May Mom EP'ers - come in!

easjer05 · July 2012

I've noticed that there are a number of us EPing. Just wondering who is doing so, how you came to that and how it's going for you. I often feel caught between two worlds, because we have bottle/ounce/feeding issues on one side and breastmilk issues on another and judgement and condescension from all sides (or it feels like it some days!). It's always nice when you aren't alone, right?

kgauntt · July 2012

I'm an EPer! My baby girl had a hard time latching on my flat nips. We both ended up in tears during feedings so I decided pumping was the way to go. I get criticism from my MIL which sucks, but hubby and my parents are very supportive thank god. It's extremely hard having to pump every 2-3 hrs during the day, but I don't at all in the middle of the night. I want to EP for a year at least, but we'll see if I can make it longer. I think my supply is doing pretty darn good so I'm thankful for that. Can't wait until my milk is established so I may not have to pump as often because it truly is hard. I'm pumping as I type!

becketts · July 2012

Just wanted to say kudos to all of you EPers! I EP'd for 8 months for DD1 and it is a huge commitment! Both of my girls are preemies with NICU stays, and DD2 figured out BFing, while DD1 would only do bottles. I know EPing can feel thankless, so know that you are amazing, hard-working mommies!

elviebird · July 2012

I'm an EPer! Pumping right now, haha. I do it 5x a day and it takes me ~30 minutes each time. It sucks to have to do everything around my pumping schedule (and DDs feeding schedule, of course). Luckily I have an oversupply and have been freezing a lot, so I hope I can stop around 7-8 months and still have enough to feed her for a full year. We started down this path because DD had a bad latch and would scream every time we tried to nurse. She was hungry and I was in pain. I think it all started after we weren't able to have skin to skin after my c/s, but that's another story. It works for us, that's all that matters. But yeah, I wish people would understand that there is a 3rd option other than nursing or FF! I belong to an EP group on FB and its really great to have that support system.

easjer05 · July 2012

Our DD simply wouldn't latch. We had good contact soon after birth (not immediately, as her Apgars were lower than they'd like and she was quiet - not unexpected with the drugs I was on though), and her first feed took 4 people to help us, but she seemed to latch beautifully and eat well. But after that, she wouldn't latch. Every time she did, she got a horrified look on her face and immediately spit it back out. I think we successfully fed 4 times in the hospital? And nearly all of those were with LCs present. We tried a million things. One nurse said it was because we gave her a pacifier so early, but the LC disagreed. She clearly knew the difference between the pacifier and my nipple, it just didn't matter - she wanted nothing to do with my nipples. Every time we tried it was red-faced screaming, made worse when we knew she wasn't getting enough to eat and was hungry.

We were asked to start supplementing with formula because she lost 10% of her weight and was getting jaundiced by the end of day 2. We started supplementing on day 3, and I started pumping at the same time. It was such a relief that she finally ate and was satisfied. We gave her the colostrum I pumped - collected via syringe from the horns, since there wasn't enough to make it into the collection cups. It was great to see the increase, and it was great when my milk came in to watch each bit grow. We kept it up until she was on breastmilk only (about 10 days), and have been rockin' it ever since.

It is hard to schedule the pumping and the feedings and everything, and I'm worried that I'm going to have issues when I go back to work. I've been working to get onto a new schedule that is more reliable and it looks like I should be able to work it so that I only have to pump at work 3x a day (the last being after I'm technically off the clock, so my 'lunch' break covers the other times). Currently, I'm still pumping 7x per day with one overnight pump. I'd love to drop that, but I don't want to until I see how things are going with work and how my supply does.

She takes between 24 and 28 ounces per day, and I average 32 ounces per day. Not a huge oversupply, but we build the freezer stash everyday. I could add in more sessions if I needed to, but I feel like we're ok for the moment, if my supply stays relatively steady. I do get the sense I could lengthen the times and cut back without a huge hit, but I'm not ready to try until I see how work affects things.

My goal right now is to make it to solids. Then we'll re-evaluate. Long-term though, I'd like to make it so that she gets milk for 15-18 months (at least one bottle/sippy cup a day between 12-18 months). If I can get to a year, even with using the frozen stash, I will be well pleased. But hell, making it to 3 months EP'ing, which is right around the corner, is awesome. I wasn't sure it would be possible at 3 weeks.

