Breastmilk in a Bottle

I've read a lot of the responses and you've gotten a lot of good advice. I will chip in my two cents since I'm in a very similar situation.

I pump and feed my baby breast milk in a bottle because I personally find breastfeeding extremely uncomfortable. He eats breast milk exclusively and I haven't had to use formula at all once my milk came in.

I pump as often as my baby eats. I also pump and try to completely empty each breast each time, that way he gets the hind milk. I usually pump while he naps, that way I'm not trying to feed him/hold him while I pump.

Since I started out with a lot of milk, I would save 8+ ounces and he would only drink maybe half of that, so I was able to get ahead and have milk set aside in advance. That way, if I'm not home or am in a spot where I can't pump, I have plenty for him anyway.

To keep my supply up, I pump several times a night and it helps me not feel engorged or like I'm losing my supply. I also try to pump before going places, like the store or to a friends house so I can stay and not feel like I have to leave early to pump.

I was in exactly the same spot as you are when my son was born. One thing that really helped was switching to the "cross-cradle hold" (http://www.babycenter.com/0_how-do-i-hold-thee-positions-...) - it helped me guide him to where he needed to go.
Good luck!

Go to www.kellymom.com they have the best information out there when it comes to breastfeeding, go to thier message boards if you can't find what you are looking for.

It sounds like he might have an allergy to something you're eating. This happened with my daughter, and it turns out she had a dairy allergy. I stopped eating dairy, and she started nursing fine and was a happy girl again. If that's the case, he might be breaking the latch because what's in the milk could be giving him a tummy ache. I don't know, just a thought...

I'm sorry that you're having a hard time with nursing and totally understand that you want the best for your little one! It's very typical of newborns wanting to nurse A LOT in the first few weeks of life. It's comforting for them and it helps build up your milk supply. I've nursed two children (for a year the first time and 15 months the second time) and both times I felt like the first 6 weeks were the most difficult to get through.
How do you find it uncomfortable? Is it just the soreness b/c he's nursing so often or is it b/c of him pulling away? Sometimes the baby will pull away frustrated if the milk isn't coming fast enough or too fast (does your milk squirt or dribble out when he pulls away and can you hear him gulping?). If he's having plenty of wet and dirty diapers per day and he's gaining weight, I'm sure he's getting enough. Have you tried the Lansinoh nipple cream? That helped me with nipple soreness the first couple of months. Personally, I hated pumping when I went back to work, but stuck to it b/c I wanted to continue to breastfeed. More power to you if you don't mind doing that!! I've heard of mom's pumping and giving bottles exclusively. I think the thing to keep in mind is that your baby is more efficient at getting the milk out than a pump is, but if you have a good pump then you should be able to keep your milk supply up. You would have to pump every two to three hours throughout the day, and probably for about 15 to 20 minutes every time (if you gently massage your breasts while pumping, it helps express the milk from the ducts). Your body adjusts to the demand of the baby, so your milk supply dwindles when the baby isn't feeding as often (or you're not pumping as often) or it builds up if the demand is constant - it's pretty cool how it works!
I wish you luck with whatever you decide to do!!!

Well for one........you are going to have to pump at least as many times as you are now breastfeeding. If he somehow manages to skip a feeding then you will be one ahead, but for starters you may have to pump extra just to get a decent buffer set up.
His pulling away upset and rooting may be due to a slow milk flow.....(your letdown doesn't happen as fast as he's feeding)...a plugged duct or ducts.....which you can fix with warm compresses, just dip a small towel (hand or hair towel size) in water as hot as you can stand it and hold it on your breast for as long as you can handle it. do that back and forth about 3 or 4 times every day and try it right before he feeds.
Hope any of this helps...i will warn you though....having 3 babies go through the NICU and having to pump milk for them....it will be a time consuming process

If you really want him to have breastmilk, try it for just one or two more weeks..for me, that made and incredible difference. I was VERY uncomfortable for about 5 weeks. My baby is now 3 months and eating wonderfully!

My first baby was difficult. So I ended up pumping for him and giving him breastmilk in a bottle. It was a lot of work! Washing bottles, heating up bottles, and then when you are trying to pump the baby's crying, etc. I always swore I would never do it again, especially because that would mean I'd have another child and pumping time just took too long to often. You'd have to pump almost every feeding to keep up with the supply that your baby needs.

