2.5 Month Old and Pumping

[monkeybug]

Holy heck, pumping is work!!!
I had to pump when my daughter was a baby, but eventually my husband would just bring her to my work so I could feed her, because pumping took twice as long. I had to do it for a few weeks when my son was sick, and I was sooooo happy to throw that thing in the deep dark depths of the closet when he was better.
Does the thought of nursing make you feel uncomfortable? If so I don't know if the pump will make you feel any better, I felt like a cow hooked up to a milking machine, nursing the baby felt much less weird.
Nursing (if you can get past the initial pain and struggles that may come with it) is super easy! And you get to cuddle that lovey little baby!!!
I say get a hooter hider and give nursing a try! So much easier than formula or pumping, and with the little amount of sleep you'll be getting, easier is almost always better!

 

[MommyBell08]

Does the thought of nursing make you feel uncomfortable? If so I don't know if the pump will make you feel any better, I felt like a cow hooked up to a milking machine, nursing the baby felt much less weird.
Nursing (if you can get past the initial pain and struggles that may come with it) is super easy! And you get to cuddle that lovey little baby!!!
I say get a hooter hider and give nursing a try! So much easier than formula or pumping, and with the little amount of sleep you'll be getting, easier is almost always better!

HAHAHA thats so true, pumps are so much weirder to me too...lol had to laugh when I read that line..

If you have to pump for a medical, or personal reason thats totally fine, but nursing, im my opinion is so much easier...

 

[MarriedToAPrince]

I wanted to chime in here. I exclusively pumped for my DD and it was a royal PITA! Honestly I would NEVER want to being pumping down in Disney. Trust me it isn't as easy as it sounds. You really cannot plan for a pumping schedule until you have the baby. It sounds easy ahead of time, but it isn't.

 

[JGR]

Hi - I never get to tell anyone about my experience with nursing. I did not think that I would love it but, I do. I am lucky that I can stay home with my three little kids - my baby is 16 months. I have nursed all three of them. I am still nursing the baby. I LOVE it - and so does she. I own a pump -but, it is dusty and I don't use it unless I HAVE to.
I am planning on nursing until the baby wants to stop - or my cut off is two years. I know that many people look at me and think that I am crazy but, it works for us.
The health benefits are awesome. My older two kids contracted H1N1 in the fall - the baby did not get it probably because of the anitbodies from nursing. There are lots of babycare places to nurse at WDW if you feel more comfortable in private. We travel to WDW three or four times a year and I have had all three of my kids there while nursing. It was SO much easier than a bottle. Hope this helps and best of luck!!!!

 

[bitty246]

I would agree with the majority of posters in that pumping is a HUGE PITA!! I had to pump exclusively for my DD for the first 10 weeks due to multiple issues.. but never stopped trying to nurse. Once she got the hang of it, I gladly returned my Hospital grade rental.

One thing to note.. some women have trouble pumping anything at all, even though their supply may be adequate. I found NotUrsula's post to be extremely accurate! At 2.5 months, you will absolutely need to pump more than once every 6 hours.

My BFF of 15 years is an IBCLC Lactation Consultant, and if there is any advice I could add to what has already been stated, please get in touch with a good LC. If you want to give it a go... request one while you are in the hospital. This could make a world of difference. You would be surprised at how much mis information is passed on by Dr.'s and nurses.... they only get limited training in this area.

 

[Maleficent&Goons]

How is pumping hard? You sit and relax and let the machine work. I guess it's just me but I like pumping I feel like it's so much more time efficient. I have a Medela PIS. Don't get me wrong I love BF but if shes asleep I'm not going to wake her I rather just pump and give it to her when we are out and about.

 

[gwtw428]

Hi, I pumped exclusivley for a year. Took my 4mth old to Disney. I had no problems pumping in the parks I pumped every 2-3 hours to keep my production up. I kept my electric Medela pump in the lockers in the parks, then I would either go to nearest rest room, handicap stalls have outlets to plug in or I would go to baby center or 1st aid. They always accomodated me..gave me private roomto pump. I would also pump in the hotel room inthe AM before we headed to park. I had a refride/freezer inroom and would use freezer packs in a soft sided cooler to keep the milk cold. Never had a problem. To warm milk, every restaurant or fast food place would happlily give me a large cup or bowl of hot water. Baby centers also have hot water and microwaves.
Good Luck!!

 

[monkeybug]

How is pumping hard? You sit and relax and let the machine work. I guess it's just me but I like pumping I feel like it's so much more time efficient. I have a Medela PIS. Don't get me wrong I love BF but if shes asleep I'm not going to wake her I rather just pump and give it to her when we are out and about.

