Early transition to pumping?

[basilico]

Hi everyone!  I'm new to this part of the forum.  I'm about 4 months along with #2.  I pumped for the first few months with #1 and supplemented with formula. This time around I'd like to try to breastfeed from day one and switch to pumping as early as I can without supplementing if possible.  What is the best way to transition?  How early can this be done?  I'll most likely be purchasing the electric pump (dual) this time around....otherwise I will rent it again from the hospital.  Let me know if you need more info or anything.  Obviously I have a bit of time, just trying to think things out in advance :)

[phathui5]

Why are you looking into switching to pumping? Are you going to be going back to work?

[basilico]

No, I wont be working.  Its both a personal preference and to have my DH and DD involved in feeding the baby.  I liked that with DD, she was still getting "the good stuff" but my DH could help with feedings and got to be involved.  I had a hard time with breastfeeding, mostly because of time in the NICU, and for some reason it REALLY hurt me.  Hopefully this time around the first part will not be an issue and I can breastfeed easier from the start.  I also like the ability to have some milk stored. 

[phathui5]

I think there have been threads for moms who were EP'ing (exclusively pumping). You might want to search for those.

[skycheattraffic]

I started off EPing and went to EBF once DD would latch around ten weeks. Maintaining pumping for me was super hard and I had to go on domperidone to revive my supply. I think it's great that you want more involvement and let DH and DD feed baby but EPing will be quite challenging and will cut out the comfort part of nursing. Would you be willing to pump say 2 or 3 times a day to be able to do some bottles but also offer the breast at least half the time? I think that will a) make it easier to maintain long term and b) still give others the opportunity to help each day. I stopped responding to the pump around 6 or 7 months pp with DD: I still had a ton of milk but try as I might, I couldn't get more than 0.5oz out of both breasts combined after an hour of pumping even first thing in the morning. If I put DD to the breast, she'd drink so much that she would spit half of it back up. I'm not saying don't pump, I'm just suggesting you pump part time so that the milk supply is more easily maintained and you still have a nursing bond. FWIW I can't imagine parenting my 20 month old without nursing; it's just such a nice way to ease her anxieties and anger. Good luck to you, whatever you end up doing

[Quinalla]

It is harder to maintain supply if you are only pumping, so you may want to start off just pumping enough for a bottle or two to give DH/DD a chance to feed the baby and to maybe get a nice bit of sleep for yourself! If that goes well, I'd stick with that, and you can start that as soon as you want. I hope BFing goes better for you this time, I know for me it was quite tough at the start, but after 6 weeks or so we got over that initial hump and it was so easy then. I hope you can have it easy from the start or close to this time!