[jlpetitte]

A friend of mine had a baby a week ago with an OB at a small hospital. She was induced and has gotten tons of bad advice (but thats for another thread). Anyway, she has started pumping and feeding the baby from a bottle exclusively already. She thinks its easier

: . Anyone have any experience with this? I am beginning to think it will be pretty lucky if she BFs for a month, not trying to be negative, but she is not open to learning and is not a very driven person...

 

[kissum]

No way is it easier. It's so hard to keep up a good supply with EPing, you can't just feed the baby you have to take time to both pump and make a bottle. I think it's more difficult than BFing or FFing. I couldn't do it, the once a day I do is more than enough.

 

[TurboClaudia]

there is a thread for exclusive pumpers in the breastfeeding challenges forum linked to in my sig. it's definitely not easier, but sometimes, challenges present themselves with baby that require it.

~claudia

 

[sweetpeasmom]

Oh my gosh no way! and i've done all 3, ebf, ff and pumping exclusively and by far pumping is way harder!

 

[intorainbowz]

I EP'd for 7 weeks while DD was in the NICU. Breast feeding is WAYS easier than EP. I mean, I don't have to get up and warm a bottle or pump, I just roll over and pop in a nipple. I was SO glad when DD decided she liked nursing.

Pumping is twice the work of FF. You have to wash the pump, pump, store the milk, re-arrange the freezer, thaw the milk, wash the bottles, etc. Yuck. DBF is tons easier. Pumping hurts as well.

I wish her luck and I hope this works for her.

 

[poopzmom]

I pumped the first 3 weeks due to extreme soreness. The pump made my milk supply go down to almost nothing. So although I thought it was easier. Once I had no choice and I had to nurse her I realized that the soreness would go away and that nursing was so much easier and more enjoyable.

 

[melbb]

I EP and am going on 9 months. It is a labor of love because it really does suck. I would give anything to BF DD, but she was never good at it and eventually totally refused.

 

[usolyfan]

I hope your friend has a LOT of time on her hands. I spend approx. 6 hours a day pumping. Then you add bottle prep, bottle washing & pump part washing on top of the pumping time. It is truly a labor of love. My dd has Spina Bifida and other health issues. She never took to bfing so seven and a half months latter I continue to pump. She is fed exclusively mm and is doing beautifully!

 

[Fiercemama]

I continue to be amazed by how so many women thinking pumping and giving a bottle (whether occasionally or exclusively) is "easy". I've ep'ed, ebf, and also pumped while being a WOHM. Not only is ebf waaaaaay more convenient in the long run, pumping itself is hard work. Not to mention all the planning and organization, bottlewashing and sterilizing that goes along with it. If she is not very driven as you say, its unlikely that she'll last very long with ep'ing IMHO.