New to Exclusively Pumping

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-07-2010
New to Exclusively Pumping
Sun, 11-07-2010 - 6:38pm

Hello Everyone!

I was so thrilled to find this site. I was just on the verge of stopping the pumping and going to formula. My story is that my baby was born on September 9 and was 8 lbs 10 oz. We did pretty well the first month. She nursed, but wasn't effective. She was nursing A LOT! Like over 12 times a day and my nipples were horrible huge scabs. I developed mastitis as a result

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-14-2010
Sun, 11-07-2010 - 7:54pm
Hello and welcome to the board! First of all what kind of LC's are they if they tell you to give up nursing?! That's like the opposite of what they should be doing! Don't listen to them. There are a lot of things you can try to bring your baby back to breast. I can't remember exactly now, but when I was trying to do it I just googled it and there were so many different sites talking about it. The main thing was a ton of skin to skin contact, cuddling, carrying baby in a sling, taking a bath together, offering the breast any time she would take it : before meal, after meal, in between, even if she just comfort sucks, or even just laying at your breast not trying to attempt it. It takes patience and time, but it is possible. There are ladies on this board that brought their babies to breast after months of bottle-feeding and actually never breastfeeding in the first place! And your daughter has been breastfed for a few months already, so for sure you've got a better chance of doing it! I am a big believer in breastfeeding, and very sad that it didn't work out with my son. So my suggestion to you would be for sure to gibe it another try!
But even if it doesn't work and you end up EPing, there is no problem with bonding either! You can express your love and bond with your baby by doing other things, like cuddling, playing, holding her and talking to her while she has her bottle. Oh, there are so many different things! I really felt very guilty at first that I couldn't give my son that bonding experience, so what I did was that I carried him in a sling and held him every minute I got free. Also I always had him close to me when I was pumping- in a bouncer, beside me on a bed or just on my laps, so I could talk to him and play with him (I had to do it anyway, since otherwise I would've never got a chance to pump at all-DS was very demanding;))), or even feed him at the same time. We also co-slept since the beginning. Trust me, BFing is not the only way at all you can bond with your daughter! Good luck with everything!
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-14-2010
Sun, 11-07-2010 - 7:55pm

I struggled with nursing for about 3 months--the shield, screeching baby, lots of crying...and several lactation consults later we ended up exclusively pumping.


iVillage Member
Registered: 05-04-2009
Sun, 11-07-2010 - 8:03pm

Welcome to the board, and congratulations on your new baby. :)

Regarding the nursing, there have been a few ladies on this board who successfully got their babies to nurse after a period of time exclusively pumping. There have also been people who attempt to comfort nurse, not really expecting baby to transfer enough milk to get full, but rather cuddle and soothe their baby. Some babies get the hang of it better when they're older. My daughter fought me almost every time I tried to nurse her, but sometimes she would nurse a little in a dark, calm room or in the bath tub. You can keep trying environments like that. I'm sure other posters will have better advice for you on specifically how to make it more likely your baby will nurse later.

As for your other concerns, you can keep your baby beside you in a boppy, swing, or bouncy seat while you're pumping. That way you can still touch your baby and try to soothe her, give her a paci, etc. I fed mine in a boppy beside me while I pumped, and still interacted with her and touched her the whole time (unless she was sleeping). If you pump hands free, you can also hold your baby and feed her while you pump. I have heard of people sitting "indian style" on the floor and placing their baby in their lap while pumping, so that the baby feels like you're holding her.

Even if you're not nursing, you can still have skin to skin contact as well. Wearing your baby during the day might also help you feel "closer."


Mom to Ashley Elizabeth, born 11/3/09