Confused breastfeeding newbie here! :(

[NikkiV87]

Hi Ladies,
Ive been finding that this whole breastfeeding thing is really overwhelming!

Where to start...

Hmmm, k well first of all, I'm about 36 weeks pregnant and my plan is to breastfeed and pump. I am going to be on maternity leave for a year unless something comes up and I HAVE to go back to work sooner.

So here are a few questions I have (Pls bare with me):
1. If i can breastfeed and pump fine, there is no need to introduce formula correct?

2. IF i ever do have to introduce formula, is there really a need to pump because wouldn't i just change it to breastfeeding and bottled formula feeding? Or will i still have to pump to try and keep my supply up?

3. What are some circumstances where i would HAVE to do combi-feeding? ...I think that's what its called ha-ha. Formula and breastmilk.

3. Am i correct with this, i can't have a drink or two until I've pumped enough to skip a feeding but even then, wont i have to pump and dump at the time when baby was supposed to be fed if i did have a drink around that timeto keep my supply up?

4. When can i start pumping? Hospital here where i live told my friend who had her baby back in Sept to start pumping right away.

5. Can i make it into a habit to feed baby on one boob, and pump the other boob after she falls asleep?

6. Does this all depend on if i can even breastfeed and/or how much milk i produce? So pretty much if i cant breastfeed and/or produce much milk, this plan is out the window? Should i just wait to plan it all out after I've had baby and know i can breastfeed?

7. Ive had no leaking or anything, are there any signs i should be looking out for at the moment that can let me know if i can breastfeed or not?

7. Should i hold off on buying a breast pump...? I was planning to buy it but not open it or anything, and return it if i find out i cannot breastfeed.

Thanks so much, any advice will truly help.

 

[keela]

99% of people produce enough to breastfeed. The main reasons people have problems are latching difficulties and tongue/lip ties.


There is really no need to start pumping. Most people don't recommend pumping until your supply is established at about 6 weeks. However you can start at any time if you really want to.

My best advice to you is read through the threads on this forum. You'll get a general idea of common difficulties and answers on how to fix problems should they arise. Also go to your local la leche league meetings. Pregnant women are welcome. It'll help you build a local support system to have help if you need it.

Also remember everybody doesn't have major problems breastfeeding. On this forum there are a lot of problems but remember that we only post when something is wrong so don't get overwhelmed.

 

[kissesandhugs]

So here are a few questions I have (Pls bare with me):
1. If i can breastfeed and pump fine, there is no need to introduce formula correct?
Correct

2. IF i ever do have to introduce formula, is there really a need to pump because wouldn't i just change it to breastfeeding and bottled formula feeding? Or will i still have to pump to try and keep my supply up?
If you're not wanting to FF at all, you HAVE to pump when you're feeding a formula bottle to keep your supply up AND to increase it

3. What are some circumstances where i would HAVE to do combi-feeding? ...I think that's what its called ha-ha. Formula and breastmilk.
Ummm, well in my case I couldn't pump enough at my internship for a days supply. So I sadly had to combifeed. That was my fault though! Another one would be if your dr/pediatrician/hv recommended it due to low weight gain. This is usually a poor recommendation IMO. Not every time but I think ppl jump to ff too quick iykwim.

3. Am i correct with this, i can't have a drink or two until I've pumped enough to skip a feeding but even then, wont i have to pump and dump at the time when baby was supposed to be fed if i did have a drink around that timeto keep my supply up?
A time here and there of not pumping in place of a feed won't kill your supply but be careful on how many times you do it, eventually it will. I've read if you want to have a drink, try having it WHILE feeding baby the last feed before bedtime. So you'll have a long stretch before they wake up to eat & the alcohol won't reach the breastmilk until well after that feed.

4. When can i start pumping? Hospital here where i live told my friend who had her baby back in Sept to start pumping right away.
Recommendation is 6 weeks so your supply is well established!

5. Can i make it into a habit to feed baby on one boob, and pump the other boob after she falls asleep?
I've heard of many women doing this to build a freezer supply. I don't see why not unless you're not going to be able to keep up with the pumping which can lead to oversupply.

6. Does this all depend on if i can even breastfeed and/or how much milk i produce? So pretty much if i cant breastfeed and/or produce much milk, this plan is out the window? Should i just wait to plan it all out after I've had baby and know i can breastfeed?
I wouldn't even THINK that you can't make enough milk. As another pp mentioned, the number of women who can't produce is EXTREMELY low! You'll start out engorged then your supply will lower to how much your baby needs. So it's recommended to feed on demand. As much as baby wants and for however long to have a good supply!

