Editing Openai/69456562-7124-8011-b8b7-c73549340c7c (section)

=== Assistant: You’ll see that advice because the first 4–6 weeks postpartum are when your milk supply is being “set,” and pumping can… ===
You’ll see that advice because the first 4–6 weeks postpartum are when your milk supply is being “set,” and pumping can change how that process unfolds — sometimes helpfully, sometimes not.

Here’s what’s actually behind the recommendation (and when it does not apply).

==== What’s happening in your body in the first 4–6 weeks ====

===== 1. Milk supply is hormonally driven at first =====
* In the early postpartum period, milk production is mostly controlled by hormones (prolactin + the drop in progesterone after birth).
* Around 4–6 weeks, control shifts to supply-and-demand (how much milk is removed).

Because of this:
* Frequent milk removal (nursing or pumping) tells your body to make more.
* Less removal tells it to make less.

===== 2. Pumping early can lead to oversupply =====

Internet advice often aims to prevent:
* Engorgement
* Clogged ducts
* Mastitis
* Fast/forceful letdown that can overwhelm babies

If someone is:
* Nursing effectively
* Has no supply issues
* Pumps in addition to normal feeds

…they may unintentionally signal their body to make more milk than their baby needs.

So the advice is often shorthand for:

: “If breastfeeding is going well, don’t add extra pumping yet unless you have a reason.”

===== 3. Early pumping can mask latch or transfer issues =====

If a baby:
* Isn’t transferring milk well
* Has a shallow latch, tongue tie, or low stamina

Pumping and bottle-feeding can:
* Maintain supply but
* Delay identifying the underlying feeding issue

Some providers want to see how breastfeeding stabilizes before adding pumping.

==== When this advice does NOT apply ====

Many people should pump before 4–6 weeks, including those who:
* Are exclusively pumping
* Have a baby in the NICU
* Have low supply or delayed milk coming in
* Need to supplement temporarily
* Are returning to work early
* Have painful latch or feeding difficulties
* Are managing mental health and need flexibility

In these cases, early pumping can be protective and necessary, not harmful.

==== Why internet advice feels so rigid (and frustrating) ====

Most of this guidance:
* Is one-size-fits-all
* Was designed around an “ideal” breastfeeding scenario
* Doesn’t account for postpartum mental health, sleep deprivation, or real life

For someone postpartum (especially with anxiety, depression, or a history of disordered eating), rigid rules can feel punitive instead of supportive.

==== Bottom line ====

The real principle is:

: Milk removal builds supply — pumping is just one way to remove milk.

Early pumping isn’t “bad.”
It’s context-dependent.

If you want, I can:
* Help you decide whether pumping makes sense for your situation
* Explain how to pump early without triggering oversupply
* Help you ignore bad internet advice with confidence

You’re not doing anything wrong by questioning this — especially as a new mom navigating a lot already.