Pumping milk

shirley4514

I bought a pump yesterday and I had a couple questions. I both breastfeed my baby and give formula. I pumped yesterday and got a total of 3-4 ounces. Is it ok to pump everytime I feel them full and babys not hungry then feed it to her later and then feed her direct from the breast and then formula? Should I come up with a set schedule of when I'm going to do what because I'm afraid it might mess with my baby's stomach or something? Or does it not matter? Thanks and I hope I explained myself well I know it's a bit confusing

growingournest

Just be aware that the more often you pump and breastfeed you are signaling your body that you need to produce more milk. So if you pump everytime you feel full, you might end up with an oversupply issue. What's worked for us so far is i breastfeed whenever I'm home with baby, plus I pump once a day during nap time. DH is home with baby so when I'm gone, he first feeds the pumped milk and then if baby is still hungry he makes a little formula to feed him. I've read that you shouldn't pump more than twice a day if you're also with baby and breastfeeding to avoid creating an oversupply. If you're away from baby like at work, you should pump every 3 hrs or so- as often as baby would be breastfeeding. Hope that helps!

shirley4514

Thanks! So far I only pumped twice yesterday. But my boobs were still full by the end of the night so maybe I'll try just once and save that milk I pump for when I'm unable to breastfeed. I'll see how that works

growingournest

Also, definitely check out Kelly Mom and Le Leche League websites- they helped me a ton learning about pumping and breastfeeding!

leibas

I pump and breastfeed. I've found that once my milk came in I didn't have a need to supplement with formula. I will admit that I'm concerned that as he gets bigger and wants more milk I may not be able to keep up but I've decided I will figure that out when we get there. As for pumping and breastfeeding I try to give my little one the breast as often as possible as I know that it helps increase your supply but sometimes we feed the breast milk I've pumped from a bottle because at night it's sometimes easier to divide and conquer with my husband. He feeds from the bottle while I pump or for when we are out and about (doctor appt or running errands) and there isn't a place to breast feed. So you just have to find the balance that works for you. I frequently pump even after he feeds because he only takes on breast sometimes and the other breast feels very full. Although I've read that you could just wait and feed from that breast first next time. I do usually rotate breasts for feeding no matter weather I've pumped or not. I hope that helps!

Edited because I accidentally hit post too soon!

KD32412

Also keep in mind the longer you leave your breasts "full", it will signal to your body to not produce as much. If you notice your supply is dwindling, ramp it up with frequent feeding/pumping. Your body is very smart and will respond to your baby's needs.