What would you recommend and why?

Question

I was wondering if pumping would turn a newborn away from your nipple hence why I wasn’t going to use pacifiers... 
I would want to exclusively breastfeed but is it better to pump while I feed to produce more or will I regret that in the long run and be rejected?

Answer

Honestly I’d exclusively nurse if you can make it work for you. If you’re able to be with baby every day, and don’t foresee long periods away from baby, I wouldn’t pump at all. 
I’ve breastfed six kids and only my youngest have I ever had to pump milk for due to a milk transfer issue and it’s like torture. It’s so much easier to just nurse. The pumping and washing and sterilizing is just so much extra work!!  Not to mention, making bottles to take with you if you leave the house, paying attention to the time they were pumped or taken from fridge, risking dumping it if you packed too much and baby won’t take it... plus pumping while away from the house is an added pain.

Answer

Unless you need to build a stash (going back to work or something), there is ZERO need to pump. Your supply will be just fine without pumping. Humans (& all other mammals) fed their babies just fine before pumps were a thing. I am still nursing my 2y3mo old & I have pumped only a handful of times when he was 2-8mo old (for specific occasions) & have never had any oats.

Answer

Do whichever works for you. Babies can get nipple confusion so timing introducing a bottle and pacifier can be important. I breastfeed, we introduced the bottle at 5 weeks old bc I knew I would be having a surgery and would need someone else to be able to feed her. Shes a boob baby for sure but she'll take a bottle no problem. Shes now 6 months old. I only pump when I know I'll need the milk for a date night or surgery or something.

Answer

It really depends on your supply, and your baby. My first was a preemie, and I had to pump at the beginning because she was too small to nurse. I did not get great guidance on pumping, and ended up pumping myself into a severe oversupply (sounds nice, but it was a pain - literally - and gave my baby tummy troubles later on).
If you are able to just nurse, that’s fantastic. It wouldn’t hurt to pump a little once in a while - even if you’re staying home, this will give you the freedom to occasionally go to the store or sleep in. And I know a couple moms who have broken an arm or had to have an emergency procedure, and weren’t able to nurse for a day or two - with no freezer stash, baby had to get formula. 
Another tip: if you are giving a bottle sometimes, use the lowest-flow nipple you can find. That will help make sure the bottle is not so much easier than the breast that the baby gets annoyed with nursing. (Baby is not confused, I assure you. But she might decide she likes a bottle better if it’s super easy and nursing isn’t.)

Answer

Honestly I would just nurse the baby, and only pump when you need to. Pumps aren’t a very effective way to increase supply. I should know up until a couple days ago I was exclusively pumping and it’s SO MUCH WORK! Washing bottles all day it seems like, constantly dealing with dropped production and trying to increase it. Stressing out over my production. So on and so forth.

Answer

I only introduced a bottle once at 6wks old over the Xmas period (as I wanted a couple of drinks) then I haven’t use one since, I have tried but my baby wouldn’t take a bottle. So now I’m kind of stuck like the other day we had a funeral to go to and my mum looked after our boys but because our daughter won’t take a bottle she had to come with us. Same if we want to go out for dinner without the kids it’s impossible as can’t leave her more then 2hrs. She nearly 7months old I wish I gave her a bottle couple times a week so she got used to it. She also had a dummy and hasn’t had nipple confusion with that.

Answer

I think it depends on your situation. My baby was bottle and breast fed from the beginning due to issues with latching and from my milk not coming in right away. The lactation consultant was the one who recommended we supplement with formula because my son was born pretty big and was losing too much weight in the few days after he was born. He also used a pacifier from when he was born until about 8 months old and never had any nipple confusion. Once my milk finally came in (1 week PP) and we got the latch down I was still pumping because I was going back to work after my maternity leave. I didn’t think that we would ever bottle feed until I went back to work but I’m glad that’s how it happened for us especially during the times when I was too exhausted to even sit up right my husband would help with feedings. It was great bonding time for them too ❤️. There was another baby at my son’s daycare who would cry and cry and not take a bottle because he had never been introduced one until he started daycare. It broke my heart. But I also think that if I would have been a stay at home mom and never had the initial latching and lactation issues, I probably would have never pumped. Make the best decision for you. Best of luck!

Answer

I don’t think there is a simple yes or no. It’s going to depend on your lifestyle, and what work best for you and baby.
For me personally my LO wasn’t latching well and staying awake long enough to get enough. So we are just now getting our latch and staying awake long enough to feed without supplementing. We used dr browns premie nipples on dr browns bottles and pace feeding and I pump to supplement. We are finding a good balance between the two, and she is currently still using nipple shields. But she doesn’t reject the breast or bottle and switches well between both.
Since I will be going back to work I have been able to start a small freezer reserve and get used to both my pump and get her used to a bottle. Also we added a pacifier after week one because she isn’t having an issue between bottle and breast so why not.
Good luck finding what works best for you Gus! You got this.

What would you recommend and why?

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