What kind of pump are y'all using? I'm using a Medela Symphony. I love how quiet it is.

tjkdlhb · July 2012

I'm lucky enough that my LO latched onto my flat nipples with a shield, but I was very worried about it before she was born, I just wanted to say kudos to all you ladies. EPing takes a lot of dedication and you should all be proud of yourselves!

babyruth88 · July 2012

I made it to a month. I had to stop because of my blood pressure etc. Kudos to you ladies still going. I wish i could say the same here

pithikaki · July 2012

This is so nice to see this thread. We latched ok in the hospital, but both of us had a horrible time there (long story, i will not be having our next kids there!!) and it just went downhill from there. They were very anti breastfeeding and she was always hungry and crying. I kept breastfeeding but her latch started to slip and i stressed (im on zoloft now for ppd) and struggled, feeling really guilty she was always so hungry. We began supplementing and i would pump, but with all the drama she basically chewed my nipples off and it was way too painful and stressful to latch. She is a heavy sucker and would sit on my boob 24/7, on and off forever if i let her.

Im using the PISA, pumping every 2-3 hours including at night, and i still cant make enough for her to be off of formula entirely. We also found out shes got dairy sensitivity, so we took her off of BM and have her on soy formula for a few more days (its been 12 days) until its out of my system. Im stock piling all of my dairy BM for when shes a bit older and should be able to tolerate it, and to keep my supply going. What a ride this has been!! Im wondering if i should just try to sell my PISA and buy a Symphony. I had bought a tommy tippee double electric before having her and then found out about flanges and sizing after it was too late. Ive spent so much money trying to get this pumping thing down AND keep baby gas free, not to mention im dairy free and cant have any icecream to make myself feel better, LOL.

Its rough, but id feel fantastic with it if i thought i could get her off of formula entirley AND put some milk in the freezer. Id like to have her on BM atleast a year, in addition to solids when the time comes. Shes a real eater though, and has already gained 2lbs on top of her birth weight - its really ard not to get discouraged, but every little bit is great, right!?

Pats on the back for all of us!!

DrRx · July 2012

I EP while Adalyn was in the NICU, but I stopped about a week after we got her home. We had (actually, still have) so much BM because she has to get about 1/2 of her feeds as Neosure (extra calories and protein) and also because I was getting between 35 to 40 ounces a day when she was only drinking about 6 ounces of the BM. We've finally started putting a dent in our freezers (yes, plural!) but I would guess that she'll have BM at least until she is 7 or 8 months.

I used the Symphony pump that I rented from from the hospital and absolutely loved it! I would pump for 15 minutes, but if I was still expressing milk I would go up to 30 minutes. I don't know how you ladies do the pumping and the feeding. It has got to be difficult to manage!

elviebird · July 2012

I use the Ameda Purely Yours. I've never tried any other pumps so I can't compare, but I'm happy with it. Bonus that I never have to wash the tubing. The thing is as loud as heck, though. I started off at 8x/day and quickly dropped to 7 because 8 was just impossible for me to maintain. Dropped to 6x once it became apparent that my supply was well established, then down to 5x now that I'm back at work. She eats 22 oz a day and i pump about 40. We had to buy a new deep freezer and it's almost half full already (I calculated last week that i have about 940oz frozen so far!). Id like to drop to 4x but I'm scared of what that will do to my supply, and also I don't want my period to start, haha. Plus I think my boobs would explode if I went that long between pumps.

I just keep tellin myself that I'm losing weight fast, I'm not getting AF, and DD is eating what's best for her. It's what keeps me going when I dread the pump. Maybe because I've never done it any other way I don't think it's so bad.

ETA: kudos to the mamas who are battling allergies. If don't know that I would keep pumping if I had to deal with that. It's an amazing commitment!

joveys · July 2012

You definently aren't alone! My lo was full term but low birth weight. We were in the nicu for 12 days and for the first 10 we tried to breast feed every 2-3 hours. We tried nipple shields and everything the LCs could think of but he was just falling asleep before he got enough food.

