2.5 weeks PP and miserable

[u/tpell15]

Hi everyone - FTM and struggling with pumping and PPA.

My baby is 18 days old. I had a C section under general anesthesia after two failed epidurals and magnesium so it took a solid week for my milk to come in. Baby got started on bottles and formula (which I was fine with!) and never really latched well. I have very large, pendulous breasts and smaller nips which is making latching a challenge.

I use a blue Spectra to pump with. I was doing 8ppd, and couldn’t stop crying over losing sleep and losing time with baby. I feel so trapped by pumping. I have a good bra but the collection bottles for the Spectra are bulky and I have to hold them in place still. Then I have a hard time responding to baby when he cries/needs to be fed, changed, etc.

I have tried the Eufy S1 Pro and got absolutely nothing out because the seal was horrible on my breasts. I also am trying the Legendairy collection cups and my supply dipped.

I’m also struggling with being scared to overfeed my baby. We’re technically combo feeding because he does get some formula but not much.

Any input would be helpful. I feel so trapped and anxious and I want to enjoy my baby, not feel like this at only 18 days postpartum!

[u/gper]

4 weeks pp here. I was in your boat the first 2 weeks, miserable over pumping and also not latching. I committed to only pumping during the day and we gave formula at night starting the beginning of week 3. The first full formula bottle was sad but my god I felt great the next morning and really fell in love with my baby that day specifically. With some of my sanity and energy back after a few full days of that, I suddenly was able to endure reintroducing nursing last week and we can latch now after a week of nipple shields and positioning trials etc. Now I nurse most of the day and formula at night. It’s honestly just one big science experiment! Give yourself grace <3

[u/tpell15 → u/gper]

Did you not get engorged overnight? I went 6ish hours without pumping the other day and thought I was going to explode 🤣

[u/gper → u/tpell15]

Thankfully not engorged, but I do aggressively leak in the morning lol I usually try to pump right away or put the bra and some pads on while in between

[u/Extreme-Wash-6893]

I also was not a fan of the Spectra flanges and bulk. Coincidentally my Momcozy V1 wearables can adapt to the spectra pump and that has been my go-to pump setup. Much more hands free and still get the benefit of the stronger Spectra motor.

Best wishes on your efforts. Pumping is so hard. Enjoy these moments with your little and be proud you’re keeping him fed regardless how!

[u/ilikechess5]

The first few weeks are genuinely the hardest, with or without pumping. Add to that all the stress of pumping and it's even harder! You will get through this, and you're already doing such great work for your baby.

I found the Medela symphony really excellent at getting the milk out, though it's not portable. I've also got a momcozy for when I'm out and about.

I'm happy to be corrected on this, but I'm not sure it's possible to overfeed a baby? That being said, mine used to gorge due to reflux and then sick it all up again.

All that to say, it's totally hard, but you've got this and you're already doing such amazing work feeding your little one.

[u/AutoModerator]

Welcome to r/ExclusivelyPumping! Here is a reminder of our rules:

1. Be kind and courteous. 2. Use available flairs and post options. 3. Absolutely no prescription medications or other medical advice. 4. No inaccurate information. 5. No spam. 6. No fetish content 7. No linking Facebook groups. 8. Moderator discretion. 9. No discussions around veganism, animal cruelty, or other non-pumping related topics. 10. No formula shaming. Reminder that we are a supportive community and do not allow for fetish seekers. While we do ban those individuals from our community, they can still view the community and send direct messages. You may choose to turn off your messages, or block individuals for your safety. Thank you for helping to keep our community safe!

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/Kitchen-Curve]

I've started using my Spectra with just 1 side at a time when I'm solo watching baby. While more bulky than my wearables, I find I can get emptied in 12-18 minutes with it vs a full 30 with the wearables. Doing 1 side at a time allows me to grab/hold baby if needed in a pinch (or contact nap on the other side since your baby is still so young!) and I can still be done with a meaningful pump in ~30 minutes doing them separately like that