UPDATE: I JUST PUMPED FOR THE 1ST TIME......Feeling a little guilty about not breast feeding

UPDATE!!!!!

Well after getting positive reinforcement from you all I decided today to go out and buy a pump and see if it worked. I just tried it for the first time, definetely alot easier than I thought. And it worked!!!! I was afraid that being I haven't breast fed and my boobs were getting sore and engorged that my milk was drying up. I did it for 10 min. and got 3 oz. I dont know if that is good or not, but it is something. I am planning on trying to give it to DS at his next feeding. I am not sure if he will take breast milk now being he has only been drinking formula for 6 days, but I am going to try it. I feel so much better that I tried and if it doesnt work, it doesn't work. But at least I tried.

I do have a few questions for breast feeding or pumping mommy's:

1) Everyone is telling me if I give him breast milk I need to watch my diet. Can I eat normally or is there any foods I should be avoiding that can hurt him?

2) I know many of you have to supplement in the beginning b/c you may not be able to get him enough breast milk. Can you give both breast milk and formula during one feeding to make sure he gets enough or will that upset his stomach?

3) Is it ok to feed both formula and breast milk throughout the day depending on my supply?


Thank you everyone for helping me not to feel so "turned off" by the nurse in the hospital. I just hopes he takes the breast milk now.
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After I had the baby, they did not give him to me right away b/c he had swallowed the meconium (sp?) and I was bleeding heavily. They only let me hold him for a couple of minutes. Than I didnt see him again until almost 4 hours later at 2 a.m. I had told the nurse that I wanted to try and breastfeed in the morning. For some reason, by the next morning, they had already given him 2 formula bottles. Someone wrote on his chart that I was only bottle feeding. So the next morning, I still had the lactation consultant come and she was showing me how to breast feed, but she was so rough with the baby and he was screaming. He did not seem happy at all and I felt bad like I was forcing him to do something he didnt want to do. I told her I would prefer to pump being he already ate out of the bottles and that he would probably like it more. She was so nasty and actually disuaded me from doing that, saying it was too time consuming and I wouldnt like it. So, I decided that I was just going to bottle feed him than b/c he seemed happiest. Well now a few days later I feel horrible. I only really tried to breast feed him for a few minutes and feel he didnt get the important vitamins and stuff he needs from me. I am thinking about going to the store and buying a pump and starting to pump to get him the "good" milk, but I dont even know if he will take it now after being on formula for 5 days.

What do you think I should do? I am so upset about the lactation nurse at the hospital. She was so mean and rude that I didnt even want to work with her which made me not want to breast feed more. I told her I didnt feel comfortable doing it in public, etc and that is why I would be happier pumping. He still gets the same milk only from a bottle which he already started. She was like "You're not going to do it. It is harder. You're not going to like it". She didnt even offer to get me a pump to try it. I was so tired I should have pushed more for it but didn't. I feel horrible. Do you think 5 days later he would even drink breast milk?

Message edited 4/7/2007 10:23:01 PM.

Re: Feeling a little guilty about not breast feeding

First - Congratulations!

Second - give it a try! It will be harder, but there are ways to get around it. You can get something called nipple shields (I think that is what they are called) that go over your nipples and kind of fool the baby into thinking they are like bottle nipples, until he gets the whole latching-on thing going. But you should definitely pump now to keep the lactation going, even if your DC only drinks from the bottle for now.

I barely got the hang of breastfeeding in the hospital, and at 3 days old I had to bring DD back in for jaundice, and although I pumped for the couple of days she was in there, the majority of her feedings were formula (since my milk hadn't really come in yet, and they took precise measurements of what she ate, how much she went to the bathroom, etc.). After we got home, it took some work, but she got the hang of latching on and I've been pretty much EBF ever since, and she's 5mos now.

Call your La leche league or get a better consultant - you shouldn't have been treated that way!

Re: Feeling a little guilty about not breast feeding

5 days is no big deal. You can try breastfeeding if you can. I chose not to breastfeed and I remember going to the Ped. a week after DS was born and he was like "it's still not too late to breastfeed if you change your mind". My mind was made up.

My son has been on formula for 10 months and he is healthy. Granted breastmilk is more nutritious but you are not going to malnutrition your baby by giving him formula. It's your personal decision whether to breastfeed or not and noone should ever force you to do something you don't want to do, or make you feel bad. That lactation consultant was wrong to do that!

Re: Feeling a little guilty about not breast feeding

Oh and Congratulations!

