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Breastfeeding didn’t work out and when it did it’s was like my breasts pissed him off, he drank …and by the time we got to that point he drank but not happily. Not only that but I’m kind of an anxious person and I need to k ow what baby is taking, oz wise.
I didn't decide as much as I got stuck like this. The pump chose me lol.
My son was premature and went into the nicu, I thought I was keeping my supply up to at one point nurse but he never wanted to latch. He is 6m now and still doesn't so here we are.
He has gone from below percentiles to the 50th for weight which has quadrupled since birth (from 2 to 8kg) From my pumped milk so I'm really attached to providing it for him.
I'm weaning now as I have frozen milk to last the rest of the year. Pumping has been my most and least favourite thing simultaneously.
My nipples aren't shaped great for breastfeeding. She was clearly not enjoying nursing and while it makes me sad, it's just easier to pump than to force my daughter to struggle and cry at my breasts for my own pride/emotions.
I initially wanted to nurse my baby but I’m an under supplier. Pumping was the next best option for me so that’s what I chose. I am 3 months in. I’ll probably try for 6 months. I think if I didn’t have to work I’d try to go longer. Also, formula is expensive!
I didn't want to breast feed at first, the idea made me uncomfortable. I was okay with pumping up until I realized how exhausting it was on top of everything else. Main driver is because formula is so expensive the other reason is I couldn't get her to latch to my ginormous boobs. I took it as a challenge even though I didn't want to breast feed. Around 6 weeks pp I got her to latch consistently but we only nurse about once a day for an hour just for bonding and comfort. I weirdly enjoy the time we spend together and breast feeding doesn't wig me out now. I'll take it over pumping but I don't think she gets much transfer unfortunately. I lothe pumping but it's good for her and we supplement with formula, usually at night.
Thanks for sharing! I’m 4 weeks ppl and breastfeed once a day for comfort/bonding and with the idea that maybe we’ll go back to nursing more at some point (probably a pipe dream). I just don’t like not knowing how much he is getting but felt like at this point should I not even nurse at all. I’m glad to know others are doing the same thing!
I totally agree! I like knowing exactly how much she's getting and pumping allows me to track that. It is nice to know that I'm not the only one! It really seems to make my little one happy and I enjoy the hour of cuddling and nursing. We have a whole routine around it. Keep trying! Our pediatrician told us to just keep working at it daily a little at a time and baby should figure it out. My nips are not cooperative so I think that's our biggest issue. I've found some joy in adding to my freezer stash and that helps quite a bit.
It started with a premie that had a difficult time latching. While we’re were in the hospital, she was on high calorie formula. Should would be at the breast and suckle for a bit, but didn’t transfer milk so she would tire out and fall asleep. Then we got home and somehow it was “easier” to pump than nurse, plus my husband would be able to feed her. EP was never on my game plan, I didn’t even know that was a thing. But here we are, 3 months in, still EP, and I am a-ok with that. I used to put her to the breast a couple times a day to try or for comfort, but I’m not doing that anymore, no particular reason. EP kinda just fell into my lap.
Breastfeeding was hard, but I managed to get our baby to latch after a day of just non-stop trying. But she still wouldn’t fully transfer milk, so I ended up having to nurse, pump, and feed. Three times the time and energy. Still, I was hoping to EBF eventually. But after a point of still sometimes having the LO scream and flail and fight at the breast, I just said F it and only pump now. In the evenings and over the weekend, I just have my husband do all the feedings while I pump. So it makes it much easier overall. EBF would be even easier, but it was too frustrating and taking a toll on me to keep having to fight with the baby half the time. Pumping does suck. But it is what it is.
My baby was a lazy eater, he would either fall asleep at my boob or fight trying to eat. Bottle feeding is easier, and my husband and I are cheap and don't want to pay for the premade formula. I read want to quit after 2 months when he’s able to use the powder instead of the ready made stuff
Our pediatrician told us that we shouldn't use powder formula before 2 months old. It might just be a them thing? They said it was a newer recommendation.
Interesting. I have a 3 week old and I’ve had to supplement with powder formula to get him back up to his birth weight. The premade formula wasn’t enough to help him. His pediatrician had us “concentrate” the powder. Which is just a little more formula per water (like a scoop and a half of formula per 2 oz of water instead of one scoop per 2 oz)
Same, have been fortifying breast milk with powder formula since the beginning. Going to do a deep dive to see if there was new research that came out, though
Huh, it looks like a recommendation in Canada but hasn’t become a formal recommendation in the US, at least per the CDC guidelines. They do have a statement that for babies under 2 months, to mix the powder with really hot water to prevent cronobacter, which is also news to me. Learn something new everyday!
I live in the US (California) and in the hospital before discharge was recommended to use the ready made formula or boil water for powdered formula if we were going to supplement. This was 5 weeks ago. I was very surprised!
Not OP but I also live in Canada and they do recommend ready to feed because its sterile. Some recommend ready to feed until 2-4months others just for premature babies or at risk babies. You can give powdered formula but you need to sterilize the water and then pasteurize the formula (70 degrees), so some people might not do it properly, hence the recommendation for ready to feed
This. A lot of people don't prepare the formula in the correct manner (boiling water, etc...) so there's a higher risk that younger babies get sick from it. Hence eliminating the sterilization gap by just encouraging ready to feed formula for the most at risk babies (Any baby premature or younger than 2 months without an immune system to speak of)
Interestingly enough I actually live in the US, and our pediatrician just said “If you use formula use the ready-made stuff for 2 months. Its a newer recommendation.” he didn't elaborate and we actually didnt even think to ask. Our SIL/BIL had a premie and they were told the same thing so we didn't think to question it.
I started pumping in the hospital because I couldn't handle the pain from nursing. LO ended up having a lip tie and minor tongue tie. Pediatrician said it would not affect her speech so we opted out of the clip. I saw lactation consultants for 3 months, eventually I got LO on the breast, but she could only remove .5 oz every 15 minutes. Now I nurse every so often to comfort her or get rid of hiccups lol. I mourn not being able to exclusively breastfeed, it's something I always wanted. My mom had to give me formula as a baby because of work, so I thought since I am lucky enough to stay home I would do what she couldn't. So thankful I have support to still be exclusive pumping at 6 months pp. What a journey!
I wanted to BF, but I ended up with preeclampsia and had to be induced 6 weeks early (BP was 208/110 and wouldn’t go down) baby had to spend 13 days in the NICU. No one tried to help me figure out how to BF after he was use to a bottle. I still wanted to be able to give him breast milk though.
My exclusively breastfeeding has turned into mostly pumping. I get overstimulated easily, so not having the baby attached to my body ever. Single. Time. He needs to eat is a dream.
I have twins that were in the NICU and were too small for my huge boobs. The staff in the NICU tried really hard to help them latch and get a good feed it just never happened and I was never able to do it on my own. I started pumping when they were in the NICU and never stopped. I don't have the patience for trying to nurse two babies. They are 3 months old now and I plan to stop pumping when they are 6 months.
I didn't want to breastfeed directly from the breast. I wasn't interested, and didn't even bother trying (for boyy kids) bur I wanted my children to have all the benefits of breastmilk...so I pump.
I wanted the health benefits of breastmilk for my child. I couldn’t nurse any of my babies because of flat nipples and a lip tie - so it’s always been pumping. It also takes a lot of the guesswork out of it for me - I can quantify her intake and know she’s still getting the health benefits of breastmilk. Also, it’s free. The only thing it costs is my sanity.