It's not hard work compared to scrubbing out the fridge, or folding 25 loads of tiny onesies and socks on two hours of sleep. Compared to nursing though? Yeah...I'd say it's hard.
Lugging the electric double pump around, finding a place to plug it in, setting it all up, sitting there hooked up to the pump (maybe feeling a bit of mad cow), and then having to take apart and sterilize each little piece in between pumpings. And a hand pump? Oh my goodness, all I got was a sore arm and 1oz. of milk. All that and then you still have to feed the baby. Most new moms are lucky if they have time to get a shower, let alone set up and clean a pump every two hours, and then feed the baby.
I admire women who have the strength to go on pumping for their little ones when baby can't nurse. It takes a lot of dedication and time. And Time is something most moms don't have a lot of. Pumping occasionally is in my opinion very different from pumping exclusively, and I can see how it would be a PITA. I say kudos to you mamas that stuck with it and pumped, but if you don't have to, nursing seems much much easier!

 

[cel_disney]

I have a 3 year old. I nursed for 6-8 weeks and then pumped for another 6-8 weeks after that when I started back to work. Pumping was WAY more work than I am willing to take on at Disney.

If I was not nursing, but pumping exclusively, I'd probably plan to pump in the AM, at lunch, at dinner, when I go to bed, and once in the middle of the night from a supply perspective. Then feed baby as needed throughout the day. I think that you would still need a small ice pack to keep the milk at an appropriate temperature - while it can stay for several hours, it cannot in the september florida heat!!! You would need to use the baby care center to heat it up..

If you are using formula, I'd probably recommend the powder. You can bring bottles with water in them (the sun will keep them warm enough) adn then mix as you need to.

I am expecting #2 and we are going when the baby will be 4.5 months...I will either be nursing in the parks (WAY EASIEST OF THE OPTIONS!!) or using formula, I dont think I could juggle pumping (which includes cleaning of the pump parts! gag!) and enjoy the parks! Its just very timeconsuming to pump, clean, and feed baby...

 

[auralia]

you need to be kind of careful with this changing up his formula and switching between breast milk and formula like that could give him bad gas pains... their little stomaches have a hard time switching gears and your breast milk is much easier to digest then formula.... i would certinally do a test run on what i plan to do at disney 2 weeks before the trip to make certain it doesn't give him any tummy problems! Pumping depending on how good you are at it and if you have a good pump (i was terrible at it pumps didn't like me and i didn't like them) it could take 15 to 30 minutes per pumping session and you should either pump or feed the baby at least every 4 hours to keep up your supply. You could always pump in the parks w/ a portable medela if you don't like breast feeding and just give it straight to the baby after you pump... it's a tough situation good luck

 

[Colinsmom]

How is pumping hard? You sit and relax and let the machine work.

I nursed my first two babies, and pump exclusively for my twins, who had sucking issues for their first few months. PUMPING IS HARD. It doesn't replace feeding the baby - it is in addition to feeding the baby. And all the washing (pump parts and bottles) that goes along with it, plus the set up time (which, when out and about, includes finding a CLEAN, private place to pump) and tear down time. None of that is necessary when nursing - you find a place to sit, and just do it. If you are only pumping occasionally, you probably do feel that it isn't hard, but when you are doing it exclusively, it is. Trust me, I've done it both ways, and this is definitely the hard way.

 

[Maleficent&Goons]

I guess its a matter of opinion. I'm pumping every 2-3 hours and i don't find it a PIA at all. I love it! I have a ton of spare parts so I can get through three pumping sessions with no issues and then when they are dirty I nurse her until hubby comes home and cleans them. Either way I think OP will be fine. Maybe get an udder cover?

 

[DISdreamin']

Just FYI, pumping exclusively tends to be quite difficult, so I feel that I have to warn you that your plans are going to set you up for quite a challenge at a time when you are going to be very tired and hormonal anyway.

Exclusively pumping is not fun, but it is certainly do-able depending on your level of motivation. When I had DS, we worked with LC for days trying to get him to latch - no go. Thus, we had to go the pumping route or do formula. I found that pumping at least every 4 hours initially was necessary, but once I was into the third month of doing it, I was able to cut back to four times a day without a problem. I just pumped for longer and got PLENTY of milk for DS.

I've pumped standing up in restrooms, I've pumped in cars, I've pumped at work. No fun at all and a regular PITA honestly.

OT, but maybe of interest: Biggest tips - if you have an electric pump (had a Medela PIS for DS and PISA for DD who couldn't latch because of my big girls and a short frenulum - sp?):

1. Make sure your "horns" are the right size for your girls. I have biggies, and needed a larger size that what came with the pump - made a BIG difference in comfort, and therefore production!

2. If you are pumping while out and about and have a cooler, I kept the rinsed parts in the cooler instead of trying to completely wash them. I figured if they were as cold as the BM, they should stay "fresh" for a while too! It's too hard to REALLY wash them in a restroom!

3. BEST thing ever - pumping bra! Look ma, no hands!!! I took an old bra and cut slips over the appropriate "part" so that the horn would slide through and be centered...then hook on the bra and viola, the ability to read, surf the web, play with baby, etc. with BOTH hands free!

Anyways, OP, good luck with the pumping -it CAN be done!! I only made it to ten months with DS, but that was a BIG ten months! With DD, I did it for 3-1/2 months only - I had a full-time job, we were moving and it was either quit or lose my flippin' mind. The pumping had to go.

 

[cavecricket]

Thanks for all the tips guys!

