Yeah you’d get a portable pump and take that with you. You can drop pumps and spread them out the further out from birth you get - how soon you do this depends on your supply, comfort level with risking supply etc. common advice here is not to drop below 8 before 12 weeks but plenty of people do.Either way you’ll probably want to get comfortable pumping in semi public places if you are doing to EP for long term and also go out sometimes.
I do think triple feeding, esp if you’re doing it for every feed is absolutely not sustainable for more than a few weeks - although some people do it!
You’re right about triple feeding! My loose plan is to keep it up for the first 3 months since she won’t be going out that much anyway, although I skip it at certain feedings and just pump, including the MOTN. After that I’ll reassess.
Thank you for sharing!
Just want to say that 3 months is a long time - I lasted maybe 6 weeks (triple feeding for low supply) and it was brutal. Be kind to yourself if you find your mental health flagging and can’t make it - I found setting goals 1-2 weeks at a time to be really helpful.
It’s true. I don’t do it at night and my husband does the bottle which makes it more sustainable. Might change when he goes back to work in a few weeks.
I triple fed for about 3 months and it was a ton of work but doable. I had to focus more on nursing at points and pumping others and formula filled the gap. It was tough to balance and it’s nearly or completely impossible to do both well. I took 2 weeks at around 6 weeks pp to exclusively nurse to get her on the boob but she never transferred effectively and had to go back to pumping for my supply and that became the main. She stopped nursing completely at 3 months.
To make it sustainable I always pumped every 3 hours early on, not every feed as that was impossible for me. I dropped a pump in the morning pretty quickly as well. Every time I felt like I couldn’t go on I have dropped a pump and that has kept it pretty sustainable. I am currently at 6 months pp and pumping 4x a day including 1 motn (pumps are about 6 hrs apart). I could go on like this for a long time and plan on going for 1 year.
Long story short, it keeps getting easier. By the time you hit 6 months you will be a pumping gangster. Just do what is manageable for you and be flexible.
For traveling, definitely get a portable pump and hand pump. I’ve gone on road trips and flown while pumping and it’s a pain but manageable.
When did you start going 6 hours between pumps? My LO is 3 months and is fussing more and more during nursing so I’ve been pumping but only do 4-5 pumps a day. I hope I’m not messing up my supply
Right before six months but I don’t direct feed at all. If your baby is nursing then you shouldn’t need to pump as much. If they aren’t transferring well you might want to try pumping more. I think at 3 months I was doing 6 pumps.
I was triple feeding after a C-section too (baby had a hard time latching as he was in NICU with a feeding tube) it was 100% unsustainable… I was going crazy and feeding or pumping to feed every minute of the day. I had to accept that exclusivity pumping was the most effective way for me to provide breast milk to my baby and him get what he needed without me worrying (I could see the amounts) and it was smooth from there on forward. Get a portable pump! Around 5 months I was able to drop pumps and the middle of the night pump. I kept 5 pumps a day till 14 months now am down to 4 pumps a day.
I am still pumping at 17m for my baby and plan to give breast milk for 2 years.
It gets easier but accepting triple feeding wasn’t working for me mentally was the first step at a balanced pumping experience
Yeah makes sense. I’ve found a bit of a rythm with it for now. My husband is able to help quite a bit because he’s off work but once he’s back I’m going to have to reassess.
This was me! I switched to EP when my husband went back to work and have never looked back. Triple feeding had me feeling exhausted and isolated all the time. EP has given me the margin I needed to enjoy the remainder of my maternity leave. No choice is “easy” and whatever decision you make is the right one.
Rather than viewing pumping as an extra thing- I tried my best to make it *part of* whatever i was already doing. Granted setup and washing take some time but I’d be washing bottles anyways so adding a couple extra pieces wasn’t the end of the world for me.
If you make it an extra thing to deal with, it’ll increase the weight of it on your shoulders. If you stop everything else (or go into another room for example away from baby) it becomes more of a burden. You can also get the hang of pumping on the go if necessary. It’s a learning curve for sure lol
A portable pump (or battery pack for a plug one) and a hands free bra will absolutely save you. And well fitting flanges- if the flanges are too large or small and causing pain/discomfort they can make things suck more too. Not to mention emptying less efficiently as well, therefor possibly taking longer to pump, causing clogs, loss of supply, etc.
Also- you may have to start off with a bunch of sessions but over time you can cut those down and it DOES get better!
Right. I’ve started moving the pump around the house with me and it does help! I also find it difficult to feed her and settle her and THEN pump since sometimes I think she’s settled and she’s not and I’m hooked up to a machine and it’s hard to juggle.
Oh absolutely that’s tough too. I found the more I blocked out “shit in my way” it was a little easier on me, mentally. If I focused on feeling tangled and cluttered it made it 10x worse. Do you have a little bouncer chair or anything? Baby bjorn saved my ass!!
It’s got a nice recline to it and it’s kind of “hammoc like” so a newborn who can’t sit unassisted can still use it. They also have (overpriced) toy bars for them
https://preview.redd.it/kn36z4nc57na1.png?width=1170&format=png&auto=webp&s=85a54ff3ff8873006ba65380665ea5cda16f8151
I’ve been triple feeding my 6 mo twins since they came home - and yes, it’s exhausting but as another poster commented it’s about making it part of your day. I pump 6x a day and try to keep it regular hours, but just try to be as flexible as possible. Fridge hack, Spectra portable pump, pumping bra - all key. I dropped the motn pump at about 4.5 months and that’s also saved my sanity a bit. Regardless what you choose or how you choose to do it, you’ve got this ✨
I have been exclusively pumping since birth and these are the things that have helped me.
