I breastfeed exclusively, I rarely pump unless I have to make a run and leave my daughter home with my husband. Drink lots of fluids and take Fenugreek it is an all natural pill that helps with milk supply. I take the fenugreek so that I can have extra milk because my breast only produces how much my daughter drinks and let me tell you the fenugreek works so fast for me. The first day I took one pill within hours I had about 24 oz of extra milk pumped.

@nvonehrenkrook, okay thanks I was aware of the drinking I drink water more than anything but I’m deff going to increase it a lot and eat more healthy foods as well .

I agree with the making sure you drink a ton. Also make sure to eat as well. With my 1st I always had a low supply but it was enough to feed her. I didn't start pumping with her till she was a few months old. We breastfed till she was 18 months. With my second I've been making a lot more milk. I only pump when she doesn't eat very well. I started pumping from the start with her. She's 2 and a half months and has been sleeping between 6-8 hours. So I end up pumping at night cus she only eats for a few minutes on 1 side then falls asleep

@mrs.hibben, that’s a good idea so dad can help me at night !! And I guess you have to be one of those people because I know plenty who pumped all the time and didn’t get a over supply

I pumped once I got home. Just enough to have a bottle at night so my mom could help me. Once the bottle was used I’d pump so my body knew to make more milk. So that gave me a bottle for the next night. I never got an oversupply. I may have been lucky though.

@raqueliiosiis, thanks can I come to you for assistance if I feel I need it ?

@raqueliiosiis, okay thanks !!

I EBF but I do pump here and there. When we where in the hospital baby was taken to the nicu for a day and a half so on day 2 the hospital allowed me to pump. I would go to the nicu every 3 hours to feed him and once I came back to the room I would pump for 15 minutes to encourage my milk to come in. Now I feed on demand so when he’s hungry I feed him. He unlatches when he doesn’t want anymore. Usually I feed him from one boob do a diaper change and then see if he’ll take the other boob he usually does but doesn’t empty it.

@itty_bitty, maybe I am over thinking it cause when I had my son they made it a horrible experience for 1 because I have c-sections so I can’t breast feed right away I’m not even all the way there until the 3rd /4th hr . Then my supply wasn’t there by the 3rd day so he caught jaundice by the 4th day there they was just annoyed with everything specially him crying all night so they practically stopped helping me and just gave me formula and said it wasn’t for me .

Breast fed for 3 months to regulate supply then started pumping! I would give it like a month and then do the pumping...cause over supply can be painful as well as emotionally exhausting 😂

@hbowen2018, they got hateful about you pumping and breast feeding ? Did you have a good supply bout time you left the hospital ?

@kambam, yes I have thought about how time consuming that would be setting up and cleaning and all of that !! Hopefully my supply comes in good by that time !

With my second, i pumped after feedings to empty the other side, or if i still had a lot in the side he ate off of id punp it for about 3min or less depending on how much he got out of it.

The hospital let me have a pump the night he was born so i could get everything started (he didnt want to eat for the first 5hrs) but they got hateful about it 🙄

@bigmama18,@bigmama18, thank you for the pointers !! And yes mental is deff important I had to quit with my son because my supply just wasn’t there and also I have problems with my tissue in my breast and the littlest things will cause a huge cluster of cyst and growths that have to be surgically removed . So hopefully I can do it this time around because I really want to . I know they told me once I have baby to start back seeing my breast specialist specially since I really want to breast feed

Whatever works for you. For me pumping sucked. Hated setting the pump up, it hurt, trying to pump with a fussy baby, washing parts etc. My supply was fine after coming in at day 3

@kambam, I know I have to do both because I have to have a supply for when I’m not around baby and specially when I start back working . But I deff don’t have to do it out the gate though . How long did it take for you to get a good supply ?

@kambam, mines allow you too they offer pumps and when I had my son which was my 1st they allowed me to pump and feed at the same time or maybe because they knew he wasn’t getting enough so they was just trying to get me to produce more since he caught jaundice the 3rd day we was there . I have c-sections so I stay 4/5 days and because I lose so much blood on the table they keep me until my levels go back up

Only breastfeeding. Any hospital that is pro ebf wont allow you to pump while there. They want you to nurse and keep checking the baby on you. You can pump once you get home.

I pumped to supplement for a while. Freakin hated it and stopped asap. Just my experience.

@itty_bitty, okay how do you know when he has enough or when he hasn’t . Is it because they won’t want to feed anymore if they have had enough ? Do you take turns nursing on both or just switch each feeding ? I feel like my left boob will produce more than my right one !!

I recommend not pumping right away. You will have an over supply and can get a clogged duct from it. Wait about 4-6 weeks until your supply is consistent. There are 3 simple things to do. Most important: have a strong support system. Nursing is hard. Sleepless nights, cluster feeding, cracked nipples. It can make you want to give up. It’s hard when you have a baby attached to your boob 24/7 with no help. Having someone to encourage you will help you push through. #2. Drink a lot of water. When you feel like you can’t drink anymore, drink more. And lastly. Try and relax. It’s hard work but it’s rewarding. Take it 1 feed at a time. You and your baby will need to have time to get to know each other and work out those feeding kinks. Be proud of any amount of time you breastfeed. Don’t let anyone make you feel bad for not doing it as long as they deem appropriate. 1 day, 1 week or 3 years. Be proud of what you’ve accomplished. If nursing makes you lose your mind it’s ok to stop. Your mental health is more important than nursing.