Pumpers Post Here!

I realized that there are so many women in this group who struggled with nursing and had to resort to pumping, either part time or exclusively. When I did this 2 years ago, I felt so alone. Everyone kept telling me it wasn't possible to maintain a supply. We have an army of women here who are proving that wrong! Some are blessed with enough to exclusively feed the baby, some are blessed with less and need to supplement. Either way, we are busting our @sses to give our babies the best!!

So please post here if you are a pumper of any kind. Let's keep a thread here to let others know that there are ways to give your baby breastmilk if nursing doesn't work.  Most of us know the physical and emotional toll failed nursing can take on a person. Let's let others know they're not alone.

[bny807]

i just started pumping and bottle feeding this weekend - i had been dealing with fast let down and my baby girl was suffering - gas, colic, green stools from foremilk/hindmilk imbalance  - she was SOOO unhappy!! it broke my heart! now we are both sooo much happier - i have been giving her the breast about twice a day - but everytime i do she spits up sooo much  more - hardly ever does with the bottle, so i might be done with the breast all together...pumping isnt exactly a great time, but as you said its whats best for the little one !: )

[PamelaBee]

Hi my name is Pam and I'm a pumper : )  Lucky enough to have a good little nurser as well.  

[spade22]

I exclusively breast feed Jazmine for 2 months.  At that time I went back to work and pumped during the day and nursed when at home.  Jazmine had less than 3 bottles of formula during her first year of life and made the transition from breast milk to cows milk at about 15 months.  I am very proud of my accomplishment which  was not easy (fitting several pumping sessions into a day, in a small closet area, when working with nearly all males was not an enjoyable experience!).

[rdh1981]

Hi! I am Rachel and I have been exclusively pumping for Cruz since he was born 15wks ago. After my section my milk was slow to come in so I started pumping and I never stopped. Cruz is a crazy nurser so it is just easier for us this way!!!

I hope to make to a year but being that I am going back to work in January I am scared that I will not have time. Being a first grade teacher does not offer that many times in the day to pump! : (

[mum2beagain]

I exclusively pumped for my first, he was an 8 week preemie nearly 6 years ago. Unfortunately support and advice wasn't great and my doc kept telling me to let it go and give him formula if he couldn't nurse; I had tried to nurse but he couldn't latch very well so I pumped for about 3 months before my supply dwindled. I only had access to an Avent single manual pump and didn't even know about the double electric (I think they were pretty much only used in the medical field back then, certainly never saw them in the shops) by the time I found out about them and ordered one online my supply was nearly nil and it never came back.
With my second I had a few problems nursing him in the beginning so I pumped then too. My supply was crazy, I swear I could have fed two babies! By six weeks he was actually nursing pretty great but I was scared to stop pumping in case he for some reason gave up nursing! By 4 months I had 4 huggies boxes full of 6 oz bags of frozen EBM and he was exclusively nursing too! I decided to pack the pump away at that point. It did come out again at about 10 1/2 months when he weaned from nursing and I pumped for another few weeks. Having not pumped for several months my body did not respond particularly well to the pump and I didn't get nearly as much milk as I had done in the past. With the frozen stash he was able to have about 1/2 of his feeds EBM and 1/2 formula for the last couple of months up to his first birthday.
My pump served me well and has now been passed on to a friend  who is exclusively pumping for her baby. He will be 6 months old in a couple of weeks and has never had a drop of formula. She now pumps just 3 times a day and is producing 36 oz of milk per day. The first weeks sure are hard with pumping but once a supply is established it gets easier. Double electric pumps have definitely made exclusively pumping easier for mom's  who want to go this route. I applaud anyone who does this for their baby.

[nursekim]

I am Kim....and a retired pumper.  I nursed my baby for 4 weeks....he was a lazy eater.  I then went on to pump until he was a year old with no need to supplement.  I had built up a freezer supply that lasted for 6 weeks after I weaned.  It was both the hardest things I have ever done....but I was so happy to make it to my year mark.....even more so because I am a nurse and work 12-13 hour shifts.  It was all worth it.  A great resource is the ladies on the exclusively pumping board on ivillage. it is a very tight knit community over there.    here is the link if med help will allow it:
www.messageboards.ivillage.com/iv-ppexcluspump

[tiredbuthappy]

that site was the only reason why i was able to continue as well!!! the wealth of info on that site is incredible. not only that, just knowing that there were others out there struggling with the same things got me through each day, week, etc... The link will probably be deleted.

