Pumping only 1-1.5 oz

[@llli*koms1016]

I am currently working from home while my nanny takes care of my 5 week old. I have been nursing her with a few pumping sessions here and there. Today I pumped only, and I got 2 oz in the morning, and then close to 2, and now I just got 1.5 after 2 hours using a PISA for 20 mins. She wants 2.5 - 3oz every 2.5 hours so this is not enough for her. I don't have anything in the fridge at all so not sure what to do. Why am I not getting more than that? What can I do to increase it? I power pumped Fri/Sat hoping it would give my supply a boost, but it doesn't look like it. I nurse her every 2-3 hours during the day, and she cluster nurses from 4-10ish. Some nights she will sleep for 3 hour stretches at night but some nights she will only sleep 1 hour and nurse for 5-10 mins and then go back to sleep.

I need some advice/help as I don't want to give her formula but need more milk. I will just nurse her if I run out of milk, but having just pumped, I know she will have to work really hard to get the milk out. Appreciate any help!

[@llli*bfwmomof3]

So, first question is, is it more disruptive to your work to nurse baby as opposed to pumping? Or is working from home only temporary? You're still in such early days, it seems like it would be easier to simply nurse, but perhaps you are looking ahead to a changed situation.

How long have you been pumping for? It can take a while for your body to get used to the pump, so I would not put much stock in pumping output if you are really just beginning. But the amount your baby is eating, 2.5 - 3 oz every 2.5 hours, is appropriate, so you will need to match that eventually. If you don't see pump output improving, let's say over the next week or two, one thing you want to make sure of is that the pump is in good working order. Including, do the flanges fit properly? Is this a new pump? Sometimes even new pumps may be "lemons" and not working well. If it's not a new pump, you might want to consider changing out valves and membranes. And sometimes mom responds better to one pump than another. There are at least a few moms on here who didn't have much luck, at least initially, with the PISA, and used a hospital-grade rental instead. So that would be another option to consider.

Your breasts never "run out of milk." If you've just pumped, she'll do exactly what you suggest - work harder to get the milk out. Which will stimulate your supply and likely make it easier to get the pump output you are trying to get! So no need to give formula just because you've just pumped.

[@llli*mommal]

with the PP.

[@llli*mommy2lilah]

I pumped for 30 minutes each time, I think. Also, I would nurse instead of pump if I were you. She is still young enough that you can nurse her on a boppy or in a sling while you use the computer.

[@llli*koms1016]

My dilemma with nursing is that she eats every hour and will only sleep if I hold her. We gave her 2.5 oz bottles yesterday and she slept peacefully for 3 hours after each time. I nursed her in the evening from 8:30 - 11 non-stop and it was miserable because she was twisting and crying the whole time. I think my let down is fast and I tried everything in terms of positions but she still cries. I finally gave her a bottle at 11:30 of 2 oz and she slept until 2am. She nursed a little bit after it, but just enough to go to sleep. I am paying a nanny to take care of her but if she nurses every hour, I pretty much have to take care of her. When she nurses, she will suck for the first 5-10 minutes, and then fall asleep. The minute I think she's done and de-latch her to put her down, she wakes up and is rooting again. I have a 3 year old who has been battling a cold for 4 weeks now, and I can't spend any time with her in the evenings because the baby just wants to nurse. My older DD needs me and thats another reason I think the pumping and bottles will work better for us. She will be 6 weeks on Saturday so I don't know if the nursing every hour will get better or not.

[@llli*mommy2lilah]

Have you ever tried giving her a pacifier when it seems like she's just comfort nursing? I wonder if you could nurse her to sleep, switch a pacifier in her mouth and then hand her off to the nanny?

My older daughter was 27 months old when my younger one was born. I would nurse my younger one walking around, or on the boppy in my lap while I did things with Lilah. Can you not interact with your older child while you are nursing?

The behavior you are talking about is really normal for a baby that age.

[@llli*koms1016]

I tried a paci but she didn't take it. I just bought 2 more different ones to see if she will take one. I think the problem is that she falls asleep so soon on the breast, that she gets hungry and wakes up. When we give her 2 oz on the bottle, she sleeps for 3 hours so I don't think she is taking that much from me at a sitting. If I was to pump between 7-5 while the nanny is here, and then nurse the rest of the time, is that ok? How often do I need to pump during the day then? Every 2 hours or every 3?

[@llli*sonogirl]

Pumping needs vary from mom to mom. The "every three hours" basic suggestion that works for the average mom does not work for me. I have to pump every two hours while working to meet my milk needs, and keep my supply where it needs to be. My baby was (and still is) a very frequent nurser. If you weren't netting enough milk pumping three times during your work day, you may need to pump at more closely spaced intervals.

[@llli*mommy2lilah]

It should be fine. That's what we all do that work out of the home... pump every 2 to 3 hours and the baby is bottle fed while we are at work. It worked both times for me.

[@llli*bfwmomof3]

If I was to pump between 7-5 while the nanny is here, and then nurse the rest of the time, is that ok?

Plenty of moms pump while working during the day and nurse the rest of the time. 5 weeks is a _little_ early to start that routine, but personally I went back to work at 6 weeks with my second and third babies and did just that. I agree with sonogirl's comments about frequency of pumping. It's really so variable from mother to mother. Bottom line, you need to pump as frequently as is required to provide baby with the milk she needs!