Exclusive Pumping?

Hi,
I was not into breastfeeding at all. I know that's what they are there for,but im not the one. Formula's are fantastic - they get everything they need.

Hi N.,
With my first I breastfed for 3-1/2 to 4ish months, and my daughter just never got the hang of it! It was so frustrating. So I ended up buying an electric pump (by Avent), it was not a double pump, and I used that for another 4 months so she was fed breast milk until she was 8 or 9 months old. I am due with #2 in August, and personally, this time I'm hoping to mostly breastfeed and only pump a few bottles for when we are out or so my husband can help me at night. I'm only going to pump if I have trouble like last time. It is definitely time consuming, and for me it was at times VERY frustrating. And I think I was lucky b/c I could get all the milk I needed for the day by pumping just three times. It's not as easy as it sounds. There are definite pluses to it as well though. I am not one that was ever comfortable with breastfeeding in public, so it was nice to have the bottle option. I don't know if that helps, just letting you know my personal experience with it!

I just realized that it doesn't take longer to breastfeed than to pump - it's a wash because it takes 15 minutes to pump and then you have to give the bottle, which takes time as well.

Hi Namomi, I have some insight for ya. Are you Ready? I have a 10 year old girl and a 6 year old boy. Allthough I wanted to breast feed my first daughter so badly, she would have no part of it. My desire to breast feed her was soley for the beneficial nutrients that I wanted her to recieve that they say only the mother can make. You'll certainly hear your lactation consultants and specialists tell you there is no better way to bond with your baby but I honestly think, confortably sitting quietly in a rocking chair, bottle feeding my baby, looking her in the eyes and her stairing back, was much more satisfying for both of us. I rented the super duper breast pump and went back to work, pumping in the bathroom and freezing it for her, but eventually, my supply drindled and by 4 months, she was only getting one breast milk bottle a day. These days were obsessivly and constantly sitting hooked up to this milking machine. It was painful at times. Very not sexy. So when her new pediatrician at age 2 asked me if she was breast fed, I proudly told him my story that up to about 3 months she was strickly breast milk fed, he shook his head and wrote in his book, bottle fed. I was crushed. My second child took to the breast on the first offering. (I still have the strange feeling that someone had nursed him in the hospital before he came to me :) ) Anyway, he fed and fed and fed and my hormones rose and dropped and his immune system was quite average although I thought he would be super baby. He had bronciolitise at 2 months. He is a very healthy kid now. But so is my 10 year old. Who knows what the answer is. I just would like to say, I wish I had just happily bottle fed her those first few months. I would have had the time to enjoy her more. I felt pressured into the breast feeding thing and I should have just been secure enough with myself to say, no, it's not for me. The second time around, he kinda made the rules since he was obviously born ready and waiting for it! Maybe your next one will ease you into it like mine did. Good Luck in whateve you choose. Hope my tale helped a little.

Just a few suggestions that i didn't see right yet. First, I think any breast milk a baby gets is terrific not matter how it is delivered. The long term benefits to you as the mom are very impressive too, quicker weight loss, reduced cancer rates etc etc.
I would suggest you call a breastfeeding hotline that you may be able to find through your local hospital. You should be able to talk with an expert with out them passing judgement, they should just explain all your options to you. You've gotten some great responses already that should help you while you are discussing the pros and cons of exclusively pumping. In Erie, one of the hospitals runs a monthly group where you could go and just be with other mommies, some who nurse exclusively, and some that don't. It's a great place to ask questions or just sit back and absorb what other moms have to offer.
There are also some great books out there, one that comes to mind is "So that's what they are for" it's a humorous read with lots of info on breastfeeding. I'm sure there are more. Even if you don't think you want to BF, reading about it might help you understand your options a bit more.
My personal experience was a mix. I had no trouble pumping the colostrum exclusively when my son was born a month early. I was able to switch breast feeding him for a few months and then went back to work part time and pumped some and breastfeed some. The human body is just amazing and can adapt to what you and your baby need, it's just sad how many people just don't bother to find out how their body works and why milk dries up etc etc.
In my opinion, one of the perks of pumping is that you could see the amount of milk that the baby was recieving. That made me feel better since my son would nurse for 8 mins and be finished while my sister in law swore each of her three kids ate for a half hour solid. I think it was a difference in our nipples and let down reflex and all of that.
finally to echo some of the other posts, my personal recommendation would be to get yourself a quality pump, try nursing first, find a great lactation consultant and a great support system wether a friend, a group or on-line.
best of luck to you and your family.

I wasn't able to breastfeed with my first, so I pumped for the first 6 weeks. It was a ton of work, and I finally gave up and went to formula after weeks of crying and feeling like a failure because I couldn't produce enough to keep up with his appetite. I was in pumping hell!

You have to do what is comfortable for YOU. Many people will strongly "encourage" you to try the breastfeeding route first. It's YOUR choice. The one good thing about pumping was that my hubby could feed our son at 3AM and let me get some rest, and he got the joy of bonding with our son during feeding.

My only suggestion would be to NOT buy a pump until after your child is born. You can rent one from the hospital or ask a lactation consultant where to rent one. We spent over $200 for a pump that I used for 6 weeks. If you rent, you can decide if you're up for the amount of work pumping requires, and if you decide not to do it a few weeks in, you're not stuck with an expensive pump, or a pump that won't meet your needs.

Good luck! Our 2nd child is due in Dec. and I'm debating the breastfeeding issue again. Ugh!

I pumped when my son was in the NICU. It just about killed me, I was a milking zombie. Its a lot of work. I decided it was more important to be a sane Mommy then a milking zombie. I only bottle fed my 2nd son, and I know that I could never breast feed. It is just not for me. The thought of it creeps me out. Sorry, just the way it is!