So that is why with my second baby, even though I wanted to give up, I had motivation to stick it out. Now I'm SO grateful. It's so much EASIER!

BUT.....I also feel like if you are at your wits end, and if it really isn't working, then it's not worth it to feel stressed out and frustrated - for both of you. If you feel that this it he case, then the bottle is just fine. Just don't feel guilty if you can't keep up with pumping and you have to switch to formula. Pumping soley for breastmilk every feeding is a lot of work.

Best of luck to you in your decisions!

When my baby acted like that during feedings, I gave him mylecon drops before he ate. It helped. You can also check to see if he has reflux.

Ultimately, you are the mom and you will know what is best for your baby's health and your mental health! :)

Hi, S.--congratulations on your new baby! I would say before you go to the bottle, try giving up dairy in your diet for a few days and see if it helps. Both my kids did the same thing you are describing (I remember my daughter looked like a little bird when she nursed: she'd latch on, then pull off and squawk with her mouth open, rooting around, then latch on again, pull off...ugh!). I can still remember how frustrated I was--I felt helpless to feed her! As soon as I stopped eating dairy, it was like she was a new baby; she nursed like a champ and my life was so much easier! My son did the same thing, but I was wise to the behaviour since he was my second child, and caught it early on. Both of them outgrew the dairy allergy by about 7-months old, and I could go back to eating dairy again. Their little digestive systems just have to develop more. And, BTW, I did give them both yogurt at 6 or 7 months when they were able to start eating solid food/dairy, and they both did just fine--no prolonged dairy allergy.
Good luck, and keep up the good work! you can do it!
S.

For my daughter I had to pump due to her latching inabilities.
I pumped and also supplemented with formula since she was small. I would pump a few times a day and store the bottles premade in the fridge. She actually preferred cool bottles and I never even had to warm them (something that happened when she was a newborn and a cold the dr recommended the cold bottles and she loved it).
I liked that she took to the bottle so well and it freed me up and allowed her daddy to feed her or others. I gave her breast milk out of a bottle for a few months. I gave her formula at night and once or twice a day during the day too as I wasn't producing enough. I found that the formula allowed her to go three hour stretches. The positive of bottles and breast milk pumping is you can see exactely how much he is getting, which if I remember should be 4 oz every two hours with breast milk.

I am one of the few moms who did not enjoy nursing. I did it because I could, and because it was free, but I didn't enjoy it, and I couldn't wait to wean my kids. Don't feel bad about how you feel. If you want to switch to formula, then do it. I have several friends who, for one reason or another, bottle fed their babies. Their kids are healthy and happy. The formula these days is very close to the composition of breast milk. Do what makes you and your baby happy.

please don't beat yourself up about this... just because you aren't loving nursing doesn't mean you aren't a great mother.

a couple suggestions... have you gone to a lactation consultant? they can be very helpful.. and have a ton of info on effective pumping, etc.

also, have you tried using a nipple sheild? It may help... and gives your nipples a break. alternatively, i had problems switching my daughter from one side to the other (uhm, i have kind of an inny & an out-ey)... so i ended up alternating breasts with each feed. it does kind of make you a little lopsided, but it does give your boobs a break. those gel pack things are great too.

If you'd rather pump, why not try pumping every other feeding? pumping won't keep your supply up as well as he can, but you will be able to pump for quite a while.

and lastly, there is no crime in supplementing with a little formula if you need to... best that you are both enjoying "meals" and the time you spend together.

In December when I had my girl, I had issues with not enough milk so was forced to pump and bottle feed, and also supplement w/ formula. The lactation consultant advised me to do this appx. every 3 hours, and I found this was quite sufficient for her needs. Pumping every hour or 2 hours did not produce more milk for me (like some of the other advice here suggests. You'll have to test for yourself). I eventually went to all formula when she was 2 months b/c the pumping was difficult to keep up w/, and my girl is now a happy and extremely healthy 10 month old-never had a sick visit to the dr. Good luck--it's amazing the things we do for our children.

