Exclusive Pumpers Tribe - Page 3

[mama-a-llama]

Originally Posted by sehbub

This woman looked at me and said, "Oh no, honey, you really should have been breastfeeding her! I can't believe you would deprive your DD of those important nutrients, not to mention the relationship the two of you are missing! You know, you should really talk to..." she just kept going on and on about how I was doing things wrong because I wasn't nursing my babe, and that I should really think twice about giving her formula, and don't I want the best for her? Shouldn't I be more concerned about her health?

:
I really wish people wouldn't assume things. She probably has NO idea how hard you're working for those nutrients. Or how much you might wish for that relationship.

originally posted by mamanurse
They probably didn't have a premie and they are not walking in your shoes. Don't be afraid to say "Even though it's NONE of your business, there is mm in here!" and then go into your story.

Yeah!
I think the logisitics do get better, as you get into a rhythm. It's better for me at 5.5 months than at 2. I still struggle with pumping on the go, though.
Oh, and not to be a wet blanket, but I'm still pumping 8x a day and struggling to meet his needs. I always get a little nervous when we tell newer ep'ers that they'll be able to drop pumps later, because sometimes it doesn't work that way.

[mama-a-llama]

Augh, need to vent. Right now baby is crying in his swing, and I really can't pick him up while pumping. My older daughter has been crying, gated out of this room because she was hitting him. But I just can't supervise them well when pumping.
I hate this! I feel so un-AP. I hate feeling like I have to choose between psychological development (being held, not crying) and physical development (getting bm). I know not to quit on a bad day, but some days are just so awful. And I'm struggling with supply too--I'm usually about 1 oz under his intake, and eating up my freezer stash fast.

[sehbub]

I'm sorry you're having a rough day, mama.

[orangecanoe]

Carly---Oh, mama, do I have days like that as well! : I still haven't figured out a hands free pumping set up, but know I will need to soon. I'm actually thinking it might be easier to do that and have the pump set up on the floor since dd2 is starting to like floor time. It must be hard to have supply worries on top of that. The way I think of it, is with two little ones there are still those times when one of them will have to fuss when the other needs something and I try to look at the pumping as doing something dd2 really needs. When my supply dipped, I took a weekend and pumped at closer intervals (2 hours instead of 3-4) during the day and that seemed to help. I'm also wondering if some of my supply variations aren't do to the soon to return AF? Even nursing dd1 around the clock I still got it back at 8.5 months. I'll stop babbling on here....thinking of you and hoping things look up for you soon. I meant to PM you on your other thread in the SN forum...will try to do that later!

[kathteach]

Hi,

I am soooo happy to have found this thread. I thought I was the only one. I have not read the whole thread but I just wanted to introduce myself quickly. I'm Katherine and my son will be seven weeks this Sunday. I'm taking this pumping one day at a time. I go from hating it and being angry at myself I "failed" to days where I appreciate the fact the technology of the pump is available to me so I can provide for my son.

Wishing all of you the best and looking forward to learning strategies.

[NurseLaurie]

Hi ladies... I have a three week old beauty named Annabelle and we are pondering becoming exclusive pumpers. Annabelle has a bad latch. She makes a horrible clicking noise when she eats. She will eat for 5-7 minutes on one breast and then start flailing around like she is in distress while I try desperately to get her to take some more. Yesterday her poop went green so I called her pediatrician (also a lactation consultant and all around wonderful lady) and she told me to start pumping after Annabelle eats and then bottling her the hind milk. Problem is that after she eats from the breast she is too mad to take the bottle. When I just pump and bottle her she takes the whole 3 ounces lickety split. I don't know whether to trust that she is getting what she needs from the breast, or to give myself the peace of mind of knowing she is getting the breast milk in sufficient quantity. Luckily supply isn't an issue, so we don't even have to worry about switching to formula.

Is it true that breast milk "dries up" faster if you pump? I read that yesterday and it said that exclusive pumping may dry up after 5 weeks. Sounds like crap to me, but I just wanted some assurance that I'm doing the right thing for my baby.

[bri276]

yes, it is true you will risk your supply by becoming an EP'er. even with the best pump, pumping round the clock, and taking herbs, some women just cannot produce for the pump.