And guess what! I bonded just fine with *both* my boys. And so did my husband who was able to feed them. Both boys are perfectly healthy and smart. So if you decide to bottle feed, don't feel guilty about it! Good luck either way!

Hi---
Personally I think exclusive pumping was a great choice for me. My daughter is 9 months old now and I am still exclusively pumping. And as someone in the healthcare field, I can't emphasize enough the importance of breastmilk. Breastmilk really is the best especially in the first 6 months, but any little bit helps with immunity etc. However, remember your sanity is more important so really give it a good effort but don't feel guilty if it causes too much stress. This is a very individual choice. So I thought I would share my story and tips. See how it works for you. And also remember even with rentals etc it is cheaper than formula.

My baby was born 6 weeks premature in Oct so I had to pump. After the first week I could try to breastfeed but needed to use a nipple shield for her tiny mouth. We would have to weigh her first with a special scale--breastfeed---weigh her again to see how many cc's she took then supplement with the pumped breastmilk. A long process. I only tried to put her on the breast once a day because of this as she was a "grazer" and this process sometimes would take 90 min. After a couple months I just went to exclusive pumping.

You really need to pump approx every 2 to 3 hrs during the day in the beginning and maybe every 4-5 hrs at night to get your breasts to produce well. If you can try to breastfeed in the first month as well that stimulation will help produce more milk. You may want to pump after the baby is on the breast in the beginning for more stimulation. The stimulation you give the breast in the first couple of weeks sets the baseline for your milk supply.

When exclusively breast feeding you need to rent the hospital grade pumps. The ones you buy in the store do not give enough suction or power for exclusive breast feeding and the motors will burn out if you keep with it. That being said, I would still put a breast pump on a registry if you have one and if someone gets it for you great (For travel and work)--just check the return policy b/c if kept unopened you can return it if you find no need for it. If you travel or work the hospital grades are not very small but are portable if you rent a lightweight model which most rentals are. It was not worth the cost to buy one just for work and travel. So I do lug the hospital grade around.

In the beginning, I wished I could just breastfeed because I would not have to get up, get a bottle warm etc and as some have said no bottles to wash. But my husband was able to take over a lot and if I wanted to go out I know my baby would take a bottle without a problem.

I would suggest keeping some bottles of breastmilk upstairs in a cooler each night so you do not have to run to the fridge and really just putting the bottle in a mug of hot water for a few minutes is all that is needed to warm it. If you start baby out this way they won't ususlly mind the temperature. (this may need altered if the baby has bowel issues). This saves running around at night. Sometimes I would pump while my husband gave her a bottle and we sat very close together. (It gave us all bonding time.) Also, I work so it was hard to keep washing bottles/sanitize them etc so I bought approximately 12 and that way I just loaded the dishwasher during the week and washed when full as opposed to washing bottles every night. You do need to wash the pumping equipment but it is quick. When you deliver, ask the hospital if they can give you 2 sets and then there is a spare. When pumping, I found pumping right into disposable breast milk bags easiest so I would not have to wash bottles just to pump in---I just held the bags on the breast adaptors. If you want to keep your hands free there is a bra-like top you can put around you to hold the adaptors on the breast. THis will require pumping into bottles that stay secure on the adaptor. Thay do make medela bags that will attach to the pump to but I think they are to expensive. The cheapest are the lanisoh bags 50 for 9.99 at target. I try to pump into bottles when I can to decrease costs.

Having to feed the baby then pump is time consuming but this is where my husband really helps especially at night--it is all about trying to make it work for you. When I pump I try to read, do emails etc to multitask---it is usually something I need to do anyway. Also, when time permits I will pump one breast at a time b/c I think the pump gives even more suction that way and I massage the breasts alot which helps extrude more milk---this especially b/c I have large breasts.

Bottom line after all is said and done I love the freedom and indepedence pumping gives to me---in a reataurant, going out, etc I can just give her a bottle or someone else can if I need to be somewhere else. When I pump if she is not taking a nap I put her on an exersaucer or activity mat and she is content to explore or we talk or I sing to her---I'm just not holding her during this time but we still interact.

And, I have to say she caught a couple viruses this winter ans was over them in a day b/c of the immune properties of the breast milk--I got sick but she never got realy sick which made our lives easier.

Now, just another thought, some women hate the way pumping feels but give it try. It should not hurt if done right. Sorry if I went on to much but just thought I would provide some of what I do to see if it helps. I'm planing on at least a year then maybe just pumping enough to get one feeding of breastmilk a day. If it works for you great---breastmilk is best no matter how it is given. Just see how it works for you. If not, you say you tried. Remember you need to do what is right for your family as a whole.

I did not have time to read all the responses, but the ones I did read sounded like some good advice. First, I breast fed all 3 my babies and only pumped occasionally. I did however have many bumps along the road. My first daughter did not latch on - I had to teach her. I almost lost my milk supply in the first week. The one thing I did not read was an emphasis on the supply and demand of breastmilk. The more you ask your body for on a consistant basis the more you will make. I went from basically nothing to having to pump between feedings just to stand myself. I ended up with a freezer full of milk extra. I saw a lactation consultant who had me pump for 15- 20 minutes every 2 hours, even at night at first, whether I got milk or not just to make the "demand". That way you have lots of milk. I have also added herbal supplements- brewers yeast, fenugreek, red raspberry tea. There are special "mother's milk" teas available. A good diet is a must- lots of B vitamins. A very important thing is also to drink enough water- a gallon plus. One other thing I did not see: your breasts will be tender which will make pumping a bit painful at first. I thought once you breastfed the nipples would toughen up, but my friend with 8 children at the time assured me not the case. Cvs sells some gel pads that were a God send to wear between feedings. Good Luck with whatever you decide to do. With prayer and determination you will succeed. One last thought- a man will not be your best adviser on breast feeding issues so your pediatrician may be very knowledgable but will have no first hand experience. Find mothers who have dealt with many of the issues if only for encouragement on a tough day.