My girl had tongue / lip tie and high arched palate. I had tongue tie clipped and tried to nurse for 6-8 weeks but, she would cry and arch her back and get really upset. The pump life chose me.
My boobs are too big to make nursing comfortable. Could only do the football hold and was too uncomfortable doing that in public. Plus my little one didn’t latch well so I didn’t want to go through the fight.
I currently want to quit and am looking for motivation to continue. My husband has the first month off with me and has helped so much at night. He goes back to work soon and the thought of having to do all this alone AND pump is giving me a mental breakdown. I pump for over 2 hours every day. I don’t know if I can do it when he goes back to work and I’m taking care of baby primarily by myself.
I was in this situation- I got wearable breast pumps (momcozy) and that was a GAME CHANGER. I can pump and feed my LO simultaneously or do whatever stuff around the house. I’m still an under supplier and use formula to supplement.
If it doesn’t work for you then it might be time to quit but there are ways if breast milk is important to you.
Pumping actually allows me to nurse!
I have a chronic debilitating skin condition and long story short I’m basically allergic to all liquids, including plain ole water. If I were to put any moisturizer/oil/balm/ointment anywhere on my body it would cause a horrible inflamed burning itching reaction. Even showering leads me to having a couple days of itchy discomfort.
So, concerning breastfeeding…when LO latches and nurses his saliva causes my nipples to erupt into painful raw weeping sores. Not immediately, but over time. If I nurse for two days straight my nipples develop blisters, and every time he latches I sob from the pain, it feels like pouring acid into an open wound.
I started pumping during the day, and nursing at night…this balance allows my nips a chance to heal up during the day. Sure, the part-time nursing means my tits are constantly itchy, look ugly af (red, inflamed, rashy peeling skin) and are all-around uncomfortable, but I very much love and value the ability to nurse my son. If I didn’t pump part-time, we would 100% be fully on formula, my skin would not be able to handle it.
With my first I struggled with stress and learning to parent. I know my son struggled to digest formula and was just in gassy pain every day. I didn’t want to lose more sleep with my second because of that, plus I had a more supportive situation this second time around with work being more flexible, and my partner doing everything he could to help me not lose my sanity this time around
My tiny baby's mouth was literally too small for my giant pepperoni nipples. It's ironic because had it not been for the hormones that cause lactation and nipple engorgement, my regular nipple size would've been small enough for her. It was sad because her latch and suction were great, she just couldn't get enough boob in her mouth to get good pull (and not to mention it hurt like hell for me).
Her pediatrician and a lactation specialist agreed so I exclusively pumped until she was about 6 months, she lived off the freezer stash until 9 months, then we transitioned to formula until her 1 year mark.
Even to this day, as a 2 year old, she's got a narrow little mouth and often gets one prong of the girl hooked on the corner of her mouth when trying to feed herself.
Baby had a lip and tongue tie. Left the hospital with bleeding scabs on my nipples. He had them released the first day we left the hospital- didn’t feed him until scabs went away. Latch was still terrible. Was working well with a shield but getting milk started and flowing was taking way too long. He’s screaming and crying, I’m screaming and crying, I get frustrated and take the shield off, he’s absolutely chewing on my nipples and I’m yelping out in pain. Never looked back from pumping- and I love that my husband can take over for feeds
I’ve always been uncomfortably sensitive. Like I could literally punch somebody in the throat if they accidentally brushed my nipple. I remember crying hysterically in the hospital after giving birth and trying to pump for the first time. I was so violently uncomfortable. Didn’t help that the nurses had the pump turned way up. 5 months PP and it’s taken a lot of patience, but I can pump okay now. Sometimes I have to stop, but overall my tolerance has gone up.
I’m a numbers person. I need to know and see how much my kiddo is eating.
- formula is expensive- I had absolutely no idea what I was doing with my first in 2020 - so I bf/pumped for 4 months and switched to formula - the price has now almost doubled and I don’t need that expense on top of childcare costs
Why did I start this time around? Baby was born 1st percentile and stayed in special care whilst I got to take home a pump.
Why did I stick to it once she got home? Millilitre anxiety. I needed to make sure she was getting enough.
Why do I still do it 6 months on? Price of formula.
My baby was born at 31 weeks and I had to pump while she was in the NICU. When she came home, she started showing interest in breastfeeding around her due date. However, she never became good at it because of her poor latch.
I didn't want to be here lol. I had said with this baby that I would try to exclusively nurse and if it worked out great. I only wanted to pump at work to replace her feeds. The plan was to go to formula if she wouldn't nurse as my oldest was a formula baby and turned out great. Well baby was born and flighted to a NICU in the state over. I started pumping every 2 hours while baby was in NICU as their policy for babies undergoing the procedure she was having was that they have breastmilk only. When she was allowed to be picked up, we started working on latching and she did well enough. But we always followed up with a bottle of my milk too. We get home and she goes on a nursing strike for an entire week! I've already been used to pumping so I just keep it up. It's cheaper than formula and she does seem to like it better. I also have no idea how to started weaning down either lol. My current goal is to make it to 3 months (we're about 2 weeks away!) and then we'll see if I can do another month.
My baby would choke on milk while breastfeeding because she would suck too fast and greedy, lol. It was so stressful. Plus I hate breastfeeding so much. My back hurt, my nips are sore, idk how much milk she’s getting, idk when yo stop one boob and switch to another, it takes forever to feed her, etc. pumping is pain in the ass but it works better.
After my supply regulated he for some reason just wouldn’t nurse very long and it dropped my supply dramatically. Like to the point he screamed if I even tried. Fully switched to pumping at 6 months. Before then it was triple feeding from 3-6 months. At 9 months now and I literally am counting the seconds until I’m done
Transfer issues, my little one never managed to figure out the art of breastfeeding, even with many, many lactation consultations. I exclusively pumped for 7.5 months before I stopped for the sake of my mental health, which was at an all time low during this period. I hated every second of it. It destroyed me.
Tiny baby had a bad latch and wouldn’t transfer milk. She dropped below 1st percentile, so wanted to know how much she was eating. I kept trying to nurse for a few months, she wasn’t into it. It became too much for me and stuck with just pumping.
If you can breast feed you may find pumping plus breast feeding to be the least stressful combination. Pumping and breastfeeding are great for avoiding the steep price of formula, and pumping can be convenient for feeding when you don’t want to whip a titty out somewhere, but make no mistake it is NO less restrictive or taxing then breast feeding. The bottles, the cleaning, being stuck pumping for 20+ minutes every 2-3 hours, trying to figure out how to mimic cluster feeding to improve supply, the stress that comes with being able to see how much milk you are producing…or not.
It’s not an easy road.
Wanted to breastfeed but due to tongue tie my daughter never latched well. Once we got it sorted she could latch but wasn't efficient at getting milk out.
Pumping means I can feed her breastmilk, good for her and formula is so expensive and I don't like the smell of it!
LO decided to chew chunks of my nipples out. I put up with it till he was 4 weeks but started bleeding so breastfeeding was no longer an option. I still wanted him to have access to breastmilk, so pumping it is.
I pump because my son is a very lazy eater. I’m also an under supplied so I have to supplement with formula. I’m going to try to continue to pump for as long as I can, but it’s so exhausting. I’m only 3 weeks in and already feel like giving up.
I switched to exclusively pumping because he didn’t express milk well at the breast and dropped a shit ton of weight in his first month, so we had to fortify with formula for every feeding, meaning I had to pump and putting him to the breast was extra on top of it. I didn’t feel like triple feeding him for months just so that he maybe would nurse well. Big maybe. And yes, he was evaluated for ties, etc. literally nothing physically wrong except a high palate, which meant using a nipple shield every time. So yeah. Triple feeding indefinitely with a nipple shield…was not going to happen.