The whole time I pumped so I have been continuing to do so when we went home. I rented the breast pump from the hospital which has made a huge difference for me. Still my breasts and nipples have never hurt so bad and now that our LO is sleeping longer at night, it's exhausting that I have to get up just to pump to keep my supply up.

My little guy is 2 months old and hoping to EP for at least the first 6 months. Good luck!

Amy212 · July 2012

I also EP but I only pump 3x a day, first thing in the morning, midday around nap time for the girls and before bed around 9 or 10. I average between 30-35 oz daily and Lilah drinks between 20-24 oz a day. We are looking into buying a chest freezer sometime soon since we now have no room for our food in our freezer LOL! I use a Medela PISA.

maybayb25 · July 2012

I also am an EPer! My daughter latched fine but according to the LC was an "instant gratification" baby. She would suck for about 3 mins and when she wasn't getting as much as she wanted would pull off and scream and scream and then wouldn't latch back on. It became so stressful for both of us and she was hungry all the time. The LC suggested pumping and I felt such relief that she was getting fed and getting breast milk at the same time. It just works for us. There were some family members who I thought were a little judgemental in the beginning, but my daughter is my (and my husband's) responsibility and no one elses. This works for us. I pump every 3 hours during the day and not at all at night.

pithikaki · July 2012

maybayb25:
I also am an EPer! My daughter latched fine but according to the LC was an "instant gratification" baby. She would suck for about 3 mins and when she wasn't getting as much as she wanted would pull off and scream and scream and then wouldn't latch back on. It became so stressful for both of us and she was hungry all the time. The LC suggested pumping and I felt such relief that she was getting fed and getting breast milk at the same time. It just works for us. There were some family members who I thought were a little judgemental in the beginning, but my daughter is my (and my husband's) responsibility and no one elses. This works for us. I pump every 3 hours during the day and not at all at night.

The same thing happened to me! She also loves to pull my nipple halfway across the room and unlatch herself over and over. It's amazing what a relief it is to be EPing and have it be so much more work, but because the emotional strain is gone, it's SO much easier to handle.

To those who don't pump every 2-3 hours, when/how did you stop? I'd love to be able to pump 4x a day!!

jenl77 · July 2012

I am now EP. My DD had a hard time latching on. She does ok with nipple sheild, but is not very good at sucking. She wanted the milk without the work. She had lost too much weight by her first Dr's appt, so I started pumping. I pumped every 2-3hr at first, but now only pump when she eats which is every 3-5. Sometimes I put her on to nurse to see if she has improved, but she always finishes her bottle afterwards. I'm lucky I've had a good supply so far. It's hard work, but worth it=) I now have a good amount in the freezer, something I wouldn't have had if I had just been breastfeeding.

meeko1985 · July 2012

I am just starting to "wean" myself from the pump. My goal was 2 months... EPing takes serious dedication!!!

I started pumping in the hospital to bring my milk in. I had an unplanned c section, which complicated matters. Then my LO got thrush, and passed it on to my nipples... I had never been in so much pain in my life. Then she was diagnose with tongue tie. The pump was much more comfortable than breastfeedingd. I stopped loathing feedings and was content to give my baby what I could of breastmilk,

I was pumping 6 times a day, and plan on dropping one pump session each week now. I think if I was pumping enough for each feeding, I would keep it up, but I am lucky to get 4oz with each session.... It is usually around 2-3oz. all of the craziness of pumping and bottle feeding and then supplementing is just becoming too much.

To those ladies EPing for the long haul, my hats off to you!!!

xnbride · July 2012

Just wanted to chime in and pat you all on the back, I know how tough it is but you can do it! I EPed for an entire year with DS1 and it was not easy and I can relate to all your experiences and issues. Don't let anyone bring you down. You are amazing.

elviebird · July 2012

Has anyone else experienced a soreness deep inside the boob, near the areola? Almost like an internal bruise. I have this on my right side and it gets worse when I put on a bra.

easjer05 · July 2012

Yes! It was the beginning of a bad plugged duct for me. I've had similar pain when the suction was too high. Ouch. Heat has helped in both cases.

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