Re: Feeling a little guilty about not breast feeding

I'm sure he would drink it. Your milk doesnt come in for a few days anyway, so many babies drink formula for the first few days of life, along with the colostrum (sp?)

It cant hurt to try. You can get an Avent Manual Pump for about $50, which is a good pump, and just in case it doesnt work out, you didnt spend ALOT. And if it does work out, you can always upgrade to a better pump, or just use that one!

Good luck! We are here to answer any questions!

ETA: BF'ing Nazi's like that lactation consultant stink! I honestly think its b/c of them lots of woman decide not to BF.

Re: Feeling a little guilty about not breast feeding

My advice to you is to keep trying to breast feed if that is what you want, and not to buy a pump, but to rent a hospital grade one from a pharmacy or lactation consultant. I have to say, I credit the lactation consultant in the hospital with ruining my chances at BFing my daughter. She was horrible and rough with the baby and basically told me to give up right away. I had no idea what to do, so I pumped for 7 weeks. Honestly, I would have continued pumping if Ava didn't have such severe allergies, but I had really hoped to BF. Anyway, I'm sorry for the tangent, but please don't feel guilty, but definitely do try if you want to.

Re: Feeling a little guilty about not breast feeding

What hospital was this? The lactation consultant I dealt with at Stonybrook was too preoccupied chatting it up with me about my Vera Bradley duffle bag that she didn't really help at all

After I got home and we hadn't mastered the latch and had to use formula, DH called an LC from the list the hospital for me (I was crying too much to do it myself I was so upset) and we started the process of learning. It was tough and DD didn't want to latch at all, then she would latch but only after having an ounce or two of formula and now she latches like a pro without me even holding my breast for her. We still supplement with formuila because she has a hearty appetite but we nurse as well.

If you need a good LC, Grace Harold in Smithtown is wonderful. She told me not to feel guilty about bottle feeding or using formula when needed. She said my job as a mom is to nourish my baby and love her as much as possible and the rest will fall into place.

Re: Feeling a little guilty about not breast feeding

Posted by prncssrachel

My advice to you is to keep trying to breast feed if that is what you want, and not to buy a pump, but to rent a hospital grade one from a pharmacy or lactation consultant. I have to say, I credit the lactation consultant in the hospital with ruining my chances at BFing my daughter. She was horrible and rough with the baby and basically told me to give up right away. I had no idea what to do, so I pumped for 7 weeks. Honestly, I would have continued pumping if Ava didn't have such severe allergies, but I had really hoped to BF. Anyway, I'm sorry for the tangent, but please don't feel guilty, but definitely do try if you want to.

Re: Feeling a little guilty about not breast feeding

Its never too late to start trying!
Get in touch with a good LC and they will help you!!! It will be so worth it!!

Re: Feeling a little guilty about not breast feeding

start goin' girlfriend, BFing is a great experience

Re: Feeling a little guilty about not breast feeding

You still can, best of luck with it!
I exclusively breastfeed Jack with my pump for almost three months it was super tough but a great accomplishment. My LC was very anti me doing it so much that she even tried talking me out of it, which in my opinion pumping was the best of both worlds.. breastmilk and daddy and grandparents could give it in a bottle!

Good Luck !

Re: Feeling a little guilty about not breast feeding

If you want to try you'll need the help of a good supportive LC. If you need a recommendation I can give you one, FM me who will be fully supportive whether you decide to BF or to pump. Their opinion is that ANY BM is good for your baby any amount in any form (bottle or not). I say try it if it's what you want. If it doesn't work out at least you won't feel guilty anymore b/c you'll know you tried.

Re: Feeling a little guilty about not breast feeding

If you still want to try BFing or even pumping, definately give it a try. I did not have much luck with BFing, but I wanted my DD to have my milk, so I pumped for 5 months for her and had another month's supply in the freezer, so she got 6 months of BM and I felt really good about that. With my next, I want to try to do it longer.

Oh, and I agree with Grace Harold, in Smithtown. I rented my pump from her and got all my supplies from her. She was really nice, and accommodating and very helpful. I even recommended somebody else to go to her because she was having trouble getting her baby to latch. She immediately told my friend to come over and she would help her.

Good luck.

Re: UPDATE: I JUST PUMPED FOR THE 1ST TIME......Feeling a little guilty about not breast feeding

BUMP FOR UPDATE AT TOP!

Re: UPDATE: I JUST PUMPED FOR THE 1ST TIME......Feeling a little guilty about not breast feeding

3 oz in 10 minutes is great! Generally, the more you pump, the more you make

really no food limitations...

not sure about the supplementing



ETA: my supply has always been great, and I would get 2 oz in 15 minutes

Message edited 4/7/2007 10:17:00 PM.

