Do You Need to Pump & Dump?

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I shared on Instagram earlier this week a post about the realities of attempting date night 3 weeks postpartum.

Not sure if I would call this weekend's date night a win or a fail. I'd probably give it a thumb sideways or a C for good effort. (We pooped out around 9 pm). Let's talk about what date night really looks like 3 weeks postpartum . . . 1️⃣ First of all, there has to be a sitter available that you totally trust so that you can actually enjoy yourself (which can feel terrifying as a first time mom). Fortunately having done this before I know some people (thanks @lucyluce4 ). That's said, I still found myself checking in with the sitter more than normal. These are the times I'm grateful for texting. 2️⃣ Finding something to wear out that actually fits your new chest (and can hide possible leakage) and somewhat disguises your belly can take some time if you're not prepared. Again, because I've been through this before, I have a few pieces in my closet. Of course, I wasn't really feeling any of them, but at least I had them. And honestly we both just tried too hard. As soon as we were actually out we both looked at each other and said we wished we were in t-shirts & sneakers. 3️⃣ Feed the baby or pump right before you leave so you are not engorged in the middle of dinner (Let's face it – this might happen anyways). 😉 4️⃣Go somewhere close by in case you do need to rush home last minute. We headed to @sushirokusm . I hadn't had any in about a year. Plus I was craving a cold glass of beer. We had full intentions of going out after but we were both tired so we grabbed dessert at @sweetladyjanebakerycafe & @pinkberryswirl which are literally down the block from us. 5️⃣All that said, we did enjoy being alone together with no distractions for about 2 hours. To be honest, I would have been fine just sitting there in silence but in the same note it felt like I hadn't really talked to my husband in forever. So good to remind each other of who we were as a couple before kids. FYI, Mr. B and I have been together 20 years so we had a lot of childless years together. 💑💑💑💑 So do you consider this a win or a fail? Anyone else have any early postpartum outing stories? . . . . #datenight #datenightoutfit #3weekspostpartum #postpartumweightloss #postpartumbody #saraspostjourney

A post shared by Sara Haley (@sarahaleyfit) on

Many of you cheered me on and voted it a definite win! In fact, I received several comments about how you hoped you would do the same in your next postnatal recovery, including questions about whether I pumped and dumped that night. Some of you saw my answer and followed up by direct messaging me and asked me to send you information I had on pumping and dumping. Below are a few reputable organizations with links to the articles sharing their expertise.

The LaLeche League is an international nonprofit advocacy group that is known for its expertise and promotion of breastfeeding. In this article, the league points out the fact that mothers are receiving conflicting information on the topic of breastfeeding and alcohol consumption and shares some great ways to decide whether to pump and dump, like your baby’s age, the mother’s size, and alcohol and food consumption.

Dr. Jack Newman MD, FRCPC, a member of La Leche League International’s Health Advisory Council says: “Reasonable alcohol intake should not be discouraged at all . . . very little alcohol comes out in the milk. The mother can take in some alcohol and continue breastfeeding as she normally does. Prohibiting alcohol is another way we make life unnecessarily restriction for nursing mothers.” Read more HERE.

Here are a few other articles having similar discussions:

Bundoo.com  – a physician-driven resource where expecting and new parents can interact directly with doctors and healthcare experts and get information they can trust

KellyMom.com – a website developed to provide evidence-based information on breastfeeding and parenting

Slate.com – daily magazine on the web offering analysis and commentary about politics, news, business, technology, and culture.

I’d love to hear your comments and thoughts. Did you (or do you plan to) breastfeed? Did you pump and dump?

**Information is provided for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for an in-person evaluation by a qualified, independent International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) or your health care provider.

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