When did you start pumping??

MamaSquish

I just bought my Medela!  I'm still worried that starting to pump too early will mess with my supply- I want to breastfeed and only give him a bottle when I HAVE to but want a supply for peace of mind.  When did you start pumping and how did it go?

Mrslisvenn

i actually began at the hospital based on the lc's recommendation

bakedlaurabean

I just started pumping b/c DS just started taking a bottle occasionally. An LC told me to pump an hour after one of his morning feeds. She also told me just to make sure I'm pumping to make up for the times that DS takes a bottle. Most days the pumping session will probably be extra, not to make up for a bottle feeding though, which I expect will increase my supply.

hikerbeth

I pumped at about 4 days postpartum with both kids.  With DD it was because she was having breastfeeding problems, with DS it was because I wanted DH to take one feeding. . . so I pumped for the last feeding of the night while DH bottle fed it.

nicobean1

I started pumping about 6 days post-partum b/c I was having breastfeeding challenges and he was underweight so I needed to supplement. It also helped my supply come in. Now I'm pumping several times a day to keep my supply up and build up a reserve.

wildfloweragain

3 weeks.  If I had done it sooner, before my supply was all established and my breasts had gone down in size, I think I would have had much better supply (extra) but I was so tired!

loveyoubean

At 2 weeks, I started exclusively pumping at 3 weeks and have been ever since.  No issues with a decreased supply at all here!

KateAndMark

I started pumping my last night in the hospital and when I got home I pumped every 4 hours. DD wouldn't latch so I just pumped for her. I got tired of it and quit for about 4 days about 2.5 weeks into it but now I feel bad so I'm starting again and trying to get my supply back.

By the end of week 1 I was getting about 6-8oz. every pumping session.

KRMac

Mrslisvenn:

i actually began at the hospital based on the lc's recommendation

Ditto...I was pumping to increase supply and then to supplement due to LO's slow weight gain.