When Should You Start Pumping After Having a Baby
Lots of new parents wonder when they should start pumping chest milk. Can yous start pumping likewise early on? A lot depends on your individual circumstances, so here'due south what to consider.
When is it too early to pump chest milk?
Yous might accept heard that you shouldn't start pumping earlier 2 (or 3, or 4) weeks afterward your baby is born. Merely is this always true?
No. It depends on your situation.
For example, if your babe is in the NICU and tin can't nurse, you need to start pumping soon after birth.
If y'all decide to exclusively pump from nascency, yous'd also need to commencement correct away.
If y'all demand to be separated from your baby during a feeding (due to an emergency, or if you have to work, etc.) in the first few weeks, you lot'd need to pump.
But if you are nursing your baby, and things are going well and you're able to stay together for all feedings, information technology may make sense to wait for a few weeks.
Why you might not desire to start pumping too early
You e'er hear nigh people wanting to produce more milk, but there can be too much of a good thing.
Oversupply occurs when your milk supply is much larger than what the baby actually takes. This can crusade forceful letdown when baby is nursing (basically, the milk comes rushing out like water from a fire hose and infant can't handle it), and/or foremilk/hindmilk imbalance.
Therefore, while your supply is still existence established, you lot want to balance pumping when it's necessary with avoiding pumping when information technology's not, and ending up with an oversupply. Nonetheless, there is no time that is admittedly too early on to pump chest milk.
When to start pumping depends on why you lot're pumping
When you should start pumping depends on why you want or need to pump. Hither is what to consider in each of the following scenarios.
If you're exclusively pumping
Anyone who is exclusively pumping from nativity (whether that's due to medical problems like babe beingness in the NICU, or having made the option to) should kickoff pumping within a few hours, if possible, subsequently birth.
If at that place are medical complications on your end, that might mean yous have to wait for a bit until you go the all clear from your provider.
Otherwise, I would start pumping as shortly equally it'due south viable for you to practice and then after meeting your baby, having some skin-to-skin snuggles, etc.
More than on exclusively pumping from birth here.
If y'all're separated from your infant (due to work or other circumstances)
If y'all need to be away from your infant for a feeding, you'll want to pump in order to maintain your milk supply.
Milk supply is based on demand, and then in order to maintain it, y'all however need to remove milk from your breasts via a pump if your baby isn't able to nurse.
When separated from your baby during a feeding – when baby will be taking breast milk or formula in a bottle – you should get ahead and pump, regardless of how old your infant is.
(Obviously, information technology'south ideal if you and baby are able to stay together through the first few weeks, simply that's non ever possible.)
If y'all're nursing (to build a freezer stash)
If you're planning to exist separated from your baby in the time to come – to go back to work, or for a date night – yous may desire to pump after you nurse in social club to store a little extra milk.
Depending on how much milk you need to store, I would recommend starting to pump between 1 to three weeks before the separation.
If yous're pumping for one feeding, starting time to pump a week beforehand should exist more enough time to get the hang of pumping and collect plenty milk. Notwithstanding, if you're pumping for a full mean solar day of work, you might want to take a piddling more than atomic number 82 fourth dimension.
More than on pumping for a freezer stash here.
If you're nursing (to increment supply)
If you're struggling with your baby gaining weight at the breast and think that you might have an issue with milk supply, I would highly recommend working with a lactation consultant.
Often, the issue is with the latch, and a good lactation consultant can help you lot adjust it. (Here's more info on finding a lactation consultant.) While you piece of work on the latch, you may want to attempt triple feeding to make sure you're removing enough milk to constitute supply.
Triple feeding means nursing, then bottle feeding babe (either pumped breast milk or formula), and then pumping. More on triple feeding here.
Hopefully that answers whatsoever questions you lot have about when to commencement pumping! Let us know in the comments if y'all take any questions.
References
- Bonyata, Kelly, IBCLC. "Forceful Permit-down (Milk Ejection Reflex) & Oversupply" https://kellymom.com/bf/got-milk/supply-worries/fast-letdown/
Source: https://exclusivepumping.com/start-pumping/
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