Things are a bit different here now. Like I said, there are so many of us, and we can get support and info here now too. That's part of the reason why I wanted to compile this thread.

[tiredbuthappy]

guess I can add my pumping bio :)

my first was 4 weeks early and had a weak suck and significant coordination issues. While her latch was good, she couldn't draw out the milk or coordinate her suck-swallow-breathe pattern. I pumped for 6 1/2 months, and had about 2 more frozen.

With this baby, the first 2 weeks nursing went relatively well. I was so relieved! Then the reflux got worse and colic set in. It was impossible to nurse a thrashing, screaming baby. In addition, she has type 3/ type 4 tongue-tie which makes it difficult for her to draw out milk, but we continued to do a combo of nursing and bottle feeding until 12 weeks. The colic faded but was replaced by other issues. Because of her tongue and my nipples, she could only nurse in football hold. She was 14 pounds by 12 weeks, which made the position less feasible. She won't eat unless she is tightly swaddled, in her swing, with white noise going. Not exactly ideal for nursing. The pediatrician says she is "neurologically sensitive." I am still trying to nurse occasionally in hopes of going back to it once she overcomes her sensory issues. Sometimes she is still willing to try.

I am taking a more casual approach to pumping. the first time around, i was able to get by with 2 or 3 pumps a day by 5 months. But i obsessed about ounces and freezing. This time i am more relaxed about it. it's MUCH more challenging to pump with a toddler too, so i am often using a hand held that allows me to more around more. I hope it's sustainable. I've been doing it for 2 weeks and am up to 41 or 42 ounces/day. I am pumping 4 times/day and using the pump in style at least once.

[KATE535]

Thankyou for this post !!!!! I'm Kate and am an exclusive pumper. I am doing it for a third baby of mine. I also had no support for pumping with my first child and was using a manual pump for 6 mths. Everyone discouraged me from doing it - I felt useless because I couldn't breast feed directly due to my nipple-formation but mainly because everyone around me disapproved of me pupmping. Second baby I used a medela electric and pumped til he was 8 months old. I would love to make it to the 1 year mark with my third. I am a pumping pro lol, I have done it so much now... and thanks to you guys and this forum, I realise I am not alone. I really really used to feel I was but it makes me feel good to know I'm not. Some people refuse to give you the credit that you are 'breastfeeding' if you are pumping, but we are - our babies are growing because of our breastmilk !!
My baby has on average 23 ounces of breastmilk a day and she is only 4 and 1/2 weeks old. Trouble is, she is greedy and needs a formula feed once a day too, I really would like to cut that out, but my breastmilk seems to hang about the 23 ounce mark. Nonetheless I am still very proud of my accomplishment so far.
:-)

[Super_sally888]

I pump and breastfeed and have been doing this for 10 months now.

My schedule is wake up.  Put baby on 1 side, pump the other.  Go to work.  She drinks what I pumped at breakfast.  Come home at lunch time.  Put her on one side, pump the other, eat as quickly as I can.  Go back to work.  Come home from work.  Express about 3 oz, if I can (this gets used in the after noon along with what I can pump at lunch time).  Baby is breastfed over night and at weekends.... directly whenever I am with her.

It is very hard work, but I keep telling myself it is worth it for her health and well being.  I am very committed to this.  Breast feeding has been complicated by a long term candida (of the breasts) problem, which is being treated again for the nth time... very agressively this time and hope it will finally get rid of it for once and for all.

M has never had formula yet (despite many well meaning people telling me I should) and I am proud of my efforts and will continue.

Hope I can keep this up as long as she wants, hopefully up to 2 years....

