It’s been two months, two whole months!, since we welcomed our little dude. It’s a good thing I take notes because it’s been super fast and a bit of a blur. If I’m being honest, this blog was supposed to happen at two weeks postpartum and then beyond. But you know what, I think this is a blessing in disguise because I have so much more to say as a lot can change in two months, and this is also when I find routines start to take shape and balance out. This blog is happening exactly when it’s meant to be documented!
Skin to skin will always be at the top of my recommendations no matter which direction your breastfeeding journey takes. Skin to skin isn't only for feeding at the breast. This is my favorite part of birthing my babies, all the discomfort and pain are a thing of the past once I can hold that sweet babe up to my chest and we can help regulate together. ❤️
Our first two weeks were basically survival mode. I tried my best to take my own advice and stick to my pumping schedule through all 24 hours, every day. Unfortunately, I didn’t find this time around as easy as I had with while pumping for my previous babies. With every subsequent baby I am finding life just becomes more complicated, naturally.
If I tried to recall and recite the first 14 days as I type this blog, we'd all be kidding ourselves that it was any bit accurate. I can hardly remember yesterday, good thing I typed out short recaps of each day while in the hospital and every following day!
Before we dive into the first two weeks I want to talk about realistic expectations for the volume of milk to feed your newborn. My best piece of advice when feeding your newborn colostrum by spoon, syringe, or cup, would be to set some aside that will be "untouched". In other words, don't double dip into milk that you aren't 100% sure you will feed. You can always pour more into your feeding container if baby is still giving hungry cues. And no, I do not begin to use bottles to feed colostrum or transitional milk until after it is more than 1 ml worth of milk at each feeding. Before that, it's just too little of volume that can get lost (and wasted!) in the nipple or bottle.
According to Making More Milk aim to feed the amounts below on average per each session:
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First 24 Hours
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2-2 tsp (2-10mL)
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Day 2
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1-3 tsp (5-15mL)
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Day 3
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½-1 oz (15-30mL)
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4-7 Days
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1-1½ oz (30-45mL)
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1-2 Weeks
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1½-2 oz (45-60mL)
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Breastfeeding Log
Day 1 | June 27 | Delivery 1pm
Hand expressed colostrum, was able to remove approx. 12mL by hand and with pump. Baby ate fractions of an mL approx. every two hours.
mL removed once into our room, it's common to see a surge of colostrum soon post delivery
Day 2 | June 28
Pumped or hand expressed six times, attempted nursing three times.
Several of these removal sessions were a mix of hand and pump with little to no milk removed. Definitely spiraled for a little while, concerned that I may have been given something that affected my milk - due to the coughing fit with anesthesia - it was this day I used some of my frozen colostrum to ensure volume was fed because I could physically not hand express or pump enough milk. Electric pumping was approx. 10 mins long BUT I did pump with the PGA for 22 and got zero drops.
Sharing feeding responsibilities with my husband has always been a leading factor when choosing to pump breastmilk
Day 3 | June 29
Baby cluster fed in the MOTN at the breast.
Biggest change to supply removal. Finally seeing transitional milk flowing and having better outcome with baby at the breast. Still only offering left side but not sure of removal ability so double pumping. Any electric pumping was approx. 10 min sessions.
Day 3, beginning to see increase in supply
Day 4 | June 30
Pumped six times, nursed two times - left side only. Finally seeing promising results and consistent response to pumping. Elevating supply and continuing transitional milk.
Went home this day (Sunday, June 30)
Wrapping up all the milk saved in the floor fridge, time to head home
Day 5 | July 1 | First full day home
Pumping regularly on a schedule. Pumped six times, nursed three times. MOTN, wake up in bed, lunch. Bottle fed all other feeding. Mom and Aunt were able to help. Supply elevating and transitioning to white milk. Sessions are all 20-25 mins.
Day 6 | July 2
Continuing to pump every three to four hours. Still getting six sessions in for 24 hours. Seeing gradual increase in supply. Should probably try to get one more session in to increase removals to seven times a day but it’s difficult with all five kids. Sessions are now 20-25 minutes long.
Day 7 | July 3
Sessions remain at six times a day. Seeing increase in supply about 12 ounces from the day before. His feedings could be playing a roll in that also, based on his removal and timed session. Still only nursing on the left side. Pump sessions are 20-30 mins, depending on how I feel around the 20+ minute mark. Been using the BabyBuddha regularly. Tonight the BB died because I hadn’t charged it and I needed to use the PGA - it felt very lackluster and ineffective compare the to BB that I have gotten so used to using since while in the hospital.
Day 8 | July 4
Still only nursing on the left side when available. But sharing feedings with Sean, too. Whichever is easiest at that time. Supply continues to increase. Pumping every three to four hours, more like every four. And only one in the MOTN. Slept through this night session by two hours.
Day 9 | July 5
Nursing first thing in the morning. Then immediately starting on the EP schedule. Since I’m only nursing on the left side, I will still pump that breast until empty. I’m only nursing approximately three times a day with large gaps between. Not worried about big over stimulation.
Day 10 | July 6
Noticing that his two ounce bottles may not be enough. We upped to three ounces on one but then lots of spit up. So brought it to two and a half ounces.
Last Saturday, 6/29 - 9.9 ounces over 7 ppd (pumps per day) - 48 hours PP
Today, 7/6 - 54.5 ounces over 6 ppd - 10 days PP
Day 11 | July 7
MOTN nursing and then followed with session. Still need to move milk that isn’t fed from to avoid discomfort or engorging. Won't pump again until the morning. Also pumping the nursed breast. Only pumping for 15 mins because baby ate on the right side and I collected two ounces on the right with the Boon Trove. Feeding and pumping, MOTN. Total of one hour.
