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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Pumping milk!

28 replies

LouiseEH · 15/06/2018 19:12

Posting here for traffic!

I’m trying to boost my milk supply, I intend to pump one side whilst breastfeeding on the other but, I’m not sure how often I should be sterilising the pump.
Should I sterilise it after every time I use it? or not? Breastfeeding mothers who have returned to work can’t do can’t do this, so is it really necessary?

Also, if you have any other suggestions to boost milk supply I’d really appreciate the help :)

TIA

OP posts:
Grandmaswagsbag · 15/06/2018 19:17

If you’re pumping every day I’d just chuck all the bits in a tub of Milton overnight, that’s what I did in hospital when I was pumping. There’s no need to sterilise after every use. I was told a bottle of breastmilk left out in the side will contain less bacteria after a few hours because of all the good stuff in it, so small amounts on a pump will not harm. I’ve got no advice on pumping and feeding simultaneously though so I hope someone will be along soon.

BertrandRussell · 15/06/2018 19:17

First of all- do you need to boost your supply? Is your baby peeing and pooing and starting to gain weight? If you do, you have other children to look after? If not, just go to bed with your baby, some snacks, Mumsnet, the remote control, loads of drinks and just spend the day dozing and feeding. That's the best possible way to boost supply, honestly. And much nicer than expressing!

Ilikesweetpeas · 15/06/2018 19:18

I used to keep mine in the fridge in between expressing, and sterilise morning and night

LoopyLou1981 · 15/06/2018 19:19

You only have to sterilise it out of the box. After that, washing with hot soapy water is sufficient.
I believe the thinking is that boobs aren’t sterile so you’d undo all your good sterilising work the minute you used it xx

ConciseandNice · 15/06/2018 19:19

When I was pumping in hospital I was told I didn’t need to sterilise with breastmilk because it has antibacterial properties. I’ve pumped with 5 babies and never worried about it.

kaytee87 · 15/06/2018 19:20

Do you need to increase supply?

You don't need to sterilise breastmilk equipment. Hot soapy water is fine.

PlanetMJ · 15/06/2018 19:25

Fenugreek worked for me. I took 2 of the Holland and Barrett tablets three times a day. I stank a bit but it did the trick and was recommended by a lactation consultant I saw.

Original poster
LouiseEH · 15/06/2018 19:26

That’s good to know about the little drops of milk on the pump.

DD has a cold a few weeks ago, her feeding suffered because of it and hasn’t gotten back to normal yet. She isn’t putting on as much weight as she should be, I don’t think my supply is terrible but I could do with a bit of a boost.

OP posts:
RideOn · 15/06/2018 19:26

I used to bring a non sterilized pump to work in a plastic microwave sterilize box by Tommee Tippee. I pumped once and kept milk in fridge. If I was late out and had to pump again I just discarded milk. Then gave it a wash when I got home and stored it in box for next day.

I suppose you could put plastic part in sink and carefully splash a bit of boiling water through the plastic part of the pump to clean it. I did do this when they were a bit older.

How old is your baby?
Are you going to feed the baby the milk or freeze it?

RideOn · 15/06/2018 19:28

x post and now see I wasted a lot of time sterilizing!! Ignore my advice OP, just use hot soapy water if that is all that is needed.

PlanetMJ · 15/06/2018 19:29

Also, I was recommended to pump on the breast I had finished feeding on afterwards. My supply was low due to baby having a tongue tie and not feeding efficiently enough to completely drain the breast.

BertrandRussell · 15/06/2018 19:30

"She isn’t putting on as much weight as she should be,"
I don't want to quiz you, sorry! But have you been told that by someone who knows what they are talking about? Because so long as she is peeing and pooing and gaining weight that's almost certainly fine. Just feed and feed and feed.

JustVent · 15/06/2018 19:31

Fenugreek is your friend! It always hugely boosted my milk supply, fantastic stuff.
Pumping never helped me.

Original poster
LouiseEH · 15/06/2018 19:31

Dd is 10 weeks

Thank you for all of the replies, I was getting so confused and overthinking it 😂

I’m going to freeze the milk in a chest freezer so it should keep for a while.

OP posts:
Cornettoninja · 15/06/2018 19:32

I made porridge with proper rolled oats and drank fennel tea to boost my supply iirc. As well as making sure I was properly hydrated.

There are definitely dietary measures you can take. I believe there is a mothers tea you can buy with all the herba boosters in it.

Cornettoninja · 15/06/2018 19:32

*herbal

Original poster
LouiseEH · 15/06/2018 19:35

Was told she isn’t putting on as much weight as expected by a health visitor today, she has only put on 60g in 7 days (can’t remember what they said she is supposed to be putting on)

OP posts:
BertrandRussell · 15/06/2018 19:52

Yeah- that’s a bit low. But not really unexpected if she’s been poorly. If I was your peer mentor (!) I would suggest just feeding her as much as possible for the next 7 days and see how she is then. Expressing can be tricky and stressful (although a lot of people find it easy). For me, it was just something else to worry about- and I was crap at it anyway.......

kaytee87 · 15/06/2018 19:56

You're best pumping for a few minutes on your 'empty' breast after each feed between say 6pm & bedtime. That should increase supply.
Be careful of creating over supply. I used to be able to pump 18oz in one sitting and my beasts still wouldn't be empty. It was uncomfortable and I was always leaking.

BE18mum · 15/06/2018 19:56

I’m mix feeding due to low supply as the hospital suggested, but breast compressions (pushing down your breast when baby is actively suckling) helps to empty your breast fully and boost supply, but biggest thing for me is looking after yourself. Get sleep and drink loads - mine increased overnight when I started to drink a pint of water at every feed. I know the sleep issue is easier said than done, though.

Icklepickle101 · 15/06/2018 19:58

I’d honestly be very careful about pumping to increase supply. I ended up with mastitis 5 times in 7 months due to over supply from pumping in the early days. It meant the end of breastfeeding for us and the last time I was so poorly I was hospitalised.

Grandmaswagsbag · 15/06/2018 20:14

I would have thought it totally normal for a baby to slow with weight gain a bit having had a bit of a cold. I really wouldn’t panic if she’s having plenty of wet and dirty nappies. It may simply be that she’s not feeding as much as she’s a bit under the weather, not a supply issue.

Original poster
LouiseEH · 15/06/2018 20:21

I forgot to mention that for the last week she has been sleeping through (I don’t expect this to last lol) this has also caused me not to produce as much.

Perhaps I am a little over worried but I want to get this sorted before it becomes a real problem iyswim

OP posts:
Grandmaswagsbag · 15/06/2018 20:25

I’d probably be waking her for at least one nightfeed to boost supply up a bit then. She’s quite little to go through the night and if she needs to put on a bit extra this might help.

Grandmaswagsbag · 15/06/2018 20:44

Sorry I’d thought she was 10 days not 10 weeks Blush. Waking her for a bit of a ‘dream feed’ might not be a bad way to boost supply though and probably easier than pumping.