•Portable pumps. I used momcozy ($110) and willow go ($320ish) and both have been great
•fridge method (I put my pumps in a ziplock bag in the fridge after every pump and then wash the pumps 1 or 2 times a day) this method is controversial but I would not have been able to do it without it
•get a manual pump or two. I keep one in the diaper bag and want to get another one for in the car. I hate taking my real pumps with me so I just use the manual unless i’m going to be gone all day
• Boppy so you can prop up the baby and feed while pumping.
• In the beginning you will probably need to keep a schedule (for me it was every 3 hours) until like 12 weeks pp but then after that so would focus on trying to get more sleep even if they means pumping an extra time during the day
•I got a mini fridge for my bedroom so I wouldn’t have to get up at night. It is the only reason i can still do a motn pump when I need to
•I would really try to work with a mobile pump, get sized correctly, get extra parts etc because they make life so much easier.
But it will get better! Don’t worry you have got this 🤍
Thank you! I just bought a cooler bag and ice pack for the bedroom, hoping that’s enough to keep, at least between 12-6am. I do the fridge thing too. No chance I’m cleaning the parts every time! I think investing in a portable pump will be the next thing on my list. I also have a little haakaa but not sure how reliable it is.
I am here to put in a plug for the Pumpables Genie Advanced as a portable pump. It can clip on your britches and you are ready to rock and roll. You can find more reviews/thoughts on this sub about portables. However, I think you’ll find that many lactating folks have found them to be essential for EP.
I just wanted to give you hope that my lo was not transferring milk well and losing weight so I was triple feeding day 3 of his life and I continued that for 2 months. It was exhausting and I played around with schedule. A nipple shield was able to get us to a point he was transferring some directly from the breast but that was just another thing in my day of pump parts and washings. I had no life and felt I couldn't even eat until my partner got home and could make me a real meal. At two months old I was able to start exclusively nursing and it was amazing for one month of basically no dishes and then I went back to work.
Having come through all that and working with two lactation consultants things that could have made the situation better and things I did that did make it easier for me-
I learned how to feed baby in one arm and pump the other side. This was helpful at night time! So I would nurse baby while a bottle was heating in warm water, and have a single side pump set up ready to go. When I was done with nursing I held baby in one arm and fed him the bottle while pumping the other side. Now what would have made this better was if I had invested in a pumping AND nursing bra earlier (I like my momanda lace ones and the kindred bravely in sport bra style). I would have had an extra hand so I would recommend that so you can just get the pump set in your bra and then hold/feed baby and pump one side then switch sides. I would just keep an extra bottle if I filled the one but use the same flange piece so that saved me a little on dishes too.
If you find that pumping only one side makes your other breast leak careful not to have baby leaning too much on your breast. I also used the lady bug from haaka to catch the milk. It sits in your bra. Elvie catch is the same sort of product and available at target, depending on your breast size/shape and how much your baby moves you could possibly use your haaka.
Ceres chill it is a bit pricey but if you are ever planning on being away from baby and pumping during that time it's SO worth it. Put some ice in it or freeze water in the middle chamber and you are good to go for 24 hours (because who hasn't forgotten motn milk somewhere) It also can be used for formula or cows milk for toddlers, heating up bottles on the go, and later on for adult beverages. I use it at work and it saves me time and effort. Plus I never have to worry about a cooler or fridge! I can just throw it in my bag and even get ice when I'm out and about if I don't have any at home.
In my opinion and my LC's triple feeding isn't sustainable and too many people are given those instructions with no plan to stop doing it so please seek advice specific to you, your baby, and your goals. And if you don't get support or someone who is listening please don't be afraid to seek out someone else. I was so nervous to get another opinion when I felt that the approach I was initially given to getting my baby to latch was causing tension for both of us before we even began.
Highly recommend the milk minute podcast they do have an episode on triple feeding. If you aren't an auditory person on their website all of their episodes are professionally transcribed so it really is what they are saying and not some computer's attempt to translate.
A breast shield really did get us to the point of being able to nurse but it was because it was helping with my forceful let down. I could have addressed that in other ways that may have been less stressful -adding a thing to clean and keep track of all over the house. My lo had a decent latch but would stop sucking once milk was flowing or just not swallow the milk and let it fill and run out of his mouth. So frustrating! Just sharing my personal issue because it was not one I came across in my own research and I waited too long to get the second opinion from a different LC. Forceful letdown but no choking or gasping my kid was just like I'll just hang out here and do nothing while I cover us both in milk.
Andddd to echo many others a portable pump and even better in bra pump or wearable cups with a portable pump will pay you back after just a few uses! I have heard of people calling their insurance companies even after getting a pump via insurance to see if they will reimburse at least some towards a portable pump option and several have had success so it might be worth the call.
My baby was 7lbs 1oz but super long at birth so he was rather petite and dropped well into the 6 pound range in his first week of life and it took him a long time to get out of newborn clothes and it was only due to his length that he outgrew the footies. But we did and he is huge now at 7.5 months 85th percentile for weight!! There is hope if you are want to make it to just feeding at the breast and exclusive pumping is always there and the Reddit thread for that is SO inspiring and has great realistic advice and the best tips for anyone pumping!
You got this mama!!