I didn't have a chance to read all of the responses before I wrote, so I hope I'm not repeating too much! :)

First of all, I want to compliment you on your wanting to give your little guy breast milk. Good for you! I exclusively pumped with my first little gal after she was 1.5 months until she was 12 months. I just wanted to share the ins and outs that I experienced with this.

First, it takes lots of time. So, if you decide to do it, just be prepared for that. You HAVE to do it every 2-3 hours (except a break at night) or your milk will dwindle away. You can space the time out to 3-4hours once your baby has started eating a lot of solids, and your milk is strong. My daughter usually ate between 20-30 oz a day, depending on her age, so you have to make sure to make that much

Also, everyone's let down/milk supply patterns are different. So, pumping could be more time consuming for some, and not so bad for others.

Pumping with even 1 kid for me was tricky (I have 2 now), you need to be prepared for how you are going to handle it when baby cries / needs you when you're pumping.

Because you have to pump for 20 minutes each feeding AND feed your baby each feeding, it can be extremely time consuming. It DOES make it easier when you can master the task of pumping and bottle feeding at the same time. It's not as cuddly though. I had a wiggly baby, so I would just sit her in her carseat and hold the bottle with one hand, and pumps with the other. (I also swore to never do it again, but that's just my two cents)

You have to stay on top of growth spurts, and sometimes pump more often for a few days to increase your supply. This was kind of a pain, but do-able. Drink plenty of water! Remember, your baby will only eat 2-4 oz now, but later it could get closer to 6-9.

Find a pump that is easy to haul around, and preferably one with a wall plug, and a car adapter for long trips. I used to use it in the car if I HAD to, just covered up with a blanket while my husband was driving.

Anyway, I hope that info helps. That's about all I can think of right now! As for advice, if you have it in you, I'd give it another few weeks. Sometimes that first 1-2 months can be rough, but it usually gets better. And, if it doesn't, I can definitely tell you that I (and many, many other people) have had success pumping exclusively. It does work!

And lastly, don't be hard on yourself if it doesn't work out. Remember, you have a little three year old running around too, it could be tricky to pump and keep up with 2 little kids!

Good luck to you!

I think it is great that you want your child to have breast milk. Pumping and feeding it to him in a bottle is just fine. You will want to start now. I would make sure that you are either pumping or breast feeding every two hours. You could even do every 1.5 hours since he is still so little. I just had my second baby, she is 5 month now, and I remembner thinking "is she every going to stop!" She nursed all the time. SOmetimes it felt like all I was doing was nursing. There were times it was every hour! I was also pumping as I have to store milk as I work and have to travel periodically. ANyway, start now and do not lose hope. At first you will not pump much, but keep at it and it will come. Some people pump right after they nurse their baby so that they produce more milk for each feeding. I am now pumping or nursing every 3-4 hours. I went through this with my first, it is hard and sometimes uncomfortable, but worth it. Remember you can only do what you can do. Do not beat yourself up about it. Good luck!

Neither of my kids ever latched on and I wanted them to have breast milk as well. I pumped with both of mine. I found it to be alot easier and my husband had not excuse about not helping during the night (he jokes that he was cheated out of full night sleep, but he was great about it). I had so much milk that I pumped for 9 months with my first but had enough milk for 12 months. I would encourage you to do what makes getting breast milk into your son the most enjoyable for all in your family.

I'm currently doing just that! My little man is six weeks old, and I started pumping and bottle-feeding on about day 4. So far as I can tell from the sources I have seen, there should be no problem with a lessening supply unless you pump too infrequently. From what I have read, as long as you pump about as many times as you would normally feed (adding a minute or two on after you are 'empty' should be sufficient), but a visit with a lactation consultant shouldn't hurt anything!

I breastfeed him at least once, but usually a few times, per day, and it has definitely given the old nipples a much needed break. My son always latched correctly, but would suck so hard that I would end up with blood blisters. Pumping has made it so that they are almost never sore, and my son is versatile enough that I can leave him with other people! Hopefully, it works for you as well as it has worked for me.