Day 12 | July 8
Pumped six times today. Nursed four. But most of the sessions were MOTN/early morning. Still pumping through the day as normal. Finding baby C likes to get lot of volume in during the early hours between 2-6a. Began bed sharing within the last few days making this easier. Taking extra long stretches between the MOTN and morning pump session but filling that void with nursing sessions on the left side. Trying to use the Boon Trove on the right but sometimes I don’t have a collector near by.
Day 13 | July 9
Pumped six times, nursed seven. But finding his latch might be a little shallow so not sure that he’s getting adequate feeds at the boob. Often following up with a two ounce bottle. Very possible he’s getting his fill off the power of the let down not necessarily his removal.
Day 14 | July 10
Repeat of Day 13, July 9 - nothing new to report. Still trying to keep him familiar with feeding at the breast but beginning to lean more into the pumping routine because latching has been questionable. And it's a lot of double work if I'm just going to be pumping majority of the time
These last few days set the tone for the time to come. I had never considered bed sharing simply because it never felt necessary or because while still living in Chicago there was no room in our small bed for more bodies. This time around I was quick to learn that bed sharing was going to be exactly what I needed to maximize my sleep and reduce the ups and downs out of bed to feed our hungry little guy. Upon practicing bed sharing it was brought to my attention how many do’s and don’ts there are, so if you’re interested in bed sharing I would recommend educating yourself. This is not coming from a judgmental place at all, only sharing what was brought to my attention. Knowledge is power and it helps build safe practices, that’s all I’m saying. Check out Cosleepy on Instagram more.
Okay so we've established bed sharing helped saved some of my sleepless nights but what about moving milk. I found, like I had in the past, nursing during the night and pumping through the day has just proven itself to be my favorite combination of breastfeeding. I cannot say enough good things about it, seriously. I found this routine with my first singleton, I quickly got sick of pumping during the middle of the night and decided we needed to figure out this nursing thing while the sun was still down. She was my first and then I went one to practice this method with my next baby girl and now baby boy.
There’s a caveat to this method. If I needed to collect milk during the middle of the night to produce enough volume to feed during the day, then I’d have to pump. I have an oversupply and find that I can get away with nursing only at night and then hitting the pumping schedule throughout the day and supply what I need with excess for my other kids. Can most of us do this? I think it's fair to answer with: maybe yes but there's a few things to consider. In theory if you’re still feeding in the middle of the night; by moving milk by nursing baby (or pumping) you’re still demanding baby’s volume needs. That said, you’re still in good shape but if you find you’re in need of more accumulated volume that you may be relying on only during those early morning hours, then you may need to wake to pump or even pump after baby feeds... but that’s a whole other can of worms, and honestly- it's likely not necessary.
If he's showing hunger cues and we don't have a bottle made I'll nurse him, though this doesn't happen often
We are now two months in and I’m feeling really good about our schedule. Not a lot has changed in the last month and a half other than getting into an actual routine. This is what our days look like right now at two months postpartum.
Let’s start with when we roll out of bed.
〰️ 7am roll out bed, usually nurse him soon before our feet hit the floor- but it’s really unpredictable.
〰️ I’ll pump around 7:15/7:30am
〰️ Feed 3 ounce bottle after I pump
〰️ Pump again around 10am
〰️ Bottle feed 3 ounces
〰️ Pump again around 1pm
〰️ Bottle feed 3 ounces
〰️ Pump again around 3/4pm
〰️ Bottle feed 3 ounces
〰️ Pump again around 5pm
〰️ Bottle feed 3 ounces
〰️ Pump again around 7pm
〰️ Bottle feed 3 ounces around 8:30pm. This is when I swaddle and place him in his bassinet next to my bed. This is the only true sleep he has in his bassinet, otherwise this guy loves to nap in my arms. When it's time to pump I will place him in his *recalled* Rock 'N Play or bouncer.
〰️ Pump again around 9pm last session of the night
〰️ Between midnight and 4am he will wake to eat. It’s a large window, still a little unpredictable but he usually will get a decent stretch of sleep from 8:30p- 3am. This is when I bring him into bed to finish the night. He will feed initially then and possibly once more before the 7am wake up.
I shared he’s eating three ounce bottles regularly, it’s possible he’s eating more often than I shared above. I can’t keep track, this kid eats more than any of my other kids, I just follow his cues! I shared that on day 10 he was eating about two ounces at each feeding, currently at two months old he is maxing out at three ounce bottles. I will admit, I have no idea what he's feeding at the breast and a part of me thinks it might be more than three ounces, but he also has large spit-ups too, so who knows. I just go with the flow, as long as he's having regular dirty diapers and is gaining appropriately, I try not to question the process.
Looking for some of the items shown during my hospital stay, shown in these above pictures?
Preferred bottles that help encourage easy transition from bottle to breast.
𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗮 𝗖𝗮𝗺𝗶 by Davin and Adley
𝗠𝗶𝗮 𝗯𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗺 𝗯𝗼𝘅𝗲𝗿𝘀, yes those black shorts are boxers which can fit the large postpartum pad! Talk about feeling comfortable and less exposed when everyone is in and out of your room! Use code BREASTFRIENDS10 for 10% off
Little dude is rocking his cozy 𝗵𝗮𝘁 and 𝗸𝗶𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗼. I prefer to bring my own items, helps calm my nerves not knowing what to expect as far as fit and cleanliness. I also brought my own 𝘀𝘄𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗹𝗲𝘀, 10/10 recommend. Still using them to this day, they’re amazing.
𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀
