Crafts DIY and health blog: I’m an exclusive pumper and proud.

Disclaimer: I am not a lactation consultant, I am not a Dr, I have no education in this area at all. This is simply based on my experience.

BRAND NEW MOM HERE!! Here’s what I think.

Before I was pregnant, I swore I would never breastfeed. It just seemed like it would be too time consuming, too exhausting, and kids who get formula are just as healthy and smart.

Well I was right. Breastfeeding is time consuming and exhausting. It’s hard physically and emotionally. I wish there was a button you could press and all the milk would come out but no, you sit there for 30 minutes and sometimes that’s not enough.

One of the first things I’ve learned is that PUMPING IS BREASTFEEDING. I’ll say it again for all the Karen’s in the back. PUMPING IS BREASTFEEDING. And don’t let anyone tell you any different. You may not be nursing but your baby is still getting the milk your body is producing, that is breastfeeding.

Now, do I think breast is best? Nope. Do I think it’s worth the time I’m taking to pump every 3 hours? Kinda but I won’t lie, I’m not totally convinced.

Some benefits I have experienced are:

We haven’t had to buy any formula. I got a free sample of Similac so we were able to use that to supplement before I started producing enough milk. The pump I originally got was provided by my insurance – It didn’t work well for me so I am borrowing a different one from a friend (Thanks Amanda!). I have not started my period yet (HUGE BONUS!!!!!). I had very minimal bleeding after birth (thank you lord). It has helped me lose baby weight (okay, I see you pumping.). Daddy gets to help feed (why didn’t God design men to produce milk too?).

My best advice (again, remember I am not an expert):

GET SIZED FOR YOUR FLANGES! Oh my gosh. My flanges were WAYYY too big. I mean, I could have fit two nipples in one of those babies. To be honest, at first I thought they were too small (24mm) so I literally sent a picture of my nipple to a random lady I found on Facebook and she told me to get 19mm flanges… WOW, she was right! I’m actually impressed. I’m also weirded out by the fact that I sent a picture of my nipple to some lady but hey, it worked. Since getting sized, it no longer hurts when I pump and I get an ounce to two ounces more milk! Now I’m sure someone at the hospital can size you so you don’t have to be psycho and send a boob pic to some rando…

GET MULTIPLE FLANGES & BOTTLES. You won’t want to wash them and dry them immediately after every single use. It’s so nice to have multiples so you can pump, refrigerate, and wash when you can.

REWARD YOURSELF! After pumping, have that piece of chocolate, eat that bag of chips, have a second cup of coffee. Reward yourself for giving up your time and body.

GET COCONUT OIL! I use this instead of nipple cream. It has changed my life. Since I started using it, I no longer get cracked nipples. I apply it once a day. It truly makes a difference in my pumping journey.

BE PATIENT! My milk didn’t come in right away. KEEP PUMPING! I pumped at the hospital every three hours for the entire time I was there and I didn’t get a single drop. It was very defeating. I got home and SHAZAM! It was flowing like a faucet.

BE KIND TO YOURSELF. You are an extraordinary woman whether you breastfeed, nurse, or formula feed. You just preformed a miracle! Give yourself time to heal. Give yourself grace.

Other tidbits-

When you bend over to put on your pants, don’t be surprised when you start leaking. It never fails… When I bend over to pull up my pants after showering, I immediately start leaking. I usually run to the pump and hook up, I don’t want to waste any of that liquid gold.

What is a freezer stash? This gave me so much anxiety when I first started pumping. I had the idea that I had to have hundreds of ounces saved up. 7 weeks into it, I have created a system. I make enough bottles for the next 24 hours; this equates to about 10 bottles in the fridge at all times. However many ounces I have leftover after making sure I have ten bottles, gets froze. So at my early morning pump session, I can usually get enough milk to make two bottles and freeze 3oz. Every bag I freeze is 3oz so it’s consistent. You can freeze more in a bag but I don’t want to waste any – if a bag breaks while thawing or if baby only eats 4oz instead of 6oz… Freezing only 3oz in a bag, I know he will drink it all and not chance wasting any. -milk is good for 4 days in the refrigerator, 6 months in the freezer, 12 months in a deep freezer.

Once I stopped worrying about having a freezer stash, my supply increased. I have approx. 240oz saves so far. Don’t stress yourself out about it.

What is power pumping? Power pumping is 20 minutes, rest 10, pump 10, rest 10, pump 10. This mimics cluster feeding which signals your body to make more milk. I did this twice a day for 3 days straight.. It was time consuming and annoying but it did allow me to produce over 35oz that day and I had an overall increase in milk the days following. If I notice a decrease in supply, I do a power pump. If I have time while pumping, I will do a mini power pump (my own term). I will pump for 15 and rest for 10, then pump for another 10. This has helped me produce more. Ultimately, you need to do what works best for you and it may take a few days to a week to figure out what that is.

Why is baby gassy/fussy? I have started to wonder if what I’m eating if impacting Nolan’s attitude. He will spit up more after some feedings, he will be more gassy or cry more certain days. I don’t know if what I eat makes a huge difference but sometimes I do look at what I ate the day I pumped that milk and think he’s fussy because of it. More on this when I figure it out.

Speaking of diet — I did read where eating oats can help increase supply. Some say the only true way to increase supply is to pump more frequently and empty your breasts every time… I can’t really say if the oatmeal and oatmeal cookies (I got them from Milky Mama) are helping increase it but I’m trying it out. It’s a real scientific experiment.

If you read this far, I appreciate you. I hope my experiences, and what I share, helps you in some way.

Remember… You don’t have to nurse or breastfeed to be a good mom. You’re doing the best you can and that’s enough.

All the best, Mama