Can i pump instead of breastfeed

You can choose to pump exclusively or give your child both breast milk and infant formula. It just depends on which one works better for you. If you've decided to feed your baby both pumped breast milk and infant formula, that's great! Any amount of breast milk that you can give your baby is beneficial.

You can pump for some feedings and give formula for others. Or you can provide both breast milk and formula at the same feeding. Offer the breast milk first if you give your child both breast milk and formula in the same feeding.

By giving the breast milk first, you will be sure your child gets all your milk. Then, if your baby wants or needs more, you can finish the feeding with formula.

If there's any left over, it's the formula that you will throw away, not precious breast milk. Exclusive pumping is also called EPing and breast milk feeding. It is when you pump at regular times throughout the day to give your child your breast milk as their sole source of food and nutrition.

Your child may get your milk through a bottle, a tube, or another alternative feeding method. Exclusive pumping isn't necessarily an easy thing to do. It can be time-consuming and exhausting. And it can often be challenging to continue to pump exclusively for a long period of time.

Learn the guidelines to help provide the right amount of breast milk for your baby and keep your supply strong. Your child's needs change as they grow. How often to pump depends on your child's age. A newborn will take a bottle of breast milk approximately every two to three hours around the clock. So during your baby's first few weeks, you should try your best to pump at least every two to three hours about eight to twelve times a day to stimulate your body to produce a healthy milk supply.

As your baby grows, they will take more at each feeding, but go longer between feedings. As long as your milk supply is plentiful, you may be able to go longer between pumping sessions, as well.

At each session, you should pump for at least 15 minutes on each side. It can take a few minutes for your milk to begin to let down , so give yourself enough time.

You also want to try to empty your breasts fully. Emptying the breasts is an important part of stimulating the production of more breast milk. After you drain your breasts and no more milk is flowing out into the collection container , continue to pump for one to five minutes longer. Since breast milk is made based on supply and demand , the extra stimulation will tell your body to make more. You don't have to go longer than 20 minutes, though. Pumping for 15 to 20 minutes more frequently throughout the day will generally produce more breast milk than pumping less often for more extended periods of time.

Pump as much as you can at each pumping session. Then, put the breast milk into bottles or storage containers in the amount that your child takes at each feeding. Newborns drink less breast milk than older children at each feeding, but they eat more often.

Based on your baby's age, here is how much they will need. The first week: Colostrum , the first breast milk, is concentrated and very nutritious, so a tiny amount is all your baby needs. During the first few days after the birth of your baby, you will only be able to pump and collect a small amount of colostrum. On the very first day, in fact, so little will be expressed that it can get stuck in the tubing of the breast pump, which is why hand expressing colostrum is the preferred method during that time.

After you have hand-expressed a few spoonfuls' worth, pumping for a short while is a good way to stimulate milk supply until your milk fully comes in. After the first week , you should be able to pump two to three ounces every two to three hours, or about 24 ounces in a hour period. You would need to double this amount if you have twins, triple it for triplets, etc. After about one month , you will need approximately three to four ounces every three to four hours, or about 24 to 32 ounces a day.

By the time your baby is six months old , they will need about six to eight ounces every four to six hours, so approximately 36 to 48 ounces a day. Women who rent or buy used pumps should also consider the motors because they may not be designed for multiple users. Foster also recommends using a double pump.

The hormones that Foster refers to—prolactin and oxytocin—signal the body to produce and release milk. Multi-user rental pumps are usually available from hospitals, medical supply centres and authorized lactation consultants.

These single-user pumps may be covered by some insurance plans. Since moms who pump exclusively measure the amount of milk expressed, output volume can easily become a source of stress. Some new mothers panic when their initial output is as little as two ounces combined per session, but Foster stresses that this is normal. If all goes well, women can expect an average daily output of anywhere from 19 to 30 ounces. Moms who struggle to make sense of their output should work with lactation consultants to determine best practices and receive personalized guidelines.

A similar shift occurs around the eight- to month mark. Other common culprits for supply fluctuations are worn, damaged and incorrect parts. Moms should inspect and replace the parts, especially valves and membranes, regularly. When used frequently, these parts should be replaced every one to two months or at the first sign of wear and tear.

Moms should consult an IBCLC to help select the correct breast shield, or flange size, and eliminate issues that stem from incorrect pumping techniques. Concerned moms may seek galactagogues dietary and herbal remedies , which are thought to increase milk supply.

Common over-the-counter galactagogues include fenugreek, moringa, blessed thistle and some herbal teas. In some countries, including Canada, health providers may prescribe domperidone a pill used for gastric issues that has proven to be effective at boosting milk supply. Foster recommends consulting your primary caregiver before starting any dietary regimen or supplement. She cautions that some products may react with other medications and medical conditions. According to Foster, moms who pump exclusively are often ostracized from support groups that are geared toward solely breastfeeding or formula feeding.

Fortunately, support groups for moms who pump exclusively do exist. I connected daily with moms in the Facebook group I joined. They welcomed me into their ranks, offering advice and encouragement when I needed it most.

Now, when I look at my happy, thriving month-old, I marvel at the lengths I went to breastfeed him and how far our journey has taken us. Breastfeeding Exclusive pumping: How to breastfeed without nursing Why new moms choose to pump exclusively, how it works and tips for success. Some women may find that even if they are direct nursing, they still need to pump to encourage an increase in their milk supply. Adding pumping to the routine also gives moms the freedom to be away from their baby during a typical mealtime and still produce milk for later if they are exclusively breastfeeding.

The biggest difference between those moms who nurse and pump and those who exclusively pump is the absence of direct breast contact with the baby. She also liked being able to track just how much her baby was eating. According to Haywood, babies fed with a bottle tend to take in more milk than they would from the breast. In fact, Haywood says that exclusively breastfed babies take in an average of 25 oz mL per day between the ages of 1 month and 6 months where as a typical range of breastmilk bottle intake is oz per day mL per day , but of course this will vary for every baby.

Although arguably, for those who do not experience feeding problems , direct breastfeeding is much simpler and quicker than expressing your milk with a pump, Manglani reminds all moms that their choice is the only one that matters. Feeding your baby is a challenge, and what works for one woman might not work for another. By Fiona Tapp February 06, Save Pin FB More. Parents pumping breastmilk illo. Credit: Yeji Kim. Parents pumping breastmilk bottles illo.

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