Saturday, October 8, 2011

Pumping and bottlefeeding. Now pumping three times a day, Mom had enough milk to donate 500 ounces to a milk bank.

Quan's daughter had latch difficulties from birth and preferred a bottle.  Although she nursed for the first three months, Quan had sore nipples and her daughter never emptied her very well.  During this time she had mastitis (treated with Clindamycin), and supply problems, which she resolved by taking fenugreek, goat's rue and pumping after feedings for two weeks.  Since she was pumping after feedings to empty, Quan gradually found it easier to just pump and bottle feed.  For the first three months, she pumped and nursed seven--occasionally six-- times a day.

Then she transitioned to pumping five times a day.  When she was able to maintain her supply doing this, she began to pump four times a day, and now--at seven months, she is pumping three times a day. She gets approximately two five ounce bottles each time.  Her baby is exclusively breastmilk fed.  Her supply, even though she is exclusively  pumping, is substantial.   She donated 500 ounces to a milk bank in April. Quan plans to wean at a year.

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