https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 16 May 2026 16:52:05 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-exclusively-bottle-feeding-expressed-milk-advice-needed#post-210622 Wed, 04 Jul 2012 08:46:51 +0000 Mrsbells 210622@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>in the beginning i was mostly pumping because it was hard getting her to latch on and it was painful and i was never sure if she was full o not. but within a week or two i got the hang of it. You can try the Lansinoh Affinity double electric pump. Its much cheaper than others but its worked great for me </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-exclusively-bottle-feeding-expressed-milk-advice-needed#post-210595 Wed, 04 Jul 2012 07:55:13 +0000 mrsjazz 210595@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Crumbs: I breastfeed at home and pump at work and I gotta say that pumping is a pain in the ass! I do use a double-electric pump, but it is still a hassle. If you are going to express and bottle feed full time a double electric is the way to go. And a hands free bra.</p> <p>My LO didn't get the hang of nursing for about 3 weeks to a month. I still have to compress my breasts and usually end up with tingling fingers.</p> <p>Can you try breastfeeding your LO in positions that make it easier for you? For instance, can you latch her on while sitting and then lean back and scooch down so that it looks like she is on top of your breast? <a href="http://www.biologicalnurturing.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.biologicalnurturing.com/</a></p> <p>Or can you try feeding her while laying down? That way the weight of both your baby and your breasts are supported by the bed. I hear this position is great for large breasted women. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-exclusively-bottle-feeding-expressed-milk-advice-needed#post-210570 Wed, 04 Jul 2012 02:54:38 +0000 betsyboop 210570@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mediagirl: welcome :) or should i say :( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-exclusively-bottle-feeding-expressed-milk-advice-needed#post-210565 Wed, 04 Jul 2012 02:29:48 +0000 mediagirl 210565@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@betsyboop: @winniebee I figured I'd hop in and say, I'm up pumping, too! Haha. New mommy club - 3am pumpers. :-) Hope you all get back to sleep easily when you're done! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-exclusively-bottle-feeding-expressed-milk-advice-needed#post-210563 Wed, 04 Jul 2012 02:24:04 +0000 betsyboop 210563@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@winniebee: Nope, 3am et here and pumping too! While my lo is sound asleep! Annnnnd this is why i would love to have been able to breastfeed! Hope you get some sleep :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-exclusively-bottle-feeding-expressed-milk-advice-needed#post-210561 Wed, 04 Jul 2012 02:19:02 +0000 winniebee 210561@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@betsyboop: thx! 3 am est and yep I'm pumping! Hope it's a better hour where you are! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-exclusively-bottle-feeding-expressed-milk-advice-needed#post-210560 Wed, 04 Jul 2012 02:17:03 +0000 betsyboop 210560@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@winniebee: i sort of massage under the armpit and work my way in towards the center of my torso. And i feel around for any problem spots that i think might indicate plugged ducts and massage there like crazy too! Im so scared of mastitis! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-exclusively-bottle-feeding-expressed-milk-advice-needed#post-210559 Wed, 04 Jul 2012 02:11:52 +0000 winniebee 210559@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@betsyboop: not to thread jack, but how do you massage while pumping? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-exclusively-bottle-feeding-expressed-milk-advice-needed#post-210540 Wed, 04 Jul 2012 00:20:52 +0000 leelee 210540@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I know exactly where you're coming from. LO is 8 days old and is having latching issues. I started pumping because she had a bad case of jaundice so we had to feed her more frequently. </p> <p>While I plan on trying Breastfeeding again pumping has been a huge help. Before I was stressing about how she wasn't getting enough to eat but now I know exactly how much she's eating. Added bonus is that DH can feed her too so I can sleep a little more ;) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-exclusively-bottle-feeding-expressed-milk-advice-needed#post-210525 Tue, 03 Jul 2012 22:52:37 +0000 Bluebonnet 210525@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hang in there. It does get easier. Try different nursing positions to elevate pressure on your hands and so you don't feel like you might suffocate LO. </p> <p>Like others have said , exclusively pumping and bottle feeding takes so much more time. Try breastfeeding a little longer before resorting to exclusively pumping. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-exclusively-bottle-feeding-expressed-milk-advice-needed#post-210521 Tue, 03 Jul 2012 22:28:01 +0000 LouLouBelle 210521@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Keep tryin to breast feed!! It has only been five days! Pumping exclusively is really really hard work, and so much extra time and energy and effort and money and dishes! Our baby didn't get the hang of nursing full time until ELEVEN weeks, so during that time I was pumping 8 times a day in addition to nursing. Pumping and bottle feeding is a lot of extra work. Now that she is only nursing I am so happy and relaxed!! It was a long and tiring 11 weeks but I'm so glad she finally got it because nursing is so much easier! I would say give it another week or two before ou make the decision, if for nothing else other than the convenience! But at the end of the day, you have to do what's best for you because you need to be relaxed and happy to be a good mom, so if EPing is what makes that happen,, then go for it! Just a lot of work! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-exclusively-bottle-feeding-expressed-milk-advice-needed#post-210518 Tue, 03 Jul 2012 22:17:42 +0000 betsyboop 210518@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I too am an exclusive pumper (lo is 6 weeks, would not latch). Like @winniebee said, pumping is harder in that it's more time consuming since you have to pump, then bottlefeed, and then wash bottles. For me though, the biggest inconvenience is having to entertain or keep my lo calm while i pump for 20 min. Pumping was rough in the beginning because it felt like it was a big production every time i needed to pump but i've gotten used to it. Definitely get a hands free bra (i like the simple wishes one) and make sure you massage a ton while youre pumping! I also have the pump in style and i love it! Oh, and congratulations!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-exclusively-bottle-feeding-expressed-milk-advice-needed#post-210494 Tue, 03 Jul 2012 21:02:58 +0000 winniebee 210494@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I started feeding DS exclusively pumped milk a week ago at 6w after many many BF struggles. On the one hand pulping is great bc you know LO is getting X amount and that he is getting enough hindmilk. But in most ways it is harder than BF in my opinion. DS takes 20 mins to take a bottle then I need to burp hin etc and get him resting quietly before I can pump (20 mins - even though I get 99% of my milk in 10 mins it's better to pump for 20 for breast stimulation). At night I'm now up for 1 hr versus 15 mins. Sometimes it feels like all I do is feed, pump, and wash bottles. I wish we could have BF exclusively. But it was the best decision for our family. We are much less stressed. </p> <p>I have the Medela Pump in Style Advanced and use it wig a hands free bustier bra. I have nothing but good things to say about this pump. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-exclusively-bottle-feeding-expressed-milk-advice-needed#post-210491 Tue, 03 Jul 2012 20:43:08 +0000 plaidpants 210491@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would do whatever is working for you right now! I know at least a couple moms who pump exclusively. One perk is that it's much easier to share the responsibility of feeding with your partner.</p> <p>But if you think you do want to eventually breastfeed from your breast, I wouldn't give up yet. I know my boobs were craaaazy for the first couple weeks. They were already bigger to begin with and when they became engorged, the situation was almost unmanageable. But it got better as my milk regulated to what my LO was actually eating. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-exclusively-bottle-feeding-expressed-milk-advice-needed#post-210490 Tue, 03 Jul 2012 20:42:31 +0000 littlek 210490@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Have you thought about renting from a hospital? We are renting one and it's fantastic! It's very inexpensive and more powerful than a pump you can buy. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-exclusively-bottle-feeding-expressed-milk-advice-needed#post-210489 Tue, 03 Jul 2012 20:42:26 +0000 chopsuey 210489@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My friend and SIL both exclusively bottle fed expressed milk. I would make sure to pump for at least 20 minutes each session so you get a good amount of hind milk!<br /> Otherwise, you shouldn't have a problem. Both bottle fed babies (toddlers now) are healthy and doing well! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-exclusively-bottle-feeding-expressed-milk-advice-needed#post-210488 Tue, 03 Jul 2012 20:33:53 +0000 SugarplumsMom 210488@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm having a hard time breastfeeding. My breasts are too large for LO and I can't seem to get her to latch without a nipple shield. When I do try to breastfeed, it's not only about the pain, but the compression of my breasts and then holding it up to not suffocate her. </p> <p>I bought a manual pump thinking I would only need it to alleviate engorgement but now I'm starting to pump more often and because it covers a larger area, doesn't hurt as much as when I breastfeed her. Pumping is also more efficient and I can better regulate how much she's actually eating. Plus, I wouldn't have to use my hands so much (my pregnancy induced carpal tunnel will never go away like this)! </p> <p>I'm thinking of buying a real pump and doing it full-time. Has anyone else done this and is there any concerns I should know about. Any advice is greatly appreciated.</p> <p>Note: I just started breastfeeding, LO will only be 5 days old today. Maybe I should just work on it more but the stress on my hands is enough to make me look for alternate methods. </p>