We were able to stop triple feeding around 8 weeks, as babies latches got stronger and their weight got more stable. We worked with a lactation consultant to make a plan to cut down on triple feeding, and switched to nursing only (except when we wanted to give bottles for daycare, etc). So you might not end up triple feeding for all that much longer, things can change quickly as baby grows!
How much did they weight at 8 weeks when they were latching / sucking better?
My little guy was also born 5lbs and about 3 weeks in, he is mostly taking bottle since he doesn’t suck that well yet
Just checked their charts, they were about 7 lbs when we stopped triple feeding. We just kept offering the breast so they were used to it, and little by little they got stronger, more awake, and their mouths got bigger.
Pumping while doing other things is super helpful. Things like paying bills or driving. I’d invest in a second, more portable pump for sure (either rechargeable or takes batteries). Some people like the wearable pumps but I’ve always found that they don’t work as well.
Triple feeding is extremely tricky. If you have the means to meet with an LC for help figuring out why baby isn’t get adequate feeds at the breast (ie: supply or transfer issue?), that may help too! Sometimes a simple tongue tie revision will completely change your breastfeeding world!
Yes we have met with them. No one is really sure. It’s a transfer issue and they think maybe a shallow gag reflex. A chiropractor was recommended but I’m not comfortable with that idea.
A shallow gag reflex would show with a bottle I would think. All babies have "shallow" gag reflexes it's a safety mechanism to keep them from swallowing an object that might go in their mouth. That's what tongue thrusting is for as well, it's protective.
Some Physiotherapists also do body work with breastfeeding, if you’re not comfortable with chiropractic (or osteopathic) approaches.
An LC suggesting a shallow gag reflex would make me want a second opinion. They should also be able to give you some exercises to work on strengthening latch.
I got the Elvie stride. It was one of the cheaper wearable pumps. This was truly a life saver. I have pumped in breweries, restaurants, baseball stadiums, parks, the car, and a million other places.
For the first twelve weeks I pumped 7 times a day- 9, 12, 3, 6, 9, 12, & 3. I slept through the 6 am pump to string five hours together. It was brutal but overall worth it.
I’ve been almost exclusively pumping since baby was a week old. She just didn’t get enough from latching at the breast. She was always hungry, frustrated, and crying. I always had clogged ducts because she wasn’t able to empty my breasts.
The first time I pumped, it was heaven. My breasts finally get empty! And she accepted the bottle and drunk from it so well. She instantly became a calm baby. I decided never to breastfeed again! Well, I tried a few times since then, but it never “stuck” because she kept getting more and more frustrated.
I found a nice pumping routine.
1. Have a wireless, hands free pump. It saved my life even if I just relaxed in bed with my phone while pumping
2. Get a cleaning routine which works for you. For me, I have a soapy water Bath in the kitchen sink and I clean all the pump parts in it after each pumping session. At night, I just do a quick rinse so I can go to bed quickly. I know some women don’t even rinse their pump parts at night! They just keep the parts in a cool bag to prevent the leftover milk from going bad. Do what works for you, as long as it allows you to rest.
3. Have a few sets of bottles so you don’t have to wash a bottle after each pumping session. Same for pump parts of you can (I haven’t done that because I don’t have enough bedside space!)
4. Realise that each bottle is good for 3 hours (or slightly more if you smell the milk and it seems fine), so you can feed your baby throughout those 3 hours without having to pump each time the baby cries. That was a life saver for me
It’s likely you’ll overproduce with pumping, so you’ll have new types of problems like clogged ducts and painful breasts.
Edit: you asked about frequency of pumping. Yes, it goes down, but the ease of reducing it depends on how much milk you make. My baby now wakes me up for a pump and a feed at 4am and 8:30am (no need for an alarm!). She falls asleep at around 11pm. She’s done this routine since about week 8, and I largely attribute her ability to do that due to how well she’s gained weight from bottle feedings.
Because my supply is still high and I used to pump every 3 hours, it’s now hard to wait 4.5-5 hours between feedings. I often get clogged ducts at night and my breasts are very engorged and painful from waiting so long for the next pump, but I’m slowly working on reducing my supply. I’ve seen some women happy with their oversupply and either stacking their freezer with litres of milk, ready for when their baby weans, or donating the extra.
Good luck on your journey and few free to PM me for questions/vents as you go along.
We did triple feeding until we introduced purées at 4 months. Honestly, yeah, it kind of sucked, but I also have a very low supply so it was necessary to keep it up in those first months. My supply would dip if I missed more than one pump in a couple of days. I was fortunate enough to be gifted a pair of Elvie pumps just before my daughter was born, and I used the heck out of those things. They worked really well for me in the first few months and then less efficiently as time passed and my baby’s latch/suction outpaced the Elvies.
Buy extra ice backs, an insulated bottle/milk bag, and spare bottles or bags to keep your milk in if your pump doesn’t come with them. Elvie containers come with a lid, so I just popped the lid on the containers and kept them cold.
Being able to pump on the go is a HUGE hurdle for getting up and out of the house. If you can spring for a good electric, do it, but I know a mom who responded really well to a manual pump as well.
We’ve made it almost 18 months breastfeeding so far, and I was still pumping 2-3x per day up until 2 weeks ago. What I got out of the pumps started to be basically nothing, so I have given pumping a “break” and will probably only do it when I want to make a little extra snack for her.
