Hi all
I had provided EBM for my son for 6 months plus and recently totally stopped so I think I have paid my dues and qualified to comment.
Like all new mothers, I want to give my child the best and I had tried quite hard to reach the WHO recommendation of exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months. Despite my best intentions, I have always supplemented, more initially and towards the end but at the peak, I supplied all but one feed.
Here are some points to share:
1. When is breast milk most critical versus beneficial?
Breastmilk is most critical for infants allergic to formula and for infants in developing countries where the mothers do not have clean water or the resources to sterilise and make formula reliably and hygienically. For all other infants who can tolerate formula, breast milk is still the best and nature's intended food for infants. It may also have a preventive effect on allergies (provided that the mother abstains from high allergy foods like cow's milk, eggs, peanuts and all tree nuts, soy etc). I have heard of some infants who are allergic to breast milk though. The point is that unless your child critically needs breast milk, you are not harming your child if you cannot breastfeed for any reason. It is also best for the child if the mother stays at home and looks after the kid herself. Does it then mean that all of us must or can be stay at home mothers?
2. Baby must cooperate and like breastfeeding too!
Breastfeeding success is not purely a mother's responsibility and it is a feeding relationship between mother and child. The baby must cooperate. I know of friends who find breastfeeding one child much easier and nicer than another child. If some mothers tell you how wonderful an experience latching on is, take it with a pinch of salt and don't blame yourself if you do not have that picture perfect nursing relationship. Your child may not be the same! In my case, my baby is not the easiest to direct feed although he latches on well. When he is not in the mood, he will angrily turn his face left and right and refuse to latch on or he will fall asleep on the breast, no matter what I do to keep him awake. In the end, I found it more efficient to express and feed him. Yes, I know if I persevered, he may be eventually trained. However, his weight was slightly below 3 kg at birth and my priority was to get his weight up rather than "train" him to be a good breastfeeder eventually. I know that it is possible to feed one’s baby exclusively with breast milk by pumping as one of my friends did it.
Another thing to consider is that most working mothers would eventually have to bottle feed and pump. By the time you fully train your baby to breastfeed like a champion, it’s time to go back to work. Might as well spend the time to train yourself to pump like a champion!
3. Know when to supplement!
In inexperienced new mothers, it is not uncommon for early attempts to breastfeed to result inadvertently in dehydrated or jaundiced babies. I have heard of 3 cases among friends whose kids became jaundiced or dehydrated because the mother's ducts were blocked and she didn't know it or there is not enough milk but the mother does not know and followed exclusive breastfeeding strictly. In encouraging breastfeeding, one must also be taught when to supplement and this education is sorely lacking. Have you ever seen any website or lactation consultant giving that information readily? Most of the time, we are told that we should just persevere and babies' stores are sufficient to last them for days. However what is less known is that in the early few days, babies must drink enough to flush out the meuconium quickly. Otherwise the baby would absorb something from the meuconium and may develop jaundice. Also for the same reason, sleepy babies must be awakened to nurse regularly in the first few days and you should not let the baby just sleep for hours.
4. Use Motherlove All Milk Plus
It is available at Vitakids at Forum. It's more effective than all the papaya and fish soups I have taken! Although expensive, it actually lasted for months for me as after the initial heavy dosage, I only take a maintenance dose when I feel the supply is dropping.
5. Get a dual electric professional grade pump!
Don't mess around with manual pumps. It is such a hassle having to catch those precious drops from the other breast while you pump manually on the one breast. After that, you still have to pump the other breast. If you are serious about breastfeeding, get Ameda Lactalline or Medela PIS (although I recommend Ameda over the Medela but that is another story). Every minute saved in pumping is a minute you can use for resting or doing anything you want. Time is very precious for new mothers!
6. Learn to pump with one hand
You can choose to buy the handsfree kit but holding both funnels with one arm works for me. Initially I pumped facing the wall with both hands holding the funnels. It was SOO boring and difficult. Subsequently I learned to pump using one arm and that freed me up to surf the web which makes passing of time easier and less stressful. I also became less focused on the volume pumped and I am sure that helped in the milk supply.
7. Pump at least once during 12 – 4 am
I find that I produced more during this period so I always made it a point to wake up during this time to pump once even after my baby slept through the night. Quite often I can produce close to the equivalent of 2 feeds with this pump!
8. Pack your milk in feed size
I used to store my milk in the fridge in the little glass jars from the hospital but when my son drank more than 120 ml, I started to store them in Pigeon’s breastmlk storage containers which are 150 ml in size. Storing your breastmilk in feed sizes makes it easier for the caregivers.
9. Breastfeeding/pumping and work are not a good mix
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It is truly a hassle having to balance pumping and work. I had to go on a business trip when my son turned 5 months and I had to pump and dump while on the plane and during the meeting. If I had to travel more frequently on my job, it would be very difficult to continue pumping for long after I returned to work.
All in all, I would say that breastfeeding or pumping is VERY hard work and all mothers who have sincerely attempted to do it for any period of time should be applauded. There is no need to feel guilty if your circumstances, be it due to milk supply, baby’s habits or otherwise, make it difficult to breastfeed. My husband said that I became less grouchy after I stopped pumping. During those months, I must have stressed everyone out. I also felt that I was better able to enjoy time with my baby after I stopped pumping.