Talk to me about pumping and formula

MADforever2009

Was reading a EPing post down below and it got me thinking even more about when to stop pumping.

Backround:

I produce just enough for the boys each feeding.  I have been taking the supplements, eating oatmeal, drinking water, etc...pumping isnt hard for me in the area of pain and discomfort (it actually is what gives me my bump time)...its just with the boys eating so often, i pump as often as well to keep up with them, which leaves me little time for anything else, not to mention if im alone and they wake up or need me while pumping its a PAIN.

We supplement to formula feeds at night (docs request cause preemies) and ive noticed they sleep longer stretches. We use enfamil enfacare 22 cal. (just switched to powder cause its cheaper.) The boys dont care for it much and coop tends to spit up after it where he doesnt the BM.

My questions:

When did you stop pumping and why?  In your opinion when have the babies gotten a good amt of my milk?  Any good formula recs?  If the boys dont like this formula, will they not like any?  Is formula that expensive that I should just suck it up and pump?  I would like to be able to go somewhere and not have to lug my pump and excuse myself for 15-20 minutes.  Am i being selfish?  

Shannonlea

I pumped for 6 months.

 

I quit because it was becoming too much to have to pump 3 times while at work.  I was excusing myself from meetings, pumping while driving, etc.  Just too much.

Honestly, I was so happy after I quit pumping for a couple weeks. It became a real drain on me and it was never convenient.  I am glad I was able to do it so long for my kids but honestly, I often wonder why I struggled so much to do it.

We started on Target Up and Up formula a few weeks before I quit pumping and just started going half and half.  Mine had no problems switching to Up and Up and no problems going to different formulas, if I ever got samples or good formula checks.

Formula is expensive but if you use generic and get good coupons, its not too bad.  Towards the end, I loaded up on the Similac Liquid formula and got a 32oz bottle for .86.   Even when they were eating 32 oz each per day, thats only $12 a week! So you can find ways to make it work.

LakeGenevaBride

I stopped pumping at 12 weeks.  I was literally going crazy trying to pump all the time.  I was taking fenugreek and reglan, pumping every 2 to 3 hours, even at night.  Even after all that I was only pumping around 28oz (enough for one baby) so the babies were still getting formula for half their bottles.  For me I stopped b/c I couldn't take care of them effectively and be attached to the pump.  It was a decision I agonized over, but after I stopped I realized how much better I felt.  I was able to spend more time with the babies.  I was able to go places without worrying about pumping.  I was able to sleep longer stretches at night which made me a better mom during the day.  So no, I don't think you are being selfish to want to stop.   Maybe continue to pump and find a powder formula the babies tolerate well.  That way if and when you decide to stop pumping it will be an easy transition.  GL    

caden

 When did you stop pumping and why?  I'm weaning myself from the pump now and will probably be completely done in 2 weeks. So 4.5 months about. I'm stopping b/c (1) I hate it; (2) My kids don't nap well and cry too much for me to find time to pump; (3) They do fine on formula; (4) Pumping stresses me out; (5) I want to be able to go places and do what I need to do around the house w/o worrying about my boobs exploding; (6) Did I mention that I hate it?

In your opinion when have the babies gotten a good amt of my milk? I think each mom has to decide this for herself.

Any good formula recs? My boys have to be on special formula since they have myriad feeding issues. They're on Nutramigen now. I wouldn't recommend something that expensive unless the kid needed it.

If the boys dont like this formula, will they not like any? Some babies have preferences. Mine never seemed to care what they drank. I cared b/c each formula they tried affected them differently. 1 made them constipated (enfamil AR), 1 made them gassy (enfacare), etc. I think area is trial by error for most people. If my kids could only drink BM I probably would have sucked it up and continued pumping b/c having bad feedings stressed me out more than pumping. Before quitting the pump I would experiment with formulas to make sure there is something that works. Or else maybe feed them less at night and more during the day (mine spit up less/not at all when they eat less) as a test.

Is formula that expensive that I should just suck it up and pump? I pay approx $32 for 1 can that lasts at most 3 days and I don't care. I'm just done with pumping and since my boys seem to finally be feeding well on Nutramigen that's all I care about. I would literally pay $100 per can for something that made my boys feed normally.

