Exclusive Pumping

Stephaniegiboney · November 2014

Anyone doing/considering doing this?

I don't have any medical or pain related reason...I've just come to the conclusion over the last 6 weeks that I prefer pumping and giving a bottle. Breastfeeding is taking a long time per session and I'm 6 weeks in and she is still eating every hour-3 hours at night. I never sleep! Also, it seems like she is more content after a 3 oz pumped bottle than 45 minutes at breast. So I am thinking about a combination breast and bottle feeding or maybe just exclusively pumping.

Just looking for some thoughts/feedback. Maybe I am giving up too soon!!

ssstephanie214 · November 2014

Following this thread because I feel the same....what's your reservation against doing a combo bf/bottle feed? I am currently trying to build supply for help with nighttime.

lizgrace03 · November 2014

Yes I am moving this route. Alistair is not doing well with BFing because we had to supplement with the bottle early on due to a severe tongue tie (until we were able to get in for surgery). BFing sessions have become a pain because he cries the whole time for the bottle. I have been going to see a lactation consultant and we are both hoping he comes around soon, but if not, pumping it will be.

Stephaniegiboney · November 2014

@ssstephanie214‌
I don't really have any reservations against a combo, I guess I'm just not sure how the LO will do with that. I guess since she was a NICU baby and had bottle and breast from the start it probably wouldn't be too confusing. Is it ok to just have a couple of times a day to nurse, first thing in the morning and bedtime maybe? And bottle feed the rest of the time. I'm not sure how to go about it!

Stephaniegiboney · November 2014

@Wicked22‌ yeah I kind of think for me it's a personality thing. I am not super laid back, I want to be able to organize my day. I like to know exactly how much she is eating! Also, I know it's impossible to schedule a newborn...but I like schedules and feel like maybe it could contribute to more structure later on. It means other people can help more often! Also, I don't think I'll ever like nursing in public.

Lilwatz · November 2014

I'm debating this. I am currently exclusively pumping until we fix her tongue tie. After that if it's not easy after, I will drop trying to BF. If I can, it seems convenient to have milk wherever I am!

avee10 · November 2014

I exclusively pumped for db1 for 6 months. he would not latch on and just plain hated nursing. I am prepared to do it again with this baby if I have to.

The only thing I can say is that it is a huge commitment in that you have to pump very often, at least as many times as your lo eats in one day. The usual rule of thumb is every 2-3 hours. and you get the most milk overnight so I would feed db his bottle and then I would have to stay up for another 20min to pump. it was very exhausting and I only pumped overnight while he was still waking. once he started sleeping through the night, I stopped.

Make sure you have a good pump and pumping bra. and like I said pump OFTEN.

good luck

KatieOz920 · November 2014

I've been EP for 10 weeks now but it's been a total struggle for me and I wish I could nurse instead

I had to exclusively pump for the 62 days my twins were in the NICU and I had so many rounds of plugged ducts and engorgement that I'm no longer making enough to feed them:( I was separate from them though and that combined with stress made it really difficult to let down. I think a lot of other moms have great luck with EP so you're experience (I hope) might be really different.

Now that they're home I feel like there's definitely good and bad aspects to it: I like that my husband can help with some of the feedings, and in the middle of the night I'm happy for them to quickly eat and go back to sleep, but I also miss the closeness I feel when they're at breast (I can only do it once a day each right now and I have to bottle them after

). I also have a rough time getting the 8+ pumps in a day that I need to

If it were me I'd maybe try a combination approach- if nights are the roughest maybe bottle then? If that doesn't work for you, you can always add in more bottling sessions if you need to

good luck!

Stephaniegiboney · November 2014

Well I was pumping 8x a day when LO was in the NICU but fell off the wagon once we got home and I didn't have to anymore. Maybe I'll shoot for more pumping sessions a day (I'm only doing one now) so that I can build up a fridge/freezer stash and just kind of alternate depending on what's more convenient, if others can help, etc.

KMW08 · November 2014

Another EP question, did/do any of you still do baby to chest or breast for stimulation purposes?

