I’m often asked if a mother should pump before breastfeeding to make sure she has enough milk. This question usually comes about because most mothers don’t feel any significant changes in their breasts until about 3 to 5 days after having the baby.

Pumping can be problematic before post-partum day 5 because colostrum ( the first milk made by mom’s body) is not removed well via breast pump. This is because colostrum is thick and sticky with the consistency of honey.

The best person to remove colostrum is a well latching baby. It’s beneficial to focus on direct breast-feeding for first couple of weeks, typically 3 to 4, before offering any pumped milk in a bottle.

When newborns are introduced to bottles before breast-feeding is going well, some babies have difficulties with taking the breast.

While there are exceptions to the rule such as mom and baby being separated or baby having difficulty feeding, allowing the baby to nurse from the breast provides the most effective stimulation to a mother’s body which supports healthy breast milk production.

Comment “Community” to be added to my FREE virtual breastfeeding support group where I go live once a week to discuss various breastfeeding topics. The group is a safe space to connect with other expecting, post-partum and aspiring moms as well as birth-workers. 🌸

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