Need new mom advice!

Erin • Pregnant with #2 :)
I'm due in a few weeks and plan to breastfeed and pump. I'm taking a class on breastfeeding soon but looking for any helpful advice you ladies have since I am new to this! I'm planning to mostly breastfeed while on maternity leave (10 weeks) but want to pump and build a supply for when I go back to work. Do I exclusively breastfeed for a while until baby and I get the hang of it, and then pump later after a few weeks to build supply for going back to work? Or pump from the beginning? And any other advice appreciated!
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COMMENT (4)

Ka

Posted at
I'm 3 weeks PP and have been pumping/nursing. This is my advice. I only nursed for week 1. Week 2 I would nurse her on one breast and pump the other. I pump first thing in the morning bc you produce more. I pump so I can freeze. I also pump enough so my husband can feed her and she can get used to taking a bottle. Switch breasts at every feeding. If I nurse her on my right and pump my left next feeding I'll pump my right and nurse on my left. You'll learn your body and what it does super fast. I have an oversupply and it's a blessing and a curse. 

Sa

Posted at
Pump after 4 weeks, which is when your milk production is more established. You don't need much of a stash before going back to work. I would pick one time a day (either after AM or nightly feed) to then pump once a day for 10 or so minutes. You may not get a ton as it will be after a feeding, but it will add up if you do this for 5 or 6 weeks. After you pump, you can directly freeze, but before adding other milk, chill in the fridge, that way you can create frozen bags of about 3oz which is a bottle for about every 3 hours. Again, no need to pump earlier than 4 weeks especially since you have until 10 weeks until you go back. Once there, you can pump and give fresh Tuesday- Friday and hen freeze why you pump Friday and pull out an older one from the freezer to rotate through.

K

Posted at
I had to start pumping in between feelings because I was over producing. Which is great for starting a milk supply. My advice is only pump what your baby is feeding. Like an ounce or 2 in each bag or storage bottle since you can't refeeze it & once it's thawed out you have a time limit on it before it goes bad. I would talk to the lactation consultant about it after you give birth. They can help you figure out a good schedule for breastfeeding & pumping. 

My

Posted at
As soon as your milk comes in, about 3-5 days after having baby, feed baby on both sides until baby is satisfied, pump the rest out. It helps build your supply very early. Store them in the back of your freezer. Eventually, my baby would only want one side per feeding, so I'd pump the other side at the same time my baby was feeding on the one side (you'll get the milk letdown on both sides at the same time). Then the next time, I'd feed baby on the other side (the side I pumped while baby was feeding) and pump the other breast.Example: baby feeds on left side, I pump right side at same time. Next feeding, baby feeds on right side, I pump on left side at the same time. Set your breast pump to only pump one breast prior to feeding.Then, if family feeds baby with bottle, you pump both breasts at the time baby is getting fed with bottle.I also used the paper tape, wrote the date and time and placed it on the storage bottles. I'd store the newest pumped milk in the furthest back part of the freezer and move the older milk up towards the front.The first couple of weeks may be frustrating due to the frequency of feedings, but you'll get the hang of it.A great resource is the La Leche League. Find your local group by searching on the Internet. You can call them anytime, even in the middle of the night. They have lots of resources available.