Hate pumping after 2 wks, need reassurance about switching

[GenYsuperlady]

Hello,
My first baby was born 13 days ago at 36 1/2 weeks. She does not have the endurance or efficiency to breast-feed, so since day one in the hospital, I have hand-expressed and pumped. There has always been so much stress surrounding her feedings. At first it was because I wasn't making enough milk, and then because she couldn't stay awake enough to finish her full bottle of expressed milk.
She is now starting to wake up a bit, and I think it tomorrows appointment she will have met her birth weight.
I hate pumping with a passion! Even with a hands-free bra, I can't manage to get much done without spilling milk. It takes time away from me sleeping, and caring for her. It stresses me out when I have a pumping session where I don't get a lot of milk, and I honestly feel like a dairy cow! Thankfully my production has been good enough that she has not had any formula yet, and I think I can keep pumping enough to make the change over to formula gradual (mixing the 2).
I am so ready to switch to formula, for my own mental and physical health (I am so stressed and tired that I have no appetite, I am barely eating two meals a day).
I know breastmilk is "best" especially as my daughter was a little bit preterm.
My husband and I are both okay with switching to formula, but it feels like we are the only ones. I just really need some reassurance, and encouragement to help me make this decision and be strong against those who have differing opinions of how I should feed my child.
Thanks in advance…

 

[bubbles123]

Being a happy FF'er is all about being happy with your decision to use formula and being certain it is what you want to do. As long as you are happy, sure of your reasons and make a free choice then it will always be the right decision. Whatever choice you make as a mother there will always be someone who disagrees with you. If you are happy with your decision they will not bother you. You know your own and your baby's needs better than anyone and in the nicest possible way stuff everyone else! Good luck with your decision - it will be the right one for you X

 

[babyfromgod]

Hello,
My first baby was born 13 days ago at 36 1/2 weeks. She does not have the endurance or efficiency to breast-feed, so since day one in the hospital, I have hand-expressed and pumped. There has always been so much stress surrounding her feedings. At first it was because I wasn't making enough milk, and then because she couldn't stay awake enough to finish her full bottle of expressed milk.
She is now starting to wake up a bit, and I think it tomorrows appointment she will have met her birth weight.
I hate pumping with a passion! Even with a hands-free bra, I can't manage to get much done without spilling milk. It takes time away from me sleeping, and caring for her. It stresses me out when I have a pumping session where I don't get a lot of milk, and I honestly feel like a dairy cow! Thankfully my production has been good enough that she has not had any formula yet, and I think I can keep pumping enough to make the change over to formula gradual (mixing the 2).
I am so ready to switch to formula, for my own mental and physical health (I am so stressed and tired that I have no appetite, I am barely eating two meals a day).
I know breastmilk is "best" especially as my daughter was a little bit preterm.
My husband and I are both okay with switching to formula, but it feels like we are the only ones. I just really need some reassurance, and encouragement to help me make this decision and be strong against those who have differing opinions of how I should feed my child.
Thanks in advance…

Could you maybe see a lactation consultamt to see if you can get her latched on. It is very possible to get her back to the breast so you don't have to pump. You may have to use nipple shields at first.

 

[belle254]

I know how you feel, I had loads of difficulties breast feeding and ended up pumping exclusively from 3 days until 7 weeks old. I ended up swapping to formula because there was no way I could manage pumping up to 8 times a day whilst doing the school run as well. You make the best decision for your family xx

 

[MrsButterfly]

I also had to exclusively pump as despite advice from lactation consultants, lo would not latch well enough. I managed for 4 weeks but found it utterly draining. Could feel myself getting down about it so I then moved to eff. I felt some guilt at the start but he was so much happier that I soon felt better about it. Plus I was happy he'd had a few weeks of breast milk and tried to congratulate myself for pumping as long as I had rather than beating myself up for stopping. Exclusively pumping is damn hard work. You don't get a break at all.

Ultimately you need to make a decision you are comfortable with. Don't let other ppl judge you - you do what is best for you and your lo, no one else.

 

[lilbeanhoping]

Ugh I'm struggling with this right now. Cnstand recurring mastitis, clogged ducts, thrush/yeast and all the pain that goes with those are getting me down! Not to mention I'm producing less and less all the time because of it all.
I exclusively pump.
I don't want to switch but I don't know what to do or how much more I can take

Guess I'm not much help to you, but you're not alone with struggling with the decision!

 

[albs]

you need to do what's best for both of you. i am a very strong BFing supporter, and yes breastmilk is best, but breastfeeding isn't always best for everyone.
if you think you will struggle with any guilt about FFing then seek help from lactation consultants etc. however, formula isn't poison, and it's a good substitute for breastmilk if breastfeeding is going to cause you too much stress. a happy baby needs a happy mummy!
could you perhaps combine the two? maybe just pump enough for one feed a day and use formula the rest of the time. that way LO is still getting some mummy goodness, but you'll feel less like a cow on a milking machine.
don't let anyone pressure you either way, just make sure you're certain if you want to stop pumping as it's hard to go back if you change your mind.
good luck!