[Hol739]

Hi...!!! I Pump while I'm at work 3 times a day and then I nurse him while I"m home. My son is currently 4.5 months. I have never given him any formula. I'm hoping to continue to nurse him until a year or longer. I wake up in the morning nurse him, then I pump the rest of the day while at work, then nurse him in the evenings. He does very well. Normally I can pump about 13 ounces in the morning, and 8 ounces in the afternoons..!!!! I have a Medela and it works wonders...!!!!! Yes it's hard but it's very so much worth it. I wouldn't go to formula...!!!!

[tiredbuthappy]

confession time-

sometimes when i'm worn out and need down time and DH is home to deal with the kids, i pump MUCH longer than necessary just to have those moments of peace. "Honey? Could you change the baby? I'm not done pumping yet..." Maybe that's why my supply remains strong.

[jenstam]

Just reading these posts makes me cry. Still super emotional after having baby on 11/17. His latch is terrible and every effort to correct it thus far has failed. After blood, cracks, more blood and severe pain due to a very shallow latch I have resorted to pumping to allow my breasts to heal. I'm not sure if I can go back to nursing since he has had bottles now since he was 6 days old. My nipples are healing very slowly and seem to break open when I pump as well, but not nearly as bad as it was when I was nursing.

I successfully nursed my son for a year so it's more the baby than it is me or my breasts. Watching him struggle even with a bottle nipple has confirmed that he just doesn't have a good latch! He has a VERY strong suction. He caves the nipple of the bottle in within seconds but only takes a short part of the nipple in.

Anyhow, I cried and cried the first few times I gave him the bottle. I want him at my breast so badly ): !!  It is heartbreaking! I have to ask though, how do you manage a schedule? When do you pump/feed? Especially in the middle of the night? How do you get sleep? I'm getting an hour here or there but it seems I am CONSTANTLY pumping or feeding and they don't always happen at the same time. They CAN'T happen at the same time since I can't feed and pump at the same time. My husband isn't getting up with the baby. He doesn't hear him! So, I feel it is pointless to get up and wake him up. He's great help all day but overnight not so much. Any tips or words of wisdom? I NEVER wanted to be an exclusive pumper but I'm trying to force myself to see the pros to it as well. I'm not the only one who can feed the baby. I can go out to the store or to lunch or shopping with a friend for more than an hour at a time. My baby will be easier for my daycare provider once I return to work because he will take bottles better. There are many more cons but I won't dwell on them right now because this is really tough on me!! I hope to nurse again, but I'm not sure it will work out and I'm SO afraid he will tear up my breasts again!

[KATE535]

I would say try not to be so hard on yourself, you have not given up breast feeding and that is something to be proud of. I used to cry when i gave a bottle to my first boy several years ago - I felt so guilty. I have not been feeling guilty this time round because i know i am trying my best to give breastmilk - remember its not how you give it (breast or by bottle), it's the fact you're giving the best milk you can give, by whatever means you can, and its inside your baby, feeding him/ her, making them grow. THAT is the achievement and THAT is what you can feel pround about. Expressing is demanding i know, but i'm feeling happier doing it now (baby is nearly 5 weeks) as i feel i am in a routine with it now. It's good you are looking at some positives about expressing, but try not to think of the negatives. Once you get established you should only need to express once in the middle of the night - i do 6-7 am express, 10 am ish express, 1 pm express, get kids from school, 4 pm ish express, 8 pm ish express, express before bed 11 ish, wake up 3 am ish to express and then hopefully wake baby with that feed, and back to the morning express. I am trying to do some power pumping mid-morning to get supply up as i have to supplement 1 formula feed per 24 hrs as shes greedy. If that sounds a lot, you can use the time to look at and talk to your baby... or read a book... watch the television.... etc. My baby is often in her swing next to me while I express, or with her daddy, or asleep. It is possible to make time to express.
PS. You can have just as wonderful-a bond with your baby, their breastmilk bottle and you at feeding times as would breastfeeding itself have. What matters to your baby is seeing his/ her mammy before him/ her while they feed...
You're doing a great job, hang in there ;-)

[tiredbuthappy]

First of all, don't give up hope. It is not unheard of for a baby to go back to the breast. I know someone who got her baby back to the breast after several months, and successfully nursed him for years. I think the forum nursekim referred to also has had people who go the baby back to the breast.