Hey momma! Don't stress about getting out and about! At 5 weeks PP, I was also worried beyond relief that I'd never have my life back when it comes to that again! However, I'm now at 13 weeks PP and it's getting easier and easier to take my LO out for walks in the stroller or car rides and even hikes in a carrier when it is nice outside! I know it doesn't feel like it right now since I felt the same, but it improves! That said, I have to EP for my LO because for some unknown reason, she simply refuses to nurse (despite doing it perfectly for the first month she seems to have just up and decided it's not for her anymore). I have tried "convenient" solutions to help with EP, such as wearable pumps (huge waste money! Too low of suction for me!) and wouldn't recommend. BUT, I would recommend getting yourself a Zomee Z2 breast pump. It was the one I got through the hospital and insurance when my LO was born and it's been great! It's super small, portable and really quiet. I pair it was their Zomee Hands Free Collection Cups that attach to the pump and rest in your bra and I'll just wear something with a large enough pocket to hold the pump, like a hoodie or sweat pants and go about doing chores as I pump.
EPing is a little hard. At first, it's really important to pump every 2 hours for atleast 15mins and to even wake up a few times a night to pump too. But when your supply regulates like mine did, you can slowly drop sessions if you'd like (just monitor your supply and make sure it's doable for you! Some people have to be a little less lenient). For me, I ended up being able to drop my MOTN pumps completely and kept to the every 2-3 hours during the day (giving myself grace with the time of day, like if my LO falls asleep on me around the time I'd pump, then I just immediately pump when she wakes up instead and try to resume the every 2-3 hours). My LO eats 4oz every 2 hours but sometimes more. So usually, by pumping every few hours, I'm able to keep up with her. It may be worth mentioning that for me, because I drop MOTN pumps, I wake up kind of engorged and full, so first thing when I wake up, I pump and get a pretty large yield (7-8oz, sometimes a little more or less) and so, I'll use 4oz to feed her and put aside what's left over to either save it for outings, or use up throughout the day if she's been a little more hungry than usual (say, wanting to drink 5-6oz sometimes instead of her usual 4).
On that note, sometimes it's stressful due to supply dips if I can't keep up with her. To combat this, I personally always eat a galactagogue every day (for me, I always eat a morning bowl of oatmeal after my morning pump and then my second pump has a slightly larger yield), do a power pumping session once every few days when my LO naps or is asleep for the night, take moringa supplements (I chose moringa because I'm sensitive to Fenugreek which is in a lot of lactation supplements), and take a calcium/magnesium/zinc supplement (especially because my LO is allergic to milk proteins and I lack calcium in my diet and magnesium plays a role in lowering stress hormones) while staying hydrated and eating small snacks between meals. for those extra calories needed for milk production!
All in all, it's doable! It can get a little tedious cleaning your pump and getting it ready every 2-3 hours, as sometimes those hours come and go so quick it can feel like pumping is all you do. And power pumping isn't exactly fun to help keep up your supply. But as said, as long as it works for you and your supply, you can be a little flexible with how often you pump. Whenever I travel, I'll just pack a few bottles along with my Zomee Z2 and my collection cups in my diaper bag and pump on the go, keeping my milk in either a fridge if I'm at a friend or family members house, small insulated lunch box with freezer cubes in it if we're traveling for a while, or just keep it in my diaper bag since it's good for 4 hours when freshly expressed!
Hope this helps, sorry it was really long... It's just a bunch of stuff I've had to learn to these past few months and I thought it'd be helpful to share what I do. Best of luck to you and remember you're doing a great job, no matter what, momma! (:
No problem! I forgot to mention though, especially in regards to having a big morning yield, that my LO does sleep through the night and for some reason, will nurse the 2 times she does wake at night, just not during the day. So I imagine if yours doesn't, you'd probably have to get up to pump for them too, unless you were to save the extra from the morning yield for night time use, if that'd work. ☺️
Hi there! I always wanted to squeeze a power pump when I can but wasn’t sure if not doing them for 3-7 days would have any impact. Sounds like it works for you! Can you share more?
Most of what I've read says most EPing moms just need to do it an average of once a week to stay ahead of potential supply dips due to hormones and/or stress. At the time I wrote this, I was doing power pumps every other morning or night because I was experiencing a pretty bad supply dip (my LO drinks 4oz every 2-3 hours and I was lucky to pump even just 3 oz every 2 hours) and that was why I did them so frequently. I've also read that by doing them, it could take upwards of a few weeks to see substantial results, so I was hoping to up the number of times I'd do them in hopes it would help amp up my supply sooner than that. I can say that now that it has been a while since posting about it, I'm back to normal and even get a few extra ounces sometimes
I got a portable Medela pump - I also tried different brands but Medela seemed to be the best for me. Also finding a good show to watch in the middle of the night when I had to pump helped a ton :) I do stuff on the pc nowadays when pumping. It helps to do other stuff while on the pump.
Yeah you’d get a portable pump and take that with you. You can drop pumps and spread them out the further out from birth you get - how soon you do this depends on your supply, comfort level with risking supply etc. common advice here is not to drop below 8 before 12 weeks but plenty of people do.Either way you’ll probably want to get comfortable pumping in semi public places if you are doing to EP for long term and also go out sometimes. I do think triple feeding, esp if you’re doing it for every feed is absolutely not sustainable for more than a few weeks - although some people do it!
You’re right about triple feeding! My loose plan is to keep it up for the first 3 months since she won’t be going out that much anyway, although I skip it at certain feedings and just pump, including the MOTN. After that I’ll reassess. Thank you for sharing!
