Breastfeeding And Pumping Schedule

The breastfeeding and pumping schedule is something that can be hard to manage for new moms.

For many moms, breastfeeding and breast pumping don’t go together. However, this combination is amazing for you and your baby. Breastfeeding is natural and easy. Many people wonder why breast pumping is needed if you can breastfeed.

In this article, we will talk about the reason for breastfeeding and pumping at the same time, how to do it, and everything else that could be helpful to you.

Why Combine Breastfeeding And Pumping?

Before you dive into the breastfeeding and pumping schedule, it’s good to know why this combination is so good. First of all, this gives you a lot of freedom. When you combine breastfeeding and pumping, you’re free to leave the house more often.

You don’t have to be attached to your baby 24/7. Someone else can feed him or her with your pumped breast milk.

Besides, not every woman enjoys breastfeeding. Maybe you’re doing it for your baby, but you’re not a fan of it. Pumping is a great way to take a break from breastfeeding from time to time.

If your partner is interested in feeding your child, pumping sessions are a great way to make that happen. Your child will get your milk, and your partner will create a stronger connection by feeding him or her.

Another reason for this is going back to work. Maybe you can’t stay at home for more than a few months, but you want your baby to drink your milk, not the formula.

Setting up a breastfeeding and pumping schedule will be helpful for lactation. When pumping and breastfeeding, you’re stimulating lactation and you’re producing more milk. So, if you’re having troubles with your milk supply, include a pumping session in your daily routine.

Finally, one important reason for creating a breastfeeding and pumping schedule at the same time is because of a medical condition or illness. If breastfeeding isn’t possible because of a skin condition, oral infection, or yeast infection, you can still give your breast milk to the baby using a bottle.

If you have to separate from your baby, pumping sessions will save both of you. These things happen, and pumping can make your life easier. The breastfeeding and pumping schedule can be confusing in the beginning, but you will get the hang of it sooner than you think.

Breastfeeding And Pumping Schedule

Emptying your breasts or removing the milk should happen every 2-3 hours. So, that should be the first thing to remember when making your schedule for breastfeeding and pumping.

This is a natural instinct of your body. Your baby should be fed often, and your breasts shouldn’t hold milk for too long. If you’re not breastfeeding or pumping when often, you could develop clogs in your breasts.

Milk getting out is great for flushing out your nipples and milk ducts. Besides, you feel pressure and pain when you wait for too long to remove the milk from the breasts.

If you’re successful with the breastfeeding and pumping schedule, you should know that your milk supply will be increased. The more you pump or breastfeed, the more milk is being produced.

So, be ready for a lot of breast milk. Maybe you want to provoke lactation, but if you’re not interested in that, it’s important to know that breastfeeding and pumping sessions will induce increased lactation.

Of course, that’s a good thing. It’s proof that your body is amazing. This amazing thing will help you if you have problems with the amount of your breast milk. You will be able to help yourself naturally.

With this information, you have your first step in creating a breastfeeding and pumping schedule. Now you know how often you should do it and how it affects your lactation. It would be best to get yourself a planner to keep everything on track and in order because, you know, mom’s brain.

I will give you an example of the schedule, but you should adjust it to your lifestyle. This is a good example if you’re going to work.

• 6 AM – Breastfeeding
• 8 AM – Breastfeeding
• 10 AM – Pumping session
• 1 PM – Pumping session
• 4 PM – Breastfeeding
• 6 PM – Breastfeeding
• 8 PM – Breastfeeding
• 11 PM – Breastfeeding
• 2 AM – Pumping session

Of course, you should modify this schedule if needed. Maybe you have different working hours. Sometimes you will pump your breast milk a few times in a row, and sometime you will breastfeed a few times in a row.

Another thing to consider is the age of your baby. If your baby is older and he or she is eating solid foods, giving breast milk doesn’t have to be that often.

Equipment For A Successful Breastfeeding And Pumping Schedule

To be honest, making a good schedule for breastfeeding and pumping is not that difficult. All you have to know is that emptying your breasts should happen every 2-3 hours. So that means that your baby will eat up to 10 times a day.

After that realization, you do what works for you. It all depends on your day, responsibilities, work, and free time. Feeding time usually lasts for 15 to 20 minutes, but it’s all individual.

The one thing that can be challenging is making this experience great. Breastfeeding and pumping can be difficult, painful, and overwhelming. For that reason, it’s important to make an effort to make all of this easier.

Let’s start with breastfeeding. Breastfeeding seems simple and easy. It’s natural and you don’t need so many things to get started. However, I will give you some tips and tricks to improve your breastfeeding experience.

Make Sure You’re Comfortable

If you’re having problems while breastfeeding, you should do everything in your power to change that. The first step is being relaxed and comfortable.  Do your research and find a good nursing pillow.

