Is It Absolutely Necessary to Pump After Each Feeding?

Just an aside-- It's great if you can donate the unneeded breastmilk. Look into Mothers' Milk Bank of North Texas.

http://www.mmbnt.org/

Absolutely not. I am breatfeeding my second. The only reason I pumped was to stock pile it for when I went back to work. Then I pumped at work when I wasn't breastfeeding, but breast fed at night and in the morning. I would only pump if it is uncomfortable for you when she doesn't empty them. Other than that, just keep feeding her. She will stimulate you to produce enough! Hope this helps.

This is a hard one. I did not pump after every feeding. I just couldn't. I was so emotionally drained. I felt like all I was doing was breastfeeding or pumping all day long and I was so tired. I only breastfed for 7 1/2 months because of medical problems. The first month or so is the worst and probably the most important to pump after each feeding. I would maybe talk to a lactation consultant and get her opinion. After about 6 weeks I think, that's when I started to pump every other feeding. It was a nice break.

E.,
If you have plenty stocked up and you are not becoming engorged between feedings, I don't see why you would need to continue pumping after each feeding.

Especially if your daughter is feeding well... think they say 15 minutes on each breast, then start with the breast that she finished on.

NO, no, no!! You are gonna tire yourself out, girl!! If you have adequate milk supply, you should not have to pump after every feed. Your body will produce more or less depending on the demands of your baby. Now, if your engorged I could see where there might be concern for an infection. I breast fed my son and only pumped afterward if he didn't eat much,or I felt engorged. Don't beat yourself down with all that pumping!

If your baby is gaining weight at this point by nursing at the breast only. I would say you could stop pumping after feeding. If you continue to pump, your body will continue to produce that amount of milk. Your breastmilk is supplied by supply and demand.

The pumping was helpful to stimulate your breasts enough since she was unable to spend much time at the breast because of her young age. If she does not need to be supplemented, there is no need to pump.

You should be breastfeeding every 2 hours from both breasts for the first 10 days after birth. Following that time, you should begin to feed from one breast for each feeding, alternating sides. This will allow her to get the hind milk which has a higher fat content than the fore milk.

If I can be of further help, E., please send me an email.

K. Voigtsberger, CD(DONA), AAHCC
Certified Birth Doula, DONA
Bradley Certified Educator
Breastfeeding Specialist

No you don't have to pump after each feeding. Your body will adjust to the amount of milk your child needs. If you pump after each feeding, your body will make that much milk, then if you don't pump, you may feel full and engorged. Only pump after a feeding if you need milk for something (like a date night!) or if you need to supplement.

Not to sound like a "know it all" but, I breastfed all eight of my children and NEVER had to pump afterwards. The ONLY time I needed to pump is when I was gone for a long period of time and upon returning, the baby did not quite empty my breast. Sometimes they got "knotty" and hurt. So, then I would simply empty the rest and store the milk. Other than that, it is NOT necessary to do so. Also, the downside to doing this (if you still choose to), is your body will then produce more milk than needed, which will eventually engorge you. Your body has an internal clock and it will eventually be fined tuned (usually by 4 months). If you are always pumping after you feed, then your breast will constantly fill again even AFTER your child is done eating. Like I said before, this will keep you engorged which will make you more inclined to get an infection. I personally would not pump after a feeding. Hope this is helpful.

E.,
it is actually contraindicated to pump like that unless you are trying to cause enough milk for twins to be produced. Over pumping can also cause mastitis and it makes the joy of nursing turn into the nightmare of timing and hard work. I will be happy to speak with you if you call The Nestingplace (I am a lactation consultant). If you have a consultant that you have used in the past and are confident with call and ask her since she will have an overview of potential risks versus benefits. Friends may not always know what is best in differing situations.
I hope this is helpful,
K. @ The Nestingplace and Mommy and Me at Home

I started pumping after each feeding too...and it completely beat me down...I wasn't sure why I was doing it, but people told me I should. I built up quite a supply in my freezer, but then I decided to only pump once a day. Now I just do it in the morning after the first feeding...and it's been just fine.

