Has anybody pumped exclusively?

How long were you able to keep up your supply.  How much of a personal/time toll did it take on you?  Any success stories of suggestions are appreciated.
Thanks,
Kim

[GRose]

I started working again when Noah was 6 months, I started pumping when he was five months so I would have extra milk stocked in the freezer. My milk supply stayed up until Noah was 10 months old then I noticed that he was not getting enough from me so I reluctantly gave him formula. I would nurse him in the morning and at bed time and then formula during the day. By the time he was 12 months my milk went buh bye. I started trying to loose weight when he was about 8 months so that probably had something to do with the milk shortage.

Stick with the pumping as long as you can, It's such a great feeling to know that your providing you child nourishment.

Good Luck!!!!

[babyscience]

I pumped from the very beginning.  Ethan just wouldnt latch.  So I did it for 3 months...however I would have done it longer but I was going on vacation and the logistics of it wasnt working.  I pumped for about 15-20 mins every 3-4 hours (even at night) with a double pump.  Many people say you are working double duty because you pump then have to feed the baby, but I didnt feel that way.  It was rather easy for me, but I also produced a bunch of milk each pumping...so I have heard it is frusterating when you dont get much.

[nursekim]

I am just transitioning from BF to pumping only.  This morning I got 3 oz total and 2 hours later I got 2 oz total.  I don't know what I should be expecting to get.  Does that sound reasonable?  I would expect my output to slowly go up as I pump more.

[babyscience]

It seems like that is fine since you just started.  I would continue with the pumping every 2 hours.  It should go up by doing that...then eventually you can probably space out the time between pumping.  I just tried to pump after every bottle he ate to simulate the times a baby is feeding off of you.
There are a few pumping experts on here...so hopefully they see your thread and can answer questions for you.

[kennedydp5]

i pumped w/ all 3 of my girls.  my first i had a manual pump and it was extremely hard to keep up w/ her eating demands but i did it for 4 months!  my 2nd and 3rd i had an electric pump.  i would pump every 3 hours.  i don't remember how much i produced w/ my 2nd, but since my 3rd was just last year its still fresh in my mind, lol!  i had to pump from the beginning w/ her b/c she was in the nicu.  i have no idea how, but i produced soooo much milk w/ her!  i would fill up the 5oz medela bottles (1 for each breast) the pump comes w/ and even have to stop and attach a new bottle sometimes! ...  it was crazy!  the nicu nurses had to start sending me home w/ milk to put in my own freezer b/c there wasn't any room in their fridge or freezer for the rest of the moms in the nicu!  the only reason i stopped pumping w/ her was b/c she had blood sugar issues and we were giving her injections every 4 hours and the stress was taking a big toll on me!

i'm definately no expert on pumping or anything, lol...  but like babyscience said, just pump after each feeding and your supply will increase.  good luck!  :)

[Trialanderror]

Try to contact tiredbuthappy - she`s done it exclusively too.

[Cheyenne_08]

I pumped because my son was in the NICU and he could not nurse. So, I pumped for 3 months. Finally we tried to actually get him to breast feed when he was about 3 months old, and he couldn't do it. We later learned that it was becasue of other reasons than just not wanting to, but I had to stop around 3 months.....I had a hospital grade pump but it didn't matter....I lost my milk supply anyway.

[Michele, Katy, TX]

My SIL pumped exclusively with my nephew.  They had to take him a month early because my SIL had preeclampsia.  He was very small.  He was like 4lb 5oz.  Something like that.....Anyway, she got a really expensive pump.  See, she had to use formula and breastmilk to make him gain proper weight.  She she pumped like every 3 hours for about 6 months.  She stopped after that.  My nephew was never able to nurse from her because when he was born, he was just too small to put his mouth around her breast.  Once he got bigger and she tried breastfeeding him directly, he was already to used to the bottle nipple.