everything as well as give my 3yo some attention! tips gratefully received!

ok... speaking of fitting everything in, i should go and be productive.