Listen to the rest of the Milk Supply 101 Series HERE
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Download my free “Basics of Breastfeeding” guide HERE
I got a DM from a mama on Instagram a few weeks ago that inspired today’s episode and I’m sure she’s not the only one who’s had this question before so let’s talk about it!
Here’s what Kelsey asked: “Can we talk about when to start pumping after delivery? I’m due in February with my 2nd and feel lost as to if I should just be breastfeeding at the hospital or if I should be focused on pumping to help production if baby number two isn’t eating around the clock?”
There’s lots to talk about with her question so I’m going to try and break it down piece by piece: first we’ll talk about three different approaches of pumping that influence the timing of when/how you begin; then we’ll talk about how pumping affects your overall breast milk production; and lastly, we’ll talk about how to support your supply based on your feeding schedule.
I do want to preface today’s conversation by saying I am absolutely NOT a pumping expert, so if you’re looking for specifics like type or brand of breast pump, what settings to use, or anything along those lines, I am not your girl. In fact, I absolutely hate pumping and avoid it at all costs!
That being said, I still feel comfortable giving advice on this question because we’re going to be focusing on the principles of milk supply and how to apply them if you choose to pump in any capacity. I hope that makes sense.
I’m also going to assume that you are not exclusively pumping for the sake of today’s episode. If you’re listening and you plan on exclusively pumping and want an episode solely on everything pumping, please let me know!
Okay let’s dive right in!
Really quickly, I want to remind you that if you have not listened to the first three episodes in this milk supply 101 series, I highly recommend doing that before continuing on with this episode. A lot of what we’re going to talk about today will make so much more sense if you understand the principles in the other three episodes, and you might even want a refresher too!
To listen to the rest of the series, click the link in the shownotes or scroll down in your podcast player to episodes 15, 19, and 36.
Okay, the first thing we need to talk about is your goal with introducing pumping in your lactation journey. Is it something you want to do continually? Is it something you only want to do for a little bit until you have a little freezer stash and then stop? Is it something you only want to do if absolutely necessary (like me)?
These are important questions to answer because it not only determines what you plan to do the first few weeks postpartum, but the supplies you’ll need too.
So let’s talk about those three different scenarios and how it affects your immediate postpartum plan. If you want to begin pumping and continue pumping regularly until your breastfeeding journey is over, you’ll want to bring a few things with you to the hospital: colostrum vials, a milk collector, and your pump of choice (I have all these linked in my amazon storefront in the shownotes).
Because you naturally produce colostrum in such small amounts during the first few days postpartum, you won’t need to pump. You can use the colostrum collector and hand expression to get what you need until your mature milk comes in.
I can’t stress this enough: no matter what you decide about pumping, you DO NOT need to worry about getting “extra” before your mature milk comes in. A full term baby’s stomach is the size of a cherry the first day of life and it only grows to the size of an apricot by the first week, so there’s no need to stress about making your milk come in faster or topping off with formula unless there is a clear indication that there is something to be concerned about medically.
In short, the colostrum you will naturally produce is enough. Don’t let a nurse convince you otherwise.
Okay, back to the pumping stuff. Once your mature milk comes in, you can begin pumping. The frequency is up to you. I recommend choosing a schedule that you can maintain, so if you want to exclusively breastfeed most of the day and only pump once or twice a day, start that way. There’s no rush to have a freezer full of milk before baby is one month old and there’s certainly no need to treat your body like you’re feeding twins if you only have one baby.
Remember that you need to be able to maintain whatever you produce, so if it feels like too much, it probably is. And too much could be physically, like you can’t eat or drink enough to keep up, or mentally, or emotionally. Whatever the case, choose a schedule that you can start and maintain well from the beginning. You can always adjust of course, but don’t make it complicated right off the bat.
Now, if you want to pump enough to have a small stash but you don’t want to maintain a pumping schedule indefinitely, there’s a few ways you could approach this. You could begin pumping once a day on top of all the feedings baby gets at the breast and just stop when you want to, or you could do what I do and just collect your let down on the opposite breast for the first few weeks.
This latter method is much easier and less demanding and it works great if you want extra milk without actually pumping. All you need is a milk collector like the Haaka ladybug (linked in my amazon storefront) and you’ll attach it to the breast you’re not nursing at during a feeding. The collector will catch your let down and any milk that leaks out while you feed baby, then you just bag it up and freeze it.
I love doing it this way because I’m not telling my body to make more milk than is needed, I’m just collecting as much as I can with what the current supply is. This is also great in the early weeks postpartum because it takes a few weeks for your supply to regulate, so you’re naturally going to produce a little more than you need and you might as well make the most of it!
With my second baby, I did this method and was able to get about 10-12 5 ounce bags of milk by a month postpartum without actually pumping at all. Now, don’t be fooled, I didn’t collect a whopping 5 ounces of letdown in one sitting. It was usually anywhere from 0.5-2 ounces, and I would just combine different sessions of milk until the bag reached 5 ounces. If you’re really consistent with collecting your letdown in those early weeks, you’ll get a small stash with no extra effort on your end!
