Can't find enough time to pump every 2-3hrs for baby in special care

[scaredycatz]

My baby is in special care at the hospital and I'm still here as a patient after really bad preeclampsia where they can still not settle my blood pressure after a week. They've told me to pump every 2/3 hours to keep my supply up but between visiting the baby in special care every 2 hours (trying to get him to start feeding off me instead of a tube) and feeling poorly/sleeping (hardly sleep at night due to regular obs because of blood pressure)/feeding myself I'm just not finding regular 30 minute windows to pump so I've been going every 4 hours the past few days, I'm really worried about how this is going to affect my supply and is just causing me stress all day! I really really don't want to give up on breastfeeding or lose my supply

My twins were preemies (34weeks) due to pre-eclampsia so I was in a bit of a similar situation. My hospital had a pump in scbu that i could use while I was with the babies. They had a screen to set up if I wanted privacy. Tiny Life or Bliss also rent hospital grade pumps cheaply to those that have preemie and your local nct may also have them. I know it is ideal to pump every 2-3 hours but you're recovering, and being woken up for blinking monitoring (necessary but very annoying). I compromised by pumping once in the night. I also only pumped for around 20 mins a time unless i was in the middle of a good episode of something. Worth seeing if hospital have a lactation consultant that can provide more tailored advice to you. Congratulations on your baby!

Thanks for the advice everyone, going to 15 minute pumps has definitely helped and I'm not even getting much less in the bottle than when I do a 30min plus pump! Now I am managing to do 3hr gaps most time but sometimes I don't manage it and go 4/5 if I fall asleep at the wrong time 🙈 I do a longer pump then, I don't know if that helps, I still don't really get how it works

Have you been on the kellymom website? Her info is great and all you need to know. You're doing a super job. Breasts are never truly empty and any pumping is good. It's a feedback mechanism. The more you pump the more milk your body makes. My boy was full term but only fed in 5-15min blocks for several weeks. Even at 4 months or so he never fed for longer than that. He's now 7 months and happy and healthy etc. Good luck!

Argh, it’s hard when you’re in hospital and they have a set way of doing things. It will get easier once you’re home and can pump in your own time, hang on in there. Could you try a pumping bra? Or just cut holes in a regular bra so that you can do other stuff while pumping. I pumped for months and got into the hang of doing all sorts while on the machine. Also at night you can just put it on briefly (15min) and dump the milk rather than sterilising, makes it much easier to do regularly at night. Are you allowed a cup of tea in the expressing room?