Mary-Jane, I have thought you were supposed to help mom get started
pumping if baby hasn't gone to breast by six hours postpartum, to
stimulate milk supply and to avoid or minimize engorgement. It's true
we do not want to "mechanize" breastfeeding. On the other hand, aren't
the glands very sensitive to back pressure from non-removal of milk in
the early days, which can lead to lowered milk supply in the future?
I've also heard that milk supply is "mother-driven" in the early days,
and "baby-driven" later. I don't know at what point baby's not being
at the breast has long-term effects. You're right to consider that
some moms will just throw in the towel if you overload them with
tasks! However,I have memory of several moms whose engorgement was so
remarkable that their babies hadn't a PRAYER of latching!  And while I
was able to elicit let-down, express and get baby latched, those moms
had permanently affected milk supplies. (With their next babies milk
supply was ok.)
Will the WISEONES please comment?
Regards, Rowena Tucker,BS,MA,BS,PA,MOM,LLLL,IBCLC (there's my life
story in a nutshell!)
College Station, Texas, USA, where we have a "ways to go" as they
say......





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