Anyone exclusively expressing?

[Pumpingmummy14]

I am.
Nearly 6 months now. Just wondering if there's any other exclusive pumpers out there. I'm aiming for 2 years. Ekk!

Wow, two years, crikey, you have more stamina than me!

I exclusively pumped for almost 10 months, by which stage I had enough stored in the freezer to take my daughter up to one year on just breast milk. She is now 11 months, and we have more than enough to see us through another month. I must admit, I felt so liberated when I stopped pumping!

Did you have to do more pumps when you hit the 6 month mark? I've heard supply changes then and works on a supply demand basis so you need to express more. Slightly worried about this as I'm on 4 pumps a day now and can't bear to do any more!
Ta

Nope, I never increased my number of pumps, I was always striving to cut down, haha. By the end, I was expressing just twice a day. I had a mega drop in supply with this (my period also returned around that time, which contributed to the drop in supply I think) but I was still producing just enough to cover her feeds for the day.

At 6 months, I was doing three pumps per day, and sustaining a supply of around 900ml. To put it into context, at my peak I produced around 1200-1300ml per day. But my little one took to solids really well and dropped a couple of milk feeds very quickly, so I was happy to drop pumps and therefore risk producing less milk. The reduction in what I produced came purely because I dropped pumps, not for any other reason.

I got to 6 months and gave up as trying to fit in 4 pumps weaning and dealing with a crawling baby became to hectic. I did go down to 2 pumps and mix feed for a while. Which I wish I could have done longer.
Tbh I'm glad I pumped but would I do it again - probably not - as soon as I stopped I felt I got more quality time with ds. Having a 2 year old now who remembers so much day to day I would hate him to see me pumping. Bf I have no problem with but him understanding but I felt v self conscious pumping.

That's reassuring - thanks.
I'm currently pumping just over 1000mls a day. Not managing to freeze any yet. She gobbles it all. Hoping when we start weaning (next week) that I can build up a freezer supply.

Andcake Why would you hate for your child to see you pumping? Don't get that. Just explain,in simple terms, what you are doing.

Tbh I hated anyone seeing me pumping - just made me feel so disgusting and unnatural. Starting Bf had been a nightmare with ds being sent to hospital because of loading weight then pumping it was all such a horrid experience. I also would hate having to explain that I was pumping rather than doing things with him as he started communicating. I started exclusively pumping when bf failed because I thought bm was so v v important. In hindsight I think I was mad as everything was about pumping not my ds. I have great sadness about those early months. I was twice as knackered as anyone else I knew.
At 6 months I did try and get ds on the boob properly again which could be worth a try. Tbh though actually by then the feeling of bf made me nauseous which was v upsetting - I think I would have just liked to have been able to bf but ds had different idea when he was born.

I'm only at the beginning if my 'journey'. My son is 4 weeks old and I've been exclusively expressing since birth due to a combination of tongue tie (him) and flat nipples (me). After 4 weeks, I'm losing the will to live. don't know if I can carry on much longer

Not now but I exclusively pumped for DS4 until he was 5 months. I'm in awe of you, I found it incredibly hard.

Izzy82 I pumped exclusively for the first six weeks then DD suddenly latched on using nipple shields. Carried on like that for another four months then she latched without the shields. If you haven't already tried them they are worth a go, I found the medela ones best. I had tried a few times before it worked.

I'm in total awe of anyone pumping for six months plus, I don't think I would have managed it.

I pumped for the first three weeks due to aving a non-latching baby. After that she managed to feed (badly) with shields. Those three weeks were very hard, so I have enormous respect for anyone who does it for longer. I've just had to start pumping again at 11 months as DD is on a nursing strike. She eats fairly well, so there isn't anything like the same pressure as before, though I am very aware of how quickly my supply is dropping without her stimulation.

My daughter was born prematurely at 32 weeks so her suck reflex wasn't there. I've been expressing for her since 2hrs after her birth (she's now 10 weeks old) - it's great to read that other mums have done the same as most people are shocked that she's still exclusively on breast milk and that I'm still expressing for her daily. At the moment I'm just aiming to last until at least 3 months old but if it's still going well I will try and get to 6 months instead.

I've never got huge quantities so that probably doesn't help my stress levels - on average I produce around 90 - 140ml each time express and at the moment she has 80/90mls each feed.

She has in the last few weeks started to learn how to breastfeed direct using a nipple shield but we only do this for one feed a day so I can be sure how much milk she's having the rest of the time.