Help!! Is it ok to pump and bottle feed baby instead of breastfeeding ???

Question

Im a ftm and i feel pressured by everyone to breastfeed i have some 
milk and i been trying to pump every 2 hrs or 3 and get 40 ml from each boob for 20 mins but my ped and other ppl keep saying its better to breastfeed idk why .. i cant breastfeed bcs im having trouble w baby latching and my nipples are not the best for breastfeeding and other complications that make it hard to breastfeed ..  ... i just feel like im doing something wrong ???if anyone is doing the same can i get some tips like for how many mins u pumped ?? Or anything helpful??? And how much does bottled breast milk last refrigerated?

Answer

CDC has recently changed guidelines for refrigerated breast milk... only good for 4 days. Then you have to freeze it.

Answer

I'm an EPer. I started out pumping every time babe ate so I knew I was getting enough pumps in. Its is recommended to pump every 2-3 hours with 1 5 hour stretch overnight. Also look into pace feeding. And make sure your using the slowest flow nipple available. Make sure your pumping to empty. At least 20 min. Most times I end up pumping 30+ min due to having a slow let down. And i get multiple let downs. 
Any questions let me know

Answer

If your health insurance/hospital/doctors office has a lactation consultant you can meet with I highly recommend it. 
The only thing that makes breastfeeding better is that (generally) babies are faster at getting milk out and get more of it out than pumps. 
I pumped and breastfed early & was able to get my “reluctant nipples” (😆) and baby into a successful breastfeeding only situation.

Answer

i pump every 3 hours, at first i only pumped 2oz per boob now i pump 3-5oz per boob. i   only keep what i need for 24 hours in the fridge & i freeze everything else.

Answer

Kellymom.com has a ton of great information. But it is possible to exclusively pump if you want to but it can be a lot of work. At the beginning you have to pump often, every 2 hours including overnight to get your supply up, for at least a total of 120 minutes per day. Make sure you are drinking enough and eating. Make sure you have the correct flange sizes and that you pump for a few minutes after the milk stops flowing to tell your body to make more. I have been exclusively pumping for 3 months and I am able to pump 50+ oz a day and my daughter is eating about 25 oz a day. When bottle feeding make sure you are pace feeding. As far as storing breast milk it can stay at room temp 4-6 hours, 6 days in the fridge and 6 months in a regular freezer or 12 months in a deep freezer. I usually leave out the next bottle when I pump as long as I know she will eat it within the time frame. At this point I pump 4 times a day for 30 minutes. If you have more questions you can message me. If you set your mind to it you can absolutely do it.  Good luck.

Help!! Is it ok to pump and bottle feed baby instead of breastfeeding ???

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