How soon can I begin exclusively breast pumping ?

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Well, that all depends on when you decide exclusively breast pumping is right for you.

The first thing you need to do in any case is look into getting a good breast pump for exclusive breast pumping. You can call your local hospital, and rent a hospital-grade breast pump. Another alternative is to research "everyday use" breast pumps and purchase one that you think will work best for your preferences.

Second, you will need to research a good formula to have on hand in case you need to supplement your own breast milk. Do not feel guilty about this; many of us were brought up on formula and turned out perfectly wonderful.

Now, when have you made this decision for exclusively breast pumping? Have you decided to exclusively breast pump after having problems bringing your baby to breast? If this is the case, you first need to put aside your feelings of guilt about not being able to bring your baby to breast exclusively. Immediately begin using your breast pump and feed your baby any breast milk that comes out, along with any supplemental formula, until you get a good supply of breast milk. Second, if you feel up to it, continue to bring baby to breast and practice correct latching, etc, while continuing to breast pump to build up your breast milk supply. Again, if you continue to have problems bringing baby to breast, either physically or emotionally, remember that you are still giving your baby the very best milk you can by breast pumping, and you can still bond with your baby in so many ways.

However, have you decided to exclusively breast pump before your baby is born? Then, you will want to make sure to have a good everyday breast pump ready to use before your baby is born. You can either bring your breast pump to the hospital with you when your baby is born, or you can request to use one of the hospital-grade breast pumps while at the hospital.