Good routine for mixing Breastfeeding & Pumping?

[LaydieBugs]

I won't be working outside the home, but Daddy and I will live separately ... to give him plenty of opportunity to bond, and to give myself breaks, I want to start storing breastmilk right away.

So how do you do it, when you're not on a schedule where you pump because you are full yet away from your babe? Do you feed and pump in one sitting? How do you pump around feeding on demand?

I mean, with that whole foremilk and hindmilk thing ... if you always feed baby first then pump, the pumped milk is all hind milk ... or vice versa ...

I've also been advised by several friends that it's awesome to pump right when the milk comes in because it alleviates engorgement and helps establish a big supply.

We're really blessed that I'll get to pump "whenever", but that also means - how do I know when it's "whenever"?!

(First time Mom too!)

[akind1]

I pumped when my milk came in, b/c I was so engorged my nipples were flat and baby couldn't latch. The pumping relieved the pressure and drew my nipples out. You want a good supply, but you don't want an oversupply and be uncomfortable all the time.

i know a lot of women on here nurse and pump at the same time, baby on breast, pump on the other, and they get good results this way. I don't do that (I never figured out how to do this comfortably, and I never needed to). The first 6 weeks I pumped almost exclusively, only nursing maybe 2x a day. Once I went back to work at 7 weeks PP, I nurse almost exclusively - baby gets about 4 bottles a week (I am only in the office 2 days)

on days you don't have baby with you, pump about as often as the baby would eat, every 2, 3, or 4 hours (whichever falls with the baby's routine). When you do have the baby with you, pump after a feeding, this should be more hindmilk, which is not a bad thing. When you pump and feed expressed milk, baby gets fore and hind milk all mixed together. I could be wrong, but I don't think there is any harm in that. also pumping after a nursing will make sure baby is getting enough in that feeding and any you pump is truly excess.

hope this helps!

[LaydieBugs]

Thanks for all those suggestions.

I intend to exclusively breastfeed through 6 weeks, then start letting Daddy give him a bottle now and then. We tend to spend time all together so it'll probably be quite awhile before I'm away for more than a few feedings at a time. I imagine most of the time I'll be waiting until DS is "full", then pumping the rest. I can't see juggling a pump while I feed, seems it'd unnecessarily interfere with the time to interact!

[Ellien C]

Morning works well for many people, esp if baby takes a nap. If BF is going well after 2-3 weeks, you might think about giving a bottle then. That's what I did with both of mine. Also, you only need enough pumped milk for the first outing with Dad. After that you will pump while baby is gone and use that. Dont stress. It will work out.