 

[GenYsuperlady]

Thank you everyone! Spoke with her ped today who is fine with us moving to formula. Right now im trying to wean myself off the pump...already have clogged ducts on left (unfortunately tried using super tight sports bra which made it worse). Will be moving to FF as soon as we run out of breast milk...feeling good

 

[Twin34mom]

I pumped for eight weeks, and you are so right a out it being so exhausting. I had problems with production from my metabolic diseases. ( I have PCOS, insulin resistance, and hypothyroidism.). I would pump two ounces a day if I was lucky. It was really frustrating, and being a FTM to twins was exhausting. Ultimately, I ended up quitting pumping, and I was much happier and relaxed. Plus, it gave me more time to spend with my girls. I was really torn about it, and I had a hArd time giving it up. Just do what is right for you and your family. Good luck!!

 

[Indi84]

Feel proud of the breast milk you have given, and all that precious colostrum!
I did just the same as you, I had a fine supply, I couldn't latch my baby at all, he had jaundice and didn't eat for hours and hours, wouldn't wake up. I'm the end I was so stressed and tired after two days of this I pumped, then continued till I started adding formula, now he's ff and thriving. Yes I'm sad I didn't bf like I wanted, but we're both happy now, no more mastitis and pumping at 3am I'm trying to focus on what he did get, not what he didn't.

 

[GenYsuperlady]

Xoxo to you all

 

[dizz]

I gradually ran the freezer stash down (for all this "oh she'll latch - even if it takes nipple shields" she never got that memo) using it for night feeds while I used formula during the day and changed over that way just because it worked out easier for me and bought me a bit of time not having to make formula feeds up in the dead of night.

This pregnancy I'm not going to let myself be guilted into that level of pumping again - if I end up with another preemie I'm prepared to pump until they're full-term gestation equivalent and then that's it. I missed out on too bloody much of her very early snuffly newborn days listening to that wretched thing go phut phut phut.

 

[mommy0629]

I know exactly how you feel. My lo was 7 weeks early and also didn't have the energy or efficiancy to breastfeed exclusively. When she was in the NICU I didn't mind pumping at all because when I was home with DS and couldn't be with her, I felt like I was still doing something for her yk? She would bf but only with a nipple shield and she fell asleep after 5 minutes or so, so she would either have to have the pumped milk by bottle after that or down her feeding tube.

She was sent home with the instructions to bf with the nipple shield for 15 minutes, then bottle feed her 2 oz. pumped bm fortified with preemie formula to up the calories or just the straight formula. Let me tell you, after less than 1 week of her being home and me begging her to bf and not just fall asleep on me, bottle, pump every 3 hours around the clock AND take care of DS, I gave up.

So, she's been on formula only since since about 3 weeks old, and more than doubled her birth weight at 3 months old. Would I have loved to have been able to bf a 7lb. full term baby without having to pump and fortify and bottle feed also? Sure, it just didn't work out that way. We just don't all end up with ideal and "typical" circumstances.

 

[mrsf1234]

I know how you feel, I had loads of difficulties breast feeding and ended up pumping exclusively from 3 days until 7 weeks old. I ended up swapping to formula because there was no way I could manage pumping up to 8 times a day whilst doing the school run as well. You make the best decision for your family xx

Agree totally with this. Whatever is best for your family is best and that may or may not be BFing. My LO had latch issues (and if one more Hv or midwife asked me if I had used shields, creams etc i could have punched them!).
So switched to expressing which in honesty saved my relationship with my LO as I was really resenting her.

But after a few weeks, I couldn't keep up with the demand and teh expressing. And the relief to just ff was huge. The guilt was massive but I am so much happier, my LO is the happiest baby u have ever met and my DH turned to me one day when I was panicking I hadn't done the best for her and said....."she's so happy/healthy it's brilliant...and if they can send a man to the moon, I'm sure they can figure out how to feed a baby" never looked back.

Your baby, your life, your choice.

 

[Tashadb]

I'm in a similar situation, my LO was born a preemie and I had to pump but it just didn't come in fast enough and so the hospital supplemented with formula. When I got home, it was so difficult, emotionally and physically to pump and feed and deal with a newborn that I made the decision this week to switch to strictly formula feeding. I still feel guilty about it but I know it's the right decision for me. Hopefully you find switching to formula less stressful and realize that you need to do whatever makes you happy, no matter what other people say.

 

[youngwife20]

To be honest. its noeones business. if you are truely ready to quit then you should quit. i exclusivly pumped for 6 months and i found it super hard at your stage and i also wanted to quit. but i am so glad i didnt. i was truely ready to quit when she was 6 months old and i didnt need encourgiment to do that because i knew it was the best thing to do. all i can say is make sure your realy sure before making the switch and if you decide to do it slowely as you dont wanna stop cold turkey and ur baby doesnt agree with the milk etc. so make sure ur on the right milk and cut it out small by small one day at a time , i know its not easy. xx 6 months with just hand expressing and a manuel is what i did. and boy oh boy i through my pump on the floor in a big " IM NEVER DOING THIS AGAIN" Rage lol but it was all worth it and ur doing a brilliant job Now my daughter is almost fully of formula but i have one bag of breastmilk left in the freezer lol. xx

 

[youngwife20]

Also by the way doctors/midwifes/hv arnt always aware on how to tell an exclusive pumper how to wean of the pump because the advice they give you is the advice for direct breastfeeding. stopping cold turkey wont help in your situation. so i would reduce the pumping sessions for example if you pump for 30mins. pump for 20 then 15 etc. then reduce a few pumps for exampe by day 3. and use cabbage leaves on ur boobs too. this will help you have less discomfort hopefuly it will work for you it worked for me xx