Breastfeeding Questions

Hi Ctelly

Congrats on your pregnancy!

At the end of the day, it's a personal choice that only you can make. I still say that any way your baby is getting bm is better than formula, be it by exclusively pumping or combining the two BUT I can only speak from personal experience now.

A pump doesn't come close the sucking of a baby and every mommy reacts differently to a pump. Some get more out from a manual, than an electric or vice versa. Some get more out from hand expressing but you need to know that what you get out is no indication of your milk supply. Your baby is far more sufficient in draining that boobie.

It will also depend how well you get a letdown for the pump.

Why do you want to pump instead of feeding directly? Is it to make things easier when going back to work? Pumping to me is such a schlep and also hard work cause you need to wash bottles, sterilise them etc. It's a different story when you have to pump during work and washing it but doing it 24/7 is a different story.

The downside of doing it can be that your milk can decrease if you struggling with the pump, you will have to pump at least every 2 to 3 hours to keep supply up and most important con is that you taking away that mothering tool for baby I can't explain to you until you've experienced this for yourself.

I never bm my daughter but I was determined when I fell pregnant with my son. Yes, the first few weeks are hard but it's soooo worth it in the end. Your breasts are nature's natural dummy. It calms them down, it's their security, their comfort, helps them fall asleep, helps when they teething etc. I enjoy it so much and it really is just so easy and convenient to whip it out.

The La Leche League Leaders have a saying "when in doubt, whip it out!" hahaha

If you also trying to pump earlier to get baby used to a bottle, don't let it stress you out so much. You can really start introducing a bottle about 2 weeks before returning to work and let someone else give the bottle. Some babies take to it easier than others and others baby just plain out refuse a bottle but you can introduce cup feeding or even a sippy cup. You even get babies who happily wait for mommy to return home and top up like that and some will drink just enough during the day to take the edge off.

If you won't be able to express at work at all, then express over weekends and every other time at home when you can.

I hope this helps a bit. I need to fetch my kiddies but please feel free to ask away!

Hallo Ladies, I just browsed through some of the topics and found this one.. I think I can def use your knowledge
Hello Stella, nice "seeing" you here as well

So my question: I'm currently pregnant with my 1st child (so a big gap of knowledge exists). We're expecting a boy in about 14 weeks I would like to breastfeed as far as possible, I read that the first 3 weeks is the hardest? I was thinking of breastfeeding up to 2 or 3 months and then using a breast pump instead of feeding him directly. is there pros / cons to my idea.. would you have other suggestions?

Blessedmom@ I have tried Pigeon but they get full quickly and becomes a hassle when am out having to keep taking the soaked ones before they start making my clothes wet.

Hi Nels

Sounds like you have a bit of an oversupply. I personally don't like the carriwell brand. Never tried other cloth pads unfortunately.
I really like the pigeon disposables. Those were the only ones that really worked for me.
I think it's a case of trial & error!

Gloei - really hope you win this battle soon. As for breastpads....I really like the Pigeon ones. They were the only ones that really worked well for me.

I don't like cloth pads. They leak and move around in your bra

o no.

Nels, i gave a few links where you can buy them online.
i thing they will be much better quality than the ones you buy in the stores.

unfortunately i do not yet have experience with them so i can really say now

Nels - Ahh no!! I saw your post just a bit too late. I sent hubby to get me some fabric breast pads and it was the cariwell brand...All of them leaked...

Dischem also had Avent fabric breast pads, don't know if they will work better??

Think I am going to start a separate thread for fabric breast pads, perhaps other moms can advise which brands worked for them etc.

Hello Blessed mom

I have a few cloth breast pads from carriwell and the seem to leak and not absorb like i thought they would;(. Even the plastic ones seem to get full fast and have to change constantly. Is there a better brand then carriwell? At the moment my last resort is night sanitary pads( I know) but its seems to be the only thing that is helping. Or else I wake up with a wet chest and bedding:(