Breast Pumping: The Alternative Feeding Option
by Wendy Williamson
Breastfeeding has been a part of our culture since human existence, so why does it seem so difficult? Most soon-to-be-moms fantasize about the sweet, quiet moments that they will share with their precious bundle as they suckle at her breast, but moments after birth they find that the breastfeeding experience does not come as natural as was thought, but is a learning experience. Due to excruciating, long labors; post-partum depression; decisions to return back to work and many other problems that mothers are facing, some are turning to other feeding options.
Is this such a bad decision? Perhaps 30 or 40 years ago, when the fad of breastfeeding was not in, the only option was to use formula. However, we are very fortunate to have many feeding options to keep our beautiful newborns healthy, plump and happy: breastfeeding, formula, exclusive pumping, supplementing breast milk, supplementing formula, and many other combinations. But, why is it that we are instantly, right after the birth of our newborn, only given two options (breastfeeding and formula)? It is very rare for someone in our society, especially the medical community, to give you the option to pump, let alone give you a good explanation of how it works, the advantages and disadvantages, or recommend a good pump to use.
Today, our society pressures mothers to breastfeed because of the many benefits that have been proven. This pressure entails bringing baby to breast exclusively, and though this is an incredible way to create bonding with your baby while providing the best milk for your little one, this pressure can be detrimental to some mothers. Guilt, depression, inadequacy, anger, and many other emotions are felt by many mothers who feel this pressure, but are unable to successfully complete the beautiful fantasy of rocking quietly in a serene environment as baby suckles at a contented mother’s breast. Yet, instead of admitting that bringing baby to breast exclusively is not for every mother, and helping those discover the many other options, we impatiently thrust a can of formula in the confused mother’s arms.
Most of these mothers do not selfishly decide that their newly born child just does not deserve their time and sacrifice of bringing the baby to breast, it is usually quite the contrary. There are numerous reasons why a mother is unable to successfully bring baby to breast exclusively:
- baby is not nursing well (sleepy, low blood sugar, jaundice);
- baby is not able to nurse at all (premature, illness of mom or baby);
- mom or baby has surgery;
- postpartum depression.
And these are only a few of the many reasons that a mother is not capable of bringing baby to breast exclusively.
How many of these mothers are informed that they can still give their sweet babies their own perfect milk right from mom? Pumping has actually been around since the late 1700’s, with a glass bowl and brass syringe. Yet, the pumps of eras past are put to shame by the incredible breast pumps of today. You can choose from many different brands, styles, and usage requirements. Though it is not one of the first thoughts that come into one’s head when thinking of feeding options, there are many moms who breast pump exclusively, and are very proud of it.
There are many opponents of breast pumping who may inform others of the disadvantages, such as finding hours a day to do the pumping, risk of decreasing milk, or inconvenience of making and warming bottles. Yet, many mothers who find that the only way to provide their own milk to their infants is by breast pumping would argue that, although these are problems that need to sometimes be overcome, there are still many more benefits.
One benefit may include the emotional stability that some mothers experience when others are able to feed the baby while they get some extra sleep, the confidence of actually seeing how much milk the baby is consuming, or not becoming frustrated from latch-on problems, sore nipples, and biting. Another benefit is the financial cost, which is pretty minimal compared to the excessive prices of baby formula. Some babies may benefit from the length of time mothers will continue to pump as opposed to bringing baby to breast exclusively. Though 70% of mothers begin to breastfeed their baby in the hospital, only 36% continue to breastfeed their baby by 6 months, according to a study conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. This decrease can be contributed to mothers returning to work, the desire to begin to sleep longer periods of time, and many other reasons. However, because of the many benefits pumping moms encounter, these are also some of the reasons that they are able to continue to give their babies breast milk longer. One of the most important reasons to breast pump is the ability to help others in need. Many mothers who become experienced at pumping find that they are able to pump far more milk than their baby is consuming. For these fortunate mothers, they are able to share their milk with the milk banks across the U.S., which pasteurize and distribute the milk to sick and premature babies. This is one of the most satisfying and heart-felt advantages of breast pumping.
So, again, with the great advantages of breast pumping, why are we not promoting it as a major feeding option? We need to take it upon ourselves to educate others of the incredible benefits of breast pumping. Some very simple things that mothers can do to assist with breast pumping becoming a feeding option can be talking with other mothers, informing pregnant women about breast pumping as a feeding option, or asking your OB/GYN or baby’s pediatrician about their views of breast pumping. Those dedicated to making breast pumping a feeding option may contact government officials or charities to assist new mothers with funding for breast pumps, learn more and educate others about the wonderful services of breast milk banks, or get involved with educating the medical community about breast pumping and the benefits to both baby and mother.