I don't think EP'ing is the solution for you. I think she's only three weeks and there is still time to work on her latch. An IBCLC- not a hospital LC, not a pediatrician- should physically view you nursing to assess her latch. When people tell you to feed her bottles, no matter how nice they are, they are giving up on you and giving you what they think is an easy solution. If she is having at least six wet diapers per day, she is getting enough, and there is no need for an additional bottle. There are different reasons for green poo, sure, it could be an indicator that she's getting too much foremilk, but that's not a good enough reason to start EP'ing, put simply. Especially if it's only one day.

Please don't think I'm trying to say "you're not trying hard enough"- I don't think that- I think "you need better support from someone who can figure out WHY the latch is bad and WHAT you can do to correct it.

[orangecanoe]

Mama--Has the LC done pre and post feeding weighs to see how much she's taking in that 5-7 minutes? If you have oversupply issues or the foremilk/hindmilk imbalance, she could really be taking a lot in in that time. There are different reasons for clicking which could be from dealing with abundant milk or other latch issues. I had oversupply with my first daughter and when she was that small she clicked now and again and I was told it was a "benign click" and her way of dealing with the fast flow of milk. Green poo could be from foremilk/hindmilk imbalance or sensitivity to cow's milk in your diet. Pumping (even if it is the hindmilk) is only going to signal your body to make more milk and cause further problems with having too much milk (if that is indeed your issue).

I don't have time to look up links now, but I would recommend browsing around the breastfeeding section of kellymom.com as there is a wealth of info there. Have an LC come for a visit and not just a phone consult (I'm not clear if you've had a home visit or not) and work out latch issues and get an idea if oversupply might factor into your foremilk/hindmilk issues.

As someone who has to EP by circumstance and not choice, I can whole heartedly say I would never choose to do this. It is hard work and not the ideal for me.

[letniaLynne]

Originally Posted by NurseLaurie

I don't know whether to trust that she is getting what she needs from the breast, or to give myself the peace of mind of knowing she is getting the breast milk in sufficient quantity.

Originally Posted by NurseLaurie

I just wanted some assurance that I'm doing the right thing for my baby.

Please don't stop nursing! This (EPumping) is a very very hard road to walk. It seems like a quick and easy solution but trust me it is rittled with many problems of it's own, just as exclusive BF has.

If you are truly worried that she is not getting enough you could talk to your LC (Get a good one!) about suplementation at the breast. You could pump after each feed and then just before she begins to fuss at the breast insert the feeding tube to increase the quantiy of milk supplied immediatly. The tube does not need to be at the breast for the entire feed. You can just slip it in the side of her mouth while she is attached.

This will definatly not solve your problem of a "bad latch" and your LC may even say that it might make the problem worse by renforcing a bad behavor with food but it also may give you a happy baby at the breast that will allow you to adjust her latch until she no longer needs the tube inserted at all. Definatly get great LC, that can make all the difference!

Check out these video's...
http://www.drjacknewman.com/index.ph...d=18&Itemid=42
All the video's on this sight are awsome but inpaticular check out the one called "Lactation Aid" at the bottom of the screen.

Keep us informed as to how it goes.

[NurseLaurie]

Thanks for the info ladies. My pediatrician is an IBCLC. I'm just very frustrated with the whole thing. I love nursing Annabelle. It gives me such joy to watch her eat and grow from my breast. I knew all along that I would have to be a pumping mom (at least part time down the road because I have to return to work), but I don't want to be an exclusive pumper. It's especially hard at night. Last night I just went with my instincts and let her nurse to her fill and put her back down (without pumping the hindmilk and forcing a bottle on her). Granted, she hasn't pooped much today, but she has had a number of wet diapers already. My pediatrician called me yesterday (after consulting with the local head of LLL) to have me come to the office with my nursing pillow to recreate my nursing situation and weigh her before and after. She is also calling in a physical therapy consult (at the LLL leader's suggestion) and continuing weekly weighs. I'm not sure what a physical therapist can offer us, but we will see. The problem is that she isn't emptying my breasts and they are starting to get hard lumps. I can relieve the lumps by pumping each breast once each day, but then I feel like I'm overstimulating my boobs and adding insult to injury. I guess I should post this in Challenges instead of here, but I know that if anyone at mothering knows challenges it would be you ladies. This is my pediatrician (just so you know where she is coming from). She isn't one of the bottle pushing peds that just wants to get you in and out. http://home.earthlink.net/~drkute/index.html

