|
|
Post by clementine on Apr 4, 2018 18:35:47 GMT -6
L is 6 weeks old tomorrow and I’ll be going back to work at 12 weeks. I want to start pumping soon so I can get a good freezer stash going, but I need some guidance.
I work 7:30-6 and L will be in daycare at my work. I will have the ability to pump in the once in the morning and once in the afternoon during my work day. At lunch, I can either pump or go down to the daycare and nurse if I have time. For pumping, I will be in my office with a door that locks.
First, bra recommendations. Since I will for sure be pumping and maybe nursing during the day, I think I’d like a bra that can do both. But I’ve also seen the bandeau style pumping bras that either go over a regular nursing bra or in place of a nursing bra? My office is private, but I’d like to avoid having to take off my shirt, switch bras, etc if I can. My work is business casual and I definitely need a bra with good support. I also am used to wearing a cami under my shirt every day, but I’m not sure if I’ll have to abandon that if it’s too annoying to pull up/down for nursing/pumping.
I have access to a fridge that’s only used by a few others, so I can store my milk there without issue. What do I need to know about storing milk, storing/cleaning used pump parts, etc until I go home for the day?
When should I plan to pump each day while I’m still home on ML? I’ve heard after the first morning nursing session is best.
Any other words of wisdom you care to share? Thanks in advance for helping out with pumping newb!
|
|
|
|
Post by sweetc129 on Apr 4, 2018 18:50:31 GMT -6
You can store milk in a community fridge without a problem, I did in a lunch box. Keep your pump parts in a bag in the fridge and only wash once a day.
Your supply is highest in the morning so that pump is key. I would always nurse one side and pump the other and that pump session always gave me half my daily output and I double pumped multiple tubes during the work day.
If you have the option to nurse during the day I would. Your baby is more efficient and it’s better for supply to nurse versus pumping.
|
|
Leaf 🌱
Sapphire
Posts: 2,855
Likes: 12,814
|
Post by Leaf 🌱 on Apr 4, 2018 19:04:02 GMT -6
- start pumping soonish, in the morning after the first feed to build up a supply and get comfortable with the pump
- breast milk is pretty forgiving in terms of being able to stay at room temp for awhile if needed so I always kept a large lunch box cooler in the work fridge. My bottles or bags of milk would go in there along with my pump parts in a ziplock baggy. I would only wash pump parts at the end of the day.
- i threw my pump parts in one of those modela microwaveable bags to sanitize them every Friday.
- i kept all my pump stuff (along with some extra milk bags i could pump straight into) at work at all times so i never had to work about forgetting stuff at home.
- i put a worn onesie or PJs from DD in my pump bag so if i struggled with a let down, holding/smelling the clothes always helped me relax and start a good flow
- i never used a pumping bra. I just kind of tucked the flanges into my regular nursing bra and the suction kept things attached.
- I did take off my shirt and sometimes cover my lap with a towel to prevent staining my work clothes
- i kept an extra tank top, sweater, bra, and nursing pads in my pumping bag just Incase i leaked through my shirt or spilled
- i always pumped into bottles and then dumped into bags. I would occasionally accidentally spill from the bags while getting them off the flanges if Inpumped straight into them. It was a good option if in a pinch though.
- I plan to get freemies this time if BFing works out. They are $$$ but I’ve only heard people rave about them and I feel Ike they are a good investment.
- put lactation cookies or snacks and a water bottle in your pump bag just in case
- freeze milk in 2 and 4 ounce bags
- put a sharpie in your pump bag so you can date/label the bags easily
- make sure your flanges actually fit you well. An LC can help if needed.
I pumped until DD was about a yeat and hope to do the same for this LO. It’s cerainly not fun and it’s an annoying time commitment, but it felt worth it to me. I personally couldn’t get any work done while pumping beyond going through emails bc I needed to relax for a good output. Every one is different though!
|
|
|
|
Post by nevertoomanyshoes on Apr 4, 2018 19:46:58 GMT -6
I think recommendations have changed re: washing pump parts? There was something recently about a type of mould? Not 100% sure on that though...
I bought good nursing camis with built in bras in my bra size, wore under a loose top or button blouse so I could pump and nurse discreetly in my office.
Stored my milk in a cooler bag with ice packs and with my pump parts- I would rinse with hot water after each pump. Wash at home properly at end of day ready for the next. Kept a sharpie in the bag to label the bags after each pump.
I couldn’t store milk long even frozen due to lipase issue (milk wasn’t off but smelt yuck after two weeks frozen and DS wouldn’t drink it). But, I pumped once a day for ages before going back to work.
Morning pump gave me the most output. I nursed DS1 before daycare, then pumped after I dropped him off (daycare just near my house, I would drop him at 7:00 then come home and pump some before leaving for work at 8:00- this only worked at my “local” job not my job with commute).
DS1 would’ve lost his marbles if I went to feed him at daycare then left again, but that’s not to say yours would do that, but something to consider.
I hated pumping at work, I always felt time poor and flustered getting everything done so I could pump at the right times. Places I work in aren’t super pumping friendly which added challenge at times too. I stopped just before DS1 turned one with enough frozen to allow daycare to blend with cows milk to wean him off pumped milk.
|
|
|
|
Post by sunshinedaisies on Apr 4, 2018 20:34:50 GMT -6
PP have already been very thorough but nevertoomanyshoes reminded me that you should definitely try freezing/thawing/feeding to your LO while you are still on leave to make sure there are no issues with lipase and that your LO will take frozen milk (some won’t). I JUST started pumping to begin my freezer stash. I’m pretty lax about it right now because I have some time until I go back to work but I’ve been pumping after the first morning feed and at the end of the day 2 hours after his last feed and before I go to bed. He usually goes 4-5 hours on the first stretch so I just pump in between. If he doesn’t feed well at certain feedings, I also try to pump if I have time to drain each side to maximize what I am getting. I do think it’s important to give yourself a buffer before you go to work. If you plan to pump for 100% replacement, you will need to make sure you are pumping as much as you LO takes, which means you also need to know how much your kid eats per session and how much you need per day. For DS1, he usually took 4 oz, sometimes more, sometimes less, but this was my goal for each feeding. If you start building up a freezer stash now, it will take the pressure off if you come up short some days. As for specifics, I think I mostly wore nursing tanks under a work shirt. I tried to avoid shirts that were silk, etc so if I leaked it wouldn’t ruin the shirt and wouldn’t leave a huge obvious stain on the shirt. I wiped parts down after each pump but then refrigerated them along with the bottles. I washed the parts each night and did a deep clean each weekend. That’s about all I remember - it’s been a while since I’ve had to think about this! |
|
Leaf 🌱
Sapphire
Posts: 2,855
Likes: 12,814
|
Post by Leaf 🌱 on Apr 5, 2018 4:45:28 GMT -6
*If* you have the lipase issue don’t just dump it all out - it can be added to baby food/cereal and to their (or your!) baths. It’s especially good for dry skin and eczema. You can also try mixing it with fresher milk or scalding fresh milk on the stove or in a bottle warmer before freezing. Obviously it sucks to lose part of your stash because there’s no way to know if a LO will/won’t take the frozen milk but we had DH give her a bottle every few days once I started pumping (but was still on leave) using fresh/refrigerated/frozen BM to make sure she would take it all.
Also, leave the room when YH/Mom/friend offers the bottle. DD would refuse it if she thought I was around.
Andddd I had weird postpartum feelings about the bottle and that’s fine if you do too. I felt like feeding her was the ONE THING only I could do and I was irrationally afraid of the bottle, pumping, being excluded, her refusing me, not knowing if she ate enough, etc etc. like once I went back to work she didn’t need and wouldn’t want me anymore and on BFing was keeping us connected. (These are irrational thoughts but at the time it was scary to me.) Onviously this is not true at all and a bottle can mean FREEEEEEDOM you appreciate later. Just make sure you use newborn/slow flow nipples on the bottle so they can’t eat more/faster and you’ll be fine.
|
|
|
|
Post by ovenrack on Apr 5, 2018 6:52:43 GMT -6
I scrolled through photos on my phone to help with letdown. And when needed, I'd pump on one side and nurse on the other - but that was after a good bit of practice with the pump.
|
|
tinyjoys
Ruby
Posts: 16,578 Likes: 53,644 
|
Post by tinyjoys on Apr 5, 2018 7:05:46 GMT -6
I have nothing to add, really, except to not mix milks until later in the day. I mean, you can't mix fresh, pumped milk with milk that is in the fridge from an earlier in the day pump. You can mix them at the end of the day once they're all the same temperature.
|
|
|
|
Post by sweetc129 on Apr 5, 2018 7:18:10 GMT -6
I scrolled through photos on my phone to help with letdown. And when needed, I'd pump on one side and nurse on the other - but that was after a good bit of practice with the pump. To add to this, even get a video of your baby crying. Also, to help keep stash rotated I use fresh during the week and frozen on monday. If my stash is starting to get old I’ll just use a couple days of frozen. |
|
|
|
Post by alwayscheese on Apr 5, 2018 7:22:11 GMT -6
I have nothing to add, really, except to not mix milks until later in the day. I mean, you can't mix fresh, pumped milk with milk that is in the fridge from an earlier in the day pump. You can mix them at the end of the day once they're all the same temperature. Oh I did not know this. Pretty sure I have done. |
|
|
|
Post by nuggetrn on Apr 5, 2018 7:49:56 GMT -6
I have nothing to add, really, except to not mix milks until later in the day. I mean, you can't mix fresh, pumped milk with milk that is in the fridge from an earlier in the day pump. You can mix them at the end of the day once they're all the same temperature. Oh I did not know this. Pretty sure I have done. Same. Have done. Oops. Why is this bad and how bad is it? Is it just the changes in temp? tinyjoys |
|
tinyjoys
Ruby
Posts: 16,578 Likes: 53,644
|
Post by tinyjoys on Apr 5, 2018 7:52:41 GMT -6
Oh I did not know this. Pretty sure I have done. Same. Have done. Oops. Why is this bad and how bad is it? Is it just the changes in temp? tinyjoys Admittedly, I don't remember. It's been 2.5 years since I've pumped and my memory is shot right now. I think it has something to do with the changes in temperature. The only other thing I remember really about milk storage is that you want to treat it the opposite of how James Bond takes his martini: you want to stir/swirl to reincorporate the fats, not shake them. But again, I don't remember the reasoning. I'll be back in a few minutes after I kellymom to get answers. |
|
tinyjoys
Ruby
Posts: 16,578 Likes: 53,644
|
Post by tinyjoys on Apr 5, 2018 8:04:14 GMT -6
nuggetrn, alwayscheese, so I checked both KellyMom, mayoclinic and just googling and basically, they just say to not to, but don't give the why as to mixing fresh/previously refrigerated is bad. The shake vs. stir is because it can damage the molecules and breaks the proteins into parts, which can irritate the baby's gut.
|
|
|
|
Post by nuggetrn on Apr 5, 2018 8:40:45 GMT -6
nuggetrn, alwayscheese, so I checked both KellyMom, mayoclinic and just googling and basically, they just say to not to, but don't give the why as to mixing fresh/previously refrigerated is bad. The shake vs. stir is because it can damage the molecules and breaks the proteins into parts, which can irritate the baby's gut. Well that's annoying. I want to know whether I should be concerned about what I have already done. Thank you for checking though!! I knew the no shaking rule. I think one of the first bottles we made her when we got home DH started shaking and I yelled "no shaking breastmilk!!" It was quite comical. He was a little concerned til I explained. |
|
kyzo
New
Posts: 93 Likes: 218
|
Post by kyzo on Apr 5, 2018 22:16:43 GMT -6
***Dirty lurker from Jan/Feb 2018***
My LO is the same age as yours (actually 1 day younger) and I EP'd with my first. I hope you don't mind me chiming in. FWIW, I used Medela PIS with my first and now use a Spectra S1. I don't have a ton of new information aside from what others posted, but wanted to share anyway.
For a pumping bra, I love my Simple Wishes Signature Hands-Free. You can't wear it like a normal bra so it requires shirt removal. It's nice because I found it really holds the flanges in place and allows me to have my hands to work on my computer (or do some breast compressions). Not sure what kind of pump you have, but it does accommodate the larger assembly with the Spectra.
