EBF and pumping advice please!
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Thank you! How much is a good amount to get and to give in a bottle to feed at night for example? Also in what way does pumping affect your supply and how long does it take to regulate back if you stopped?
It totally depends on your baby and how often they eat. Mine was a NICU baby and she was on a strict 3 hour schedule at that age. She was eating 2-3 oz (60-90 mL). I had a really good supply and only pumped and would get about 180mL every 3 hrs. You will likely get far less than that as you only produce what your baby needs. Pumping may increase your supply (increased demand) or not (if you feed less because you skip a breastfeeding session) Either way it should have a big affect if you're only doing it a little.
I EBF and also pump. I feed my son then pump about 30mins after for about 15mins. Because you haven’t pumped yet you might not get lots at first. But the more you pump the more your body will think it needs to produce more. Also heating pad or hot shower before pumping helps your milk come more. My son is 8months and if he gets a bottle he usually only gets 4oz at a time. I would store it in 4oz bags at a time. You can always warm up more if needed.
I’m an exclusive pumper to my 12 week baby! Feel free to message me with any pumping questions!
To keep your current supply I believe you pump when baby would have had a feed so you don't end up with an oversupply above what baby needs. In terms of amounts in a bottle they need less breastmilk than they would formula so it's just a case of establishing what that amount is for your baby
I am an exclusive pumper (baby is 1 year). Because you are primarily breastfed, you can pump as much or as little as you want, depending on how many bottles you plan on offering. If I were you, I would pick one or two times a day to pump for 15-20 minutes depending on how much milk you make. I would do this after you just breastfed so you'll have plenty of time to make more milk. Just make sure your flanges are the right size! My baby prefers the MAM bottles but you can experiment. I have the Lansinoh pump, but I'm not sure I would recommend it