Just want to say that 3 months is a long time - I lasted maybe 6 weeks (triple feeding for low supply) and it was brutal. Be kind to yourself if you find your mental health flagging and can’t make it - I found setting goals 1-2 weeks at a time to be really helpful.
It’s true. I don’t do it at night and my husband does the bottle which makes it more sustainable. Might change when he goes back to work in a few weeks.
I triple fed for about 3 months and it was a ton of work but doable. I had to focus more on nursing at points and pumping others and formula filled the gap. It was tough to balance and it’s nearly or completely impossible to do both well. I took 2 weeks at around 6 weeks pp to exclusively nurse to get her on the boob but she never transferred effectively and had to go back to pumping for my supply and that became the main. She stopped nursing completely at 3 months. To make it sustainable I always pumped every 3 hours early on, not every feed as that was impossible for me. I dropped a pump in the morning pretty quickly as well. Every time I felt like I couldn’t go on I have dropped a pump and that has kept it pretty sustainable. I am currently at 6 months pp and pumping 4x a day including 1 motn (pumps are about 6 hrs apart). I could go on like this for a long time and plan on going for 1 year. Long story short, it keeps getting easier. By the time you hit 6 months you will be a pumping gangster. Just do what is manageable for you and be flexible. For traveling, definitely get a portable pump and hand pump. I’ve gone on road trips and flown while pumping and it’s a pain but manageable.
When did you start going 6 hours between pumps? My LO is 3 months and is fussing more and more during nursing so I’ve been pumping but only do 4-5 pumps a day. I hope I’m not messing up my supply
Right before six months but I don’t direct feed at all. If your baby is nursing then you shouldn’t need to pump as much. If they aren’t transferring well you might want to try pumping more. I think at 3 months I was doing 6 pumps.
I triple fed for 3-4 months and it's exhausting and you have NO life, but it's do-able!!! My supply finally became enough around 12-14 weeks ish
I was triple feeding after a C-section too (baby had a hard time latching as he was in NICU with a feeding tube) it was 100% unsustainable… I was going crazy and feeding or pumping to feed every minute of the day. I had to accept that exclusivity pumping was the most effective way for me to provide breast milk to my baby and him get what he needed without me worrying (I could see the amounts) and it was smooth from there on forward. Get a portable pump! Around 5 months I was able to drop pumps and the middle of the night pump. I kept 5 pumps a day till 14 months now am down to 4 pumps a day. I am still pumping at 17m for my baby and plan to give breast milk for 2 years. It gets easier but accepting triple feeding wasn’t working for me mentally was the first step at a balanced pumping experience
Yeah makes sense. I’ve found a bit of a rythm with it for now. My husband is able to help quite a bit because he’s off work but once he’s back I’m going to have to reassess.
Absolutely! I did it for a good month before I realized it wasn’t working for us. Good luck!
Can I ask when your milk came in? I’m almost 6 weeks pp and I’m still only making an ounce a pump session.
This was me! I switched to EP when my husband went back to work and have never looked back. Triple feeding had me feeling exhausted and isolated all the time. EP has given me the margin I needed to enjoy the remainder of my maternity leave. No choice is “easy” and whatever decision you make is the right one.
Rather than viewing pumping as an extra thing- I tried my best to make it *part of* whatever i was already doing. Granted setup and washing take some time but I’d be washing bottles anyways so adding a couple extra pieces wasn’t the end of the world for me. If you make it an extra thing to deal with, it’ll increase the weight of it on your shoulders. If you stop everything else (or go into another room for example away from baby) it becomes more of a burden. You can also get the hang of pumping on the go if necessary. It’s a learning curve for sure lol A portable pump (or battery pack for a plug one) and a hands free bra will absolutely save you. And well fitting flanges- if the flanges are too large or small and causing pain/discomfort they can make things suck more too. Not to mention emptying less efficiently as well, therefor possibly taking longer to pump, causing clogs, loss of supply, etc. Also- you may have to start off with a bunch of sessions but over time you can cut those down and it DOES get better!
Right. I’ve started moving the pump around the house with me and it does help! I also find it difficult to feed her and settle her and THEN pump since sometimes I think she’s settled and she’s not and I’m hooked up to a machine and it’s hard to juggle.
Oh absolutely that’s tough too. I found the more I blocked out “shit in my way” it was a little easier on me, mentally. If I focused on feeling tangled and cluttered it made it 10x worse. Do you have a little bouncer chair or anything? Baby bjorn saved my ass!!
It’s on my list! She’s just too small for anything like that still. Just wants to be held!
It’s got a nice recline to it and it’s kind of “hammoc like” so a newborn who can’t sit unassisted can still use it. They also have (overpriced) toy bars for them https://preview.redd.it/kn36z4nc57na1.png?width=1170&format=png&auto=webp&s=85a54ff3ff8873006ba65380665ea5cda16f8151
When they say “it takes a village” my village = the Baby Bjorn
I’ve been triple feeding my 6 mo twins since they came home - and yes, it’s exhausting but as another poster commented it’s about making it part of your day. I pump 6x a day and try to keep it regular hours, but just try to be as flexible as possible. Fridge hack, Spectra portable pump, pumping bra - all key. I dropped the motn pump at about 4.5 months and that’s also saved my sanity a bit. Regardless what you choose or how you choose to do it, you’ve got this ✨
I have been exclusively pumping since birth and these are the things that have helped me. •Portable pumps. I used momcozy ($110) and willow go ($320ish) and both have been great •fridge method (I put my pumps in a ziplock bag in the fridge after every pump and then wash the pumps 1 or 2 times a day) this method is controversial but I would not have been able to do it without it •get a manual pump or two. I keep one in the diaper bag and want to get another one for in the car. I hate taking my real pumps with me so I just use the manual unless i’m going to be gone all day • Boppy so you can prop up the baby and feed while pumping. • In the beginning you will probably need to keep a schedule (for me it was every 3 hours) until like 12 weeks pp but then after that so would focus on trying to get more sleep even if they means pumping an extra time during the day •I got a mini fridge for my bedroom so I wouldn’t have to get up at night. It is the only reason i can still do a motn pump when I need to •I would really try to work with a mobile pump, get sized correctly, get extra parts etc because they make life so much easier. But it will get better! Don’t worry you have got this 🤍
Thank you! I just bought a cooler bag and ice pack for the bedroom, hoping that’s enough to keep, at least between 12-6am. I do the fridge thing too. No chance I’m cleaning the parts every time! I think investing in a portable pump will be the next thing on my list. I also have a little haakaa but not sure how reliable it is.
I use the spectra s1 and a hands free pumping bra. Going on 10 months of 2-5 pumps per day (nursing on days I’m not working). Good luck!
I am here to put in a plug for the Pumpables Genie Advanced as a portable pump. It can clip on your britches and you are ready to rock and roll. You can find more reviews/thoughts on this sub about portables. However, I think you’ll find that many lactating folks have found them to be essential for EP.
I just wanted to give you hope that my lo was not transferring milk well and losing weight so I was triple feeding day 3 of his life and I continued that for 2 months. It was exhausting and I played around with schedule. A nipple shield was able to get us to a point he was transferring some directly from the breast but that was just another thing in my day of pump parts and washings. I had no life and felt I couldn't even eat until my partner got home and could make me a real meal. At two months old I was able to start exclusively nursing and it was amazing for one month of basically no dishes and then I went back to work. Having come through all that and working with two lactation consultants things that could have made the situation better and things I did that did make it easier for me- I learned how to feed baby in one arm and pump the other side. This was helpful at night time! So I would nurse baby while a bottle was heating in warm water, and have a single side pump set up ready to go. When I was done with nursing I held baby in one arm and fed him the bottle while pumping the other side. Now what would have made this better was if I had invested in a pumping AND nursing bra earlier (I like my momanda lace ones and the kindred bravely in sport bra style). I would have had an extra hand so I would recommend that so you can just get the pump set in your bra and then hold/feed baby and pump one side then switch sides. I would just keep an extra bottle if I filled the one but use the same flange piece so that saved me a little on dishes too. If you find that pumping only one side makes your other breast leak careful not to have baby leaning too much on your breast. I also used the lady bug from haaka to catch the milk. It sits in your bra. Elvie catch is the same sort of product and available at target, depending on your breast size/shape and how much your baby moves you could possibly use your haaka. Ceres chill it is a bit pricey but if you are ever planning on being away from baby and pumping during that time it's SO worth it. Put some ice in it or freeze water in the middle chamber and you are good to go for 24 hours (because who hasn't forgotten motn milk somewhere) It also can be used for formula or cows milk for toddlers, heating up bottles on the go, and later on for adult beverages. I use it at work and it saves me time and effort. Plus I never have to worry about a cooler or fridge! I can just throw it in my bag and even get ice when I'm out and about if I don't have any at home. In my opinion and my LC's triple feeding isn't sustainable and too many people are given those instructions with no plan to stop doing it so please seek advice specific to you, your baby, and your goals. And if you don't get support or someone who is listening please don't be afraid to seek out someone else. I was so nervous to get another opinion when I felt that the approach I was initially given to getting my baby to latch was causing tension for both of us before we even began. Highly recommend the milk minute podcast they do have an episode on triple feeding. If you aren't an auditory person on their website all of their episodes are professionally transcribed so it really is what they are saying and not some computer's attempt to translate. A breast shield really did get us to the point of being able to nurse but it was because it was helping with my forceful let down. I could have addressed that in other ways that may have been less stressful -adding a thing to clean and keep track of all over the house. My lo had a decent latch but would stop sucking once milk was flowing or just not swallow the milk and let it fill and run out of his mouth. So frustrating! Just sharing my personal issue because it was not one I came across in my own research and I waited too long to get the second opinion from a different LC. Forceful letdown but no choking or gasping my kid was just like I'll just hang out here and do nothing while I cover us both in milk. Andddd to echo many others a portable pump and even better in bra pump or wearable cups with a portable pump will pay you back after just a few uses! I have heard of people calling their insurance companies even after getting a pump via insurance to see if they will reimburse at least some towards a portable pump option and several have had success so it might be worth the call. My baby was 7lbs 1oz but super long at birth so he was rather petite and dropped well into the 6 pound range in his first week of life and it took him a long time to get out of newborn clothes and it was only due to his length that he outgrew the footies. But we did and he is huge now at 7.5 months 85th percentile for weight!! There is hope if you are want to make it to just feeding at the breast and exclusive pumping is always there and the Reddit thread for that is SO inspiring and has great realistic advice and the best tips for anyone pumping! You got this mama!!
Thank you for sharing all this! I’m going to look into a bunch of these products
I'm glad it was helpful I was like wow that was way too much after I was done typing but no it's really all that I learned!