I'm going to just throw this out there because I wish I knew this. My son is intolerant to dairy. He nursed fine but it was apush to get to 6 months and then I threw in the towel. If I had known, I would have tried to take dairy and soy out of my own diet completely. Maybe he would have done better. also, if you are tense, yours will not nurse well. So, since it is so early in the game yet, I would recommend trying to tredge through a bit longer. turn your nursing time into a meditation time. play music and put all your focus on the experience. Just try to change your feeling about it. Then if that is still not sorking for a couple more weeks, then seek other options. there is nothing wrong with fornula babies except the cost. I don't know if you are in your thirties but odds are your mother didn't nurse you as the tended to discourage it in the 70s...and I know we all turned out okay.

My husband is a chiropractor, and when I had this problem with a newborn, where he seemed to not be able to get comfortable to latch on- or latching on seemed painful, my husband adjusted him (there are very gentle ways to adjust a baby) and then they would latch on fine..
A lot of times babies get "messed up" coming through the birth canal. There are a LOT of chiropractors that also will adjust babies. You might want to check into that.

As far as slings- I always wanted to use one, but could never figure out how to get the baby into one. Maybe I had the wrong size, but my baby never got comfortable enoug in it for me to feel she was secure.

At 3 weeks, he's still figuring out the feeding thing. Maybe your milk is letting down fast and he is struggling with that. Or maybe you have a slower let down and it takes a bit longer for him to get the milk. I would suggest to give it a few more weeks if you can. Talk to a lactation specialist for suggestions on how to make it easier. Some pediatricians are great lactation specialists, or contact le leche league.

Breastfed babies should be eating a lot at this age. Mine ate every 2 hours (and thats from the begining of 1 feeding to the begining of the next so it seemed like half the day was feeding). As your milk supply adjusts to his needs, and as him tummy grows, he won't need to eat so much.

If you do decide to switch to the bottle, please don't feel guilty. Lots of moms choose to bottlefeed for lots of different reasons. you can either pump enough to feed him in a bottle (get a good, electric, dual pump to make it fast and easy, and you can freeze any extra for later use) or use formula. Yes, breastmilk is best, but you've given him the first 3 weeks which has done a lot for his immune system, and formulas are better than ever before (closer to breastmilk). Still use feeding time as bonding time, to snuggle and talk to him, and he'll turn out fine. So whether you choose to keep breastfeeding, pump milk for the bottle, or formula feed, don't stress over not doing the right thing.

S.,

This is such a personal decision that I would not presume to tell you what to do. I will say that if you really want to offer your baby breastmilk, this may not be the best way to do it. Many moms start down this path thinking that they can easily combine bottle and breastfeeding, only to have it fail miserably.

I know several moms who have pumped and bottlefed, and with only one exception, they all dried up by 6 months and had to start formula. Several dried up earlier. The breastpumps simply are not designed to work like a nursing baby. Additionally, you probably know that the action of nursing is very different from the action of bottlefeeding. Milk tends to flow out of a bottle with very little effort from baby, while he has to work to breastfeed. As a result, many babies refuse the breast after they have gotten used to bottles. So, you may be more willing to nurse your son once you have had a break, but he may not be interested. Also, you should consider that you will have the worst of both worlds if you pump and bottlefeed. You will have to pump just as frequently as you nurse (if not more often, since the pump is less effective than a properly nursing baby), you will have to carve out time to not only feed baby, but also to sit down and pump. You will have to deal with breastmilk storage. You will have to wash and sterilize the bottles and pump parts. When you are out of the house, you will still have to worry about making sure you bring enough milk, can store it properly. While others might be able to feed your baby, you will still have to be pumping, so it isn't really a break. You will also still have to deal with the problems of nursing - if you don't pump you will get engorged, and you will have to wait until you are somewhere that you can pump, rather than latching baby on. With a little practice, you can nurse discreetly anywhere, but you can't pump discreetly! You may still struggle with sore nipples; I got more sore from trying to pump for too long than I ever did from a properly latched on baby. You will still have to fool with leaking and breastpads.

