To all the pumping Mamas out there..Please help!

[goggles43]

So that’s it. Initially planned to ride it out until baby was 3 months old to see if my fast let-down would sort itself and/or baby would become more accustomed to it but no.
Dh and I have been up since 3am discussing how it’s too dangerous for baby who literally chokes and cannot cope with the fast flow at times. It’s too dangerous and not a risk I’m willing to take. As sad as it would make me, I would rather switch to formulae (although I really don’t want to and would have to be the absolute last resort ).

My baby is only 3 weeks old so BM supply not exactly established, but I can’t wait sky it out any longer.

So my questions to those who exclusively pumped as early as this-

1. How often do you pump?
2. Shoukd I pump 1 breast or both breast at same time?
3. Suggestions for a good (double) pump?
4. How do I know how much to feed my baby at each feed - especially as he grows?
5. Will I risk losing my supply by pumping?

I hope someone can help.

Feeling desperate to avoid breastfeeding now.

Thank you

bump

I had a really fast let down - have you tried unlatching baby for the initial let down and put a Muslin against your breast to catch it, then popping baby back on? As your milk supply settles the let down will settle too!
If you’ve tried the above and it’s not worked, are you on FB? There’s a great group called “Exclusively Expressing UK”

It doesn't answer your questions but done suggestions here for managing a fast let down. Apologies if you've tried these things already

kellymom.com/bf/got-milk/supply-worries/fast-letdown/

Sorry, my reply sent before I could answer your questions!
1- as baby is so young, minimum 12 times a day. A good schedule here
exclusivepumping.com/sample-pumping-schedules/

2 - Both breasts at the same time.

3 - I have a double Ameda - pricey but you need a good hospital grade pump as it’s going to be used so often. Medela, Spectra, Ardo Calypso are all highly rates too!

4 - Look into “paced feeding” this means he will not guzzle the milk as stretch his tummy, so you are able to keep up with what he drinks.

5 - I’m not going to lie, to keep your supply, it’s going to take quite a lot of pumping at this age, and is going to be exhausting as you need to pump during the night especially as that’s when all the milk making hormones are at peak.

Good luck! Please let me know if you have any other questions. It’s hard, but so worth it!

No practical advice but have you tried contacting one of the breastfeeding helpfulness? They might have ideas for you to try

Helplines * sorry!

Thank you for your responses ladies. I think my main problem is that my fast let down is mid-feed. For example, if I have an 8-min feed, I will have a surge of a fast let-down during minute 1, 4 and 6. I pull baby off breast but he either gets really impatient or falls asleep. It’s almost impossible to get him back awake again for the same feed. At over 3 weeks old, she has been weighed twice. A last weighing showed she had gained upto birth weight. I’ve tried catching in muslin cloth and clothes and we just get all sticky and soaked! There’s too much to control. The nighttime is worse as I sleep topless on a towel to allow my breast to breathe due to wearing breast pads during the day!

How old is baby now? If older than 6 weeks, I would say pump every 4 hours and once during the night. If younger, every 3 hours and twice at night.

It wont affect supply at all, if anything it will make it better in my experience. I could easily pump 5 or 6oz per boob after a week or two.

Recommendation for a pump would be the Medela or Calypso double electric pump. Also buy a steriliser so you're not faffing around with bottles and boiling water at 2am. Buy as many bottles as you can so there is always one clean.

As for how much to feed baba, you cannot over feed on breast milk. But as a rule of thumb my baby had around 50ml per feed for the first few weeks, going up to 100 by about 6 weeks old.

I reay enjoyed pumping and the control it gave me, I will do it again if I have another.

Forgot to add my baby piled on weight through pumping, I think because they get all the hind milk as well.