@britvahok that probably is the reason. Not sure if my c section impacted it but I don't think my milk came in til I went home from the hospital and DD had lost almost a pound so I was breastfeeding and then pumping and giving her that. If she was still hungry they had me giving some formula in a syringe with my finger the same way as the expressed milk.
@littlebug2010 I'm no expert, but I did avoid bottles for the first few weeks. Once it was obvious DD had a good latch and no problem taking the breast, we introduced bottles every once in a while. After 3 months, nursing stopped being so painful for me and I chose to do it pretty exclusively for a while. Then, she refused to take any bottles from anyone. It was stressful because I was still planning on returning to work. I also knew that meant I couldn't be away from her for very long since I was the only way she would eat. We tried everything to get her to take bottles again with no luck. Thankfully, DH and I worked things out so that I could stay home with her. The bottle refusal became a non-issue but I wondered if I had given her bottles more regularly if she would have continued to take them well.
@middy411 Did you bring your pump or use the hospital's pump? Now I'm thinking I should bring my pump this time just in case my milk doesn't come in as fast. I've known a few people who had to give formula with a syringe and everyone says it's a pain!
I personally pumped in hospital bc my 36 weeker wouldn't latch well and my milk took long. He was born on a Tuesday and went to NICU Wednesday-friday. So that's also why. It wasn't until day 5 when I could pump out 4 oz total. I think pumping encouraged the milk just like a nursing baby does.
I guess it varies from hospital to hospital but our birthing class instructor told us not to bring pumps and it was never mentioned to me. I'm delivering at a different hospital this time, but it's the same hospital system. I'm going to do a tour and ask about it. I don't really care what they say, me and my insurance are paying for us to be there and I'll do what works for us.
@britvahok I used the hospital's pump last time. It was a Medela and I ended up liking my pump way more (Hygeia) once I got home. Mine was a lot stronger and more efficient than the hospital's so I am planning to bring mine this time. It definitely was a pain feeding her with the syringe but I was basically confined to my bed anyways so it's not like I had anything else to do haha. I think my hospital is very paranoid about nipple confusion as well because they don't "allow" pacifiers and I didn't even think of a bottle because they told me to use my finger with the syringe. I only did the syringe for a few days and only after feedings where I felt she was still hungry. Once my milk came in, I stopped the breastmilk and formula supplementation.
@britvahok I used the hospital's pump last time. It was a Medela and I ended up liking my pump way more (Hygeia) once I got home. Mine was a lot stronger and more efficient than the hospital's so I am planning to bring mine this time. It definitely was a pain feeding her with the syringe but I was basically confined to my bed anyways so it's not like I had anything else to do haha. I think my hospital is very paranoid about nipple confusion as well because they don't "allow" pacifiers and I didn't even think of a bottle because they told me to use my finger with the syringe. I only did the syringe for a few days and only after feedings where I felt she was still hungry. Once my milk came in, I stopped the breastmilk and formula supplementation.
I find this surprising since most hospital grade pumps are higher quality.
@Kudlica27 I agree. I didn't expect it. The hospital pump was a Medela and it would go through different "phases". Not sure if that's how the home Medela pumps work. Anyways even when it went into the more intense pumping it wasn't doing much for me. But my Hygeia I have to put on the lowest and slowest setting or it feels like it's going to detach my nipples (exaggeration). I noticed that I got a lot better results from it. Maybe the hospital gave me one of their rundown machines idk.
@britvahok I didn't bring a pump to the hospital with me. When DS1 ended up in the NICU at 2 days old, the hospital gave me a pump and I pumped and BFed around the clock. I got some colostrum, but my milk didn't come in until night 4 when we were both discharged. I stopped pumping by the next day and didn't start again until around 4 weeks and that was just once per day to build a freezer stash.
With DS2, I had to pump once or twice early on just for a few minutes to get some relief from being so engorged. I started pumping once per day after the first morning feeding to build a freezer stash by 4-5 weeks PP. Both kids had an occasional bottle while I was on maternity leave just to make sure they took it.
@LivLew I have the hygeia enjoye with a rechargeable battery and love it so much I ordered another for this baby! The only other machine I used was a Medela at the hospital and I didn't like it at all. I will say the Hygeia is so strong that sometimes even on the lowest setting it was a bit much for me (like during the cracking/bleeding days). But that's all the experience I have.