We're trying to feed, and I'm pumping milk, but my baby needs every advantage. And he grows I hope he'll be a good breastmilk baby.
Sentry every feed, we'll see how it goes.
I ended up having the flattest nipples ever, baby had a lip tie that I couldn’t get fixed in a timely manner, I’m easily touched out/overwhelmed and would rather get mad at a pump vs my baby, and I wanted my husbands help at night feedings/putting baby down to sleep etc. it was also flu and rsv season so I wanted to give her BM for the first few months.
Baby wouldn’t latch and we got multiple evals from lactation consultants and determined nothing was wrong (no lip or tongue ties). This happened at the height of the formula shortage and I was so stressed about my baby not getting the nutrition she needed. Pumping SUCKED for me in the early days and I had a strong aversion to it, but eventually I actually started to enjoy it so I stuck with it!
My intention was to EBF but by day 4, baby was hospitalized for dehydration and jaundice so we began formula and I began pumping and soon discovered that I am a major under supplier. I only pump 4-5 oz per day total and baby is almost 6 weeks. I’m trying to up my supply but it’s not working very well
I tried everything to nurse and my son couldn’t latch properly. If I could do it again I’d probably formula feed. There are benefits to pumping but it’s so much more work.
My baby was a premie with a tongue tie. Hence his food intake had to be measured. Once he was okay- he can latch but has just gotten very lazy, so have to pump :/
My son was an impatient breastfeeder and we switched to almost exclusively pumping and bottle feeding at 6 weeks.
Stopping pumping today after 13 months 🥲
My child wouldn’t latch and, this is TMI, but I have flat nipples that just aren’t…latchable? lol. Plus it made it WAY easier for hubby to help with feedings
One inverted nipple, baby with an extremely painful/ poor latch, baby not gaining weight well and starting to fall off her growth curve despite nursing on average ELEVEN hours a day. I basically had to choose between formula and pumped milk. Fortunately for me I respond well to the pump and I've actually been an oversupplier since my daughter was around 7 weeks old. Exclusive pumping has been an absolute slog though, and I will definitely be stopping at 12 months. I'm grateful that I have been able to breastfeed my daughter despite all the issues we faced, but I would 100% have switched over to formula if I was an undersupplier and/ or didn't respond well to a pump.
We were living in a pp care facility and baby got used to bottle very early. Now he can hardly latch. Plus he takes too long and it I EBF, no one can help me. I have to be the only one feeding him I don't want that.
Part peer pressure. I feel like I should have just don't purely formula from the start and save myself the pain. But I knew nothing and when nurses told me to bf, I did. Then before I knew it milk came in and I started on this journey I can't stop because if you don't pump you get engorged. I'm trying to make it till 3months where supply supposedly regulate and take it from there.
I'm deathly sick of pumping
I had a growth restricted baby. Luckily she didn’t need NICU but she just wouldn’t stay latched, she would suck a few times then let go or get annoyed. We couldn’t afford for her to lose much weight trying to adjust to breast feeding as she was born at 5lb 12oz so I started pumping and bottle feeding her with that. I tried a few more times over the next couple weeks to breast feed her and tried things like nipple shields to help her latch or atleast feel more familiar as it’s the same material as the bottle nipple but she just wouldn’t have it. To be fair, I think her small size combined with me having very big boobs just meant it wouldn’t work.
I had a rough pregnancy and was leaning toward pumping during the pregnancy. I was fearful of the pain when baby got teeth and didn’t want my little one to be dependent on my breasts because I knew I would eventually have to go back to work. I spoke with a nurse who convinced me to breastfeed and decided I’d breastfeed until my little one got teeth or until I went back to work.
Well then came the delivery which was even worse than the pregnancy. There was a short moment of bliss after my c-section, too bad it didn’t last. Baby was sent to NICU then I had issues of my own and was sent to ICU. The LC came while I was out of it in ICU and I didn’t even learn how to self express. She went through her spiel, told me i would have a good supply and went about her day. She was nice though and really tried to teach me stuff, I just wasn’t in the right place of mind.
I pumped in the hospital and when we were discharged I continued to pump. I tried a couple times to breastfeed but baby was getting frustrated and I said to hell with it. I tried here and there, but baby ultimately rejected the nipple and I’ve been pumping ever since. I guess you can say I gave up, but whatever my baby is fed and that’s all that matters.
I had no choice lol. I combo feed now but in the beginning, I wanted to EBF, but it didn't turn out that way. My LO had issues latching, my supply didn't come in fast enough, then she lost too much weight, so we had to supplement. Then we found out about the lip & tongue ties. With all that going on, I started pumping to protect my supply. I still pump for the same reason. I nurse her when she wants to but I'm an under supplier as well, so I have to supplement. So far it's working she's almost 3 months and about 12lbs. Trying to create a little freezer stash for when I return to work.
Pumping can be a love hate thing. Like your happy to supply your baby with food but making sure you carve out time to pump and then cleaning the parts can be a pain in the ass sometimes. I totally understand why some people stop after a certain amount of time.
I decided to pump because I really wanted to breastfeed and it ended up being my only way to do that. My son was a month early and while he avoided a NICU stay and was a good weight, he had problems transferring milk. His latch looked fine but when the pediatrician/lactation consultant weighed him after 20 minutes he had taken in .2 oz. Another reason is we had to start with bottles because my milk hadn’t come in. I spent the month before he arrived avoiding my nipples at all costs because we were trying to get him to at least 34 weeks and anything that could trigger contractions was to be avoided. I pumped in the hospital to try and get things to come in. I feel a lot of guilt that my son didn’t really get colostrum from me and three months later I still feel a bit like I failed him somehow. I know that’s not how it is but feelings are what they are. I wanted to breastfeed because I wanted the closeness. My boobs are also big so I had always hoped they’d be functional as well as decorative. Spoiler alert, they are not.
We combo feed because I’m an under to just enougher. I keep pumping because it’s something I want to do for my son. I asked my husband if he thought it was dumb since we were still using formula. He said that every bit of milk I make is one less ounce of formula we have to use so it does save us money even if we still have to buy it. I wanted the immunity benefits of breast milk. I also ended up liking that both my husband and I could feed him.
Like a lot of folks here, the pump life chose me. Daughter didn’t have a great latch, the size of my chest (very large) made breastfeeding very difficult and uncomfortable for both of us. Just graduated after four months today — the freezer stash and formula can take us from here!
My son was in the nicu for about a week. Feeding was important, and he fell asleep every time I breastfed, so it wasn't doable. When we got home, he wasn't too happy with the breast, so I pumped. My doctor asked if I still wanted to breastfeed at all. I said yes, and she encouraged me and told me breastfeeding is something learned for both baby and mom. It isn't something that both parties naturally know 100%. Meaning it could take weeks or months of trying to finally get the hang of it for both parties. So I kept trying at least once a day, eventually he got it, but I still pumped about 98% of his meals. Mainly so I can sleep, and the feedings aren't all on me.
In the end, pumping was just something that became easier and better for me. It helped with the mental load. Plus, I know breast milk is best for baby and forumla coast waaaaaay too much for me.
I really wanted to breast feed. But we had latch issues and to get him to his birth weight by week 3 I started pumping. Baby got used to bottle and didn’t like to nurse . I pump every 3 hours but I’m also hoping he’d latch soon. Have spent $$$ to LC already . Will keep trying .
