After 15 months of exclusively pumping for my son I have learned so many tips and tricks that I'm excited to share with others going on the same path. First I'll share with you my story and then the things I have learned along the way.
My son was born in the fall of 2012, his birth was a great experience (although at the time I swore he would be our one and only child!). Despite my original intentions to not get an epidural I caved and got one around 6 cm, other than that I was happy with the way his birth went. The nurses were all amazed that I was having such a good time, even laughing while giving birth.
Immediately after birth we did skin to skin and Blake showed no signs of wanting to nurse, unfortunately that continued for the entire 3 days we were in the hospital. I immediately began pumping with the hospital pump. We feed him a few different ways (all to avoid using a bottle), we used a cup and finger fed him. In the meantime we did more skin to skin, but he still did not have an interest in nursing. I was FREAKING OUT, after all I am a nurse and was well trained in breastfeeding issues, I was just so upset that my son wasn't nursing. I felt like a complete failure.
Once we were home we had a lactation consultant come to our home, I remember breaking down crying as soon as she walked in the door. During the visit Blake wouldn't even attempt to nurse, it was disappointing, but she did leave us with some hope-she diagnosed Blake with an posterior tongue tie and we made an appointment with a pediatric oral surgeon to have it looked at. Sure enough, the oral surgeon agreed our son had an posterior tongue tie and we went through with the procedure to have it 'clipped'. I sat in the chair and held Blake tightly in my arms, the doctor took his scissor looking tool and clipped the tongue tie. There was some blood and of course Blake was crying and screaming (I was crying too). It was an awful procedure to see happen but within a few minutes the bleeding was done and the crying and screaming were over with. Blake then nursed for about 2 minutes, it was awesome, I thought to myself wow, this worked and everything will be just fine! We returned home and despite my best efforts and much skin to skin he never nursed again.
I came to realize at that point my only option was to continue to pump for Blake and continue to do skin to skin and see if he would eventually nurse. To make a long story short-he never did. The first 2 months were really rough emotionally, I just couldn't come to terms with being an exclusive pumper, but eventually something in me realized I needed to get over it and just accept it. Luckily I had a great support system in my husband, friends, and family.
So after 15 months of exclusive pumping and almost 5,000 ounces of breastmilk donated I have a few tips to share :)
THE EMOTIONAL ASPECT:
-whatever your reason for ep'ing, remember that you are providing your baby with the very best nutrition, and that is worth a lot!
-looking back I think my extreme stress levels trigged by our initial breastfeeding struggles were the main reason I couldn't breastfeed. Babies are so in tune to their mothers and I'm sure my stress had a negative effect on his ability to nurse
-don't be afraid to ask friends or family for help! I was amazed at the support I received from others, whether it be an encouraging phone call or help around the house so I could relax with Blake
-don't set yourself up for failure- by this I mean don't expect breastfeeding to happen naturally and easily. Be prepared in case it doesn't.
-do plenty of skin to skin with your baby to bond, it's great for you and the little one
-I felt a certain stigma about bottle feeding my child and always felt like I had to let people know that it was breastmilk in his bottle, obviously not everyone will feel this way but for those who do I can say that not a single person ever gave me a look or made any remarks about me bottle feeding
THE BEGINNING:
-babies nurse 8 to 12 times a day, so you should pump that many times. Don't take any shortcuts pumping in the first 12 weeks. This is when your body is adjusting and learning how much milk to make for your baby.
-pump for at least 15 minutes, if milk is still flowing after 15 minutes continue to pump until it stops
-rent a hospital grade pump for the first 3 months if you can, most lactation consultants recommend this to help you establish a good supply
-visit with a lacatation consultant to work on breastfeeding before deciding to become an exclusive pumper
-Most insurances (especially now with Obamacare) will cover the rental and/or purchase of breastpumps as well as visits with a lactation consultant. This is something you should look into while you are still pregnant. Even if you have a successful nursing relationship if you go back to work and need to pump you will save yourself the money and trouble later on.
OTHER TIPS:
-make sure you have a good double electric pump (I used the ameda purely yours after the hospital rental and LOVED it! I also had a Medela pump in style but chose to stop using it after finding mold on the motor-Medela consumer grade pumps are an open system and this mold issue happens frequently)
-set pumping goals for yourself, maybe start with 3 months, then 6 etc... I knew from the beginning formula was not an option and that I would pump for at least 1 year and anything over was icing on the cake
- after pumping, store your pump parts in the refrigerator and wash each night before bed. you do not need to wash the parts after each pump!
-if you are working or go out a lot invest in an extra pump to keep at work or to have as your 'going out' pump. I had 3 pumps, one at work, one at home and one at my parents-it was so nice to not have to pack up and lug my pump around everywhere.
-as your baby gets older pump when he naps, or put him next to you in a bouncer, swing etc to keep him occupied while pumping
-I've seen this tip a million places, but it is so perfect for an ep'ing mom- never quit on a bad day!
-make your own hands free pumping bra (cut holes in a sports bra, just remember not to cut the holes too big or the flanges will not stay on while pumping)
-purchase or make yourself a nursing cover. There were a few times, like camping that I needed to more or less' pump in public' and having a cover with straps around my neck was a lifesaver. I also felt more comfortable with a cover over me while pumping at work in case someone accidentally walked in.
I was blessed with a great supply but if you are struggling to produce what your baby needs try these tips:
-drink plenty of water
-make sure you are getting some rest (it's so hard to do but force yourself to nap when the baby naps!)
-make sure you are eating enough
-keep your pumping schedule consistent and remember to not drop any pumps in the first 12 weeks, even if you think your supply is established
RESOURCES:
- http://kellymom.com/
- join the Facebook group "Exclusive expressing/pumping" to chat with other moms ep'ing and to get more tips
- call your local hospital for appointments with their lactation consultants, also check online to find lactation consultants that will come to your home for consultations
Those are all the tips I can remember for now, if I think of more I will update this post. Leave your tips in the comments below :)
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