by Warren Dew » Fri Nov 14, 2008 2:14 am
Just as a counterpoint, my wife started pumping about a week before her maternity leave ended at 3 months, and she never used formula.
What she did was start by pumping when both breasts were full but the baby only took one, or pumping an hour or two after baby went to sleep, when she knew she had a couple hours before she had to nurse again. Once she went to work she pumped at work while the baby was using the bottles, plus she still pumps in the middle of the baby's longest sleep period.
The baby was occasionally hungry at first, but with the pumping during the day and the nursing in the evening, night, and morning, her supply quickly picked up the slack.
At three months, the baby would take 2-3 ounces from a bottle at a feeding, so I wouldn't fill them much fuller than that at first. Even now at 5 months, she generally only takes about 3-4 oz per feeding, with 3-4 feedings while mommy is away at work.