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Before I became an exclusive pumper, Teddy was nursing NONSTOP. For the first couple of weeks, it was working out pretty well. He would pass out while feeding, which sometimes took an HOUR. It was very time consuming but I enjoyed the bonding relationship. It wasn’t until about 3 weeks in that I noticed he was getting fussy while feeding. He suddenly took longer to latch and would seem very unsatisfied when he was finished. I started questioning whether or not he was getting an adequate amount of food. I called a lactation consultant to come over and check things out. I was amazed when she said that he was latching perfectly and that he ate 3 oz during the feed she observed. She really had no advice because she didn’t see a problem. It was the very next day that I noticed my “targets” started looking purple. It became so painful to feed him and he would scream when he was done. Google defined my issue as a vasospam: a sudden constriction of the blood vessels. Without much of a thought, I decided to quit nursing and become an exclusive pumper!
Side note: At this time, I was pumping a maximum of once a day just so I could keep a few frozen bags for emergencies. I remember I had about 7 bags by week 2 and they were ALL used during the one night I had to go to the ER for c-section complications. Me: “Steve, where’s all his food?” Steve: “He was screaming!” Great. Just great.
PRODUCTS I — USE
The pump I chose is called the Spectra S2. The bottle/storage system I chose is the Kiinde Twist Set. Let me start by saying I have ZERO regrets with these two items. The speed and suction of the Spectra S2 is totally controlled by you. As someone who is normally sensitive in my “target” areas, the comfort of knowing I could start slow and work my way up was appealing to me. I’ve had a few people say they enjoyed the Spectra over the Madela, so right before Teddy was born I switched my order. The only difference between the Spectra S1 and the S2 is that the S2 is not battery operated. HOWEVER – I purchased this car adapter and now I can pump in the car!
I chose the Kiinde bottle system because it seemed (and proved to be) extremely user friendly. The system comes with adapters that fit the majority of breast pump brands. You twist on the adapter to your flange, and pump directly into the storage/feeding bags! From there, you take the bag and pop it into the bottle frame, throw a nipple on it, and done! The best part? The bags are DISPOSABLE! You simply toss the bag when the feed is over – no bottle washing. This quick video below shows all the awesome features of the set!
Also! I chose to attach the Kiinde Set that DOES NOT include the bottle warmer because I found that running the bag under hot water does the trick faster! The ONLY downside to this set is that you need to repurchase bags every so often. TIP! Reuse the bags once! I squirt a pump of Babyganics dish soap in the bag with water and let it sit for a few hours. At the end of the day I wash them thoroughly and hang them to dry on this drying rack.
MY PUMPING ROUTINE
Every woman’s body produces varying amounts of milk, so try not to compare with others. Find YOUR normal and go with that. I always wanted to be one of those moms who had an oversupply and could store hundreds of frozen breast milk bags – but I came to accept that my body just won’t do that. It’s OK! I try and freeze a bag every week. Currently in my freezer I have 6 bags. Not a lot AT ALL. But, I always feel comfortable knowing that if I needed to take a day for whatever the reason, that Teddy would be fed. For example this weekend I have a bachelorette party and I will be out of the house for 12 hours. Teddy will be drinking some of those frozen bags and that’s exactly what they’re there for!
Exclusively pumping is HARD work and a true commitment. Below I’m outlining my pumping schedule for those who are inquiring. Again, this works for me and it may not be right for you. You should note that I no longer pump during the night. But please beware that when I first started exclusively pumping that I would wake up once and pump during the night otherwise my supply was hurt. I’ve gotten to the point where I no longer need to do that.
*Teddy currently eats 4-5 oz per feed* and eats every 2-3 hours
PUMP#1 — 7 am or whenever I wake up
This is my BEST time for getting the most milk.
Ounces pumped: Typically around 4-5 oz from each side.
I do not add formula to these bags. I usually will give him one first thing in the morning (a “freshy” as I like to call it, ha!). Then, I save the other for his last feeding before bedtime.
PUMP #2 — 10am
Ounces pumped: Typically around 3 oz per side. (I will keep these bags separate and add about 1-2 oz of formula when time to feed)
PUMP #3 — 1 pm
Ounces pumped: Typically around 2 oz per side. (I combine the two bags into one 4oz bag and will add 1 oz formula)
PUMP #4 — 4 pm
Ounces pumped: Typically around 2 oz per side. (I combine the two bags into one 4oz bag and will add 1 oz formula)
PUMP #5 — 7 pm
Ounces pumped: Typically around 2 oz per side. (I combine the two bags into one 4oz bag and will add 1 oz formula)
PUMP #6 — 10 pm or whenever I go to bed
Ounces pumped: Typically around 2 oz per side. (I combine the two bags into one 4oz bag and will add 1 oz formula)
PRODUCTS to Make Your Exclusively Pumping Life EASIER
Motherlove Nipple Cream — Just. Get. It. AND bring it to the hospital! I put this on anytime I felt sore or irritated. In an hour I always felt better.
Lansinoh Gel Pads — Sometimes a clugged duct happens. When it does, I put these gel pads in the microwave and heat them up. I massage gently while it heats the area and immediately pump it out.
Motherlove More Milk Herbal Supplement Drops — Establishing your milk supply is hard work. You need to be consistent. In the beginning as my body was working hard to get to that point, sometimes I would have off days where I didn’t produce a lot at all. I would take these drops (beware-they’re gross!) and the next day I noticed my supply was improved.
EXTRA SET OF FLANGES — This is just for 1 set (I learned that the hard way). But, OMG! Makes your life so much less stressful knowing that you have another CLEAN set of flanges waiting for your next pump session. Although, word on the street is you can immediately put your flanges in the fridge instead of washing them after every use!
Hands Free Pumping Bra — I used the Simple Wishes Hands Free bra and it worked AMAZINGLY! If I had to write a paper and needed both hands, this was perfect. It was also very helpful when Teddy couldn’t hold his own bottle and I wanted to feed him while pumping simultaneously. You need hands! I’ve used this a few times while driving too. All around amazing bra!
I hope this helped some of you! Leave me a comment below with any questions or additional tips you have!! Thank you for reading!
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