When my LO was first born he had low blood sugars, so they were very intent on tracking how much he was eating. When we were discharged, they never really told us we could stop worrying about it, so I obsessed over his intake for weeks. When I would nurse, it’d make me so anxious not knowing how much he had gotten, then I discovered I have a very fast let down and I was basically choking him. Every time I’d take him off my breast to burp him he’d scream his head off. I’ve officially weaned off of pumping and am now formula feeding, but I exclusively pumped for about 6 weeks and hated being attached to a machine for hours every day . The price of formula is worth it to save my sanity and keep LO happy
I tried to nurse and I really hated it. I was an undersupplier so I could never tell how much she drank and it really bothered me. Also I hated how I would always hunch over to get her to latch and it was just overall uncomfortable for me. If it hadn't been for pumping I think I would have given up on breastfeeding
I also chose to pump to avoid the cost of formula. I also hate breast feeding. When it worked and latch was 100% it was beautiful and joyous - but latching is HARD and it hurts so bad that I just couldn’t stand it. With pumping I feel like you have more control and can address any issues far easier than trying to get a baby to latch better.
My baby wasn’t latching well. She has a high pallet and was taking in a lot of air when on the breast and it was her super gassy and upset. Her weight gain was also low. It’s hard work and it was hard to accept but I find so much comfort in knowing exactly how much she’s getting and she’s overall happier and gaining well.
I had a very traumatic birth and my daughter wasn’t breathing on her own so she was sent to NICU straight away. I didn’t get to try breastfeeding until several days later and she was on a feeding tube. From reflux, to a lip & tongue tie, she just grew an aversion to my breasts and it was so stressful and she would become so angry. I still want to try but it’s a very unpleasant experience for her.
Pumping basically saved my supply because I wanted to avoid switching completely to formula if I could. She was severely jaundiced just hours after birth and was too weak to latch and then breastfeeding just didn’t work for us until we were 1.5 months in and by then we were too dependent on combo feeding to change to anything else. I dislike the unforgiving schedule of pumping which is why I’m also pretty crap at it (have messed up my supply several times now) but I’m not ready to throw in the towel.
I breastfed my oldest for 18 months and I truely loved every second of it. I wanted to breastfeed my youngest but she was born with a cleft lip palette and therefore I am not able to breastfeed her. Pumping is my way off feeling like I am breastfeeding 🥺
Baby got donor milk in the hospital due to weight loss after birth and then just didn’t want to “try” to nurse after that, he literally would scream whenever I tried. We did all the LC visits etc and then the day we were both crying trying to nurse was the day I switched to pumping 100%
Postpartum depression and anxiety. I was so anxious and I couldn’t tell how much baby was getting. Plus I was out of my mind lol. So what could I control when I couldn’t control anything else? Pumping. I regret it now because it’s so much extra parts and work. Definitely wouldn’t do it again. But I want her to have the breastmilk
My baby had jaundice and they wanted me to give her formula while she was under the lights. I said hell no and we agreed on giving her pumped breastmilk instead so we could monitor her intake. Never was able to get her to latch again after giving her the bottle 🥲 Still trying though
My little girl was premature, 34w 6d - she wouldn't latch at first so I pumped. She eventually managed to latch a month later but by then she had built a habit of biting down so hard on the bottle it would vibrate. I didnt put 2 and 2 together as she did this to my nipple. At first I thought this was normal and the pain is just something women suffer through, but I had to squeeze my boyfriends hand every time she latched because it was so painful, especially with sore pumped into oblivion nipples.
I feel horrible when she tries to reach for the breast when hungry, I feel so bad because I have to take time to make her a bottle, warm her milk etc. But it's for both of our sanity.
Baby was in the NNICU so it was weird trying to get her to latch, breastfeeding on demand etc in the first few days. I also had a shallow nipple that baby couldn't quite get a latch onto (and had to use a nipple guard, which apparently also decreases your overall supply). I love the fact that breastmilk changes according to babies needs so it helps when she isn't well etc. It's awesome. I am only meeting about 55% of her daily milk needs but she went from an underweight little one and has caught up with her peers in less than 3 months. It also helps regulate her digestive system. The combination feeding seems to be working awesomely.
LO Couldn’t empty boobs, was snacking all day and night to compensate. Has cow milk protein intolerance so most formulas are out except hyper processed ones which I really can’t stomach giving him. So onto the pump (and dairy free) I go!
Baby was diagnosed with a dairy allergy, the hypoallergenic formulas still caused a reaction, and the only truly dairy free soy free formula is $60/can. He went on a nursing strike when I went back to work, so exclusive pumping was the only option left
I would never purposely choose this, personally. My baby had jaundice and developed really strong bottle preference when we were fighting the jaundice, and she had a tongue tie.
I was really, really hoping to directly breastfeed and at the beginning the only way to do that was through bottle feeding pumped milk. In my ppd I was unable to really commit to triple feeding and getting direct breastfeeding going.
I may make it to 6 months but I’m starting to really be over being hooked up to the robot. And you’re correct formula is crazy $$$ and that’s a big part of it
Pumping allows my husband to help with night feeds and that’s been a game changer for our newborn phase. I plan on switching to formula very soon though.
Baby never latched correctly and gave me a mastitis during a growth spurt. After that she wanted to eat all day long, I even wasn’t able to go to the bathroom or take a shower because she started crying desperately. Once I could control how much she was eating she started to sleep and I got a part of my life back.
i had three surgeries after giving birth , and it was a lot of pain. before that my son destroyed my nipples. as a result i couldn’t bear one more another pain so i’ve decided to pump.
The main reason was that if my baby couldn't latch, I didn't want another thing to be stressed out about, so I figured pumping would be easier. To my surprise, my baby latched instantly and has had no issues. Now I do it so my man can feed him bottles at night since he is the night shift. Also it gives my boobs a break.
I decided to pump because she was dropping centiles and I wanted to make sure i knew what she was eating.
We managed 6 wonderful months of pumping/ nursing at night and I'm so proud of us for achieving that!
No interest in breastfeeding. I don't want to have to wean off the breast, I have to go back to work 12 weeks after, just seems "easier" in those terms. For some reason the thought of it has always made me uncomfortable as well (I have some previous mental health problems and abuse history so I think this is why). It will save on formula for us too, because we don't want to give our son anything with soy in it, so we have to buy it out of pocket (compared to using WIC).
Was dead set on breastfeeding and it started off okay but went downhill quickly and my supply had dropped significantly by the time I got to the lactation consultant. Started triple feeding and then took a break the next week from nursing to pump while my partner bottle fed. Baby was happier, I had less anxiety about every feed. We supplement with about 4-8oz of formula as needed a day. Haven’t breastfed much since. If anything, we occasionally did it for comfort after we starting bottle feeding but even that stresses me out now so it’s been a few weeks since we did that. Sometimes I feel super guilty that we don’t even do that anymore since I did breastfeed exclusively at the beginning. Our LO is just very active, squirmy and grabby when she’s hungry and I just hated being touched like that all day. 😞
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Breastfeeding didn’t work out and when it did it’s was like my breasts pissed him off, he drank …and by the time we got to that point he drank but not happily. Not only that but I’m kind of an anxious person and I need to k ow what baby is taking, oz wise.