I will be EP, I will not BF as I have no desire to, this is not something I will change my mind on. It took a lot for me to be ok with the idea of pumping so I am proud of myself for thinking about whats best for my baby even though it will mean more work for me.

I am going to introduce formula 2 weeks before we leave, so that should not pose an issue either, according to my Dr.

I commend all of you that BF but its really not for me. Plus, I want other people to be able to bond with our baby during feedings.

To the EP's how many spare parts for the pump should I bring with me?

 

[DISdreamin']

To the EP's how many spare parts for the pump should I bring with me?

Congrats on making the decision to feed BM, no matter HOW it gets to your little ones tummy!

As far as pump parts, I always tried to carry two sets of horns and connectors (the parts that screw onto the collection bottles). This way, if something gets dropped you still have spares. I stored each set in their own Ziploc baggie so I didn't take a chance on getting the other set dirty (or dropping it! ) getting the set I needed out. The Ziploc was also handy for keeping the parts together when I tossed them in the cooler.

As far as bottles, it totally depends on your production how many you will need. I went through two sets in a single pumping session at my "best" (my Dairy Cow phase, as it were). For tubing, I honestly didn't worry much about having spares for that. As long as you are careful, the tubing shouldn't get dirty.

Now for suggestions - make sure you bring a big ol' t-shirt or something to drape over you. No matter where I pumped, I was more comfortable if I was somewhat covered (except at home where I didn't care at all - let DH look all he wants...hey, wait...that's how we got into this mess in the first place! ) - and of course, the more comfortable you are, the easier time you will have letting down, thus better production. If you can do the hands-free thing so you can read or whatever, I always found that helped a LOT. When DS was sleeping and I could sit on the computer and type, I found I had a much easier time being tethered to the pump.

Whatever you do, don't let anyone make you feel like you are making the wrong decision. There are some real hard-core BF-ers out there who sometimes make you feel like cr@p for not doing it "the right way", but you have to do it the right way FOR YOU!

And when you eventually decide it's time to stop, try to just let it go and not feel guilty. Do the best you can for as long as you can, but if it comes down to your health (mental or physical) or pumping, it's better for the baby to have a happy healthy mom and bottle of formula that BM but an incredibly unhappy mom! BTDT!

 

[cel_disney]

I didnt have spare parts for my pump and if you do decide to buy some, I certainly wouldnt recommend getting them until after you have tried pumping for a month or so - just to make sure its really for you adn that you know exactly what to get (different horns etc).

I would recommend bringing Medela cleaning wipes, the microwave steamer bags (use them once a day or so), and zip lock baggies to store wet or dirty pump parts!

I would probably recommend using the sinks at the babycare centers instead of the ones in the bathrooms...

I introduced 1 bottle of formula/day to my DS starting at 6 weeks - the first few I mixed with BM to help his tummy. It took a while for him to be able to drink formula full time when i stopped nursing, turns out he has a mild dairy intollerance...the dairy proteins are broken down much more in BM than formula, so it took a while to determine that it was the dairy element of the formula, not the formula itself that was giving his gut trouble!

Good luck!

 

[Syrreal]

I had an extra set of the pieces you screw into the pump too. Made it so much easier to just clean later on than to have to clean every single time. I only got more than 1-2 oz out once so I didn't really need too many of the bottles, but I think I had about 6 or 8 for when we travelled. Since then, I have found plenty of uses for those little bottles too. They are just as good for carrying extra detergent or dish liquid as they are for anything else. I would pack a dish sponge and put some dish detergent in one of those bottles along with the bottle brush in a big ziplock. It was so convenient!

 

[bwilcox]

I guess its a matter of opinion. I'm pumping every 2-3 hours and i don't find it a PIA at all. I love it! I have a ton of spare parts so I can get through three pumping sessions with no issues and then when they are dirty I nurse her until hubby comes home and cleans them. Either way I think OP will be fine. Maybe get an udder cover?

I'm glad that works for you. Everyone is different, and pumping isn't easy for everyone, though. I could pump and pump for an hour and still only get an ounce or two. When I went back to work, I started to lose my milk supply because pumping just didn't get as much milk as bf did. I had to totally rearrange my day so that bf would work around my work schedule.

 

[antsss]

I breast fed all 3 of my kids, but I also supplemented with formula. My husband would give the babies a formula bottle at night. But definitely start using formula well before your trip - the baby could be allergic, or have really bad gas...you never know. Good luck on your trip!!

 

[vettechick99]

I tried BFing for several weeks and just couldn't get it to work. People say it is hard, but hard is not an accurate word. It can be excrutiating! I ended up pumping and that worked out great for me. There is NO SHAME IN PUMPING, despite what people want you to think. The baby gets breastmilk either way and that's the point.

We took DD to the beach for a week when I was pumping. Pumping was not hard since you are already on a laid-back schedule. Just take the pump (get a really good one!!) with you and head to the baby centers. I agree with the PP who said feed them those bottles you just made. Also, you will probably produce copious amounts of BM in the first few weeks. Newborns only need so much. So freeze that extra BM and take some with you if possible.

GL!