If you breast feed and supplement with pumped bottles of your breast milk, is this still EBF? I've heard people say they can't leave the babe for more than an hour because they EBF, so does this mean they don't pump and bottle feed? I always imagined I would feed baby breast milk only (if I am able) but that I would pump for several reasons, one so that DH could help with nighttime feedings. Is this something people donor is it recommended to only feed right from the breast if you are able? I feel silly asking this question, but eager to know people's thoughts and experiences.
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I feed mostly from the breast but pump too and she has had bottles, I still consider it EBFing
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I consider if EBF but some of my friends tell me it is different and breast is best, etc.
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@maybebaby: I wondered about this, too! Thanks for asking the hive :)!
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I pump at work and breastfeed at home and I consider it EBF, though I've heard differently from other people.
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if its 100% breast milk, its EBF. the reason your friends say they can't leave the babe more than an hour is that you shouldn't introduce bottles before 6 weeks as it may cause nipple confusion, and you want to develop good nursing habits & supply at the beginning. Also, some babies just won't take a bottle.
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@maybebaby: huh I didn't know there were different opinions I guess! To me, breastmilk is breastmilk. I pumped and introduced a random bottle in the first few days even though ill be staying at home. Had emergency surgery last night and thankful we knew he'd take a bottle and had one pumped- otherwise we'd have had to buy and use formula
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Yes I'd say if all they get is breastmilk then it's EBF.
I planned to do the same thing as you but in reality it just didn't happen. It is just SO MUCH EASIER not to mess with bottles and pumping if you don't have to. I didn't leave my son until he was 9 months old but it really didn't feel like a big deal to me. He just came along wherever I needed to go!
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Also another reason pumping is hard is because the baby is more efficient than a pump. So it's easier to keep your supply up by nursing.
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I think if all baby is eating is breast milk it's EBF.
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As far as I'm concerned as long as it's breast milk it's EBF no matter the delivery method.
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I was conflicted by this too. I exclusively pumped for a year, and I had a difficult time accepting if my pumped milk in a bottle was good enough to be considered EBF. My LO wasn't going to the breast, but he was receiving my breast milk in each one of his bottles. I guess I was more worried about what other people thought, but when it comes down to it, I did EBF my LO. It just happened to be a different delivery method.
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Thanks for the responses, everyone!
@bebefly: This is exactly what I was looking for--I knew my "plan" to get hubby to help early on was too good to be true
I will read more about nipple confusion and supply, but this makes total sense to me.@scg00387: i hope your surgery went well, and glad that pumping worked especially in a case like this!
@glimmersnaps: i've heard that a lot too--people planned to but it just didn't happen. makes sense--boob is convenient, always there and the perfect temperature!
@yin: it always makes me sad regardless of if one breast or formula feeds how much of a concern other people's opinions are--i am already feeling self conscious of parenting decisions and i haven't even had the baby yet! congratulations for making it to a year, that is amazing. there is a great post about EBF via pumped milk on HPT: http://www.healthytippingpoint.com/2012/09/why-i-pump-and-why-you-shouldnt-feel-bad-for-me.html
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I think EBF is any breastmilk.. Whether pumped or not
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I consider myself an exclusive pumper, but many people have told me "that means LMW is exclusively breastfed!". I guess if there's no formula involved, it's still considered EBF. BreastMILK is best??
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I feed a mixture of from the breast and pumped milk from the bottle, and have been doing so since LO was three weeks old. She gets 1-2 pumped bottles a day, 1 before I go to bed as a dream feed, and others if I need to be out of the house and she's with the nanny. I definitely tell people all the time that she's EBF, or if I'm talking to someone who I know is a stickler for details, I'll say "She only drinks my milk" and am not specific about the method of delivery. Pumping or feeding directly, you're still doing the hard work of making milk!
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DS gets one nighttime bottle of pumped milk and we usually have an emergency bottle pumped for whenever I need to leave the house for doc appts, etc. on my own...
I still consider DS to be exclusively breast-fed, though I have heard that EBF = feeding from breast only.
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I think if it's all breast milk = EBF.
Pretty sure the "breast is best" refers to the nutritional content of breast milk and not the action of suckling on the breast. Yes, there are all kinds of bonding benefits to nursing, but mom (or dad, for that matter) can bond with baby just as effectively by giving baby a bottle.
But I am getting off topic -
@Pink Champagne: I agree with what you said about the breast is best thing meaning the milk, and not necessarily the suckling.
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@Pink Champagne: That's a big part of what appeals to me bottle feeding breast milk--having DH participate in such a special time of nurturing and bonding. i will be the primary caretaker for baby after DH's two weeks of paternity leave, and i want to make sure he gets to have as much special time with the babe as possible.
@PinkElephant: did you find LO had any issues switching between breast and bottle that early or has it been a smooth transition? i know every baby will be different, but this is so helpful to hear how other people have worked it out.
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@maybebaby: just to throw it out there, we gave DS a bottle from day one in the hospital because he was preemie and they made us supplement with formula because he was having a hard time latching. Kiddo switches back and forth between breast and bottle like a champ, and always has.