[SoBlessed]

For pumping fans

We just bought the Avent Express 6 Bottle Electric Steam sterilizer, do you guys think it's worth it and does it really speed up cleaning time? Also, do you know of any sterilzers that you do not have to handwash first and can rinse only with?

[GooeyRN]

Originally Posted by mama-a-llama

Augh, need to vent. Right now baby is crying in his swing, and I really can't pick him up while pumping. My older daughter has been crying, gated out of this room because she was hitting him. But I just can't supervise them well when pumping.
I hate this! I feel so un-AP. I hate feeling like I have to choose between psychological development (being held, not crying) and physical development (getting bm). I know not to quit on a bad day, but some days are just so awful. And I'm struggling with supply too--I'm usually about 1 oz under his intake, and eating up my freezer stash fast.

If you want, I have a lot of suggesstions to pump and not have your baby crying. I know its so hard sometimes!

[GooeyRN]

Originally Posted by NurseLaurie

Is it true that breast milk "dries up" faster if you pump? I read that yesterday and it said that exclusive pumping may dry up after 5 weeks. Sounds like crap to me, but I just wanted some assurance that I'm doing the right thing for my baby.

Nope! I am EPing for almost 8 months, and I have a huge oversupply! (over 70 oz a day) Every persons body is different, of course. The more frequently you pump in the first 3 months (when milk production is by hormones, not just supply and demand) the more milk you will have overall. Try to pump atleast every 2-3 hours. You are doing something great for your child! You are doing your best. Keep it up!!!

[sehbub]

Originally Posted by SoBlessed

We just bought the Avent Express 6 Bottle Electric Steam sterilizer, do you guys think it's worth it and does it really speed up cleaning time? Also, do you know of any sterilzers that you do not have to handwash first and can rinse only with?

We have the microwave steam sterilizer, and it's just that...a STERILIZER. It is NOT a bottle cleaner (I was suprised too!!). In fact, if you put a bottle with milk remnants in it and then sterilize it, it will basically bake the milk stuffs on to the bottle. The bottles still have to be cleaned before being sterilized. All the sterilizer does is kill any bacteria that may have been left behind from washing.

That said, we do use ours all the time. I just feel better...I also put my pump parts in it and sterilize those that way. Pacifiers too (the one she has).

[mammastar2]

Wow, I'm so happy to see this thread!

I don't need it at this point, since those days are long behind me, but when I was pumping exclusively for my daughter (who's now almost 5- yikes!), I seriously had no idea anyone else IN THE WORLD did the same thing. It felt very lonely, and I would have loved to have known something like this was out there, to feel a bit less self-conscious and inadequate.

Anyway, we had major problems too numerous to mention and came to exclusive pumping when she was about 5 or 6 weeks old. I kept it up exclusively for 6 months or so, and with formula supplements for another 3, all having, as I said, no idea anyonese else did this too. She's tall and healthy, no allergies, no ear infections, and pretty darn smart, and in retrospect I'm proud we did what worked for us.

Good for all of you, and keep your heads up!

[mama-a-llama]

Choosing not to pump as much as you know you can

Has anyone decided that although they could pump their hearts out and do 100% bm, they would pump less and supplement?
The thread with the comment about the baby's needs not trumping those of the whole family got me thinking. I'm sacrificing a lot to provide pretty much 100% milk. I hardly care for my older child at all--I get lots of help from family for that. I can't really do much for myslef, go out or anything. My goal was 1 year, and then reevaluating. Since ds isn't eating, adding solids, such that he eats less, isn't going to happen. I might ask the nutritionist about starting to phase in some pureed foods to supplement. But he'll still need a lot of milk.
It would be hard to say, ok, I'll decide to give some formula. But I wonder if dropping a pumping or two and doing formula might make our lives more tolerable.