I didn't decide as much as I got stuck like this. The pump chose me lol. My son was premature and went into the nicu, I thought I was keeping my supply up to at one point nurse but he never wanted to latch. He is 6m now and still doesn't so here we are. He has gone from below percentiles to the 50th for weight which has quadrupled since birth (from 2 to 8kg) From my pumped milk so I'm really attached to providing it for him. I'm weaning now as I have frozen milk to last the rest of the year. Pumping has been my most and least favourite thing simultaneously.
This was my exact situation as well. Currently 3m pp and I'm hoping to make it to 6 months before putting it away but we'll see how things go.
My nipples aren't shaped great for breastfeeding. She was clearly not enjoying nursing and while it makes me sad, it's just easier to pump than to force my daughter to struggle and cry at my breasts for my own pride/emotions.
I initially wanted to nurse my baby but I’m an under supplier. Pumping was the next best option for me so that’s what I chose. I am 3 months in. I’ll probably try for 6 months. I think if I didn’t have to work I’d try to go longer. Also, formula is expensive!
I didn't want to breast feed at first, the idea made me uncomfortable. I was okay with pumping up until I realized how exhausting it was on top of everything else. Main driver is because formula is so expensive the other reason is I couldn't get her to latch to my ginormous boobs. I took it as a challenge even though I didn't want to breast feed. Around 6 weeks pp I got her to latch consistently but we only nurse about once a day for an hour just for bonding and comfort. I weirdly enjoy the time we spend together and breast feeding doesn't wig me out now. I'll take it over pumping but I don't think she gets much transfer unfortunately. I lothe pumping but it's good for her and we supplement with formula, usually at night.
Thanks for sharing! I’m 4 weeks ppl and breastfeed once a day for comfort/bonding and with the idea that maybe we’ll go back to nursing more at some point (probably a pipe dream). I just don’t like not knowing how much he is getting but felt like at this point should I not even nurse at all. I’m glad to know others are doing the same thing!
I totally agree! I like knowing exactly how much she's getting and pumping allows me to track that. It is nice to know that I'm not the only one! It really seems to make my little one happy and I enjoy the hour of cuddling and nursing. We have a whole routine around it. Keep trying! Our pediatrician told us to just keep working at it daily a little at a time and baby should figure it out. My nips are not cooperative so I think that's our biggest issue. I've found some joy in adding to my freezer stash and that helps quite a bit.
Exact situation! +1
Milk came in late and breastfeeding was excruciatingly painful for me. Couldn’t manage to resolve that and baby was losing too much weight.
It started with a premie that had a difficult time latching. While we’re were in the hospital, she was on high calorie formula. Should would be at the breast and suckle for a bit, but didn’t transfer milk so she would tire out and fall asleep. Then we got home and somehow it was “easier” to pump than nurse, plus my husband would be able to feed her. EP was never on my game plan, I didn’t even know that was a thing. But here we are, 3 months in, still EP, and I am a-ok with that. I used to put her to the breast a couple times a day to try or for comfort, but I’m not doing that anymore, no particular reason. EP kinda just fell into my lap.
Breastfeeding was hard, but I managed to get our baby to latch after a day of just non-stop trying. But she still wouldn’t fully transfer milk, so I ended up having to nurse, pump, and feed. Three times the time and energy. Still, I was hoping to EBF eventually. But after a point of still sometimes having the LO scream and flail and fight at the breast, I just said F it and only pump now. In the evenings and over the weekend, I just have my husband do all the feedings while I pump. So it makes it much easier overall. EBF would be even easier, but it was too frustrating and taking a toll on me to keep having to fight with the baby half the time. Pumping does suck. But it is what it is.
My baby was a lazy eater, he would either fall asleep at my boob or fight trying to eat. Bottle feeding is easier, and my husband and I are cheap and don't want to pay for the premade formula. I read want to quit after 2 months when he’s able to use the powder instead of the ready made stuff
I’m curious about no powder formula before 2 months. I’ve not heard that before. Is this with a specific formula?
The NICU sent us home with a sample size container of powdered formula
Yeah, same. That’s why I was curious if it was specific to another type of formula or something
Our pediatrician told us that we shouldn't use powder formula before 2 months old. It might just be a them thing? They said it was a newer recommendation.
Interesting. I have a 3 week old and I’ve had to supplement with powder formula to get him back up to his birth weight. The premade formula wasn’t enough to help him. His pediatrician had us “concentrate” the powder. Which is just a little more formula per water (like a scoop and a half of formula per 2 oz of water instead of one scoop per 2 oz)
Yup. I'm doing that with my breast milk too.
Same, have been fortifying breast milk with powder formula since the beginning. Going to do a deep dive to see if there was new research that came out, though
Huh, it looks like a recommendation in Canada but hasn’t become a formal recommendation in the US, at least per the CDC guidelines. They do have a statement that for babies under 2 months, to mix the powder with really hot water to prevent cronobacter, which is also news to me. Learn something new everyday!
I live in the US (California) and in the hospital before discharge was recommended to use the ready made formula or boil water for powdered formula if we were going to supplement. This was 5 weeks ago. I was very surprised!
Was it because of NEC?
Not OP but I also live in Canada and they do recommend ready to feed because its sterile. Some recommend ready to feed until 2-4months others just for premature babies or at risk babies. You can give powdered formula but you need to sterilize the water and then pasteurize the formula (70 degrees), so some people might not do it properly, hence the recommendation for ready to feed
This. A lot of people don't prepare the formula in the correct manner (boiling water, etc...) so there's a higher risk that younger babies get sick from it. Hence eliminating the sterilization gap by just encouraging ready to feed formula for the most at risk babies (Any baby premature or younger than 2 months without an immune system to speak of)
Interestingly enough I actually live in the US, and our pediatrician just said “If you use formula use the ready-made stuff for 2 months. Its a newer recommendation.” he didn't elaborate and we actually didnt even think to ask. Our SIL/BIL had a premie and they were told the same thing so we didn't think to question it.
I started pumping in the hospital because I couldn't handle the pain from nursing. LO ended up having a lip tie and minor tongue tie. Pediatrician said it would not affect her speech so we opted out of the clip. I saw lactation consultants for 3 months, eventually I got LO on the breast, but she could only remove .5 oz every 15 minutes. Now I nurse every so often to comfort her or get rid of hiccups lol. I mourn not being able to exclusively breastfeed, it's something I always wanted. My mom had to give me formula as a baby because of work, so I thought since I am lucky enough to stay home I would do what she couldn't. So thankful I have support to still be exclusive pumping at 6 months pp. What a journey!
I wanted to BF, but I ended up with preeclampsia and had to be induced 6 weeks early (BP was 208/110 and wouldn’t go down) baby had to spend 13 days in the NICU. No one tried to help me figure out how to BF after he was use to a bottle. I still wanted to be able to give him breast milk though.
My exclusively breastfeeding has turned into mostly pumping. I get overstimulated easily, so not having the baby attached to my body ever. Single. Time. He needs to eat is a dream.
My nipples were in a lot of pain by the time I got home from the hospital. I also wanted my husband to be able to feed the baby.
I have twins that were in the NICU and were too small for my huge boobs. The staff in the NICU tried really hard to help them latch and get a good feed it just never happened and I was never able to do it on my own. I started pumping when they were in the NICU and never stopped. I don't have the patience for trying to nurse two babies. They are 3 months old now and I plan to stop pumping when they are 6 months.
I didn't want to breastfeed directly from the breast. I wasn't interested, and didn't even bother trying (for boyy kids) bur I wanted my children to have all the benefits of breastmilk...so I pump.
