Pumping is good for breastfeeding moms in many ways. Most nursing moms experience engorgement at some point. When you pump, the pressure of full breasts goes away almost immediately. Worried about how much milk you can make? Pumping makes you produce more milk and lets you save some for later, which could buy you a day at the spa (or at work, if that's your thing). When you pump, your partner, other family members, and caregivers can also feed your baby. You can also give your extra milk to moms who can't breastfeed.
Breastfeeding is a big commitment that takes a lot of time and energy. If you only breastfeed, your baby needs you to be near him or her almost all the time. Putting breast milk in a bottle for your baby can help ease some of this stress.
It takes practice for both you and your baby to breastfeed and pump at the same time. But with practice, you can breastfeed for longer and feel less stressed if you breastfeed and use a breast pump simultaneously.
How to breastfeed and pump at the same time
If you're thinking about breastfeeding and pumping at the same time, here are some tips to get you started:
○ First, you should breastfeed: It's best to pump after breastfeeding. So, your baby can get full first, you can empty your breasts, and your breasts will have as much time as possible to fill up before the next feed.
○ Use your hands: Pumping and expressing milk with your hands can help you get more milk out of your breasts. If you do these things, they can also help your breasts make more milk in the future.
○ Get storage: You may want to use a Bellababy silicone breast pump or another milk storage container to collect the milk leaking from the breast your baby isn't using. This way, the milk won't go to waste before you pump.
○ Find what works best: Double-check the flanges to make sure they fit right before you start pumping. This can help keep your nipples from hurting or making you feel bad while you pump.
○ Keep accessories close by: You might want to put a few baskets around your house near your favorite places to breastfeed that hold a water bottle, easy-to-eat adult snacks, nipple cream, burp clothes, wipes, and diapers, so you don't have to get up to look for these things when you start feeding and pumping.
○ Learn how to feed your baby with a bottle: Use the paced bottle-feeding method to make it more likely that your baby will want to keep breastfeeding. (As a bonus, a 2018 study trusted Source showed that this might help prevent lung and ear problems!)
○ Warm-up: If it's hard for your body to relax while you pump, try putting something warm on your chest first and watching videos of your baby while you do it.
*Note: pumping sessions shouldn't get in the way of these special skin-to-skin feedings.
1: If you can, breastfeed when you want to.
Pumping can't replace the special bonding that happens when you nurse your baby, and nursing on demand helps you make more milk when you pump. So feel free to breastfeed as much as your schedule lets you.
2: Pump frequently
Because there is a supply and demand for breastmilk, more pumping means more breastmilk. So, every three to four hours, it's a good idea to pump for 15 to 20 minutes. Double pump during those sessions to get the most out of them.
3: Avoid formula feedings
Because the formula is more challenging for babies to digest, it stays in their bodies longer. That means that babies who are fed formula get hungry less often. When babies aren't hungry, they don't breastfeed as often, which throws off the whole supply and demand system. In other words, your body makes less milk the less your baby feeds. If you have to use formula, pump during those times, so your milk supply stays high.
4: Drink a lot of water.
Your breasts use your body's water, carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins to make breast milk. So, less water in your body means less milk for your baby when he or she is hungry. Mama, water is good for you anyway. We all have trouble staying hydrated, even when we're not nursing, but it's even more critical when drinking for two.
5: Avoid dehydrating foods and drinks
Even if you drink a lot of juice, milk, water, and other fluids that keep you hydrated, it won't help if you also eat and drink things that make you lose water. Snacks and drinks with a lot of salt and sugar are two things that can make you feel thirsty. Meats and fried foods also tend to make you lose water. And, of course, drinking alcohol, coffee, or tea can dehydrate, which can stop your body from making breast milk.
6: Try to meditate
Mindfulness meditation has been shown to make people feel more relaxed, increasing milk production by more than 60%. It also turns to pump into a self-care activity, which will help you feel even calmer during those important breastfeeding sessions.
7: Carefully choose your breast pump
A breast pump that is easy to use and comfortable is essential if you want to keep pumping and get more milk. On the other hand, a pump that hurts could make you give up too soon if the pain is too distracting. Talk to your friends at Milk N Mamas Baby if you aren't sure which breast pump is best for you. We can help you choose a breast pump that is both comfortable and good at making milk.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of nursing and pumping simultaneously?
Potential benefits
- ● Getting your breasts to produce more milk.
- ● Extra breast milk that you have expressed for times when you are apart or if you get sick.
- ● Relieving pressure from engorgement and helping to keep ducts from ● getting clogged.
- ● Encouraging your baby to drink from a bottle, so they don't have to rely only on breast milk.
Potential Disadvantages
- ● If the extra pumping increases your supply, you could have problems like clogged ducts, engorgement, and mastitis.
- ● Milk can go wrong if it isn't handled and stored right.
- ● If there is more pumping, there will be more things to keep clean to stop the spread of germs.
- ● The cost of pumping supplies goes up.
- ● Because the suction lasts longer, your breasts or nips may hurt more.