Personally I am not sure if you can get your milk production started without at least starting out with breastfeeding but I pretty much mainly pumped due working fulltime.

I did breastfeed whenever I could though, yet I pumped 3 times at work and gave the bottles to daycare.
I never produced more than he needed and sometimes felt like it was not enough, especially since I saw the size of bottles other mothers gave their kids on formula in comparison... and a coworker who pumped as much in one session as I did in an entire day on bad days.
I will say it was enough milk though, as he never was hungry and sometimes not even finished these bottles.
I managed to do it for 18 month.
I think any amount of time you can achieve is great nutrition for your child. And if you can't do it then you should not feel bad either. A formula/ bottle fed child is just as happy and healthy!
Good luck!

N., I had IMS -- insufficient milk supply with my first and took two different medications to help with production. I spent many hours in research on it all and time with 3 lactation consultants. What I found is that without actual stimulation from the baby, a mom's milk will eventually dry up quicker if she only pumps. If you want your baby to have breast milk, you'll have to breast feed the baby some during the day.

Perhaps you may also want to check out buying breast milk on line. I know that sounds crazy, but its an option for moms who don't breast feed but want breast milk.

Good luck, Whatever decision you make (I ended up breast feeding and pumping until 13 months with a lot of hard work), your baby will survive!!!

By the way -- breast feeding was absolutely wonderful. I would not have missed any moment of the hard work I put into it. And, my situation is not the norm. I would encourage you to try it out -- its hard at first, but it leads to the most special times with your baby. You're not a bad mom if you don't breast feed -- don't listen to anyone say you are -- but if you're going back and forth on whether you should do it, give it try. Its so worth it!

K.

Hi N.,
My oldest was a preemie and in the hospital for 5 weeks. We tried nursing when he was about a month old, but he just could not latch on. I pumped for the five weeks he was in the hospital and then for another 6 weeks after he came home. It would sometimes take me an hour to pump enough for one bottle. By the time he would finish the bottle, it would be time for me to pump again. An hour of sleep was a luxury. When he was 6 weeks old, I could not keep up with him and had to supplement with formula. (Many women who breastfeed will "leak" when their baby cries. It would happen to me with mechanical buzzes, such as my husband's razor becuase it sounded like my pump, haha.) It is very much a challenge to pump exclusively and takes a huge committment of time.

As far as bonding issues, my oldest was fed through a naso gastric tube for the first 4 weeks of his life, most of the time while he was in an incubator without someone holding him. Out of my three children, he and I are the closest (he is 13 now), despite that fact we didn't have that first month of bonding.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do!

I urge you to try actually breastfeeding as well. Even if you pump most of the time. There is a large difference in the efficiency of pumping versus breastfeeding. A child at the breast is much more efficient at getting out the milk and will get out more than if you were to pump alone.

I have tried to breastfeed all three of my children with mixed results due to different problems including inverted nipples, loss of milk supply and nursing strikes. Having done the pumping while bottlefeeding to try to feed my son breastmilk, I know that the inefficiency of the breastpump (even a hospital grade one) can lead to losing your milk supply over time.

Also, having not done the breastfeeding before, even if you don't think it is for you, you may find that you do enjoy it and it can be easier than bottle feeding. I urge you to give it a try for a month or two (while pumping in between to stock up on milk) and then make a final decision. It may help increase your supply so you are able to switch to pumping alone for a longer period of time.

Anyhow, talk to your doctor either way. And no matter what you decide, I'm sure your child will thrive and be healthy with what works best for both of you.

Good luck. Hope this helps.

Hi N.,
I wanted to also encourage you try breastfeeding before you do exclusive pumping. I really wanted to breastfeed because it's best for babies, but the idea of it was really weird to me, too. It's funny though, because once you have a baby, your modesty goes out the window! My son had a lot of trouble latching on, so our days in the hospital were spent trying to get him to eat. I remember feeling so relieved when he finally had a good nursing session. It's so foreign and weird at the beginning, but I let all the nurses help me and I'm so glad they were there, since I had no clue what I was doing (and nobody tells you ahead of time)! Anyway, my first 8 weeks were tough between latching issues, sore nipples at the beginning, and oversupply (milk would overflow in his mouth causing difficult feedings). But, I did persevere and am soooo glad that I did. He's 11 months old now and still nursing. Nursing has been so easy since he was about 4 months old and I actually look forward to nursing because I get to sit down and relax! At the beginning I dreaded it because we had so many problems. I did do occasional pumping (at least once a day) and used the Medela Swing pump. Pretty good for occasional pumping. Some weeks I would pump more often and nurse the baby and it was tough. I would imagine pumping and then feeding the baby bottles would be very tiring. Give breastfeeding a try. It's not as weird as you think it will be. And it really is amazing. I love looking at my baby while he's nursing and I know I will miss it when he is weaned sometime soon. (So funny cause I was looking forward to weaning when I originally started nursing - and now I don't know if I'm ready for it!).
PS - I do have a friend who exclusively pumped because she had some major medical problems with her milk ducts. I know it was super hard work for her, but she was dedicated and pulled through. I don't think it would have been her first choice though. I think she would have rather nursed naturally.

My son was 2mos early and didn't have the rooting/sucking reflex immediately. In addition, my sinuses are too far back, that even at 2mos old this week, his mouth can't reach them. Also (as if I need more roadblocks, haha), my milk ducts empty out to my areola and not my nipple, so he'd need a reallllly big mouth to catch it all.

I started pumping immed after birth - took me 2wks to get up to about 10cc's per session. Even with all the herbs, pumping every 2hours (even thru the night), and all other tips from LLL, it was taking me an entire hour of pumping to get 1 ounce.

