If you are going back to work at 6 weeks don t start pumping until 4 weeks.
When can i start pumping breast milk for storage.
Ideally when you are trying to create a stockpile of milk you will wait until about 2 3 weeks before returning to work to start pumping.
For 2 weeks in the ice compartment of a fridge.
Store it in small quantities to avoid wasting any.
Some mothers may start pumping right away if they aren t completely committed to long term breastfeeding.
You can also do the pumping in between breastfeeding sessions.
Pumping milk can also help a mother for working mothers for it helps them to store milk for the baby to feed when away at work.
However it is always good to wait before you introduce a bottle to your baby.
If you are very uncomfortable with a very full feeling in your breasts in the first few weeks after your baby is born you may want to relieve engorgement with an occasional pumping session.
Your breast milk can then be kept.
Ideally you should store breast milk in the fridge or freezer as soon as possible but at least within 4 hours of pumping especially if the room is warmer than 77ºf 25 c.
At the back of the fridge not the door for up to 8 days at 4 c or lower in the ice compartment of the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
In practice though most health professionals recommend that you establish your breastfeeding routine first before using a breast pump.
You learned when to start pumping how often to pump how long to pump and how much milk you can expect to pump.
Perhaps half an hour to an hour after or before nursing you can start pumping.
In theory you can start collecting milk any time.
Breast milk can be stored in a sterilised container or special storage bags remember to label and date it.
This way your baby will still have a good amount of milk left for the next feeding time.
If you know that you want to breastfeed exclusively at least for the first month or two you may not need to start pumping until one of the following scenarios make it necessary.
Well mama you made it through.
This was a lot of breast pumping information to take in.
Your breasts are milk producing champs and you need relief.
Some moms start breast pumping as soon as the baby is born to ensure steady milk supply if they are not producing enough.
Breast pumping 101 concluded.
You can store breast milk in a sterilised container or in special breast milk storage bags.