Pumping help!

Fitmommato2

plan to start pumping when baby is 6 weeks old so that he can go visit his father and family members can help out. How do I do this? Pump a couple times a day after baby eats? Before? While baby is eating? I wasn't able to breastfeed my first child due to bad advice so any help is appreciated! I know this isn't everyone's plan, but it's mine. I have searched for the answers to these questions EVERYWHERE and no one will help because they disagree with it.

linzeek44

To start getting used to the pump, you can start by pumping once a day. Usually your body makes more milk in the morning, so you might start by pumping after the morning feed. Don't be discouraged if you only get a little bit at first- part of this is getting your body used to the pump. 

You'll want to avoid over pumping because you want your body to make roughly what your baby needs. Massaging your breast before or while pumping can be helpful and check to make sure your flanges fit. (there are lots of pictures of a good and bad fit on the internet that might be helpful). 

Then whenever baby takes a bottle of pumped milk, make sure you pump to replace that feed. You might want to look up paced bottle feeding. By encourage his father and other family members to paced-feed, they'll give a bottle in a way that mimics breastfeeding. Here's a video of it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UH4T70OSzGs

It sounds like maybe you need more breastfeeding support. Have you looked up a local BreastfeedingUSA counselor? Or LLL?