@BlackNYellow have you looked into using the Medela storage bags? It comes with adapters and you wouldn't have to get the bottles dirty. Then you could just wipe down the breast shields.
@britvahok I exclusively pumped, that's why I was pumping immediately. I think having baby latch right away has the same effect, so I'm surprised by the immediate pumpers that BF'd as well.
I avoided Medela milk storage bags when I EP'd bc at the time there was a lot of word of mouth about them leaking. I don't know that that is still true, so take it with a grain of salt. I'd Google and see what comes up as far as pros/ come.
@britvahok I couldn't get my pump until after I delivered so I had to pick it up at the hospital boutique. I was so happy I had it there as a FTM because the LCs helped me learn how to use it. I remember a tiny amount coming out then. I didn't use it again for a while once home since I was EBFing. Now that I know how to pump, not sure I'll take it this time around. My milk came in while I was in the hospital since I was there for three days with the csection recovery.
***TW in Siggy*** Me: 34 / DH: 33 Married: Nov 2011 TTC #1: Jan 2013, BFP Sept 2013, DD: June 2014 TTC #2: Aug 2016, BFP Nov 2016, DS: August 2017
I think most everything I had to say has already been covered. One thing that stuck out to me from my months helping in our breastfeeding class is that after the first few days to a week, breastfeeding should not be painful (assuming you have no damage), so don't ignore any pain and seek help to make sure your latch is good and baby's tongue can extend far enough and get the nipple to the back of their mouth. Look for breastfeeding support groups led by an LC that does weighted feedings and check in the gift shop of your hospital because they sometimes employ LCs and have private feeding rooms where you can get one on one help.
One product that was priceless to me was the bamboobies washable breast pads, which I recently saw are now sold through BRU.
As others have mentioned, breastfeeding is a tough journey and requires a lot of work on your part to succeed. I went into it thinking it would just naturally happen without much effort on my part because why would it be hard? I would have an easy time and I would burn all the calories and lose my baby weight so fast! Wrong. It's extremely stressful and you will constantly second guess if your baby is getting enough to eat. It was really hard for me to BF in public too. I preferred to hide in my car or just have a pumped bottle ready to go because I was not at all comfortable feeling that exposed, even with a cover. I guess what I'm trying to say is don't feel like you're a failure if this isnt an easy and natural journey for you.
Would anyone who pumped see the need for a second pump? I got one through insurance with DD but now that we have a different provider, I think I could qualify to get another one. Didn't know if it was really necessary but wanted to see if anyone saw a benefit I'm not seeing.
@aehogan90 I was going to get a new one this time around just for the benefit of having a new motor. I planned to keep my last one as a back up. If you're working, it would be super convenient to leave one in your desk and one at home. Or set up two different pumping stations in your home.
Would anyone who pumped see the need for a second pump? I got one through insurance with DD but now that we have a different provider, I think I could qualify to get another one. Didn't know if it was really necessary but wanted to see if anyone saw a benefit I'm not seeing.
If insurance will cover it, I'd say go for a second one! You can keep it at work, in the car, at a parents house, etc to make traveling easier. It also doesn't hurt to have a new one with a brand new motor.
Would anyone who pumped see the need for a second pump? I got one through insurance with DD but now that we have a different provider, I think I could qualify to get another one. Didn't know if it was really necessary but wanted to see if anyone saw a benefit I'm not seeing.
I got one with my previous and still qualified for another.
Not to be argumentative but even if you've got a proper latch and everything is totally going great breastfeeding can (will) still be painful the first couple weeks. DD was an absolute rockstar at nursing and I still remember my nipples being super sore from being sucked on every two hours 24 hours a day. I mean obviously it's all individual but I clearly remember being on the verge of tears with the lactation consultant because when she did her class she said it wouldn't hurt.
Totally agree with @Nxy. And you'll hear the pain will be gone after a couple weeks. It took me at least 3 weeks to be painless.
Another thing my BFing class said was that mastitis is rare. Well, I got it a month into nursing and my BMB from DD had lots of us who got it. Like, a majority of us did.
