Pumping really helped me build up my milk supply when I was breastfeeding. Both my babies needed more milk in the early stages and I just couldn't keep up with the demand. My midwife suggested I get a pump to build supply and to give my severely damaged nipples a rest.
So I started to pump and then feed my son my milk in a bottle and would alternate between boob and bottle. At the beginning I was so disheartened to see just how little milk I was producing. It took quite some time for it to build up, but slowly I started to get more and more milk. I then weaned him off the bottle and was 100% boob feeding!
I hadn't heard of power pumping then. Power pumping mimics cluster feeding and sends a signal to the body to produce more milk. With my 2nd child I had similar feeding issues. I discovered power pumping while I was searching for solutions one night. I started to power pump once a day in the evening when my baby was sleeping. After just one day I saw a big difference in how much more milk I was producing. Over 3 days I had double! Some women try this pumping regime twice a day, once in the morning and once at night, but for me once a day was enough.
Below is the routine for double and single pump use:
I also found pumping really useful when I got mastitis. My baby wasn't fully draining my breasts in the early weeks due to her tongue-tie. By pumping after each feed I would clear any blockages and allow my breasts to completely fill again.
My babies really benefited from my good friend the breast pump! I recommend you try the power pump if you have any supply issues. Let me know how you get on, I would love to hear from you.
BIG love,
Star xx
