When to start pumping?

kross605

My daughter is only 2 weeks old but exclusively breastfeeding is really taking its toll on me--mostly in the form of exhaustion from lack of sleep and going absolutely stir crazy not being able to leave the house because I have to be here whenever she wants to nurse. I really want to start pumping so DH can handle a nighttime feeding each day and to give myself a little freedom to leave the house sometime soon! But...is it okay to start pumping this early? The LC at my hospital said to wait 3 or 4 weeks but I dont know why--nipple confusion maybe?

Jocelyn0415

Our pedi said to wait 3 weeks to give the bottle to avoid nipple confusion.

4realyo

My LC told me to wait 3-4 weeks as well. I started puming after 3 weeks, but havent yet given her a bottle of BM. Honestly it took all my effort making it to the 3 wk mark (i felt the same way you did!), but then when I got there things seemed to get a little better. I started taking her out and I even ran out right after I nursed her once and I felt so much better. The whole getting more sleep thing is a myth I think since you cant really skip a feeding (youd still have to get up to pump to not mess with your supply), so I dont really see the point in it. Im trying to determine a good time to introduce a bottle.

AJluvsLI

I've been pumping since day 2 and DS used a bottle because we needed to supplement him in the beginning.

 He's 1 month and we haven't had any problems with nipple confusion, he'll take boob or bottle.

atlbride23

re: nipple confusion, you might want to wait to give a bottle, but start pumping now.  Get some freezer bags and start a stash.

LilyGrad09

I started pumping right away to get my milk in and we started supplementing since we were in the hospital and my LO never had nipple confusion we even introduce the pacifier in the hospital and no problems.

Mrs.Babbsy

My girls have been going from bottles to nipples since their NICU time. My littlest one had a hard time latching, but that was because I was only allowed to BF her once a day. I would say go ahead and start pumping, it will build your supply too.

I mostly pump because I have to fortify their breast milk with formula since they were born early.

GL, when you do pump have something that smells like your LO and have a picture. It helps get more milk:)

barefootbride2008

Oy - if you are going stir crazy or if you are in pain, PUMP.  Don't wait.  If you are going stir crazy or your nips are really hurting and you need a break, I think you are much better off pumping and then sticking to BFing than starting to resent it, which inevitably leads to dreaming of formula.  (No, I don't think that there is anything wrong with formula, but if your goal is to stick to BFing, then I think that you want to make it more likely to reach that goal).  My LC absolutely advises pumping and giving yourself a break if the BFing is getting to be too much.  (Though I do have to agree with the pp - you don't necessarily get more sleep.  However, pumping for me takes 5 minutes and BFing takes more like 30, so if I get up and pump for 5 minutes and hand it all off to DH, I do get back to sleep pretty quick, which is nice once in a while).  

Personally I think that nipple confusion is so vastly overblown.  I know a number of moms who wished they'd introduced bottles sooner (by week 2 the latest) b/c their LOs wouldn't take a bottle, but I've never, ever heard of a real person who dealt with nipple confusion.  I am sure there will be *someone* on the bump who has, b/c there is someone on the bump who has been through everything, but IMO it is terribly uncommon and I wouldn't worry about it if you've already been EBF for 2 weeks.    

Rogue Lily

barefootbride2008:

Oy - if you are going stir crazy or if you are in pain, PUMP.  Don't wait.  If you are going stir crazy or your nips are really hurting and you need a break, I think you are much better off pumping and then sticking to BFing than starting to resent it, which inevitably leads to dreaming of formula.  (No, I don't think that there is anything wrong with formula, but if your goal is to stick to BFing, then I think that you want to make it more likely to reach that goal).  My LC absolutely advises pumping and giving yourself a break if the BFing is getting to be too much.  (Though I do have to agree with the pp - you don't necessarily get more sleep.  However, pumping for me takes 5 minutes and BFing takes more like 30, so if I get up and pump for 5 minutes and hand it all off to DH, I do get back to sleep pretty quick, which is nice once in a while).  

Personally I think that nipple confusion is so vastly overblown.  I know a number of moms who wished they'd introduced bottles sooner (by week 2 the latest) b/c their LOs wouldn't take a bottle, but I've never, ever heard of a real person who dealt with nipple confusion.  I am sure there will be *someone* on the bump who has, b/c there is someone on the bump who has been through everything, but IMO it is terribly uncommon and I wouldn't worry about it if you've already been EBF for 2 weeks.    

*Raises Hand to represent member of team nipple confusion*. That said, the nipples were introduced at like hour 8 vs. 2 weeks.