Exclusive Pumpers

erin8606 · January 2012

Hi Ladies-

you may remember my post from a few weeks back about the trouble that we were having getting DS back to birth weight. We have been continuing to work hard (and spend $$ on Lac Consultants) but without feeding DS the milk I pump after a feed, he just isn't gaining. we have established that he can gain and my supply is not to blame, it's a milk transfer issue. He just doesn't latch/suck in the way he needs to get what he needs. Our Pedi finally gave us an ultimatum that we had through the weekend to either get the breastfeeding where it needed to be (instead of him crying for 20min because he prefers the bottle to start, then feeding at breast for 40, then me pumping and DH feeding the bottle for another 15 min) or we need to move to exclusive pumping. It was tough love but forced us to see that we can't keep going on like this and it's going to affect DS and his development as we are now at 5 weeks.So, we are moving to what is likely to be exclusive pumping as this what is best for DS (and us if we admit that the extra sleep and being with a happy baby is good too).

Please tell me about your experiences exclusively or mostly exclusively pumping. Any tricks to help keep supply up? What pump are you using (I've got the pump in style)? How long this is/has worked for you? How you dealt with the whole experience (I cried during my nursing session last night after the decision to move to the pumping as it's very likely he will no longer want to come to the breast for 1-2 meals a day if we are doing the bottle and I will miss having him at the breast)?

Thanks so much for sharing your experience!

vml14 · January 2012

With my daughter, I had a similar situation to you, and was doing the same triple feeding (nurse, pump, bottle) until 5 weeks, when I gave up and decided to EP because it saved a lot of time. And, like you, I knew that my LO was getting less than 1 oz when nursing, no matter how long (I had a scale and weighed her every feed for a while so I didn't over supplement) . She just couldn't figure out how to suck appropriately. I EPed every 3 hours, for 20 min, pretty much around the clock. It sucked. But, my supply actually increased during that time.

Then -- at 10 wks old, I was fed up with it and thought I was either going to try to go back to nursing or switch to formula. So, I started introducing the breast again, first thing in the morning when I had the most milk, for 1-2 feeds per day. And, my LO had finally figured it out. I no longer had a scale, but I could tell she was eating. I went back to the LC for a weighed feeding and some advice, and we never looked back. She nursed exclusively from that point until 1 year old. So, there is hope. I truly believe it just took my LO that long to be able figure it out. So, don't give up hope on nursing again!! You're doing a great job. Hang in there. Feel free to ask any other questions.

Artslvr · January 2012

I EP'd all three of my kids due to one of my nipples being short, latching problems, etc. It's a PIA logistics-wise but it can be done. I wouldn't ever choose it over nursing from the breast, but I didn't have any other choice - sounds like that's where you are. Good luck - like I said - it can be done!

belizeitornot · January 2012

Artslvr:
I EP'd all three of my kids due to one of my nipples being short, latching problems, etc. It's a PIA logistics-wise but it can be done. I wouldn't ever choose it over nursing from the breast, but I didn't have any other choice - sounds like that's where you are. Good luck - like I said - it can be done!

This exactly. I started EPing at 6 months when H had lost weight from her 4 mo visit and fallen off the growth charts. I was having supply issues but we were also having some serious latch/nipple soreness issues from the beginning that just wouldn't get better (even with myriad visits with the LC, ointments, etc.) I EP'd for about 5 months while also supplementing with formula. If you go that route I would make sure you have multiple sets of flanges, shields and a bunch of bottles so you don't feel like you're washing stuff every dang day.

doggylovr · January 2012

I EP'd for 6 months because of latch issues. It was hard, I am not going to lie but it was something I was really committed to doing so I made it work, it took alot of support from DH as well. I pumped around the clock every 3 hours for many months even after DS was sleeping through the night and then at about 4 months or so I dropped my overnights and did fine throughout the rest of the day. When DS was 5 months old I went back to work for a month, i was a teacher and that is when my supply tanked. I could no longer pump around the clock, I could only do it one time during the school day so I went back to getting up at night to help offset those times, it worked a little bit but ultimately around 6 months, my supply went down:( As far as emotionally, I cried in the hospital when nursing wasn't "working" and at all my meeting with the LC before we decided to pump. Good luck momma!! Hang in there!

