This is my first time breastfeeding and using a pump but I cant seem to fill a bottle am I doing it wrong or?

Question

is there another way to produce more milk or is there anything I can eat to produce more milk or when is the best time to pump the milk.

ALSO MY BABY DOES NOT TAKE FORMULA...THANX

Answer 1

First of all you are doing well to just breast feed . Great Choice and you will never regret it. Secondly, ,I will tell you what has worked for me and been best for my baby. I have always pumped right after baby is finished nursing every time and only if the baby skips a feeding by sleeping or sickness.This will assure the baby gets what it needs and you leave the rest for excess milk.This is how you will build your supply but you will also have to continue it to maintain it.At first you will not get as much ,but I call it build a bottle. It starts off a small amount and before you know it you will have a full bottle. It's so awesome to see your body do it I always made it like a challenge to see how much more I could get every time. I have always had an over supply but it has been because I nursed often and pumped after every nursing until a few min after the very last drop fell.This schedule will be for every 2-3 hrs.

Answer 2

If your baby is fairly little their tummies may not take a full bottle in one feeding. As the baby increases his need for milk your body should produce more milk. The best time to pump is in the morning especially as your baby starts to sleep more at night. It may also take a little while increase your supply of milk if you have just started adding pumping into your routine. You should also make sure you are getting enough sleep, drinking enough liquids, eating enough calories, and taking your vitamins. If after a while you still feel like you are not producing enough I would contact a lactation consultant.  

Answer 3

mine wouldnt take a sip of formula either, and ALL babies were born to be breastfed. why do you insist to pump instead of normal feeding, are you going back to work or something? pumping never worked for me either, i would pump out an ounce or so and then it'd just stop.. very annoying, and i would still be completely full.  no pump will ever be the same as a baby suckling on you i guess...? sorry no help but just letting you know you arent the only one

Answer 4

I had this problem.  I could sit there for hours and still not produce enough to satisfly my daughter.  This is not to mention how sore I got from trying.   What I ended up having to do was let her get as much as she could from me and then finish her with formula.  But since your daughter does not take the formula this will not work for you.  Do you produce enough when your child actually breastfeeds or are you only having trouble with the pump.  You may have to discuss this with your doctor and see if he can change your baby to another kind or what options he can come up with.  Some women just do not produce enough.  My doctor never told me of anything you could eat or change in your diet to help this.  As long as you have the pump placed firmly on your breast and make sure you have read the directions carefully then you have done it right.  Just make sure there is no air going around the edges.  If your child can not take formula I definitely would talk to your doctor, there has got to be something he/she can take to help you.  Like I said, my doctor told me that some women are just not able.  Best of luck.

Answer 5

First of all, the amount of breast milk that your b*****s make is based on how much you use. Supply and demand, you know. So the more you feed and pump, the more your body will make. Breastfeeding is much more efficient than pumping, so try to feed as often as possible.

As far as pumping - when are you pumping? If you pump right after baby's feeds, it may be that he or she is just getting most of it and you are pumping too soon after to get much. Try spacing it out more - pump in between the feedings, but not right away after one. If by chance your baby turns up hungry sooner than you anticipated and you are worried he or she won't get enough from your breast because you just got done pumping, then give what you just pumped.

It may also be that you are using an inefficient pump or the wrong size shields. If you are using a manual pump, I would highly recommend switching to an electric. You don't have to go all out and get the most popular expensive brand (which is generally the Medela Pump-In-Style). There are also electric (double electric) pumps that work great and are less than half the price. I recommend a Lansinoh Double Electric. It works great, is a decent price compared to some, and has some other benefits such as being the only closed pump system on the market other than the Ameda Purely Yours (which is the same thing under a different name). The closed system prevents moisture back up and problems that can result.

If you are already using what is thought to be a decent pump, then consider if the shield you are using is the right size.

Finally, if none of these things seem to make a difference (though the feeding and pumping more often should really help), talk to your doctor about taking a fenugreek supplement. It is a herb that increases milk production, and found probably in any health food store or similar. I never used it with my first, but I may with my second if need be. My sister in law used it and produced almost too much milk, actually! She would pump, like 12 ounces right after feeding her baby. It was crazy! She was able to save and freeze a whole c**p ton for future use.

Answer 6

If you are just starting it may take a little while. Is it hand pump or electric pump. The better the pump the better chances you have of the milk coming through. It has to do with suction power. I bought a Medela pump. It's suppose to be one of the better brands. Good luck!!

Answer 7

Getting a full feed when pumping doesn't happen straight away  - my baby is 4 weeks and I still only get 1-2 oz total when I pump. At first I only got half an oz!