What you are describing is not normal nursing. It is normal for baby to nurse nonstop for a few days at a time during a growth spurt, but if he is nursing nonstop and doesn't seem happy or satisfied, he is not getting enough milk. This does not mean you are not making enough milk. It means that there is a problem, and it CAN be addressed. I would strongly recommend your local La Leche League leaders. You can find a local group at http://www.llli.org/WebUS.html If you are in the Fort Collins area, I can speak from personal experience for the awesome leaders. You could be facing a bad latch (even though it doesn't hurt, it can still be ineffective), an overactive letdown, an impatient baby, or some other problem. These leaders have seen most everything, and they are both encouraging and helpful.

Three weeks is still early to have the hang of nursing. Even whn you know what you are doing from nursing prior babies, your baby is still learning. There are a lot of issues that nursing moms can face, but they can be solved with experienced help. Try this - imagine for a moment that nursing your son was comfortable and that he was happy and being satisfied. Would you still want to continue? If the answer is no, then do what you think you need to, be it bottlefeeding formula or breastmilk. If the answer is yes, then please get some help. Breastfeeding challenges can be overcome! I know from painful experience. Get some help, and try to hang on until 6 weeks. If you can make it that far, I bet things will be getting better. By 12 weeks, I would be willing to bet money that you guys have it down pat!

Best of luck,
S.

I looked forward to breastfeeding and it isn't that I didn't enjoy it a lot at times...but it is hard when your baby constantly wants to suck and you are trying to determine if they are sucking to suck or sucking because they are hungry. My saving grace was getting him to accept a binki. I was going to try to do without one, but only a day into having him I asked my partner to search and find one of the binkis we had been given. I'd already formed a little blister, but after that healed, I haven't had any problems and he is now nearly 8 months. Also, I've ALWAYS worried about my milk suppy. I think this is common for all women. Is you baby growing, gaining weight? If they are, then they are fine. I've never supplemented with formula, but when he was really small and going through a growth spurt I'd feed him and if he wouldn't be okay with the binki I knew he was still hungry and would warm up some breastmilk from the freezer and pump to uincrease my supply. This isn't necessary as your. Milk supply will increase with the baby's demand to feed, but it was for my sanity so he would be satisfied, I'd increase my milk, and we both could sleep. Good luck with whatever you choose. Oh and I loved breastfeeding without feeling stressed once he started feeding only every 3 or 4 hours.

When I pumped for my little guy, the hospital suggested pumping every 3 hours with a 6 hour brake at night. I pumped starting between 4 & 6 am and finished at 9-11 pm. I did this until my little guy was about 7 months old. I started to work my way to every 4 hours. This was much better time frame, but I never could go farther than that for more than a day or so without loosing my milk. Drinks lots of water. I learned to pump and hold the baby and feed him his bottle all at the same time. This saved considerable amount of time. I would try the allergy issues first. But it may be that you aren't producing enough milk. I have a sister in law who didn't produce enough milk. Pumping would let you know how much you are producing.

Yes, of course, pump and feed him the milk in a bottle. But don't do it with every feeding; I would say 1-2x day. In my opinion, pumping is a pain, and joyless (I pumped at work a sum total of 1.5 years for my three kids). It is much more difficult to keep up than nursing, once you get the hang of it, and so a LOT of moms quit nursing far earlier than they would otherwise. Also, if every feeding is a bottle, baby will refuse the breast, from friends I have spoken with. And for SURE, you need an electric pump.

Pumping can be reassuring because you can guage your milk production. If you pump once or twice and can see you are getting enough milk for a feeding, than baby is probably doing just fine too. So I would wonder, are you sure he really is hungry when he is rooting and pulling away? Does he just want to swaddle and be comfortable? At three weeks, sometimes babies get colicky . . let's hope not!

By the way, nursing or not, of course you are exhausted! Your baby is only three weeks old, he doesn't sleep through the night, your body is still healing, you have a daughter and husband to take care of and in-laws to tiptoe around. Set up some play dates for your daughter every day at naptime for the next three weeks (or beg mom-in-law for a set time). SLEEP while the baby sleeps. Get out every morning for a good walk (for soon the weather will be bad, but for now the outdoors can do wonders. Eliminate everything that isn't necessary right now, and try to take care of yourself. You will get through this period.

Check out "The Nursing Mothers Companion" from the lactation center when you are there for a consultation. Once you get past three months (I think it is), the book calls it "The Reward Stage." For moms who make it to this point, nursing is easy and sweet, and will make up for all this uncertainty you are feeling now.

