Pumping Instead of Nursing

Best thing since sliced bread! I pumped bc my daughter was in the hospital for 3 weeks (early birth) It's conveniet not just for us mommas but also for the child right there and ready. Try oinment on the nipples I know mine were incredibly sore and that helped and maybe try lower pump settings, not so hard so fast. Over time it gets slightly easier. As for carrying the equip. everywhere--i didn't I pumped ahead of time and stored in a bag that was insulated with ice packs. It worked for me. Best of luck!

Your letdown is too strong for her, she is getting too much foremilk and can't swallow it all, and since she's only getting foremilk, she's not being filled up and therefore hungry all the time.

Here is what you need to do. Latch her until your milkk lets down. When it does, unlatch her and catch the spray into a towel or a cup. When the spray slows or stops, relatch her and let her nurse. NURSE ONE SIDE ONLY! its an old wives tale that you need to switch sides, and its totally false. Let her nurse as long as she wants, until she pops off or falls asleep, on one breast only, then switch to the other side for the next feeding. I wore a stretchy bracelet on my wrist and just switched it from side to side to remember which breast to use at the next feeding.

She should be nursing from one breast only, this allows her the hindmilk that fills her up and also contains the fats and nutrients her body and brain need to grow and thrive. If you don't let her nurse during your letdown, it will signal your body to stop putting out such a forceful letdown, and it will slow.

Her poops should be yellow, soft, and seedy. If they are green and stringy, like wet lettuce, she is getting too much foremilk, and you need to unlatch her during your letdown spray, and relatch her when its done spraying.

Also, too much foremilk from a forceful letdown will make her gassy and really uncomfortable. So use hte method above for a few days and you will see a big difference. In a couple weeks your letdown will slow, and she will also be bigger to drink faster, and you won't have to use this method. But I encourage you to try it for a week before you switch to pumping. Pumping is a full itme job, and you will still have to bottle feed your baby, then pump, then bottle feed, then pump. Its like feeding two babies... know what I mean? Your issue is very common and easily fixable, so try what I suggested, you will notice a big difference. Send me a message if you need more info or support!

E.,

I did this with my son because he didn't learn to latch. BUT, it was the hardest thing I ever did. Here's why: Everytime you leave your house, you need to take the pump and something to store milk, in addition to your diaper bag, and other baby stuff! You have to make sure that you always have a source of power for the pump (I sometimes pumped in my car in parking lots when I couldn't find a place to plug in...yes, even in the mall parking lot.) You have to constantly wash bottles, plus sterilize the pumping equipment. Pumping takes time, and then you still haven't fed the baby.

I exclusively pumped for almost a year. I was totally exhausted and have such hazy memories of my son's first year that I'm sorry I did this as long as I did. He is 3.5 now and although I'm glad he got the breastmilk, honestly, this is not a choice I would make again. Try to get your daughter to nurse if you can- you will have a much easier time!!! Plus your back won't hurt from carrying everything! Good luck! C.

It sounds like you may have too much milk. My baby would do the same thing but would not cry. He would just keep having to keep getting off and coming back on. It has something to do with the milk coming down too fast for the baby to keep up. Check this out:
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/fast-letdown.html
(I can't imagine pumping all day either... hurts too much! and I love breastfeeding my baby!)

I had to pump because I was working. I hate to say it, but I hated it. I did it anyway, but I hated it. You still have to wash bottles, wash and sterilize the pump and its parts, and it takes twice as long (if you're at home) because you have to take time to pump then take time to bottlefeed.

Breastfeeding was sometimes challenging, but well worth it (I'm still nursing my 16-month old, but only in the morning and evening so no more pumping - yay!). It was (and still is sometimes) so nice to go in and nurse my daughter back to sleep at 3 AM. No bottle prep, warming, etc. Even with having to get up and go in her room, I don't have to turn on the light and I barely wake up. I have nursed her on an airplane, which was great. She ate quietly and then slept until we landed.

Your daughter might just be extra hungry or going through some kind of phase and having problems. If it doesn't get better, I would still say pumping is better than formula-feeding if for no other reason than it's the most nutritious and the least expensive (can't beat free!).

E. - Congratulations on your new baby. I found pumping was far better for my daughter at about the same time because she wanted to nurse as fast as she could drink a bottle. My husband loved to be part of some feeding so pumping worked great. I also got much more milk from pumping than having her start and stop then pump. So I simply had a few feedings each day that my husband did and I would go and pump at the same time. Others I would nurse on one side and pump the other. I didn't have much pain but when I did the Lansinoh cream for breast feeding moms works GREAT! I also would suggest ensuring you have the right size pumping shields - when I bought the bigger size I was much happier. What ever works for you is the correct answer - in the begining I was pumping every 3 hours due to her demand and my supply. I got very good at pumping one side while she nursed the other and reading email. Good luck and enjoy your little one - mine just turned one - wow did that fly by!

HI-

I have done both, pumping exclusively and breastfeeding exclusively. I will tell you pumping is MUCH harder. If you decide to pump, you need to get a hospital grade pump (you can usually rent one from the lactation consultants at the hospital your daughter was born) and then you have to start out pumping around 8-10 times per day and then you can slowly reduce it to about 5-6 times a day over a few months. Anything less than that and I found the milk supply would just disappear.

