is pumping your breast all the time bad rather than breast feeding your baby?

Question

my baby wont take my breast she only likes the bottle and I still want to continue giving her my breast milk

Answer 1

It's not bad at all! I did that but my milk started to dry up so thankfully my daughter went back to breastfeeding. I have plenty of friends that were cows and had no problem just pumping. Breast milk is best but if you haveto supplement with formula don't feel bad. Keep trying with the pump and if you do start drying up give her whatever you have something is still better than nothing.

Answer 2

Have you tried working with a Lactation Consultant or a La Leche League Leader to get your baby to nurse at the breast?

Some breastmilk is always better than no breastmilk and breastmilk out of a bottle is better than formula out of a bottle.

It's easier to maintain a milk supply when baby nurses directly from the breast and the immune factors provide the best benefits when the baby nurses directly at the breast.

If you can make things work at the breast with the help of an IBCLC or a LLL Leader, that's the best. If you can't, exclusively pumping is a good option. It is much harder than nursing though as you have to find time to pump AND to feed the baby, you have bottles and pump parts to clean and you are more likely to have supply problems.

Answer 3

Pumping the breast is not BAD, but baby suckling at breast is far more favourable - there are antibodies that the body produces that die upon contact with oxygen, so baby isn't getting everything that she would get should she be directly on the breast.

Do bear in mind the following things:

If baby is not suckling at breast, your milk production is far more likely to slow down and eventually stop - this happens over a period of a couple of months but is very common. It is the action of baby suckling at breast that helps milk supply to be boosted.

I dont know how young your baby is but usually there is still help to get her back on the breast! Most babies will refuse the breast for superficial reasons - the #1 being that a bottle is easier to 'milk' than a breast is because they don't have to wait for a let down and the flow is much faster. you can still put baby to breast - there are many great sources of information and support out there to help you through this. I know sometimes in the beginning it can be painful but if you find good help you can get things sorted out very quickly. Check http://www.lalecheleague.org - they are a mother-based mother-run breastfeeding support international non-profit organization, and they are everywhere.

If you want baby on the breast still, I would recommend putting baby to breast and if you are going to supplement with pumped milk, you can obtain small thin tubes that you can slide into baby's mouth while baby is sucking on breast - this way baby is still at the breast and can more easily learn to breastfeed.

More very valuable information can be found at http://www.drjacknewman.com - he is an interantional leading breastfeeding authority (and pediatrician) - or send me a private message and I can try and find you some other help as well.

If your situation is just that you dont want to put baby to breast for your own reasons, then it is definetley FAR more optimal in almost every case, that baby receive pumped milk - no matter how it is, breastmilk (fresh from the breast, pumped and freezed, even pasteurized) is far more nutricious for your baby than formula. Good luck!

Answer 4

There is NOTHING wrong with pumping and then bottle feeding your baby. I did both for a year. You're doing the right thing if your baby doesn't want to nurse, but likes the breast milk. Way to go!!!

Answer 5

If your baby won't take from the breast, it's great that you are giving her pumped milk. Seriously, way to go, you are an awesome mom because I know how hard it can be to pump!! I'd continue to try to get her to nurse because the bonding is so nice, but if she really won't take it, then continue to pump and feed her the breastmillk in a bottle.

Answer 6

That's great that you're so dedicated. I would encourage her to take the breast though. She won't starve, and if you only offer the breast she will take it eventually. She may fuss a lot at first, but you can break the bottle cycle. She may need to relearn how to latch on. It takes a lot less effort to use a bottle, and they don't have to suck as hard. Most babies would prefer a bottle because it's easier. I would encourage getting her used to the breast again. But if you're comfortable pumping, then do it for as long as you can. You sound like a very dedicated mom. God bless

Answer 7

you wont produce enough milk from only pumping. i had to do the same thing with my baby because she would not take my breast. it only lasted about 3 months before i couldnt pump enough milk for her. and it was a pain in the butt. they sell these things called nipple guards, its a thing that goes over your nipple that is like a bottle nipple, try using that with your baby until she gets the idea of drinking from your breast rather than a bottle. they sell them at pharmacies.

Answer 8

Of course not. Breast milk is best. Just make sure you hold your baby while giving her the bottle. Never prop a bottle, a baby can aspirate milk into the lungs.

Answer 9

Pumping is as good as breast feeding, that way they are still getting breast milk. I did this with my daughter until she was 3 months as it is very time consuming.

Answer 10

as long as your baby get the milk it's fine.breastfeeding gives you yet another opportunity to bond with your baby but that probably happened the moment you laid eyes on him/her.don't let anyone tell you that bottle feeding w/breast milk is in any way not good for your baby. good luck honey you just got the hardest job on earth mother.