After these last 2mos of spending 8 hours every day of double pumping to barely get 8 ounces (pretty much impossible when your LO eats every 2hours), I tried the 72hour protocol (pumping every hour for 72hours) - this helped me to the point where I can now get 1-2 ounces in 15mins.

I don't foresee that you would have any of these obstacles. And I only keep trying because my LO has low white blood cells and needs all the immunity help he can get.

But I'd give just about anything to be able to BF exclusively - pumping is very time consuming, there's constant washing/sterilizing, you have to be consistent and not always nap when you'd rather.

Ugh - I didn't expect to type a novel - I guess my advice would be to try to BF as much as you can, with pumping as a backup plan only. I wouldn't recommend pumping only.

Good luck :D!!

Hi N.,

Congratulations on your pregnancy. I think you are doing a great thing by choosing to give your baby your breast milk. It is the best thing for you and your baby. I do think that you should consider nursing directly - or at least trying to - before you decide to exclusively pump. Exclusive pumping is really double the work because you have to pump, then feed the baby, so it take double the time. Many moms who exclusively pump end up giving up because it is just too much work. If your baby will latch on and you can nurse directly, I think you will find it much easier and much more rewarding. I pumped at home and at work for my son until he was 15 months old and when I stopped pumping, I never wanted to see my pump again.

If you do decide to exclusively pump, I suggest that you join a Yahoo support group called "Pumpmoms" - it is all moms who exclusively pump for their babies. You may want to join before your baby is born so that you can get advice from women who are exclusively pumping. You can find the group here: <http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/PumpMoms/?v=1&amp;t=...;

Also, I wrote an article on pumping and working, which may help you with some pumping tips. It has great advice even if you are not working: <http://www.pumpingtips.com&gt;

And if you do decide to exclusively pump, I highly recommend getting a rental breast pump as they are much stronger than personal use breastpumps and will likely give you better long-term output. <http://www.mothersboutique.com/pumprental.html&gt;

Good luck with your decision and please feel free to email me off list if you have any questions about my article.

Sincerely,
J.

A Mother's Boutique
Maternity & Breastfeeding clothing, Nursing Bras, Breast Pumps, Slings and Accessories.
MamaSource members save 10% off their first order (excluding breastpumps) with coupon MAMASOURCE
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I have a five month old little boy, and he is a breastfed baby. Occasionally, I pump and give him a bottle.

It would have been very difficult for me to pump and not feed him from the source all of the time. Also, the pump doesn't seem to work as well as the baby. Why would you go through all the trouble of pumping and not just pop on the baby instead?

During the first few weeks, pumping did not yield enough to satisfy my little guy. He needed to nurse to be satisfied. Plus, breastfed babies tend to eat more frequently than formula babies. You're going to be pumping and pumping and pumping all day.

My recommendation is to nurse the baby if you want to have a breastmilk fed baby. Otherwise, use formula because you're going to go nuts pumping all of the time.

Good Luck!
J.

I don't have experience pumping exclusively because I breastfed all 3 of my kids, but I did do a lot of pumping and from my experience, you may have a hard time doing exclusive pumping for the feedings. My reason for this is because it can be time consuming (10-15 mins) just to pump, then to have your baby feed, plus washing and putting away your equipment. Plus, many babies eat every 2 hrs in the beginning, and sometimes by the time they're done eating and you pump, it may be time to feed them again. I'm not trying to discourage you at all because I really believe that although formula is very good, breastmilk is the very best nutrition for your baby. I just wanted to make sure that you have lots of information before making the exclusive pumping decision. Good luck to you, and I hope that this works out for you with the pumping.

I would not recommend exclusive pumping. It is just exhausting and can sometimes be painful. My son was a 33 week preemie and had trouble nursing. I pumped for 10 1/2 LOOOOOONG weeks! It was so hard. I was so thrilled when I got him to nurse! If you choose to pump ALL the time, you will need a hospital-grade pump. They are available for rental from your hospital usually. They are double electric pumps. I used a Medela hospital-grade pump when I was pumping all the time and a Medela Pump in Style for use every now and then while I was working part-time and while we were out and about during the day.
Just curious as to why you feel it is not for you. It was the most rewarding experience of my life!

Don't put yourself down. If you pump and give it to your baby, then its nursing. It doesn't matter if you give the baby a bottle as long as its your milk, then its breastfeeding :) I did not personally do this but I know several women who Do do it. They started pumping in the hospital, collecting the colustrum on the pump and giving it by syringe. Get a very good double pump. Medula has some excellent ones. Do not scrimp on your pump. You can get around the cost of buying a pump by renting one from your local hospital or from your insurence company. Get the best one that you can afford. Try to get one from companys that focus on breast feeding and not formula. They are better made and will last longer. Set up a pumping schedule with you Ped/Lact consultant. You will start pumpin gin the hospital and will have to do it several times a day to keep up and maintian a good supply. If you are having trouble with your supply, try beer, fenugreek, oatmeal, milk thistle. Good luck on your venture and congrats on the inpending birth of your 2nd :)

Personally I found pumping to be such a drag that I would never even consider doing that. I BF my 1st for 6 mos., then pumped after I returned to work fulltime (for another 6 mos.). If I have another I will still BF for 6 mos. but skip the pumping. It was just too hard. Not to mention, it just won't work as well as BF'g directly, and you will likely have supply issues. So I'm sorry to be discouraging, but in my opinion, you should either do it or not do it, but by planning to pump exclusively you are setting yourself up for a very difficult time. After the first few weeks, BF'g is surprisingly easy and was a great experience. Pumping, not so much.

While breast milk is best, I am not sure how comfortable it would be to exclusively pump. I did not pump an extraordinary amount, just for when I would be away. The pump is not as comfortable or as efficient as a baby at the breast. Plus breastfeeding is all about supply and demand and baby regulates that each time he/she nurses. I don't know how easy it would be to judge that especially in the beginning.

