I’d like to start by introducing myself and letting you get to know me. I have recently stopped Exclusive Pumping, but have done so for both of my kids. My experience with both couldn’t have been more different. Through my posts I hope to help and inspire you mostly through breastfeeding and pumping related topics. As my kids grow I hope my posts will too.
But to start, the biggest thing I want to mention is that every child is different as is every nursing/pumping relationship. With my oldest he latched great, I waited the 2 weeks before starting to pump and another week or two before giving him a bottle. The week before I went to work we gave him bottles while I would normally be at work and thus began the nursing strike! Anyone who has been through a nursing strike knows how hard and painful it can be. I listened to what most people suggest to do and after a month of trying I could get him to nurse, but only at night.
My nursing relationship with my oldest started out so great, it wasn’t painful at all. It was natural, but frustrating for me as he would eat every 2 hours for at least 30 min. I felt like I was missing out on so much because I wasn’t comfortable nursing in front of others. I know this is normal, but I’m an independent person so it was so challenging to me to be pinned down like that.
When I had my second child I did just like the first, but it didn’t work as I expected. I had a LC help the last day at the hospital and she confirmed the latch was great, but it was too painful! My youngest bit, she didn’t have any teeth but it still hurt. I went to pumping that last day at the hospital to give myself some time to heal, and that was the beginning of my second EPing journey.
I’m sure I could have made my nursing relationship work with my youngest, but I didn’t want to. I felt more connected to her by EPing than nursing; I think it was because I could enjoy feeding her the bottle instead of being in pain from nursing.
Those of you, who are headed down the EPing road, be proud of your decision you are still giving your child the best.