I agree with those that say it is probably your let-down being too strong. That was my problem during the first several months when I was exclusively breastfeeding. You need to let your daughter get things started, unlatch her and then let the overflow go into a towel, etc. Then latch her back on when things have calmed down. You need to make sure she sticks to one breast and get her to empty it. If you only breastfeed from one breast at a time, that is OKAY! I had to use the same breast over two feedings then switch to the other breast until things calmed down and my milk flow regulated itself. I then went to one breast each feeding and then when my daughter was about 6 months and started solids, my milk supply finally calmed down and she can now feed from both breasts during the same feeding when she wants that much. At 10 months that unfortunately usually happens in the middle of the night! But that is another story.

I highly advise trying your best to stick with the breastfeeding. Pumping exclusively is REALLY hard and when you have to get up in the middle of the night and pump AND feed your daughter, you will find that you end up with NO sleep.

I agree with those that say you really should get some help to get through this stage. It makes things much easier and less frustrating when you have a coach to help you troubleshoot all this. The lactation consultants at the hospital or La Leche League are your best bets.

Good luck!

K.

Hi E.,
I bet the reason that your let down is stronger is that once breastfeeding got well established, (even though you aren't engorged like you were in the beginning), you began producing more--because she was nursing so well. Now it's too much for her when it lets down. That's the funny thing about nursing I think, your body sometimes makes too much! But be glad that you have a lot, because it would be worse to have not enough. That being said, the other moms who commented about her getting too much foremilk are totally right on. I would do just what they said, and keep nursing. If you start to pump, it will be hard to maintain your supply. Then you are up in the night cleaning the pump, washing bottles, torturing your poor breasts with the pump too. Pumping is great, but I personally know I would have a hard time sustaining it over the long haul. It really comes down to how long you plan to nurse your baby. Your pump can't keep the supply up as well as a baby can unless you are very very dedicated to pumping regularly. Best of luck, I hope things turn the corner soon! :)

R.

She's "drowning" when you let down, so you need to use a towel or something to let down into (once it starts spraying out and she's let go). When it stops spraying, then help her latch on, and it won't overwhelm her. I pumped around the clock for 3 months with my preemie because that's how long it took for him to learn to nurse. It was NO FUN. It's just not rewarding to get up multiple times in the middle of the night to pump, then to have to stay up after that to feed the baby. If I didn't pump overnight, then my milk ducts got clogged up which was no fun either. This is normal for newborns. You might call the hospital you gave birth at and ask to speak to a lactation consultant, but having nursed three little ones, I recommend letting down such that it's not drowning her. You are letting down, by the way, when your breasts get hard and start spraying, or feeling like you've put your nipple in a light socket. Good luck, and I know where you're coming from. It's upsetting for Mom and Baby. She'll get it, and eventually (in several months) she'll handle nursing while you're letting down with no problem.

I tried nursing for the first two weeks. It was very painful and we had a hard time with the same issues as you are having. I then went to pumping and pumped there after for 10 months with my first. I have plans on pumping with our second that is due in 4 weeks. I had a hard time, nursing was very hard for my little one and was very hurtful for me. Pumping was a life saver. It was a pain because in the middle of the night I would have to pump. I would only pump when she fed. It worked out well for us. The pumping hurt at first and soon wasn't a bother. I would pump while my husband would feed her, if he wasn't at work. I have all plans on doing it again.

Hi,
I know what you are going through. I had the same problem, except my daughter would clamp down on my nipple to try to slow the flow down. it really hurt! I exclusively pumped, it was a lot of work at least 2 hours a day. when my daughter was four months old I decided i couldn't do it any more, so i switched to formula. Big mistake for her. A month later she began having all sorts of health problems. We found out she was allergic to every formula!! The doctor recomended that i get milk form a milk bank or relactate.
So back to the pumping. I was able to completely get my milk back and my daughter got well again. I really wanted her to nurse so we went and saw several different lactation specialists for help. finally I found one with the knowledge to help me.
I dont mean to scar you with my story, i think most babies do just fine on formula, any breast milk that you baby gets is great!
pumping shouldn't hurt. If you really want her to have your milk, find some help in your area. A lactation specialist will be able to help you with your latch, or learn to pump properly.
good luck!!
If you neeed more support/ advice you can e-mail me.
julie

Congrats on deciding to give your baby the best thing nature intended.
Have you contacted a LLL consultant? La Leche League has people all over to help you out in all different lactation situations. You will then feel at ease, hopefully.
You guys are having issues because it's still new. Give it more time. I remember nursing my daughter to be sometimes difficult and painful till we got in the swing of things. Sometimes it takes longer that you'd hope but keep going and it will be wonderful.
Also that electric shock feeling you get with let down will go away, believe me.

