Someone explain this to me RE: breastfeeding

monkey_mama09

I plan on breastfeeding when baby comes. ?I also have a pump. ?I will be using it to stash milk for anytime I have to leave the baby, and hope to be able to take turns with my BF for night feedings.

That's where the question comes in. ?The baby will need to eat every couple of hours. ?When am I supposed to be pumping with the baby eating this often?? ?I'm sure it's a simple answer... I just can't seem to wrap my head around it. ?Is is possible to start pumping right away, or do I have to wait a while until the baby's a little older and not eating so frequently?

Tinkx123x

I'm not completely sure on this but I think your body can replenish the supply fast enough where you can pump. Also the baby is only using one boob at a time.

CTri17

from what I've read, many women will do it at the end of a BF session.

madeleines_mommy

good question! I did not BF DD and will this time.  I'm assuming you don't start pumping until there is more space between feedings??  I'm lost on this issue.

I plan on attending La Leche League meetings the last few months for advice!!

 

monkey_mama09

madeleines_mommy:

good question! I did not BF DD and will this time.? I'm assuming you don't start pumping until there is more space between feedings??? I'm lost on this issue.

I plan on attending La Leche League meetings the last few months for advice!!

?

Yes, I'm definitely going to be taking a breastfeeding class!!!?

GreekyPie

I think you pump the breast the baby did not feed from, right after feedings.

ETA - in the beginning they only eat 4 oz or so in a feeding, your boobs hold way more than that. 

Mrs.Keith2B

I've heard of women feeding on one side and pumping on the other -- alternating sides each time.

axr8111

This is such a hard thing to figure out. The first couple of weeks, you will probably want to just bf exclusively to get the baby used to you. However during that time you can start pumping a couple of minutes after you feed baby just to get your supply up. At first you won't get much but then later you will start to have more supply and you will be able to store that. Then later I would just pump after my first morning feeding since I was usually most full then. It's hard. Don't get me wrong, and it takes a lot of effort at first but the idea is, if you pump for 5 mins after a few feedings or maybe 10 mins after one feeding a day (even if nothing comes out), your body will adjust to the demand and produce more. Just try to get into a routine of how you do it so that your body can supply what you need at the appropriate times. Hope that makes sense. ?

jkfranklin

No personal experience on the matter since this is my first, but my sister bf her 2 LOs for a year each.  In the beginning, once your milk comes in you make more milk that LO will eat.  You will be very uncomfortable.  You can pump this to take the edge off, though your body will then produce more, but soon your baby will catch up with this productions.

You may want to ask this on the bf board.  I have lurked over there when I get bored and have found some really interesting helpful things.

Ncaminiti

From what my SIL's have told me they found pumping early in the morning after they did the first feeding the best. Normally they said they would swap pumping r and feeding L. Also, don't think that because you pumped you can sleep. Your breast get on a schedule that goes with when u feed the baby. So if you feed at lets say 12, 2, 4, 6 you are gonna need to pump at some point because otherwise your gonna be completly engorged.

axr8111

Tinkx123x:

I'm not completely sure on this but I think your body can replenish the supply fast enough where you can pump. Also the baby is only using one boob at a time.

]

?

Oh and I used both boobs at every feeding. I just didn't want to feel lopsided and then I could pump both at the same time after a feeding. Some people choose to do one until it empty.

Breezie17

I pumped after a feeding session with my daughter...although I filled our freezer so fast that my DH is already warning me that I can't do it again this time.  So I will be cutting back on pumping....haha.  Although I never used that milk while I was home and I did all the night feedings.  The pumping was for when I was at work or away from the house.

monkey_mama09

jkfranklin:

No personal experience on the matter since this is my first, but my sister bf her 2 LOs for a year each.? In the beginning, once your milk comes in you make more milk that LO will eat.? You will be very uncomfortable.? You can pump this to take the edge off, though your body will then produce more, but soon your baby will catch up with this productions.

You may want to ask this on the bf board.? I have lurked over there when I get bored and have found some really interesting helpful things.

oh good idea?

easjer05

A few options - feed one side, pump one side.  Pump after feeding.  After LO slows down some, pull a feeding and pump instead.

It's not automatic though, and it takes time to build up a stash and find a balance.

jrlandrigan

This is a good question that I hadn't really thought about.

