How do you pump?

Being a new mom, i knew i always wanted to breastfeed. I didn’t know about the world of pumping in addition to breastfeeding! Since finding out, there seems to be strict rules about how to pump! 1. Pump on a schedule and follow a schedule EXACTLY TO TIME! NO DEVIATION! 2. Cluster pump to induce more milk 3. Wean properly to reduce engorgement To me pumping was soooo restrictive, until i realized i don’t have to follow every one else’s rules or schedule! I choose to pump after every other feed (or every 4-6 hours, whichever comes first) with my child. This doesn’t follow a specific time schedule but rather a schedule of my child’s eating habits so my body can adjust accordingly! Mommas, how do yall pump? Strict schedule? When you need to?
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I pump every 3 hours or when ever my daughter feeds. She has a bottle while I pump. If she goes 4 or 5 hours I go 4 or 5 hours, I just mirror her.

I kind of do when I need to or every 3-4 hrs. Whichever comes first uhh… engorgement wise.

I exclusively pump. I pump every 4-5 hours during the day, and once overnight. With my overnight pump it could be anywhere from 4-8 hours between pumps depending on when my little one wakes up to eat (I pump after feeding him and putting him back down). I usually end up pumping 5x per day at 4 months post partum. Luckily the schedule variance hasn’t impacted my supply.

In the beginning (when I was still establishing my supply) I pumped after almost every feed. Now that she's 5 months, I typically pump twice a day (morning and night). The exception to that is if I give her a bottle for whatever reason, then I need to pump due to being too full. Do what feels right to you.

I think it depends on how you’re primarily feeding your baby. If you’re nursing (from the breast) you can pump after the feeding. It won’t be a lot but it’s just to signal your body to keep producing milk to help maintain the supply. It’s advised to do that but you don’t really need to if you’re nursing on demand. It’s a personal preference at that point. If you’re exclusively pumping, you should try to stay on a schedule. That includes having at least 1-2 night pumps, especially during the newborn phase. You can drop a night session or entirely once your baby starts sleeping better through the night.

I stayed on a schedule when my baby was born and I wanted my milk to come in faster for him...but when I got home, I'll breastfeed first then pump a bottle of about 2. Oz then the extra I will freeze.

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