had my last lamaze class yesterday - was told about BF vs pumping

i said how i was planning to pump...

the lamaze nurse said that i should be BF for the first two weeks- to get enough milk for the baby.....that pumping in the begining should be reserved for if the baby is in NCIU

i was not planning on bf... but i guess if its only 2 weeks til pumping it wont be that bad... assuming the baby will latch

Re: had my last lamaze class yesterday - was told about BF vs pumping

I've heard that too -- hopefully the first 2 weeks go smoothly for you!

Re: had my last lamaze class yesterday - was told about BF vs pumping

What's the reasoning behind this? Did they say? DD was in NICU & so I did pump for 4-5 days exclusively & then I tried nursing but she wouldn't latch. I didn't BF until a week or so later. Just wanted to know the reasoning...

Re: had my last lamaze class yesterday - was told about BF vs pumping

I've heard this too....not sure why though? Is it something about getting your milk to come in?

Re: had my last lamaze class yesterday - was told about BF vs pumping

Re: had my last lamaze class yesterday - was told about BF vs pumping

The reason they suggest that is that the baby is way more effecient in emptying your breast than a pump can. The key to establishing a supply is that the more effectively and often you empty the breast your body makes more milk.

Message edited 3/19/2009 2:03:07 AM.

Re: had my last lamaze class yesterday - was told about BF vs pumping

Re: had my last lamaze class yesterday - was told about BF vs pumping

Posted by neenie

Posted by dawnie

The reason they suggest that is that the baby is way more effectient in emptying your breast than a pump can. The key to establishing a supply is that the more effectively and often you empty the breast your body makes more milk.

this is good to know! Thanks!

(but, there goes my hopes of pumping all day to make DH do all the nighttime feedings as soon as we got home )

Re: had my last lamaze class yesterday - was told about BF vs pumping

Posted by neenie

this is good to know! Thanks!

(but, there goes my hopes of pumping all day to make DH do all the nighttime feedings as soon as we got home )

Re: had my last lamaze class yesterday - was told about BF vs pumping

Re: had my last lamaze class yesterday - was told about BF vs pumping

I'm sorry, but this is BS. I am getting so frustrated trying to do research on exclusively pumping b/c I KNOW people doi it successfully, but it's SO hard to find information !! -

You DO NOT HAVE TO NURSE your baby to 'build up your supply' and NO ONE can force you to do it -

I have friends who have pumped exclusively in the beginning either b/c
1. The baby was in the NICU (2 preemies)
or
2. They did not want to nurse, but wanted the baby to have their breastmilk.

One of the friends who started out pumping went to nursing b/c she wanted to - and the baby latched just fine after 2 MONTHS (now I'm SURE not all babies are the same ....and some will not latch, but they make you think that it's completely IMPOSSIBLE to change your mind and begin nursing later on .......Obviously, it's not)
The other 2 friends pumped exclusively and DID NOT SUPPLEMENT at all w/ formula ........one only went for 3 months and the other for 8 or so I think - They will be the 1st to say it was NOT easy, but they did it.

I've talked to a few moms (some here were awesome w/ advice and suggestions) and you can request the pump be in your room immediately -
They can not force you to nurse (although I have heard from every single woman who has given birth that thay all relentlessly try) .........

Re: had my last lamaze class yesterday - was told about BF vs pumping

I don't think that nurse has the right information.

I was not able to BF my son and pumpled exclusively for 8 weeks. The key to getting your supply up is to pump frequently - every 2 hours. If you go longer between sessions your supply will go down.

Good luck to you!

Re: had my last lamaze class yesterday - was told about BF vs pumping

see, thats where im getting confused...

in an earlier lamaze class i thought i had said i was going to be pumping- and was told they have strong pumps in the hospital...

but then this last class shes telling me how BF 2 weeks to establish it, then pumping can be started/transitioned....

i'll be going back to work within 12 weeks and there is no way i'll be pumping in the ladies room there... and i want dh to be able to feed the baby in the night too....

Re: had my last lamaze class yesterday - was told about BF vs pumping

This is one of my major issues with BFing and pumping and the whole issue in general. It depends on who you speak with. With my DD I had 3 different opinions on what to do from the nurses and people that worked in the hospital when she was born.

When she was first born she was taken away to make sure she was ok(her apgar was low) About an hour-2 afterwards they brought her back to me to nurse(but the nurse did tell me that they gave her formula while they were checking her out and that it's ok since the only thing i am producing right now is colustrum).
So then me struggling with BFing(she wasn't latching on properly) they sent in the lactation specialist. Who yelled and screamed at me for first off letting them give her formula(like i had a choice, i didnt even know till afterwards) and that if i didn't exclusivly BF with no pumping for the first month that i would be harming my child.
So.. after she left and me hysterical the regular nurse on shift came in and talked to me and made me feel sooo much better. Her answer to me(and this is what I follow now) is that only you know your body and your child and what's good and what's not. If you choose to just pump then in the beginning you may need to pump a little more often to establish your milk supply but you can still establish it.
Also she said the benefits of pumping over nursing is that you know exactly how much your DC is getting. My DD was a little peanut and that was a big concern(to get her to put on weight)

Re: had my last lamaze class yesterday - was told about BF vs pumping

Posted by MrsPowers

Posted by neenie

Posted by dawnie

The reason they suggest that is that the baby is way more effectient in emptying your breast than a pump can. The key to establishing a supply is that the more effectively and often you empty the breast your body makes more milk.

this is good to know! Thanks!

(but, there goes my hopes of pumping all day to make DH do all the nighttime feedings as soon as we got home )

I am pretty sure you can still pump and have DH do the nighttime feeding. I plan to do that. Maybe I will wait the 2 weeks and then start with DH doing the nighttime feedings though. We shall see.

Re: had my last lamaze class yesterday - was told about BF vs pumping

the one thing i did see at least was a couple parenting threads where it seems like the baby can actually suck faster than the pumping takes... i guess i'll be exhausted anyways in the first couple weeks that it would help for it to be a faster thing