I will be returning to work and will need to pump for that reason alone. I registered for a Medela pump but don't expect anyone to buy it for me because of the price but I will probably buy it with my completion coupon. I didn't plan to pump right away- I want to see how bfing goes before even buying a pump unless it was bought for us. So I figured that I will start pumping after at least a few weeks, but we will have to see what happens.

Like pp said, I think a lot of women pump after feeding the baby, which is what I probably will do when I start pumping.

Ciarrai

It depends on how quickly you want to build up a freezer stash.  With DD#1, I pumped after almost every feeding (during the day) from about 2-3 weeks on to build up my supply and my freezer stash.  It was a PITA b/c I was BF for 45 minutes, pumping for 20, getting maybe an hour or hour and a half to myself and starting all over again.  But I only did that for a week or two to built up my supply.  After that, I pumped after the first feeding of the morning (when you tend to have the most milk) and once in the afternoon.  I could get a good bottle or two a day and that was more than enough b/c I only work a few hours a week (out of the house) and then 10+ hours Saturday (4 bottles or so).  I could pump all week and have enough for Saturdays and the odd evening out.  With DD#2, my supply was plenty and she was eating a ton.  Plus between her and DD#1, I barely got time to myself.  I tried to make myself pump at least once a day after that first feeding if the girls would let me.  Our freezer stash got dangerously low a few times, but she hated bottles so she only took enough not to be starving while I was gone and we made it through.  It's hard to find the time, but it's worth it and way easier with just one.  No idea what I'm going to do with three. 

JulieandBen

This is not a simple answer. There are no simple answers when it comes to bfing. Just so you don't feel bad or silly for asking questions. I don't exactly remember as it's been a couple years for me. The baby will likely not nurse every couple hours for long. My son nursed every four hours at night and every three or so during the day in the very very beginning.

I had problems with supply so my LC suggested pumping about ten minutes before I thought Jack would wake up to eat to stimulate milk supply. Then I'd pump again at some point during that time he wasn't eating. 

My best advice is to make an appt with an LC as soon as you get home from the hospital. Choose an LC who is on board with your lifestyle and needs. My girlfriend's LC came over and gave her a hard time for thinking about leaving the baby at all in the first three weeks. My friend had a baby via IVF using a sperm donor. She didn't have the luxury of staying home at all times with her baby. She had business to attend to. This woman had her mil outside holding her baby while she was attending LC appointments.  

BinksMomma3016

With DS I would breast feed him first and then pump. I had a double pump so I could do both breasts at once. I believe this is what they recomend. The more you pump/feed the more milk your body will make. If you dont pump alot, your milk supply goes down. Which totally sucks! I remember going out with friends the first time after baby and not wanting to pump when i got home, but you have to or your body will think that your baby doesnt need as much.Thats why alot of the time ppl quit BF becaue it really is time consuming. You have to nurse thebaby for 20 mn, then pump for 15mn and then start all over again about an hour later. You almost feel like a cow being milked. LOL

EmmieB

I read  yesterday that pumping after feeding encourages your supply.

I plan on pumping and having Husband do at least one feeding a day so he can feel like he has equal time with Bunny. (that might go out the window, but it's our plan for now.)

LuvnlifeinCO

As pp said - feed on one side and pump to finish that side and empty the other.  The next feeding rotate which side you start with.  It helped with engorgement and to keep supply up.  Another thing... breast size doesn't impact supply.  I'm not large (Bs) and pg didn't increase size much and I had a huge supply.

NotEve

Mrs.Keith2B:

I've heard of women feeding on one side and pumping on the other -- alternating sides each time.

  This.  I disagree with the poster who said to pump at the end of a session.  I'm pretty sure the last bit of milk is the best for the baby - but I'm not sure.  I also plan on attending La Leche League meetings!

BethD76

I have read that eating every two hours only lasts about three to four weeks. I have also read that you should exclusively bottle feed for this time too so not to confuse the baby with the bottle. I'm not planning on pumping until he gets past that point. Like someone else sain though I might pump to get the supply where it needs to be. DH is sad that he won't get to feed for a while.

monkey_mama09

Ncaminiti:

From what my SIL's have told me they found pumping early in the morning after they did the first feeding the best. Normally they said they would swap pumping r and feeding L. Also, don't think that because you pumped you can sleep. Your breast get on a schedule that goes with when u feed the baby. So if you feed at lets say 12, 2, 4, 6 you are gonna need to pump at some point because otherwise your gonna be completly engorged.

