I want to pump more, but how do I when I am home with my LO?

[Lulu m]

I pump milk every night to get enough milk for the next day so my DH can feed my 6 month old for bedtime. I work at night, but I am home all day with her. It usually takes me 2 pumping sessions to get enough milk for her 1 night feed.
I would like to get out of the house sometimes and that would mean leaving more milk, and I would like to start weaning her off an early am feed by using EBM so we can use bottles, and again that means more milk.
UGH. I feel like an utter! But I'd love to get 5-8 frozen bags so I can have some freedom and some help.
I am home all day with her so finding the time to pump, and not to mess up her supply when she eats - how do I do this?

[Mum of 3 + 2 stepkids]

Hi Lulu m, Can you pump after each feed? you won't get a lot at first but over time it will increase. You can add it all together to make a bottle and freeze. Like i say at first it will be just a dribble but it will get more. If you want to freeze you can add to the bottle for 24hrs and then it should go in the freezer, if its not enough you can always add more the next day to make it up to the amount you need for one bottle as long as its cold from the fridge. It is hard work to start but its all worth it as the freezer stash grows!!!

Kate x

[kcamelia]

I'm in the same boat!  I'm a SAHM whose lo has several food sensitivities, so I can't give him anything but breastmilk.  For a while, it was very hard to get ahead of him--he would nurse every 3-4 hours around the clock.  However, I would pump whenever I could for a day or two, desperately trying to patch a bottle together.  Once I got one, it seemed like I always had one, because I would pump at the same time my dh gave him the bottle.  I did that pumping after every feed.

I have started pumping one hour after the am nursing (like Tracy suggests), but I am worried that then I don't have enough for that 11a feed and then he is hungry by about 2 or so.  Anyone else have that problem?  I think I'll keep pumping at 8ish for now (to build up a supply so it won't matter after a week or so), but in the mean time, I'll top him off at the 11a feed with what I pumped earlier.  Soon I won't have to do that.  Maybe that would work for you.

[Mum of 3 + 2 stepkids]

Hi kcamelia, When you start pumping you are sending signals to produce more milk but it takes a couple of days for your body to adjust. So for those days you might find that you need to add an extra feed in the afternoon but it would only be short term. And yes topping off the feed with pumped milk from the feed before is also a way of keeping to your routine, you might not get the bottle you wanted but again after a few days your body will start to produce the extra and you can pump for the bottle again.

Kate x

[ninav]

Double pumping is also good.........increases prolactin levels, the hormone that stimulates milk production.
Good luck.

Nina