There is nothing wrong with pumping and feeding your son from a bottle. I breast-fed my son from his birth till I had to go back to work full time. He was 2 months old when I went back to work. I breast-fed him in the morning and also pumped. My girlfriend who kept him during the day would have several bottles to feed him in the morning and I would go to her home at lunch time and breast-feed and pump for the afternoon. I would then breast-feed and pump in the evening, that way Daddy could feed him his 6:00 am feeding. I found I needed to pump and/or feed in the morning, at noon and 2-3 times at night. You can always freeze any breast milk you have extra for later use.

Good luck, I believe you are doing the best thing for your child by providing breast milk, whether it comes directly from the breast or a bottle.

Wow, you have a lot going on in your life right now, living with in-laws (I have been there so I really feel for you), a busy 3 year old, and a newborn, all while you are still in recovery from childbirth (which no one seems to get time off for anymore!). So let me just say that you are doing a great job as a mother and as a person just by surviving it all!

It may not seem like it now, but breastfeeding is going to get easier for you.I know it's tough, but try to stick it out for at least another 3 or 4 weeks before you decide whether you can keep on nursing. It is way harder than it seems to produce enough milk when you are only pumping, it just doesn't send the same amount of chemicals to your brain (and boobs!) as nursing does, so your body doesn't get the message to keep making lots of milk. Milk production declines, you start giving formula, which causes milk to decrease more until you are producing none. And then you may feel disapointed and guilty, and I know that as mothers we feel guilty about enough without adding one more thing! So don't give up just yet, you need to know in your heart that you have given it your best effort. And I bet you anyting that it will get easier for you.

One more thing, is the reason you feel uncomfortable because you do no have enough privacy in your in-laws house? YOu may need a space that is just for you, or that you can put up a little sign that you are not to be disturbed so that you can be more comfortable while nursing. Oh, and do expect to nurse your baby very frequently, it is not a sign of a low milk supply, it is just how babies are. Your baby is growing so fast that he needs to nurse at least every 2 hours, sometimes more often! Just try to enjoy this time with your baby, this is the only time in his life when all he needs and wants to be happy is you. He is not throwing tantrums or making giant messes or calling girls or borrowing the car, he is content right now to just be your baby. Cherish this time.

I gave all three of my children breastmilk in a bottle. I made A LOT of milk and would have to pump anyway. I also didn't enjoy the process of breast feeding. I felt I had more "freedom" with the bottle. I would freeze my milk and had ample for months after stopping the pumping process. If you are not enjoying this process, do what works for you. You will enjoy the time with your baby if you are not distracted by the discomfort. You son is so lucky to have a mom that cares so much about the little things.

Get a good pump. I had a cheap hand pump.... HATED IT! Got a double electirc pump.... my best friend. Not pain, easy to use, quite!

You could also try a nipple shield-sort of like a bottle nipple that you put over your own nipple. It protects your nipple from getting so sore and also makes it very easy for your baby to latch on and get milk flowing. Also, try watching a movie or TV show while you are nursing, it will help you relax and let your milk flow faster and maybe distract you from being uncomfortable. Good luck!

I fed my daughter breastmilk until she was 3 1/2mnths old, I would pump every time she drank a four once bottle and would pump until I got a four ounce bottle. to keep up milk supply you need to pump as much as the baby is drinking. It is kinda nice feeding from a bottle because you can monitor how much they are eating. I stopped pumping when I got married because it was a big week and I found it annoying everytime she ate i would have to go hide in the bedroom until i had as much as she ate, i had stored a bit in the freezer as well so she still recieved breastmilk inbetween formula to help her adjust, the formula didn't go through her like the breastmilk did, so to keep her regular I would give her some breast milk every couple of days or every other day until the breastmilk was gone.

