Power up! (Update)

So in one of my previous post, I wrote typed that I was going through a power pumping phase. For those who aren't particularly familiar with this term, it's a technique most fully bfeeding mom use as one of the many ways to boost supply. My reason was to increase supply (expressed milk) for when I return to work.

Basically I did start out quite late to store frozen ebm. This is because I was too 'brilliant' to leave the ordering of an extra freezer until after I gave birth. Could've saved me the stress had I ordered way in advance. Ok, with Aaron.. I started saving up for work quite early because we had ample storage room at my inlaws. Here, well... Being a small family of three, we only have a fridge with a top freezer compartment to put in everything we need i.e chicken fish blabla... So naturally, it is not enough. Yes, I only realized it after I gave birth..

Pandai kan?

Bleurghhh... So luckily I found an upright freezer online. I wanted an upright freezer because I think it is easier to organize bottles anddddd well, my place ain't that big. So an upright freezer is relatively smaller than a deep chest freezer. It arrived exactly on my 30th day of confinement. Agakla kan pastu mcm scrambling to build up stock.. and when you only manage to pump out 1oz total everytime.. It does get worrying!

Well, I do understand how it works. You know, supply demand that sorta thing. But with Aaron, I manage to easily pump out 3oz to begin with and it increased from there. This time, because of the high fever I had a few weeks back, I lost the feeling of engorg3ment. So I figured that supply must have dropped because of it.

Since I am a bit kiasu with the number of bottles I have when I return to work (from fear that frozen ebm will run out when she goes through growth spurt when I'm not pumping enough daily to meet her needs).. My own (emphasis added) personal standard is to have at least 100 bottles on the day I start work. With only a month to go, you can imagine my 'self-inflicted' stress! Haha so I decided to power pump whenever I can (20 mins-rest-10 mins-rest-10 mins-rest-10 mins).. Which takes up about an hour.. Even if you only yield at most 1oz every session doing it, remember that the main objective is to signal your body to produce more, what you get is just bonus. As extra help, I also take various milk booster remedies such as alfafa and fenugreek tablets.

Alhamdulillah.. Today at day 9 since I started, I already have 40 bottles stored :) and my output has increased (varyingly) from 2oz to 4oz each session.

Yes, it's 5.30 am, she's asleep and I am power pumping whilst typing this. So I guess all in all, perseverence is key. You will be tired (I get tired trying to find time to power pump when baby wakes up each time you try to power pump, though I treat it as part of the session as well hehe) but it will be rewarding in the end

Xx

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