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Joined: Apr 2009
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NE Italy, Aviano Air Base
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Hi there. I guess I'm really looking for encouragement and to find out if my experience is typical. Overall I am pleased, but anxious to build my milk supply.

I followed the regular protocol for 10 months before stopping the Yasmin (YAY!) and starting the herbs and pumping. The first time I pumped I was thrilled when I saw a couple of drops. That was 4 days ago. My output has gone from a couple of ML per day to 1.5 oz per day in 4 days. When I think about it, that seems fast enough, but 1.5 oz in a whole day isn't much milk at all and I'm wondering what other Mom's experiences were, that followed the regular protocol.

BTW I pumped 6 times the first day, and have been pumping 8-11 times per day since. It is SO hard to get up every 3 hours at night to pump so I'm going to need some serious results or encouragement to keep this up. I keep telling myself I'd have the same sleep schedule with my baby home with me, only thing is, I wouldn't have to get up and go to work like I am now :P It's really hard.

Thanks for any experiences you care to share!
Jenny


**Jenny**
AP to Helina, home from Ethiopia at 10 months old in Feb 2010
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I followed the regular protocol from August to Jan, then started the herbs/pumping until baby was born in March. when I first pumped I got 2cc's and it slowly increased to 3,5,7,15 etc by the time baby was born I was pumping only an ounce at a time every 3 hours but I knew she would make me make more. My actual plan was to pump every 1-2 hours the week before she was born and she came during that week so that didn't work.hehehehe
At first I made almost all her needs and it slowly decreased to about 70% and now at 9 months I am at about 50% of her needs (I haven't really measured but she only gets about 2-3 6oz bottles during the day when I am home and she drinks about 6 bottles when I work 12 hours a day so I know I am making enough. I have to be honest... I pumped right before bed and then again at 6am when I was getting ready for work. I never did pump in the middle of the night. I probably had a little less milk but I was OK with it. As long as you are making some I think that when the baby is with you then you will make more, you will increase. Maybe you could start pumping at night a few weeks before you actually go and get little Helina. Then your milk will increase during those weeks. Just keep going. Any amount of milk for your little one is better than nothing and you will both benefit from the nursing relationship!


Melissa DW to Dan, Mom to Dakota-18 by birth, Olivia-6 by TS and Sarah by adoption born 3/6/09
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Here is another hint for you when you pump at night. Pump and then put your pumps in the fridge instead of taking care of the milk in the middle of the night. Makes for quicker pumping.


Melissa DW to Dan, Mom to Dakota-18 by birth, Olivia-6 by TS and Sarah by adoption born 3/6/09
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I did the protocol from mid April until mid December. We had no notice, so I started pumping the day we were placed with DD. I increased pretty quickly, but I also had the baby with me. I got drops right away and a teaspoon each pumping after 3 days. I was up to about 1 oz every pumping session after a week. After 2 weeks I was able to exclusively bf her, but she was probably only taking 1 1/2 - 2 oz each time. I pumped once during the middle of the night until she was 3 months old. We woke her up once in the middle of the night until she was 4 months old (she was tiny and that was her best feed). It sounds to me like you are doing great! Keep up the good work!
Jennifer

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I think you are doing great lots of women see a big increase about 2 weeks into pumping. So for it only being 4 days I think 1.5 oz is great!


Laurie~Craig's wife~Mom to 4 blessings nurtured at the breast CJ(24)Travis(21)Beka~adopted(9)Rab(6)
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Wow, those are some great success stories! I have now been pumping for 6-7 days and am getting 7-12 ml per session, and just about 3 oz per day. So it really is increasing pretty rapidly. That is what's keeping me motivated to get up at 1 and 4am!! Misidawnrn, We are picking up our daughter in 5 weeks, so I'll keep up the nightly pumping I guess. Thanks for your encouragement moms!


**Jenny**
AP to Helina, home from Ethiopia at 10 months old in Feb 2010
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Well done on the night pumping! I did it at first but stopped after about a month of it (we did not have a match at the time). Emom is due in march so I will start doing night pumping sometime in Feb.

I did the accelerated protocol and now, after 3 months of pumping, am getting 7-8 ounces a day. I pump 4-5 times a day. At first, the increase was about an ounce a week but then it tapered off and I sat at 6 ounces forever. Finally, I have gotten over that standstill and am moving up again.

Good luck with your placement! Sounds like you will have no troubles reaching your goal in 5 weeks when you pick up your daughter!


mama to 3 beautiful adopted kiddos-Alexa (8), Angie(5), Jaxon (5) and hoping to bf our 4th little one...due March 2010!
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Thanks! Yes the night pumping is really difficult especially since I work full time. Starting last night I decided to pump once during the night instead of 2. I am now pumping 3.25-3.5 oz per day and have been stuck there for several days. Cool thing is I can tell when I need to pump...breasts get a little sore and fuller feeling.

Congrats on your 7-8 oz per day, that is awesome! And good to know to watch for about an oz per week increase. I know everyone is different but I like to have goals, it really keeps me going and motivated.

I ordered a hands free pumping bustier the other day. I think it will help me to be able to do something other than hold the flanges and will milk to come out while I am pumping!


**Jenny**
AP to Helina, home from Ethiopia at 10 months old in Feb 2010
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I have mastered putting the pumps under my shirt and kind of holding them there while I sit with my laptop. It works well and I can cover up so if my kids come in, they dont even notice what I am doing!

I am really curious to see what happens when I start the night sessions again. When I was doing it, I would really be sore in the mornings because I was needing to pump. Now that I am getting a lot more milk, I wonder if it would increase my supply by a noticeable amount. I am anxious but not anxious enough to do it yet! I will by early Februrary I think.



mama to 3 beautiful adopted kiddos-Alexa (8), Angie(5), Jaxon (5) and hoping to bf our 4th little one...due March 2010!
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MamaT, Did you adopt internationally or domestically? Just curious. I like your profile pic.

I think you will definitely get more milk when you add night time pumping. That's the way it works, anyway. You can have a high prolactin level, but you also need to empty the breasts frequently.

It seems everytime I post about about my milk production it changes the next day and I have to eat my words. I have now been pumping for 2 weeks and am pumping over 4.25 oz per day of breast milk!

I got my hands-free bustier and it is great. I wear it to pump and the time flies while I type on the computer. (I am actually pumping at the moment!!) I pump longer this way because I'm not staring at the bottles which makes the time pass soooo slowly. It is harder to massage and compress with the bustier on but overall I am pleased.

Ladies, how is your tolerance of the pump suction? I find it very irritating and most of the time my areolas and nipples feel tender and sensitive. I am using a Medela Lactina and start on the lowest suction setting and rarely make it to the middle setting. But I'm on the fastest speed setting. Still figuring out what is most comfortable with maximum output.


**Jenny**
AP to Helina, home from Ethiopia at 10 months old in Feb 2010
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