Am i being selfish? Nope. Your boys will get all the nutrients they need on formula. *pulls out soapbox* There seems to be this movement going on in our culture that moms have to do everything humanly possible that is considered the absolute 100% best thing for our kids or else we are guilty of screwing up our kids for life. Yeah, of course we need to be good moms, but you know what? We count too. Our feelings, our opinions, and our stress factors - they matter too. We shouldn't have to feel guilty for being happy (when what makes us happy is still good for the kids, just not the epitome) *climbs down soapbox*

chickaboo1974

I really am beginning to hate my pump too- I only pump.  I feel chained to it, plus I am resentful that at the 3/4 am feeding I have to pump for 20 minutes or else I am exploding and rock hard by the time I wake up for the day and I really want my sleep.  I produce way more than the boys need- I have a pituatary tumor that stimulates the production of prolactin so I lactate plenty- I have quite a freezer stash.  Although I produce enough to feed the boys all breastmilk- I don't.  Being preemies, I give them 2 ozs of Similac Neosure a feeding for the calories- so they get 4 ozs of breastmilk too.

I have always planned on breastfeeding until they are 6 months old- with my freezer stash I might be able to quit the pump at 5 months and give them the frozen milk.... I am soooooo looking forward to that day.  I am somewhat on a count down lol.  I have less than 4 months......

KingShawsBride

I am so glad that you posted this!  I am also a crazy pumping machine, which makes it very challenging to even get a nap in.   My milk isn't really coming in all that great, despite my efforts behind drinking water, mother's milk tea, and oatmeal.  I am going to order some of the Fenugreek next to see if that makes a difference,  but currently I'm lucky to pump a total of 12 ounces for the day.  We are also supplementing with Enfamil Enfacare (22 cal).  We switched to the powder kind once we came home from the hospital and have also noticed that our boys spit up more with the formula than the Breastmilk.  I have thoughts to stop pumping and just switch to formula, but am really going to try and make it to at least the 2 month mark, which was the boys due date. 

babydontforget

When I went back to work (boys were about 3.5 months), I was mostly nursing, with only one feed per day in bottles with pumped milk. In the first couple months I had wrestled with an oversupply problem and couldn't pump for a stash because of it. So I had only about 1 day's worth in the freezer. I didn't think it would matter, though, because I assumed that my abundant supply would mean that I'd pump plenty during the work day to meet their needs.

Imagine my surprise when I didn't even come close to pumping enough. I agonized over this for weeks. Tried everything possible (except dom--never tried that) to up my supply. A few weeks ago it was at the point where I was pumping four times during the work day plus two times after they went to bed to cover about 70% of what they need during my eight-hour workday. And the constant pumping was screwing up my supply before and after work, too, so I had to supplement with formula after inadequate feedings when I was not working, too.

It sucked. I felt like I'd been robbed of the ability to nurse, which I'd come to enjoy. And, like any sane person would, I HATED the pumping. I especially hated that I was chained to it on the weekends, too. On the weekends I want to enjoy my children, not strap myself to the damned pump.

So recently I decided that I'm only going to pump once per day, right before I go to bed. I nurse them in the morning, at night, and once midday. (I work at home, so I'm able to do that, though nursing three times per workday would have been impossible.) The nursing sessions are great, because I go long enough between them that I have plenty of supply for them, and the boys get formula for the two feedings in between the nursing sessions. It ends up being about 60/40 breastmilk/formula.

I am SO much happier without the pumping. My weekends, especially, have seen a huge improvement. And my sons are doing just as well as they were on 100% bm. 

Long story short: Do what works best for you and your family. 

My sons get Gerber Good Start, for no reason other than that my pediatrician told me it was his favorite. He says he likes the comfort proteins. When I pushed him on it, he said that he doesn't prefer the comfort proteins enough to justify the cost above that of generics, but that, money aside, Good Start is his preference. If I could do it over I would start them on a generic; now that they're happy on Good Start I don't want to introduce a change, as changing formula is a big deal.