E.,

Well, you have a wonderful supply of "liquid gold" now that you just need to freeze (for up to 2 months). Just think of what you have in the freezer is your two hours of free time just to go to lunch with a friend, or go grocery shopping in peace while hubby watches the little one. No need to keep pumping unless your milk starts to dry up. Your milk will increase and decrease according to your daughters needs. Hope this helps!

Congratulations! I would get in touch with a La Leche League leader in the area....they will definitely help you. Here's the website for the Texas chapters: http://www.llli.org/Web/Texas.html

Good luck and keep up the awesome work!

--another E. B.

As most have already said, it is not necessary to pump in addition to nursing. I would only pump if you are giving a bottle (to replace that feeding). If you need to see a Lactation Consultant, Harris HEB and Harris downtown both have excellent centers and they file with your insurance....you only pay your standard copay one time and can visit the center as needed for that one copay...you can also call with questions (even if you haven't visited with one of the consultants).

I think your friend was well meaning, but misinformed. If your daughter is gaining weight and has enough wet and dirty diapers you don't have to pump ever. However, I do agree with Melody's post below that you shouldn't quit cold-turkey. Ease off because your body is used to making all that extra milk and you won't run into any problems.

That being said, once my daughter was into a somewhat regular eating schedule I found it helpful to pump once a day just to keep some on-hand. I never had to worry if I needed to be away unexpectedly or anything. I always produced more than enough and was even able to share with a mommy who couldn't produce (sounds kind of strange, but very rewarding - check out milkshare.com). Good luck and congrats!!

Hi E.,

It sounds like you have a pretty good supply going on production-wise, so I would gradually cut back on pumping. I pumped exclusively for 11 months for my first born. He wasn't able to breastfeed - a whole other story - so I have experience when it comes to pumping. Not to slam anyone here, but if you just stop pumping right now all together there is a chance that you will get backed up, and that will lead to further problems. Now, your body will get used to less demand but this can take several days. And you will be really full for those days and honestly, when you don't empty yourself - this can lead to problems: clogged ducts, most likely, and worst case mastitis.

I'm not saying this to scare you but really if you just stop pumping, like someone said you don't need to, you are going to get backed up and that is a risk. So to avoid this and to work on having less milk supply, I would start pumping at the end of every other feeding instead of after each one. Also, pump for 1 minute less than you normally do. And gradually pump for less time each time, if that makes sense. Cutting back by 30 seconds or a 1 minute can make a big difference. The goal is to pump out what you need so that you are comfortable and not feeling full. If your baby seems to have emptied everything than you shouldn't have to pump. But if you have a lot more milk right now than she is consuming, then gradually cut back on minutes pumping. All of this shouldn't take too long, and within a week's time, you really could be done to a couple pumps a day. It really just depends on 2 things: 1. how much milk your baby is consuming and 2. how much milk your body is producing.

You could get in touch with a lactation consultant, but these do cost money and if that's not a problem then I would. But I really think you can do the above just fine. Just be patient and know that it will only be a few days, not weeks and weeks to become "pump free." :-)

Way to go on pumping! I know it isn't always the easiest thing to do but from a fellow pump mom, I'm proud of you!

Good luck and feel free to message me if you have more questions or if some of this doesn't make any sense!

Take care,
M.

Btw, there is a yahoo group called 'pumpmoms' if you are interested. You will find tons of info through them and get pretty much any of your questions answered through them, most likely.

I went through an almost identical situation as yours. If your baby is breastfeeding well every 3 hours, then there is no need to pump. You only have to pump if you MISS a feeding to 1) relieve yourself of the milk, and 2) to let your body know you are still breastfeeding. Definitely freeze your milk for later in these cases--no use wasting that liquid gold! Your body will make the milk that your baby needs.

