Returning to work help

[@llli*cristian51112]

Hello ladies! I am hoping you can give me some guidance here! I am hoping to return to work, probably 12 hr shifts soon and would like to keep up with my little mans needs. Right now he's 2 months old and eats every hour while hes awake. I try to pump and get maybe 1 oz at a time. I know you can take fenugreek, oatmeal pump more often to up your supply. Even when I am engorged (if I get blessed with a sttn situation) I only get 1 oz. My fear is that even being away from him i won't pump enuogh, lose my supply and have to use formula. I really would be unhappy (not that I think formula is awful but I want to bf). Any ideas here to helo me out, either building a supply or getting let downs during pumping.
Thanks ladies!!!!!
Oh my pump is an ameda purely yours. I have the bigger shields and still get some skin squished on the sides. I have even worn my son while pumping to try to help get more and no such luck!

[@llli*mommy2lilah]

How long are you pumping? do you pump at the same time every day? When you are away from your baby you will be pumping to replace a nursing session, so you will have more milk there to pump out. When you are with your baby all day, one ounce is quite a respectable amount to pump at one time.

You said you were engorged and still only got one ounce out? Does Ameda have an even bigger shield that you can try out? Have you tried hand expression? How long did you pump - did you wait for a second let down? And how about compressions - did you apply compressions to your breast while you were pumping?

Sorry for all the questions- just thinking out loud here.

[@llli*mer.mer]

What size shields they make a 36 mm size FYI in case you only got the 28s or something. I actually think they make a set bigger XXL but I don't know the sizes. I have APY too. Make sure you get the right size shields, too big/too little can change how much you get. Also when I started pumping I had no idea how to do the settings. play with them. I used the more the better approach and pumped myself into a horrid over supply. I now use what I call the 'slow and low' approach. But everyone is different try mimicking the way your LO nurses. This may mean changing the settings in the middle of pumping. Also make sure your pumping long enough at least 15 min. you may need longer (unless like me at one time you could supplement the whole daycare) Another thing I've read is pumping while he is nursing on the other side. Compressions! They help me tons.

From your post though I'd start with the shield size.

Also just to address your concerns. I have made myself crazy about not using formula. Found out I had lipase and had to start my stash over, drove fresh pumped milk over to the daycare in the middle of my morning shift (only because of luck was I able) and at lunch to keep from using formula. I would do it all again every single time BUT there is something to be said about not giving yourself mommy guilt. Sometimes you can't help your circumstances and if you have to use formula at daycare some it will be ok. It doesn't have to be all EBM or formula. Use what you can pump and supplement as needed... if it comes to that. But I think you've got options to check out first before freaking out too much about needing formula.

[@llli*mommal]

I'd look into getting different shields and a better pump. The APY is not the most fabulous pump. It would be a better choice for a mom who a) responds more easily to the pump and b) doesn't work really long shifts, and 12 hours is long. I'd want a Medela Pump in Style.

[@llli*aprilsmagic]

I would skip the PIS and get a Hygiea. But I had one of these and found it to work very well and event better than my Symphony! So I think you need bigger horns for it before getting a new pump. Babies R Us sells them.

Also, it takes time and practice to learn to let down to the pump. And relax. But since you can pump 1 oz, I think you can pump when you are away from baby myself

[@llli*goldentoes]

I think it just takes time/practice/relaxation. For what it's worth, my experience with pumping was very similar, and I had no trouble going back to work. Pumping while home and feeding on demand I was lucky to get 1-2 oz total every time, but once I started going to work and found a schedule that worked for me (which for a short time included pumping once overnight as lo was sttn for a while), I found I was getting more like 4-5 per session (and sometimes up to 7).

I would just keep doing what you're doing, try to relax about it, and see what happens. Also fwiw, I have found that if I use compressions and massage, it helps, and then I wait at least 8 minutes after it "seems" like things are done, and I usually get another letdown good for .5-.75 oz. You may just have to experiment a bit to find the timing/schedule/techniques that work best for you. You will be fine

[@llli*auderey]

agree with all PPs

[@llli*raejoy]

My 2 cents: Don't be worrying now about not having enough! If there's one thing I regret it's all the time I wasted worrying about returning to work

Definitely make sure you freeze those 1 oz servings you ARE getting. It may not seem like much but every little bit will help.

And with PPs.