Fore/Hind milk imbalance?

[Catbutt Diapers]

Hello!
My little girl is EBF, but is going to have to take a bottle starting next month. So I am trying pumping so she can at least have breast milk BUT I'm worried about her getting a fore/hind milk imbalance from doing so. I don't have a plentiful supply to begin with so I've been trying to pump once or twice a day only. When is the best time to pump?
- After she eats - but then the bottle is all hind milk!
- Before she eats - but then she won't get enough milk, and it will all be hind milk?!

She eats every 2 hours, so there is really no "in between time"

Why must breast feeding be this frustrating and difficult?!

[cacasey1981]

I usually pump after if I'm pumping both sides and before if I'm pumping one side. I do this for volume rather than fore/hind milk.

I also take fenugreek to boost my supply when I'm pumping.

Check out this link about fore/hindmilk and then relax
http://thefunnyshapedwoman.blogspot....st-of.html?m=1

Sent from my DROID2 using DS Forum

[northknoxmomma]

Originally Posted by cacasey1981 I usually pump after if I'm pumping both sides and before if I'm pumping one side. I do this for volume rather than fore/hind milk. I also take fenugreek to boost my supply when I'm pumping. Check out this link about fore/hindmilk and then relax http://thefunnyshapedwoman.blogspot....st-of.html?m=1 Sent from my DROID2 using DS Forum

Exact link I was going to post! Excellent reference!!!

[nursenmom]

In preparation to go back to work, I started pumping the opposite side she was nursing from. I had terrible letting down to the pump initially so this worked great because it kind if trained my body to release to that signal too. If you pump at the same time everyday your body will adjust your milk supply accordingly, just as if they had started drinking more then.

[jellybeanV]

From what I understand fore/hind milk imbalance isn't all that common. I'd say just do what works, and if you notice signs of an issue down the road, then you can try to change things up a bit, but my guess is everything will be just fine.

[keen1981]

Hind milk/foremilk is kind of a misunderstood thing.. It does not work the way everyone thinks. They over simplify. You can absolutely pump after nursing. Do not stress about any kind of imbalance as its very unlikely to happen and the more you stress the more you will see something that simply is not there.

[Mrs.madling]

I am not sure how long your lo nurses but mine nurses quickly on one side so I will pump from the side that she just ate on and only a little bit on the side that she didn't eat. That way I didn't have to worry about ever being empty and her possibly just getting foremilk.