Thread: Why I hate pumping at work!!

So as I had mentioned, I am barely able to keep up with the amount of milk I have to send to daycare (I'm even waking up at 5AM and pumping now). DH picks Sophia up from daycare yesterday and they tell him that she is sucking down the 4 oz. bottles and acts like she is still hungry so we need to start sending 5 oz. bottles. Blah!! How am I supposed to keep up with that? Thankfully, I had 10 oz. frozen and pumped enough at work to make 2 more bottles, but that's all my stash now! I pumped 5 oz. this morning at 5 AM, but was only able to pump 3 oz. just a while ago. Looks like I may have to start sending a bottle of formula just to catch up.

I can't believe my freezer stash is already completely gone within a week!! I feel like all those pumping sessions during my maternity leave to build up my freezer stash was a waste of time now. This working thing totally blows!!

I'm sorry you're having such a hard time pumping enough at work. Just a thought depending on what pump you have ... have you tried changing the membranes?

Originally Posted by wobbs

I'm sorry you're having such a hard time pumping enough at work. Just a thought depending on what pump you have ... have you tried changing the membranes?

No, mine doesn't have membranes. It just has these little valves that have to be replaced. I have the Ameda Purely Yours Ultra. That's a good idea though...I'll see if replacing the valves will make a difference.

Originally Posted by jac81

No, mine doesn't have membranes. It just has these little valves that have to be replaced. I have the Ameda Purely Yours Ultra. That's a good idea though...I'll see if replacing the valves will make a difference.

Hope that does the trick for you!

I know the feeling. I never had a stockpile and was always making the bottles for the next day with Abby. whenever I had to, I would put an ounce or two of formula in with the breast milk bottles so she didn't have to eat an entire bottle of formula and there was still enough in her bottles.

Originally Posted by L.Miller

I know the feeling. I never had a stockpile and was always making the bottles for the next day with Abby. whenever I had to, I would put an ounce or two of formula in with the breast milk bottles so she didn't have to eat an entire bottle of formula and there was still enough in her bottles.

That's a great idea!!

Originally Posted by jac81

That's a great idea!!

the only negative is that the bottles won't "keep" as long after baby eats because formula must be thrown out sooner than a bottle of breastmilk, but I was never big on them continuing to offer a bottle after she ate. I felt like it messed up her routine, but that's a whole other topic. LOL.

**lurker**
I hate pumping at work too, cuz it is sooo time consuming..... My supply went down and i was stressing big time (which can also impact your supply)

I was told to feed baby, and then pump. Sometimes i'd get nothing, other times i'd get a few oz. Also, try to pump at the same times....i even pump on the weekends, so i have milk for Mondays. I never go less then 20 mins... and i now pump 3x at work, since baby still eats about every 2-2.5 hours. All this has helped my supply get back up and sometimes i even have 'extra' milk... Also, there's fengeek (sp) a herb that helps with supply. You get it at GNC or a health food store, i haven't tried it yet, but i know i can get it if i need it. Mother's milk, found at walmart in the tea section, uses it as their main ingrts, however, you have to drink it like 3x a day, nad i'm not a big tea fan.
Good luck!! oh and i'd totally get one of those bras that you are hands free on and then read a book (i surf the net) and it takes your mind off it...

Originally Posted by grovey2

**lurker**
I hate pumping at work too, cuz it is sooo time consuming..... My supply went down and i was stressing big time (which can also impact your supply)

I was told to feed baby, and then pump. Sometimes i'd get nothing, other times i'd get a few oz. Also, try to pump at the same times....i even pump on the weekends, so i have milk for Mondays. I never go less then 20 mins... and i now pump 3x at work, since baby still eats about every 2-2.5 hours. All this has helped my supply get back up and sometimes i even have 'extra' milk... Also, there's fengeek (sp) a herb that helps with supply. You get it at GNC or a health food store, i haven't tried it yet, but i know i can get it if i need it. Mother's milk, found at walmart in the tea section, uses it as their main ingrts, however, you have to drink it like 3x a day, nad i'm not a big tea fan.
Good luck!! oh and i'd totally get one of those bras that you are hands free on and then read a book (i surf the net) and it takes your mind off it...

I pump about 4x a day. 5 am, 10 am, 1 pm, & 4 pm. I also nurse the baby at 7 AM and when I get home from work. I've been pretty good at keeping up with those times for about a week now. I've taken Fenugreek before, but stopped because I didn't really see a difference and I also drink the tea which I drink every night. Didn't realize I need to drink it 3x a day though. I've been drinking a lot more water and it seems to help maintain my supply, but I'm still not pumping enough to make a whole 5 oz. bottle except for my 5 am pumping. That's when I get the most. I'm hoping that maybe after a couple of weeks, my body gets used to it and I start producing more. Thanks for all the advice, ladies!

****LURKER*****

i am in the same boat as you. i use the same pump too. in the morning i can pump about 4 ozs, after that im lucky if i get 3 per session. i've tried taking her picture with me to work, i've recorded her crying on my phone to listen too, none of it really helps. i did notice that the more water i drink the more i produce, but its only a tiny bit of difference. i send 10 oz a day to day care, they usually end up giving her 1 formula bottle on top of that (i am gone 12 hours), Depending on how long baby sleeps, i nurse and/or pump before work, pump 2-3x at work, nurse after work, when she wants and usually give her a formula bottle at bedtime. after trying and failing at all my efforts, i finally just accepted that she will get formula as well a breast milk. our pediatrician said that mostly breast milk is still really good for the baby.

just a thought, i did notice with my Ameda pump, it doesnt totally empty my breasts. i do end up having to manually express after i pump and usually get another 1/4 to 1/2 oz out of it.

Good luck!