The last option is only pumping when you absolutely need to, like if you’re painfully engorged, you have signs of a clogged duct/mastitis, baby had an extra long stretch of sleep and you need to collect the extra milk you made, or baby skipped a feeding for whatever reason and you don’t want to physically skip collecting that milk.
If this is your plan with pumping, I’d still bring a pump to the hospital just in case you need it, but chances are you won’t need it.
Now, if your sweet little baby needs to spend some time in the NICU or baby has a hard time latching, you’ll definitely need your pumping supplies because baby’s time at the breast will be limited. You’ll want to bring the colostrum collector, milk collector, and the pump. Obviously we can’t predict if either of these scenarios will apply to us, so if you want to be on the safe side, I’d bring all three and hope for the best.
We talked about a lot, so I’ll sum up this section really quick: ask yourself how pumping is going to fit into your breastfeeding journey and bring the supplies you’ll need to support that plan. You don’t need to begin physically pumping until after your mature milk comes in, so don’t stress for those first few days. Focus on frequent nursing sessions, getting a good latch, and let baby soak in that beautiful colostrum. Once your milk comes in, then you can start your pumping plan!
I wanted to include a quick section about how pumping affects your supply because a lot of moms make this a lot harder and more stressful than it has to be.
Remember that your milk supply is regulated by how frequently you remove milk. The more frequently you remove milk, the more milk your body believes it needs to make. Also, remember that the foundational goal of breastfeeding is to make exactly how much milk your baby needs. It’s not to have an oversupply, it’s to have just the right amount.
This hopefully answers part of Kelsey’s question when she asked if she needs to pump if baby isn’t eating around the clock. I’ll put it this way: every baby’s feeding schedule/needs is going to be different. If you’re feeding baby when they’re hungry and they’re actually removing and digesting the milk you produce, it literally doesn’t matter how much milk you make or how many ounces you pump because you’re focused on matching baby’s needs.
Now, sometimes, it can be helpful or desirable to intentionally make a bit more milk than you actually need, like if you’re trying to build a stash or plan ahead for a trip or something. But in reality, this isn’t supposed to be your normal routine and you don’t need to assume that you need to be producing a certain amount of ounces each day, irrespective of what baby’s eating.
I know some moms will feed on one side and pump on the other for nearly every feeding for a month because they want a huge stash or they feel like that’s the only way to have a good supply. I’d argue that that is the easiest way to burnout, nutrient depletion, and mastitis, all of which will actually hurt your supply. You DO NOT have to pump during or after every single feeding to build a stash and you certainly don’t need to do this to have a great milk supply.
You also don’t need to pump at all in the first few weeks postpartum to have a good supply (assuming baby doesn’t have any feeding issues of course). But, if you want a little extra on top of what baby needs, you totally can.
Remember that the most important thing is that you are supporting the demand of milk removal with adequate nutrition and hydration. If you are pumping a few times on top of all the regular feedings, you have to eat and drink more than if you were just exclusively breastfeeding!
I know it’s so tempting to try and cut calories or limit your portion sizes once you’ve given birth, but if you have goals to breastfeed AND pump on top of breastfeeding, you HAVE to be eating more than you did when you were pregnant.
And if this terrifies you and you have no idea how to even achieve breastfeeding/pumping and lose weight, watch my masterclass about postpartum weight loss. I literally spell it out for you so you can have both! It’s linked in the shownotes.
But back to supporting your supply. An increased demand for milk means an increased demand for nutrients. Focus on mostly whole, unprocessed foods rich in protein, fats, and complex carbs, and DO NOT skip meals and DO NOT start your day with just coffee.
Not sure how to do that? I have two cookbooks that check all the boxes for nourishing your body while establishing and maintaining your milk supply. The New Mama is my postpartum recovery cookbook and it has 48 recipes that support your body through the first 6 weeks postpartum, which is when you’re trying to establish your supply.
Then, once you get your supply established and regulated, my lactation cookbook The Milk Mama has more than 50 lactation recipes to help you maintain your supply and troubleshoot any issues you might have as you progress in your lactation journey. Both of these cookbooks are linked in the shownotes.
The last thing I want to mention is a freebie I have called “The Basics of Breastfeeding.” This very simple guide explains five important things you need to know BEFORE beginning your lactation journey so you are ready and confident before you give birth. It will also help lay a good foundation for your breastfeeding journey and help you navigate your pumping plan. You can download this free guide at the link in the shownotes.
Alright mama, I hope this episode helps gives you an idea of what the first few days and weeks postpartum look like if you plan on incorporating pumping in some capacity. Please reach out if you have more questions and send this episode to an expecting mama so she can show up to the hospital ready to go!
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