Breastfeeding
When to pump?
LabyrinthGuest ·
Hi!
My daughter is currently one week and one day old. Everything is going super well, including breastfeeding. I feed on demand and it's usually every 3 to 4 hours (last night even once after 6 hours. We could definitely use that haha!).
I'd also like to pump so I can go out sometimes. So I'd like to build up a stash. Maybe even for when I go back to work later. I just find it hard to figure out when I can pump because my milk production isn't synced with my daughter yet. I think that'll happen around 6 weeks? Do you pump once every 24 hours or something then? My maternity nurse told me I could pump once every 24 hours during my let-down reflex, but now that I don't have that issue anymore, I'm not sure if that still applies.
Can someone tell me more about this?
My daughter is currently one week and one day old. Everything is going super well, including breastfeeding. I feed on demand and it's usually every 3 to 4 hours (last night even once after 6 hours. We could definitely use that haha!).
I'd also like to pump so I can go out sometimes. So I'd like to build up a stash. Maybe even for when I go back to work later. I just find it hard to figure out when I can pump because my milk production isn't synced with my daughter yet. I think that'll happen around 6 weeks? Do you pump once every 24 hours or something then? My maternity nurse told me I could pump once every 24 hours during my let-down reflex, but now that I don't have that issue anymore, I'm not sure if that still applies.
Can someone tell me more about this?
Replies
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JojoB #2
You pump mainly as a replacement for direct breastfeeding. If you pump extra, your supply goes up, so you end up with too much milk. If you then skip a pumping session, you might get engorgement...
It's not necessary to build up a huge stash. It's only good for max 3 months anyway. At first, I pumped after a feeding. The advantage was that both breasts were emptied well. That way I could slowly build up a small stash. Later, I pumped at work as a replacement for feeding myself. That milk could then, for example, be taken to daycare the next day. -
kruimel #3
Hi!
There will definitely be some little rules to follow, haha, but I already started pumping regularly during my maternity leave week to build up a stash.
In the morning, your milk production is highest, so you could try pumping occasionally after a feed in the morning. That way, you won't negatively affect your milk production and you'll still build up a stash little by little.
Or let your daughter feed from one breast and pump the other. I think that doesn't harm your production either.
I'm no expert though, for official info you could call a lactation consultant
Congratulations on your daughter, enjoy this beautiful time! -
Ster #4
The rule is: the more you pump, the more milk you’ll produce because there’s more demand. So eventually, you’ll need to pump more if you don’t want sore breasts and your girl isn’t emptying them completely.
My experience was that as long as I had leave, I had an overabundance of milk and could comfortably feed two babies. But once I went back to work, my milk supply dropped, and because I was worried I wasn’t producing enough, it got worse. (The “not enough” thing was all in my head—I had nice, chubby babies ) Since I had a stash, I could let go of the idea of having too little because there was plenty in the freezer.
Good luck with pumping!
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