Exclusively Pumping

Hello,

First, I want to say that I am so thankful to have found this message board.  I have been exclusively pumping since my little one, who was born 3 months ago, spent 4 days in the NICU and wouldn't breast feed after that.  I have to give Kudos to everyone one of you because exclusively pumping is one of the most difficult things I have done.  More distressing than the physical discomfort/problems is the mental stress of not knowing if you will have milk to feed your baby and the constant worrying about milk related issues.

I do have a few questions that I have been trying to find answers for.  If anyone has any thoughts I would greatly appreciate them!

1.)  I have a big boy (9.6 at birth-14 lbs at 3 months).  He currently eats about 30 ounces a day.  My question is-What is the maximum amount of milk that he ultimately eat per day?  I am currently making about 2-5 ounces more than he needs but I am constantly stressed that he is going to continue to increase his amount and that my supply will stay the same.  Any thoughts?

 2.) I believe that I might have a lipase sp? issue. Both my refrigerated milk and the milk that I have been freezing has a sour kind of smell to it.  The thing is my LO has no problem drinking either the refrigerated or frozen milk.  He seems to have no preference for fresh over either of these two, although I try to give him as much fresh as possible.  I am wondering if it is safe to give him this milk.  Is it true that the milk is not bad and that it only smells bad?

Thanks for your help!!

Hello and Welcome!

My LO topped out at about 4 months at 32 oz.  It seems like there was a day or two in there where she drank more and was just constantly hungry, but like I said...it was a day or two.  At 4 months, she was 18 pounds.  Six years ago I EPed for my older daughter and she also topped out at 32 oz a day.  She was about 16 pounds at 4 months.  I think 4-6 months is when they top out and it's typically between 30-35 oz a day, but of course there will be some exceptions.  BTW, now I do good to get her to drink 20 oz.  She's just too busy crawling, and she recently learned to wave, and pull to a stand and she would rather do any of that then stop and have a bottle.  She drinks the most when she first wakes up and then after that it's 4-6 oz at a time.

WRT lipase, everything I have read says the milk is fine...only the taste has changed and that some babies drink it and others refuse it.  Luckily, my baby drinks my vomit milk.  I've tasted it and puked, but then again I'm not a milk drinker at all and I think cow's milk stinks even when I just bought it.  Every once in awhile she spits up after drinking it, but then again she loves to bounce around which probably isn't best done after eating *shrug* 

Hi! I'm new too and found good answers in the post "A beginner's guide" : http://messageboards.ivillage.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=iv-ppexcluspump&msg=31119.1&x=y

According to this, the maximum average consumption is 31 oz at 20 weeks.

And, lipase is not a problem unless your baby rejects the milk.

Good luck!
-Lynne