Best time is in the morning if you can do it right before your baby's first feed, also during the night if you are awake enough.

If your baby only feeds from one breast you can also pump whilst feeding - though my baby is too much of a wriggler for this!

The more you pump and feed the more you will produce, its not about what you eat or drink.

You can store the milk in the fridge and add to it - I started a bottle last night and now have 4 oz in there ready to freeze. (when you date the milk date it from the first time you pumped)

edit:

After a feed doesn't work for me at all - not full enough, I have a manual pump (philips avent) its taken me a while to get to grips with (I used electric in hospital when baby was poorly) but its getting easier the more I do it.

Persevere, it takes time.

Good luck.

Answer 8

I agree that it may be the pump, but you haven't specified how old your baby is Breast milk changes to fit the needs of the child, so the younger they are the less milk is needed per feeding (thier tummies are so small!) So a couple ounces is actually plenty for a newborn. You also need to make sure that you are getting adequate rest, eating a healthy balanced diet, and drinking LOTS of water. All of these factors can affect ur milk supply. If you think that you're not producing enough milk to satisfy baby (he seems fussy after feedings, always wants to feed between normal 2 1/2-3 hrs feedings, and isnt gaining normal weight etc) PLEASE let your pediatrition know!! he may refer you to a lactation consultant. GOOD LUCK!!!!

Answer 9

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/pumpi...

What is normal when it comes to pumping output and changes in pumping output?

Most moms who are nursing full-time are able to pump around 1/2 to 2 ounces total (for both b*****s) per pumping session. Moms who pump more milk per session may have an oversupply of milk, or may respond better than average to the pump, or may have been able to increase pump output with practice. Many moms think that they should be able to pump 4-8 ounces per pumping session, but even 4 ounces is an unusually large pumping output.

It is quite normal to need to pump 2-3 times to get enough milk for one feeding for baby (remember that the pump cannot get as much milk as a baby who nurses effectively).

Many moms are able to pump more milk per session when they are separated from baby. Milk pumped when you are nursing full-time is "extra" milk -- over and beyond what baby needs. Don't get discouraged if you are trying to build up a freezer stash when nursing full time and don't get much milk per pumping session -- this is perfectly normal and expected.

It is very common to have more milk than baby needs in the early weeks, which regulates down to baby's needs over the first few weeks or months. When your milk supply regulates (this change may occur either gradually or rather suddenly), it is normal for pumping output to decrease. For moms who have oversupply, this change often occurs later (6-9+ months postpartum rather than 6-12 weeks).

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/milkc...

The research tells us that exclusively breastfed babies take in an average of 25 oz (750 mL) per day between the ages of 1 month and 6 months. Different babies take in different amounts of milk; a typical range of milk intakes is 19-30 oz per day (570-900 mL per day).

We can use this information to estimate the average amount of milk baby will need at a feeding:

    * Estimate the number of times that baby nurses per day (24 hours).

    * Then divide 25 oz by the number of nursings.

    * This gives you a "ballpark" figure for the amount of expressed milk your exclusively breastfed baby will need at one feeding.

Example: If baby usually nurses around 8 times per day, you can guess that baby might need around 3 ounces per feeding when mom is away. (25/8=3.1).

Answer 10

Oh!  I am so glad your infant isn't given formula, good for you!

As for lactating for a pump - this is a hard one as some women find the let down reflex doesn't work with a pump, they have to have a live baby nursing to really let that milk flow.  And pumps are not as effective at emptying your mammary glands as a baby is.  And too, your b*****s are optimizing the milk production to your infant and this may be how much your b*****s make every 2 hours (the amount of time it takes to refill).  If I were you, and if you can do it, don't pump and only nurse.

If you have to pump, keep a picture of your infant with you and perhaps an article of clothing of theirs that smells like them.  Pick a time when it's quiet, let yourself be a little distracted (I would watch Comedy Central), and try to be peaceful.  

Some women have found that Mother's Milk Tea works well (found in the herbal tea isle in a natural food store) but I found it to be gross.  What worked the best for me was to take 2 caplets of fenugreek, 3 times a day so that my urine, sweat and breath smelled of fenugreek (it's a maple syrup flavor, used in most syrups and on maple bars).  

I hope that helps, really I have had little success with pumping and have found it to be not worth the bother, but then again I have had the luxury of staying home.

Answer 11

We ended up buy the missus a $1200.00 professional pump because the OTC ones were all too lame.

You can probably rent one through the local hospital.

Get up with you local LaLeche League - they should be able to point you in the right direction.

Answer 12

When the baby not on the breast then you would need to pump.  Also after each feeding then pump. That would get the milk supply up has well if you kept pumping after each feeding with the baby.