Hellobee Boards

I nursed a tiny bit/mostly pumped until 8 months, and then EPd until she was 1. I only ever made enough for half her intake. It is hard, but doable.

Get a car adapter for your pump so you can pump on the go! Keep your parts in the fridge or a cooler bag so you only need to wash amd sterilize once a day

My advice -- don't stress. If that means that you quit pumping, then do it. I killed myself over my lack of supply for my daughter -- then turned into a miserable housebound mommy b/c I was trying to pump all of the time. I basically shot myself right into a severe case of PPD in the aftermath. Everything was so much better once I decided to stop pumping, feed DD whatever milk she could get from me, and formula feed otherwise.

Like you, I would like to try breastfeeding again on our second child, but I've promised myself that I'm not going to beat myself up over not being able to breastfeed if it doesn't work out. Our daughter has turned out just fine despite being FF for most of her first year.

If you do want to keep up the pumping, I've seen moms who pump in public under a nursing cover. As long as it's in a reasonably noisy location, nobody even notices what's going on.

I EP and found that by 4 weeks I was able to drop ppjng sessions and life was much more manageable. I have to supplement a bottle a day with formula but I've already decided that if my supply drops to anyhing below 50% I will switch to all formula. It's too much work!

I don't have advice (other than to do what makes you less stressed), but you can get waterproof cotton nursing pads on etsy. They have a backing so BM doesn't go all the way through. I have them and haven't had any issues! I also EP at 4mo, but I don't have a problem with getting enough BM. I go about every 4hours, (4-5 times per day).

Car adapter for the pump plus a Freemie makes it simple to pump in the car - that's my recommendation! Freemie is pricey but I think it's cheap compared with longer term formula use (not a dig at formula use at all, just trying to explain economic justification for spending money on pump accessories).

@yin: Your story gives me hope for when we try for LO #2! I know I won't EP again.

I was the same way. I had a very low supply (lower than you- I rarely felt pain from not pumping for too long) and started out with less than 3 oz a day. I got it up to 9 oz a day when LO was 6 weeks, but then in one week I had Thanksgiving, my insane in-laws visiting, got my period, and went back to work. Supply PLUMMET. Honestly? I was glad. I hated being tied to the pump. The not going out for too long thing sucked but worse were people (cough... MIL) who weren't understanding and didn't care about scheduling anything around my pumping. It made it very difficult. I hated it though, so I gladly slow weaned and at 2 1/2 months I was done. It sounds like you're producing more, so I'm sure it'll be different, as all cases tend to be! Remember that any BM that you give is better than none, and that you're doing a great but VERY hard thing. Focus on the positive- while you pump, you're giving BM! When you stop- you have more time with LO's!! Either way it's win/win. Good luck mama, congrats on working so hard arleady.

I give all the moms here props who EP. I can just imagine how much harder it is b/c of all the bottles. I pumped and nursed the first 3 months with my oldest and it was pretty hellish. I was trying to up my supply so nursed, give previously pumped milk, and then pumped. Luckily, someone told me about storing my pump parts in the fridge afterwards and wash and sterilize once a day so that's what I did. Made a world of a difference!

Give it some time. I think once you get into a routine it'll get better. Also, you can probably drop pumping sessions as your LO gets older. That Freebie thing @danda: mentioned looks dreamy! I wish I heard about that a few years ago! Seems like such an interesting product!

@mrsmate: I could definately offer you advice to keep you going but sometimes it isn't what Mom really needs to hear. Rather I would say you are doing amazing so far, every extra feeding of breast milk is a gift you are giving your baby and sometimes Mom's need permission to put yourself first. Do what is best for you and your relationship with your kids first.

It was really hard with the twins but I just took one feeding at a time don't think about the next one while you are in the middle of a feeding. Nursing is a mind game more than you realize. It will affect everything from how you feel, your mood to your supply.
I had a lot of short term goals and never thought beyond them. First was to learn how to latch both of them at the same time (only achieved by visiting an IBCLC and a lot of practice), then it was replacing a bottle session with a nursing session one by one (I was completely nursing and not feeding pumped milk during the day by 3 weeks), then it was to make it to 1 month, then to transition to learning how to nurse on my side so I could feed them at night in bed...etc.

This is going to take time for both of you to get a routine and if you are determined with the right support you can do it!