Breastfeeding questions?

Question

My baby is 2 months today, and formula fed since birth, however I was in the store today, and was looking at breast pumps, wow they are expensive. I am really thinking about trying to bring my milk back. Will the breast pump alone do this? And are the electric ones or manual ones better? I want to strictly pump, can you do this? What is the best pump to buy?

Answer 1

It is NOT too late! Moms can re-lactate even months after the baby's birth. Heck, even ADOPTIVE moms can lactate if they go through the process. It is not easy but you will NOT regret it.

Breast milk is so much healthier... that I strongly encourage you to follow the first respondent's suggestion to contact La Leche League and consult with a PROFESSIONAL trained in nursing counseling, not just moms on a message boards, as we may not have the experience to advise you with the latest information and you would not want our ignorance to keep you from giving your baby the awesome advantage that breast milk provides!

Congratulations on your baby!

Answer 2

You have some good advice here (and check the kellymom/LLL links posted). I really recommend nursing, not just pumping, and wanted to mention 'supplemental nursing systems' -- for example:

http://www.selfexpressions.com/supnursys.html

which lets you feed a formula supplement while your baby is nursing. The idea being that you can use your baby, not just a pump, to help stimulate milk production -- but keep your baby well-nourished until you're producing enough milk yourself. And sucking at the breast is good for babies in ways sucking on a bottle can't duplicate.

I would drop some cash on a good double electric. I don't think anybody pumps exclusively with a cheapo manual. Really, read the reviews out there -- the consensus is that the cheap ones are just not worth it at all. I can second that the Medela Pump in Style is good. It might be worth looking into rental pumps, too. (NB: rental ones have a 'closed system'; no milk goes into them, and you buy your own set of attachments -- quite sanitary.)

Answer 3

i'm not sure what the best pump to buy is (i strictly formula fed my baby) but you should be able to bring your milk back, just pump a lot, and don't get discouraged if it doesn't come back right away, your body will produce milk as it is demanded but it may take a while to get it back, in the beginning you may have to formula feed and breastfeed only once or twice a day until you have enough milk... and of course you can strictly pump and breastfeed without actually nursing the baby, personally i think breastfed babies would do better off that way because they are still getting the nurishment of the breast milk but still learn how to self soothe by having it in a bottle... but again i didn't breastfeed so my opinion may not matter much lol ... just remember don't get discouraged if it doesn't come in right away, once your body realizes how much it is being demanded it will bring it back but it does take time... oh and i heard the electric ones are better ( i did pump for a little bit when my son was first born but had a lot of problems with my breast milk that i was unable to keep doing it)

Answer 4

Yes, they are expensive... but just compare it to the cost of buying formula for months and months and months. It will end up being less expensive in the long run. A double electric pump would probably be your best bet for relactation purposes, since you'll be pumping pretty intensely and also if you want to continue on to strictly pump. There are also herbal supplements you can take to help increase your milk supply.

For more information on relactating:
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/adopt/index.html

Answer 5

why do you want to strictly pump- its very ahrd to get your milk supply back up without the help of baby- ababy has a more suffuciante wya of getting the milk out of a woman and it is much different than a pump- i pump twice a day for work and i only get about 3-4 ounces out at most. you can do it but pumping is hard work- more so than breastfeeding- teh best way is to put baby to the breast and pump

Answer 6

Google relactation. Also contact the La Leche League http://lllusa.org They should be able to help you.

As for pumps, I used an a Medela Pump in Style. It was rather pricey, but I would look into them on the web and check out reviews. You don't need a super expensive pump to be able to relactate.

These links should also help. Kellymom is amazing.
http://www.naturalchildbirth.org/natural/resources/breastfeeding/breastfeeding01.htm

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/relactation.html

Answer 7

bringing a milk supply back is hard, especially after two months & just using a pump.

i suggest using a hospital grade pump. check with your local hospital or a lactation consultant they can help you. a lactation consultant can give you tips on what you are attempting. it is not impossible.

my lactation consultant recommended pumping every 2-3 hours, taking the herb fenugreek, and trying to get the baby to latch.

look up some sites on re-lactating.

heres one.

Answer 8

If you are still leaking milk you may have a chance to bring your milk production back up.

The reality is that it is probably too late.

I couldn't breast feed my son for the first week and pumped starting day 6 and it was basically too late for me. I tried all the herbs, got a lactation consultant, pump, did everything that I could do and all I ever got was 2 ounces at the most. I did breastfeed as long as I could but my baby got 90% of his nutrition from formula.

Call a lactation consultatnt ASAP and get her advice.

Good luck!

Answer 9

I would stick to the thing i'd be doing most
it might be strange to the baby

take it easy