7. Ive had no leaking or anything, are there any signs i should be looking out for at the moment that can let me know if i can breastfeed or not?
Leaking while pregnant has nothing to do with the ability to breastfeed

7. Should i hold off on buying a breast pump...? I was planning to buy it but not open it or anything, and return it if i find out i cannot breastfeed.
This is 100% up to you. I ended up in a situation where LO was in NICU for 3 days, 2 days after he was born so I HAD to pump every 2-3 hours. It's always nice to have it as a back up just in case.

Hope that helps and good luck!

 

[els1022]

I agree with what kissesandhugs said! I'd like to add that I began pumping as soon as my milk came in (about 3 days) just to relieve the engorgement that I had in the mornings. I still do a pumping session in the morning because I'm too full if I don't. I do have an oversupply-my first day back at work was yesterday. Baby took about 12-14 oz in the 13 hours I was away and I pumped 29 oz in 3 sessions. Breastfeeding is hard in the early days but it gets so much better, I promise!

 

[DaisyAnne]

Not sure if I'll remember all the questions to answer, but I'll do my best!

If you plan to breastfeed direct, you shouldn't need to pump. I hear waiting until about 6 weeks for your supply to mesh with the baby before pumping is good. Hubby and I try to get out every once in awhile, so I try to make that the only time I pump. Even then, I try not to miss more than one feed.

If you introduce formula to supplement, it doesn't mean you're stuck using formula and you can't make enough. You can work on increasing your supply back to what baby needs- but if you feed the baby formula without pumping, your body won't know it needs to make anything more than it is making. Just remember babies don't need to eat very much at a time in the beginning, so just keep putting them on the breast to get the supply going and it should be just right. If you pump early, or often- your boobs will make more milk than your baby eats, then you're stuck pumping just to keep things comfortable and keep from getting a breast infection. It's difficult to deal with oversupply- then you'll end up with a freezer stuffed full with breastmilk you won't necessarily use and spending all your time pumping.

I didn't have a pump before he was born- I ended just seeing what I would need. He had a tongue-tie and couldn't latch properly, so I actually started having to pump in the hospital- since I was using the pump regularly in the beginning, it was nice to have a hospital grade pump (here it was $70/month), but now that I don't pump much, I bought an ok pump for those date nights out. The hospital rented them, so they just brought it in when I needed it.

After you feed her, you won't necessarily have to pump the other side at all. Some people feed the baby on both sides every feeding, but I just feed him on one side per feeding (except in the mornings after he's slept a long time, I have him feed on both so they can drain a bit). You only have to pump if you want to save breastmilk for some reason- your baby can get enough from you directly. And even if you decide to save some up for later, remember it only lasts 5 months in the freezer according to my lactation consultant- and if you start right away, it can really make your supply really crazy. Hold off int he beginning unless you need to.

I never had any leaking during pregnancy, and many people don't, so no worries!

I hated pumping, haha. It takes so much time, and it's usually difficult to hold the baby while doing it (kicking the pump away, etc.). I felt it was so time consuming, because it's like feeding the baby twice. You pump, and then feed him the bottle, which also takes time *especially* at night when you are a zombie and want to go back to sleep. Picture this: Baby cries, you wake up to feed him- he needs a diaper change, so you change it. Then you go get a bottle ready downstairs and feed him, burp him, feed him, burp him, etc., etc. He cries for another diaper change. You rock him to sleep (or you put him down to pump and he screams), and then you go get the clean breast shields/bottles for pumping and pump. You take the pumped milk to the fridge, clean the breast shields in the sink, lay them out to dry. You finally lay back down to go to sleep...for 30 minutes before he cries and it starts all over again. That's how it went for me in the beginning! Much easier to wake up, feed her on your breast, and then you both go back to sleep- or you can at least rock her if she's crying.

Breastfeeding is a lot of work in the beginning, but it is worth it! We had a *rough* start, and I wasn't sure if I could do it. I was determined to make it work. We had to supplement with formula and expressed breastmilk at different times, and he was even totally not latching at one point- and he got the bottle either all of the time or part-time until 6 weeks old. But now, you would never know it was so difficult. I almost never pump and we only use the bottle for special occasions. I recommend reading what you can, and definitely find a lactation specialist in your area- one that will spend time with you and the baby. That is the only reason we are still breastfeeding today! It is worth it!

 

[Leids]

Hello. This is from my personal experience. All of my answers will be in red!

So here are a few questions I have (Pls bare with me):
1. If i can breastfeed and pump fine, there is no need to introduce formula correct?

Correct.

