pumping vs. formula...help!

starburst210 · April 2012

hi ladies...my preemie twins are in the NICU. i had them at 32 weeks plus. i never intended on pumping or breastfeeding and now i am bc i know it's good for their immune systems and growth.

i am finding pumping very tough. i have a 3.5 year old home with the two of them in the NICU and it's all very consuming.

they are both on a mix of BM and neosure to help them gain some extra calories...i am also not keeping up with their intake because they keep adding cc's everyday to their feedings and i am not making a ton of milk....

would i be horrible if decided that pumping was too stressful for me? i feel so much guilt about this topic and i keep going bc it's best for them however i am finding the balance to be really rough.

did any of you not pump or stop early on? or did you plow through...and if you did...how?

thanks!!

Missa_g · April 2012

I'm plowing through. My twins are my only children though. You're right, it is very difficult, time consuming, and frustrating. But for me knowing how incredibly good it is for them is what is keeping me going. I keep thinking that their time in the NICU is only temporary and I can do anything for a short time. I do plan to continue once they're home but I think it's most difficult now not being close to them.

RClaffee · April 2012

I had my twins at 33 weeks and I remember how tough pumping was. I was so frustrated because it took so long for me to be able to meet both of their needs. I can't even imagine how difficult it must be to be dealing with the NICU, pumping, and having a 3 year old at home.

I don't think it would be horrible to stop pumping now. It is a really exhausting job.

I ended up pumping for my girls for seven months.I think how I ended up getting through it was to just have the attitude of "just another two weeks." I think I told myself that I would only pump for a couple more weeks since the girls were two weeks old. I also had a ton of help from my husband. He would wash all of the pump stuff and when the girls came home, he would sometimes feed them while I pumped. Another thing that kept me going was the cost of formula for twins. I did have to supplement with formula, but pumping still saved us a ton.

My advice to you would be to give it some time before deciding to stop. If this is something you really want to do (and it is fine if it isn't), then you might later regret stopping when things are so new.

JuliaJAG · May 2012

I have found pumping to be absolutely miserable... I've cried during some pumping sessions I hate it so much. It takes me forever to pump a few ounces and my nipples get sore and raw. But, I know that my milk is the best thing for my baby so here I am 11 weeks in, still pumping and hoping to transition to breastfeeding soon. RLH's attitude of "just two more weeks" has gotten me through it and now I can see light at the end of the tunnel. It's so worth it to be doing the best I can for my son's immune system etc. But, my baby was born several weeks earlier than yours, so it was obviously that much more important in my case.

I do think it's a good idea to give pumping/BFing a fair shake, and meet with a lactation consultant a few times before giving up, but then whatever you decide, don't feel guilty about it. Just don't give up too soon!

turtle_1278 · May 2012

I lurk around here but I also have twins who spent 3 weeks in the NICU. When they were born my son was 26 months. My plan was to try to pump and do my best (I tried not to put too much pressure on myself) but I stopped at 3 weeks (pretty much when they came home) because I was miserable and not able to pump a lot. They were getting maybe (and definitely not all the time) every other bottle in the NICU of bm and the rest Neosure. My husband also travels a lot for work and I felt I couldn't keep that up and take care of all 3 of them. My motto around here is to do what works and keeps me sane, and pumping was not keeping me sane! I wish I could have made it longer, but it just didn't work for me, personally. Whatever you decide will be the right choice for you and your babies! GL!

katie4253 · May 2012

My decision would be based on how well they do on the neosure. How are they doing on that?

snoangel79 · May 2012

I stopped at 5 weeks well I went on with 1/2 and 1/2 till my daughter was 7. The stress was killing me, my supply sucked, I worked with LC's also. I just couldn't get enough to keep up with the demand (was only feeding my daughter because she was IUGR, my son was formula). I also had radiation to my chest 9 years ago for non-hodgkins so I knew the supply would probably have been off. I did feel guilty but I am happier now with less stress and more sleep! So you are not the only one! PS when they were in the NICU it was easier for me, since bringing them home it had gotten a lot more stressful/harder. I think it was because the nurse's were caring mostly for my LO's and feeding them. Now that I"m doing it all myself (and my husband doesn't help much) it was a really hard...

AlwaysSunny925 · May 2012

I pumped for 5 months...most of that time they were in the NICU. Once I had BOTH home, I couldn't keep up with it. Too time consuming. So I don't blame you, especially if you have another child at home. Do what you feel is right. Formula is not poison, your kids will still grow and thrive on it.

