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Pump And Save (Don’t Pump And Dump!)

Why are parents encouraged to dump their breast milk?

Here are a few of the most common reasons parents are told to dump their milk: If you’ve had a drink — or a few — and you’re worried about the potential alcohol or caffeine content of your milk. If you’re taking medications and you’re concerned about the medication crossing into your breast milk. You’ve pumped to prevent engorgement under not-quite-ideal conditions, such as not having sanitized pump parts or lacking access to a fridge. You’ve stored milk, but the expiration date has passed, and you don’t know what else to do with it.

Why “pump and save”?

Breast milk has so many benefits, and it’s no small feat to make it. Not only is pumping and dumping a potential waste of valuable, hard-earned milk, it can also be demoralizing to parents. And when you start feeling demoralized, it becomes harder and harder to continue breastfeeding. The reasons we encourage pumping and saving are three-fold: It helps you make informed decisions about the milk you’re feeding your baby. It maintains your supply no matter what. It can be used for topical or home remedies.

Alcohol and breast milk

Research shows that less than 2% of the alcohol you consume reaches your breast milk. What’s more, alcohol doesn’t accumulate in your breast milk but gradually leaves your milk the same way it does your blood — that means when your blood alcohol levels go back down, your milk alcohol levels do as well. Eating a solid meal can help your body metabolize alcohol faster. Studies show that nursing parents who ate a meal before drinking reduced alcohol availability in their system by 38%. And when they combine eating with expressing breast milk? The total availability of alcohol in their system was reduced by 58%. According to Dr. Thomas Hale in Medications & Mother’s Milk, “Mothers who ingest alcohol in moderate amounts can generally return to breastfeeding as soon as they feel neurologically normal.” So when it comes to pumping, there’s no need to dump your milk after drinking alcohol because: It won’t help alcohol leave your milk supply any faster. Only a small amount of alcohol actually makes it to your milk supply. A better option — and something we stress here — is to pump and save.

A few reminders

If you are too intoxicated to drive, please make sure that you have a safe person to care for your child until you are sober. Never share your bed or any other sleeping surface with your baby if you’ve been drinking. There is an increased association between Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and bedsharing if a parent — whether the breastfeeding parent or non-breastfeeding parent — has been drinking. Despite popular beliefs, drinking alcohol does not increase your milk supply. In fact, alcohol has been demonstrated to slow your milk ejection reflex.

Caffeine and breast milk

Parenting without coffee? For lots of parents, this sounds next to impossible. But thankfully, you don’t have to give up your morning (or afternoon) cup of coffee when you’re nursing or pumping. And you certainly don’t need to pump and dump! That’s because, in moderation, caffeine generally doesn’t affect your baby. Keep in mind that caffeine does enter your bloodstream, and a small amount can be passed to your baby through breast milk. Sensitive babies may be a little extra fussy or wakeful even with trace amounts of caffeine. That being said, most babies aren’t affected by it, but if you are concerned, a good rule is to keep your caffeine intake to less than 300 milligrams a day — or about three 8 oz. cups of coffee. But remember, caffeine isn’t limited to just coffee. Drinks like some teas, sodas, kombucha, or energy drinks are caffeinated, and some foods (like chocolate!) also contain caffeine. It’s important to be mindful of how it all adds up.

Medications and breast milk

Medications and breast milk are a significant concern for breastfeeding parents. Whether it’s occasional ibuprofen to stave off a headache, an antidepressant to help navigate postpartum depression, or a medication to help manage a chronic illness, there are many questions about what is safe and what isn’t. The first — and best —suggestion is that it’s important to take care of yourself. If a medication is needed, don’t discontinue, skip, or avoid taking it. Above all else, your baby needs you to be well. Most medications are safe for breastfeeding. However, if you’re taking medications recommended or prescribed by a healthcare provider, they may tell you to pump and dump to avoid passing along harmful side effects to your baby via breast milk. While this is well-intentioned, many providers aren’t up-to-date on breastfeeding best practices. It may be helpful to consult — or ask your doctor to consult —with an IBCLC. Another approach that may be available to you: Taking your medication after pumping to limit the amount of the medication in your breast milk. Finally, if you really can’t breastfeed and take your medication, you can continue to pump to preserve your supply. While you may not be able to feed your baby the milk, it can be used for other purposes.

When to pump and dump?

While we’re all about the “pump and save” approach, there are a few situations where pumping and saving aren’t appropriate. What are they?

Using recreational drugs

If you’ve taken recreational drugs of any kind, you shouldn’t breastfeed your baby. No amount of recreational drug use is considered safe for parents during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Harmful chemicals are transmitted through breast milk and can be life-threatening to your child.

Pumping in unsanitary conditions

Safely handling breast milk is important — no matter what. Pumping breast milk involves having access to clean spaces, clean equipment, and cold storage. If you need to pump while you're away from your baby, but you do not have access to a refrigerator or a cooler to store your breast milk properly, then the milk can spoil. Breast milk can stay at room temperature for approximately 4 to 8 hours. The milk will last longer in a cooler room and spoil more quickly in a warmer room. Therefore, if you know you won't be able to get your milk to your baby or into proper storage within that time frame, you can go ahead and discard it.

Getting a thyroid scan

Getting a thyroid scan isn’t an everyday occurrence for most people, but it is important for diagnosing hyperthyroidism, treating thyroid cancer and other thyroid conditions. During a thyroid scan, medical professionals may use radioactive iodine to facilitate the scan. The radioactive iodine isn’t safe for your baby, so you may need to wait for it to pass through your system before nursing or pumping. Talk to your healthcare provider about how long you may need to wait. In the meantime, it’s essential to pump to relieve engorgement and keep your milk supply up...but in this case, pump and dump to avoid passing on radioactive material to your baby.