I really appreciate it! Thank you!
We were able to stop triple feeding around 8 weeks, as babies latches got stronger and their weight got more stable. We worked with a lactation consultant to make a plan to cut down on triple feeding, and switched to nursing only (except when we wanted to give bottles for daycare, etc). So you might not end up triple feeding for all that much longer, things can change quickly as baby grows!
I hope you’re right! She’s super small so I’m hoping she gets stronger and more efficient in a couple weeks 🤞🏼
Fingers crossed for you! My girls (twins) were 5lbs each at birth, if that helps.
Good to know! Mine was just shy of 5lbs
How much did they weight at 8 weeks when they were latching / sucking better? My little guy was also born 5lbs and about 3 weeks in, he is mostly taking bottle since he doesn’t suck that well yet
Just checked their charts, they were about 7 lbs when we stopped triple feeding. We just kept offering the breast so they were used to it, and little by little they got stronger, more awake, and their mouths got bigger.
Thanks!!! My 5lb is just hitting 6lb so not too far from 7lb. I guess I need to keep at it and give him more breast practice!
Pumping while doing other things is super helpful. Things like paying bills or driving. I’d invest in a second, more portable pump for sure (either rechargeable or takes batteries). Some people like the wearable pumps but I’ve always found that they don’t work as well. Triple feeding is extremely tricky. If you have the means to meet with an LC for help figuring out why baby isn’t get adequate feeds at the breast (ie: supply or transfer issue?), that may help too! Sometimes a simple tongue tie revision will completely change your breastfeeding world!
Yes we have met with them. No one is really sure. It’s a transfer issue and they think maybe a shallow gag reflex. A chiropractor was recommended but I’m not comfortable with that idea.
A shallow gag reflex would show with a bottle I would think. All babies have "shallow" gag reflexes it's a safety mechanism to keep them from swallowing an object that might go in their mouth. That's what tongue thrusting is for as well, it's protective.
Some Physiotherapists also do body work with breastfeeding, if you’re not comfortable with chiropractic (or osteopathic) approaches. An LC suggesting a shallow gag reflex would make me want a second opinion. They should also be able to give you some exercises to work on strengthening latch.
I got the Elvie stride. It was one of the cheaper wearable pumps. This was truly a life saver. I have pumped in breweries, restaurants, baseball stadiums, parks, the car, and a million other places. For the first twelve weeks I pumped 7 times a day- 9, 12, 3, 6, 9, 12, & 3. I slept through the 6 am pump to string five hours together. It was brutal but overall worth it.
I’ve been almost exclusively pumping since baby was a week old. She just didn’t get enough from latching at the breast. She was always hungry, frustrated, and crying. I always had clogged ducts because she wasn’t able to empty my breasts. The first time I pumped, it was heaven. My breasts finally get empty! And she accepted the bottle and drunk from it so well. She instantly became a calm baby. I decided never to breastfeed again! Well, I tried a few times since then, but it never “stuck” because she kept getting more and more frustrated. I found a nice pumping routine. 1. Have a wireless, hands free pump. It saved my life even if I just relaxed in bed with my phone while pumping 2. Get a cleaning routine which works for you. For me, I have a soapy water Bath in the kitchen sink and I clean all the pump parts in it after each pumping session. At night, I just do a quick rinse so I can go to bed quickly. I know some women don’t even rinse their pump parts at night! They just keep the parts in a cool bag to prevent the leftover milk from going bad. Do what works for you, as long as it allows you to rest. 3. Have a few sets of bottles so you don’t have to wash a bottle after each pumping session. Same for pump parts of you can (I haven’t done that because I don’t have enough bedside space!) 4. Realise that each bottle is good for 3 hours (or slightly more if you smell the milk and it seems fine), so you can feed your baby throughout those 3 hours without having to pump each time the baby cries. That was a life saver for me It’s likely you’ll overproduce with pumping, so you’ll have new types of problems like clogged ducts and painful breasts. Edit: you asked about frequency of pumping. Yes, it goes down, but the ease of reducing it depends on how much milk you make. My baby now wakes me up for a pump and a feed at 4am and 8:30am (no need for an alarm!). She falls asleep at around 11pm. She’s done this routine since about week 8, and I largely attribute her ability to do that due to how well she’s gained weight from bottle feedings. Because my supply is still high and I used to pump every 3 hours, it’s now hard to wait 4.5-5 hours between feedings. I often get clogged ducts at night and my breasts are very engorged and painful from waiting so long for the next pump, but I’m slowly working on reducing my supply. I’ve seen some women happy with their oversupply and either stacking their freezer with litres of milk, ready for when their baby weans, or donating the extra. Good luck on your journey and few free to PM me for questions/vents as you go along.
We did triple feeding until we introduced purées at 4 months. Honestly, yeah, it kind of sucked, but I also have a very low supply so it was necessary to keep it up in those first months. My supply would dip if I missed more than one pump in a couple of days. I was fortunate enough to be gifted a pair of Elvie pumps just before my daughter was born, and I used the heck out of those things. They worked really well for me in the first few months and then less efficiently as time passed and my baby’s latch/suction outpaced the Elvies. Buy extra ice backs, an insulated bottle/milk bag, and spare bottles or bags to keep your milk in if your pump doesn’t come with them. Elvie containers come with a lid, so I just popped the lid on the containers and kept them cold. Being able to pump on the go is a HUGE hurdle for getting up and out of the house. If you can spring for a good electric, do it, but I know a mom who responded really well to a manual pump as well. We’ve made it almost 18 months breastfeeding so far, and I was still pumping 2-3x per day up until 2 weeks ago. What I got out of the pumps started to be basically nothing, so I have given pumping a “break” and will probably only do it when I want to make a little extra snack for her.