2. IF i ever do have to introduce formula, is there really a need to pump because wouldn't i just change it to breastfeeding and bottled formula feeding? Or will i still have to pump to try and keep my supply up?

If you have to introduce formula due to reasons like slow weight gain (failure to thrive) then I would recommend continuing to pump when your baby would normally eat. Even if you're told to combi-feed eary on, you can switch to exclusively breastfeeding shortly after so it's best to keep working on bumping your supply up.

3. What are some circumstances where i would HAVE to do combi-feeding? ...I think that's what its called ha-ha. Formula and breastmilk.

It depends. There can be various reasons. The most common reason and the only necessary reason I can think of is if your baby is classed as failure to thrive - which is slow/no weight gain. Other reasons (which can all result in the first) would be milk coming in later, being on medications post-childbirth (the hospital/birth center should help you avoid medications that would cause issues though). Even though I say common failure to thrive is not common at all. Didn't want to scare you.

3. Am i correct with this, i can't have a drink or two until I've pumped enough to skip a feeding but even then, wont i have to pump and dump at the time when baby was supposed to be fed if i did have a drink around that timeto keep my supply up?

You can drink, and you don't need to pump and dump. You do need to drink in moderation - 1 to 2 glasses, and I wouldn't drink for the first 3 months because a newborn's liver is underdeveloped. If you decide to have a night out where you drink in excess, then keep in mind that as long as the alcohol is in your blood then it's in your milk. If you feel fine, then typically it's okay to breastfeed.

Good link for alcohol and nursing info: https://kellymom.com/bf/can-i-breastfeed/lifestyle/alcohol/

4. When can i start pumping? Hospital here where i live told my friend who had her baby back in Sept to start pumping right away.

I would avoid pumping until 6-8 weeks pp because your supply will be established at that point, but many people do it sooner for various reasons. If you feel as though your baby is latching well, then generally it should be okay. Again it depends. You may struggle with engorgement/super leakage because if you pump it creates oversupply, hence waiting 6-8 weeks.


5. Can i make it into a habit to feed baby on one boob, and pump the other boob after she falls asleep?

You could do that. Personally my LO only feeds off of one boob per feed, and has the entire time.

6. Does this all depend on if i can even breastfeed and/or how much milk i produce? So pretty much if i cant breastfeed and/or produce much milk, this plan is out the window? Should i just wait to plan it all out after I've had baby and know i can breastfeed?

You can breastfeed. It's hard, and it takes a lot of effort and patience at first. It can be extremely painful even if everything is done correctly. It takes about 2-3 weeks for the pain to subside (for some it's less, personal experience) and to really get into a groove it can take 2-3 months. As long as you feed on demand, don't offer pacifiers or bottles, then your milk production should be fine. For the most part women do not experience much difficulty with supply, it's the harsh newborn phase.

7. Ive had no leaking or anything, are there any signs i should be looking out for at the moment that can let me know if i can breastfeed or not?

It's normal not to leak. There are no signs that can determine your ability to breastfeed or not. It's very very rare to not be able to breastfeed.

7. Should i hold off on buying a breast pump...? I was planning to buy it but not open it or anything, and return it if i find out i cannot breastfeed.

I bought a manual pump and used it to help with the engorgement, but didn't pump much. After I was sure I was going to continue breastfeeding I bought an electric pump, but honestly I barely use it. I think I waited until he was 3-4 months old to buy an electric pump.

 

[BabyDragon]

3. I had to combine BF and FF.... It was suggested by the doctor... (And everyone was pressuring me to FF, from my parents, to DBF, to my siblings).

I wasn't producing enough colosseum, and LO would go literally 24 hours without producing a wet or poopy diaper, and had to constantly have her sugar levels checked.

I conceded because LO is an IUGR baby, she had a mild case of jaundice, and elevated T4. (Hyperthyroidism, meaning she was always hungry.)

Now that my milk is coming in (I only fed the formula to top her off.), I've been pumping whenever I can, and am hoping once my milk is establish, I can ditch the formula completely.

It's only been 9 days since her birthday, but between her two doctor appointments, which was 5 days, she gained 9oz!!

 

[Leids]

3. I had to combine BF and FF.... It was suggested by the doctor... (And everyone was pressuring me to FF, from my parents, to DBF, to my siblings).

I wasn't producing enough colosseum, and LO would go literally 24 hours without producing a wet or poopy diaper, and had to constantly have her sugar levels checked.

I conceded because LO is an IUGR baby, she had a mild case of jaundice, and elevated T4. (Hyperthyroidism, meaning she was always hungry.)

