Got my breast pump in the mail the other day. Woo hoo!
My plan is to breastfeed exclusively and on-demand for as long as possible. Of course, the outcome of my attempt to breastfeed is not completely within my control. I might not make enough milk, the baby might not do well breastfeeding, I might find breastfeeding intollerably painful. We'll see. So I bought an inexpensive but well-rated breast pump just in case. I figure that I'll eventually want to express milk to mix with cereal or whatever anyway, so my $35 pump will get some use no matter what.
Husband seemed a little disappointed when I explained that I want to breastfeed exclusively and not use bottles if I can avoid it. "But how will I help when the baby wakes up in the middle of the night and wants to eat?" I suggested that he could change extra diapers to compensate. Helping with the baby became less appealing at that point. But I know Husband will help out however he can.
dang! i was gonna offer to sell you my electric one. it's a double electric pump...you know you want it!
ReplyDeleteoh yeah, the hospital also gives you a manual breastpump for free. it works great if you dont plan on pumping frequently
ReplyDeleteYou might change your tune about doing bottles for Husband after baby arrives. And be happy that he's offering to feed the little one. However, if you don't pump/feed every three-four hours in the beginning, your boobies are going to swell and leak profusely anytime Elise cries. That's the most annoying part of breastfeeding I'd say so far, the leaking part. But so far, Mikey only gets up in the night to feed; he doesn't let diapers wake him up. So you'll essentially be the only one getting up at night if you only breastfeed. We should exchange email addresses.
ReplyDeleteI have a poster in my office that says "Babies were born to be breastfed." Mmm Mmm Mommy Milk! It's a great idea to avoid bottles if at all possible during those first few weeks and months because it helps baby learn to breast feed well. A lactation nurse here told me that if you cannot breast feed for some reason that early, make sure to feed baby your expressed milk from a syringe or one of those spoons made for milk feeding. Supposedly those are a better option than a bottle with a fake nipple.
ReplyDeleteYou could buy a couple of bottles and freeze some pumped milk in case you have to unexpectedly leave and hubby has to take care of baby alone for a few days. You might not need to use them, but it gives you another option than hubby having to go buy formula if you have to be away unexpectedly.
We got the pump and some bottles knowing that the best case scenario of me breastfeeding on-demand might not happen. Or might not happen all of the time. I'm prepared to accept the fact that I might change my mind or might have to make other plans... I'm really not romanticizing the idea of breastfeeding and in some ways it kind of scares me. But I'm hopeful that my plans will work out-- that I'll be able to produce enough milk, that Elise will feed well, that I'll be able to get up and feed her when she wants me to feed her in the middle of the night, and that I'll always be able to have her with me while she's still breastfeeding.
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