Oh see I was hoping that we would be able to work something out where, obviously, I would do the majority of the night feedings. ?But he would take the 6 or something. ?So after the 4, I would be able to get maybe 3 or 4 hours, then wake up and do the morning feeding around say 8. ?Is that not as realistic as I was hoping?? ??

beckys96

A big key thing to remember - when you feed/pump often - the more milk you make.  You can pretty much start pumping right away.  I would suggest while your babe is still little if you use a bottle of BM - that you still pump, this why your body knows to keep making milk.

Ncaminiti

I'm gonna ask them again but from what I remember them saying the few times they tried it for more then 1 feeding at night they couldn't sleep more then a few hours. I don't remember how many they said tho. One said she was hoping her hubby would be able to and it just didn't work for alot of what was going on. She told me the last night feeding for the baby or the first feeding you normally would be asleep for were the ones she would give up. I just remember looking at her face when she was saying how she felt being engourged and you could see the pain, and that's what she said woke her up at night.

BinksMomma3016

NotEve:

Mrs.Keith2B:

I've heard of women feeding on one side and pumping on the other -- alternating sides each time.

  This.  I disagree with the poster who said to pump at the end of a session.  I'm pretty sure the last bit of milk is the best for the baby - but I'm not sure.  I also plan on attending La Leche League meetings!

There really isnt a "last bit of milk" Your supply just doesnt come out fast. Secondly, it IS for the baby because it gets stored. Your baby knows how much it wants and needs, so when the baby is done feeding, its best to pump for 15mn to get your body thinking that the baby NEEDS more milk, therefore increasing your supply and having some stored.

Ncaminiti

p.s. this is why they both recommended I ask for the Arm's Reach Co-sleeper. They said it will be much easier on me to BF if i'm not getting up and down all night and just sliding toward the baby.

pmarie33

https://kellymom.com/

DrDPM

I BF'd both DS and DD. If they only nursed from one side, I'd pump the other side afterwards. If they nursed from both, then I'd pump both sides for 10 minutes or so after I finished nursing. I started pumping as soon as we came home from the hospital. You won't get as much at first, but as your milk comes in and the demand from your little one increases, you'll be able to pump more. I'd also pump inbetween feedings or while at work. If you go too long between feedings/pumpings, your body will start to think it doesn't need to produce as much milk and your supply will decrease. Yep, you feel like a milk machine for a while, but it's worth it to see the freezer stash build up.

MrsHK

pmarie33:

https://kellymom.com/

best.site.ever

I think it's been covered pretty well here. Like some have said though there's no real standard when it comes to some BF topics. It's trial and error to figure out what works best for you. 

As for me DS always fed on both sides. I had to just alternate which side we started with. So if I was pumping I would just pump right after he was finished eating. Keep in mind that your supply is more like a leaky faucet then an actual on/off switch. The supply is always being created so while you may be more/less full there's typically always some there. May just be harder to get out at some times. So it's typically easier to feed baby first so they don't get frustrated if it's harder to get, then pump to build supply. As you build a routine your body will adjust. 

Also, I wouldn't recommend pumping so that your BF can take some night feedings. In order to keep up with your supply (at least in the beginning) you'll still need to get up and pump anyway. To maintain supply and replace the freezer stash being used. Unless you use some other method like pumping extra in the mornings to use for those times. But keep in mind if you do that then your supply may not be there during the nights when you do want to nurse the baby.

If you want to keep things balanced and get help during the night I recommend giving your BF all non-related BF tasks (ok that uses BF in two different ways, lol). DH always handled changing the diaper and then handed DS to me to nurse. I couldn't work out the nursing while laying down position for awhile, but once I did I didn't even need to get out of bed during the night. 

MrsHK

Also, I will be renting a hospital grade pump for the first month. I had to last time to get my supply up and I plan to this time around just for ease and convenience off the bat. It was great to get things on track during the first month and I'm hoping it'll ease any frustrations by just doing that from the get go this time around.

I knew I wasn't going to be pumping as often so I had only bought a good single pump for regular use. So having a hospital grade double in the beginning was great. 

ablou

Thank you all so much for this thread!!  Thanks for the OP and for all of the experienced mommies throwing in their advice!  This has been a question I have wondered about, too.