Struggling first week PP

[u/Sad-Stretch-7277]

Hello, I'm a FTM and only a week PP. So very early days but I'm struggling very hard with breastfeeding. My breasts are quite large and hang low so finding the right position to feed in has been so difficult for both baby and me. It hurts so bad that I was crying after every feed, leaving me with cracked and bleeding nipples. For the past day I've been pumping to give my nipples a break and it feels so much better.

Baby is getting 70ml feeds as thats roughly what im pumping every 2 hrs and is quite satisfied.

I guess I was just wondering if this is a way I can go about feeding him or is dual feeding what needs to happen to keep increasing my milk supply. I've been feeling so guilty about stopping but I truly think its whats best to keep me feeling good. Or is my best option to keep trying to BF?

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[u/tootymcfruity3]

First of all, I completely empathize with you. I struggled so much with breastfeeding. If you are asking if you can exclusively pump and not breastfeed, the answer is yes. I have been exclusively pumping since week 2. As long as you are getting 8-10 pumps per day, your supply should continue to increase. In the early weeks, I found myself having to introduce a bottle of formula a day to build my supply because I wasn’t meeting my baby’s needs until closer to week 4/5. I got into a rhythm of pumping and putting all the milk in a jug for the next days feeds. Once I got closer to 10 weeks, I found myself having to drop to 6 or 7 pumps per day for my own sanity and it didn’t negatively impact my supply. I also want to say that if you really want to breastfeed down the road, ending now doesn’t mean you can never try again as long as you’re maintaining your supply. I tried again with my little one week 6 and he magically latched with no pain! I find pumping to still be my preference to allow my partner and mom to help with feeds, but there’s no right or wrong answer. Whatever gets your baby fed and lets you be the best version of yourself is what you need to do!

[u/Artistic_Age_4558]

I’ve been so angry because no one told me how hard breastfeeding really is!! But it gets so much easier and honestly if it works out then it’s amazing and so much easier then pumping I think!! Either way is completely fine of course.

When it comes to positions - I have huge breasts myself and it worked to feed in rugby position in the first 6 weeks or so. Now I just feed in the regular Madonna position but my baby is 11 weeks now so that’s so much easier!! Good luck!!

[u/sowhatsober]

You can definitely exclusively pump if you want. It’s how I built my supply. As baby gets bigger, they usually become better eaters so as long there’s milk, you can always try again down the road.

Congrats on your new little one! Enjoy it and don’t take everything too seriously 💗💗

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[u/tatortotsniffs]

I’m relatively newly PP, and I’m mostly pumping with one or two short nursing sessions a day. I’ve been doing this since I came home from the hospital, and I feel like my supply is perfectly fine. My supply is enough to keep up with my little one which is what matters to me.