One day, hopefully in the near future, mothers will be asked how they feed their baby, and instead of receiving strange looks when they profess that they exclusively pump, they will be greeted with a welcoming, “So do I! What type of pump do you use?”
About the Author:
Wendy Williamson has pumped exclusively for each of her children. Gabrielle, the last of three babies, received breast milk that was exclusively pumped for over a year. Thoughts of charity and giving pre-occupied Wendy for many years until she discovered breast pumping as her passion. She is determined to help other mothers realize the benefits of breast pumping for both baby and MOTHER, and hopes to help by creating a greater awareness of donating breast milk and donating breast pumps to mothers wanting to provide their own precious breast milk to their pre-mature or ill baby. More information on breast pumping can be found at her website, www.gotbreastpump.com
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39 Responses to “Breast Pumping: The Alternative Feeding Option”
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carrie says...
I pump only, my daughter took over an hour to breastfeed she always fell asleep even when she was cold and naked. It started to get dangerous because it took so long tp feed at night that i was falling asleep and smooshing her face to my chest. So I tried pumping and I fell in love with it. 15 minutes to pump 15 minutes to feed the baby and back to bed I went.
Not to mention daddy can finalllyhave his time. I can go anywere and just give her a botte, I bought this plug in car heater to heat the bottle so no matter what we are doing she can have a warm bottle.I dont have to hide my self to feed her MY mik.
tanya kelino says...
Thank you for this info.. i want to pump instead of breastfeeding and didn’t know if that is ok and if i could do it and your article made me feel sooo much better about it..
do you sugesst a specific pump to use?? i’ve been reading about it but of course all sites promote there product.. and none of my friends breast feed or pumped.
Thanks!!!
Tanya
due date 12/10/08
shaun says...
i tried without success, to breastfeed my son. he was given a bottle (without my permission) in the hospital and it became impossible to give him the breast after that. However, i bought a really good Medela pump and so my son still gets the breast milk. This has worked so well for us because it allows my husband and other family members to feed him. You have to make sure to keep your milk supply up so i try to pump every 3-4 hours and your tips are tried and true (fenugreek tea, plenty of fluids and oatmeal work wonderrs!)
First time mom says...
I want to thank the author of this article as well as all the women who shared their experiences. I have been looking for an alternative to breastfeeding (that is as healthy as breastfeeding) since I became pregnant for many reasons. To name a few I have no desire to breastfeed in public (more power to women who comfortably do!), I want my husband to enjoy the overwhelming emotions that accompany feeding your child etc. I have been met with nothing but grief, negativity and a lack of support from my prenatal coach, dr’s and nurses. Which was the main reason for searching out articles that support alternate feeding methods. So thank you for giving me the knowledge as well as confidence to attempt exclusively breast pumping.
Marilyn says...
Thank you so much for your article. I wanted so badly to breastfeed my baby, but she was a terrible nurser – it took her over an hour to eat, and there was no bonding when I was just the person who was always smashing a breast in her face! No one told me about exclusively pumping either – in fact, it was discouraged. I just decided to do it myself, and it is a huge commitment (probably more so than those who breastfeed), but I am very proud of myself for sticking to it, and I’m so glad there are others out there. I, too, hope this will be offered as an alternative.
Jessica says...
This article is great! I have been pumping also and wasnt sure if there were many other people doing it, I decided on my own that it would work just as well as breastfeeding. My son also was given a bottle in the hospital even after I requested he NOT be given one, but because I was a diabetic he had to be fed right away and I was in recovery after 28 hours of labor and a C-Section. It seems to be working rather well except for me thinking Im not producing enough breast milk. I appreciate knowing other people are having success with this as well. He’s so fussy when he’s being breast fed because he had trouble latching and now he just cant be still and constantly knocks the nipple out of his mouth..so this is the best alternative.
nesta says...
I recently had a set of twin boys, and the smaller one would not latch on properly (his mouth isn’t big enough for the whole nipple), so i am currently trying to sit down for 15-30 minutes 6-8 times a day, though we have to supplement with formula, too. i feel much better knowing that exclusive pumping is not that rare and that the time consumption is worth it.
Candy says...
I’m Glad to hear ,My baby didn’t take to breast feeding either so I decided to Pump only also it has been working good but, low milk supply which by what you all recommended i’ll try . Thanks
Amanda says...
