My Journey of Exclusively Pumping For My Baby
I wanted to breastfeed so badly when I first discovered I was pregnant for a few reasons. One, I thought it would be the perfect bonding experience for my daughter and me. Two, the benefits of breastfeeding were significant for the baby. And three, I would save so much money because I was not buying formula.
Well, when the day arrived, I was holding my beautiful daughter, exhausted after a long 72 hours of contractions and delivering, it was our time to feed, but she would not latch on. I will admit I was a little hurt about it because things didn’t go the way I planned, but with the help of the lactation nurses at Touro, I was able to get adjusted. They gave me a few tips for pumping and allowed me to rent an electric pump they had there.
Not giving up
When we went home, I didn’t give up on latching. I reached out to a few other lactation consultants, and there were even a few times I thought she would latch on but would get frustrated because my nipples were flat. Because of this, I continued to exclusively pump.
Here are a few things I learned during my pumping journey:
What you eat and drink matters
Just like breastfeeding, when it comes to pumping, you must stay hydrated and eat foods that keep your supply up. I found that oatmeal, vegetables, and fruit worked best for me. I tried some lactation products but some of the ingredients just didn’t mesh well with me.
Pay attention to what works
When taking some of the lactation products, I discovered that I did not produce as much as milk as I did when I didn’t eat them. So, I had to be aware of what works for my body.
Take it day by day
In all honesty, pumping 4 to 5 times a day was not the easiest. At moments, I felt like all I was doing that day was pumping while not producing much, and it was stressful. It was also difficult when my employer at the time was not the most understanding. When I mentioned that I must take some time to pump, they only allowed me a limited amount of time to do so. It seemed like they would get frustrated because it took me a while to pump. It got to the point where I was developing depression. So, in all, it lowered my milk production, and I had to try my hardest to keep positive and keep up with my health.
It’s ok to supplement
Towards the end of my exclusive pumping journey, I started to supplement with formula. Even though I did not want to do it, I was not as stressed as before. Overall, I was happy that I was able to make it at least 8 months of breastfeeding my daughter. She was able to get all the nutrients she needed with my breastmilk.
After looking back, I would have not allowed the outside world to tell me what I should be doing or how long it should take to pump. Yes, it took me a long time to pump, but I had to do what was best for my daughter and myself.
I would also have taken advantage of some of the milk banks in the area. There are so many moms out there who can assist with providing breast milk that I should have used.
I think I would have also purchased a hands-free pump. I feel like hands-free pumps were not as well known then as they are now, but I would have invested in one.