I found ways to feed and pump at the same time, especially when the baby was small. I would pump sitting cross-legged, and have her resting in my lap. If you pump hands-free, both are available to feed, and I think I even managed to burp her while I pumped. Not exactly a relaxing scenario, but it got the job done.
Take advantage of the fact that breast milk is good at room temp for a long time. Feed the baby milk you pumped at the last session and it will take some scheduling pressure off. I pumped at 9 PM last night, kept it next to my bed, and fed it to her when she woke at 5:45 AM. I then pumped, and will keep it out until about noon.So, if you're exhausted, skip 1 nighttime pump. Doesn't sound like much, but that one 3 hour stretch of sleep can make a world of difference. You mentioned in another post that you tend to produce a lot, so it shouldn't affect your supply.

DEFINITELY go hands-free. You're still tied down, but more free to entertain the baby and Brody. If the kids simply aren't letting you get to the pump, use a hand-held. Not ideal for building supply, at least it's removing milk so it's replaced. It's better than skipping pumps entirely or stressing that the kids aren't napping simultaneously. I've given up on trying to use the electric when I am home alone and they are awake. I sit on the floor of the playroom with the baby in the bouncy seat and use the manual. I actually have 2- if Sara is entertained I'll pump both simultanteously. If she needs a playmate, I just pump one side at a time while I play with her.

For hands-free, you can fashion a rubberband device that attaches to your nursing bra, or you can just cut a slit into a regular bra (you can find pics online of how to do it). You can also spend $ on a special bra made for that.

I agree with Kate, and I know mumtobeagain has said the same thing. I honeslty didn't feel less bonded to the baby I never got to nurse. I swear. I don't know if it's because I only nursed this baby for 12 weeks (maybe the bond forms with time?) but there was no difference, although I expected there to be one.

The first few weeks were the hardest, Don't look long-term and set grand goals. I used to literally take it a day or few at a time. If on Monday I felt ready to quit, I would tell myself I'd stick it out til Friday and then decide whether or not to continue. I kept putting off the decision whether or not to continue that way and it took the pressure off. In a few weeks you can start to regularly spread out your pumps and you'll feel like you're free. In the mean time, enjoy Thanksgiving and take advantage of the fact that you can extend pumping times here and there and have yourself a nice drink that you probably couldn't have had if you were nursing a newborn.

[Diane1003]

I pumped when I returned to work and the amount I was pumping was more than my son was consuming - I had a supply in my freezer that was much more than my son needed.  With consistency and commitment - it's possible to pump and maintain a good supply!

[NicMom]

Thanks for this post! I pumped and nursed my 35 weeker for 3 months until she quit nursing and now I only pump. I mix her breastmilk with formula about 2 times a day so she gets 90% breast milk and 10% formula. Pumping is such a pain in the behind! I have an electric pump and the medela hand pump for when I'm away from the house. I was pumping every 3 hours and now I pump every 4 to 5 hours. I'm going to keep it up until around January and then I'll slow down to every 6 hours. I want to get my period again so that we can ttc in March.

[prevatt77]

My son turned 11 months old yesterday.  He decided to give up on the breast when I returned to work; when he was 3 months old.  I am still pumping and he has never taken any formula.  I work in a hospital so they provide us with hospital grade pumps and a large room to pump in.  I would love to continue to atleast the spring to get through this flue season.  It's a lot fo work, but well worth it to me.  I tell everyone that my son is pumped feed.

[jenstam]

Happy to say, I am nursing from one side only and will continue only on that side as the other side is still healing but he is nursing about 3 times per day and I am pumping still about 48-60 oz per day!! Crazy overabundance of milk but I'm doing it every 3-4 hrs. Any longer than that and I am super uncomfortable and full. I have a ton frozen already on top of what he eats fresh. It's going well. It hasn't gone as planned but now this is the plan. I hope to pump for a few more months and have a few months after I stop to keep him supplied until hopefully around his first birthday. The one side keeps reopening a bit every time I pump so it has been slow to heal. I can't bring myself to put him on that side so I just use the good side. It's the best we can do right now but it is working!

[mum2beagain]

Jen delighted to hear things are going okay and that your little man is getting all that good breast milk. Good for you girl.