This will make you and your baby more comfortable during breastfeeding. It will help you by freeing your hands. Because of that, you will be able to concentrate on your baby and breastfeeding. Give your baby time to nurse.

There are many nursing pillows out there, but you need to find the one that works best. You know what kinds of support you need and you will pick the best one for you.

Nipple Cream Or Ointment

If your breastfeeding is an uncomfortable experience, try finding a good nipple ointment or cream. Even if your nipples seem fine, maybe you need to moisturize them to relieve the pain.

Nipple cream or coconut oil are great for possible cracks and dry skin, which can be extremely painful when your baby is latching. Of course, make sure to use something organic, without any harmful ingredients.

Nursing Bra Or Nursing Top

Many women use a regular bra or go braless when they breastfeed. However, you should think about finding a good nursing bra for yourself. Your breasts need support and you need to breastfeed with ease. With a nursing bra, access to your breasts is easier, and the whole process goes a lot faster.

Find A Way To Relax

A warm bath will do wonders for a breastfeeding mom. It will relax your mind, and it will relax your body. If your breastfeeding sessions are difficult, sometimes you have to think about different ways to make this easier. A warm bath or a massage will help you with your mindset and relaxation while breastfeeding.

Think About Using A Bottle

If you’re having trouble with breastfeeding or your milk supply, think about using a bottle-feeding technique sometimes. Sometimes it’s good to take a break if you’re struggling. Plus, it’s good to teach your baby to use a bottle.

As you can see, many methods could make your breastfeeding experience easier and nicer. Some tips will help you with your pumping sessions.

Find A Good Breast Pump

Right now, there are many types of breast pumps available. Every mom is different, and every type of pump is good for someone.

Manual Breast Pump

A manual breast pump is great because you don’t need a power supply to use it. However, it takes some time to finish your pumping session when using a manual breast pump, since you’re the one who’s manually pumping the milk.

Electric Breast Pump

Electric breast pumps are great because they get the job done fast. You can choose between a single electric pump or a double electric pump. The difference between them is that the single pump can pump one breast at a time, and the double pump can pump two breasts at a time.

These pumps have a lot of parts and attachments that should be cleaned and sanitized regularly. Also, you need a power supply when using an electric pump.

Wearable breast pump

Wearable breast sounds like the best choice. These pumps are battery-operated and they fit inside your bra. You can wear them whenever you want while working on other activities.

If your pumping sessions are often, a wearable breast pump could give you much freedom since you will definitely be hands-free with this one. 

Besides finding the perfect breast pump for yourself, keep in mind that you will also need other things that will make your pumping more comfortable. You will need some cleaning wipes and bra pads.

If you don’t want to get your breast milk everywhere, this is important for cleaning up and making sure that you don’t ruin your clothes.

If you’re breast-pumping a lot, it’s good to consider a cold storage bag. Of course, if you’re at home most of the time, there is no need for one since you can put your milk into a freezer and make a freezer stash.

But, if you’re pumping outside of your home, a good, cold storage bag is a great option to store your breast milk. This is a must if you’re only doing exclusive pumping. Exclusive pumping means that you’re only pumping your breast milk, without breastfeeding. That’s why a freezer stash is necessary.

How To Deal with  Low Milk Supply

If you’re a new mom and you’re dealing with a low milk supply, don’t worry. This is something that happens often and it’s, nothing to be worried about. There are solutions, tips, and tricks that will help you with your milk production.

The reason why I want to include this in my article is the fact that many moms consider pumping and breastfeeding at the same time.

This combination will increase your milk production since you will be provoking it. Your lactation will improve if you make an effort to do so. Remember, it’s possible if you work hard and devote yourself to creating.

After the delivery, it’s hard to accept that your baby can’t consume your breast milk. So, the first thing is to make sure that your baby is not hungry. Using formula until you increase your milk production is fine.

Breastfeeding is quite simple. You need to remove the milk from your breasts as often as possible. This will encourage your glands to produce more milk because they will get a signal that you need milk all the time.

That’s why pumping and breastfeeding go well together. Make sure to study the right way to position your baby, because sometimes if the baby’s latch isn’t good. Baby’s mouth should surround your breast. If the baby looks like a fish, that means they have a good latch. Also, the baby’s chin should touch your breasts, and you should feel or hear swallowing.

If none of this is happening, you should try to adjust yourself or the baby. Don’t be afraid to put your breast inside the baby’s mouth. Some babies have difficulties latching on properly.

It’s essential to be persistent in trying. Try to stay calm because your stress will not help. Relax, and try to be natural about this.

Another important thing about your milk supply is the right diet. There are certain things you could eat or drink that will help you to produce more milk. Some of them are fenugreek, oats, raspberry tea, or oat milk.

