Breastfeeding

Bf but not pumping

I'm looking to just bf only, no ff and no pumping.  I'm sure after a few weeks I'll be tired but it's possible...right?
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Re: Bf but not pumping

  • It is 100% possible, a lot of people exclusively breast feed. I couldn't because DS wouldn't latch properly for the first few days, he had to be fed pumped colostrum from a cup (he was a c-section baby and was VERY wet the first few days, which probably contributed to that).
  • I have been for 3.5 mos! I had planned on pumping some in the beginning. DH gave DD a bottle of BM twice - and both times it made me about cry. That's MY job! :)

    To me, the ebfing isn't the hard part.  It's dealing with the lack of bonding that my husband has dealt with. It's important to come up with things for your DH to do to make a connection with your LO. Ours has been baths.

    Good luck to you! :)

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  • Absolutely.  I didn't pump at all for six weeks.  I only did it then because I wanted to be able to leave the house for a few hours by myself without worrying about DS and because I was going back to work at 3 months.  We still don't give him any bottles if I am around. 

     Really, I think I may have gotten more sleep because we didn't bottle-feed during the 1st six weeks -- no bottles or pump parts to clean, no formula to mix, no waiting for a bottle to warm in the middle of the night.  It's so much easier to just feed him "straight from the tap."  And I never minded being up with him when he needed to eat.  GL! 

  • It's definitely do-able, but it's good to have a back up stash just in case you get sick or can't nurse for some reason (ie need emergency surgery, etc.)
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  • If I were a SAHM I'd do the same thing.  I much prefer to BF exclusively. 
  • It will depend on your supply.  I had oversupply so I was rock hard if I didn't pump.  I also went back to work and wanted DD on BM so I pumped my oversupply and put it in the freezer. 
  • I just found this board and I am a little late to respond but my DD started refusing all bottles at 5 month (EBF and pumped milk) So after a while I just stopped pumping,  She is now 11 an a half months and she only takes the boob (well that and solids), has for months, I SAH so it is really no biggie. And it is amazing that I haven't had to clean a bottle in forever.  The only thing is I cant be away from her more than four hours, and I am forseeing some difficulty with weaing but we will cross that bridge when we get to it.
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  • Totally do-able! I pumped for the first week or so bc DS was hospitalized and we were having trouble latching, and then I ended up pumping for a few weeks after that bc I was so exhausted (DH would give DS a bottle once a night so I could sleep longer), but I quit pumping at 6 weeks or so. I almost think that if you don't have any bottles, pumps or formula around, then it helps you stay motivated to breastfeed/figure out latching, bc it's the only option there. I do remember being sort of worried when we took the pump back, but it worked out just fine...

    You can always rent a hospital pump if you change your mind, or get a handheld version to have, also. I pumped about a month ago bc we went to a wedding and DS wasn't coming with, but he ended up not needing it. Other than that it's been just me for the past 6+ months...

    DS1 - Feb 2008

    DS2 - Oct 2010 (my VBAC baby!)

  • I pump two sessions a week and ebf the other days. My dd attends my work daycare, but is with dh on Monday's. So that is the only day she gets a bottle, which is only twice while I am gone. It seems to be working great! I do pump a little extra on Monday's, so I usually use that for dd cereal.
  • Posting late, but I assume this board moves slow, so it's okay. :)

    Of course it's possible!  Kate's never had a single bottle, not even one of EBM, which is something I'm extremely proud of since she has a heart defect that often prevents babies from successfully breastfeeding.  I love breastfeeding.  Yes, the first 6 weeks are very tough. 

    I have major oversupply, so I pump to relieve that.  I donate what I pump.

  • It's possible, especially easy if you are staying at home. I stayed at home with my second child and was very successful at EBF for over a year. I had a love/hate relationship with breastfeeding, though. My baby loved it and I was not such a fan;) Just set small goals for yourself. I do recommend getting a hand-pump to have on hand, though. You never know what your situation will be and it's a valuable tool to have if you are considering breastfeeding. I EBF but often used my pump to help relieve engorgement. especially when my baby started sleeping longer during the night and then again when she started eating more table foods.
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  • Yes, it's very possible!   I bf only---DS got pumped milk hardly ever and formula even fewer than that. 

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  • It's very possible but alot of stress for the mother. I EBF for almost 14 months and I was so thin that people actually asked if I was ill.  I tried to pump many many times but I had a hard time with it and got virtually no milk to come out.  Even when I did, my DS seriously didn't know how to drink from a bottle! LOL. The funny part is, at 14 months my OB forced me to wean cold turkey because I got pg again and THEN DS suddenly decided that he loved bottles. GO FIGURE! haha

    GL with Bfing...:)

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    DS #1: May 25, 2007

    DS #2: Jan 7, 2009

    DD #3 due May 17, 2014!!! Low lying placenta and DD measuring 1 week ahead at big u/s

  • Of course it's possible, women have been doing it for thousands of years Smile

    The first 6 weeks are hard and exhausting, but it will really be beneficial if you let your DC nurse as much as possible. I rarely used my pump, I wish we hadn't bought one it seems like a waste of money now.

    You might want to go to a La Leche League meeting even before you have your DC to get started with BFing support - just hearing other people talk about their experiences is useful.

    Oh, but even though your goal is BFing only... please try to realize that sometimes things happen and a couple bottles of expressed BM or even (gasp!) formula will not be the end of the world. I had to supplement DD the first few weeks and it upset me a lot to think that I was failing her somehow, but it does not mean the end of the BFing relationship.

    - Jena
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  • i don't pump and my ds has been EBFing for 10 months now.  We're going to bf until 1 year.
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  • I exclusively BF for 18 months, it's definitely possible! DS never got a drop of formula.

    I did attempt to pump and leave a bottle for him when I went back to work part-time (he was almost 6 mos.), but he always refused the bottle, and since I was only gone 4 hours total, I'd just feed him right before I left and right when I got home.

    It was frustrating to not be able to leave him for more than 4 hours, but I did what I needed to do. I love BFing and it was easy for us, so that helped.

    He weaned straight to WCM in a cup.

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