I.Hate. Pumping!!

shelles423 · June 2015

It's 4:30am , baby is changed and fed, and instead of going back to sleep i will be spending the next 20-30 minutes pumping. I'm so exhausted i just want sleep but if i don't pump there will be no milk for the next feeding. Formula is really sounding more and more appealing to me. Is anyone else in the same boat and if so how do you stay motivated to pump?

nursej519 · June 2015

Sorry. I know exactly how you feel. I went through that for three weeks when I finally decided to give up. I wasn't able to even pump enough for a feeding (was only getting one oz per session). I couldn't take it any more.

What did help me at the time though, was, as soon as DH for home, I would go to bed. I would set an alarm to pump, do ONLY that, and go back to sleep. Don't get me wrong, I was still exhausted, but it did help a decent amount.

prplz · June 2015

I know the feeling! Its 2:30 here and im pumping as i type and sometimes at this time once i put DD to sleep i start pumping and 8 min in she starts crying so i have to stop and put her back to sleep and start pumping all over again when DH is working. I try to distract myself by looking at baby things and what i can get her. And if DH is home while he is feeding her i am pumping so by the time she is fed and burped i will be all done pumping and go to sleep with her. Hang in there!!!

sherriems11 · June 2015

I feel ya! I just gave up yesterday and bought formula! Pumping took too much time away from our older son . I felt like I was always tied up pumping! It just wasn't working for us! I am much happier now

ldmw · June 2015

When DH is home during day and at almost all evening/middle of night feedings, he does the bottle feeding while I pump. Then I'm only awake as long as they are. During day is harder for me to do both as it never fails LO is hungry just as I begin pumping.

ali0608 · June 2015

Pumping is terrible. I did it for 4 months with my first. Once I switched to formula, I was much happier. This one I said if breastfeeding didn't work, I was not pumping. It's hard work!

SmrBrd2012 · June 2015

I pump as well because LO kills my nipples. I have a low supply and don't make enough for LO's insane appetite either so I feel like it's almost pointless for me. I only get 1-2 oz total per pumping session and try to do it every 2 hours but the effort is lacking in the middle of the night. It's getting harder to stay motivated, especially since I've already started using formula awhile ago. I try to keep at it in hopes that my supply will increase eventually but it's not. Two things keep me going: 1) Any little bit of breast milk is better than nothing for LO, and 2) any bit I can give, is that much less that we'll be spending on formula which is expensive. Good luck!

keitlin415 · June 2015

Yeah, pumping does suck! I would recommend setting a goal for how long you really want your baby to have breast milk, and use that to keep you going. I usually just play games, shop online, or Bump while I pump to occupy my time.

LeaRose87 · June 2015

I totally agree. Pumping as we speak when I just want to sleep. My sons appetite has been huge since day one so I had to start using formula. What I do is pump every 2 hours during the day. Then at night I go to every 4 or 6 hours. Just so I can get some sleep. I truely believe not sleeping messes with my supply. And I wld like to get as much breast milk for him as possible. And while I pump I catch up on some shows that I watch. Lol. I go back to work in 4 weeks and I don't know if I'll continue pumping or not.

orangecurls · June 2015

Me too. I've been hoping to return to breastfeeding, but it is just not working out for us. My LC recommended going to a breastfeeding support group. There is a weekly one at my hospital.

Also I've created mini goals for myself. Keep pumping around the clock for 6 weeks, still trying to get him back to the breast. And if that doesn't work, I'll reduce pumping sessions to something more manageable for me, maybe 4 times per day? And begin supplementing with formula if needed.

shadykady · June 2015

I also exclusively pump(LO won't latch). I've been able to keep up(she's 3.5 weeks), but slowly I see a decrease in my supply. I tried a 3oz bottle of formula for the first time this morning. Although LO ate it, with a bit extra spit up, I feel like I have done something horribly wrong. As I type, I'm pumping and praying my supply increases again. As a FTM, I never knew the trouble and anxiety I'd experience from something as simply as feeding my baby.

ashtownyeah · June 2015

I'm right there with you. My son is only two weeks old and I've only been pumping for about 5 days and I'm so miserable. I was so dead set on breastfeeding and it broke my heart that it just didn't work for us. DS wasn't gaining weight bc he wasn't good at latching and each feeding would take about 45 min/breast. He also has lip and tongue tie. We started supplementing with formula along with my pumped milk and he's gained 5 oz since Tuesday night!!

