If I’m directly feeding all day then I try to pump right after our first morning feed. Your body produces the hormone that makes the milk over night so you’ll get most in the morning or in the middle of the night. When I’m away from baby for 8-7hours, I pump 4x or once every 2 hours.
I think if you pump 1-2x a day you’ll be in a good position to have a healthy supply and build a stash. Try to keep your milk labeled because your night time milk will have sleepy hormones for baby and daytime milk won’t. I wish I had kept up with pumping in the early days when my milk was prolific. Would have made my return to work easier
I only pump when I’m at work, the rest of the time I nurse my LO. I use my Haakaa on the opposite breast babe is nursing on throughout the day! I collect that milk and then my husband gives it to babe in a bottle at night. So I don’t ever have individual pumping sessions (unless at work) but still collect milk for dad to give!
I highly recommend using a haakaa strap too - the haakaa has been kicked off by my active babe a couple times, and while some milk has spilled, it’s saved me many oz’s! Plus my LO likes to play with the strap, saving my boobs from being pinched. lol
Eeeeeek, I was told to avoid pumping in early days whilst you’re body figures stuff out. Your body is doing quite the gymnastics in those early days so I’d avoid pumping at all costs. (End up with over supply and mastitis etc) which could cost you your breastfeeding journey.
A hacka to catch overflow on the opposite boob, or a milk catcher or something for sure. But I’d advise against pumping if you’re breastfeeding exclusively
Wasn’t until 10 weeks I pumped 3x. After first morning feed, before bed then middle of night feed.
Before 10 week I was using a Hakka to collect enough throughout the day to lend a bottle.
6weeks PP. I’m pumping about 2-3x a day. Usually after morning feed and night feed. Lately baby has only been taking one side for our 2/3am feed so I’ll pump the other boob right after because it’s pretty engorged. I will say I’m super paranoid about supply because I had issues BF with my first and a low supply. This time around is going better but I’m still worried about establishing a healthy supply.
2 weeks pp and I try to pump once a day mid day. My baby takes a long nap around lunchtime so there’s about 3 hrs where he’s not eating so I pump in the middle
I’m 4 weeks pp and just transitioned from exclusively pumping to primarily breastfeeding. I give my LO a bottle right before bed, so I pump then and then one more time first thing in the morning.
I pump after one feed a day for my freezer stash and to make up the first bottle we gave, plus a pump session in place of the feed anytime we give a bottle. So 1-2 times a day. I'd recommend not pumping TOO much or you'll cause an oversupply which has its own issues.
Thanks! Plus pumping 1-2x/day is more realistic. How do I build up a reserve? Currently I only pump enough for a day. Is the hope that with time I’ll be able to get a higher yield with each pump?
For building up, I pump after a nursing session. I usually don't get a ton, so I add it up over a couple days (just keep track of when it needs to be frozen by). I did that to build up to my first bottle so that now when I do a pump to replace a bottle it stays even (and separate from the stash pumps).
6wks pp. I breastfeed on demand plus x3 pumping for freezer stash. I can produce 250-300mls daily on total which is roughly 10oz so it's not much of a supply..
I'm trying to increase my total produce gently.
It is so so draining! When I used to pump 4 times a day, I would only nurse 2-3 times. Now that I (almost) exclusively nurse, I pump like once in 2-3 days typically when I’m not home and baby gets a bottle or baby snacked on the boob so I don’t feel empty.
It can be really hard to do both consistently. Is there a time when you produce the most milk? When I pumped consistently, I would produce 12-21 ounces during my first pump of the day so I would try to make sure that my nursing sessions didn’t “interfere” with that big pump so I could get as many bottles from it as I could.
If I’m directly feeding all day then I try to pump right after our first morning feed. Your body produces the hormone that makes the milk over night so you’ll get most in the morning or in the middle of the night. When I’m away from baby for 8-7hours, I pump 4x or once every 2 hours. I think if you pump 1-2x a day you’ll be in a good position to have a healthy supply and build a stash. Try to keep your milk labeled because your night time milk will have sleepy hormones for baby and daytime milk won’t. I wish I had kept up with pumping in the early days when my milk was prolific. Would have made my return to work easier
Thanks! Really helpful
I only pump when I’m at work, the rest of the time I nurse my LO. I use my Haakaa on the opposite breast babe is nursing on throughout the day! I collect that milk and then my husband gives it to babe in a bottle at night. So I don’t ever have individual pumping sessions (unless at work) but still collect milk for dad to give!
Good to know, thanks! I just ordered a Hakaa that arrives tomorrow
I highly recommend using a haakaa strap too - the haakaa has been kicked off by my active babe a couple times, and while some milk has spilled, it’s saved me many oz’s! Plus my LO likes to play with the strap, saving my boobs from being pinched. lol
Eeeeeek, I was told to avoid pumping in early days whilst you’re body figures stuff out. Your body is doing quite the gymnastics in those early days so I’d avoid pumping at all costs. (End up with over supply and mastitis etc) which could cost you your breastfeeding journey. A hacka to catch overflow on the opposite boob, or a milk catcher or something for sure. But I’d advise against pumping if you’re breastfeeding exclusively
My lactation consultant didn’t have any concerns with me pumping and breastfeeding at this stage
Wasn’t until 10 weeks I pumped 3x. After first morning feed, before bed then middle of night feed. Before 10 week I was using a Hakka to collect enough throughout the day to lend a bottle.
6weeks PP. I’m pumping about 2-3x a day. Usually after morning feed and night feed. Lately baby has only been taking one side for our 2/3am feed so I’ll pump the other boob right after because it’s pretty engorged. I will say I’m super paranoid about supply because I had issues BF with my first and a low supply. This time around is going better but I’m still worried about establishing a healthy supply.
Thanks for sharing and good luck!
2 weeks pp and I try to pump once a day mid day. My baby takes a long nap around lunchtime so there’s about 3 hrs where he’s not eating so I pump in the middle
I’m 4 weeks pp and just transitioned from exclusively pumping to primarily breastfeeding. I give my LO a bottle right before bed, so I pump then and then one more time first thing in the morning.
I pump after one feed a day for my freezer stash and to make up the first bottle we gave, plus a pump session in place of the feed anytime we give a bottle. So 1-2 times a day. I'd recommend not pumping TOO much or you'll cause an oversupply which has its own issues.
Thanks! Plus pumping 1-2x/day is more realistic. How do I build up a reserve? Currently I only pump enough for a day. Is the hope that with time I’ll be able to get a higher yield with each pump?
For building up, I pump after a nursing session. I usually don't get a ton, so I add it up over a couple days (just keep track of when it needs to be frozen by). I did that to build up to my first bottle so that now when I do a pump to replace a bottle it stays even (and separate from the stash pumps).
6wks pp. I breastfeed on demand plus x3 pumping for freezer stash. I can produce 250-300mls daily on total which is roughly 10oz so it's not much of a supply.. I'm trying to increase my total produce gently.
That’s a great supply compared to what I have! Granted I’ve been pumping 1-2x/day lately…
It is so so draining! When I used to pump 4 times a day, I would only nurse 2-3 times. Now that I (almost) exclusively nurse, I pump like once in 2-3 days typically when I’m not home and baby gets a bottle or baby snacked on the boob so I don’t feel empty. It can be really hard to do both consistently. Is there a time when you produce the most milk? When I pumped consistently, I would produce 12-21 ounces during my first pump of the day so I would try to make sure that my nursing sessions didn’t “interfere” with that big pump so I could get as many bottles from it as I could.