Sofka · January 2012

thanks for the update. have you tried nursing with a shield? it was the only way I could nurse DS and did it for 13.5 mos. If you have tried all your options, you did everything you could!! EPing is not easy but you can do it. And you can still nurse before bed either before or after a bottle for comfort and bonding. If EPing doesn't work out and you go to formula, that's OK! Formula is not poison, you have to do what's best for keeping the baby healthy and happy and keeping you happy and functioning so you can take care of your LO.

erin8606 · January 2012

Sofka:
thanks for the update. have you tried nursing with a shield? it was the only way I could nurse DS and did it for 13.5 mos. If you have tried all your options, you did everything you could!! EPing is not easy but you can do it. And you can still nurse before bed either before or after a bottle for comfort and bonding. If EPing doesn't work out and you go to formula, that's OK! Formula is not poison, you have to do what's best for keeping the baby healthy and happy and keeping you happy and functioning so you can take care of your LO.

Yes, we've been with a shield the whole time. DS prefers it and we never had success trying to wean off of it. one of the LCs we saw thinks this may help us be able to keep nursing periodically as it is closer to a bottle nipple. But his transfer isn't high enough so we have to focus our efforts on the pumping.

KelXoXo · January 2012

vml14:
Then -- at 10 wks old, I was fed up with it and thought I was either going to try to go back to nursing or switch to formula. So, I started introducing the breast again, first thing in the morning when I had the most milk, for 1-2 feeds per day. And, my LO had finally figured it out.

There was a poster on my birth month board that was an EPer, and was also able to successfully reintroduce the breast when her LO was a few months old, so just because EPing is whats best for you now, it doesn't necessarily mean that you can't go back to BFing!

As far as advice, not an EPer, but I had much better success pumping during the day when I was hydrated. I did a bottle of water every single nursing and pumping session, and I really think that helped me keep producing.

You are doing a great job...keep it up!

Mrs.Handy · January 2012

I'm sorry that you guys have been having such a rough time. I haven't EP, but I did pump at work for a year. Definitely get lots of extra parts for your pump so you have less washing to do. Also, I've heard that there are some great you tube videos that show you how to maximize your pumping output.

Good luck!!

victoria1212 · January 2012

I EPed for 10 months (I think) because of a massive oversupply and DD having a really high palate. I started in the hospital and just stuck with it. I liked that DH could feed her and never worried about the actual breast feeding. At the time, I did not think it was that big of a deal to EP (and remember people on this board saying how awful it was) but it was just part of my day. Now, I wonder how (and sometimes why) I did it!

Anyway, I used the Medela pump and never had supply issues. I had a freezer full of milk by the time I headed back to work. When I was on maternity leave, I pumped every 3 hours during the day, and once overnight. When I returned to work, I dropped the middle of the night and just pumped during the day (first thing in the morning, twice at work, once when I got home from work, and just before bed).

Also, I had a hand pump that I kept at work because I did forget my pump a few times. I used the hand pump when we traveled to Colorado for a week too because I did not want to take the big pump with all the other stuff we were taking.

umdbride · January 2012

PPs had great advice already, I just wanted to echo that you may not have to give up BF entirely. DS was really hard to BF as a newborn and I pumped a lot more than nursed, mostly just nursed in the middle of the night because he was sleepy (and therefore willing) and first thing in the morning when my milk was fastest. I also honestly preferred pumping to nursing - nursing was hard emotionally - DS would fuss, it would take forever, I'd be exhausted, and something about being solely responsible for his nourishment was really stressful.

Eventually, around 4/5 months he really came around and started nursing great - I finally figured out how people could say they actually prefered nursing to pumping. For a time we nursed more than pumped, and now we're probably back to 50/50 - he still gets frustrated at my slower let-down but he's more patient first thing in the morning or before bed.

I honestly think it just took him a while to get the hang of it, once he had good head control and neck strength things improved so much.

GL!

2vthokies · January 2012

I didn't EP, so I don't have any advice along those lines. Tricks in general to keep up your supply: stay hydrated, make sure to eat enough, get enough rest/sleep, keep up with the pumping (maintain a schedule), take herbs to boost your supply if you see a drop (fenugreek and blessed thistle worked well for me), lactation cookies (google a recipe), steel cut oatmeal daily, power pumping if you see a dip, extra sesssions if you see a dip and breast massage while pumping.

Head over to kellymom and check out the forums. There is a Pumping and Relacting board and I'm sure they can give you lots of help. I know there are plenty of moms that have relacted once their bebe is a bit older.

2vthokies · January 2012

I didn't EP, so I don't have any advice along those lines. Tricks in general to keep up your supply: stay hydrated, make sure to eat enough, get enough rest/sleep, keep up with the pumping (maintain a schedule), take herbs to boost your supply if you see a drop (fenugreek and blessed thistle worked well for me), lactation cookies (google a recipe), steel cut oatmeal daily, power pumping if you see a dip, extra sesssions if you see a dip and breast massage while pumping.

Head over to kellymom and check out the forums. There is a Pumping and Relacting board and I'm sure they can give you lots of help. I know there are plenty of moms that have relactated once their bebe is a bit older.

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