[orangecanoe]

Carly--I'm not at that point yet, but I did decide pretty soon after she stopped nursing altogether and I had to begin EP'ing in earnest that I would pump 6-7x a day and more on the weekends if I needed a boost (when I had help from my husband), but no more than that. I purposely leave a large block of the morning where I don't have to pump...pump at 8am and then not again til 12-12:30 or even 1pm on an odd day that we're out for longer. I *need* to be able to get out at least part of the day with my toddler and it seems to have helped somewhat. I also had every intention of nursing her til 2 and beyond, but pumping that long? I don't know. She hates the bottle so much even that I don't know that she would willingly take milk beyond a year. Time away from the pump in the morning is what is making EP'ing bearable for me right now. I also cut back to only pumping once during the night instead of twice. Only you know what would work for you. You are doing your best and you care deeply about your kids. Any decision you make today or next week or next month will one that is best for all of you at that time.

[letniaLynne]

Originally Posted by heatherfeather

I did decide pretty soon after she stopped nursing altogether and I had to begin EP'ing in earnest that I would pump 6-7x a day and more on the weekends if I needed a boost (when I had help from my husband), but no more than that.

I never had a large enough supply to support her intake until just last week (4.5months old). It was hard to continually give her formula everyday. But I also made the decision that in order for me to even consider doing this until she was at least a year old I had to be resonable. I knew that if I went crazy with pumping and let it rule my life I would be able to get my supply up but I most likely would not make it to my year goal. So I chose a middle ground. I pump 6-8 times a day and only at night when my daughter wakes. My hubbie takes all the night feeds while I pump and then I take over the rest of the feed. If she happens to sleep though the night then I dont wake up to pump. It does get a bit uncomfortable but she always wakes early enough that I have been able to handle it without getting consitently pluged ducts. I am not saying that this makes it easy but it just bairly makes it manageable.

I totally understand how hard it is to make these decisions since their really is no "Up side". It is impossible in this situation to take care of everyones needs, compromise compromise compromise.

[Swirly]

I stiull haven't had time to post our story, but here is where I am lately with this EP thing. I am grateful I can give her my nilk. However, one thing I hate lately is being completely unable to leave my house for any period of time because I need to pump. If I do manage to pump, eat, feed my baby, hold and comfort my high needs baby, and then get dressed - it is time to pump again. Today I went 6 hours without pumping, and that happens occasionally, when I just *have* to leave the house. I hate feeling engorged and I hate feeling panicked about my supply being adversely affected. Packing up the pump to take anywhere is such a colossal pain in the arse that I only do it when visiting one friend. Life would just have been so much easier had she nursed

I am fairly adjusted to this after 4 months, but sometimes it is still hard. I still offer her the breast daily, figuring I may as well since I have the milk handy and on tap. Last week she actually did nurse on both sides (like 3-5 minutes each side! HOORAY), but since then turns her head away or cries when offered the breast.

I am really grieving and angry lately, as more and more I realize that our nursing relationship was sabotaged by a crappy hospital, 2 horrible lactation consultants who just gave up on us, and a ped who didn't care enough to try to help us figure out *why* she wouldn't nurse regularly and how to help it. I think she needed cranial sacral therapy after a traumatic birth, but it may just be too late now.

[bri276]

ugh. bad few days. I've only been pumping 4x per day and I wonder if that's ok. I mean, dd is 11 months old. I'm still making as much as she needs, without ANY solid food. By next month she'll be able to drink some whole milk if I'm a bit short. (yeah, not the best solution).

does anyone ever feel a bit *jealous* that they can't just say "Eh, gave it my best shot, formula's fine?" I am friends with soooo many ff'ers and sometimes I wish I could be ignorant and just stop EP'ing and convince myself it's not worth the hassle. But especially since dd is at risk for developmental delays I want her to have every drop of human milk proteins to build her little brain, yk? and all the many other reasons.

it's just so difficult when it's late at night and I"m tired and I know I could just go to sleep instead of staying up for another pump. and lately, I have just been giving in and going to sleep instead. I hope I don't destroy my supply.