# Pumping to create a stash without creating oversupply?



## 2FarmBoysMomma (Apr 6, 2011)

I want to start to create a stash so in case something were to come up or in an emergency situation I had milk for someone to feed him with. My question is how do I pump without creating a serious over supply? I am not sure if I should pump whats left over after he eats or just pump at the 2hour mark when he takes a four hour nap? Help please!


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## sunnygir1 (Oct 8, 2007)

I pumped once or twice a day, usually in the morning and/or an hour or so into the nap because it was the easiest time to have a successful pumping session. It was best for me if the baby hadn't nursed for a couple hours.

I never had any issues with over supply. I read about it plenty on these forums, but apart from some engorgement very early on and the occasional engorgement from a rare good night's sleep, I never had any such problem.









Do you have reason to believe that you will have over supply issues? It seems to me that most women can pump a moderate amount without having any problems.


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## 2FarmBoysMomma (Apr 6, 2011)

Thanks and I just wasn't sure how to go about pumping and feeding, I was worried I was going to pump and then DS would be hungry and I just pumped my milk out. I had some bad engorgement at the begining and it was causing gassy problems for DS I just didn't want to start that back up again. My Aunt is having a baby the end of the month and wants me there for her coach so I want to be able to leave DS with DH with my milk.


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## sunnygir1 (Oct 8, 2007)

How old is your baby, a month? I'm not sure when my supply evened out. I used the pump as minimally as possible to help deal with my engorgement. Does your baby nurse on both sides each feeding? If not, you can pump on the side you haven't nursed on for a while. In my experience, when the baby gets to that breast in an hour, he is able to get milk from it. I would say that if you have a good breastfeeding relationship and your baby is thriving, that pumping once or twice a day is not going to cause a supply problem either way.


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## lsmama (May 27, 2009)

I asked the same question a few months ago, and tried the pp's suggestion of pumping one side while feeding from the other for 1 morning feed per day. I did this for several weeks during our first "awake" nursing session of the day. It worked really well. I have a tendency toward oversupply, but this did not seem to exacerbate it at all. I started out getting 1 - 2 ozs, and then gradually 3. I probably have 40 - 60 ozs now. I think I started when DD was 2-3 weeks.


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## JudiAU (Jun 29, 2008)

Pump once a day at the same time. When you have what you feel is a good freezer supply for god-forbid or occasional fun, stop. Your body will adjust in the begining and then adjust again. Personally, pumping one side while nursing is too complicated.


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## sunnygir1 (Oct 8, 2007)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JudiAU*
> 
> Pump once a day at the same time. When you have what you feel is a good freezer supply for god-forbid or occasional fun, stop. Your body will adjust in the begining and then adjust again. Personally, pumping one side while nursing is too complicated.


I never pumped while breastfeeding -- it always sounded awful to me. I'd rather focus on the baby or the pump, not both at once. I did nurse the baby on one side and then pump on the other, or vice versa. Especially in the morning when my breasts tended to be full. I would then offer the baby the breast I had pumped on if he or she wanted more.


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## greenmulberry (Jan 11, 2009)

Oh I love pumping the other boob while I breast feed on the other! It takes a little coordination to get everything in place, but I let down so much better with the babe latched on to one boob. I can usually get more out of one boob pumped while nursing the other than I can out of both boobs pumped at the same time.

I have such a hesitant let down for the pump that nursing on the other boob made pumping work better for me.

I do have to hold the pump bottle firmly though now that she has started kicking.


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