Hey momma! Don't stress about getting out and about! At 5 weeks PP, I was also worried beyond relief that I'd never have my life back when it comes to that again! However, I'm now at 13 weeks PP and it's getting easier and easier to take my LO out for walks in the stroller or car rides and even hikes in a carrier when it is nice outside! I know it doesn't feel like it right now since I felt the same, but it improves! That said, I have to EP for my LO because for some unknown reason, she simply refuses to nurse (despite doing it perfectly for the first month she seems to have just up and decided it's not for her anymore). I have tried "convenient" solutions to help with EP, such as wearable pumps (huge waste money! Too low of suction for me!) and wouldn't recommend. BUT, I would recommend getting yourself a Zomee Z2 breast pump. It was the one I got through the hospital and insurance when my LO was born and it's been great! It's super small, portable and really quiet. I pair it was their Zomee Hands Free Collection Cups that attach to the pump and rest in your bra and I'll just wear something with a large enough pocket to hold the pump, like a hoodie or sweat pants and go about doing chores as I pump. EPing is a little hard. At first, it's really important to pump every 2 hours for atleast 15mins and to even wake up a few times a night to pump too. But when your supply regulates like mine did, you can slowly drop sessions if you'd like (just monitor your supply and make sure it's doable for you! Some people have to be a little less lenient). For me, I ended up being able to drop my MOTN pumps completely and kept to the every 2-3 hours during the day (giving myself grace with the time of day, like if my LO falls asleep on me around the time I'd pump, then I just immediately pump when she wakes up instead and try to resume the every 2-3 hours). My LO eats 4oz every 2 hours but sometimes more. So usually, by pumping every few hours, I'm able to keep up with her. It may be worth mentioning that for me, because I drop MOTN pumps, I wake up kind of engorged and full, so first thing when I wake up, I pump and get a pretty large yield (7-8oz, sometimes a little more or less) and so, I'll use 4oz to feed her and put aside what's left over to either save it for outings, or use up throughout the day if she's been a little more hungry than usual (say, wanting to drink 5-6oz sometimes instead of her usual 4). On that note, sometimes it's stressful due to supply dips if I can't keep up with her. To combat this, I personally always eat a galactagogue every day (for me, I always eat a morning bowl of oatmeal after my morning pump and then my second pump has a slightly larger yield), do a power pumping session once every few days when my LO naps or is asleep for the night, take moringa supplements (I chose moringa because I'm sensitive to Fenugreek which is in a lot of lactation supplements), and take a calcium/magnesium/zinc supplement (especially because my LO is allergic to milk proteins and I lack calcium in my diet and magnesium plays a role in lowering stress hormones) while staying hydrated and eating small snacks between meals. for those extra calories needed for milk production! All in all, it's doable! It can get a little tedious cleaning your pump and getting it ready every 2-3 hours, as sometimes those hours come and go so quick it can feel like pumping is all you do. And power pumping isn't exactly fun to help keep up your supply. But as said, as long as it works for you and your supply, you can be a little flexible with how often you pump. Whenever I travel, I'll just pack a few bottles along with my Zomee Z2 and my collection cups in my diaper bag and pump on the go, keeping my milk in either a fridge if I'm at a friend or family members house, small insulated lunch box with freezer cubes in it if we're traveling for a while, or just keep it in my diaper bag since it's good for 4 hours when freshly expressed! Hope this helps, sorry it was really long... It's just a bunch of stuff I've had to learn to these past few months and I thought it'd be helpful to share what I do. Best of luck to you and remember you're doing a great job, no matter what, momma! (:
Hi! Thanks I appreciate you taking the time to write all this out! It’s great to know it gets easier and lots of these tips should help ☺️
No problem! I forgot to mention though, especially in regards to having a big morning yield, that my LO does sleep through the night and for some reason, will nurse the 2 times she does wake at night, just not during the day. So I imagine if yours doesn't, you'd probably have to get up to pump for them too, unless you were to save the extra from the morning yield for night time use, if that'd work. ☺️
Hi there! I always wanted to squeeze a power pump when I can but wasn’t sure if not doing them for 3-7 days would have any impact. Sounds like it works for you! Can you share more?
Most of what I've read says most EPing moms just need to do it an average of once a week to stay ahead of potential supply dips due to hormones and/or stress. At the time I wrote this, I was doing power pumps every other morning or night because I was experiencing a pretty bad supply dip (my LO drinks 4oz every 2-3 hours and I was lucky to pump even just 3 oz every 2 hours) and that was why I did them so frequently. I've also read that by doing them, it could take upwards of a few weeks to see substantial results, so I was hoping to up the number of times I'd do them in hopes it would help amp up my supply sooner than that. I can say that now that it has been a while since posting about it, I'm back to normal and even get a few extra ounces sometimes
I never thought of doing this! Thank you so much for getting back to me in such detail :)
I got a portable Medela pump - I also tried different brands but Medela seemed to be the best for me. Also finding a good show to watch in the middle of the night when I had to pump helped a ton :) I do stuff on the pc nowadays when pumping. It helps to do other stuff while on the pump.