AIBU to hate pumping?

[Cloudninenine]

My baby is 7 months old and pretty much exclusively breastfed. I had the idea that I would pump regularly to build up a supply of milk in the freezer, but in reality it’s SO hard.

I only ever seem to get an ounce at a time no matter how long I try, and I find it painful (unlike breastfeeding). It’s also awkward and time consuming and inconvenient. I spent £££ on a hands-free electric pump which barely works with my huge boobs.

The result is I have no stash in the freezer, and any time I have to leave my baby (thankfully this is rare) I have to work frantically in the days ahead to build up enough to get him through.

Did anyone else find this so hard? And does anyone have any tips for more successful pumping? I’m going back to work in 3 months and I don’t see how I will ever have enough milk to leave him ☹️

Never bothered with pumping as couldn't get anything hand expressing

Baby went to nursery at 10/11 months able to drink water from cup. Wouldn't accept milk from anywhere else but breastfed at night to catch up. Worked well for us

Pumping is hard. I had the same idea as you but after hours of pumping I’d have about 2oz. I think I’ve tried every pump going over the years.

I didn't get on with pumping and ended up with DH doing a formula feed once a day from 3 months so I could get a longer stretch of sleep. Then when I wasn't around they were used to formula. Not what I had intended when pregnant but it meant I could BF without feeling a prisoner to it.

Your baby will have very different needs at 10 months compared to 7 months so try not to worry and enjoy the rest of your mat leave.

I absolutely hated pumping. Tried it twice and just found it a really horrible experience. Didn’t even bother to try it 2nd time around.

At 7 months I would say it’s not worth persevering with. Your supply must be very well established and you can start mix feeding.

Another vote for the haaka pump here although I got mine for about£4 from Aldi. I could never get more than a few drops from pumping until I got the silicone mamia pump.

I hated it.

I did find a squeezey suction hand held one that just acts like a vacuum that you put on one boob while you fed from the other, got the most. They are silicone ones on amazon for a tenner and a lot less faff.

But...my picky baby could tell the difference between fresh breastmilk and breastmilk that had been frozen. Apparently some people have an enzyme that gives it a soapy taste when frozen. And then they refused bottles anyway. So a word of warning before you build up a freezer full!

For an older baby who is eating dairy though I'd probably just give formula though

I agree. I find pumping so awkward and not at all relaxing whereas I love breastfeeding. At ten months milk is still baby’s primary form of nutrition though so you’re going to have to supply formula if you can’t pump.

I would double check whether you’re using the right size parts. I had to buy a size larger in the breast shield. Your pump brand will have the info on their website about how to measure your nipples.

Please don't struggle and make yourself miserable when occasional formula won't do your baby any harm at all. It's not worth it!

If you don't like expressing, don't do it. Just breastfeed. When you go back to work, don't worry about leaving some. He will only be needing milk for nutrition, not for hunger. He can use actual food to satisfy his hunger. Just breast feed him when you are at home.

I had this problem with both mine - I went back to work when they were between 6 and 9 months and was very worried about building up a supply beforehand.

I found the best time to pump was in the morning straight after their first feed. I could produce up to half a normal feed then which I froze every day. It seemed like really slow progress at the time but every week I managed to put the equivalent of 3 full feeds away for future.

When I first went back to work I would pump at lunchtime and then save that for the following day. It wasn't long before they only fed morning and evening - although it feels like a huge problem at the time it's really only a few months of juggling.

I never had any problem with offering an occasional formula feed if required, which helped stop me feeling too stressed by it all.

Best of luck, OP, it's not easy but whatever solution you find it's the right one

@CoalCraft please can I have the link of the electric pump you recommend from Amazon?

(Sorry to resurrect an old thread)

I exclusively pumped for 6 months because I couldn't get D's to latch at all. It sucks and you have to do it every 3 hours even when baby starts to sleep more or you lose supply. I hated it because it's painful and incredibly time consuming. I don't know how much you would get pumping if your also breast feeding. I was able to get 10 0z from each side but he wasn't breast feeding from me and then me trying to pump.

I'd use a hospital grade double ele tric pump like a spectra.

I'd try lactation cookies/foods (and plenty of fluids obviously).

