https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 15 May 2026 03:02:38 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/am-i-doing-this-right-pumping-amp-bfing#post-363633 Fri, 26 Oct 2012 21:03:33 +0000 pinkcupcake 363633@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It sounds like you're doing everything right! I pumped on both sides for a couple days when L was about a week old to let both nipples heal (they were cracked and bleeding... sooo painful!). The LC wanted us to avoid giving her a bottle so we used a syringe instead. After my nipples healed up a bit, we went back to nursing and worked on our latch. She had no problem going back to breast feeding, and we were able to get her to latch on correctly. I don't think you should worry about your LO refusing the breast. Good luck! :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/am-i-doing-this-right-pumping-amp-bfing#post-363629 Fri, 26 Oct 2012 21:00:51 +0000 hilsy85 363629@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@tysonja: Thank you!! Good to hear that it wasn't a problem for you to go back to the breast :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/am-i-doing-this-right-pumping-amp-bfing#post-363624 Fri, 26 Oct 2012 20:58:48 +0000 hilsy85 363624@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@TurtleDoves: We also started giving a paci sometimes--our pedi okay'd it and LO seems to like it when he's falling asleep sometimes. I DEFINITELY don't want an infection, good point!@Rainbow Sprinkles: I also feel like I have no rhyme or reason--I wish they had given some instruction at the hospital for pumping but they were honestly so against doing it/introducing a bottle before 3-4 weeks. Made me feel even more guilty :(<br /> @Thehistoryofus: It's just me and DH...I've been doing the good side every 4 hours (so every other feeding) and he's getting bottles for the other one. So are you saying I should pump to relieve engorgement and then just not use it? I don't really have a good way to save it, and I"m also concerned that my left side might not produce enough.<br /> @winniebee: I actually tried a nipple shield and found it SO frustrating to use. It kept sliding around and the plastic top kept flipping up and sticking to LO's face :( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/am-i-doing-this-right-pumping-amp-bfing#post-363558 Fri, 26 Oct 2012 19:54:05 +0000 winniebee 363558@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Sounds like you are doing it right. I learned the hard way. My LO only ever ate from one side and I always pumped the other at that same feeding thereby calling in double the amount of milk he actually needed (which sounds good but my supply made it duh that I was always engorged and choking my LO with milk). </p> <p>One suggestion I have is that you might want to use a nipple shield so that you can still feed him from that side even if it's sore (I had blisters and with the shield it healed in a few days). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/am-i-doing-this-right-pumping-amp-bfing#post-363547 Fri, 26 Oct 2012 19:42:11 +0000 T.H.O.U. 363547@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>How much help do you have right now? If possible I would try to just feed on the good side ever two hours for 2 days. I would limit the bottles. One or two a day may not be an issue but more than that could cause confusion. </p> <p>As I started to heal I would feed her on the good side and once she wasn't crazy starving and sucking like crazy I would put her a few times a day on the damaged side. So a full nursing on the good side and then some bonus on the bad side for just a minute or so. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/am-i-doing-this-right-pumping-amp-bfing#post-363535 Fri, 26 Oct 2012 19:34:14 +0000 Rainbow Sprinkles 363535@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>To be completely honest I don't believe in nipple confusion. I think a baby is much more likely to refuse a bottle than the breast. Especially if you are still nursing on one side you shouldn't have a problem!</p> <p>As for the pumping, I would just do whatever feels right. Pump whenever the damaged side feels full. Know that you are probably outputting less when you pump than when he nurses on the other side, if that makes sense. You you might want to pump more often than you nurse just to keep yo<br /> ur supply up. (For example, every time I pump my right side I get 2 ounces, but I know when LO feeds on that side she gets at least 4 ounces).<br /> the first couple weeks for me I didn't have any sort of rhyme or reason to my pumping, I just pumped when I felt I needed it. Keep it up, it sounds like you're doing great!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/am-i-doing-this-right-pumping-amp-bfing#post-363520 Fri, 26 Oct 2012 19:20:22 +0000 CupQuakeWalk 363520@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hilsy85: I don't know about supply being more on the one side due to pumping because I am beginner myself:) but I can tell you: DS nurses from the breast all day long and give him bottles of pumped milk throughout the night and he has zero nipple confusion. He refers the nipple....even after getting 2 bottles throughout the night (I give him bottles at night so I'll be full enough to pump at dawn).* And he takes a paci in the car. He has had no problems whatsoever and we've been doing this since he was 3 days old and he's 11 days old so I think we're good.</p> <p>*I pump enough for the nightly bottles plus a little stash when I do this.</p> <p>Oh and I wanted to say something else my LC told me:<br /> If you don't do what you're doing and let that nipple heal: you may get an infection. Because the skin is broken and milk can get stuck in it...it can be a breeding ground for bacteria. And you don't want that: so, good job on allowing it to heal up really well! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/am-i-doing-this-right-pumping-amp-bfing#post-363433 Fri, 26 Oct 2012 17:30:04 +0000 tysonja 363433@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>i think that as long as your supply is still up on your right side (sounds like it is going well -- good job on the pumping!) he will be fine once you heal up. our LO has been on breast and bottle since he was born (even a a whole week stint of only bottle when he was 2 weeks old -- bleeding nipples, too, blegh) and went back to breast just fine. it has only been recently (5 months old) that he will delatch himself after a few minutes and cry for the bottle -- but that is because of my low supply. </p> <p>hang in there you're doing great! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/am-i-doing-this-right-pumping-amp-bfing#post-363430 Fri, 26 Oct 2012 17:18:32 +0000 hilsy85 363430@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MamaMoose: That's what I'm hoping as well :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/am-i-doing-this-right-pumping-amp-bfing#post-363427 Fri, 26 Oct 2012 17:12:00 +0000 MamaMoose 363427@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have no practical experience but since he's still latching on your left side I don't think nipple confusion will be an issue for you. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/am-i-doing-this-right-pumping-amp-bfing#post-363415 Fri, 26 Oct 2012 16:54:07 +0000 hilsy85 363415@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My right nipple is extremely sore and damaged (large scab, some small cracks) so starting this morning, I've been pumping on the right and feeding LO on the left. So every 2-3 hours I'll feed him on the left side until he's done, and then 2 or so hours later, I'll pump on the right and give him the pumped milk in a bottle (usually comes out to 2-3oz). If my right boob feels engorged (which it sometimes does, I think I produce more milk on that side?), I"ll sometimes pump to relieve it. Basically, am I doing this right? Should I be pumping on my right side after every feeding (so every 2-3 hours)? For the first week when I was EBF, I only fed on one side per feeding.</p> <p>Also, please tell me that once my nipple heals, I'll be able to get LO to latch on without refusing due to having a bottle a few times a day....or if I should prepare myself for the refusal, be honest about that as well, I guess! Thanks :) </p>