You might look into the Le Leche League chapter in your area. They give great advice and support for breastfeeding, and the ladies know SO much--usually much more that the nurses at the hospital. Pumps were made for women whose babies cannot breastfeed on their own. Good luck, you are on the right track, and trust yoru instincts.

If your daughter is nursing well then you should not need to keep pumping ... probably at all! Your body will adjust to her demands. I also had to pump after feedings to boost my supply, but after a while I just stopped ... and my baby continued to gain weight without problem. I would recommend dropping one pumping session every few days to give your body time to adjust.

I didn't have a chance to read all your responses, but I can tell you your body will adjust to whatever you require of it. My twins were preemie so I pumped every 4 hours around the clock for the 1st two weeks to build up my milk supply and I bottle fed them the milk. After two weeks I only pumped every 4 hours from 7am - 11pm (5 times a day) and bottle fed them the milk. This way I got a better night sleep. Sleeping also helps you to produce more milk because you are rested. My girls both latched on at about 6 weeks so then I was done with pumping. :) Good luck.

If she has a proper latch and is nursing every 2-3 hours and effectively emptying the breast - and has a strong suck - you DON'T need to keep pumping - the best indication is to have a weight check and to see how many wet diapers she is having each day (shoud be greater than 6/day). Not sure where you delivered - Baylor Grapevine has a weight clinic you can take the baby in to have a weight check with the lactation consultant...

First, congrats! If you daughter is a week old, I think you need to pump around the clock (every 2 hours at least) to get the supply up and keep it so. I know this is a very time consuming job!!!
My son is eleven weeks, and if I miss a feeding I don't pump. (That's me being lazy, not that it's the best solution.). I never miss two feedings, though, without pumping, plus I'd be uncomfortable. Normally I am here to nurse 24/7, though.
Even if you don't feel engorged, that's could be a sign you milk supply is not high enough. Normally this early on you'd be quite engorged.

E.
It is not necessary to pump at all unless you are going to be away from your baby. It will increase your milk production, but just letting your baby nurse will allow your body to make what your baby needs. Good Luck and Congrats.

A.

Now that you are nursing full time, you do not need to pump. Your body needs to get used to the need of your baby and it will automatically make the adjustment on supply and demand principal. If you pump for making baby food at about 11 months, then freeze some later for cereal and brown rice, avacado, etc. But our generation never did and what about 100's of years when there was no such thing as a pump!???
You are doing fine and I am so glad you are breast feeding. it is the best!
Also remember if she is fussy or crampy, it is what you are eating. Eliminate all dairy first, esp. milk and cheese, ice cream, etc. My daughter has 3 that were dairy intolerant while she is in the 3rd trimester and for 2 years after they are born. Also brocolli and spicy foods sometimes are the culprit. Remember, this too shall pass and they are only a baby for such a short time and then they grow up.
Good Luck!

Yay! I'm glad your little one is doing so well, and you will be happy to have that milk in the freezer when you need a break.

Your milk production is based on demand, so if you keep pumping, you will keep producing. You REALLY need to talk to a lactation consultant to be sure you are getting CORRECT information. The information your friend gave you about getting an infection is probably false.

I know you have asked for some advice on here, and I did give you some, but medical advice always needs to come from a professional.

you do not HAVE to do it, but if you can, i would recommend it. i did this with my daughter for the first few months and it REALLY helped me to keep my supply up. once your baby goes on a growth spurt, you will be so thankful to have not only that extra milk in the freezer (also, think date night!) but your supply will be built up so you won't have to worry as much about your daughter getting all she needs. several of my friends had supply issues with their babies and i was fortunate enough not to go through that stress. i really think it was the extra pumping.
i wasn't able to do this with my son simply due to time. my supply dwindled, he lost weight and had to be put on formula. this is most definitely not always the case, just my own personal experience. my supply dropped due to other issues as well.
ultimately, it's your choice but i wanted to share the benefits of continuing to pump after some, if not all, of the feedings. obviously, this would be much easier to do during the day.
congrats on your new baby and good luck!!! the breastfeeding really does get easier as time goes on :)

