My Exclusive Pumping Story

My Exclusive Pumping Story

With my third child, I decided pretty early on in my pregnancy that I was going to do exclusive pumping. I’m sure I came across it on social media somewhere - I had never heard anyone talk about this in my real life as an option. But for my third child, for my third go-around at feeding a baby, exclusive pumping seemed like (and ended up being) the best option.

Backstory

Let’s go back a bit. I had my first child when I was 15. My parents and I had initially thought we would go through adoption, but we changed our decision and kept her as my own. I think the initial indecision played a part in moving right to feeding her formula. I was also going to be in school and not able to be with her all day. To be honest, breastfeeding and / or pumping was not even presented to me as a possible option and I just went with that. 

Fast forward about 10 years and I had my second child. I thought I was going to breastfeed and it would be easy as pie. Well, there was a great deal of stress in my life at the time - along with my own lack of knowledge and uncertainty of what questions to ask. And honestly I felt like I was not supposed to ask questions. 

When the pediatrician weighed my one week old and said she wasn’t gaining weight and that I would have to supplement, I felt like the worst person on the face of the earth. The pediatrician said I could try pumping and told me what formula he recommended and that was that. And I cried in the car all the way home. 

I suppose I should have done some more research on my own about other things to try with breastfeeding because at the time that was something I really wanted to do. For me moving right to exclusively formula feeding was not what I wanted to do, but I think I was just so afraid of my child not thriving that I just pressed forward with the formula. (I truly don’t think there is anything wrong with formula feeding if that is what you choose - like I stated, it was just not how I wanted things to go at that time.) 

Fast forward about 18 months and I am pregnant with my third. I came across the exclusive pumping and thought it was a great solution - I could still give my baby breastmilk but be able to see exactly how much he was getting. I was driven by the anxiety of having a doctor tell me my baby wasn’t eating enough. I felt empowered with a plan that felt really good. 

If You’re Choosing Exclusive Pumping

I learned everything I possibly could about exclusive pumping, which I would encourage anyone who is thinking about exclusively pumping to do before your baby comes (or as soon as you decide to exclusively pump because I know some switch to EP when baby gets a little older). I was prepared this time around with knowledge and gear to feed my baby. I think that no matter how you are going to feed your baby, you should do a good amount of research on that kind of feeding, ask other moms, get in a Facebook group, line up a lactation consultant. Pumping was not easy, but it worked for me especially because I was educated, equipped. 

It is not quite as simple as just pumping here and there with your fingers crossed. 

I remember it was about four weeks into exclusive pumping and I developed mastitis (or was developing mastitis). I was able to get the inflammation to subside but it was still lingering a bit and very uncomfortable. I talked with a lactation consultant who helped, but she actually didn’t know a whole lot about exclusive pumping sadly. I can’t say for sure where I found the recommendation for sunflower lecithin (maybe I kept seeing it in the Facebook Group) but it was a gamechanger. After starting that supplement I never had another issue with mastitis thankfully and was able to comfortably continue pumping.

This website -> Breastfeeding without Nursing - Exclusive Pumping has so much good information and a whole section dedicated to Exclusive Pumping for beginners. I also found Exclusive Pumping Facebook groups to be very helpful to have support from other moms who have done it before or are currently pumping too. I found a lot of advice of what worked for other moms and could try it myself. 

It was so encouraging to have a place where everyone understands.

Because out in the world you’ll hear things like “why don’t you just try to breastfeed, like right on the breast?” It’s asking me to undo my entire reasoning and personal preferences - similar to asking a breastfeeding mom “why don’t you just use formula?” 

For me, I literally couldn’t breastfeed because mentally I was terrified that a doctor would have something negative to say about it. But pumping gave me so much control and a doctor couldn’t tell me it was wrong when I was able to feed my baby and store up milk in my freezer. 

Final Thoughts

Would I do exclusive pumping again if I had another baby? Honestly, I don’t know. I have more tools in my toolbox for direct-from-breast breastfeeding and am in a better headspace regarding it. I feel that I would want to try it and if it didn’t work out or feel right I would just go right to pumping again. 

Many months after I hung up the pump and my youngest was deep into eating solids, I went into the box where I had my pumping gear stored. I started getting rid of certain things that I certainly couldn’t reuse and getting rid of parts that I knew I wouldn’t need if I did pump again.  But I found myself having an emotional reaction to seeing and interacting with the pump again - turning it on and hearing the rhythmic suction noise - it was overwhelming. 

I spent many, many hours pumping - sometimes pumping was the only way I could get alone time in those early days, which as a SAHM of 3 with a husband who works out of town frequently was something I personally really needed. I personally loved the experience and felt it was a great decision for me - and I love talking about it so feel free to message me with questions!