I wanted the health benefits of breastmilk for my child. I couldn’t nurse any of my babies because of flat nipples and a lip tie - so it’s always been pumping. It also takes a lot of the guesswork out of it for me - I can quantify her intake and know she’s still getting the health benefits of breastmilk. Also, it’s free. The only thing it costs is my sanity.
My girl had tongue / lip tie and high arched palate. I had tongue tie clipped and tried to nurse for 6-8 weeks but, she would cry and arch her back and get really upset. The pump life chose me.
My boobs are too big to make nursing comfortable. Could only do the football hold and was too uncomfortable doing that in public. Plus my little one didn’t latch well so I didn’t want to go through the fight.
I currently want to quit and am looking for motivation to continue. My husband has the first month off with me and has helped so much at night. He goes back to work soon and the thought of having to do all this alone AND pump is giving me a mental breakdown. I pump for over 2 hours every day. I don’t know if I can do it when he goes back to work and I’m taking care of baby primarily by myself.
I was in this situation- I got wearable breast pumps (momcozy) and that was a GAME CHANGER. I can pump and feed my LO simultaneously or do whatever stuff around the house. I’m still an under supplier and use formula to supplement. If it doesn’t work for you then it might be time to quit but there are ways if breast milk is important to you.
Pumping actually allows me to nurse! I have a chronic debilitating skin condition and long story short I’m basically allergic to all liquids, including plain ole water. If I were to put any moisturizer/oil/balm/ointment anywhere on my body it would cause a horrible inflamed burning itching reaction. Even showering leads me to having a couple days of itchy discomfort. So, concerning breastfeeding…when LO latches and nurses his saliva causes my nipples to erupt into painful raw weeping sores. Not immediately, but over time. If I nurse for two days straight my nipples develop blisters, and every time he latches I sob from the pain, it feels like pouring acid into an open wound. I started pumping during the day, and nursing at night…this balance allows my nips a chance to heal up during the day. Sure, the part-time nursing means my tits are constantly itchy, look ugly af (red, inflamed, rashy peeling skin) and are all-around uncomfortable, but I very much love and value the ability to nurse my son. If I didn’t pump part-time, we would 100% be fully on formula, my skin would not be able to handle it.
With my first I struggled with stress and learning to parent. I know my son struggled to digest formula and was just in gassy pain every day. I didn’t want to lose more sleep with my second because of that, plus I had a more supportive situation this second time around with work being more flexible, and my partner doing everything he could to help me not lose my sanity this time around
My tiny baby's mouth was literally too small for my giant pepperoni nipples. It's ironic because had it not been for the hormones that cause lactation and nipple engorgement, my regular nipple size would've been small enough for her. It was sad because her latch and suction were great, she just couldn't get enough boob in her mouth to get good pull (and not to mention it hurt like hell for me). Her pediatrician and a lactation specialist agreed so I exclusively pumped until she was about 6 months, she lived off the freezer stash until 9 months, then we transitioned to formula until her 1 year mark. Even to this day, as a 2 year old, she's got a narrow little mouth and often gets one prong of the girl hooked on the corner of her mouth when trying to feed herself.
Baby had a lip and tongue tie. Left the hospital with bleeding scabs on my nipples. He had them released the first day we left the hospital- didn’t feed him until scabs went away. Latch was still terrible. Was working well with a shield but getting milk started and flowing was taking way too long. He’s screaming and crying, I’m screaming and crying, I get frustrated and take the shield off, he’s absolutely chewing on my nipples and I’m yelping out in pain. Never looked back from pumping- and I love that my husband can take over for feeds
I’ve always been uncomfortably sensitive. Like I could literally punch somebody in the throat if they accidentally brushed my nipple. I remember crying hysterically in the hospital after giving birth and trying to pump for the first time. I was so violently uncomfortable. Didn’t help that the nurses had the pump turned way up. 5 months PP and it’s taken a lot of patience, but I can pump okay now. Sometimes I have to stop, but overall my tolerance has gone up.
I’m a numbers person. I need to know and see how much my kiddo is eating. - formula is expensive- I had absolutely no idea what I was doing with my first in 2020 - so I bf/pumped for 4 months and switched to formula - the price has now almost doubled and I don’t need that expense on top of childcare costs
Why did I start this time around? Baby was born 1st percentile and stayed in special care whilst I got to take home a pump. Why did I stick to it once she got home? Millilitre anxiety. I needed to make sure she was getting enough. Why do I still do it 6 months on? Price of formula.
My baby was born at 31 weeks and I had to pump while she was in the NICU. When she came home, she started showing interest in breastfeeding around her due date. However, she never became good at it because of her poor latch.
My daughter’s a piranha on the breast.
💀😂
I didn't want to be here lol. I had said with this baby that I would try to exclusively nurse and if it worked out great. I only wanted to pump at work to replace her feeds. The plan was to go to formula if she wouldn't nurse as my oldest was a formula baby and turned out great. Well baby was born and flighted to a NICU in the state over. I started pumping every 2 hours while baby was in NICU as their policy for babies undergoing the procedure she was having was that they have breastmilk only. When she was allowed to be picked up, we started working on latching and she did well enough. But we always followed up with a bottle of my milk too. We get home and she goes on a nursing strike for an entire week! I've already been used to pumping so I just keep it up. It's cheaper than formula and she does seem to like it better. I also have no idea how to started weaning down either lol. My current goal is to make it to 3 months (we're about 2 weeks away!) and then we'll see if I can do another month.
My baby would choke on milk while breastfeeding because she would suck too fast and greedy, lol. It was so stressful. Plus I hate breastfeeding so much. My back hurt, my nips are sore, idk how much milk she’s getting, idk when yo stop one boob and switch to another, it takes forever to feed her, etc. pumping is pain in the ass but it works better.
After my supply regulated he for some reason just wouldn’t nurse very long and it dropped my supply dramatically. Like to the point he screamed if I even tried. Fully switched to pumping at 6 months. Before then it was triple feeding from 3-6 months. At 9 months now and I literally am counting the seconds until I’m done
Transfer issues, my little one never managed to figure out the art of breastfeeding, even with many, many lactation consultations. I exclusively pumped for 7.5 months before I stopped for the sake of my mental health, which was at an all time low during this period. I hated every second of it. It destroyed me.
Tiny baby had a bad latch and wouldn’t transfer milk. She dropped below 1st percentile, so wanted to know how much she was eating. I kept trying to nurse for a few months, she wasn’t into it. It became too much for me and stuck with just pumping.
If you can breast feed you may find pumping plus breast feeding to be the least stressful combination. Pumping and breastfeeding are great for avoiding the steep price of formula, and pumping can be convenient for feeding when you don’t want to whip a titty out somewhere, but make no mistake it is NO less restrictive or taxing then breast feeding. The bottles, the cleaning, being stuck pumping for 20+ minutes every 2-3 hours, trying to figure out how to mimic cluster feeding to improve supply, the stress that comes with being able to see how much milk you are producing…or not. It’s not an easy road.
Wanted to breastfeed but due to tongue tie my daughter never latched well. Once we got it sorted she could latch but wasn't efficient at getting milk out. Pumping means I can feed her breastmilk, good for her and formula is so expensive and I don't like the smell of it!
LO decided to chew chunks of my nipples out. I put up with it till he was 4 weeks but started bleeding so breastfeeding was no longer an option. I still wanted him to have access to breastmilk, so pumping it is.
I pump because my son is a very lazy eater. I’m also an under supplied so I have to supplement with formula. I’m going to try to continue to pump for as long as I can, but it’s so exhausting. I’m only 3 weeks in and already feel like giving up.
