Pumping from the very beginning?

[yeoh_tt]

Hi all mommies out there... Has anyone succeeded in feeding breastmilk for several months without direct breastfeeding?

My first baby hated to latch on in the very beginning so I tried to pump out milk and fed him using bottles. I was very guilty then, being a first time mom. My nipples are flat and have wide base and thin skin. So even if I pump using manual (Avent) or electrical pump (Medela), i get bleeding blisters on my nipple so I resorted to finger expression. I managed to feed him partial breastmilk for 2 months.

For my second baby, I was very determined that I will succeed this time. I managed to latch her on and all the lactation consultants in the hospital thought that my baby was latching on correctly. However, my nipples started to form blisters and bled and I could see deep cuts at the base of my nipples after 2 days of direct breastfeeding. So I decided to express out milk again, using my fingers, as I really couldn't take the pain anymore. The supply had been good for one month plus but it has since dropped. I have decided that maybe I could use the Avent Electrical pump to stimulate lactation. So then I started pumping with pump plus expressing with fingers (Gosh, my whole day revolves around pumping). I have been doing this for about 2 weeks now. At most, I just managed to maintain supply. I just wonder if this actually works?

I feel really guilty for not being able to nurse my baby directly. I am trying my best to give her the good nutrition of breastmilk. At the same time, I am very frustrated with ppl who condemns moms who failed in breastfeeding. It seems that a mom who failed breastfeeding= a mom who failed motherhood completely. Whatabout ppl like me who tried very hard but still didn't succeed? It just breaks my heart. I still love my kids and my son is really close to me. I just want to say that breastfeeding is not the full picture of motherhood. Just voicing out my humblest opinion.

Please share your experience if you have managed to rely on pumped- out milk for a long time.

[Kalyani]

At the beginning, I also had a problem of feeding my baby directly, because he drinks a lot at the beginning. So I pumped at every 2 hours interval, stored& feed my baby atleast once or twice a day, so that he gets enough milk. Supoply depends on baby's demand...
Now also I breast feed my baby directly & indirectly as well( Pump) due to his high demand.

Can't you get treatments for sore nipples.... There are creams available in the market. My friend (UK) has this problem & now resolved & feeding her baby directly... Have you consulted your doctor?
try the following link... They are conducting workshops... try & see whether it helps ...
Breastfeeding Mothers' Support Group (Singapore) - Help Corner

Do not worry... you are doing a good job... Sometimes people give up breast feeding, simply because of laziness of pumping & go for formula... But you are trying your best for your baby...

[yeoh_tt]

Hi Kalyani,

Thanks for your kind encouragement and advice, I feel better already.

I have tried using nipple shields and a few brands of nipple cream/gels but still no improvement. The lactation consultant in my hospital said:' Can't be help. The cracking is not due to wrong latch on position but because of the nature of my skin'. My Obs is a male so I felt akward to ask him.

Anyway I am trying to pump even more frequent now (my poor sore nipples!!!) and have started taking Fenugreek supplement. Hopefully I can get more supply.

Thanks again!!!!

[snowbear]

I also started pumping from the start coz bb kept crying and struggling. Recently i tried latching her again with the help of a lactation consultant. I succeeded there and for a few more feeds at home before she suddenly refused to suck from my breasts again and the result of these failed attempts: extreme frustration and blistered painful nipples.
I think she has developed breasts aversion coz now she starts crying when put in the nursing position. I've been having so many bf problems since i started and have spent every single day since in pain (engorgement, plugged ducts, sore and cracked nipples). I really envy people who are able to bf smoothly...

[leaf]

i've a friend who pumps for her bb since day 1. she stopped direct latching coz of sore nipples. she's still pumping for bb at 9 mths.

imo, do try to get help for latch early on, its really inconvinient to pump and feed exclusively

kudos though, to all who have tried and no matter if its for 1 day or 1 year, what matters is that you've tried to give bb your best