Breastfeeding
MBush4
member
Is EP BF?
MBush4
member
A friend of mine has recently been making little "joking" jabs at me for EP. I would love to BF directly, but unfortunately it never happened. Most days I'm fine and have accepted that while LO is getting only BM, it is through another way than the traditional method. DH and I were having this conversation last night and what do you ladies think? Would you consider EP BF? If all LO has received is BM, would you say they are EBF? I always pause a little when asked my the ped if I breast or bottle feed because... well, I do both.
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Re: Is EP BF?
First of all, I LOVE the name Atticus!
I would definitely consider EP BFing. I pump during the day and LO gets bottles at Daycare, but I consider him to be EBF.
GSx1 - 05/13/2013
GSx2 for T&B - EDD 6/21/2015 - They're having a GIRL!
I EPed with my first and BF my son, but it still trips me up
They should ask breastmilk or formula I think. Because lots of BF babies get bottles, and even a lot of them.
I think so. I wish there were more resources out there for EP moms, I can't imagine how hard that is. I think it's awesome that many EP moms are so dedicated to giving their baby only BM even after having struggles with latching or whatever kept them from nursing. EP moms and nursing moms face some different issues, but that is not a reason not to support one another or present a united front.
I will say though, it makes me sad that I see posts (usually on trimester or BMBs) from pregnant moms who plan to EP without trying to nurse for what I consider silly reasons.... I've seen moms say they think nursing is "icky", don't want their boobs to be for anything but sex, or want others to bond with the baby by giving bottles. I'm glad that the general public is more aware of pumping so that it can be acceptable in more places (the workplace, airplanes, whatever) but it also worries me that ignorant people that don't get BFing (like my MIL, and the anonymous commenters I see at the bottom of any online news story about nursing in public) see the availability of pumps and say "Ewwww, don't nurse in public, just pump and bring a bottle!"
I guess I'm just afraid that nursing will lose ground to pumping because so many people are so afraid or offended by things like NIP or boobs as anything other than man's playthings.
I completely agree! I'm part of the baby center's exclusively pumping board and there are women who come in asking how to start out pumping in the hospital, etc. because BFing directly seems weird, gross (or my personal favorite) unnatural. I had to call out and laugh at the lady who said it was unnatural. SO many moms who have to EP do it because they couldn't BF successfully and we try to push them try BFing, but... Yeah... I agree.
I consider it EBF. When the pedi asks breast or bottle, I say breast. I EPed with my 1st almost 3 years ago, and I feel like no one heard of it, and even my pedi said "you can't really do that." I stuck with it, had a great supply and he got exclusively BM past his 1st bday.
This time around, I feel like I know more people who EP. It's not seen as such a strange thing. I work on mother baby, and I've actually seen LCs recommend EPing for moms who are uncomfortable with BFing directly. I think the day will come soon when people are given 3 options, BF, EP or FF. A lot of people don't know EPing is even a possibility. So many of my friends gave up breastfeeding for various reasons, and almost all of them said they would've tried pumping if they would have known.
I'd love to BF exclusively, and had planned on it with this guy, but an unexpected NICU stay put a wrench in our plans.
I EP and I consider it EBFing. There is not a group on this website but there is one on babycenter if you need some support or have questions. Keep it up and good luck.
https://community.babycenter.com/groups/a4592405/the_exclusive_pumpers