I'm almost In this camp, but I'm still trying to establish my milk.

turtles7 · November 2014

I've been combo feeding. EBF was too stressful to me because LO had a bad latch to where I had severe bleeding and cracking and would only feed for 5-10 mins at a time. So I nurse during the day and pump and bottle feed in the evening. A 3 oz bottle will knock her out for about 3-4 hours sometimes, which keeps mommy sane instead of getting up every hour and not know how long I would need to feed for.

When she gets the bottle, I pump every time to keep my supply up and to replenish my stash.

kayd8 · November 2014

After one day of attempting BF after birth, I've been exclusively pumping since day 3 (on day 6 now). I haven't had time for my own research yet, only going by my discussions with LC and my basic knowledge of BF, milk production, etc.

My milk is fully in today, but pumping colostrum and the transition milk were hard, Those days I wasn't pumping enough to satisfy him so we'd finish a feeding with formula. Just today I've pumped enough vs his wants that I have a few feedings in the fridge. I'm aiming for every 2-2.5 hours during the day and hoping for every 3-4 hours overnight.

Overnights have been the hardest, since he needs fed AND I have to pump. The plan my husband and I worked out initially isn't working, so we're trying to find new plan so I can actually sleep between feedings. I just started double pumping last night, which I hope helps tonight...cuts time in half.

So far it's also a lot of cleaning. Cleaning pump parts and bottles, I'm constantly at the sink. Thankfully I picked up some Medela soap on clearance, it's easy and quick. Need more back up parts so I can rotate.

Sorry so long...I'm excited to reintegrate with the world outside my pumping station!

KMW08 · November 2014

@kayd8‌ I met with a LC today and she told me the parts can be treated the same way as breast milk, that it's not necessary to wash them every time as the milk is fine at room temp for 6-8hrs.

I've still been rinsing mine though, as I think it will be more work to clean pieces later with dried, sticky milk on them.

jaminjeff · November 2014

I'll say it gets old. I did it for 9 months with DS. He never once latched. It's double the work of a BF or FF baby and there were plenty of times I wished I could just get him to latch and save myself from cleaning things, getting out parts and pieces, etc. I wanted to make it to a year and I'm not sure what happened at 9 months but my supply tanked and I wasn't getting 2 oz a session all of a sudden.

jaminjeff · November 2014

jlk6 said:

@kayd8‌ I met with a LC today and she told me the parts can be treated the same way as breast milk, that it's not necessary to wash them every time as the milk is fine at room temp for 6-8hrs. I've still been rinsing mine though, as I think it will be more work to clean pieces later with dried, sticky milk on them.
Another idea is to get a gallon size baggie and put your parts in there and put them in the fridge between pumpings. Then just clean them once a day.

I did this, rinsing them between uses and I went through a ton of gallon size baggies. It was one of my only saving graces, knowing I didn't have to do a good cleaning after each pump session, especially when I got back to work.

theMadRadishes · November 2014

KatieKarasin said:

I tried to keep my supply up while only pumping with my daughter and it really didn't work well for me. Just know that your supply could greatly reduce or dry up. If you're ok with that, then pump away!

I was under the impression that too much pumping will trick the my body into producing less. This is interesting.

Stephaniegiboney · November 2014

So pumping can actually decrease milk supply? I thought it was the opposite!

jaminjeff · November 2014

Stephaniegiboney said:

So pumping can actually decrease milk supply? I thought it was the opposite!

I've been told from LCs that yes, it can, if you're only pumping. The baby can get more out of you than a pump can. And I saw mine slowly diminish and then just ddrastically cut off at the 9 month mark.

MuchlyGen · November 2014

I think what PP is saying is that it's harder to maintain a supply EPing than it is EBFing - not that pumping itself will hurt your supply, but that the pump is not as efficient at removing milk as a baby is, as time goes by and your milk supply turns to "supply and demand" rather than hormone based, it can be more difficult to maintain it.

To the OP, if EPing works better for you and your baby, then rock it. Just be aware that while EBFing starts with a high degree of difficulty and then gradually gets easier and easier, the feedings space out more and more, and the baby gets better (quicker) at getting the milk he/she needs... EPing is going to pretty much stay at the same level of difficulty/complication, possibly increasing somewhat as you go along because of the reasons in the first paragraph, and to keep up with growth spurts.