Yeah!! I’m also very glad to hear others only pump as well. I have a 2 week old that I’ve tried to breast feed and I would end up crying with her cause it would hurt so bad cause she wasn’t latching on. I had tons of pressure from my mother in law to keep doing it even through the pain. But I decided to pump and supplement with formula cause I’m only able to pump 2-3oz from both breast. My question is: It also hurts to pump (at first then gets numb) my nipples turn purple and have a white layer over them. It’s not thrush. Anyone have an idea for me? Thanks, Amanda
Wendy says...
Hi Amanda, I pump exclusively because it was way too painful for me to breastfeed. It is working out great, it still a little painful but I rub some lanolin on before and after I pump and it really helps.
Julia says...
I am so thankful to read this article and to see that there are other options besides breastfeeding. My baby had jaundice and was very difficult to breastfeed so I ended up pumping so we could monitor how much milk she was getting. I was planning on returning to breastfeeding after the jaundice was out of her system, but after latching problems, sore and traumitized nipples, and much crying (both by me and the baby) I decided to go back to pumping. I love it and fortunately I have a good milk supply. My advice to anyone wanting to pump instead of breastfeeding is to invest in a good pump and make sure that the breastshields are the proper fit. After seeing a lactation specialist I found that my breastshields were too small for my nipples which further increased my nipple tramitization. After that problem was solved I found pumping to be much easier and I feel much better knowing that I am still getting my baby breastmilk. However, I find that when I tell people I am exclusively pumping (including the lactation specialist and her peditrician) I get strange looks and get encouraged to try to breastfeed again. So I am expecially thankful to find this article and know that there are others just like me and that pumping is not as uncommon as I thought. I encourage anyone to at least try it – I find me and my baby are much happier pumping!
colette says...
it is encouraging to see other mom’s that have chosen exclusive pumping. this is something that i am considering doing after 4 1/2 months of exclusive nursing. my daughter has been refusing me and getting very fussy at the breast for the last 4 weeks. i don’t want to switch completely over to formula. i really would love to give her my milk for each feeding. i’m just worried about supply issues. i will be looking more into exclusive pumping. thanks.
Claire says...
Amanda with the numb and purple nipples, I think this may be the problem. Hope it helps!
Raynaud’s affects about 20 percent of women. It is a benign condition often characterized by sensitivity to cold in the hands and feet. Hands and feet turn white or purple when exposed to cold and may tingle, hurt, or become numb. These sensations go away with heat. Although vasospasms are most common in hands and feet, they can occur in the vascular systems of the breast and nipple. The resulting pain is intense and could easily cause someone to stop breastfeeding.
http://www.llli.org/NB/NBJulAug99p120.html
Heidi says...
I exclusively pump. In short…I had a terrible time trying to breastfeed. Finally, after a breakdown in the hospital, a lactation consultant told me to pump one feeding, and put her to the breast the other feeding (switch on and off). What a relief!!! I used a breast shield for the breast feeding, which helped, but eventually I just switched to exclusive pumping. It is a lot of work, but I’ve found ways to make it easier. I have a double electric pump (Lasinoh) that I LOVE LOVE LOVE and I took an ace bandage, cut slits in it, and tie the pumps to me. It creates a completely hands-free system for me. I can do all of the following with my hands-free system while pumping: drive (just be sure to set up before you start driving, and take the pump off at a red light or something), sew, eat lunch at work, prop my baby up on my bent knees and feed her a bottle, walk around the house, check the mail with a large t-shirt over everything, have a meeting with my coworkers (I’m lucky that they are moms who breast-fed so they get it) while wearing a large t-shirt over everything. I sit at my office desk and work on paperwork, too. I pump 5 times a day 20-minutes each. This schedule works for me, and if I need more milk, I use formula and refuse to feel guilty about it. I hope the ace bandage tip helps!
Heatherb52 says...
This article was really helpful. After exclusively breastfeeding my DD for 4 1/2 months, she’s now decided she prefers the bottle to the breast. I’m just wondering, for the first time I pumped about every 4 hours yesterday and my nipples were extremely sore. Will this pain ease up, like it did with b/f?
Thanks for the great info!
Kelley says...
I’m so glad I found this article. I’m considering exclusively pumping for my baby. This article made me feel better about it and especially reading the comments from everyone. I had a horrible experience trying to breastfeed my 1st son and I don’t want to try again…but want the benefits of breast milk. Thank you all!
Heidi says...