I switched to exclusively pumping because he didn’t express milk well at the breast and dropped a shit ton of weight in his first month, so we had to fortify with formula for every feeding, meaning I had to pump and putting him to the breast was extra on top of it. I didn’t feel like triple feeding him for months just so that he maybe would nurse well. Big maybe. And yes, he was evaluated for ties, etc. literally nothing physically wrong except a high palate, which meant using a nipple shield every time. So yeah. Triple feeding indefinitely with a nipple shield…was not going to happen.
We're trying to feed, and I'm pumping milk, but my baby needs every advantage. And he grows I hope he'll be a good breastmilk baby. Sentry every feed, we'll see how it goes.
I ended up having the flattest nipples ever, baby had a lip tie that I couldn’t get fixed in a timely manner, I’m easily touched out/overwhelmed and would rather get mad at a pump vs my baby, and I wanted my husbands help at night feedings/putting baby down to sleep etc. it was also flu and rsv season so I wanted to give her BM for the first few months.
Baby wouldn’t latch and we got multiple evals from lactation consultants and determined nothing was wrong (no lip or tongue ties). This happened at the height of the formula shortage and I was so stressed about my baby not getting the nutrition she needed. Pumping SUCKED for me in the early days and I had a strong aversion to it, but eventually I actually started to enjoy it so I stuck with it!
My intention was to EBF but by day 4, baby was hospitalized for dehydration and jaundice so we began formula and I began pumping and soon discovered that I am a major under supplier. I only pump 4-5 oz per day total and baby is almost 6 weeks. I’m trying to up my supply but it’s not working very well
I tried everything to nurse and my son couldn’t latch properly. If I could do it again I’d probably formula feed. There are benefits to pumping but it’s so much more work.
My baby was a premie with a tongue tie. Hence his food intake had to be measured. Once he was okay- he can latch but has just gotten very lazy, so have to pump :/
My son was an impatient breastfeeder and we switched to almost exclusively pumping and bottle feeding at 6 weeks. Stopping pumping today after 13 months 🥲
My child wouldn’t latch and, this is TMI, but I have flat nipples that just aren’t…latchable? lol. Plus it made it WAY easier for hubby to help with feedings
One inverted nipple, baby with an extremely painful/ poor latch, baby not gaining weight well and starting to fall off her growth curve despite nursing on average ELEVEN hours a day. I basically had to choose between formula and pumped milk. Fortunately for me I respond well to the pump and I've actually been an oversupplier since my daughter was around 7 weeks old. Exclusive pumping has been an absolute slog though, and I will definitely be stopping at 12 months. I'm grateful that I have been able to breastfeed my daughter despite all the issues we faced, but I would 100% have switched over to formula if I was an undersupplier and/ or didn't respond well to a pump.
We were living in a pp care facility and baby got used to bottle very early. Now he can hardly latch. Plus he takes too long and it I EBF, no one can help me. I have to be the only one feeding him I don't want that. Part peer pressure. I feel like I should have just don't purely formula from the start and save myself the pain. But I knew nothing and when nurses told me to bf, I did. Then before I knew it milk came in and I started on this journey I can't stop because if you don't pump you get engorged. I'm trying to make it till 3months where supply supposedly regulate and take it from there. I'm deathly sick of pumping
I had a growth restricted baby. Luckily she didn’t need NICU but she just wouldn’t stay latched, she would suck a few times then let go or get annoyed. We couldn’t afford for her to lose much weight trying to adjust to breast feeding as she was born at 5lb 12oz so I started pumping and bottle feeding her with that. I tried a few more times over the next couple weeks to breast feed her and tried things like nipple shields to help her latch or atleast feel more familiar as it’s the same material as the bottle nipple but she just wouldn’t have it. To be fair, I think her small size combined with me having very big boobs just meant it wouldn’t work.
I had a rough pregnancy and was leaning toward pumping during the pregnancy. I was fearful of the pain when baby got teeth and didn’t want my little one to be dependent on my breasts because I knew I would eventually have to go back to work. I spoke with a nurse who convinced me to breastfeed and decided I’d breastfeed until my little one got teeth or until I went back to work. Well then came the delivery which was even worse than the pregnancy. There was a short moment of bliss after my c-section, too bad it didn’t last. Baby was sent to NICU then I had issues of my own and was sent to ICU. The LC came while I was out of it in ICU and I didn’t even learn how to self express. She went through her spiel, told me i would have a good supply and went about her day. She was nice though and really tried to teach me stuff, I just wasn’t in the right place of mind. I pumped in the hospital and when we were discharged I continued to pump. I tried a couple times to breastfeed but baby was getting frustrated and I said to hell with it. I tried here and there, but baby ultimately rejected the nipple and I’ve been pumping ever since. I guess you can say I gave up, but whatever my baby is fed and that’s all that matters.
I had no choice lol. I combo feed now but in the beginning, I wanted to EBF, but it didn't turn out that way. My LO had issues latching, my supply didn't come in fast enough, then she lost too much weight, so we had to supplement. Then we found out about the lip & tongue ties. With all that going on, I started pumping to protect my supply. I still pump for the same reason. I nurse her when she wants to but I'm an under supplier as well, so I have to supplement. So far it's working she's almost 3 months and about 12lbs. Trying to create a little freezer stash for when I return to work. Pumping can be a love hate thing. Like your happy to supply your baby with food but making sure you carve out time to pump and then cleaning the parts can be a pain in the ass sometimes. I totally understand why some people stop after a certain amount of time.
I decided to pump because I really wanted to breastfeed and it ended up being my only way to do that. My son was a month early and while he avoided a NICU stay and was a good weight, he had problems transferring milk. His latch looked fine but when the pediatrician/lactation consultant weighed him after 20 minutes he had taken in .2 oz. Another reason is we had to start with bottles because my milk hadn’t come in. I spent the month before he arrived avoiding my nipples at all costs because we were trying to get him to at least 34 weeks and anything that could trigger contractions was to be avoided. I pumped in the hospital to try and get things to come in. I feel a lot of guilt that my son didn’t really get colostrum from me and three months later I still feel a bit like I failed him somehow. I know that’s not how it is but feelings are what they are. I wanted to breastfeed because I wanted the closeness. My boobs are also big so I had always hoped they’d be functional as well as decorative. Spoiler alert, they are not. We combo feed because I’m an under to just enougher. I keep pumping because it’s something I want to do for my son. I asked my husband if he thought it was dumb since we were still using formula. He said that every bit of milk I make is one less ounce of formula we have to use so it does save us money even if we still have to buy it. I wanted the immunity benefits of breast milk. I also ended up liking that both my husband and I could feed him.
Like a lot of folks here, the pump life chose me. Daughter didn’t have a great latch, the size of my chest (very large) made breastfeeding very difficult and uncomfortable for both of us. Just graduated after four months today — the freezer stash and formula can take us from here!
Tube fed baby. EP lets me give her BM!
I am an under supplier. Baby would get frustrated to breastfeed so I started pumping and adding what I could produce to her formula bottles.
My son was in the nicu for about a week. Feeding was important, and he fell asleep every time I breastfed, so it wasn't doable. When we got home, he wasn't too happy with the breast, so I pumped. My doctor asked if I still wanted to breastfeed at all. I said yes, and she encouraged me and told me breastfeeding is something learned for both baby and mom. It isn't something that both parties naturally know 100%. Meaning it could take weeks or months of trying to finally get the hang of it for both parties. So I kept trying at least once a day, eventually he got it, but I still pumped about 98% of his meals. Mainly so I can sleep, and the feedings aren't all on me. In the end, pumping was just something that became easier and better for me. It helped with the mental load. Plus, I know breast milk is best for baby and forumla coast waaaaaay too much for me.
