- Nursing mothers have to keep up their milk supply. This doesn't happen automatically; it requires effort.
- To keep up their milk supply, moms have to either nurse or pump, ideally on a schedule.
- Nursing is more efficient than pumping, both in terms of milk production and stimulating future supply. It is also much easier and more pleasant.
- Babies eat every 2-4 hours, depending on their age. This means mom needs to nurse or pump every 2-4 hours.
- Missing a nursing session is physically uncomfortable and can lead to painful conditions like clogged milk ducts and mastitis, a duct infection.
I used to wonder why people said formula was more convenient. You need to buy formula and tote bottles around with you and prepare and wash up. With nursing, your milk is always with you, warm and ready to go. The problem is that, after the first few months, the baby isn't always with you. I keep seeing statistics showing that working women give up nursing early. I'm not surprised.
Update: The Moms in Law School Roundup classified me as "irritated." I'm not, exactly. I don't expect everyone's schedule to revolve around my nursing needs. I do wish that once I explained about nursing, people would get it. Instead, I find myself saying the same thing to the same people over and over. For instance, not to single them out, but the grandparents always want to spend time with the baby, and they think they are being nice by giving me a break. "Go ahead, go out," they say. I say no, I have to feed K in an hour. They reply, "Don't worry, I'll feed him. You should go, you deserve a break." Et cetera. It's tiring to constantly have to defend my choices.