I have a pump that has several different settings for both suction and speed. For the first 30 seconds or so of pumping, I find that if I put it on a very low suction and a fast speed, and then when I feel my milk let down, put it at a deeper suction and a slower speed, I don’t have as much soreness. If I try to put it at my “goal” setting right away, it hurts a lot. Then after about 10 minutes (after my second let-down), I put it at the deepest suction and slowest speed setting to get my 3rd let-down about 5 minutes later. After pumping, I have “bullet nipples” (and I mean really sticking out!) where they are at their most sensitive. I sort of push and shape them in to a better size which helps. In addition, instead of using the pads they sell which go inside your bra, I use pantyliners cut in half which don’t shift around so much creating friction on already sensitive nipples (they’re cheaper, too!). Make sure, too, that your nipples are EXACTLY in the center of the pump, because I know I feel a pulling sensation when they’re not. And remember, if you feel tempted to give up on pumping, go price some formula!
Jennifer says...
Thank you so much for this article. I am expecting my first child 2/7/09 and have been on the fence on whether or not to breastfeed. I don’t think I am the type of person who will feel comfortable with the “typical” breastfeeding method, but I want my child to get the benefits of my breastmilk. I will probably try and breastfeed in the hospital to get my milk supply started, but I will switch to the pump exclusively when I get home. Wish me luck!
Abbie says...
I am so glad to see that there are other mom’s out there that exclusively pump. I pumped for 8 months with my first daughter because after 6 weeks of forcing through very painful breastfeeding, we learned she was tongue-tied. I just had my 2nd daughter 2 weeks ago and she was doing fine until I got a couple of nipple blisters. They would never heal and my nipples were and still are very sore. I’ve tried to hang in there, but I immediately starting pumping when I got home from the hospital. Not to mention I have very large breasts and very large nipples. I just can;t get it all in her mouth! She chews my nipples all up. Anyway, I ‘ve learned this go around not to feel guilty, beacuse my daughter is still getting breastmilk even though it’s from a bottle. Luckily, I have a huge milk supply. I get 16-20 ounces in my 1st morning pump and then get 10-12 ounces every 4 hours after that. I do not pump for 8 hours during the night. It’s just a schedule that works for for me.
Mommy Toya says...
I am encouraged by this article. I am a breast pump exclusive mother. After birth, I attempted to feed my son but my breast had grown to a size “J” and he was only 6 lb. 14 oz. and unable to position to latch correctly. I felt very defeated as a mother, but through ecouragement from articles like this one, my husband and my faith I found this alternative and love it. My son is now almost 3 months and I have pumped exclusively his milk (while returning back to work at 8 weeks). Speaking as a large breast woman; you too can “breastfeed”!!)
new-mother-to-be says...
My baby girl is due in 3 months. I have decided not to breastfeed because I am completely creeped out by it for some reason. I can’t even look at pictures of someone breastfeeding. I think it is because my nipples are the most sexual part of my body. When I tell people that I plan on breastpump exclusively, I get lectured. I feel a lot of guilt and I’m not sure what to do. Has anyone done any research to see if you still get the weight loss benefit and shrinking of the uterus with breastpumping as with breastfeeding?
Stephanie says...
I couldn’t breastfeed my first. She was a 26 week preemie, but I pumped enough milk to feed her for nine months. With the recent birth of my second, I thought it was going to be a wonderful experience. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t working out. After 4 weeks of no sleep and neglecting my oldest, I decided that we would all be better off if I went back to the pump. I was distraught and felt like I was giving up, but reading the articles I found on pumping mothers really helped me come to grips with the true issue at hand, feeding my child the best food possible, whatever the means. I support any mother her cares about the nutrition of their children. And now that I am rested and my oldest is getting enough attention and my infant is fed and happy, I can honestly say that the decision to exclusively pump was the best one for my family, and I don’t regret it one bit!
KH says...
I have just decided to go this route with my 11 day old son – he was a very slow / sleepy breastfeeder and I just had no confidence that he was getting the proper amount of milk when he fed from my breast.
I do have a few questions…how long does everyone typically pump for? and how much milk is normally expressed? My breasts seem to be “empty after about 15-20 mins total and I can get anywhere from 1/2 – 2oz per session (I have been pumping every 2 hours or so).
Any advice / feedback would be appreciated.
Jenni says...
