Bottle feeding breast milk?

JEliseS

If you breast fed, did you strictly feed off the breast or bottle feed as well? How soon did you use bottles? Our LOs are almost three weeks and spent some time in the NICU, so they take both bottle and breast. I'm just the type of person who wants to know what they're eating. But is it extremely exhaustin to pump every three hours in order to bottle feed them? Occasionally they'll tandem feed but sometimes one needs a little more time to wake up so I feed back to back. Any advice or experiences are appreciated!

UsedToBeGoldie

I exclusivly pumped for DS1 for 2 months and for 1 month for the twins.  it's not easy - takes a lot of time/energy... after a month with the twins i just needed more time back and decided to go to formula- i was too exhasted to deal with it anymore.

 

kthappy76

I started pumping when our daughter had a dramatic weight loss in the hospital, so I needed to know how much/that she was eating enough (and my son had a crappy latch).  EPing is a lot of time/work, but it also makes it possible for others to feed them breastmilk, which is great if you have help.  If I were you I wouldn't move to this unless you have a good reason, I would have preferred to have had the option to keep BFing at the breast.

ashes1010

Neither of my girls could latch at first. One of them picked it up after about one week but it still took her 45 minutes to feed. The other didn't start EBF until about 7 weeks. I pumped a TON during those first 2 months because it was important to me to give them breastmilk. I'm not going to lie though...it was exhausting. I feel like all I did was feed and pump. It also helped me get my supply up. While the first 2 months were really tough, it was all worth it because at about 8-9 weeks old, both of my girls were EBF and had sped up significantly (15 minute feed). At around 5 months, I had to stop tandem feeding because the girls got too distracted by each other. I don't mind though because they eat in as little as 5 minutes now. 

We were very focused on the amount as well. I didn't have much confidence with bf'ing at first because I constantly worried that they weren't getting enough. I forced myself to get over it. They were having wet/dirty diapers and were not getting super fussy between feeds so I knew that they were alright. Even now, I sometimes wonder when they come off after 5 minutes. But, like us, sometimes they'll be starving and other times they'll just want a snack. 

4510heather

Honestly I did what worked.  Some days I nursed all day and didn't pump.  Other days, I needed a break and just pumped and bottle fed.  I really didn't care how my girls got the breastmilk, as long as they got it!  After about 4 months I was able to start pumping every 4 hours, which was when I went back to work. I started off nursing morning and night and pumping during the day (I did this even on the weekends just because it seemed easier to me at that point). Then at 6 months, I started pumping less.

I was very lucky to have an oversupply, so I was able to stop pumping completely at 10 months and we just ran out of milk last week (I stopped nursing mid December).

My girls were also nicu babies, so they went from bottle to breast really easily.  

My advice to you is just to do what works!  If you feel like nursing, just nurse.  As long as they are gaining weight, they are getting enough.  If you need a break from nursing, then pump.  

Good luck!!! 

 

PaprikaBug

I pumped 1/2 -3/4 of the time until they were 5 months(it was too painful to breastfeed 100%) Around 5 months I finally figured out tandem nursing without it being painful and at around 6 months I stopped pumping for bottles. I still pump 1-2x a day for a backup stash in the freezer. Once breastfeeding started being enjoyable I got tired of pumping all the time.

Do whatever is more enjoyable for you and your babies because if you're stressing then you'll forget to enjoy those first months.

Good Luck! 

PaprikaBug

I'm sure you've already heard this, but I forgot to say that when babies nurse they're getting more than when you pump. I usually had to pump twice for every nursing. For example, when I'd pump I would get between 2-3 ounces out of each side, but the LC said when they nursed they would get around 4 1/2 ounces... I don't really know if that's right, but it seemed true because when we'd bottle feed they always wanted at least 4 oz.

Kb103109

I pump about every 3 hours throughout the day and bottle feed them.  One of my girls hates to actually breast feed.  She has never latched on from day one, but my other girl loves it.  I will breast feed her usually once a day.  I supplement them both with formula, but try to give them as much breast milk as I can everyday.  The pumping is exhausting and I am a little tired of doing it, but pumping allows me to take naps while people are over and it allows me a little more freedom while I am out with them.  I don't have to find a spot that I can privately breast feed them.