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@maybebaby: Not at all. I know I was on the early end of things, giving a bottle at three weeks, but it was really important to me that hubby be able to participate in feedings, and that I was able to leave the house to do things like go to the gym without having to be stressed about if my daughter was hungry. I was worried that if I waited to introduce the bottle until later, she wouldn't take it. She is now almost 6 months old and fortunately drinks equally well from breast or bottle. She refused the bottle once when she wasn't feeling well, but that's the only time I can think of. We use the Tommee Tippee closer to nature bottles/teats and they've been a hit.
Just a side note with an alternate option for those worried about nipple confusion - my midwife actually had LO drinking from a cup (like a little shot glass) at the hospital so that we could measure the amount of expressed breastmilk she was getting without worrying about nipple confusion. Medela makes a "spoon" specifically for this purpose. It was a bit weird to see a days-old baby being cup fed, but it was amazing how naturally she was able to do it.
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@PinkElephant: Thank you for sharing!! This is so helpful and I look forward to learning more about it...we are 24 weeks out, so I have a ways to go, but I am trying to learn everything I can
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@mrs. wagon: BreastMILK is best, that's it! EBF means breastmilk only, and how you deliver it doesn't matter at all. Pumping is a pain in the ass, honestly, and you may find that you don't want to do it if you don't have to. Or you may love it.
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I think ebf has become a blanket statement for giving breastmilk & not giving formula BUT the majority of the moms I know that ebf do not give bottles at all & those who don't nurse say the exclusively pump. Having done both, bottlefeeding & nursing I've found there is definitely an initial bonding difference & personally I think of nursing when I hear breastfeeding, not "breastmilk".
Considering the WHO recommendation of feeding & "exclusively breastfeeding" it would seem that from the breast would be ebf & then pumping would be what their #2 way to feed baby is..... Likely because breastfeeding isn't seen as just about nutrition but nurture & chemical/hormonal factors that happen only during nursing.
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I consider it EBF... but some EBF babies are bottle rejectors --like mine now
Maybe that is what the other mom meant?@PinkElephant: We pumped and gave bottles once a day from when my milk came in (also so dad could participate) and he stopped taking bottles around 3 months after a few weeks when Dad skipped all his feedings due to a work schedule thing. DS no longer takes a bottle even when starving. We have better luck with a spoon (SLOW!)
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I'm sure it depends on the baby, but we also didn't experience any nipple confusion - my son is mostly fed from the breast, but he will drink the occasional bottle of breastmilk (and, very rarely, formula), and has been drinking from a bottle every now and then since he was a few days old. He never had any trouble going back to the breast.
My pediatrician recommends introducing bottles before 2 months if that's something that interests you, otherwise the baby may reject bottles altogether, and you could be stuck if you ever need (or want) to use bottles in the future!
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When I hear EBF, I think breastmilk and consider all those mama's who work and pump or EPers EBFers too. My DD mostly nurses because I have 1 year maternity leave, but she takes a bottle here and there (tonight for instance, MIL watched her) when I need to be away from her.
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I don't pump but I think it's still considered EBF if you're pumping. Baby's still getting all breast milk. No difference to me!
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I pump & feed directly from the breast and I consider that EBF.
I can't leave my baby for more than 3h or else my breasts will explode
I need to pump frequently or nurse...
So that kinda sucks...even if DH got up with bottle feed DS, I'd still have to get up and pump -
@pastemoo: ack the spoon. The bane of my existence at the moment - its the only way I can get LO to have some water or juice with her solids. So slow, and so messy!
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I think breastfeeding is ideal, but feeding pumped breast milk is still certainly worlds better than formula (for most babies).
Some people can't breastfeed all the time for one reason or another, and so they pump.
That still requires a ton of dedication and provides the baby with the healthiest option - breast milk.I don't know if I would label it EBF or not, but in the end, the baby is still getting breast milk.
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I agree that as long as baby is getting all breast milk that is EBF.
M switches back and forth between breast & bottle no problems. I think we introduced a bottle around 3 or 4 weeks? I had to go back to work at 6 weeks.
@mrsjyw: you have a son!
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Since i was seperated from my baby after birth, he was fed from a bottle right away since I was in recovery.
2 days later once we were reunited, i had supply issues and he had latching issues. Now at 1 week old, fingers crossed, he either breastfeeds or will drink pumped milk from bottle. No nipple confusion just yet.Its been great because ive been able to BF and focus on my recovery too.
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Re: starting bottles early, my lactation consultant recommended that we start doing one bottle of pumped milk per day from the very beginning. She said that one bottle would make sure that LO was used to the bottle and would take one, and that just one a day wouldn't pose a threat to nursing. I'm really glad we did that- I liked being able to ever leave LO, LO was always a champ about taking a bottle, and he had no problem nursing the rest of the time.
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@Lozza: If only we hadn't stopped it!
Maybe that is what the other mom meant?@PinkElephant: We pumped and gave bottles once a day from when my milk came in (also so dad could participate) and he stopped taking bottles around 3 months after a few weeks when Dad skipped all his feedings due to a work schedule thing. DS no longer takes a bottle even when starving. We have better luck with a spoon (SLOW!)
I need to pump frequently or nurse...Reply
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