I am debating on this.... I want to give my baby the milk but i just dont want the baby to depend on the breast. I was wondering if it was ok to pump it and then give it to her. She's not born yet so i want to decide this before i have her.
2007-05-20 14:59:46 · 23 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Newborn & Baby
Hello,
I pumped for 4 months for both my daughter and then my son - so I know it's doable.
I rented a machine from the hospital - they are just more powerful which cuts the time it takes to pump in half. This is important because for the first 8 weeks or so, you will be pumping every 3 hours - morning, noon and night - so every minute counts! Also, I got 3 pumping packs - so I didn't have to wash everything out every time - I'd be using one while the
other two were in the dishwasher - easy.
People will discourage you from pumping vs breast because they think it will be too easy for you to give up if the going gets rough.
Breast milk is best - and I found pumping worked for me because it meant my husband could feed the baby and let me sleep! He'd take the 9pm to 3am shift and I'd wake for anything after that - giving me 5 or 6 hours of sleep!
Also - when you first feed your new baby, you worry if they are getting enough food. If you see them empty a 3 ounce bottle of breast milk every 3 hours, you have one less worry.
Bottom line - don't let your child go hungry - don't let people force you to try and try and try to use breast - your baby will suffer and in the end you may find that pumping will work for you too.
Best wishes to you - and congratulations!
2007-05-20 15:09:31 · answer #1 · answered by Stan W 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, but it's a huge pain in the neck to pump all of the time. You can do some of each and have bottles of breast milk around if you ever want to sleep a bit or leave your house and let someone else feed the baby. If you want to make sure your baby will breastfeed some of the time (much more convenient than fixing a bottle in the middle of the night!), start off exclusively breastfeeding for a couple of weeks, then introduce a couple of bottles. Drinking from a bottle is easier than breastfeeding, so some babies will develop a preference if they haven't had time to get really good at breastfeeding before they have the bottle option. If you are sure you are going to pump, start looking into how you'll get a good breast pump. Good ones (like the Medela Pump in Style or other higher-end models) are a bit expensive, but they will save you time and frustration. Talk to your insurance company and find out if they will cover rental or purchase of a pump.
2007-05-20 22:04:46 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Any way you can give baby breastmilk is great. I'm a breastfeeding mom & pumped also. One thing to consider, however..... When breastfeeding a baby, the baby dictates how much milk you produce by the amount of time and length of time it feeds. To me pumping was more painful than actual nursing. It took longer than a regular nursing. I only pumped to get a back up supply should something happen.
When going through a growthspurt, baby nurses more so you'll produce more. If you're pumping, make sure you have plenty of backup for those spurts. I would breast feed her for a couple weeks after born & then start pumping if it isn't right for you. Not every woman can breastfeed so don't feel bad.
Good luck!
2007-05-20 22:37:34 · answer #3 · answered by Gypsydayne 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can do both or choose to pump exclusively. I had to return to work so I pumped more than I nursed. Your baby is still getting the best milk and you're still getting all the other advantages (free, weight loss, free, etc.) :)
The only thing you want to consider is if you introduce a bottle to your baby very early on (before 4-6 weeks) she will most likely grow to prefer the bottle and not ever want to nurse. If you have a goal of doing both, you need to try and nurse only for at least the first 4 weeks. Then you can try both, but if you already know you only want to pump, then you could just start pumping. I would suggest nursing first though... it helps you learn how everything works.
I started pumping around 6 weeks, after my baby and I really knew how to breastfeed.
2007-05-21 12:08:04 · answer #4 · answered by amber 18 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can definately pump and then feed your baby from a bottle, but I think you will realize that it would be much faster for you to just feed the baby from your breast, especially if you are just hanging out at home. Pumping and then feeding is just an extra step that you will not have time to do, especially when your baby is first born because the first couple days are the hardest and you feel like you are constantly feeding your baby. At least that was how I felt! I swear, I just walked around in a nursing bra for the first couple days! Good luck to you and try to remember it is the best thing for your baby but it is difficult at first!
2007-05-20 23:37:58 · answer #5 · answered by kelli s 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes.. but speaking from personal experience - it is a lot more work to pump and feed. Especially if you don't have any help at home, you'll be spending almost twice the amount of time per feeding - since you have to pump and then feed the baby with the bottle. Also, cleaning and making sure all accessories and bottles are ready is a huge pain. It will seem like you are either pumping, feeding or washing bottles/pumps all day and night..
2007-05-20 22:12:43 · answer #6 · answered by someone 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, you can do both!
I pumped while I was at work, so he could bet breastmilk from the bottle at day care, and his father gave him a bottle if breastmilk once in a while, too.
Try to find a La Leche League group near you and go to the meetings before the baby is born; I waited 'til after and regretted it, even though i had taken a breastfeeding class through the hospital, it's just not the same.
USA: http://lalecheleague.org/WebUS.html
... for other countries there is a drop-down list on the top right of the page.
2007-05-20 22:02:09 · answer #7 · answered by HearKat 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
you can but a recommendation from lactation consultants is that you wait until nursing is firmly established usually about 6 to 8 weeks or baby could get nipple confusion and reject the breast, bottle or both. Also pumping doesn't empty your breast as effectively as nursing which can lead to a decrease in your milk supply. You should talk to a lactation consultant. They will recommend a good breast pump! Good Luck!
2007-05-20 22:12:05 · answer #8 · answered by llllll_amanda_lllllll 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I breast fed both my children for 1 year each. I loved it! Pumping is great when you have to be away, but most lactation nurses will tell you that giving the bottle too early will cause nipple confusion. My babies got their first bottles at 6 weeks from Dad. I work 2 days each week so I would pump those days. Honestly it was so easy to breastfeed- give it your very best shot and ask lots of questions and find some mentors, friends, mom, grandma to support you. You can save lots of money too!
2007-05-20 22:06:10 · answer #9 · answered by pednurse8 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋
You can do both. It's actually good to do both so they get used to the bottle as well. It's way easier to just use the breast though. pumping is very time consuming and can be a really big pain. you're going to be so tired you'll probably find yourself just using the breast. But you can do both. My son was breastfed for 4 months and he came off of it really well so some babies don't get as attached as we all think. Good luck
2007-05-20 22:28:08 · answer #10 · answered by blessed mommy 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