1st timer question- hospital instructions were very vague.

OleGirl

At the hospital, I was told to have him feed at least 10 minutes on each side.

My milk has come in now and I am wondering when I begin emptying one breast and then alternating feedings between each breast? I am having him nurse until he falls asleep on one breast and has fed for at least 10 minutes, then we burp and feed on the other side for at least 10 minutes. This process can take up to an hour to complete. He has a very good latch and swallowing pattern. (It takes so long because he is a very sleepy baby, I just wish he slept for longer periods at night!)

Also, do I still wake him every 3 hours to feed, and for how long should I continue that?

 I am also wondering when I can start pumping, as I am planning on pumping when I return to work.

 Thanks for putting up with my ignorance!

Jen&Joe06

I was always told to feed on one side each time I nurse him. I only offer the other breast if he has emptied one and is still hungry. This way he is getting a good mix of fore and hind milk.

I started pumping just before he was 4 weeks. I wanted to make sure that we had BF'ing down before I started.

I never had to worry about waking him to feed, so I can't answer that one for you.

GypsyEsq

Hmm, those seem like odd instructions to me.  We nurse on one side until DD pulls off and then burp and I offer her the second side.  Like previous poster I waited until 3-4 weeks to pump.  And we didn't introduce a bottle until 4 weeks.  I dont pump regularly, just if DD sleeps for a long time or if she eats on only one side and I'm particularly engorged.  And we kept waking DD up until she was back to birth weight.

RachandJer

I also nursed DD until one side was empty, then offered the second side.

I pumped the first week my milk was in to relieve engorgement.  I started pumping for storage when DD was about 3 weeks old...maybe 4.

RachandJer

I woke DD every 3 hours until we went to her pedi for a weight check.  Since she was past her birth weight at that time, the pedi gave me to okay to let her sleep as long as she wanted.

bleu928

I pumped the day my milk came in.  It was odd circumstance as DS was in the emergency room and wouldn't nurse because he was so anxious (he was throwing up black stuff - long story - he ended up being fine).  But he was about 4 days old the first time we gave him a bottle (not ideal!!).  Thankfully, we've never had a problem with nipple confusion and my boy is over 14lbs at 2 mos old now!

I would try to wait a few weeks to pump though so that your boobs get some kind of idea of demand.

I agree w/ PP to wait until LO reaches birth weight before stopping to wake up for feedings.  DS was back at his birth weight when we left the hospital though - so that didn't matter for us either.  Don't worry too much - whatever you do will be just fine. There really is no "right answer"

alaskabride2be

When we first came home and my milk came in I would nurse on one side until empty. Then offer the other side if DS was still acting like he was hungry. If not then I nursed on the other side at the next feeding. My LC had me start pumping when DS was 2 weeks old. Before that I only did it a few times to relieve the pressure. When I started pumping I only did so once every other day. Then I started adding to that by pumping once daily to build my freezer stash.