I will not lie, breastfeeding can be uncomfortable the first week or so BUT once you get past that initial period it is 'nothing'. Plus it can be a special bonding time with baby.

Discuss your concerns with the lactation consultant and then decide what is best for you and your family.

Hi N.,
Congrats on #2! I have not read any of the other responses, so this may be a repeat. I pumped exclusivly for my first for about 3 months. It was VERY VERY hard. She never took to nursing but I was determined to get the breast milk in her so I pumped and bottle fed. I pumped every three hours around the clock, fed the baby, washed the pumping equipment, and went back to sleep for an hour or two and then repeated. I was always so tired, but if I wanted to keep up my milk supply it was what I needed to do. I don't want to discourage you from trying, I just want you to know what your in for. I understand that you don't think nursing is for you, but I would encourage you to try it with the second one, you might really like it. I nursed both of my next two babies and was so sad when they stopped.
Either way, I'm sure you will make the best decision for you and your family, good luck to you and God bless.
T.

Pumping is a wonderful option, but beleive me it is difficult. I had a lot of trouble with my milk coming in & my son had trouble getting enough to eat also. So, I had to add formula to my son's diet from the start. I did end up pumping for almost 6 months while supplementing with formula. I was able to keep up with keeping a 50% breast milk ratio. Towards the end it was difficult pumping, even with a wonderful Medela breast pump.(I couldn't have done it with a lesser pump.) It is just difficult stoping and pumping every 4 hours or so - sometimes you are out & location is difficult, sometimes it is keeping your little one happy while trying to pump. (not always easy) The 50/50 worked for us, as it was great for him to have the breast milk & it made me feel good to provide it to him....yet the measuring of it & the formula also made us feel good because we knew how that he was getting enough food. Whatever you choose, it is YOUR choice!
I felt somewhat guilty giving up pumping, because I knew how wonderful breastfeeding is for mom & child - but I did really feel like I got part of my sanity back. The guilt faded and my son is a healthy wonderful 2 year old -no worse for wear!

N.,

It's great that you are considering all your options now and figuring everything out. I have the utmost respect for women that exclusively pump. I don't know anyone who has chosen to go that route, but do know several who have ended up going that route to keep the kids on breastmilk. Exclusive pumping is a huge commitment - but IMO worth every sacrifice. Success is dependent on how determined the mom is to make it work.

Exclusively pumping is a rigourous routine. Especially in the early months, you need to pump around the clock with a hospital grade pump to bring in your milk and get your supply up. If you're determined to go this route, you should really look at a hospital grade pump like a Medela Symphony or Lactina.

I do pump occasionally for my daughter who is now 9 months old. Hands down, I prefer breastfeeding from the tap. It's much easier, and faster, to just unhook the nursing tank and offer to her. When we pump (on those rare occasions when I am leaving her) I have to pump, store the milk, clean the pump, then someone has to heat the milk (although she will take it room temperature or cold now that she's older), feed the bottle or sippy - although she hasn't quite mastered doing this on her own yet, then scrub down the bottle or cup.

Best wishes and good luck with the new addition.
S.

Hey N.,

I breastfed, via exclusive pumping, my son during his first four months of life. I used a hand held manual pump. This I would not recommend. I would definitely buy or rent one of those double electric pumps (Modela makes a good one) if you are going to exclusively pump.
Best of luck to you! And I think you are very courageous for trying to feed your baby breast milk even if it is not in the "traditional" sense. :0)

M.

I breastfed (still am with my youngest) all 3 of mine until at least 1 year. I was at home with them so I did not need to pump regularly for child care, but I did use a small electric one to relieve pressure when my supply was high and so that I would have some stored for my husband to feed the baby or so that I could leave for a longer time occasionally. My pump is a small single Medela which was perfect for my needs. Especially when my babies are tiny, my "let down" tended to be very fast so even with the simple pump, I could collect a good amount fairly quickly. Also at the beginning nearly anything could trigger a "let down" so pumping was simple. It seems as they get older, I became less sensitive to those triggers and so it would take longer to "let down" when pumping. I would definitely invest in or rent a double electric (hospital grade) pump to help make it faster and easier on you (which will help you to keep it up too.)

My babies never had trouble stimulating it when nursing, but pumping always gets slower and with less reward as my babies get older. Also, my 3 are 17 and 27 months apart and I found that I was often too busy to do much pumping after the first. Mine tended to nurse quickly so it was usually just easier to nurse and not have to deal with the pump or bottles. Those early months are twice as busy with number 2 - especially if they are close together. (Though it's wonderful and does get simpler as everyone adapts to the new little person.) After the first I was more comfortable with nursing so it became easier to be discrete and nurse in most public places as well. Plus then I didn't have to worry about predicting how much milk to take with me or how to keep it cold and then heat it up. For me, nursing made life simpler and that is good when you have 3 kids under 4!! I offer this only to share perspective. It sounds like you have thought out reasons why nursing isn't for you, but it's clear your new baby's health is your top concern.

Sorry for late response-I just came across this deleting old emails, and I couldn't resist!
Don't worry about "deciding" whether you should directly breast feed or not, because it's something you could do if you felt like it in the moment if you're pumping and producing milk anyway. As for only pumping...AWESOME! The only thing more difficult about pumping exclusively rather than feeding directly at first, is the self discipline due to inconvenience -not knowing how much the baby really eats, setting up the machine, clean up, etc. It's boring and weird (I found out by doing) to pump (you have no hands free, whereas while nursing, you can drink and talk on the phone etc), so it's sort of hard to sit there long enough, and the less you do, the less you produce. The beauty of direct feeding, is when they're hungry, you pop them on right away (it's more like a prolonged hug-easy), and they eat just exactly as long as they need to, and maybe even longer (and you don't know you're empty) which is miraculously the way your body knows to make more milk. So sometimes it's easier to breast feed for a couple of days (that first nursing right in the hospital is what really starts your body up) and then move to pumping.
My whole life, I thought I would be absolutely sickened to ever breast feed directly, but I turned out preferring it to pumping, and mixing both was exactly what I needed. I would feed directly if I was home alone and whenever it was too hard to bring the pump somewhere (there is always somewhere to hide-I am NOT and person who ever does it in front of people) And then the pump is awesome if company is around or you want to bring a stash of bottled milk somewhere etc. You can mix it up or just pump. Whatever you decide will be very hard for the first few days-sometimes weeks-but when it clicks, you'll be amazed how easy (even fun) it is. I had a very supportive lactation consultant whom I called a LOT at my hospital. She made it possible to get through at first. I nursed my first for 10 and 1/2 months, and my second for only 3 (he eats too much) Good luck, it's really amazing of you to consider doing it for your baby.