I'd try pumping on one side while holding your baby and cuddling, smelling, looking at them. You need the hormones to work.for you.

@PeanutButterFalcon

www.amazon.co.uk/Suction-Breastfeeding-Function-Rechargeable-Breastmilk/dp/B081SL2W1L/ref=asc_df_B081SL2W1L/?hvlocphy=1007413&hvlocphy=1007413&linkCode=df0&hvptwo&hvptwo&psc=1&hvnetw=g&hvnetw=g&hvadid=399588309069&hvadid=399588309069&hvpone&hvpone&hvlocint&hvlocint&ref&hvpos&hvpos&hvdev=m&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl&hvdvcmdl&hvqmt&hvqmt&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&hvtargid=pla-853524351585&hvtargid=pla-853524351585&hvrand=15798991359192320041&hvrand=15798991359192320041&adgrpid=84804417763

Hey 3 babies later feeding for over 5yrs I could never pump. So did combi feeding. Don't put pressure on yourself, it won't help. You are doing really well 👍❤️

@CoalCraft thank you. Just ordered it. Don’t like the idea of spending a fortune on a pump when I’m not sure how much I’ll use it

[quote PeanutButterFalcon]@CoalCraft thank you. Just ordered it. Don’t like the idea of spending a fortune on a pump when I’m not sure how much I’ll use it[/quote]
It may be cheap but I honestly found it really good. Hope you have the same experience.

I absolutely loathe pumping too, OP - simply never did it for DS2 (also 7 months), he's had formula every time he's had a bottle. I pumped a lot for DS1 and wish I hadn't bothered, looking back. I absolutely hate it when I see on MN women who are breastfeeding being told that they should 'just pump' so they can go to a social event or, worse, pregnant women who are planning to breastfeed being sold pumping as a miraculous way to exclusively breastfeed but also have dad do loads of night feeds, etc - I would 100 times rather get up and flop a boob out in the middle of the night than pump that feed's worth of milk in advance.

I pumped enough for 2 bottles a night for my eldest, built up from starting at 3 weeks. But that's because he had tongue tie and was excruciating to feed so needed to let my boobs have a break before the hideous experience of feeding began again the next day. I would feed him off one side and pump immediately afterward on the other, by 4 months I could get 9oz off one side.
With my second I didn't pump much and when I did it took forever to get a only small amount because I hadn't started so early and wasn't doing it so regularly.
With my littlest I tried pumping early but still didn't manage to keep it up for long so produced only an ounce or so - as it happens qe went into lockdown at 6 mo tjs so wasn't actually away from him much before his 1st birthday.
By 10 months your baby will be fine to have a morning feed, some solids during the day and then lots if boob in the evening if toy's what you want, you may need to pump every 3 hours to start with when at work to ease off the pressure (that's what I needed to do when I went back at 13 months) - I kept the pumped amounts (only 1-2 ounces) to be fed to him the next day. If you're worried about food intake and there's no cows milk allergy then a couple of bottles of formula in the day won't jr your baby, and they can go onto regular console at 12 months.

Are you using the pump correctly? Is it a hospital grade one eg a Spectra? Are you using a pumping bra?

Is it set to release the letdown before the suction?

I loved my double electric pump. It produced 10ml from each side in under 10 mins.

10ml, a mean a bottle

At 7 months, if it’s this much of a faff, I really battle to understand why you are carrying on. As in, it’s your body and your choice and you can BF your kid until he’s 7 while riding a Harley for all that it’s my business, but you seem to be putting yourself through hell for not much benefit imo.

At seven months you are presumably weaning so just think of formula as part of his varied diet.

My friend was a great breastfeeder but could only pump on one baby, not the other. Another friend could only do it if the baby was in the room. I hated it, even with the hospital grade pump it didn’t do much.

I bf my DCs with varying degrees of success but managed to exclusively bf DD for 11 months and she was a 10lb baby at birth. So I was clearly able to produce milk...

But if I tried to express, I would get nothing out. Mostly, literally nothing. Sometimes the odd ounce. As my HV told me: if you were a cow, they'd've shot you. I think she was joking....

I am in awe of women who pump milk successfully.