Another Breast Feeding Question for BTDT moms

If you plan on breast feeding, should you start pumping before the baby is born? If so when?
The two reasons why I ask:
#1 - Does pumping before, make the milk come out easier when the baby is born?
#2 Ultimately I would like to breast feed, then bottle feed breast milk because I most likely will have to return to work. So are you supposed to start building up a supply BEFORE the baby is born?

Thanks!

Re: Another Breast Feeding Question for BTDT moms

No. You really should not pump while you're pregnant. Nipple stimulation could cause pre-term labor. Your milk supply will come in naturally a day or so after your baby is born. The baby really needs the colustrum which your breasts will produce at first.

Re: Another Breast Feeding Question for BTDT moms

Emma nurses every now and then and I am 32 wks pregnant... no preterm labor for me. Im not too sure about the preterm labor thing... you must REALLY have to go at it for a while.

Your milk wont come in till the baby comes. You may leak a little before the baby comes but that is NOTHING compared to what happens when your milk comes in.

Re: Another Breast Feeding Question for BTDT moms

If you tired to pump while pregnant..YES the milk woudl come and YES it's very closly related to Pre- Term labor...You should talk to your DR about breast feeding...they will help with questions you may have.

Re: Another Breast Feeding Question for BTDT moms

Nipple Stimulation to Self-induce

This is a practice often recommended by midwives when a woman is long past due or when labor is stalled. Nipple stimulation causes the release of oxytocin, the same hormone that causes uterine contractions.

Many women report, however, that the contractions produced
from this method are much stronger and more painful than natural labor, but are not any more effective. Please note: In order to use this method for induction, you must stimulate the nipples for long periods of time. The usual recommendation is 15 minutes of continual stimulation on each nipple each hour for several hours.

So, the amount of stimulation you may get during lovemaking,
or while nursing an older child or pumping your breasts while pregnant will not cause you to go into labor.


Also from Ivillage.com


Your milk won’t begin to come through until three to four days after delivery. You do, however, need to put your baby to the breast before then. Start as soon as you and your baby feel up to it but in general terms don’t leave it longer than 12 hours after delivery. Before they start giving milk — in fact before your baby is born — your breasts produce a small amount of a cloudy fluid called colostrum. This contains antibodies against infection as well as other goodies and is, from the baby’s point of view, well worth having. The suckling of your baby will also help stimulate the release of hormones which kick-start the lactation process (though if for any reason you can’t put your baby to the breast the milk will still come through).

Re: Another Breast Feeding Question for BTDT moms

I stupidly did nipple stimulation when I was 4 days late.....I am a nurse practitioner and should have known better, and I also know that it could just have been coincidence - but we did it for about 5 minutes on one boob, and I started having contractions. It was midnight - we really didn't think it would work and were only half joking about it. I had extremely painful contractions, although I don't have any other contractions to compare it to - so , I would advise against any nipple stimulation at all. I think you should absolutely start pumping after the baby is born right away, this will help your milk come faster, and also any colostrum collected can be given to the baby via a syringe so they can get those valuable antibodies. I am starting month 3 right now - it was HELL for the first two weeks, but I am so happy and proud that I kept up with it, it is amazing. good luck, don't give up!

Re: Another Breast Feeding Question for BTDT moms

WOW thanks ladies!!! You all have such great advice to offer!!!

Re: Another Breast Feeding Question for BTDT moms

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Posted by jpsgirl
I think you should absolutely start pumping after the baby is born right away, this will help your milk come faster, and also any colostrum collected can be given to the baby via a syringe so they can get those valuable antibodies.

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I am sorry, but I am not sure if I understand this correctly. IMHO, I would not pump until the baby establishes his/her own feeding schedule. When you breastfeed the baby actually regulates what comes in based on what the baby needs. Believe me, from firsthand experience, the last thing you want is to become super engorged. I actually, naturally, had an oversupply and it was extremely painful. I had to pump when my milk first came in but only to take off the extra milk and slowly had to bring the increments down until I didn't have to pump anymore.

Re: Another Breast Feeding Question for BTDT moms

You DO NOT pump unless you HAVE to in those first few weeks. You should be working to establish your nursing relationship. Your baby needs what you have in your breasts for food...no need to pump it out unless there is a reason. If you have supply problems it is best to work with a lacation consultant and have her help you figure out when and how often to pump. Pumping can hurt your nursing relationship so it should NOT be done unless you need to do it.

Re: Another Breast Feeding Question for BTDT moms

hmmmm sorry if I gave misinformation. the lactation nurses at the hospital had me pumping right away - my milk didn't come in for four days, even though I was pumping and feeding non stop. I would pump for 20 minutes and only get 5cc....but then when my milk came in it was awesome, I had no engorgement or anything, and then I just started feeding her. I guess I should have said that that is just what worked for me - I never got engorged, I never had any problems establishing nursing with her or anything. I guess everybody is different!

Re: Another Breast Feeding Question for BTDT moms

You needed to pump because you had supply problems but not every women does. I should have been pumping after day 3 when it was evident that I had a supply problem but I was not given the correct info at the hospital. IF you have a supply problem you need to pump right away. BUT not prior to birth.

Re: Another Breast Feeding Question for BTDT moms

right, definitely not before birth! Actually, I hooked up my pump and tried it for like 2 seconds because I wanted to make sure I knew how to do it, but I'm a freak :) Doesn't it suck when you don't get the correct info at the hospital??