Right now I feel like my life revolves around pumping instead of my son. Every time I pump is time I'm not spending with him (or sleeping). I don't think I can do it much longer.

marijaa333 · June 2015

Same here... I nurse and then pump... 3.5 weeks. Totally exhausted.

chipmk228 · June 2015

So I saw the pediatrician yesterday and without mentioning my exhaustion, she highly suggested that I wean off of breastfeeding as it was physically clear how much I wasn't enjoying breastfeeding and pumping. She mentioned that although there may be benefits to breastfeeding, it's much more beneficial for my daughter to have a well rested and happy mother (I also suffer from a low supply and only pump 1 oz/15 min session), I know she is right yet here I am...still doing what may ultimately drive me insane.

By the way, how does one wean off breastfeeding? Even though I have a low supply, I develop pain if I don't breastfeed or pump every 2-3 hours.

jessmaydvm · June 2015

I'm sure that all of you ladies already know about these supplements, but Brewer's yeast, oatmeal, and incorporating some Gatorade for myself daily had helped my supply. There is a board on Baby Center called "Exclusively Pumping!" that has a lot of great information that helped me.

CateOfChicago · June 2015

I made it through 2 months of round the clock pumping with my first before her demand exceeded my supply. I started supplementing. Although I didn't want to, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise bc I was able to give up one or two night sessions. I used similac for supplementation. I made it through 4 months before I supplementing so much that it made sense to stop pumping. I tried bf for this guy but still didn't have the supply. I pump and have to supplement already bc I don't have the time or energy to pump like I did with the first. I'm about half and half now. I'm sure I'll only make it about a month before going full formula. I did my best and I won't stress about it. If you must, supplement and give yourself a break.

lully25 · June 2015

I didnt have milk for three days after my c section and i had to give formula from day one plus baby seems to be hungry even with formula he eats every 1.5 to 2 hours he was having 2 oz in the first week and now he is 2 weeks 5 days and he is having 4 oz in one session i just bought a philips avent pump to try to increase my supply so that i can cope with his demand as he gets very upset when i put him on breast and he cant find enough to eat

Amber Woods · June 2015

I started domperidone last week for low milk issues and have already seen my milk go up an oz each pump session.

CanadaMom17 · June 2015

Amber Woods said:

I started domperidone last week for low milk issues and have already seen my milk go up an oz each pump session.

This. I know you folks in the US don't have a lot paid for, but DO try to see a lactation consultant/doctor about supply issues. I did have enough milk, but my lo is a lazy eater so the goal was to get my flow faster so she'd be forced to eat more in a session, so I am doing herbals (Mother's Milk capsules), as well as domperidone. LO actually had to pull off since she was getting too much as she fed tonight.

And, I'm not sure if your doctors/LCs have said this but breast stimulation with feeding is superior to increasing supply to pumping. Ask maybe about a syringe + feeding tube to use supplementing at the breast? Then you know they're getting the food, but they are also stimulating the nipple/breast tissue at the same time. Or my lo just uses the feeding tube now and siphons the extra milk out of a bottle on my nursing table. Not guilting anyone, I know it's hard. LO couldn't latch on the right side so I was doing the 'half' pump, supplement thing, though happily she's latching now, and is needing less and less supplemented milk.

bethanylga · June 2015

I was told by my midwife that domperidone is bad for baby and has been linked to heart problems, so there are very few doctors (here in the UK) that will prescribe it?

CanadaMom17 · June 2015

Domperidone is a drug meant originally for helping gut issues - and was prescribed sometimes to babies - almost zero gets into the breastmilk. The study showing heart issues was done on geriatric patients with issues like cancer, diabetes and heart issues to start with. There's never been a study on healthy people that use the drug. If there is a family history of heart abnormalities, it won't be prescribed.

https://www.canadianbreastfeedingfoundation.org/induced/domperidone.shtml

bethanylga · June 2015

Good to know - thanks!

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