Ask The Pros
Birth Plans
Birth Stories
Bookstore
Boy or Girl
Cesareans
Chat Room
Complications
Doulas
Educators
Episiotomy
FAQs
Feeding Baby
Fertility
Finding a Class
Health
Interactive
Labor
Message Board
Monitoring
Newborns
Newsletter
Postcards
Postpartum
Pregnancy
Reviews/Awards
Search
VBAC
Week by Week
Who We Are

Ask A Lactation Consultant

Q. Skye and I are doing pretty well on the nursing front, my question has to do with how to start pumping so I am not limiting the amount of milk she is getting but still am able to start storing enough for one or two bottle feedings a day (or night). I will be going back to work after six weeks and have to figure out how to get this working.

A. Dear Patricia,

Congratulations on your new baby! Once breastfeeding is well established (3-4 weeks), you can begin to start pumping for your milk bank. Use the times when Skye may only take one side to pump the other and stick it in the freezer. Or after she has had a long sleep, nurse her and then pump - you may not get a large amount, but the little bits do add up. Depending on the type of pump you have, you may be able to nurse on one side and pump the other (not all the time, but once in a while). There are some other great tips at the medela web site under going back to work and breastfeeding. Keep in mind that many mothers are not able to express as much milk as baby is able to get out. Your first attempts with a pump may not yield large amounts, but keep trying. Your body is much more willing to give milk to your baby than to a piece of plastic.

Best wishes,
Stephanie

Stephanie Ryan, RN, BSN, ICCE, IBCLC answers your breastfeeding questions.