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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

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Original poster

Wanting to just pump away. Is it possible?

14 replies

emmabemmasmom · 17/03/2009 14:14

First off, I am 32 weeks with DD #2. I bought my pump a week ago and seem to be obsessed and want to start pumping now lol

Anyway, I had a very difficult time with DD #1 breast feeding and never thought of a pump and ended up having to break down at 3am and send DH to Asda to get formula and bottles...

Because of certian issues I have, I don't really want to breastfeed but I want DD #2 to have breast milk. I know it sounds bad and I should because of the skin on skin and connection. However, I have certian reservations and I don't know if the past experience has scared me or what...but is it possible to just express milk and feed DD #2 that way?

I have had no problems with DD#1 closeness wise, and she is now 16 months and off her bottle all together.

Sorry so long...but is it possible to just express? Thanks for reading! :-)

OP posts:

Original poster

emmabemmasmom · 17/03/2009 14:35

Anyone?? :-(

Just everything I read says not to pump at all for the first few weeks. Also, things say if you do pump at all it can effect your flow...so what do I do?

Hope someone can shed some light and thanks!

OP posts:

MiniMarmite · 17/03/2009 14:39

I pumped for one feed a day from one week after DS's birth which was fine. Another friend pumped all her son's feeds for the first month but then switched to formula because it was such hard work to pump all feeds...

StarlightMcKenzie · 17/03/2009 14:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Original poster

emmabemmasmom · 17/03/2009 15:11

Thanks for replies

I just don't know what to expect and because I didn't think it through the first time, when we hit bumps I just gave up...

OP posts:

tiktok · 17/03/2009 16:51

emma, expressing and feeding by bottle is normally something no one would do unless they had to. Maybe you feel you have to - but you also need to know it is time consuming and hasslesome.

Would be a good idea for you to seek some real life help to talk through what went on last time - call one of the bf helplines.

Original poster

emmabemmasmom · 17/03/2009 17:35

tiktok Thanks for post. In a perfect world I would not pump either. I spoke to a few people last time and they made me feel so guilty about not breastfeeding that I think I got a hit of "up yours" behaviour and stopped (along with other issues...not only reason!)

Last time I did not find the midwife, hospital staff, or helpline useful...just filled with quilt.

I would love to get over the last experience but why couldn't I just pump the hell out of myself and freeze it and keep bottles in the fridge for the day?

I guess because I don't know I have a lot of questions you know?

Thanks everyone for what has been said already though. I am taking everything on board and hopefully will be able to make breastfeeding work this time as I would really love to!

OP posts:

charitygirl · 17/03/2009 17:43

Hi Emma - I'm a 'successful' breastfeeder (6 months exclusive today ) and I have a top electric pump, and I just don't get that much milk out of my boobs. My DS clearly gets loads more, but a night out requires me to stockpile over three days.

Which is by way of saying that pumps aren't as effective as babies' mouths, and that method may never allow you to get your supply up to your baby's needs.

Why not tell us some more of the issues you're worrying about (pain? unsupportive DP? public feeding? unweildy massive baps?) because between us, we've had them all!

Bleatblurt · 17/03/2009 17:49

I pumped for my DS3. He had only breast milk for 6.5 months then mixed fed until a year. So it is possible and once you get used to it you fit it in easily - I've pumped in the car on the move, in car-parks, in baby feeding rooms etc.

I used a double electric pump (medela pisa) and it was great - ended up with a large supply and also had hundreds of ounces frozen.

But I really would have preferred to get the hang of breastfeeding as it's just so much less hassle.

Good luck with whatever you choose.

drivinmecrazy · 17/03/2009 17:52

I had a nightmare with DD1 and expressed till she was about 7/8 weeks, aswell as feeding her very unsucessfully myself. Whilst i had no problem expressing large amounts it did mean my life was a round of pumping and feeding, doing one or the other constantly which i am sure lead to my PND. When DD2 came along I had absolutely no expectations to feed her myself but she latched on immediately and I had no problems what so ever, but I admit I had no problems with the idea of FF DD2 if it didn't work out. So much better to have your sanity and enjoy their early weeks rather than stressing so much over one part of it.

Sidge · 17/03/2009 17:56

You can exclusively pump but it's bloody hard work, takes ten times as long and is a HUGE commitment.

I exclusively pumped for DD2 as she was tube fed and couldn't breastfeed. It is not something I would do without a darned good reason.

Is it possible for you to see someone about your aversion to direct feeding and see if that helps at all? Wanting to give your baby breastmilk is a fantastic thing to do and if there's any way you can do it the 'easy' way (I understand it's not easy for you but direct feeding is 'easier' than expressing then feeding) then I would try it.

tiktok · 17/03/2009 18:05

emma, you can't pump a whole load of milk every morning and stack up the bottles for the day....it just doesn't work like that. This is biology and you can't fight it!

Breastmilk is only produced if the milk is frequently removed from the breast. Mothers have a limited storage of milk (even though the baby does not remove all the milk at any one time, there is a limit to how much the mother can make, and store, at any one time). You could express, and save the milk, but three hours later you would have to do it again, and then three hours later again, and again, and so on.

You still have the bottles and teats to wash (opinion is divided on whether you would need to sterilise) and of course you still have to get it into the baby

There are no short cuts with expressing, and few women would do it if they didn't have to.

freshairfanatic · 17/03/2009 20:10

I have been exclusively pumping for DD, now 5 weeks old, since birth as she was too small then to latch on (4 lb 11) and now still won't. As others say, exclusive pumping is time consuming and lots of hassle - a constant round of feeding, pumping and washing up. Particularly hard when I need to pump but DD doesn't want to be put down. And throw in hard nights, as I try to avoid pumping at night, sore breasts and a bout of mastitis from reducing frequency of pumping too quickly. I have a Medela double pump which is great, but I can't go out for too long as I can't be too far away from it.

Although I was determined that my child would only have breastmilk, I'm now thinking of giving up (at least, mixing breast and formula for a while). This just isn't worth the hassle. Overall I wouldn't recommend this route unless you have no choice!

ilovemydogandMrObama · 17/03/2009 20:17

Is it the predictability that appeals to you as far as having a supply ready and waiting?

Totally understandable, but feeding a baby straight to your breast is sooo much easier. It's the original fast food!

Rhian82 · 17/03/2009 21:14

I had to pump (hand pump, not electric) for the first week of DS's life as he wouldn't latch until he was a week old. I had no problems with supply and actually the midwife told me not to express for so long each time as my breasts would think I had had twins - she said she'd never seen anyone express so much milk!

So supply-wise it's not necessarily a problem, but I agree that it is a faff, especially at night. There are times when I really hate breastfeeding but have to admit that just being able to pick him up and pop him on when he's hungry is pretty brilliant.

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