In general, you should be drinking plenty of water and eat healthier. So, drink a few bottles of water a day and eat fruits and veggies. A balanced diet is the best. Try to avoid unhealthy foods and drinks, and focus on enriching your diet with good things. A lot of fluids, vitamins, minerals, proteins, and good fats will boost the production of your breast milk.

As I’ve mentioned before, examine your breasts for micro-injuries. If you’re hurting, maybe you have some micro-injuries on your nipples, which makes it painful to breastfeed. No nursing means no milk production.

Also, maybe your milk is clogged inside your breasts. If your breasts feel hard and tender, try to put on a warm compress or take a warm shower. This should help, and your breast milk should start to flow.

So, there are many things you can do to make your breastfeeding more successful. However, sometimes you need a little helper, and that is a breast pump.

It’s not the worst idea to buy the perfect one while you’re still pregnant. Usually, people are busy and confused when they have a baby. Of course, this is not a must, if you don’t have one, buy it now.

Breastfeeding and pumping schedules are not just for those moms who want to store their milk, or who have to go to work. Creating this routine can help you to increase your milk supply.

Pumping sessions should also happen as often as possible. If you have the time, do it all the time. Do it even right after a breastfeeding session. It sounds silly because maybe there is no milk at all, but the signal is what matters. So, relax and start pumping.

Your breasts need a signal that you’re asking for more milk. Even if you get only a few drops by pumping, do it.

Pumping sessions to resolve your milk production problems are also great because of the timing. For example, many women say that they have more milk early in the morning.

So, regardless of your breastfeeding, do some pumping work as soon as you wake up. If you’ve chosen the wrong breast pump, switch it up. You have to find your way of doing this. Trust me, a 15 minutes pumping can do wonders.

Another important thing about pumping to increase milk supply is power pumping. Power pumping is a determined way to create more breast milk. So, when power pumping, pump until your breast is empty. Take at least 20 minutes to pump. Then, take a 10-minute break and pump for around 10 minutes. Then again, take a 10-minute break, and pump again for 10 minutes.

This will be challenging, but it will boost your milk supply. It sounds time-consuming and hopeless, but it works for most women. If you’re struggling with all of this, you can always hire a lactation consultant.

Take Care Of Your Mental Health

Taking care of your mindset and attitude is essential for this time of your life. Making a breastfeeding and pumping schedule and worrying about pumping sessions and milk supply is pretty hard.

Unfortunately, so many people will judge you and accuse you of being overly dramatic. But I get you. I understand your stress and guilt. You feel like you need a clone. You feel like you can’t do all of this.

Logically, that makes you feel like a bad mom. Even though I get you, I have to stay – stop. Stop with that kind of thinking. Make yourself stop. Postpartum depression is not a joke; you must get yourself together.

Yes, it hurts to make all of these schedules for breastfeeding and pumping. It’s hard to plan everything. It hurts even more if you’re having problems with your breast milk supply.

However, at the end of the day, ask yourself is this the end of the world? Will your baby suffer because of this? Are you the first woman in the world who has to deal with this?

It is cliché, but it helps. You have to use these motivational speeches all the time. You have to lift your spirit. Keep trying to do everything you can to give your baby everything you want. I am just asking you not to lose yourself in all of this.

Even if you fail at every attempt to create a good schedule for breastfeeding and pumping, don’t worry. Even if you feel bad for going to work and your baby is being bottle-fed, don’t worry.

Even if you can’t do any of this successfully, don’t worry. Your baby drinks the formula – don’t worry. Don’t worry because none of this makes you a bad parent.

You’ve done everything and it’s not working. Try to focus on your baby and your moments with him and her. This is life, and sometimes it doesn’t go the way we planned it. So, learn to go with the flow.

Also, if you don’t want to breastfeed, that is fine. If you don’t want to pump your milk, that’s also fine. Maybe you have no desire to make your schedule for breastfeeding and pumping. Maybe you don’t have a valid reason for all of this, even though your milk supply is more than enough.

You’re a human being and it’s okay not to like something. If these experiences make you uncomfortable physically or mentally, don’t do them. Your baby will survive and everything will be fine.

Your baby needs a happy mom, and everything is great as long as you love your baby and care for his or her health. Once more – don’t lose yourself in motherhood, and follow your path.

Conclusion

Making a breastfeeding and pumping schedule is not that hard, but it seems impossible to think about when your head is filled with many things.

I gave you some suggestions that will guide you, but you should think about your preferences. Now that you know some essential things about breastfeeding and the pumping schedule, breast pumps, and milk supply, sit down and grab a pen.

Write down what you need to remember and start to create your plan for this.

Play with it.

Think about your day, your bay, and your habits in general.

Simply find what works for you.