More Breastfeeding Questions....

When I pumped it was miserably slow and miserably unproductive…

I used a hand pump only once, in a bathroom…. I HATED IT!!! I did the same as you, I hardly got any milk out! I’m sure more ladies will have lots of experience with this- that’s all I’ve got! I would rent/buy an electric pump!

That actually sounds pretty good for two weeks. Babies her age have teeny tiny tummies and we tend to assume that they need much more to eat than they actually do. Not only that, but they’re MUCH more efficient at the breast than your pump.

Keep up the good work, sounds like you’re doing fine!

When i started pumping – around the same time frame as you (about three weeks old)- that was what i pumped as well. This, i figured, was normal because that was all she was eating. Babies have tiny tummies, that is why they eat so often!!

So, no i wouldn’t worry about supply. You will make more milk as she grows and can eat more in one sitting. Annabelle is 7 months old now and i pump between 7 and 8 ounces per session.

hope this helps!

Are you using the pump after you feed? Rest assured, your milk supply is not going away. If you are pumping after a feeding, baby has more than likely removed a majority of the milk. The only time I got alot of milk from pumping was when my babies skipped a feeding, otherwise 2 ounces is totally normal! :)

Most moms who are nursing full-time are able to pump around 1/2 to 2 ounces total (for both breasts) per pumping session. Moms who pump more milk per session may have an oversupply of milk, or may respond better than average to the pump, or may have been able to increase pump output with practice. Many moms think that they should be able to pump 4-8 ounces per pumping session, but even 4 ounces is an unusually large pumping output.

It is quite normal to need to pump 2-3 times to get enough milk for one feeding for baby (remember that the pump cannot get as much milk as a baby who nurses effectively).

Clickable link from kellymom.com

It sounds like you are doing great! :)

These comments are very encouraging!!

-Gwenn

Ditto!

Ditto! And it sounds like you are doing a wonderful job to EBF these very precious 2 weeks! Congrats!

My advice get an electric breast pump!!!!! You will see the difference! Good Luck!

2 oz from one side is normal. You may get a little more if you used a double electric pump. Even when I pumped at work when I was away from DD, I usually got 4-5 oz total per session. Remember she will always get more milk out than a pump anyways, so if she is gaining weight, you have enough milk!