You sound like a very sensitive and responsive mom to want what's best for your little man, and to be so in tune with his needs and reactions. You also sound frustrated, and I think you're wondering if pumping and feeding would save you some aggravation. Only you can know for sure, but here are a few thoughts that ocurred to me when I read your post:
I wonder if you are uncomfortable because of possible latch issues, or if you have concerns about nursing discreetly? Do you feel trapped at home because you don't want to nurse in public? You can practive in front of a mirror. Have you received unsupportive comments? Do you have body-image issues? (Because I didn't know I did until I nursed my first baby and realized I'd never appreciated breasts as utilitarian--they were just sexy to me until I had a baby and I had to really adjust my perspective!) Are you resenting nursing becasue you have many other things to do? Can you cut back on other responsibilities to have more time to rest and enjoy being with your new baby? Just some things to consider.
Three weeks of age is a growth spurt time. Human milk production is all supply and demand, so the more your baby nurses, the more milk you will produce for him. It's possible he just hit a growth spurt and is nursing so frequently to stimulate more milk production. If you take a "milk day" and just nurse on cue, your supply will catch up with his demand in 24 to 48 hours and he won't need to nurse quite so often.
The pulling off and then wanting to latch again is a classic sign of a strong let-down reflex. Sometimes little babies need to pull off to swallow and "catch their breath" for a few seconds when the milk starts flowing really fast. He may be fussy to say he still want to eat, it's just coming quickly. If this is the case, your let down reflex will slow down in the next couple of weeks and he will be more mature and better able to handle it. Consider nursing in a side-lying position so extra milk will run out his mouth and not overwhelm him, or nurse against grvity, like tipped back a bit in a recliner.
If you are concerned about supply issues, watch his urine and stool output. At this age, you're looking for 5 to 6 really wet diapers and 2 to 3 stools the size of a quarter or larger in a 24 hour cycle. Judging your milk supply based on what you pump is misleading because a well-latched baby will always be much more efficient than even the best pump.
Finally, pumping and feeding ("breastmilk-feeding," as opposed to "breastfeeding") can be done but it is sooo labor intensive. I think it's probably the most labor-intensive way to feed a baby because it's like you're feeding him twice with pumping AND making a bottle. (AND washing pump parts and bottle pieces.) You would need a high-quality, double electric pump--if you were do do this exclusively, you'd need a hospital-grade pump because even the $300 double electric pumps are not good enough to sustain milk supply indefinitely. A pump just doesn't have the same affect on your hormones as your darling baby. You'd need to pump about every 2 to 3 hours around the clock, and it's hard to know if he'll be the kind of baby who can easily switch from bottle to breast easily.
If you don't limit the length of his feedings and allow him to "finish the first breast first," you can ensure he'll receive enough of the high-fat hindmilk to stay satisfied longer. That's what will help him grow and not need to nurse so often.
Finally, I really suggest to call your local La Leche League Leader or talk to a IBCLC-certified lactation consultant. LLL's services are all totally free. You can find your local number at www.llli.org and click on "resources." She will be able to offer you help and suggestions for either breastfeeding or breastmilk feeding.
Above all, your baby needs a happy mom and only you know what will be best for you. But, having exclusively pumped for a couple of weeks when my first son was hospitalized, I personally found it to be a big hassle and was relieved to just be able to lift my shirt to feed him when he was healthy again! These early weeks are you "investment" time, and your investment will come back to you as things gets easier and more convenient. Nothing about having a three-week-old is easy or convenient, but it does get easier.
My sincere best wishes go to you.

I pumped for 3 months until my baby learned how to latch on, and although it is good for the baby , it is exhausting. I would recommend getting a hospital grade pump at first, and pump both breasts together. This makes the job quicker and simulates nursing twins, which makes you produce twice as much milk. After 3 months, I had over a hundred bags of milk un my freezer!

Keep in mind that you'll be replacing one nightmare for another- sterilizing pump parts constantly, cleaning bottles, a huge mess on your cupboard, not to mention getting up to make bottles and spending a good 5 min warming them in hot water while your baby is screaming his head off.

Also around 3 months your baby will get a nipple preference. Mine never took another bottle again after he started nursing, and my sisters baby never nursed after starting a bottle at that age.

