How do you restock your EBM supplies?

[mim1]

I'm working and away from bubs on an intermittent basis. Usually it's only 2 x 4-5 hour blocks a week, but for example in the last week I've been away for bubs for 5 hours 7 of the last 10 days. Some days she's gone without needing EBM on those times, other times she's had a feed. But, the issue is that I'm working 2 full days in the next week (although should be able to drop back home during lunch time) and I only have 180ml of EBM in the freezer.

I naively thought that if I was away from bubs and she had a feed, it would be simple, I'd just express the same amount when I got home and it would all even out. BUT, that's not the case. The other day for example, dd drank 75ml and I came home 20 minutes later and she completely drained both breasts (and I felt full!). She's a little guzzle guts .

Do I just have to express 30ml every day for ever to keep enough stock in the freezer? Life is busy with kinder for my ds 5 days a week, and work for me and lots of other things, and often the only time I think about expressing is in the evening and I know that's not a good time for me to actually end up getting any milk when I express.

So, how do you keep up your EBM supplies?

[zzz]

I don't pump too much anymore as wasn't using much ebm but I was pumping in the night during/after a feed.

I'd get quite a lot then or in the mornings...not ideal if you have to work the next day though!

Sent from my LT15i

[Rose&Aurelia]

My DD too would drink EBM and then lunge at my boob the minute I walked in the door.

So I just started to express 3-4 times a week just after the first feed. Some weeks I'd use it all and others I didnt. But over time I had banked up about 2L in the freezer in 200mL amounts. It was a pain to begin with but after a few weeks it just became part of the routine. The day before I was going to express I would eat oats for brekky.

[VicPark]

I pump twice per day (once after he morning feed, another about 10pm when hubby is giving bubba a bottle). This gives me enough for the night bottle plus I build up a tiny bank for the freezer so i can do things such as go to the hairdresser. I stopped expressing for 4 days when I went on holiday and this greatly decreased my supply, I'm only just catching up
Now a few weeks later.

[EvilWombatQueen]

If DD doesn't drain both boobs I have a little pump after she feeds. Even if it's only 20ml it all adds up. Since I'm away nearly 12 hours on the days I work we have to add a bottle of formula milk to the EBM to keep up with her, though.

[BaronessM]

I'm actually pumping right now so thought I'd reply!

My DS stopped BF'ing due to severe reflux (he was prem and anything but vertical feeding had him screaming), so had to pump full-time from 3mo.

My supply is poor, so I've taken motilium for some time to keep it up. Bubs is 10mo now, and I only pump 1-2 times a day to get what I need, as I don't produce much so have to cut ebm with formula, 1:2.

Anyway, the above posters all have great ideas. Pump anytime you can after a feed if you feel there's any left. Sometimes I don't feel like getting on the pump, so just do a little hand express.

Mim, you're right that morning is better than evening as the levels of hormones required for lactation are higher in the mornings and after resting (it's the getting horizontal that does it, apparently ~ good excuse for a rest, Ladies!), but anytime you can express anything at all will help boost your stocks and your supply! If you can keep the extra pump up after BF a few days in a row, naturally this will help your production a lot.

Hope you manage to get a few extra bottles into the freezer ~ I always feel I can relax better the more there is at hand, so I don't have to stress about the boob-to-mouth nature of my crappy supply!

If any of you Lovely Ladies feel like joining the Dairy Cow Breast Pumping Mummies thread, please look it up and reply. Cheers!