I exclusively pumped with my first son who was born at 35 weeks (I am a type 1 diabetic and had pre-e). It worked wonders for us. I tried to put him to breast a few times and it never really worked out. I just had my 2nd son (also a 35 weeker) and he two is being exclusively pumped (though he has gone to the breast a few times- he is very sleepy and slow to gain weight due to being a premie. My husband and I love this method of feeding. We feed skin to skin with our sons and it is amazing. I love that my husband can feel the same closeness with my son. I pump every 2-3 hours and I am getting a great amount of milk already and my son is just 10 days old. I double pump mostly. They make a “bra” that can go around you so you can do hands free pumping. This is really helpful during the night. Sometimes I even sleep while pumping.
good luck to everyone. It is really worth it.
Caboose says...
I started pumping exclusively because my nipples are flat and very hard for my baby to latch onto. While it is time consuming, I feel so much better about myself knowing that I am trying everything to giive my baby the best. I pump every 4-6 hours and usually get between 4-7oz each time. My baby is only eating 3oz a feeding so I am usually a few feedings ahead of her.
amy says...
I have been pumping exclusively for 8 weeks because my son was born at 36 weeks and will not latch on the breast at all. I pump every 2-3 hours and get about 5-6oz each time. The more often you pump the more milk your body will produce. It takes a few weeks to build a good milk supply and a lot of dedication but it is worth it to me knowing my baby gets only breast milk. Also pumping causes a release of oxytocin which causes weight loss and promotes a natural sense of well being.
Angelica says...
Thanks so much for this article. I’ve been really frustrated trying to find people who say it’s okay to pump exclusively. I’d love to be able to nurse, but my son will be born with a bilateral cleft lip and palate and most likely won’t be able to. I’m gonna start researching good pumps now.
Leslie says...
I’m so glad I found this article. I was just trying to breastfeed my 2 week old baby again and every time it ends with both of us in tears. She is a good eater, but she just doesn’t latch on properly and I am so sore I can stand it. I was starting to feel like a failure and like I was letting my baby down. Knowing that so many women out there have been able to just pump in order to feed their babies makes me feel so much better. I think by just pumping I can really start to bond with my baby the way I have imagined in for the last nine months!
Julie says...
I am so glad to see this article. I exclusively pumped for my son for a year. And I am now doing the same for My daughter. It isn’t time comsumimg for me, I feel it is a great option for moms, and hope it becomes more mainstream as an option. Don’t EVER let anyone make you feel weird or guilty about it. It is fantastic and the best thing i’ve ever done.
Heidi says...
This is a great article! I have been pumping for 5 months now and my supply is great and my baby has only had breast milk. I was told by so many people when I started doing this that my supply would go away..blah, blah, blah. I didn’t really like the breastfeeding itself so I tried the pumping when my milk came in – 2 days- post birth. I don’t always like pumping, but now have it down to 4 times per day. I have over 4,000 oz. frozen and my husband can feed the baby. It’s an all around good situation.
Sandy says...
I will be a first time mom Feb 2010 and never had the desire to breastfeed because of many reasons: i cant see myself doing it, i’ve heard of all the pain, i want my husband to experience feeding the baby, i can see how much milk the baby is intaking and it would give me assurance that I am feeding the baby correctly, and many other reasons. Every time I mention pumping exclusively I get weird looks and negative comments and it makes me feel like im a bad mother for not wanting to breast feed. I never said i will deny my child the milk, i just prefer to pump. It seems like so much pressure from everyone around to do this and no support for pumping, well at least my husband supports me! But this article was wonderful and the comments were extremely uplifting. It really made me feel like I was not the only one out there who felt this way. Since this is my first child, i have no idea, but i was told that they literally force you to breast feed once the woman gives birth, Is this true? what if I dont want to even try breast feeding and want to begin with the pumping right away?
Angelica says...
I’ve had my baby since my last comment, and though he can nurse, he doesn’t really get enough. I got a loaner pump from the hospital and I love it! The first couple of days when I was only getting a few drops were disheartening, but now I’m starting to make more and I’m really happy. My boy is three days old and on formula for now, but I have an ounce in the fridge waiting on him. It’s so worth it! And Sandy, I asked the nurse in the delivery room for a pump and she brought one to me. Don’t let them make you feel bad for your choice, they gave me crap about supplementing with formula, but this is my baby, and I’ll feed him whatever I want! If someone says something, remind them that pumping is breastfeeding, it’s food from your breasts. I probably won’t nurse much once i have a good established supply, but he still gets my milk.
Feed your baby, that’s the most important thing!
Leslie says...
Not that I think that pumping exclusively is necessarily a bad choice if that is what works for you, but I am concerned that women who are pumping exclusively might be missing the natural cycles that occur when you are breast feeding. There is a direct correlation between establishing a good supply of breast-milk and breast-feeding simply because your body is responding to the length of time that your baby spends at the breast.
