When's the best time to express milk?

Question

Hi I'm looking to pump milk and freeze for my 1 week old for when I go back to work. I have a double pump and always offer my son both breasts per feeding so he has the best of both.
When would be the best time to pump?
Before, after, Inbetween feeds ect?
If I was to pump Inbetween feeds and he wakes looking for a feed straight after I pump will I still be able to produce to feed him? TIA

Answer

Don’t start pumping to start your get ahead stash till about 2 weeks before you go back to work. 
My LC’s suggestion was to have about 2-3 days saved up before going back. Baby needs 1-1.5oz per hour of separation. I’m gone for 8 hrs so I sent 12oz of milk every day. 
To build my little stash I pumped immediately after morning feed (somewhere between 4am-6am) and then about 30 minutes after baby went to sleep at night. 
Your breasts are never truly “empty.” If you just get done pumping and baby seems hungry you will still have milk. It may take the baby a little longer to get a let down but your breasts are never truly empty.

Answer

I pumped after feedings and pumped until the flow stopped +5-10 mins extra. I had a huge over supply so I started at 2 weeks pumping. But it just depends on your body really. Mine would not regulate at all and I stayed engorged so my doctor recommended I start pumping early. I pumped as much as possible for about 3-4 months then I cut it down until I was exclusively nursing.

Answer

It’s not advised to start pumping until at least a month postpartum as it can cause a painful, oversupply. I started working on my freezer supply about a month before I went back to work, and put enough away for a full work-week. This  eased my anxiety about my supply possibly taking a hit once I needed to pump more and nurse less. My supply did decrease, and the freezer stock helped to get us through while I figured out how to increase the amount I was producing. While building my freezer supply, I pumped twice a day, once morning and once at night, on average until I reached my goal.

When's the best time to express milk?

Let’s Glow

Glow is here for you on your path to pregnancy

25+ million

4.8 stars

20+

Getting Pregnant

Pregnancy

1st Year (Baby & You)

Baby Products