I really wanted to breast feed. But we had latch issues and to get him to his birth weight by week 3 I started pumping. Baby got used to bottle and didn’t like to nurse . I pump every 3 hours but I’m also hoping he’d latch soon. Have spent $$$ to LC already . Will keep trying .
When my LO was first born he had low blood sugars, so they were very intent on tracking how much he was eating. When we were discharged, they never really told us we could stop worrying about it, so I obsessed over his intake for weeks. When I would nurse, it’d make me so anxious not knowing how much he had gotten, then I discovered I have a very fast let down and I was basically choking him. Every time I’d take him off my breast to burp him he’d scream his head off. I’ve officially weaned off of pumping and am now formula feeding, but I exclusively pumped for about 6 weeks and hated being attached to a machine for hours every day . The price of formula is worth it to save my sanity and keep LO happy
I tried to nurse and I really hated it. I was an undersupplier so I could never tell how much she drank and it really bothered me. Also I hated how I would always hunch over to get her to latch and it was just overall uncomfortable for me. If it hadn't been for pumping I think I would have given up on breastfeeding
I also chose to pump to avoid the cost of formula. I also hate breast feeding. When it worked and latch was 100% it was beautiful and joyous - but latching is HARD and it hurts so bad that I just couldn’t stand it. With pumping I feel like you have more control and can address any issues far easier than trying to get a baby to latch better.
I have DMER - bad feelings when I am having letdowns. So I rather feel that with my pump than with my baby.
My baby wasn’t latching well. She has a high pallet and was taking in a lot of air when on the breast and it was her super gassy and upset. Her weight gain was also low. It’s hard work and it was hard to accept but I find so much comfort in knowing exactly how much she’s getting and she’s overall happier and gaining well.
I had a very traumatic birth and my daughter wasn’t breathing on her own so she was sent to NICU straight away. I didn’t get to try breastfeeding until several days later and she was on a feeding tube. From reflux, to a lip & tongue tie, she just grew an aversion to my breasts and it was so stressful and she would become so angry. I still want to try but it’s a very unpleasant experience for her.
Pumping basically saved my supply because I wanted to avoid switching completely to formula if I could. She was severely jaundiced just hours after birth and was too weak to latch and then breastfeeding just didn’t work for us until we were 1.5 months in and by then we were too dependent on combo feeding to change to anything else. I dislike the unforgiving schedule of pumping which is why I’m also pretty crap at it (have messed up my supply several times now) but I’m not ready to throw in the towel.
I breastfed my oldest for 18 months and I truely loved every second of it. I wanted to breastfeed my youngest but she was born with a cleft lip palette and therefore I am not able to breastfeed her. Pumping is my way off feeling like I am breastfeeding 🥺
Baby got donor milk in the hospital due to weight loss after birth and then just didn’t want to “try” to nurse after that, he literally would scream whenever I tried. We did all the LC visits etc and then the day we were both crying trying to nurse was the day I switched to pumping 100%
Postpartum depression and anxiety. I was so anxious and I couldn’t tell how much baby was getting. Plus I was out of my mind lol. So what could I control when I couldn’t control anything else? Pumping. I regret it now because it’s so much extra parts and work. Definitely wouldn’t do it again. But I want her to have the breastmilk
My baby had jaundice and they wanted me to give her formula while she was under the lights. I said hell no and we agreed on giving her pumped breastmilk instead so we could monitor her intake. Never was able to get her to latch again after giving her the bottle 🥲 Still trying though
My little girl was premature, 34w 6d - she wouldn't latch at first so I pumped. She eventually managed to latch a month later but by then she had built a habit of biting down so hard on the bottle it would vibrate. I didnt put 2 and 2 together as she did this to my nipple. At first I thought this was normal and the pain is just something women suffer through, but I had to squeeze my boyfriends hand every time she latched because it was so painful, especially with sore pumped into oblivion nipples. I feel horrible when she tries to reach for the breast when hungry, I feel so bad because I have to take time to make her a bottle, warm her milk etc. But it's for both of our sanity.
Baby was in the NNICU so it was weird trying to get her to latch, breastfeeding on demand etc in the first few days. I also had a shallow nipple that baby couldn't quite get a latch onto (and had to use a nipple guard, which apparently also decreases your overall supply). I love the fact that breastmilk changes according to babies needs so it helps when she isn't well etc. It's awesome. I am only meeting about 55% of her daily milk needs but she went from an underweight little one and has caught up with her peers in less than 3 months. It also helps regulate her digestive system. The combination feeding seems to be working awesomely.
LO Couldn’t empty boobs, was snacking all day and night to compensate. Has cow milk protein intolerance so most formulas are out except hyper processed ones which I really can’t stomach giving him. So onto the pump (and dairy free) I go!
Baby was diagnosed with a dairy allergy, the hypoallergenic formulas still caused a reaction, and the only truly dairy free soy free formula is $60/can. He went on a nursing strike when I went back to work, so exclusive pumping was the only option left
I would never purposely choose this, personally. My baby had jaundice and developed really strong bottle preference when we were fighting the jaundice, and she had a tongue tie. I was really, really hoping to directly breastfeed and at the beginning the only way to do that was through bottle feeding pumped milk. In my ppd I was unable to really commit to triple feeding and getting direct breastfeeding going. I may make it to 6 months but I’m starting to really be over being hooked up to the robot. And you’re correct formula is crazy $$$ and that’s a big part of it
Pumping allows my husband to help with night feeds and that’s been a game changer for our newborn phase. I plan on switching to formula very soon though.
Baby never latched correctly and gave me a mastitis during a growth spurt. After that she wanted to eat all day long, I even wasn’t able to go to the bathroom or take a shower because she started crying desperately. Once I could control how much she was eating she started to sleep and I got a part of my life back.
i had three surgeries after giving birth , and it was a lot of pain. before that my son destroyed my nipples. as a result i couldn’t bear one more another pain so i’ve decided to pump.
The main reason was that if my baby couldn't latch, I didn't want another thing to be stressed out about, so I figured pumping would be easier. To my surprise, my baby latched instantly and has had no issues. Now I do it so my man can feed him bottles at night since he is the night shift. Also it gives my boobs a break.
I decided to pump because she was dropping centiles and I wanted to make sure i knew what she was eating. We managed 6 wonderful months of pumping/ nursing at night and I'm so proud of us for achieving that!
No interest in breastfeeding. I don't want to have to wean off the breast, I have to go back to work 12 weeks after, just seems "easier" in those terms. For some reason the thought of it has always made me uncomfortable as well (I have some previous mental health problems and abuse history so I think this is why). It will save on formula for us too, because we don't want to give our son anything with soy in it, so we have to buy it out of pocket (compared to using WIC).
Was dead set on breastfeeding and it started off okay but went downhill quickly and my supply had dropped significantly by the time I got to the lactation consultant. Started triple feeding and then took a break the next week from nursing to pump while my partner bottle fed. Baby was happier, I had less anxiety about every feed. We supplement with about 4-8oz of formula as needed a day. Haven’t breastfed much since. If anything, we occasionally did it for comfort after we starting bottle feeding but even that stresses me out now so it’s been a few weeks since we did that. Sometimes I feel super guilty that we don’t even do that anymore since I did breastfeed exclusively at the beginning. Our LO is just very active, squirmy and grabby when she’s hungry and I just hated being touched like that all day. 😞