Breastfeeding/Pumping ?

[mommie2be]

I'm just popping over from teen pregnancy to ask a question I think you all will be more capable of answering...
I'm hoping & planning to breastfeed. But I know I'll have to pump also.
I've heard that pumps hurt way worse than breastfeeding, but I've also heard different...
How are your experiences with breastfeeding & pumping different or the same ?

 

[unconditional]

for me i'm unable to pump and this is a case for some women. it's totally different and pumping is not as effective as actually nursing.
is there a reason you'll need to pump?

 

[mommie2be]

I'll still be in school when he's born.

 

[unconditional]

i would make sure you get a very good pump. hospital brand?
nothing worked for me but i hope everything works out for you !

 

[mommie2be]

I hope so too ! thank you !

 

[emyandpotato]

I EE and tried to BF a lot unsuccessfully so I'm not sure about the pain of expressing comparing to BF as both were agony due to an infection but in the hospital trying to BF hurt more as the latch was bad and I was just really sore and whilst pumping was uncomfortable it didn't hurt initially. IF you're gonna have to pump a lot look in to getting a hand free double pump. I think you can rent them

 

[Bexxx]

I've not found expressing painful, in fact in the early days I had to pump from one side as it was just to painful to latch her on. (She had pretty much ripped that nipple to shreds from a very very poor latch to start with though) I can't get much from a pump at all, make sure you get a good one! Good luck! x

 

[missZOEEx]

I had a lot of trouble breastfeeding. I couldn't get my son to latch properly and ended up with really badly grazed nipples which were so painful that I had to switch to pumping to give my nipples a break. At first pumping really hurt - but I would put that down to how sore my boobs were to start with, but it eventually got alot easier. If it helps - I used the Tommee Tippee Electric Pump. I found it really easy to use and it has the option to start out with a low suction and increase it gradually.

Good Luck! x

 

[smatheson]

I exclusively pumped for 4.5 months because my son would not latch after a protein sensitivity. I also went to school and had to pump at school. I used the medela symphony. You can rent it for 30 dollars a month I believe. It is one of the best pumps out there as its a hospital grade pump and you can rent it at your local hospital. I pumped everyday so it didnt hurt after a while.

 

[amygwen]

I breastfed and pumped for 12 months and just continued to breastfeed on demand until 16 months. For me, both were fine, in the beginning though breastfeeding hurt a lot more than pumping. Pumping doesn't hurt, it actually feels great especially when your boobs are engorged, it definitely doesn't hurt though.

My experience with breastfeeding actually was quite easy, LO latched very easy when he was a newborn and we virtually had no problems, except he did have bad jaundice when he was a newborn up until he was about 1 month old, which is quite a long time! For this reason alone I would worry that he wasn't getting enough milk. Pumping was a great experience too, I did this from like day 3 onwards because I had to return to work and school. Both BFing and pumping can be difficult but it gets easier the longer you do it! Good luck!

 

[we can't wait]

As long as you have a good pump, you should be fine. My LO was in the hospital with Jaundice, so I was able to use the hospital-grade pump while there... They had a great Medela Double pump. It didn't hurt at all and pumped a lot of milk out. Once I got home, I tried using my EvenFlo Double pump, but hardly got any milk. I just had to BF, because my pump wasn't working well.

So, my best advice is: Get a good pump, it's worth it! & stay true to your plans. It may be difficult at times, but BFing is very rewarding. Good luck!