When to pump if I'm EBF?

[mara16jade]

I'm EBF but would like to slowly start my BM stash. When and how often do I pump so I don't cause my supply to go into overdrive?

LO is just over a month old, and my supply is pretty good. I have massive let down that'll drench him and wildly spray blush so I really don't want to have too much more milk and cause an issue. haha

I think I'm supposed to pump for 5-10 minutes on the side he ate from after he's done, right? So then I just don't pump on the other side if he didn't eat from it?

 

[misspriss]

I never pumped at the same time as feeding DS, except when he was in the NICU. I would say to pump on the side he isn't eating on, while he's on the other side, to save time and effort....

If you pump after he eats on the same one, the other one won't get any milk removed?

 

[Night Flower]

I tend to pump once/twice a day on both breasts until theyre half full. Then my LO eats up the rest. So she for one feeding or two, goes without eating the foremilk and just gets the fatty hindmilk.
But because my baby is eating so much, sometimes I can only pump 40-60ML instead of the normal 80ML I used to pump.

 

[mara16jade]

Hmm, so then maybe I shouldn't only pump after he's eaten? Because then I'd only be storing hindmilk? Should I change it up? Sometimes pump before and sometimes pump after he eats?

 

[misspriss]

I don't know, I didn't pump when LO was nursing really. I would say to pump on the other breast while he eats to get the same mix he gets?

Any large amount of pumping will increase your supply, I agree with PP maybe once a day? Perhaps the first feed of the day do the other breast? (milk is abundant in the AM usually!)

 

[countryblonde]

I ebf as well and when I started pumping I would do it either first thing in the morning while feeding him on the other side. Then I would let him finish after I pumped cause they can always get more than pumping can.

Or eventually once we were more routine with a bed time I would pump both sides two to three hours after he went to bed. So tricking my body into thinking it was another feeding..

And if you already have a big oversupply I would pump from one side as you feed him since you'll be spraying out half that milk anyway 😊 and yeah stick to once a day.. If you are ebf you are not going to need a huge supply in the freezer

 

[mara16jade]

^^^That is a great idea! The side he's not eating on just drenches the nursing pad while he's eating!!

 

[Mummafrog]

I've just started pumping this week, so not very experienced! My little girl is good with her bed times most nights at the moment (wow) so I do what country said and while she's asleep when her next feed would have been due I pump and then by the time she wakes it has been another couple of hours and there is plenty there. I get 2-4oz this way from pumping both sides, but I haven't tried pumping them together yet at this time. The time I got the most in one go was in the morning when I was pumping from both at the same time (after my lg had had her morning feed) and I got 3oz from each breast!
Soo I am wondering if I can get more out in the morning, I'm going to keep experimenting.

But I generally only do it once a day, my supply has been excessive before and I don't want to make it hard for her to feed again. XX

 

[JenX]

^^^That is a great idea! The side he's not eating on just drenches the nursing pad while he's eating!!

I know of some moms in my breastfeeding group who have successfully used milk collection shells on the opposite breast to catch what leaked out and found they didn't even need to pump to create a small stash. I think there are a few different kinds- here is one:

https://www.amazon.com/Philips-AVENT-Comfort-Breast-2-Pack/dp/B000058DQJ