Pump to induce milk and supply

leash214 · February 2015

21 weeks this week and have been researching breast feeding and signed up for a breast feeding class. I'm looking at buying a breast pump and am wondering if during the first few days of birth when your milk hasn't come in yet, should you try pumping after feeding baby each time (even if you have no milk or colostrum) in order to get you milk to come in faster and at a larger supply when it does come? I keep reading that this time frame is when your body will determine how much to supply and want to make sure there is enough.

Ckorines · February 2015

I would pump before and after feedings. Before to stimulate nipples, and after to encourage more production. I breast fed for 2 years and never had to supplement with formula. It takes a toll on your knockers but for me it was well worth it!

gotdiesel2007 · February 2015

If your baby is latched properly your milk will come in. Milk is supply and demand. It will go up during growth spurts. Pumping while it can help if not close to how baby sucks and does not stimulate as much.

bfstacy · February 2015

It takes a few days for your milk to come in. But when you start pumping doesn't affect your supply. It is supply and demand as previously mentioned so there's little tricks with pumping to up your supply. Example: continuing to pump for a few min after you've expressed all there is. Having a good electric pump and I highly recommend a hands free pumping bra.

I was a cow with my first and ended up exclusively pumping for six months and could stop bc I had a gigantic freezer stash that got us well over a year plus donated grocery bags full.

Feel free to ask me anything or if I can help explain things

mnj05 · February 2015

I agree it won't help with supply. I pumped the day we got home from the hospital religiously and never had milk come in. It can't hurt, but don't count on it to help anything come in faster or at all.

ThisMakes5 · February 2015

I didnt start pumping until my boys were a few weeks old if not a month or two.

I never did anything but nurse, never used formula and I never had an issue with producing milk.

Both my boys nursed over a year.

hay1122 · February 2015

It is more beneficial to your supply to have a good latch than it is to pump. The breast feeding class is a great idea. Watch videos on the asymmetrical latch and practice with a baby doll or stuffed animal.

Ckorines · February 2015

Another tip that my mom gave me was to drink and eat things with lots of warm liquid. Soups, stews, decaf teas etc. she swore it would help with milk supply.

jesicabrennan · February 2015

No pump for the first few weeks. You need baby and your boobs to be together as often as possible so your boobs get the idea FROM YOUR BABY how much milk to make. A pump is very very different from the way it extracts milk and can actually decrease your chances of having a large milk supply if used too early. Don't even bust the thing out until baby is 2-3 weeks old!

leelee1112 · February 2015

The lactation nurse I've been talking to said that if I want to give my baby breast milk (which I do), but am too weirded out by breastfeeding (which I am) to rent a hospital grade pump to get it going! She said pumps you buy from stores like Target are not going to work.

jesicabrennan · February 2015

leelee1112 said:
The lactation nurse I've been talking to said that if I want to give my baby breast milk (which I do), but am too weirded out by breastfeeding (which I am) to rent a hospital grade pump to get it going! She said pumps you buy from stores like Target are not going to work.

The pump is way "weirder" feeling. I nursed for 2.5 years but the pump always weirded me out...you feel like a cow being milked.

Ckorines · February 2015

jesicabrennan said:

leelee1112 said:
The lactation nurse I've been talking to said that if I want to give my baby breast milk (which I do), but am too weirded out by breastfeeding (which I am) to rent a hospital grade pump to get it going! She said pumps you buy from stores like Target are not going to work.
The pump is way "weirder" feeling. I nursed for 2.5 years but the pump always weirded me out...you feel like a cow being milked.

Lol the pump creeped my hubby out. He says the sound of it even sounds like a moo.

leelee1112 · February 2015

I know breasts are meant for feeding little ones, but I just can't get past the sexual part lol!!!! I know, totally weird issue to have. Maybe I'll get over it.

Ckorines · February 2015

No shame if it's not for you momma! No judgment here. Some people just don't like it.

KatrinaPR · February 2015

@leelee1112 You're not the only one who may have a tough time transitioning to the idea of breast feeding, please don't feel weird. Our society definitely did not promote "breasts are for breast feeding" when we were growing up - they were "sexual objects." It's really a shame

I couldn't even begin to think of a way to Google this, so unfortunately I dont have any resources to share with you yet. Maybe STMs could chime in with what eased the transition for them?

jesicabrennan · February 2015

leelee1112 said:
I know breasts are meant for feeding little ones, but I just can't get past the sexual part lol!!!! I know, totally weird issue to have. Maybe I'll get over it.

All I can say is something clicks in your brain and suddenly those things lose all sexuality and they become baby feeders! You also get a lovely release of oxytocin, it really is quite special. Admittedly it is "weird" at first when you're learning how to do it but about a week into the weirdness goes away. As to the pump...the pump will always be weird. It's bizarre to watch that thing hooked up to your nipple and actually SEE milk exiting your body. I hated the pump, it was always weird but I loved nursing. Go into breastfeeding with an open mind and try not to worry about it now because as I said when you actually give birth to that baby something switches in your brain regarding your boobs!

keniialise · February 2015

@leelee1112 it's funny you say that, that's how I felt too at first. Once you are feeding it no longer feels sexual at all. In fact after Breast feeding I can no longer view my Breast as a sexual object ( my poor hubby

lol)

Ckorines · February 2015

I'm a STM, I have huge boobs and (had) a tiny waist. They were always "my thing". My husband would brag about how great they were and he couldn't believe they were natural! When I had my daughter I remember wondering how I would separate the sexuality from the nourishing part. It just happens organically. My husband joked that they were temporarily on loan and would need to be returned to their proper owner soon. It worked itself out. There is really no way of knowin till you try and again, it's not for everyone and that is okay too! Don't judge yourselves ladies! Keep an open mind and an open heart. It will be fine!

jasperchestnut · March 2015

I'm in the uk so advice maybe different. I struggled feeding my last so this time I have been advised to start hand expressing at 37 weeks then to a pump at 38 weeks to boost my supply. Anything I collect I can freeze and use as top ups.
The body will still produce colostrum even through I'm starting early but will give me a headstart so when baby is born I have a good supply.

babydoll1008 · March 2015

I found this REALLY good article that I am considering doing. I ran out of milk at week 6 with my first. It made me bummed because that meant I had to buy a ridiculous amount of formula (off brand at Sam's Club...it was much more cheap than any other brand). But I found this article on Pinterest This woman calls it Extreme Pumping lol. But she has a schedule for how many times she breastpumped in a day (not too much either!) and WHY she breast pumped exclusively. Here's the link!

https://happyhomefairy.com/2013/06/07/extreme-pumping-tips-and-tricks/

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