Re: UPDATE: I JUST PUMPED FOR THE 1ST TIME......Feeling a little guilty about not breast feeding

Yay! I'm so happy you tried and were successful with the pumping! I would get yourself on a "schedule" of pumping to build up your supply. I pumped only for 7 weeks and I would pump anywhere from 40-50oz. a day! Granted, that's a lot and not typical, but I was on a pumping schedule. I had the double pump, so I could get each session over with in 20 minutes. At first, I would pump every couple of hours, then I moved it to every four hours, then I was pumping three times a day. It's a lot of hard work, but you can do it. And just so you know, BM tastes much sweeter than formula, so don't be worried about him rejecting it

Re: UPDATE: I JUST PUMPED FOR THE 1ST TIME......Feeling a little guilty about not breast feeding

Re: UPDATE: I JUST PUMPED FOR THE 1ST TIME......Feeling a little guilty about not breast feeding

Good job!

Re: UPDATE: I JUST PUMPED FOR THE 1ST TIME......Feeling a little guilty about not breast feeding

3oz in 10 minutes is great!
Do you plan to try to get him to latch or just pump? If you want him to nurse I would keep trying to get him to latch. Maybe squeeze a little milk on your nipple first. BM is sweet so I'm sure he'll take that over the wretched taste of formula.
Good luck! And kudos to you for trying.

Re: UPDATE: I JUST PUMPED FOR THE 1ST TIME......Feeling a little guilty about not breast feeding

I agree..maybe just as he is waking up, put him on your nipple. Don't be afraid to sort of force his head onto it either...

Re: UPDATE: I JUST PUMPED FOR THE 1ST TIME......Feeling a little guilty about not breast feeding

Congrats! 3 oz is terrific! He'll definitely drink BM. It tastes much better than formula so not to worry. You can give both at the same feeding if you don't have enough BM to fill a full bottle. And you can mix throughout the day also. So long as he'll take the formula. Hopefully he won't refuse the formula once he's had BM. That may actually be a good reason to mix the bottles.

Re: UPDATE: I JUST PUMPED FOR THE 1ST TIME......Feeling a little guilty about not breast feeding

I agree with the others. I would try to get him to latch on before giving up on the breastfeeding. Sometimes it takes many tries before they get it.

I agree it depends on the baby with regards to what the mom eats. I would try to stay away from caffeine because it does make for a crankier baby from what I've experienced.

You can mix breast milk & formula. I did it many times in the beginning when I was trying to get ds to latch on properly.

I'm so glad it worked for you!

Re: UPDATE: I JUST PUMPED FOR THE 1ST TIME......Feeling a little guilty about not breast feeding

Re: UPDATE: I JUST PUMPED FOR THE 1ST TIME......Feeling a little guilty about not breast feeding

First off, congratulations!!!
As far as the BFing goes, you can easily pump and give formula. If you are really sold on the idea od BFing, then you can still get him to latch. Try to feed him when he's most alert, because if he's tired he may give up too easy. If you struggle with it, just call a LC. they will come to you and really help you out. I BF Luca for 5 months and went back and forth between EBF and pumping because I went back to work after 3 weeks. DS never had a problem going back and forth from boob to bottle.

Re: UPDATE: I JUST PUMPED FOR THE 1ST TIME......Feeling a little guilty about not breast feeding

Congrats!!! 3 oz is a great start!!! I had a very large supply and I think that is where I started as well...I have heard that oatmeal and beer (you can do non-alcoholic) helps supply


1) Everyone is telling me if I give him breast milk I need to watch my diet. Can I eat normally or is there any foods I should be avoiding that can hurt him?

I found that a few things would make DS cranky/fussy - it's trial and error. And of course I would pump and dump if I drank, but you are less restricted than you are when pregnant!



2) I know many of you have to supplement in the beginning b/c you may not be able to get him enough breast milk. Can you give both breast milk and formula during one feeding to make sure he gets enough or will that upset his stomach?

LLL says it's better not to mix - I think mostly for wasting reasons. Give the EBM first and then follow up with formula, so if anything is wasted - it's the formula and not the BM


3) Is it ok to feed both formula and breast milk throughout the day depending on my supply?

absolutely. Keep pumping (try 7-8 times a day this week (including in the middle of the night) and you will see your supply increase! remember at birth your baby's stomach is only the size of his fist...they don't need much right now.