If you are going to be a stay at home mom I wouldn't pump everytime. But if you plan on going back to work continue to pump. I went back to work 2 months after each child was born and my milk supply dimished to almost nothing (not even an ounce out of each breast) in 3 months. So with that said...with my second child I pumped from the day I got home 3 to 4 times a day until I went back to work to insure my daughter was being fed breastmilk until she was 12 months old. I did pretty good she made it until 11 months and that was only because my secondary freezer broke and I lost a little over a month and a half of milk.
Good Luck!!

Hi E.,

Congratulations on your bundle of joy! So long as you have the amount of milk stored up that you want and the baby is nursing beautifully, you need never pump again if you don't want to. Consult with a good breastfeeding book or lactation consultant for more info but it sounds to me like you're all set!

Enjoy every moment with that sweet baby...

M.

P.S. I found a product that can help mama stay healthier and produce even more nutritious breastmilk. I know how hard it can be to well with a newborn in the house! Email me if you'd like some info. I can also share with you a way to not have to return to work if you don't want to!

You do not have to pump after each feeding. If you keep doing that then your breast are going to go into overdrive to produce all the milk your taking out, then you will get engorged. if you just keep breast feeding your fine. I would only pump if your are supplementing a bottle. The only way you can get infections if your milk duct inside gets clogged. Your fine, don't worry about pumping after feeding.

If your baby is gaining weight appropriately, has plenty of wet diapers, and at least a couple of soiled diapers a day, I would quit pumping if you are staying with the baby and feeding on demand.

Go see a lactation consultant if you can. Look for a lactation consultant with IBCLC as their certification.

If you can't afford to see a lactation consultant (many of us can't afford that luxury), there is great information available at www.kellymom.com If you get a chance, go to that site and you will find medically sound information. The site always lists their sources and many of those source documents are available to read as well.

Many doctors and nurses are not well educated about nursing, so you will hear a lot of different advice from medical professionals when you are at office visits.

They had to put me fully under during one of the births because I matabolized the whatever so fast. They did get the baby out first, then put me completely under. It was an emergency C-section I was having when I started feeling the pain. So, under they put me. That was 39 years ago!

My situation was a bit different b/c I had big babies - each in the 95% so weight was not an issue. In fact, they could stand to lose a few pounds when they were born! So, I did not pump after each feeding. Now if you are planning to go back to work and are already in the habit of doing so then I would continue doing that. But if you are planning ot stay home then I can't see a reason to pump more than you have to. Hopefully, that made sense! For me, pumping was the worst part of breastfeeding so I wouldn't do it more than you have to. I hardly pumped while on maternity leave and when I went back to work was miserable b/c of all of the pumping I had to do during the day! Good luck.

Talk to the lac consultant at your doc's office, to be for sure but...

My experience was when I didn't pump every time my son ate, my milk production went way down. He never could latch properly on so I just pumped and fed him in a bottle. When I got to where I didn't pump during the midnight feedings my milk production went way down.

Good Luck and congrats on your little blessing!

The more you nurse and pump the more you will produce. I think you can quit in my opinion and your instincts tell you that. I you keep pumping the baby will not keep up and you will have to pump to get rid of it. Relax you are successful not in producing. I never pumped for my two kids. I never had tons just right. I gave the bottle when I was out or had people in. But on our one and one time I nursed. My first one after having been circumsized had too much bottle in the hospital. I thougth they would never bring him back to me and so he would not nurse well. The second one did for about 7 mos until I got tired of it. So do not make your milk to abundant. I had a friend they wrapped her up to dry up because she did not want to nurse yrs ago and she said it was so painful worse the delivering.Good Luck and enjoy nothing sweeter then a newborn. Enjoy God's gift. G. W