I hope you find the perfect solution for your and baby! I have a great deal of respect for EPers I know, whether they're doing it for health reasons or preference or due to work. It's a huge commitment of love from a mama, so hats off to you.

smboswell1 · November 2014

Calling @mommymeg143‌ to this thread!!

theMadRadishes · November 2014

danigirl830 said:

I've decided to exclusively pump. For me it's just super frustrating for both LO and I getting him in the right position. I got 2oz pumping last night and I'm pretty proud of myself. It's not worth either of us getting upset over. I plan on supplementing with formula until my milk is fully in.

My sister-in-law had both her boys reject her when she began supplementing, so just be careful.

gldnbearz · November 2014

jlk6 said:

KMW08 said:
@kayd8‌ I met with a LC today and she told me the parts can be treated the same way as breast milk, that it's not necessary to wash them every time as the milk is fine at room temp for 6-8hrs.

I've still been rinsing mine though, as I think it will be more work to clean pieces later with dried, sticky milk on them.
Another idea is to get a gallon size baggie and put your parts in there and put them in the fridge between pumpings. Then just clean them once a day.

^^^ This piece of advice has saved my sanity.

We pump due to poor transfer and also supplement with formula due to supply issues. Right now, LO gets about 1/3 - 1/2 of the days feeding from pumped milk.

Stephaniegiboney · November 2014

@MuchlyGen‌
Thank you. I've heard that it gets easier. It will probably just take a little time, and my LO was 5 weeks early so it could take her even a bit longer to get efficient. I think I have just been having some rough BFing days because of this never ending growth spurt. Sleep makes me desperate for solutions!

kayd8 · November 2014

KMW08jlk6jaminjeff Oh my, thank you!!! That info will save (a small part) of my sanity. I've been washing everything during the day between pumping, and rinsing at night. I got a second set of shields at Target today so I can rotate, but they don't sell enough in store to make a full alternate set.

I plan on making an appointment with the LC, but thought about waiting until I've had more practice under my belt. I have some questions if anyone has opinions...

Do you use lanolin on the opening of the shields every time you pump? The LC instructed me to, but I'm not sure if that was temporary advice due to the damage the one day of BF attempts did, or if that's how you always do it.

What do you pump in vs store in? I've been pumping into the medela bottles, of which I have 6 I think. I store extra in the fridge in these bottles, but by the end of the day I'm running out of bottles to pump into (will empty most of them overnight). I saw Medela has pump and store bags with an attachment for the pump. Before birth, I bought several boxes of the Lashinoh bags on sale because everyone said how good they were. Should I instead invest in the Medela pump and store bags? That would also solve some of the dishwashing problem, lol.

jaminjeff · November 2014

kayd8 said:

KMW08jlk6jaminjeff Oh my, thank you!!! That info will save (a small part) of my sanity. I've been washing everything during the day between pumping, and rinsing at night. I got a second set of shields at Target today so I can rotate, but they don't sell enough in store to make a full alternate set.

I plan on making an appointment with the LC, but thought about waiting until I've had more practice under my belt. I have some questions if anyone has opinions...

Do you use lanolin on the opening of the shields every time you pump? The LC instructed me to, but I'm not sure if that was temporary advice due to the damage the one day of BF attempts did, or if that's how you always do it.

What do you pump in vs store in? I've been pumping into the medela bottles, of which I have 6 I think. I store extra in the fridge in these bottles, but by the end of the day I'm running out of bottles to pump into (will empty most of them overnight). I saw Medela has pump and store bags with an attachment for the pump. Before birth, I bought several boxes of the Lashinoh bags on sale because everyone said how good they were. Should I instead invest in the Medela pump and store bags? That would also solve some of the dishwashing problem, lol.

