To pump or not to pump

kcrowgirl · January 2012

So trying to build up freezer storage (might have to go back to work, good for babysitters, great for growth spurts) and I'm trying to eat the foods they say are best for milk production and drink lots of water. Pumping every two hours to keep production up and going but here's my question: if she's napping and we hit the two hour mark do i pump? what if she wakes up? It could be another hour in which pumping would be fine or another 5 minutes in which pumping would leave me making a bottle and defeating the purpose..... should I only do one side and leave the other for her?

michelle142 · January 2012

Just pump right after LO finishes nursing

Also if you're nursing, the pumping every 2 hour thing doesn't really apply. That's more for if your just getting started or exclusively pumping. Just nursing alone is going to keep your supply up. Adding pumping on top of nursing may actually increase it a bit.

ksulli · January 2012

If you're just getting started I would say just pump once a day. I pumped about an hour after DD's first meal of daytime hours (or if she only nursed one side I'd pump the other immediately after) starting when she was about four weeks. By the time I went back to work at 4.5 mos I had about 200 oz. Also, for growth spurts, of you can, you should just nurse right through it for the most part so that your supply will change with LO's demand.

jlsimon56 · January 2012

Ditto PP, using pumped milk is actually bad for growth spurts. You want the extra nursing to send the message that you need to make more milk for your LO at that time.

pierogigirl · January 2012

I have found that I can pump and nurse LO immediately after with no problem. Babies are better at draining the breast than pumps. I am not the best responder to a pump, however.

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