A question about breast feeding.

i would think you could pump all the time, but i think it would be more work doing that then just taking 15 minutes or however long it take to feed him.

Mandi

i felt the same way with my first. i guess i'm odd but just the idea of it kind of grossed me out. but i did it. and it's not that bad. it's my favorite time with my babies. i love the closeness i feel with them. but i've heard of people pumping the whole time. whatever is going to work for you.

yes you can, but yuo will have to be very deidcated, especially in the early days.  I would definately try breastfeeding.....you may find that it is not as likely to make you "cringe" as you think.  It is a magical thing, and nothing makes you closer to yoru baby.  I would try it.  If then yu dont like it, then so the eclusive pumping thing.  Nothing is more natural though than breastfeeding.  Also, think about why you feel that way. Is is lack of experience and education on the topic?  For most that is the case when they feel weird about breastfeeding.  Is it because society puts such a sexual emphasis on breasts?  Whatever the reason, just think about it and maybe try to look at it a different way.  Your child breastfeeding and getting his food from you is in no way weird, gross, etc.  It is magical and wonderful.  It is also something that only you can do for him.....and it is something that when it is over you can never get back.  Good luck, and yes you can exclusively pump.....but breastfeeding is so wonderful I encourage you to give it a try.

I think you are completely normal.  I was not thrilled with the idea of BF at first.  But once I got the hang of it, I really enjoyed it.  It was a great bonding time for me and DD.  Even DH admitted to being jealous that he could not bond with our daughter in the same way.  If you never enjoy it, that is not uncommon either.  My SIL hated BFing and pumped as much as she could instead.  I say, to each her own.  Good luck mama.

Sure, you CAN but you have to be VERY deticated, as someone else mentioned. It's so much easier to just nurse from the breast. Especially when the baby wakes up in the middle of the night and is hungry. You don't have to make him wait while you sit there and pump while he's hungry and crying or make him wait while you heatup the premade bottles and not to mention the fact that you won't have to worry about sterelizing bottles and nipples every day either. Your milk will come out the perfect tempurature and your baby will take as much as is needed at the time. Not to mention it's the sweetest way to bond with your new born baby.

I don't know or understand how and why some women think of it as gross or sexual or whatever it is that makes you cringe when you think about it. It is THE most natural thing you can do. It's what women have been doing since the beginning of time up until the most recent century when formula was introduced.

But whatever. To each their own. Yes, it is possible, but I think you'll find it much easier to just breastfeed from the breast.

Good luck with whatever you do.

Some women just aren't comfortable with the idea of nursing,however your baby get's breastmilk is great.

Moms who excluv.pump will usually experience supply problems because no pump is as efficient as a baby is at removing milk from your breasts.

If you are going to excluv. pump you will want a hospital-grade double electric pump.

Well. your milk wont properly "let down" without that emotional connetction. so..you CAN pump..jusy not everytime.

I dont see why you wouldn't be able to pump, as long as you produce enough milk.  But thought the same way you did with my frist. I was on;y 18 at the time, but i tried it anyways. You have a special bond with the baby that I loved. I ended up stopping though. This baby I will be doing both because I work.

I wouldnt recommend pumping from the very beginning because it will definately be more challenging for you to build up a healthy milk supply....your best bet is to exclusively BF for the first 4 to 6 weeks to build up a good strong supply and THEN start pumping your milk. Its up to you but it would be easier if you waited a bit to make sure things are built up instead of struggling to keep up your supply with just the pump.

and honestly, its SO much easier to just nurse baby from the breast, you may find always pumping to be a big hassle for you.

Liz :)

I wouldn't recommend pumping from the beginning, nothing works as good as a baby for getting a supply. Pumping is not easy, i have been doing it for months and it is very very hard to keep your supply up.