For those who pump exclusively...

I've got a bunch of questions.

Could you share your reasons for doing so? DD seems to eat a million times a day and sometimes she practically falls asleep at the boob. Her weight gain is good, not great and I'd really like to know how much milk she is getting per feeding. I've been thinking about switching to exclusively pumping. Is it hard at first? Is it "easier" than EBF?

For those who pump exclusively...

I exclusively pump (EP). I do it for all reasons you mentioned. Plus my breasts are very ample & I would have to hoist them up do she could breathe ..lol. also others can feed...i can leave house & not worry. She used to latch here & there for soothing but now (5mnths) she wants nothing to do withit.
At first it can be uncomfortable but since your already nursing it shouldn't be that bad. There are pro & con like.cleaning babas & youhabe to remember to pack them when you leave house. I like knowing how much she is taking & I pump 2x a day(1 hr or so ech time).

For those who pump exclusively...

Ps: you can make a stash also when you pump.

For those who pump exclusively...

If you don't have to do it, don't! It's extremely time consuming and you'll grow to hate the pump very quickly. I had to EP since my dd has a tongue tie and couldn't latch. It was 3 long months before I started to slow down and my supply dropped.

Just think it through. Yes, it's nice to know exactly how much your child is taking in. But remember this... You need to pump every time your child has a bottle to keep up your supply. So once you feed your child you need to put them down somewhere, grab all your pump parts and pump away for 15-20 mins to drain yourself. After that you need to store the milk, wash the parts, and make sure your good to go for the next session. Remember you do this 8x a day in the beginning. It is exhausting and you never get a break like you do when your bfing directly. I hated life when I was EPing. I hated that I was away spending time with a pump instead of with my dd. I hated that the pump owned me. So would I do it again? Only if it was an absolute must!

Message edited 11/23/2013 8:14:06 AM.

Re: For those who pump exclusively...

I don't think I could exclusively pump. I HATE pumping at all. I find it painful and can't seem to get the right size flange. But I also had a hard time nursing. I think if I had not gotten to where I don't have almost constant pain, I would be giving it all up.
With DS #1 he never was able to nurse well so I would try to pump but could never get enough milk. And I would constantly end up with clogged ducts because the pump never emptied me well enough and it made it even more painful to do either.
My SIL nursed to begin and went to EP. She would pump every 2 hours! That is just crazy to me. She had a lot of milk. But I could never do to that often.

Re: For those who pump exclusively...

I pump 5-6 times a day (approx. every 4 hrs). I do it because I like to know how much he's eating, there's no question of how many ounces he's getting. And I didn't find breastfeeding to be comfortable, as someone else said, I had to hold up my boob because it was very heavy/large & ds couldn't seem to get comfortable either. I find pumping to be easy, once I get it attached properly, it doesn't hurt during pumping at all (afterwards my boobs do get sore sometimes if I pump on a higher setting). I read the paper, use my phone, or watch tv while pumping... I actually find it relaxing! I have been doing it for 3.5 months so far & plan to continue as long as possible. I get more than enough for ds to have each day. The only downside is that it's a lot of work, a lot of preparation & washing of pump parts/bottles. Any questions, FM any time, Good luck!

For those who pump exclusively...

I dont pump every 2 hours. Depending on how much you get per session will determine how much you pump. Either my bsby is on me 6-8x a day for 20 min each time or I pump 2x a day for at least an hour..BF is still a HUGR commitment. Do what's best for your life style.
Will add that I do not wsnt to BF in public or at friend / family house or park or anywhere so pumping fits my life style & I get plenty

For those who pump exclusively...

I did it with my older DD and now with my second DD.

They both never liked nursing.

It sucks in the beginning but I am already down to 4 15 minute pumping sessions a day and DD eats 25oz plus I freeze one 6oz bag a day for my freezer stash.

Pumping is annoying but it works for me!

Re: For those who pump exclusively...

Re: For those who pump exclusively...

I EP'd for DD#1 for 7 months. I only BF for the first day or so and then DD went to NICU and I gave up bc of stress, emotions, etc. I pumped about 7-8 times a day for the first 6 weeks while on maternity leave. I built a very nice stash during this time.

Going back to work I cut down to 4 pumps a day and still got a decent amount. I continued until I stopped by choice. I only found pumping to really be annoying on weekends, especially when we were out and about and I had to pump in car or other random places. What I did like is that others could feed, I knew how much she was getting, it gave me greater freedom especially when going back to work.

I'm due with DD#2 in 5 weeks and I plan on giving BF more of a try this time. I think it might e easier with 2. However, if that doesn't work out I def. plan on pumping again. I think its a good option that many people don't know about, think about or consider. All you ever hear is BF or FF.

Message edited 11/23/2013 10:10:07 AM.

Re: For those who pump exclusively...

Thanks for all you responses.

I pump a little bit now, maybe a few times a week, so I'm pretty comfortable with the process. What I'm really worried about is the beginning where I have to both BF and pump at the same time. I am back at work part time so hopefully I'll be able to build a stash.

For those who pump exclusively...

I started pumping when DS was about 8 weeks old. I likes to see exactly how many ounces he was drinking, plus I just felt like he was attached to my boob 24/7. Don't get me wrong, I felt attached to the pump also, but I didn't feel as restricted. I would use the hands free bra and did stuff around the house. For me it worked better.

Message edited 11/23/2013 2:43:10 PM.

Re: For those who pump exclusively...

I EP'd with my first bc she wouldnt latch and my boobs were huge and heavy and it was very stressful trying to BF her, hold up my breast and also the nipple shield to the point where we would both be crying.
I just had my 2nd DD and I wanted to BF her but I am having the same issues boob-wise and I also started having severe back pain from what Im sure is a combination of my very heavy chest and hunching over while nursing. I dont pump 8 times a day, Ive been pumping about 3 times and I already have a huge freeezer stash (DD2 is only 3 weeks old).

Message edited 11/23/2013 3:48:14 PM.