Milk Pumping and Breastfeeding (All About Milk Pumping continued)
In the beginning, try pumping after every feeding session with your child. Even if you do not pump too much, whatever your child left behind will be emptied and your breasts will produce more milk. If you are pumping for the purposes of feeding and storage, each pumping session should last till your breasts are emptied. Once you have stored enough for your child to have a good supply while you are away, pump as often as your child feeds. Each of these pumping sessions can take about fifteen to twenty minutes, depending on either your breasts or the pump.
Just because you are pumping enough milk for your child to eat without directly breastfeeding doesn’t mean you should stop breastfeeding directly, unless of course you are pumping for the purposes of weaning. Breastfeeding still promotes a great bond between mother and child, and it is something you will not want to miss out on! Plus, your child breastfeeding can help you increase milk supply as a nursing child is actually the most effective and efficient pump in the world. Directly breastfeed your child whenever you can.
If you want to increase milk supply for various reasons, pump more often instead of for longer amounts of time. This will tell your body that your baby needs to eat more often, and it will produce more milk in order to meet the need. Remember to never skip a pumping session as this can lead to engorgement or your body slowing down in milk production.
Do not be worried if there are days that you pump less milk than usual. This is normal. Milk supply usually varies and has no standard amount in ounces. Most mothers can pump half an ounce to two ounces of breast milk per pumping session. If your pumping schedule is four times a day, that’s anywhere from four to eight ounces per day, which is perfectly acceptable. If you have friends that can pump out about four ounces consistently in any pumping session, this may mean that they have an oversupply of breast milk. This is normal for some women, and you should try not to compare the amount you can produce to theirs.
Next Article: Milk Pumping Problems You May Encounter
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