Feeding a newborn is so time consuming, whether by breast or bottle. Breastfeeding, though, adds a warmth to it that bottle feeding just cannot simulate. I had milk supply issues at beginning with both my kids, for just a few days with my 1st, for 9 weeks (It was awfully depressing!) w/my 2nd, and so I had to pump, pump, pump to stimulate as well as to try to eek out what I could. If you feed and pump, wow! NO time for a tired mom. That's how my life was for 9 weeks...I had to pump constantly to try to stimulate the milk. (I even used these tubes where milk came through the tubes to my baby while he was nursing....) I would encourage you to breastfeed and to make decisions about alternative methods once you have tried breastfeeding. I also would hire a lactation consultant, if your lac. con. pediatrician is not available for consults, etc., and I would get involved with a Nursing Moms group, which you can contact now and they will assign you a "bddy," or volunteer advisor. Good luck!

Hi N.. It is definitely possible to exclusively pump. My son is 8 months old, and I wanted to breastfeed him. As it turned out, he was in the NICU for a little while and for the time he was there, I started pumping every 4 hours to try to get my supply in. (It was kind of painful at first because not much comes out, but once your milk comes in it is fine.) When I tried to nurse him, he just would not latch on properly and it was such a struggle so I just decided I would pump. Every time after he ate, I would pump and I was able to get my supply up so that we could feed him pretty much exclusively on breast milk. The pump that I used was Medela Pump In Style Double breast pump. I actually was able to get my supply so that I did not have to pump after all of his feedings and I would still get enough for him to eat all through the day. If you have any questions, please feel free to write. I ended up doing this for 6 months with him, so it is definitely possible! Good luck!!!

Everyone has to decide what works for them. Just wanted to share my experiences.

I could not breastfeed my daughter (long story - illness), and felt very guilty about it. She is very healthy, though, so - while I agree that breast is best, I must admit that formulas must be pretty darn good these days.

With my son, I was DETERMINED to breastfeed - even though he had to go to the NICU for a little & didn't get to breastfeed until a couple of days later - it was very hard to get him started, but once he did it was suddenly a piece of cake - then I had to go back to work & pumped.

I was determined to provide him breastmilk for as long as I could, but it was hard to stick to my pumping schedule at work & eventually my supply wasn't enough. I made it to 10 months though & continued to nurse him at night for a little while longer.

My 3rd child was born 2 months early, so I had to pump right from the beginning & it IS POSSIBLE to build your milk supply from pumping right away - I was pumping twice as much as he needed at first.

What I DIDN'T like, however was the "double work" - pumping to get the milk & then feeding my son & then still having to clean up all of the pump parts as well as the bottle parts. To me, it was just SO much easier to breastfeed.

When I got him home (after a month of pumping), I was determined to make the transition to breastfeeding from pumping and he did it quite smoothly (despite all of the warnings that some preemies never transition to breastfeeding). I am SO glad that I did. I just don't have the time (with the 2 other kids) to go through the process of pumping, feeding, cleaning - it is just so much easier to sit down, breastfeed, and be done.

Another bonus - packing is quite light! I don't have to worry about bottles or formula or anything like that.

I still occasionally pump in order to have several bottles on hand for emergencies and nights out with my husband, but pumping exclusively was just too much work for me.

Of course, I'm going back to work in September, so I will be back pumping again. I must say that I'm not looking forward to it, but I'd like my little guy to have breastmilk as long as possible. I will still breastfeed (rather than bottle feed) when I get home from work.

Just my experiences - as I said, everyone has to do what works for them. Congratulations on the new baby!!!

I had a really hard time breastfeeding my son, and no problem with my daughter. But I will say that unless the baby is a really good sleeper, pumping exclusivly is very hard. It can take up tp half an hour to pump out a few ounces and as the baby gets bigger it takes longer to pump the milk than it would to just nurse. my advice to you is to supplement. Nurse when you chose and give a bottle when you are not up for it, or it is not practicle for you. Introduce the bottle very early on and let others feed the baby for you so it will be used to it.

Hi N.! Like you, I bottle feed my first two children. Then I decided to nurse my youngest. I really just wanted to give it a try since I had friends that had been very successfull with it and had great experiences with it. My biggest mistake was in the hospital!! All the nurses assumed since I had two children already I knew what I was doing and the left me pretty much alone. Thank goodness I had a friend that was a midwife and Latation consultant! She came to my hospial room right after a delivery to help me! She sat at my side for hours with my baby to teach me. And you really do have to learn about the process. Make sure you tell your nurse at the hospital that this is the FIRST TIME you have nursed!! Use their knowledge & help as much as you can right away! Don't be afraid to ask questions, or call your doctor!! If you decide to go back to the bottle after a few weeks or months keep in mind that any breast feeding is better than none and it doesn't always work out for everyone. I nursed my youngest for 8 weeks then moved to the bottle. That's what worked for us. I'm glad I tried it, I wouldn't trade the experience for anything. It just didn't work out well once I had to return to a 50 hour work week on swing shifts. Well, that's my advice & story! Congrats, Good luck and Best wishes!

