Let's Start with the Myths

People come to Baby Café Bakersfield all the time with stories of how they were told by their doctor to pump "to see how much milk the baby is getting."  

Here's the problem with that advice.  Pumping doesn't tell you how much milk the baby is getting.  Pumping tells you how much milk you were able to get out THIS time, using THIS pump.  Babies and pumps are not the same.  If your baby isn't transferring milk efficiently, your pump can't tell you that.  Pumping can be misleading and interfere in many ways with breastfeeding.  

We'll say it again: pumping does not give you any information that helps you to know how much milk your baby is getting.  

If you have received this advice from anyone, please do yourself and your baby a favor: come see us.  Talk to an IBCLC.  We can help you learn what you really need to know when you're breastfeeding.  We are IBCLCs: that's what we do.  We're specialists in human lactation.  We're trained to counsel and educate adults.  We're responsible to provide you with appropriate information to protect you, your baby, and your ability to breastfeed.  

Pumps have a purpose.  Their purpose is not to tell you how much milk your baby gets.   

Christine Staricka, BS, IBCLC, RLC, CCE