Pumping and growth spurts

I'm worried about what happens when Pillbug hits
a growth spurt and I'm pumping. As I understand
it, he nurses lots and lots to get more milk, then
he gets more milk, then he sleeps to grow. Now,
if he drinks lots and lots of EBM in those first
couple of days that he's really only supposed to
be stimulation production, then he's getting too
many calories overall.

But then, since I'm not being stimulated, then my
milk supply won't be matching his needs, right?
Does pumping wreck the whole growth spurt pattern?

-- Anita --
--
SUCCESS FOUR FLIGHTS THURSDAY MORNING ALL AGAINST
TWENTY ONE MILE WIND STARTED FROM LEVEL WITH ENGINE
POWER ALONE AVERAGE SPEED THROUGH AIR THIRTY ONE
MILES LONGEST 57 SECONDS INFORM PRESS HOME CHRISTMAS.

Irrational Number wrote:

But then, since I'm not being stimulated, then my
milk supply won't be matching his needs, right?
Does pumping wreck the whole growth spurt pattern?

It did not seem to hurt my supply at all but I was not able to pump enough
to meet his bottle needs. I never had to supplement when we were together.
I didn't do more then 30 hours of daycare though, sometimes not even that
much. The other factor is that he nursed a lot at night and I'm sure this
helped tremendously with supply.

--
Nikki
Mama to Hunter (4) and Luke (2)

OK. I'm confused trying to understand your question.
Are you exclusively pumping, or are your pumping to
supplement when you are not there?

Because, if I understand the question, it only makes
sense if you are exclusively pumping.

Nowever, I am goint to assume I DON'T understand the
question, :-) and answer if you mean it the other
way.

He starts nursing more to get more milk because he
NEEDS more calories. He will get more milk just by
nursing more, even if the extra production has not
kicked in yet. Just maybe not as fast as if you
are also pumping. It is virtually impossible to
overfeed a breastfed baby.

Is that your question?

Larry

Irrational Number writes:
: I'm worried about what happens when Pillbug hits
: a growth spurt and I'm pumping. As I understand
: it, he nurses lots and lots to get more milk, then
: he gets more milk, then he sleeps to grow. Now,
: if he drinks lots and lots of EBM in those first
: couple of days that he's really only supposed to
: be stimulation production, then he's getting too
: many calories overall.

: But then, since I'm not being stimulated, then my
: milk supply won't be matching his needs, right?
: Does pumping wreck the whole growth spurt pattern?

: -- Anita --
: --
: SUCCESS FOUR FLIGHTS THURSDAY MORNING ALL AGAINST
: TWENTY ONE MILE WIND STARTED FROM LEVEL WITH ENGINE
: POWER ALONE AVERAGE SPEED THROUGH AIR THIRTY ONE
: MILES LONGEST 57 SECONDS INFORM PRESS HOME CHRISTMAS.

Larry McMahan wrote:
OK. I'm confused trying to understand your question.
Are you exclusively pumping, or are your pumping to
supplement when you are not there?

Sorry for the confusion. I'm pumping
at work for the 10 hours a day that Pillbug
is with the nanny.

He starts nursing more to get more milk because he
NEEDS more calories. He will get more milk just by
nursing more, even if the extra production has not
kicked in yet. Just maybe not as fast as if you
are also pumping. It is virtually impossible to
overfeed a breastfed baby.

I understand this. However, if I'm not nursing
him for those 10 hours every day for 5 days per
week, I will be missing out on the extra nursing
he would be getting right before a growth spurt,
and therefore I would not be getting the stimulation
that _I_ need to produce more milk. Does this mean
that his needs will outstrip my supply in time?

Does this make sense? Right now, Pillbug drinks
20 oz. EBM during the day while I'm at work. He
would probably be hungrier during a growth spurt,
so I would need to start providing, say, 24 oz.
per day. Is that correct? So, I guess I would
be taking my cues from the nanny telling me that
he is hungrier, so I need to pump even more.

I hope this makes sense... Can pumping more
during a growth spurt simulate baby nursing more
during a growth spurt so that I can keep up with
his needs?

-- Anita --
--
SUCCESS FOUR FLIGHTS THURSDAY MORNING ALL AGAINST
TWENTY ONE MILE WIND STARTED FROM LEVEL WITH ENGINE
POWER ALONE AVERAGE SPEED THROUGH AIR THIRTY ONE
MILES LONGEST 57 SECONDS INFORM PRESS HOME CHRISTMAS.

Irrational Number wrote:

I hope this makes sense... Can pumping more
during a growth spurt simulate baby nursing more
during a growth spurt so that I can keep up with
his needs?

You'd think it would, but since the pump isn't as
efficient as a baby, its hard to say. If baby starts
taking more EBM, you could try adding a pump
session and see if you get more. And some women
find they get more milk pumping less often (which
I wonder if in the short term they get more, but in
the long term would get less since they are stimulating
the breasts more).

You may find that when a growth spurt hits, baby will
nurse more when you are home, which would stimulate
your supply. Frankly, I never noticed a growth spurt
when I was pumping (away from home 8 hours a day),
but then DD never took anywhere near 20 ounces from
a bottle, she just waited for me. You might want to
encourage your nanny to find ways other than the bottle
to sooth baby. That would encourage baby to nurse
more which would help your supply and help you
keep up with baby's intake. (I'm not saying let
your baby cry from hunger, but instead of offering
the bottle first, try singing or going outside, etc.)
The end result may be a baby that is up more often
at night to meet its breastmilk needs (as my daughter
was, she did alot of night nursing, and took very
little from the bottle during the day).

Mary

Irrational Number writes:

: Sorry for the confusion. I'm pumping
: at work for the 10 hours a day that Pillbug
: is with the nanny.

: He starts nursing more to get more milk because he
: NEEDS more calories. He will get more milk just by
: nursing more, even if the extra production has not
: kicked in yet. Just maybe not as fast as if you
: are also pumping. It is virtually impossible to
: overfeed a breastfed baby.

: I understand this. However, if I'm not nursing
: him for those 10 hours every day for 5 days per
: week, I will be missing out on the extra nursing
: he would be getting right before a growth spurt,
: and therefore I would not be getting the stimulation
: that _I_ need to produce more milk. Does this mean
: that his needs will outstrip my supply in time?

: Does this make sense? Right now, Pillbug drinks
: 20 oz. EBM during the day while I'm at work. He
: would probably be hungrier during a growth spurt,
: so I would need to start providing, say, 24 oz.
: per day. Is that correct? So, I guess I would
: be taking my cues from the nanny telling me that
: he is hungrier, so I need to pump even more.

: I hope this makes sense... Can pumping more
: during a growth spurt simulate baby nursing more
: during a growth spurt so that I can keep up with
: his needs?

OK. Now I understand your question better. Now I
have a few. :-) If you are at work 10 hours a day,
that means you are together 14 hours a day when you
might be nursing. :-) What is that nursing time
like? For example, you probably nurse just before you
leave from work, and just after you get home.
Probably also at bedtime. When else? Do you co-sleep
(this could help make sure he gets enough milk. Stuides
have shown that a mom's highest milk production are
approximately between 3 and 7 AM. To increase your
supply, this would be the best time to add extra nursing,
and is what is likely to happen for a mom who is pumping
during the day and nursing at night.

I think the idea of extra night nursing during a growth
spurt makes a lot more sense than trying to do extra
pumping because it is much more effective stimulation.

I think it will also keep your supply adequate.

Does this answer your question?

Larry

Irrational Number wrote:

if he drinks lots and lots of EBM in those first
couple of days that he's really only supposed to
be stimulation production, then he's getting too
many calories overall.


He'll still stop when he's full. He'd need to nurse more to
get full, because the additional milk he wants comes at a
dribbling pace rather than a gushing pace. With a bottle,
it comes faster, so he gets it faster.


But then, since I'm not being stimulated, then my
milk supply won't be matching his needs, right?.


Pump as much as he drinks, or a bit more. (Easier said than
done, I know, but that's been my rule of thumb, and I
haven't had any noticeable supply issues because of pumping.)


Phoebe

Irrational Number wrote:

I guess I would
be taking my cues from the nanny telling me that
he is hungrier, so I need to pump even more.

The nanny should be telling you *exactly* how many ounces he
drinks each day, so you can be sure you're pumping enough.
Depending on how long you're willing to have her re-offer a
drunk-from bottle, she should be telling you how much he'll
eat at a feeding, so there's less wastage.

Phoebe

Larry McMahan wrote:
Irrational Number writes:

: I hope this makes sense... Can pumping more
: during a growth spurt simulate baby nursing more
: during a growth spurt so that I can keep up with
: his needs?

OK. Now I understand your question better. Now I
have a few. :-) If you are at work 10 hours a day,
that means you are together 14 hours a day when you
might be nursing. :-) What is that nursing time
like? For example, you probably nurse just before you
leave from work, and just after you get home.
Probably also at bedtime. When else? Do you co-sleep
(this could help make sure he gets enough milk. Stuides
have shown that a mom's highest milk production are
approximately between 3 and 7 AM. To increase your
supply, this would be the best time to add extra nursing,
and is what is likely to happen for a mom who is pumping
during the day and nursing at night.

This is basically exactly what is happening. Pillbug
now is nursing every 1.5 to 2 hours at night, so I
get up 3 to 4 times. I do nurse him in the morning
(twice if I can manage it), and try to nurse him
three times in the evening before he goes to sleep.
We do not co-sleep; it's easier for us this way.

I think the idea of extra night nursing during a growth
spurt makes a lot more sense than trying to do extra
pumping because it is much more effective stimulation.

I think it will also keep your supply adequate.

Yeah, I think the extra night nursings is what
will happen, given how Pillbug is right now.

Thanks for the info.

-- Anita --
--
SUCCESS FOUR FLIGHTS THURSDAY MORNING ALL AGAINST
TWENTY ONE MILE WIND STARTED FROM LEVEL WITH ENGINE
POWER ALONE AVERAGE SPEED THROUGH AIR THIRTY ONE
MILES LONGEST 57 SECONDS INFORM PRESS HOME CHRISTMAS.

Phoebe & Allyson wrote:
Irrational Number wrote:

I guess I would
be taking my cues from the nanny telling me that
he is hungrier, so I need to pump even more.

The nanny should be telling you *exactly* how many ounces he drinks each
day, so you can be sure you're pumping enough. Depending on how long
you're willing to have her re-offer a drunk-from bottle, she should be
telling you how much he'll eat at a feeding, so there's less wastage.

Oh, the nanny tells me EXACTLY. She logs down
to the tenth of an ounce! I have her re-offer,
'cause I've read that breastmilk can keep the
bacteria at bay enough (and a bottle never lasts
longer than 2 hours). I prepare six 4-oz.
bottles for her every day and I can tell how
much he's had just by looking at what's left
(in addition to the log).

-- Anita --
--
SUCCESS FOUR FLIGHTS THURSDAY MORNING ALL AGAINST
TWENTY ONE MILE WIND STARTED FROM LEVEL WITH ENGINE
POWER ALONE AVERAGE SPEED THROUGH AIR THIRTY ONE
MILES LONGEST 57 SECONDS INFORM PRESS HOME CHRISTMAS.