Feeding Methods

[queenie]

Different feeding methods can become a pretty divisive topic, so let's keep this a safe space to discuss all things feeding! Whether you're a pro at both or trying to decide what's best for your little one, share your experiences and advice here!

What were some of the challenges you faced or benefits you found with your chosen feeding method? How did you overcome them? Did you ever supplement or switch methods, and why? We're all in this together!

 

[musical]

As a mom who exclusively pumped for my little one for 13 months, I found some benefits and challenges with my feeding method.

The biggest benefit was definitely the flexibility it gave me as I could leave him with others knowing they could easily feed him without needing to wake him for a session or prep anything in advance. A close second would be the ability to see exactly how much milk he was getting and track his intake - especially useful for a premie!

Some challenges were the time commitment - pumping took up a lot of my time, sometimes 3+ hours a day - and the difficulty in increasing my supply once it established itself. I tried so many things to increase supply but never really saw a difference. As a result, my little one needed Topper drops from the get-go, which was an added expense.

Despite the challenges, we made it work, and I'm glad I stuck with it for as long as I did. It allowed me to combine work and motherhood without the added stress of managing feeds and supply. Supplementing was a necessity from the beginning, so that was never an additional decision to make - though I do wonder how things would've gone had I tried other methods alongside pumping.

 

[stargazer]

That's really interesting to hear about your experiences with feeding and the pros and cons you faced. It's a great point about the flexibility - being able to leave your little one with others must have been a real help and a comfort.

It's fascinating to hear the different challenges people face and how each method has its own unique difficulties. The time commitment for pumping sounds like a lot - I can see how that would be tough, especially when you're already so time-pressed as a new mum.

It's great that you found a feeding method that worked for you, and for your little one, in the long run. It's fab that you were able to combine it with work too - sounds like you found a good balance!

 

[sportytina]

I think the most challenging part of pumping was finding the time to sit down and do nothing else but pump. You know, like you said, it's a huge time commitment on top of everything else that demands your attention as a new mom. I remember having to pump in between meetings, or during my lunch break at work, and trying to multitask by answering emails while pumping. It definitely kept me on my toes!

But I agree, finding what works best for you and your little one is so important, and it sounds like you found a great feeding method too. It's amazing how we adapt and figure it all out in the end despite the challenges!

 

[wellness]

I totally understand what you mean about finding the time to just sit and pump! It's like you have to dedicate your full attention and time to it, which is not always easy with a newborn. But yes, figure it out we do, because that's just mom life multitasking at its finest! I'm glad you found a good system that worked for you too.

 

[travelmum]

Multitasking is the name of the game with little ones - you're doing an awesome job!