Hi N.,

I exclusively pumped for 14 months and I wanted to say that it can be done!!! My son was a preemie and in the hospital for 55 days, so I started the pumping out of necessity and then continued because i enjoyed it, it gave my hubby a chance to bond with my son and because he had some weight issue using the bottle was less labor intensive for him then bfing. Here are my tips, some of which were mentioned:

1. when you first start out, keep a pumping schedule/log. Make sure that you are pumping every 2 1/2 to 3 hours (even at night) and log how much milk you are getting so you can make sure you're getting you're supply up to where it should be. Talk with a lactation consultant about how long you should be pumping, etc.

2. Rent or buy a hospital grade pump. Exclusive pumping will not work with anything less. The cheaper ones will just break on you and you won't get as much bang for your buck.

3. Make sure you have storage. Excess BM can last up to 1 year in a deep freezer, so knowing where and how you will store the milk is important.

4. BUY A HANDS FREE PUMPING BRA!!!!!! This was the most important thing I did. It gave me the chance to double pump and be done in tons less time--plus I could get other things done.

5. Find a support group, either on line or with other pumping moms. This really helps with all the questions and any concerns that might arise.

I really enjoyed pumping. I also had a ton of milk--You should see the pictures of our freezer-- so this wasn't a problem for me. Whatever you choose to do, good luck!!!!!!!

If you have other questions, feel free to shoot me a private email.

Congratulations on the coming baby. That is so exciting! Just to put my two cents in, I breastfed and pumped with my little boy. At first my system worked out great. I nursed during the day and night and pumped during the evening so we could go out and I could have a break. It was awesome and I really enjoyed the one-on-one time with my son. I became pretty sick and my milk supply decreased. I went to alternating between nursing and pumping to try to increase my milk. This was so time-consuming. I then went to solely pumping. It did not hurt me but I did not enjoy it and it became a hassle. I had to always take my pump with me when we went out for the day. I also noticed my milk supply was not what it was at when I was nursing. I eventually gave up because I didn't feel I was pumping enough milk for my son and had to supplement him with formula.

I do have an awesome double pump that was pretty expensive but it was super efficient. I highly recommend if you can spend the little extra money and get a double pump. I have a Medela.

When I have my second, I am going to lean more towards nursing and less on pumping. I definitely will pump a little to give me a break a night here and there and so we can go out for an evening. I would recommend trying to breastfeed. I didn't think it would be that big of a deal for me or I would really enjoy it, but when I stopped I was very emotional about it. I do have to admit it was the hardest part of having a child because it does take energy and time, but I loved it and will do it again in a heartbeat.

I wish you luck in whatever you choose!

Hi N.,
I have not responded to anyone's questions yet, but as I don't feel too many people exclusively pump, I thought I should let you know how it went for me. I had planned to breastfeed, but my son was unable to latch on correctly and he was losing too much weight. I just had my second child and it was very difficult for me to teach her how to latch on too. Knowing what I know now, I probably could have taught the first one how to latch on properly if I knew more about it. I thought breastfeeding was a natural experience and that babies are born with the knowledge of what to do... not true with my two children!

Anyway, I ended up pumping exclusively with the first. It is a lot of extra work in the beginning with sterilizing bottles and the time it takes to pump and then actually feeding the baby with the bottled milk after you are done. However, it does give you a lot of freedom to be out and about and not worry about where to find privacy to breastfeed when you are somewhere and your baby is hungry.

I'm not sure why you don't want to breastfeed. It is easier and I am enjoying it with my second. You do need to be patient as it can be very painful in the beginning. I do not think I would be able to tolerate it if I did not use lanolin after every feeding. When I forget to put it on for a day I really feel the pain return, but if I use it after each feeding, it is a relaxing enjoyable experience with no bottles to wash or pumping parts to take care of when you are done! Due to my daughter's desire to nurse only from one side, I actually pump the other side each morning. This allows me the opportunity to bring a bottle and feed her somewhere during the day if I feel like it will be easier, or leave her with someone if I have a doctor's appointment, and give my husband and son a chance to bond with her through giving her a bottle occasionally. I due feel that having a pump can give you freedom that breastfeeding exclusively does not if you are the only one that can feed the baby. This will help you if you want to work a little bit more outside of your home. Be warned, you may have a lot of extra milk in the beginning. I actually purchased a freezer to store it all and I'm already using it again this time with pumping just once a day!

I can't imagine exclusive pumping is going to work out for very long without a MASSIVE commitment on your part. It takes forever to pump, steralize, feed, and do it all over again. I breastfed and had to pump (to make up for low milk supply and a sleepy baby) and for the first 6 weeks I spent 1.5 out of every 2 hours (around the clock, except for a 4 hour break at night) feeding or pumping. I agree with all the other moms that without the baby-on-breast stimulation you aren't likely to be able to establish a good milk supply (unless you are just a good milker!). Regardless, I would suggest renting the Symphony pump-- it is $20 a week (or so) but very worth it. I had one for a month and really missed it when I went back to the Pump in Style.

I know people who have pumped exclusively, but it was literally all they did, and it was with their first child.

I guess you need to think about why you don't think breastfeeding is for you, and then decide how committed you are to giving your child breastmilk. You sound conflicted, and I'm not sure if it is fear, worry, body image issues, or what. Regardless, talking to a lactation consultant (that you like!) sounds like a great next step.

Good luck!

No worries! My son, now 3, was premature and unable to latch on right away, so while he was in the NICU we had to feed him from bottles. I pumped and put it into bottles from the beginning. He never really caught on to nursing, so I basically pumped for the entire 10 months he was "breastfed". It wasn't that bad - I just had to make sure that I bought a car adapter from the pump I rented from the hospital b/c I needed to pump and then put it in a bottle and I didn't want to have to stay home all the time.