In terms of storage, I pumped into the Medela bottles and stored them in the fridge in the cooler that comes with the pump. If you put your pump parts in the fridge you do not need to clean them between sessions. Similar to Leaf, I stored my parts in a bag. At home I use a Ziploc. At work, I stored them in a Planet Wise wet bag (small size worked well). I work with a lot of male coworkers so I didn't think they would want to see my parts in the fridge. I had two sets of parts. When I get home, I wash one set and while they dry I put the other set in my work bag for the next day.
To reduce unncessary supplies, here is what worked for me:
-First pump at work I used two new empty bottles
-Afterward, I combined both bottles (assuming I had enough room in the bottle)
-Place the full bottle in the cooler in the fridge
-Place the empty bottle with the pump parts in the wet bag and place in fridge
-Second pump at work I used the empty bottle from pump #1 and a new bottle
This way I was able to pump 3 times using 4 bottles (only combining like-temperature milk). Obviously, if you have an awesome supply you may not be able to combine bottles.
To get started I would recommend the morning as well. Any time I feel that LO doesn't get a full feeding (ex: he falls asleep early) I will pump to get more comfortable. To get LO used to the bottle DH gives him a bottle every evening (so I pump then as well).
When I freeze my milk, I use the Lansinoh bags (but I hear the Up and Up brand is good too). I freeze my bags flat then put them in a Sterilite contain (about 6" wide) and store them upright (like a bookshelf) with the earliest bag at the front. I purchased the container at Wal-Mart for a $1-2.
Good luck!
|
|
|
|
Post by sweetc129 on Apr 6, 2018 2:27:16 GMT -6
yes ^ Target Up&Up brand is the best. I was a milk donor and even the milk bank like these the best withLansionh as a second. No bag is 100% risk of leaking though so always thaw in something like a bow
|
|
|
|
Post by clementine on Apr 6, 2018 6:55:43 GMT -6
Thanks for all the tips! You guys are a wealth of knowledge. I primed a bunch of pumping bras to try out so I’ll probably try pumping for the first time this weekend.
What do you like/not like about milk storage bags? Or why do you prefer a certain brand? I get free ones through insurance, but I don’t know anything about them.
|
|
yianna
Gold
Posts: 950 Likes: 2,704
|
Post by yianna on Apr 6, 2018 7:05:59 GMT -6
I just get the cheapest bags...
I also have to scald milk bc I have lipase and my kids hate my frozen milk if it’s stinky...
Anyway - that’s not helpful.
|
|
|
|
Post by nuggetrn on Apr 6, 2018 7:57:45 GMT -6
Because of this thread I am testing a bag of my frozen breast milk to see if she'll drink it before I freeze any more. Hopefully it is good.
|
|
|
|
Post by nevertoomanyshoes on Apr 7, 2018 3:14:31 GMT -6
Thanks for all the tips! You guys are a wealth of knowledge. I primed a bunch of pumping bras to try out so I’ll probably try pumping for the first time this weekend. What do you like/not like about milk storage bags? Or why do you prefer a certain brand? I get free ones through insurance, but I don’t know anything about them. Whatever is Cheap. They’re really expensive here mostly. Like $20 for a 20 pack which I think is a bit much for basically ziplock bags. Except this one brand I can only get at one chain of drug store, that is $8 for 20 and they have double zip lock. Luckily they don’t split or leak. ETA: a LC told me you can use normal ziplock bags as they are sterile which I have done in a pinch! |
|
|
|
Post by gldnbearz on Apr 7, 2018 9:37:01 GMT -6
Didn't know that regular old zip top bags are sterile. Great idea if in a bind, I guess.
|
|
|
|
Post by nuggetrn on Apr 7, 2018 11:17:04 GMT -6
I posted this in the breastfeeding thread but out belongs here. Haha
Update: Baby is perfectly happy to drink my frozen milk. Hooray!! I just have to make sure it is thoroughly warmed because the fat didn't want to incorporate and it seemed kind of gross and grainy. After some google searching I decided that was the issue and the second bag I tried did much better. I am pleased.
|
|
|
|
Post by sweetc129 on Apr 7, 2018 17:02:49 GMT -6
Thanks for all the tips! You guys are a wealth of knowledge. I primed a bunch of pumping bras to try out so I’ll probably try pumping for the first time this weekend. What do you like/not like about milk storage bags? Or why do you prefer a certain brand? I get free ones through insurance, but I don’t know anything about them. Target Up& Up bags are the best |
|
