Hello all,

I talk to tons of mothers all over the country and I work in hospitals in 2
different states. I am hearing, over and over from mothers, that they were
told not to pump for 3-4 weeks. This is reasonable advice, if all is going
well.  Most mothers I work with are in the paid workforce, and most get a
breastpump via their health department (low income program) or from their
private medical insurer (a whole separate discussion, not my focus here).

The problem I am encountering is this: the mother is engorged OR her baby
is not latching, but she tells me "I was told not to pump for 3-4 weeks."
The mother is then suffering the engorgement (yes, I tell her how to hand
express but she can also use her pump) OR giving her baby formula!

The mothers also want to know "Why can't I pump for 3-4 weeks?" And I think
that is a good question, which I answer for them.

Have any of you noticed this advice, and these unintended consequences? If
so, I would like to request that all of us who would be giving classes or
discharge instructions, please go into more detail as to why a mother would
defer early pump use, and also in what circumstances a pump might prove
very useful in those early weeks. Thank you. Discussion welcomed.

Laurie Wheeler RN MN IBCLC
Mississippi Gulf Coast and New Orleans LA, USA

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