Modern women are being made to believe that pumping is a necessary part of the breastfeeding experience. This has not always been the case. At one time, these were expensive and large electric machines that were rented out to mothers who had sick infants or medical conditions that prevented them from breastfeeding for an extended period of time. Human milk was obtained and fed to these premature or sick babies and their mothers were able to maintain a milk supply until direct breastfeeding could be done. Milk banks collected extra donor milk to benefit those infants whose mothers were unable to breastfeed them.

Over the past two decades sophisticated and portable devices for removing breastmilk have become widely available. Many Lactation Consultants now actively promote and sell them to breastfeeding mothers. A subtle shift in thinking has taken place which suggests that using a pump is now necessary rather optional to ensure breastfeeding success.

Unfortunately, pumping can have a negative impact upon a mother’s experience.

1. It Creates Worry about the Milk Supply. If a mother pumps and gets what she considers to be a small amount, she may be more likely to supplement with formula. Worse yet, she might completely abandon her breastfeeding fearing that she has an insufficient milk supply.

2. Results Obtained will Vary Greatly. Some mothers seem to have an endless supply of milk that they can extract at will. However, the majority of breastfeeding women will get inconsistent results. What they are able to get depends upon whether they have recently breastfed or are even breastfeeding at all. In some rare cases, a mother may get virtually nothing when she pumps, but will be able to fully breasteed. All of this variability is due to design limitations of the machines currently on the market; they only seem to be able to access and extract milk that has already moved forward in the breast.

3. It Removes only a Percentage of the Available Milk. No machine exits that can remove milk as well as a breastfeeding baby. Areas of congestion in the mother’s breasts may develop as a result. If actual breastfeeding is being combined with pumping, the storage capacity and comfort of the breasts can be affected.

4. It Ties the Mother Down. The breastfeeding mother is the only one who can pump her milk or breastfeed her baby.

5. It can be Uncomfortable. Most women get used to the way a pump feels. It is significantly more comfortable to breastfeed well, than it is to use even the most deluxe machine. Both the nipples and the breasts feel better when the mother puts the baby to her breast with a deep latch.

6. It is Time Consuming. It adds extra work to an already full day of feeding and caring for a new baby. Breastfeeding well removes milk more quickly and efficiently while allowing the mother to spend quality time with her baby.

7. The Milk is a Pooled Sample. Expressed milk often includes more water than fats and may leave the baby less satisfied if given in smaller amounts. In addition, there is always air in a bottle. Bottle feeding the mother’s milk can change the behavior of the baby at the breast; it may impact both the quality and amount of breastfeeding being done.

“Conscious Breastfeeding” moms understand that there is a time and a place for pumping. They have a paced rhythm to their breastfeeding which enables them to be available for feedings and rely less on relief bottles. They can readily see that their baby drives the milk supply and only pump if absolutely necessary. They often do not need to extract their milk unless they are working outside of the home or needing to be away for an extended period during any given day

To learn more about this mother-led breastfeeding approach and to get your free Mini Conscious Breastfeeding Course, visit us at The Breastfeeding Salon. Join our vibrant unique community of moms at the Conscious Breastfeeding Space.

By: Maire Clements

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Women in our culture are sometimes advised to avoid spicy or “gassy” foods when nursing. Or they are told that chocolate, citrus, carbonated beverages or dairy causes problems in all nursing babies.

As a breastfeeding educator, I often see women warning other Moms that they need
to avoid certain foods while breastfeeding. There are also websites that give unproven breastfeeding advice that claim that women must eat a certain kind of diet in order to make quality milk for her baby. So what is the truth?

Does a nursing Mom need to restrict her diet?
Are there foods that a Mom should avoid while breastfeeding?

Generally speaking, a nursing Mom does NOT need to restrict her diet.

Obviously, drinking heavily or excessive caffeine consumption (meaning several cups of coffee a day) is a no-no, but other than that, there is no reason for a breastfeeding Mother to assume that she needs to avoid any foods.

So called “gassy” foods do not affect the nursing infant because the undigested carbs that cause gas in Mom do not pass into breastmilk.  It is literally impossible for “gassy” foods to cause gas in babies except in the rare case of an infant being allergic to one of these foods.

Interestingly, according to the La Leche League (considered the world’s foremost authority on breastfeeding) website, “In Italy, mothers are often told not to eat garlic, cauliflower, lentils, and red peppers. In India most mothers eat all these things and breastfeed very happily. Actually, in parts of India they believe that garlic helps a
mother to breastfeed successfully!”

There are even a couple of studies that showed that babies nursed longer and with more vigor when their Moms ate garlic.

The advice given to a nursing Mom varies according to local culture and the popular “old wive’s tales”. Women all over the world eating a wide variety of foods produce good quality milk and have thriving babies. There is not a shred of evidence that supports the idea that eating a special diet helps make breastmilk “richer”.

Consequently, there is no one food that all breastfeeding Moms should avoid.  Breastfeeding women should eat a variety of healthy foods, just as they did while they were pregnant.

The only exception would be if your baby has food allergies/sensitivies, which is rare but not unheard of. If your family has a strong history of allergy to a specific food (such as peanuts), you might consider avoiding that food while nursing and during pregnancy.

Enjoy nursing your baby!

By: Carrie Lauth

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