So this is just a question wondering who else has done this. My son is almost a year old, well I had a hard time emotionally with the breast feeding, he lached fine and whatnot, but I started pumping a lot a couple months after he was born, but four months I was exclusivly pumping full time, and have done so ever since. Now i am slowly weaning off pumping, and supplimenting with some formula, and will be doing milk pretty soon. I have a lot of friends with young babies and they are all amazed i have pumped this long. I hear some women aren't able to pump full time past six months . But my idea is I'm sure there are other people out there who have done it. Are you one of them???? I want to hear more stories :). I have been fine with my decision, although time consuming I'll admit, it has worked out, and I made it to my goal of a year, so I am happy! I have not met anyone else who pumped full time for a year or more. I know there are some of you out there???
good to hear there are others. :) I am proud of pumping a full year. I am a stay at home mom, so that's why lots of people think i'm crazy :).
My son was a preemie and after his stay in the NICU never took to the breast. I pumped for a little over the first year and then used my frozen supplies to transition him into cow's milk. Was it exhausting? You bet. But I was giving my son the best thing I could.
You're doing a great thing!
You aren't alone, but most people either are mostly nursing or mostly formula. I commend anybody who makes exclusive pumping work for her and her child. It's hard enough to pump just for the work day, let alone every day, all day. Congrats on making your goal!
I just want to say good for you, because that's exhausting. I am still breastfeeding my 18 month old exclusively, and I gave up pumping for extra milk for "emergency" bottles around 5 months old because it was SOO tiring!! Not only are you going through the essential act of feeding (the pumping) but there's all that equipment to haul in and out, storage and bottles and etc. to wash and store...I'm tired just thinking of it!!! Good for you, SuperMom!! For whatever reason you couldn't nurse, you STILL stuck with it and gave your baby the best. Good for you.
Yes, there is a mom on here that pumped over a year. She was store manager of a high end retail store. I was really proud of her for her dedication.
I have pumped twice a day since the day I went back to work 7 weeks after my daughter was born. She is still getting strictly breast milk, two bottles while I'm at work and then nurses while I am home.
I am in the same boat as you. Gals at work are always amazed I'm still going. I kind of look at them with a funny look as I'm thinking well why shouldn't/wouldn't I. It is what I feel is best for my daughter. I do feel bad for the gals that would love to keep going. But some days I feel like they also look down on me because they couldn't.
Oh well I love what I have been able to provide her in doing this. Yes, it is time consuming and I sometimes get hasselled about it but hey, its what is best for her.
So congratulations to you! Great job!
I pumped part of the time and nursed the other for a year and it was hard, But soo sooo worth it.
Good for you for doing such a wonderful thing for your baby!!
Just curious, Did you have an amazing Pump?? I think the right one can make it alot easier.
Wishing that baby of yours a fabulous first birthday!!
I pumped for 10.5 months, 2-3 times a day and nursed. My daughter decided she was done with the breast at 10 months. I tried to pump exclusively for 2 more weeks but wasn't getting enough in 1 day to get her 1 whole bottle so I stopped. I wish I could've kept going till a year but I'm satisfied with what we were able to do.
Congratulations!! I know it's a commitment!
6 Months pretty much to the day for me. Of course, that was my goal - to make it 6 months, which I did. Perhaps if I'd made goal to do it for longer, I would have met that goal instead.
Good luck!
I pumped for a year with my first and will do the same with # 2
Good for you! So proud you were able to do that for your baby! I have to say I am jealous... I wasn't able to get enough out and supplemented my daughter for 6 months and then she was done with the breasts. I hope with my son (march due date) that I will be able to do more. *crossing fingers*
You are not in any way alone and should be very proud of youself for your commitment! You didn't mention if you werre a working mom, but I am. With my first baby I pumped at work everyday so that my daughter would get breasmilk while I wasn't there to feed her. Like you, I started weaning her off around 10 months. By 11 months she had weaned herself offf of breastmilk completley. Now I have a 3 month old and here I am again, attached to the pump everyday, but am happy to do it!
My neighbor pumped exclusively with both of hers for a year each. It can be done!
Ha. I couldn't pump at all. And I tried. And the hospital reeeeally tried (I had a supply like a prize winning Guernsey. My son ate apx 20oz per *feeding* and I could easily add another baby -wetnursed for a friend on two occasions-) but I couldn't pump. Never more than an ounce or two. The hospital sooooooo wanted me to be able to donate! :( Heck. And I'd have really loved not needing to go to class, come home nurse, go BACK to class, come BACK home and nurse. Oy vey. I was putting 150mi a day on my car!
Prob because I was so sensitive to it, I knew a LOT of women who pumped through to not 1 year, but 2 years.
I pumped exclusively for one year with my first. Given the chance I would do it again. She never latched and it was how I could get breast milk in her. I'm no different then a nursing mom, the milk just got in her differently. People would tell me that that couldnt do it or that it was just too much work. To me, it would have been lazy and selfish on my part to not. And I had NO milk for my second and third or I would have done it again.
Been there, done that. LOL My daughter was tongue tied when she was born and couldn't latch. I pumped for one year exclusively because I wanted her to have the best. I commend you because I know how difficult it is. Way to go!!