While it was tiring at times, I just reminded myself that this was the best thing for him and my comfort and happiness were secondary. I am glad that I did continue with it. Best of luck, you will do great1

i breastfed and pumped. I would recomend getting an electric one if you plan on doing it all the time. If you look at the front of the pumps they will tell you if they are ment for occasinal us or all the time. Mine was very expensive over 300 retail. But if you trust someone that has one you can borrow their or rent it. At the store you can buy new parts that your breastmilk will touch for very cheap. THis is what we did because I counldnt afford 300 dollars....i bought mine for 75 from my fiend sterilized what she gave me and bought a few new ones. There are also some really great storage containers at the store and bags to store them in that you can buy an attachment for and pump right into that to avoid haveing to trasfer it, you can also use those same bags and hook them up to the bottle and feed that baby, it really is a great system its no fun to spill precious breast milk! Sorry for rambling hope everything goes well!

N.
Here are a few thoughts...
1. Since you didn't breastfeed the first time, you have A LOT to learn this second time around, so I would STRONGLY encourage you to try breastfeeding at least while you're in the hospital and for a couple of weeks. Breastfeeding is something that will take practice at first... so its hard to skip right to pumping if you aren't really sure how to breastfeed first.
2. Pumping is an excellent option for mothers. I exclusively pumped when I went back to work, but that was around 10 weeks... prior to that I nursed while I was with my son. Your body works a little bit differently when you're nursing, then when you're pumping... and it took a couple of weeks to really get the hang of full time pumping.
3. Pumping while you're away from the baby is the easiest and best thing you can do for your little one... but pumping while you're with your baby is going to be very challenging... when will you pump? Between feedings - because then you'll basically be in a continual circle without rest. Pump for 15 minutes, prep bottles, just about that time the little one is ready to eat. Feed the baby for 15 minutes, change diaper, put down for a nap... oh its time to pump again, because if you delay, then you won't have a bottle for the next feed...etc. If you nurse when you're home, you will have more time for your other little one, and the new baby.
4. Your body will make milk only so long as you train it to do so... if you don't teach your body the proper way to make milk first, then pumping probably won't go very smoothly.
5. Bottles! Nursing directly - there is no cost, no time wasted on buying, cleaning, filling, storing, carrying around bottles. Plus once your baby prefers bottles - he/she really won't go back to the breast... so keep that in mind too.

Basically, I really encourage you to pump! If that is what feels best for you physically and emotionally, that is great! Pumped breast milk is better than no breast milk. But just try and get a good basis on nursing directly before you start pumping... just a couple of weeks at least.
Good luck! Sorry this was so long!

My daughter was hospitalized at 11 days old, and while in the hospital she had to be bottle fed to watch how much she ate. She would not go back to nursing and I solely pumped for her for 13 months. I used the Medela pump in style. Over the 13 months I bought maybe 3 cans of formula which I used for convienence sake (because you need very hot water to warm breast milk and you can't "serve" it cold).
This was a very time consuming process, because to get your milk started you have to pump every 2 hours and for the first few months I was pumping 8 times a day, and it takes about a half hour each time. My daughter is an only child, and I don't know how hard it would be with a toddler running around. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

1st- you should try breastfeeding your baby before you decide its not for you. It is impossible to imagine how it will be and make that decision. I do think with a good pump you CAN do it if you want to though. To establish your supply in the 1st months, you will need a hospital grade pump like Medela Symphony (new design and VERY good) or Lactina, which you will need to rent. After that you can use the pump in Style. Good luck!

Pumping exclusively is possible. I did that with my oldest daughter for one year & am just finishing pumping for my almost one year old boy. I tired for two days w/my daughter but I have one defunct nipple so she couldn't latch on as well, but that breast has always been my best supplier of milk w/the pump. Just make sure to get a double pump. I found pumping to be easier for me, but it only took me about 10-15 minutes. It was great that others then can help w/feedings! I stay home w/the kids & was able to be on a schedule w/pumping & pumped in the car when needed & carried it on airplanes. It wasn't a hassle for me b/c I pumped enough, it didn't take long & the cleaning of the supplies & bottles never bothered me. You need to do what works for you. Good luck.

I to was not able to pump or breast feed my first. Not only where they twins but by then they where use to the bottle by the time that i got to hold them. My sec prego i was able to breast feed her. That is all she wanted. But then i had to try to go back to work and i tried to pump, but found it hard to do when my work didn't allow the time or privacy. And i think since i became under stress that my milk had dried up. But my daughter had gotten it for the first 4mnth of her life.

If you need more answers don;t be afraid to ask when u are in the hosp. That is what i did and they where helpful. All u can ask of your self is that you try and if you have tried then good for u. Be proud of what u can and have done.

Hi N.. I exclusively pump for my 9 mo. little girl. Why? She was a 25-week preemie who still needs extra calories so I have to pump the milk and then add fortifying powder to her milk to help her gain weight. So, I can't just nurse her. After 9 mo., I'm just now starting to supplement because I can't keep up with her anymore but she still gets 3/4 breastmilk which I am proud of. My advice would be to rent a Medela Symphony from a hospital, or similar hospital grade pump. The manufacturer even suggests these pumps versus the "Pump in Styles" you can buy at the store. My second piece of advice is to be very, very dedicated. Those first few weeks, you'll have to pump like every 2-3 hours, THEN hand wash all the attachments, THEN feed and change the baby. It's a very small window of time in between pumping and feeding the baby to do much else. but it DOES get better with time. And you're giving your baby the best nutrition. I say do it as long as you can. Even if your baby just gets those first few weeks of colostrum/milk, it's worth it. If you want more info. to look at, google the term "pumping moms". There's a yahoo group and also a chat board on babycenter.com that's really helpful. Good luck!