Exclusively pumping?

[chelle85]

My LO is 10wks breastfed but we have had nothing but issues with wind/reflux and poor latch initally due to tongue tie that wasn't picked up til he was 6 weeks combined with fast letdown. I hoped the tongue tie procedure would have improved things but he still struggles to latch deeply and gulps resulting in painful wind and lots of vomiting.

We introduced one bottle a day of expressed milk and noticed he doesn't sick as much and is much more comfortable after this feed. I experimented with a full day of expressed milk by bottle and he was so much more settled and only woke once at 4am for a feed without any wind waking him earlier.

I am now conflicted as I really wanted to BF to 6mths but don't want to see him in pain when he can feed better from a bottle. I would prefer to give expressed milk but not sure how easy this will be as he took 21oz in day plus one night feed.

Any tips on exclusive expressing would be great

Sorry, I don’t have any advice, but I’m watching this with interest as we’re in pretty much the same situation. This seems like a good starting point:
kellymom.com/mother2mother/exclusive-pumping/

I EE’d for 9 months (pumped enough for 12 months). It’s hard - really hard. I took it day by day.

Tip 1 - get a hospital grade pump
Tip 2 - don’t miss pumping sessions, especially overnight. I had to pump every 4 hours through those 9 months
Tip 3 - drink plenty of water
Tip 4 - fenugreek and oats help supply

It’s the best and worst of breast and bottle feeding.

I do know people who did it, and I admire them to keep it up - it’s hard. And there is a worry that supply doesn’t always keep up with demand if you express only (not always though).

I would say that it might be worth keeping up trying to breastfeed sometimes - at about 10-12 weeks my son got a lot better at feeding and his body just got better at dealing with wind. His colic improved and it became a much less stressful experience.

I managed about 90% expressed for about two months, DS couldn't breastfeed and due to health reasons I really wanted to express for as long as possible, but managed to about 10 weeks, and I did really struggle.

There are lots of things you can do to boost your supply. What made the biggest difference to my supply was having a day where I expressed every single hour (and every two hours at night) it was absolutely exhausting and I think I ate my bodyweight in porridge that day, but it made an enormous difference and pretty much doubled my supply! The following day I pumped every two hours, and from then on I pumped in between feeds.

Have you got a good pump? I think you can hire hospital grade pumps and they are brilliant

There are things you can eat (oats) and supplements you can take (fenugreek - you'll smell like curry though )

I expressed with DD for the exact reasons that you are thinking to do so OP. I decided quite early on to combination feed as the pressure to pump on a schedule was too much and I wasn’t enjoying my time with DD. I expressed for 4 months, probably from 80% of feeds being EBM to 20% over the course of the 4 months. We then switched fully to formula.
I would just take each day as it comes if you do choose to express. Don’t beat yourself up if you need to top up with formula feeds. The most important thing is doing what’s best for you both and enjoying this time with your baby.

My top tip is to keep your mental health at the forefront of your mind. Pumping is HARD and can take a huge toll. Be kind to yourself.

So I managed to exclusively feed my LO through pumping until 6 months. At that point (by choice) I started weaning and introduced formula and reduced pumping.

So it is possible, but tiring and hard work. You need to be really disciplined in pumping regularly. I was pumping because I went back to work, so I didn't have to look after the LO as well as express. At the weekend, I realised how challenging it is to look after LO and express.

I recommend an electric pump (mine is a Spectra) and a "hands free" bra. You'd be amazed at what you can do whilst pumping.

I second the recommendation to keep trying him on the breast as they develop so quickly. It's also incredibly convenient when out to be able to feed directly rather than faff with bottles.

If you have any specific questions, please feel free to post or PM.

I did this but the hardest thing was going out-even though I took a bottle of milk, I still had to come home to express the next feed. In the end I felt trapped at home which made me miserable and I gradually made the switch to formula and found freedom I didn't have while pumping.

I did this but the hardest thing was going out-even though I took a bottle of milk, I still had to come home to express the next feed. In the end I felt trapped at home which made me miserable and I gradually made the switch to formula and found freedom I didn't have while pumping.

I had tongue tie and fast let down issues with both DC.

In both cases the wind and feeds improved enormously around 12/13 weeks, so I would say keep going with BF till then as you're nearly there.

Exclusive pumping is shockingly hard especially as the baby gets bigger and hungrier.

Are you feeding lying down? I found side lying feeding helped hugely with the fast let down issue. (Only possible once TT sorted). Reclined feeding should help too but I couldn't do it.

I would also be inclined to get the TT and latch checked by a different LC if you can. It sounds like there may still be some tie - maybe posterior.

Exclusively pumped for one of them for 6 months - top tip, hospital grade pump, total life changer! I ordered direct from Medela who were really helpful. I also had a swing to keep on me with a few empty sterilised bottles so I could stay out later if we were out for the day etc.

Fenugreek capsules, usually on buy one, get one for a penny at Holland and Barrett. Your milk triples
Keep massively hydrated, makes a difference.
Build up a freezer stash if you can, it's a real security blanket.

Godspeed