My 3-week-old baby feeds well every three hours, and I would like to store my milk so that my partner can give a bottle from time to time. How do I pump my milk if the baby drinks every three hours and he literally empties me each time? He’s a big drinker! Thanks in advance for your help! Marie-Hélène

Marie-Hélène, I understand why you are asking! Since your mammary gland produces on demand, you have to increase your demand so you can pump milk to store it, even if your baby feeds regularly. To do so, you can pump your two breasts three times a day for 5-6 minutes, 90 minutes after feeding the baby. Don’t worry if you don’t get a lot of milk at the start, as it might take a couple of days before your production increases to meet both your needs and your baby’s. It should increase gradually.

 

Si tu as un tire‑lait électrique double,

If you have a double electric breast pump, it will increase your production even more due to the fact you pump both breasts at the same time. Try it at the start, and if your production doesn’t increase after 3-4 days, you may not have the right pump for your needs. If it works, great! Good luck!

Marie

The Baby Expert