Breastfeeding and Pumping

by Cassie
(Ponchatoula, LA)

Let's say I go shopping for the day and I leave my baby home with my husband with pumped breast milk. What do I do with the milk supply that is coming in that day? Obviously I will not be able to pump the milk every 3 hours while I'm shopping for the day.
Answer from the lactation consultant
You dont use it, you lose it. You will become engorged, which can lead to reduced milk supply or worse a breast infection/mastitis. If you wish to maintain your supply for future feeding, then you must empty at the SAME intervals the baby would be feeding. So yes, you DO have to empty every 3 hours if that is what your baby is feeding.

Liz Pevytoe, RN, IBCLC