***TW in Siggy*** Me: 34 / DH: 33 Married: Nov 2011 TTC #1: Jan 2013, BFP Sept 2013, DD: June 2014 TTC #2: Aug 2016, BFP Nov 2016, DS: August 2017
I also agree with @Nxy. With DS1, BFing, especially the first minute or two, felt like being stabbed with daggers for at least the first 4-6 weeks. He latched fine, but the initial latch was very painful at the beginning. Plus, it's common to get cracked/sore nipples at the beginning and it's uncomfortable BFing through that. The pain definitely didn't last as long the second time around, but it was still painful for at least the first few weeks.
If the baby doesn't have a good latch, BFing will be more challenging and painful, but even when things are going well, I'd expect discomfort early on that could last for longer than the first week.
BF in the first few weeks hurt me so much that I had to curl my toes. DD and DS latched perfectly (check multiple times by LCs) but you nipple is being tugged and contorted. They may also get dry and crack so it's important to keep them moisturized regularly.
I'll add to the BF pain convo. I was in pain for about 3 weeks with each kid. Not only will your breasts hurt, your uterus is contracting back down to size (breastfeeding aids the process), and for the first couple of weeks every time I would feed I would get intense cramping.
Not to be argumentative but even if you've got a proper latch and everything is totally going great breastfeeding can (will) still be painful the first couple weeks. DD was an absolute rockstar at nursing and I still remember my nipples being super sore from being sucked on every two hours 24 hours a day. I mean obviously it's all individual but I clearly remember being on the verge of tears with with lactation consultant because when she did her class she said it wouldn't hurt.
Totally agree with this and the others. It was 3 months before my extreme pain started to go away. I mean tears and clenching my breast with my sweaty hand trying to handle the pain. I was so frustrated and searching for answers of "what was wrong". Every LC said DD had a great latch, suck, etc. For me, I think her mouth needed to get a little bigger so it was more comfortable. Don't get discouraged like I did if you feel pain for a while
Did any of you with breast-feeding pain have this same pain with pumping or no?
Yes. The pain does subside, but the first few weeks were tough. The Lanolin was helpful, and I found that rubbing coconut oil on my nipples after each pump helped too.
Well yeah, as a whole BF is uncomfortable. My only point is not to ignore extreme pain and assume it must be normal. I was shocked at how many babies had tongue and lip ties or just couldn't wrap around the nipple properly and hold on. There are a thousand things that can go wrong so seeking professional help can help nip em in the bud.
Did any of you with breast-feeding pain have this same pain with pumping or no?
I did not BF, but I did pump. I can tell you that the best way to prevent pain while pumping is to put lanolin on the inside of the flanges (funnels) and your nipples before starting to pump. I promise you will only try to pump without it once! You will probably be sore in the beginning if you EP, just because your nipples won't be used to the pumping. But it's really not a big deal overall, if you make sure to use lanolin.
ETA- a properly sized flange is essential to comfortable pumping. If you're having a lot of discomfort, head to the Medela website and check the section on how to tell if the funnel is the correct size. The pumps all come with one size (24mm?), but there are others as well. Target had 27mm in store, and you can find other sizes online.
@livlew-2 I filled out the aeroflow.com form last night just to see if my insurance would cover another 2 years later. They called today and they do. They're shipping it tonight. I have a medela, but given the good things I've heard about the spectra s2, I'm going to try it. Thanks for the tip!
@aehogan90 I'm the odd man out. Pumping did not cause me pain. It was more discomfort of having nipples stretched. But that discomfort was a lot easier to deal with than the pain from nursing.
***TW in Siggy*** Me: 34 / DH: 33 Married: Nov 2011 TTC #1: Jan 2013, BFP Sept 2013, DD: June 2014 TTC #2: Aug 2016, BFP Nov 2016, DS: August 2017
Has anyone had experience with a used breast pump? A girl at work bought one and used it for just a week and is trying to sell it. It's a nature's bond brand.
You should get a new pump for each baby. The non commercial pump motors are made to get weaker with time. I would use the new one first and any old pump as your backup.
Also.. I had no pain with breastfeeding whatsoever. I fed and pumped and I never had pain. I had no soreness, no cracked nipples, no problems. I was very lucky and my daughter caught on super quick and I had a HUGE supply and I also have incredible support as my MIL has been a lactation consultant for 35 years at the neonatal unit in the hospital we deliver.