Now that my milk is coming in (I only fed the formula to top her off.), I've been pumping whenever I can, and am hoping once my milk is establish, I can ditch the formula completely.

It's only been 9 days since her birthday, but between her two doctor appointments, which was 5 days, she gained 9oz!!

I'm sorry that you had to go through that. I hope your little girl feels better. Many of the ladies from NJ on here run into issues with friends/family for some reason when it comes to breastfeeding. I'm about 10 min from NJ so I have a few friends there and they feel a bit odd about it.

I'm sure you'll get to exclusive breastfeeding in no time! The ladies here are so helpful too. There's a lady here who has been exclusively pumping now for well over 8 months and has multiple freezers full of expressed breast milk! Her name is alaskagrown, I'm sure she has great advice (if you ever need it).

 

[NikkiV87]

Wow thanks ladies!!!
So if i want to breastfeed and pump, at least now i know i can do it.
Just have to take a lot of patience!

What id like to do is breastfeed as much as possible but have expressed milk just in case i ever want a break, or maybe when my boyfriend wants to feed her himself, etc. I think it'd be much easier to breastfeed at night though as opposed to the bottle since i wont have to go downstairs, warm up the milk, etc. But there will be a night or two where my boyfriend will do the feeds so that's when expressed milk will come in handy!

Isn't there a time or age of the baby where we dont even have to do night time feedings anymore? Where the baby can sleep through the night? If so, when does that happen?
When it comes to that point, will i still have to get up to pump then to keep my supply up?

 

[kissesandhugs]

Wow thanks ladies!!!
So if i want to breastfeed and pump, at least now i know i can do it.
Just have to take a lot of patience!

What id like to do is breastfeed as much as possible but have expressed milk just in case i ever want a break, or maybe when my boyfriend wants to feed her himself, etc. I think it'd be much easier to breastfeed at night though as opposed to the bottle since i wont have to go downstairs, warm up the milk, etc. But there will be a night or two where my boyfriend will do the feeds so that's when expressed milk will come in handy!

Isn't there a time or age of the baby where we dont even have to do night time feedings anymore? Where the baby can sleep through the night? If so, when does that happen?
When it comes to that point, will i still have to get up to pump then to keep my supply up?

ha! Sorry, I only laugh bc my son has never, ever sttn. EVER. And he's up every 2-3 hours still. BUT, don't let that discourage you bc there are many BF babies that sttn...though it seems rare. If your LO sttn is constant, there should be no need to pump to keep your supply up. Although some woman do get up occasionally to pump bc of the engorgement!

 

[staralfur]

The age where the night feedings stop is soooo different for each baby. Some babies start STTN at 2 months and others go into toddlerhood still having night feeds.

My 10 month old has only gone overnight with no feeds twice, both times after she was 9 months. Sometimes (like last night) she still has three feeds overnight.

So it's really hard to say when it will happen. When it does, you don't need to wake up and pump, no. Your supply will adjust to the needs of your baby.

 

[Casey3]

I wouldn't invest in a pump just yet, you may feel you love breastfeeding so much that you don't need it or vice versa. I am lucky enough that I don't work right now so I've been with LO all day everyday since he was born, I've never pumped and he's never had a bottle and I honestly wouldn't change what we did at all.

And I lol'ed at the sttn comment too, sorry. My LO is going on 14 months and still has multiple night feeds and I don't see that changing anytime soon!

Best advice: trust your baby and your body, they know what they're doing! Good luck!

 

[NikkiV87]

Wow thanks ladies!!!
So if i want to breastfeed and pump, at least now i know i can do it.
Just have to take a lot of patience!

What id like to do is breastfeed as much as possible but have expressed milk just in case i ever want a break, or maybe when my boyfriend wants to feed her himself, etc. I think it'd be much easier to breastfeed at night though as opposed to the bottle since i wont have to go downstairs, warm up the milk, etc. But there will be a night or two where my boyfriend will do the feeds so that's when expressed milk will come in handy!

Isn't there a time or age of the baby where we dont even have to do night time feedings anymore? Where the baby can sleep through the night? If so, when does that happen?
When it comes to that point, will i still have to get up to pump then to keep my supply up?

ha! Sorry, I only laugh bc my son has never, ever sttn. EVER. And he's up every 2-3 hours still. BUT, don't let that discourage you bc there are many BF babies that sttn...though it seems rare. If your LO sttn is constant, there should be no need to pump to keep your supply up. Although some woman do get up occasionally to pump bc of the engorgement!

Lol please do not laugh at me but what is STTN?

 

[kissesandhugs]

Sleep Through The Night!!!