Working moms/mums - come and share tips and support!

[MJMom]

Thanks.  I have that brand as well.

What ethnic background is your LO?  Looks like a bit of Asian?  Just curious.  Our Lo is 1/4 Japanese, 1/4 Irish and 1/2 polish.

[marcimommy]

alissa - Is your DH polish?

[MJMom]

Yup!  100%.  Not from the motherland, but both his parents are off the boat.  My mom is off the boat Japanese. 

[marcimommy]

Cool! I'm 100% hungarian, First generation or off the boat as you call it (allthough we flew here  )

So how's pumping today everybody. I am struggling for some reason. It has gotten better for a couple days but now I am back to being short 2-3 ozs per day. Oh well, I have learnt to relax about it 

MAY THE MILK GODS BLESS EVERYBODY'S BOOBS 

[MJMom]

  Yeah.  Grandparents flew over too.  But "off the boat" is just so colorful!    Been saying it for years!!  Cool.  Hungary.  Almost went to Budapest.  Went to Prague instead.  Sorry.  Isn't the hungarian language similar to polish?

I've always been short what I pump at work for weeks.  After I dropped the dream feed though, I started pumping before I go to bed.  That makes up for the deficit at work. 

[valeamalia]

This is so cool you all have great backgrounds. Well I am from the other side of the globe (for some) Ecuador/South America. Probably there's a lot of Spanish blood in my background and a tiny bit of Italian.

Ana

[carolynq]

I need some help/advice!  I have a 6.5 month old who started daycare about a month ago.  I've been pumping and would prefer to avoid formula if possible (he has a possible milk and/or soy allergy).  My first question is how much is a normal amount of milk to send to daycare.  He is separated from me from 7:30am until 3:30pm.  I usually nurse him around 6am and then again when we get home (so around 3:45pm).  I've been sending 11 ounces, but his provider asked for more since he isn't satisfied with his afternoon 6 ounce bottle.  He is also polishing off a size 3 fruit at breakfast and another one at lunch.  He weighs over 22 lbs.

My next question is how to get more milk!?  I teach and only have one opportunity to pump at work.  I pump at 11am since I have access to a private office and don't teach at that time.  I then pump again at night before going to bed after the lo's (I have 3 total) are asleep.  I'm not sure what I can do - or if I even need to do something.

Thanks for any replies.  I feel a bit overwhelmed right now.
Carrie

[Anita S.]

One option is at that age to up the solids a little. He sounds like a big boy and can probably handle some grain or veggies, which might provide him a "Stick to his ribs effect". Good luck! Of course, now that my lo is 9.5mo, I send some grain, yogurt, fruit and veggie, PLUS 16oz formula.

When I first sent my dd, she was a little younger, but was bf AND formula fed, so I sent two 8oz bottles for the day. Sometimes she didn't finish them, but at least she had and didn't need instead of needed and didn't have...

-Anita

[MJMom]

Also, if you want to increase your supply, have you tried Fenugreek, Blessed Thistle or another galactagogue?

[carolynq]

I am drinking Mother's Milk tea which has fenugreek and blessed thistle as well as several other herbs.  It does help.  I will try sending more food.  Today I sent 7 ounces for lunch and he polished that off plus 14 ounces of milk (plus 6 ounces of bananas for breakfast).  I don't think I could pump more than 11 ounces at my one time at work - max!

Thanks for the input.  I will keep trying.  I don't know how moms manage to pump so much!  However, I looked at the hypo-allergenic formula at the store and the price made me gulp.  So, I'll keep trying.

Carrie

[valeamalia]

I finally found mothers Milk tea here, I will start tomorrow lets hope it works, I have to travel in 2 weeks and need to leave her with some of my milk. I now she won't be able to just feed BM but at least I would like to leave her enough for 2 feeds. ( I will be away for 2 weeks, any advice on that)

[MJMom]

Carrie, I can actually only pump between 4-7 ounces at a time, so any more that you can get is fantastic!  i have to pump at least twice if I have any hope of feeding my LO as well as night once.  Any way you can get another pump session in?

Also, are you still taking multi-vitamins or pre-natals?  I noticed I get more yield when I take my vitamins.  Also, I noticed that depending on what I eat, I get a higher yield.  If I eat a balanced meal with a protein, carb, and leafy greens, I can get almost twice as much as if I eat, say, pizza.

have you checked the kellymom.com website?  There are lots of tips there as well.

[marcimommy]

Yeah, I have to agree with Alissa, 11 oz at one pumping is great, I don't think you can up that! The only way I see is to have another pumping session.
I BF my LO and feed him a jar of stage 1 baby food in the morning. I pack him 2 bottles EBM, each 8 oz (sometimes I can't pump enough so I have to supplement 2-3 oz formula) and a jar of baby food. We will switch to stage 2 foods this weekend.
Also before buying any hypoallergenic baby formula you might want to try the sensitive ones. They are much cheaper. Was he tested for Milk/Soy allergy? A lot of babies are sensitive to dairy first but by 6-7 months they outgrow it. Their digestive system matures around this age. My LO used to be sensitive to dairy protein as well and I just recently started eating some dairy again. I use the Enfamil Gentlease or the Nestle Good Start with the comfort proteins. these have broken down proteins and less lactose than regular formula but are milk based and taste much better than the hypoallergenic ones. I used the Nutramigen but it was nasty and DS wouldn't eat it after a few days.

I hope this helps!

When was your LO born? Alissa and me are on the same birth club, the March/April 2007 babies birth club and it's a great group. 

[MJMom]

My LO used to be sensitive to dairy protein as well and I just recently started eating some dairy again.

Suzanna- OMG!  My LO too!  I just started eating dairy again 2 weeks ago!  Can I tell you Latte's, Cheesecake and pizza have never tasted SOOOOOOO good!!!!
And that half a wheel of brie may have been a bit over board last Sunday, but boy did I miss Brie!  The Goat's milk brie is just not the same as double cream cow's milk brie!!!
<bliss!>

[carolynq]

My son was born end of February.

How did you know to avoid dairy and what made you try eating it again?  The pediatrician told me to eliminate it from my diet since there was mucousy blood in ds's stool.  When I stopped eating soy and dairy it went away.  That was right around 5 months.  We have an appointment with an allergist in November.  I'm really hoping it was just coincidence, but the doctor said everything followed the allergy pattern.

I wish I could add another pumping, but my schedule just doesn't allow it.  I can't even manage to pump another time after I get home until the kids are asleep (too difficult, and talk about not being able to relax - I tried today and as soon as I was set up my daughter managed to get the can-opener off the counter and started playing with it - followed by climbing into the baby swing - and she's two!).

The kellysmom website is very good.  Eating oatmeal for breakfast is something I can do to help.

Thanks for the support.  I'm trying to add say to my diet and see if that bothers my son.  If he's not allergic to soy, at least there is a more reasonable option.

Carrie