I used the bags with DS but I poured into them from bottles. The attachment that allows you to pump into bags directly has been improved upon from what I heard, I wasn't crazy about it three years ago but people now seem to like it, so maybe try that,, and then it takes up less space too!

lovingaddi · November 2014

Following this, I'm going to be bf & pumping for when I go back to work. I was worried pumping would mess with my supply..but I thought it would cause me to overproduce since I'm still actually nursing too? Not sure if I should be pumping after she feeds, when to even start pumping (she's a week old today), etc.
very confusing! It sounds like everyone has more luck with a bottle overnight vs bf though...overnights are our biggest struggle right now. Not sure if I should maybe try this & skip the 1.5 hour nursing sessions at 3 am?

uncharted01 · November 2014

Do you give your baby a set amount of breast milk each feeding session? Or let them dictate how much they want? I've been exclusively pumping since we got home from the hospital because LO wouldn't latch properly and my nipples were extremely sore, cracked, and bleeding. BFing was just too stressful for both of us. But now that I'm pumping I find myself obsessing over how much I produced and how much LO is eating. Right now he's eating anywhere from 2 to 3 oz every 2 to 3 hours. How do I know if this is "normal?"

uncharted01 · November 2014

@wicked22 - Thank you! Can I ask another question then, since you've been doing this for a while? If he doesn't drain the bottle, can I save the leftovers for another feeding? Either in the fridge for later that day or freeze for another time?

kayd8 · November 2014

@jaminjeff Starting pouring the pumped bottles into the Lanishoh bags this morning. Since the advice in this thread I've only had to wash once last night, once this morning. I'm happy about this streamlining. I just get a little nervous to change the routine, but so far the little changes I'm trying are working out well.

@uncharted01 I think @Wicked22 gave great advice already, but I'll chime in too. Figuring out what to put in a bottle each time is still a guessing game for me. Sometimes he only takes 20 ml, sometimes he'll drain 60 ml in no time.

If I had a bigger bottle prepared vs what he takes, I just leave it out until the time it would have expired. Whether I pump and put directly in a bottle, or take out of the fridge and put in a bottle, I only leave it for 6 hours. (I've also seen that 4 hours is another guideline.) To help me remember, I have a little piece of paper, about sticky note size, that I write what time the bottle is good for. Then I just leave the bottle sitting on that paper, so whether I pick it up or my husband does we know it's good.

turtles7 · November 2014

What setting do you guys pump at? Part of me is afraid of nipple damage if I set it too high and not realizing it's too much.

KatieOz920 · November 2014

@turtles7 The LC told me to turn it up until it's slightly uncomfortable and then turn it down a bit from there (where it doesn't hurt)

uncharted01 · November 2014

@turtles7 - I do what KatieOz920 said. I also find that I can tolerate a higher setting if I use Lansinoh on my nipples BEFORE I start to pump.

How long do you ladies pump for? I feel like I drain pretty quickly - maybe 10 to 15 minutes. Milk still comes out after that but it takes so long that I don't think it's worth it to sit there.

turtles7 · November 2014

@uncharted01‌ and @KatieOz920‌ thanks ladies!

kayd8 · November 2014

uncharted01 said:

@turtles7 - I do what KatieOz920 said. I also find that I can tolerate a higher setting if I use Lansinoh on my nipples BEFORE I start to pump.

How long do you ladies pump for? I feel like I drain pretty quickly - maybe 10 to 15 minutes. Milk still comes out after that but it takes so long that I don't think it's worth it to sit there.

I'm usually 15, sometimes a few more if I'm still really flowing at 15. I massage throughout the entire session, which I don't know if it makes a different or not. My LC said not to pump until you're empty, just until you're comfortable and then a few minutes more. But I've also read to pump until you stop flowing and then continue for 2 minutes more. I'm going with my LC's advice, and just making sure I get at least 8 sessions in a day, and that's one of the hardest things right now. When I actually do get sleep, I don't wake up only to pump. I just make sure overnight I don't go more than 4-5 hours without pumping.

uncharted01 · November 2014

@kayd8 - I also massage throughout the pumping session. I definitely think it helps. Right now I'm getting 10 to 12 sessions in per day. It's hard to wake myself up for them, especially if I'm off from LOs feeding schedule, but I think it's worth it because I'm slowly (very slowly) finding myself with a little extra.

uncharted01 · November 2014

@amyg* - Wow! Thank you for all that information! Very helpful

uncharted01 · November 2014

Another question! One of my breasts drains faster than the other when pumping. Should I leave it hooked up and just let it continue to be suctioned while the other breast finishes us?

Want a personalized experience?

Exclusive Pumping

Re: Exclusive Pumping

Choose Another Board

Search Boards