Do I need to pump after every feed? A question that worries many young mothers

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:47

Your pregnancy is over and your baby is born. You are filled with indescribable joy. After resting from childbirth, you can hold your little happiness in your arms. Now a new stage has begun for both of you, connected not only with joy, but also with some questions. The first is breastfeeding. New mothers are worried about how to do it right, how often, whether to pump after each feed, and so on.

No one today would dispute the importance of this process. Breast milk is irreplaceable. Its value is difficult to overestimate. However, not everyone manages to establish this method of feeding. Why is this happening?

It is very important to try to attach the baby to the breast immediately after birth. In the future, the mother should ensure that the baby is not supplemented with mixtures. Otherwise, he may refuse to breastfeed in the future. Do I need to expressafter feeding? This question worries many. There are a number of indications for this. But some experts consider it superfluous.

To begin with, I would like to note that after feeding you need to squeeze out a drop of milk and treat the nipple with it. So you will protect yourself from cracks and infection. Whether you need to pump after each feeding is up to you. But remember that it is not recommended to wash the breasts of a nursing mother in the usual way. Various gels, soaps and so on should be excluded. Plain clean water is sufficient.

The breast should smell like milk, and the strong smells of hygiene products can scare away the baby. Thus, milk remains the only protection for the breast. In this case, pumping is justified and very beneficial.

Do I need to pump after every large feeding? Some mothers try every time to free their breasts from all the milk that is in it. Is it really necessary? Initially, the body cannot know how much milk the baby will need. Therefore, initially it arrives quite a lot. Naturally, the newborn is not able to eat it all. If you see that the child is eating and gaining weight well, then it becomes clear that he does not need more milk. By pumping, you are signaling to your body that there is not enough food. Thus, you provoke additional milk production, which is completely undesirable. Answering the question "should I pump after feeding" we can say no.

When you really need it:

1. Baby cannot breastfeed. He may be weak, premature, ill. In this case, in order for the milk not to be wasted, mom will have to pump.
2. Mom feels unwell or not yet ready to breastfeed due to surgery.
3. If there is a blockage of the milk duct. When examining the chest, painful tubercles and seals are found. This can be very dangerous for a woman's he alth. In this case, the question “should I express after each feeding” should not arise. This must be done along with breast massage. In this case, the medical staff of the maternity hospital where you are located should help you.
4. Mom needs to be away for a long time.

So, whether you need to pump after each feeding, of course, you decide. However, experts do not recommend doing this without special reason.