# Day 270: The pump question

> Thirty-eight weeks and four days. If you plan to breastfeed, one call today: does your insurance cover an electric pump ordered before the birth?

- Series: Your ninth month of pregnancy, day by day (https://chorevia.com/learn/pregnancy-month-9), day 270 of 280, 38 weeks + 4 days
- Your baby this week: about the length of a stick of rhubarb; around 49.8 cm from head to heel
- Canonical URL: https://chorevia.com/learn/pregnancy-month-9/day-270
- Last reviewed: 2026-10-22
- Publisher: Chorevia (https://chorevia.com)
- Cite as: Chorevia. "Day 270: The pump question." Last reviewed October 22, 2026. https://chorevia.com/learn/pregnancy-month-9/day-270

This guide is general education that summarizes published research and guidance from groups like the American Academy of Pediatrics, the CDC, and the WHO. It isn’t medical advice, and every child develops on their own timeline. Your pediatrician knows your child; if something feels wrong, call them. In an emergency, call 911.

Thirty-eight weeks and four days. Today's job is one phone call and a bit of hold music. If you're not planning to breastfeed, skip the card and read the rest: there's still something here for you.

## Your baby

Around now your baby is around 49.8cm long from head to heel, about the length of a stick of rhubarb ([NHS](https://www.nhs.uk/best-start-in-life/pregnancy/week-by-week-guide-to-pregnancy/3rd-trimester/week-38/)). Soon after birth, feeding becomes most of the day: breastfed newborns usually feed 8 to 12 times in 24 hours ([AAP](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/breastfeeding/Pages/How-Often-to-Breastfeed.aspx)). The AAP calls breastfeeding as soon as possible after birth your baby's first and most important "immunization" ([AAP](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/prenatal/decisions-to-make/Pages/finding-a-pediatrician.aspx)).

## Your body

Your milk typically comes in three to six days after delivery, and your breasts may leak and feel full even if you're not breastfeeding ([OWH](https://womenshealth.gov/pregnancy/childbirth-and-beyond/recovering-birth)). Breastfeeding can also help your womb return to its pre-pregnancy size, which takes about 6 weeks ([NHS](https://www.nhs.uk/best-start-in-life/pregnancy/week-by-week-guide-to-pregnancy/3rd-trimester/week-39/)).

The AAP's last-minute list has a line for this: if you plan to breastfeed, check whether your insurance covers an electric breast pump ordered in advance; if you're on WIC, it usually supplies a pump after birth ([AAP](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/prenatal/Pages/Last-Minute-Activities.aspx)). Not everyone will use a pump, but sorting it now saves a phone call in week one.

## Try today

### The breast-pump check

- **Time:** 15 minutes

1. Find the member services number on your insurance card and call it.
2. Ask: "Do you cover an electric breast pump, and can I order it before the birth?" ([AAP](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/prenatal/Pages/Last-Minute-Activities.aspx)) Then ask what you need to order it and where it comes from.
3. If you're on WIC, ask your WIC office how you'd get a pump after the birth ([AAP](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/prenatal/Pages/Last-Minute-Activities.aspx)).
4. Write the answer, the date, and any reference number on your card.

**Make it work:** Have your card, your due date, and a pen in front of you before you dial, and ask the person on the phone to repeat anything you need to write down.

## Watch for

- **Normal:** light spotting after sex or an internal exam; MedlinePlus says you can watch it at home with a clean pad, checking every 30 to 60 minutes for a few hours ([MedlinePlus](https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000627.htm)). **Call your provider** if it continues ([MedlinePlus](https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000627.htm)).
- **Normal:** spotting that stops. **Call 911** for heavy bleeding, a stiff and painful belly, or strong, frequent contractions ([MedlinePlus](https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000627.htm)).
- **Normal:** feeling worn out by evening. **Call your provider** right away for overwhelming tiredness ([CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/hearher/maternal-warning-signs/index.html)).

## For you

How you feed is your decision, and it can change. The newborn guide's section [Feed on cues, however you feed](https://chorevia.com/learn/newborn#feed-on-cues-however-you-feed) is written for every way of feeding: breast milk, formula, or a mix. Its advice is the same either way: watch for early hunger cues, let your baby set the pace, and stop at signs of fullness. If breastfeeding is the plan, it's worth knowing that breastfeeding mothers should avoid alcohol ([OWH](https://womenshealth.gov/pregnancy/childbirth-and-beyond/recovering-birth)), so plan the celebration drink accordingly.

If you're the partner: make this call yourself if she'd rather not. Insurance hold music is a job anyone can do.

## Sources

- NHS. "Week 38." Week-by-week guide to pregnancy, Best Start in Life. https://www.nhs.uk/best-start-in-life/pregnancy/week-by-week-guide-to-pregnancy/3rd-trimester/week-38/
- American Academy of Pediatrics. "How Often to Breastfeed." HealthyChildren.org. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/breastfeeding/Pages/How-Often-to-Breastfeed.aspx
- American Academy of Pediatrics. "Finding a Pediatrician." HealthyChildren.org. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/prenatal/decisions-to-make/Pages/finding-a-pediatrician.aspx
- Office on Women's Health. "Recovering from birth." U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://womenshealth.gov/pregnancy/childbirth-and-beyond/recovering-birth
- NHS. "Week 39." Week-by-week guide to pregnancy, Best Start in Life. https://www.nhs.uk/best-start-in-life/pregnancy/week-by-week-guide-to-pregnancy/3rd-trimester/week-39/
- American Academy of Pediatrics. "Last Minute Activities Before Delivery." HealthyChildren.org. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/prenatal/Pages/Last-Minute-Activities.aspx
- MedlinePlus. "Vaginal bleeding in late pregnancy." National Library of Medicine. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000627.htm
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Urgent Maternal Warning Signs and Symptoms." HEAR HER campaign, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/hearher/maternal-warning-signs/index.html