DrRx · May 2012

I pumped while Adalyn was in the NICU, but just today I returned the hospital pump!! Yay!! I've never been so happy to get rid of that piece of equipment! I am fortunate enough to have 2 freezers full of breastmilk, and yesterday I did a hand pump once a day using the manual Medela pump (which gets me about 6 ounces). So, I'm planning on using the manual pump for a while (so that my boobs don't hurt), but to not have to be attached to that machine again is glorious.

I think that as long as you can pump for them is great. There are several factors that you have to take into consideration, and I don't think that using formula is bad. We did notice that Adalyn has a lot of constipation with the Neosure (when it was every other feeding), so we're glad that she is getting most of her feedings from breastmilk (2 BM, 1 neo)--it has helped with her fussiness.

It was definitely harder pumping with her home than when she was in the NICU. I can't even imagine doing so with a toddler at home. I did feel a little bit of guilt when I decided to basically stop, but then I realized that I didn't really have time to dwell on feeling guilty and just focused on Adalyn. Smile GL!

jamira · May 2012

Pumping is hard work, but its an adjustment just like anything else. I do not have twins but I had my DD at 31 weeks and son is 3 and half. MY DH is a huge help with DS, washing pump parts and what ever else I need. I have been pumping for 5 weeks now

Some tips that help me.

1. You do not need to wash the pump parts after every pump session. I just throw the part in a zip lock bag in the fridge until next pump session. I bough steam sterilize bags made by Medela and steam the parts once per day.

2. Get a hands free pumping bra, or make your own. You can cut a slit in a tight sports bra. Pumping hands free allows me to get other things done while I pump. I can do things that I would be sitting to do anyway, like pay bills, make phone calls, fold laundry, read to my DS ect... I can also play with my DS while pumping.

3. Get at least 2 sets of pump parts, it helps to have an extra set.

4. I pump in the car. It saves me time, I have to be in the car anyway so why not pump. I use my hands free bra, and a nursing cover, I bough the car adapter for my pump. I pump on my way to the NICU and on my way home.

I continue through it because I know its best for my DD. Plus it the one thing I can control and I can do for DD while shes in the hospital.

starburst210 · May 2012

thanks ladies for all of your replies and comments...i boldly asked the nurses yesterday if i could wean off the pump....truthfully it was really stressing me out and making having my babies in the NICU that much harder. i was driving there like a zombie from lack of sleep bc of trying to keep up with feeding both of them by pumping all the time and it was then i realized that enough was enough. i did it for three weeks and my son is so close to coming home ...once he does...i will have a 3.5 year old, one infant at home and one in the NICU....if i had to fit in pumping too i would be making myself absolutely crazy.

the nurses were amazing and told me to STOP especially if it's stressing me out so much!! they were great and i felt a real sense of relief....my babies are doing great on the neosure and may continue to get some banked breast milk before they take formula completely!

i know they say breast is best but so is a happy mommy and i was NOT happy!! i feel some guilt but more a sense of relief that i can be more myself when i am with my kids !!!

PhDMomma · May 2012

I think that there are some caveats to the "breast is best" slogan. For me personally I pumped for about a month after my son was born. A few weeks after he was home (when he had started eating on demand) the poor little critter would howl all night because his tummy hurt. It turns out that he has some lactose issues (not surprising, runs in the family). I made the choice then and for other reasons like when I went back to work to stop pumping and go the forumla route. It was the best choice ever for my sanity. And after we switched to the soy based formula my son was like a new baby.

For me personally the cost isn't a big issue. A can of formula is about the same cost as 4 hours of daycare. And when I think about how much time I spet pumping it's not a big deal. If you have a child at home and two in the NICU you can run yourself ragged trying to pump and see the babies and take care of your other little one. I think that better question, is what is better for all of your children overall, and formula feeding might be that. Your twins are also a little bit older, as was my son, born at 33wks 5 days. So, that also plays into it.

Hope this helps, and if you decide to go the formula route, I wouldn't beat yourself up over it.

christinaa722 · May 2012

Honestly, I can completely understand your difficulty and frustration. While I don't have but my one little preemie baby, he was born 5 weeks early, I had a lot of trouble pumping and producing. From the start, he was fed 1/2 formula and BM. Sadly, once we got home and my milk came in, I just pulsing keep up to the amount and frequency he was eating everyday. Don't beat yourself up about it. I think most moms will tell you that it really is alt of work. After 3 weeks I stopped producing bc I wasn't consuming the calories needed. I mean it's just been stressful caring for a newborn and finding time o take care of myself. You have to do what you're comfortable with and if hat means feeding formula o you're not stressed out and unhappy, do it.

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