Night Time Pumping & Nursing - Helpful Hints
Nursing or pumping anytime can be exhausting, but pumping in those wee hours can become tedious and even overwhelming at times. Here are some tips to keep up the good work to keeping up your milk supply!
1. Milk supply seems to peak between 3am and 4am. If you're able to wake up then, pumping now can give you great results. Keep lights dim and set everything up before you go to sleep.
2. If you nurse your baby in the middle of the night, keep the pump by your bed plugged in and ready to go. While it might take a try or two, you'll soon figure out how to pump one breast while you nurse the other. Or wait until your baby is finished and pump both sides for less pumping gymnastics. Though tiring in the middle of the night, this allows you to take advantage of those peak milk-making hours.
3. Keep a cooler with an ice pack next to your bed. When you're through pumping, place milk in the cooler and go back to sleep. This will keep you from needing to get up and go to the refrigerator.
4.Keep a bottle of water by your bed or pumping station at all times. Sometimes a low milk supply is simply lack of proper hydration. If you're not a big water lover, add an herbal tea bag or a touch of your favorite fruit juice for flavor.
1. Milk supply seems to peak between 3am and 4am. If you're able to wake up then, pumping now can give you great results. Keep lights dim and set everything up before you go to sleep.
2. If you nurse your baby in the middle of the night, keep the pump by your bed plugged in and ready to go. While it might take a try or two, you'll soon figure out how to pump one breast while you nurse the other. Or wait until your baby is finished and pump both sides for less pumping gymnastics. Though tiring in the middle of the night, this allows you to take advantage of those peak milk-making hours.
3. Keep a cooler with an ice pack next to your bed. When you're through pumping, place milk in the cooler and go back to sleep. This will keep you from needing to get up and go to the refrigerator.
4.Keep a bottle of water by your bed or pumping station at all times. Sometimes a low milk supply is simply lack of proper hydration. If you're not a big water lover, add an herbal tea bag or a touch of your favorite fruit juice for flavor.
5. Keep snacks by the pump. It's perfectly fine and often recommended to snack late at night while you're nursing. Besides, you need those extra calories to keep up a healthy supply. Treat yourself to a Yummy Mummy Lactation Cookie each time you pump. Pair it with a glass of water or herbal tea for optimum well being. You might even be able to go back to sleep easier with a full tummy!
6. Remember that this won't last forever. Day to day (or night to night) can seem forever. A few months from now it will all be through and you'll have a happy and healthy baby thanking you with sweet kisses.
6. Remember that this won't last forever. Day to day (or night to night) can seem forever. A few months from now it will all be through and you'll have a happy and healthy baby thanking you with sweet kisses.
Posted by Yummy Mummy Cookies at 8/9/2011 9:08 AM 
Categories: Pumping
Tags: Breastfeeding Lactation Pumping Milk supply Nursing Lactation Cookie breast pump breastmilk
Categories: Pumping
Tags: Breastfeeding Lactation Pumping Milk supply Nursing Lactation Cookie breast pump breastmilk
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