Also, the content of your milk changes from day to day and sometimes even from hour to hour, the benefit of which can be lost by pumping exclusively. After reading some comments, I am wonder how informed some are about breastfeeding. For instance the concern about the baby not receiving enough to eat. Very simply, monitor the number of diapers, color and consistency of bowel movements and wet diapers. You don’t need to know how many ounces your baby is taking until you remove breast-feeding from the equation, and then it’s a guessing game.
Also, supplementing with formula, although nutritionally sound also interferes with milk supply as the baby is removed from the opportunity to encourage your body to produce more milk thereby putting you and your child in a “vicious cycle” of sorts many times leading to an ever decreasing supply of milk.
Breast is best not only because of the content of breast milk but also due to the delivery method. Choice is most valuable when it is informed.
Leslie says...
Also, in response to Sandy, a doctor cannot “force” you to do anything that you do not want to do, although I don’t believe that pumping immediately will be fruitful. In the first hours and many times days of your baby’s life your body produces colostrum, probably not enough to coat the sides of the bottle you pump into, but just enough to start up the digestion of your newborn.
This re-emphasizes my point of being informed about the decision to or not to breast feed. Not that feelings aren’t important, but basing major decisions about your children on feelings without facts is not the best way to start parenting.
AKuri says...
Thank you for sharing your comments. I am unable to breastfeed but still want to feed my newborn breastmilk. I have been working to build my supply by exclusively pumping for at least 15 minutes every 3 hours or so – but have not seen an increase. How long does it typically take to build a healthy milk supply through exclusive pumping? Thanks.
DP says...
I really enjoyed this article, especially for the support and comeraderie that is out there for exclusive pumping. My 1st born (son) is now 15 days old, and I decided to pump exclusively since Day 4. The reasons are as follows: I had a c-section, which made for a groggy baby and a pained mom. The baby was found to have tongue-tie and latching issues. The first days of his life, we had to have donor milk for him….and I did provide him with colostrum (what little that I was able to produce). Now I pump every 2.5 hours via the hospital grade pump called Medela Symphony (hospital rents them for $75/month). I pump for 15 minutes and get about 1.5 oz each session. I will begin fenugreek and Mother’s Milk Tea tomorrow to try an increase supply. Good luck to all you out there who pump exclusively. DO NOT LET OTHERS MAKE YOU FEEL GUILTY>
lisa says...
i too, pump exclusively – and i love it.
i was unfortunate to have suffered from PUPPPs at the end of my pregnancy and after being in pre-labour for 4 days and 24hrs of active labour that ended with a 3rd degree episiotomy tear and hemorrhaging, i was too exhausted to nurse my baby boy and fell unconscious as i was being taken to the recovery room
to my horror i awoke 6 hours later to find my son cold and alone in his bassinet next to me. unfed. i called the nurses immediately and was greeted with being lectured on how i was SUPPOSE to nurse him every 2-3 hours. which is something an unconscious person should be held accountable for. right. in a fog, he was taken to the nursery and was fed formula.
over the next 2 days i had nurses that did not wake me to feed my son and ones that simply yelled at me to “just make him latch!” even though it hurt like hell – which i knew was wrong. the nurses at the hospital were so unsupportive that by the time i got home, i was falling into the pits of postpartum depression.
i knew my husband strongly leaned towards breastfeeding, but with a horrible recovery and the stress of having to be the only feeder to my son, the pressure of it all just kept me crying constantly. my milk wasn’t coming in and nursing him for 1.5hrs meant that by the time i put him down, he was starving again.
at 10 days postpartum, my husband came home with a medela symphony hospital grade pump in efforts to up my milk supply. at first i was offering the breast, and then pumping and bottle feeding.
and then, 2 days later i simply decided to pump every 2 hours and bottle feed. once my milk supply came in, i began pumping 6-8oz each session, every 3 hours. by day 14 postpartum, i was able to start storing milk in the freezer because i was ahead of what my son was consuming.
pumping has relieved the pressure of being the only person responsible for feeding him. it has allowed me to get more sleep. anyone in the household can feed him and my husband gets some quiet time with his first born. knowing that my son is still getting the “good stuff” and seeing my stock in the freezer assures me that he will be healthy for when i go back to work in 4 months (only 6 months of mat leave)
i highly suggest pumping to any mother looking for an alternative to breastfeeding but is still able to produce milk.