So it is possible to have a very enjoyable and pain free experience.
@erindippity I'm not familiar with that pump, but I would only consider a slightly used pump if it was a closed system. There are potential health/sanitary issues with sharing open systems.
When you are stil exclusively BF'ing but want to start building a freezer supply how that works? I know the baby will be eating every 2-3 hrs so do you pump in between? That's seems like some crazy milk production!
Re: Breastfeeding / Breast pumps/ FF
@littlebug2010 I'm no expert, but I did avoid bottles for the first few weeks. Once it was obvious DD had a good latch and no problem taking the breast, we introduced bottles every once in a while. After 3 months, nursing stopped being so painful for me and I chose to do it pretty exclusively for a while. Then, she refused to take any bottles from anyone. It was stressful because I was still planning on returning to work. I also knew that meant I couldn't be away from her for very long since I was the only way she would eat. We tried everything to get her to take bottles again with no luck. Thankfully, DH and I worked things out so that I could stay home with her. The bottle refusal became a non-issue but I wondered if I had given her bottles more regularly if she would have continued to take them well.
With DS2, I had to pump once or twice early on just for a few minutes to get some relief from being so engorged. I started pumping once per day after the first morning feeding to build a freezer stash by 4-5 weeks PP. Both kids had an occasional bottle while I was on maternity leave just to make sure they took it.
ed. I'm actually thinking about the S1 not S2 because of the battery. Is it worth?
I avoided Medela milk storage bags when I EP'd bc at the time there was a lot of word of mouth about them leaking. I don't know that that is still true, so take it with a grain of salt. I'd Google and see what comes up as far as pros/ come.
DS2: EDD- 09.08.17
***TW in Siggy***
Me: 34 / DH: 33
Married: Nov 2011
TTC #1: Jan 2013, BFP Sept 2013, DD: June 2014
TTC #2: Aug 2016, BFP Nov 2016, DS: August 2017
One product that was priceless to me was the bamboobies washable breast pads, which I recently saw are now sold through BRU.
As others have mentioned, breastfeeding is a tough journey and requires a lot of work on your part to succeed. I went into it thinking it would just naturally happen without much effort on my part because why would it be hard? I would have an easy time and I would burn all the calories and lose my baby weight so fast! Wrong. It's extremely stressful and you will constantly second guess if your baby is getting enough to eat. It was really hard for me to BF in public too. I preferred to hide in my car or just have a pumped bottle ready to go because I was not at all comfortable feeling that exposed, even with a cover. I guess what I'm trying to say is don't feel like you're a failure if this isnt an easy and natural journey for you.
5.5.16 | 8.14.17 | 1.30.19
Another thing my BFing class said was that mastitis is rare. Well, I got it a month into nursing and my BMB from DD had lots of us who got it. Like, a majority of us did.
***TW in Siggy***
Me: 34 / DH: 33
Married: Nov 2011
TTC #1: Jan 2013, BFP Sept 2013, DD: June 2014
TTC #2: Aug 2016, BFP Nov 2016, DS: August 2017
If the baby doesn't have a good latch, BFing will be more challenging and painful, but even when things are going well, I'd expect discomfort early on that could last for longer than the first week.
5.5.16 | 8.14.17 | 1.30.19
ETA- a properly sized flange is essential to comfortable pumping. If you're having a lot of discomfort, head to the Medela website and check the section on how to tell if the funnel is the correct size. The pumps all come with one size (24mm?), but there are others as well. Target had 27mm in store, and you can find other sizes online.
DS2: EDD- 09.08.17
***TW in Siggy***
Me: 34 / DH: 33
Married: Nov 2011
TTC #1: Jan 2013, BFP Sept 2013, DD: June 2014
TTC #2: Aug 2016, BFP Nov 2016, DS: August 2017
You should get a new pump for each baby. The non commercial pump motors are made to get weaker with time. I would use the new one first and any old pump as your backup.
Also.. I had no pain with breastfeeding whatsoever. I fed and pumped and I never had pain. I had no soreness, no cracked nipples, no problems. I was very lucky and my daughter caught on super quick and I had a HUGE supply and I also have incredible support as my MIL has been a lactation consultant for 35 years at the neonatal unit in the hospital we deliver.
So it is possible to have a very enjoyable and pain free experience.