Should I pump?

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

Milk supply is fine, baby feeding fine, I have no emotional issues with feeding on demand.

I have never pumped - not even initially when my nipples were in shreds.

But, and please don't laugh, what if I get hit by a bus? Should I have a stash in the freezer in case I need to be in hospital or something for a while - or could I have DD with me?

Also, am I being selfish as it means DP can't feed her?

It sounds as if things are going very well. Congratulations! Enjoy this time.

I started to pump with dd1 under similar circumstances. I had slight oversupply issues as I always leaked on the side from which I was not feeding. I started catching the drips in a bottle and then I started thinking that it would be nice to build up a supply in the freezer for 'emergencies'. I used some when I started weaning but never actually needed to feed her from bottles.

I wouldn't laugh at you for worrying about what-if situations. Generally speaking your breast-fed baby would be able to be with you if you were hospitalised but that would very much depend on the situation. You are a kind, thoughtful mum for thinking of the unthinkable.

I don't think that you are being selfish by not letting dp feed her nor do I think that it is a solid reason for starting to express. He will have plenty of fun weaning opportunities once she is ready to start solids.

It is worth noting that if you do pump that it will increase your supply as your body will produce what it sees as necessary to feed your dd.

If you decide to go ahead with pumping, you might want to look at the Kellymom website for EBM storage recommendations.

Opinions will vary greatly and not everyone will make the same recommendations. I think that the important thing is that you are comfortable with your choices.

HTH.

Increasing my supply is another reason I'm not sure about expressing - I currently have an (over) abundant milk supply and don't particularly want to have to express regularly to avoid engorgement because I have increased my supply.

How old is your baby?
I had "hit by a bus" worries with DS, so expressed. I then ended up in hospital for 24 hours when he was 16 weeks (not hit by a bus ) and had 4 feeds in the freezer which amazingly lasted DH all night (DS visited me and fed a few times as well in that period).
However with DD I haven't had the time or energy to express. Hit by a bus crossed my mind a few times, but I had more important things to worry about! She's 9 months now, and started having the odd sip of milk from a cup at about 7/8 months - no bottles, no expressed milk.

Anyway, after the ramble...in theory, yes you can have DD with you if you go to hospital. Depending on what's wrong, you get a private room, or put on the maternity ward. However, when it happened to me I felt DS was too old - he wasn;'t a newborn sleeping all the time, he was a big baby who needed entertaining and seeing more than the hospital's four walls. I could barely sit up, never mind read to him/play etc. So IMO it isn't practical to be in hospital with a baby over about 6 weeks, unless you feel mostly well.

I think that if you'd rather not pump (and it can be a pain) then really, in a dire emergency, formula would be ok

DS is breastfed and I do pump so occasionally I can go out/miss the odd feed, but if it was difficult I wouldn't mind him having formula once in a while. He is 8mo though so it is a bit different I suppose...

I keep a stash, not really for emergencies, just so I can go out for an afternoon/evening here and there. I only do around 60mls a day so I don't think it has increased my supply. I get a let down of an evening when DS is already asleep so I do a couple of minutes then, takes the edge of the engorgement as well as DS sleeps for a long time now.

Thanks for all the feedback - I guess I will stop worrying about the what ifs