There are many reasons why women choose to exclusively pump and often the decision is made before baby is even born.
The choice might be based on medical reasons but also to store up a stock of milk for use at a later date, because they have to be away from their baby or simply because it suits them.• It can be very time consuming and this is precious time that you are not as focused on your baby
• Some women say they feel just like a ‘milk machine’ when they have to pump so often and it can take away the pleasure of feeding your baby.exclusively pump after your baby is born. This is because you do not produce breastmilk until after the birth of the placenta . As soon as baby is born, you can begin to pump but it is important to set expectations on how effective exclusive pumping will be if you have not established breastfeeding first.
A breastfed baby will feed frequently throughout the day and night so if you exclusively pump before establishing feeding you will need to pump at least 8-10 times a day for a minimum of 30 mins a session – and from both breasts. If possible, you should try to pump more towards the end of the day and first thing in the morning to take advantage of the Prolactin production.This depends on your milk supply but expect to pump for at least 30 minutes a session.
Successful pumping is more about your mind as well as your body – you produce milk using the hormone Prolactin but your body releases the milk. This is known as the ‘love’ hormone and is only released when you feel relaxed and safe. We also call this process the ‘let-down reflex’ – you can have boobs full of milk but if you do not release oxytocin you will not be able to effectively pump.