Right now I have a 2 week old girl, and I'm in the same boat as you. Since I've done both, I'm waiting it out because I know how much easier nursing is in the long run. Do what you feel is best!

i think that's a great idea. i only breastfed my daughter for 3 weeks. we just didn't make a good team. but she's 9 months old now and i still pump. she gets one milk bottle a day. i was so relieved to finish nursing her. it's great for many reasons: 1) you know exactly how much milk he's actually getting, 2) other people can feed him while you're out or napping, 3) you can enjoy feeding times instead of dreading them, 4) you can look into his little face while he eats instead of at the top of his head, 5) meal times are faster. good for you for putting forth the effort, but if you feel like life will be easier on both of you by giving him your milk from a bottle i say good on ya.

Boy do I hear ya. Yy son us 4 1/2 weeks old and does the same thing but he usually stays latched on for a while. I have been also pumping a little so we can get out of the house and not have to breastfeed in the car. I would pump regularly, every 2-3 hours so your milk supply stays up. If he eats more, pump more so your body knows it needs to bump up production. I can get 2-3 oz. a pumping session. Good luck!

This is the 2nd time that I have pumped exclusively with my babies. The first one I did for a year and theis one I plan to go to a year as well. I normally pump every 3-4 hours and maybe I will get up during the night to pump as well. Fortunately for me, I get huge amounts of milk, so supply is not aproblem. I know that pumping seems teedious, but its worth it for the baby. Also if you have to use formula, the expense is so great! If I were you, I would try pumping exclusively and see how it works.

I felt similar to that. I didn't have sore nipples but it was uncomfortable for the first month or tow. Give yourself 6 weeks - by then your baby will have figured out an eating and sleeping routine. The first 6 weeks of breastfeeding are the most difficult but it is worth it to breastfeed for how many months it ends up being. (And pumping is so much work.) As for him pulling away, it sounds like you may have too much milk and the milk coming down is just too much for him. You can help this by only breastfeeding on the same side every time he wants to eat for a certain amount of time, like for 2 hours. It sounds like you just need some reassurance. Find a La Leche meeting; I am always much more optimistic about my role as mother after La Leche meetings.

with my son, he drained me. we gave him supplement until my milk came in. when i worried about if i had milk, i would express some into my hand. i don't know how often you have to pump, but if you feel the bottle's the best way to go, go for it.

Hi, after having issues with breastfeeding and two cases of Mastitis I ended up pumping and bottle feeding with breastmilk exclusively for 8 months. So it can be done! I bought an electric double pump (medela) and started off pumping every couple of hours to get the milk production up. Eventually I settled into a more regular schedule of every 4 or 5 hours and not during the night. Your body adjusts to the pumping schedule just as it does to a baby feeding.

I also froze as much milk as possible so at the end I had an extra couple weeks supply even though I was done pumping. If you notice your supply start to go down, you can always pump more often to get it back up and taking fenugeek seemed to help.

Finally, don't get frustrated, you are doing the best you can and being comfortable while feeding will do more for your relationship with your son than forcing uncomfortable breast feeding. Pumping can get tiring as you have to make sure you get home (or to your car) to pump on schedule or your milk supply will go down. But it is worth it. My son never had an ear infection and I would do it again.

I completely understand, and I'm sorry you're having a hard time with breastfeeding. It took me until my daughter was about 3 months before breastfeeding could be enjoyable for me, but I'm so glad I stuck it out. She, too, would let go while nursing and cry and frantically shake her head while rooting right on my nipple, but she wouldn't latch on. I wish I could tell you what to do, but I don't know, either! All I know is that she grew out of it. Have you tried talking to a lactation consultant? You might be able to get some personalized help for you and baby. Good luck, hang in there and know that it will get better.

My DD is 10 months old now. I nursed for 3 weeks but we just couldn't make it work so I began to pump and have done so exclusively I had to use one formula bottle a day but the rest was breast milk. Ok So here is the secret to making sure you produce enough. You must pump every time your baby has a bottle.
If you find that in the beginning you do not have enough then nurse your baby and when he is finished eating pump to ensure that you are truly empty. I also found that if you nurse in the morning and then pump afterwards that you can get a jump start on the day because you are generally more full in the morning. Also make sure you have a good pump. If you would like a more detailed list of exactly what I have been doing I would be happy to speak with you just drop me an email and we can discuss further and in more detail but I am here to tell you that is is not only possible but very doable with just a little extra effort. I am so glad that I made the decision.