New to breastfeeding while working

[@llli*1happymomof2boys]

I'm feeling a little overwhelmed.

I have a 6 week old who I am exclusively breastfeeding. I had to start back to work sooner and my husband and I anticipated so I dove right in to pumping. My husband is staying home with our little one at the moment. Right now, I'm pumping about 10 oz. over three sessions during the day and LO is consuming all of it. I'm not sure if that is enough or too much or just right. It was so much easier when I was home and he could just take what he needed directly from me.

Also, I had a surgical biopsy on my left breast several years ago that cut through several milk ducts. During my pumping sessions, I get about an ounce from that breast for every 3 I get from the other one. Is there some way to increase this?

Also, we're using medela slow-flow nipples and my husband says that LO is still gulping the milk down very quickly and then acts like he is not satisfied. Although I haven't seen this in action, from my husband describes the problem is more about LO wanting to suckle than to actually eat and he seems to get frustrated with the bottle.

I would greatly appreciate any suggestions and guidance.

Thanks.

[@llli*bfwmomof3]

Hi mama, how long are you gone from your LO? The role of thumb is baby should have 1 - 1.5 ounces of milk per hour apart. So if you're apart for 8 hours, 10 ounces is just fine. It's easy to overfeed a baby because they often do want to suck, even if they are not actually hungry. A typical "meal" at the breast is 2-3 ounces - a six-week-old is usually eating at least every 2 - 2.5 ounce, so there's the 1 ounce/hour - so that's what baby should be getting with a bottle feeding too. Here are some links about how to bottle-feed a breastfed baby that you can go over with your husband:
http://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/e...reastfed-baby/
http://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/f...ottle-feeding/
Going back to work at six weeks is hard (I've been there!) - hang in there.

[@llli*1happymomof2boys]

Thanks for responding. I'm separated from my baby for about 9 hours. I feel much better knowing that I'm leaving him with enough milk.

The links are really helpful. And, yes, going back has been tough. I spent the first week crying every night because I just don't want to be away from him.

[@llli*mommal]

I'm sorry that going back to work has been so tough!

The PP posted some excellent links. I just want to add this one on lopsidedness: http://kellymom.com/bf/got-milk/lopsided/ basically, some difference in production between sides is totally normal. Humans aren't totally symmetrical, after all! If the difference in production is causing lopsidedness, increasing stimulation to and milk removal from the underperforming breast should boost production on that side. However, the underperforming breast may not ever be able to match the overachiever, particularly when there's been physical damage to the underperforming side- in your case, surgical damage.

[@llli*lily.mama]

I just wanted to offer support and a few tips...

When I'm gone and my daughter wanted to comfort nurse, my husband found it really helpful to use a sling for baby wearing. Especially when she was little, it gave her the comfort she needed without needing to nurse constantly. It also allowed my husband to do stuff around the house or outside. When they're that little it can be hard for them to find comfort apart from nursing or being close to someone. In my daughter's case, she hated pacifiers, swings, and bouncers, so the only option my husband had was baby wearing. Fortunately, it worked.

As far as breast lopsidedness, I have one breast that produces about 1/3 of the other. It's pretty dramatic. I've had some luck boosting supply somewhat by pumping religiously and offering that breast first for every feeding, but it's still consistently under-produces. My daughter is now 6 months and doesn't like that breast much, but she's used to starting out with it and it's sometimes useful for distracting her when I need to pump the "good" breast.

Good luck! It gets easier, but it's especially hard when they're little like that.