Peace

Congratulations on your baby! I had to pump for 7 months as my son was born prematurely. It was nice because my husband and grandparents were able to help feed him. I would pump while he was being feed. Well worth it as he was not sick very much due to the breast milk! I liked it because I was able to see how much he was eating. My insurance company covered rental because he was born prematurely, but there are some less strong that you can buy also. I did go dry quicker than I wanted because he aspirated whiled nursing and required thickener. Sounds like you will be able to do both... wishing you the best of luck! Remember this is healthy for your baby!

If you have tried all options and decide that you are at whits end with nursing, pumping can work. It is a lot of work to pump exclusively, so I would recommend to still try to nurse and it will get easier, I promise! I pump exclusively and found that my supply has taken a dramatic decrease since being back to work, Fenugreek and Blessed thistle both together can help when that happens and if that doesn't work, you can always resort to reglan like I have, but be cautious because there are some pretty nasty side effects that can come about from that pill. If you do pump instead of nurse, you will need to pump everytime your baby nurses, or you will lose your supply fast, and trust me, it isn't fun to have no supply. Pumping gets easier like breastfeeding, but can also feel like you are trapped because you always have to have somewhere where you can go to pump.
Please feel free to message me about any questions you may have. I have researched and researched all options there are.
T.

Pumping was very successful for me, and I did it exclusively for 13 months. Admittedly, it was quite painful at times, but if you keep at it and stay consistent, your body will keep producing the milk your baby needs. It got to the point that I was pumping 40 oz / day and only had to do it 1-2 times daily. It does take some time (I was connected to the pump for an hour per sitting) and dedication, but it is so worth the effort!! I strongly advise using a good, electric pump that can accomodate both breasts simultaneously (I used the Medella Pump in Style). Build up to the highest strength and let 'em flow! Oh, and it helps to massage and squeeze your breast tissue, too. Good luck and don't give up! Your baby will truly benefit.

If she is not latching on and the milk is giong everywhere she is more than likely getting the milk to fast. Pump a little out of each breast before nursing and see if this helps. My milk always came out to fast and that is what I did to solve the problem. If it's coming out to fast they get filled up with air and then are hungry after the air is gone. If you pump more than that you will end up with sore breasts..

Hi E.,

congrats on nursing your little one and wanting to give her the best thing! I can't say I pumped instead of nursing, but I would urge you to try to figure out why she is crying and letting go, etc. I can tell you that pumping hurts more than nursing, and pumping is not as efficient as a baby at getting the milk out of your breast.

Does she have a cold? stuffy nose? if her nose is stuffed up she can't breathe while she is nursing and so she will take herself off the breast (breathing beats eating, anytime--those babies are not stupid, lol!) And of course she doesn't get very much that way, so she wants more....

You mentioned the milk going everywhere. Your let-down may be a little faster than she is used to, so the milk is coming too fast for her. If you express a little milk or pump just a bit, then maybe the milk won't come out so fast, and she'll be able to handle it better. (You can save the milk you express/pump at that time, and freeze it for whenever you might need it.)

Have you consulted a La Leche League leader or a lactation consultant for advice? I would do that before deciding to switch to pumping. You can get in touch with a La Leche League leader by calling 1-800-LA LECHE, or there may be something on their website that could help you www.llli.org I think it is. You do not have to be a member of LLL to go to a meeting or ask a leader any questions.

I have heard of moms just pumping instead of nursing, but I don't know anyone personally who has done it. And it certainly wouldn't be my first choice, but I's do it if that was the only way my kiddo could get the breast milk.

Sorry I didn't answer your exact question, but hope this might help a little bit.

Good luck and let us know what happens!

K. Z.

I pumped for 1 year! It was great, The "state of the art" pumps are easy to use and you find all kinds of information online on the storing of your pumped milk. You can buy a machine at your local hospital. The cost of buying one is about $300 for a new one.
I had the same problem as you with my daughter and we both became very frustrated. So I did this and it worked out great for both of us. I highly recommed it. Good luck!

This is totally normal for babies to do. Your milk letdown is probably too strong for such a little mouth. My SIL pumped for 3 months with her first son and breastfed then pumped for 3 months with twins. She does not recommend it - it's WAY harder than breastfeeding exclusively.

A cool thing about breastfeeding - when your child nurses, their saliva gets on your breast. Your breast then says - hmmm, she needs more protein, or more vitamin blah blah blah. The breastmilk adjusts to that need. The next time she nurses on that breast, that's what she gets. If she gets sick, the breastmilk makes antibodies for the illness to help her get better. If you exclusively pump, these benefits don't come through.

La Leche League gives great support to breastfeeding moms. Here's their website to find a group in Florida.

http://www.lllflorida.com/groups/index.html

Good luck! Breastfeeding is a rewarding and fulfilling experience!

It sounds like you probably have a "forceful letdown" and/or oversupply of milk. If you look for info on those problems on Babycenter.com, that will probably help, especially if you try block nursing. I've had this problem with all 4 of my children. My youngest is just 7 weeks, and I'm in the midst of it!! Hang in there...it does improve a lot after a couple months, but probably sooner if you follow all of the tips.

With my oldest, I did only pump from about 6-9 months, but it almost wasn't worth it. Exhausting!!!