Exclusive Pumping Breast Milk: What is Exclusive Pumping? And Why it was the Best Choice for Me.

As parents, we face so many societal pressures to be the perfect mom or do things a certain way and when it comes to breastfeeding, it is no different. From family and friends to health professionals and social media,  the pressures to breastfeed a baby can become so intense that we don’t even open our minds to other options. I know I didn’t at first. But the truth is, breastfeeding is NOT for EVERYONE and that is totally OK! Whether you choose to breastfeed or formula feed the important thing is that baby is healthy and fed. But what if I told you there is a third option? Let me introduce you to Exclusive Pumping. Whether this is your first time hearing about  exclusive pumping  or you’re struggling to make that decision right now and that's what has brought you here, I am excited to share my experience in hopes that it will help you with yours!

In this article:

What is Exclusive Pumping

My Story

Tips for Making Exclusive Pumping Easier

What Is Exclusive Pumping?

Exclusive pumping involves providing breast milk to your baby solely through the use of a breast pump and feeding them using bottles. Typically, those who exclusively pump choose only to provide breast milk to their baby but some also choose to supplement using formula also known as combo feeding.

There are various reasons why someone might choose to exclusively pump breast milk:

1. Nursing challenges such as trouble latching

2. Physical limitations or special circumstances such as a tongue tie, cleft palate or babies born premature and require a NICU stay

3. Teething and biting issues which can cause discomfort to mother

4. Personal Preference: Some women may choose to exclusively pump due to personal reasons, such as a requirement to return to work, separation of mother and baby, requiring family or friends to feed the baby, stress, or the desire to know exactly what babies intake is. Whatever the reason, the mother still has the desire to provide the baby with breastmilk so they choose to exclusively pump.  

My Story

So how did we get here? I have to admit, when I was pregnant with my first, I never thought I would do anything other than traditional breastfeeding. I’d seen my sister and sister-in-law do it as well as countless other friends and family. I thought, this looks simple enough, how hard can it be? Well, fast forward to the birth of my daughter, and it was anything but simple. Following an emergency c-section and a challenging birth experience, my daughter struggled to latch and I struggled both physically and mentally to put the effort in that would be required to help her latch. Suddenly, the simple path to breastfeeding became a complex reality.

Birth of My Daughter

 I spent the first two days visiting with lactation consultants, but truth be told between the pain I was in and my mind just not being in the right place the task seemed daunting. I spent every hour dreading feeding time because I knew it would just be more crying (on both our parts lol) and pain. I felt like a total failure. First, I couldn’t deliver properly, and now I couldn’t even breastfeed her properly. Overwhelmed with so many emotions I was ready to give up on the whole idea. Just the thought of switching to formula or to pumping took such a weight off my shoulders. So I finally made the decision; I knew I still wanted to make the effort to provide her with the benefits of breast milk, hence the decision to exclusively pump. I made the choice and didn’t look back. 

Let me start by saying that for anyone who ever says that exclusive pumping is taking the easy route out, well, they are just dead wrong. In fact I had no idea what I was in for. In case you haven’t already figured it out, there are not many resources out there with regards to exclusive pumping and how to actually do it. So, like you, I turned to social media and relied heavily on the testimonies of fellow mommas who have tried this method for themselves. I learned really quickly how difficult the task would be. For me, I was pumping 8 times a day, which worked out to be every 3 hours for about 15 minutes. Between feeding the baby, pumping, cleaning pump parts in between there was little to no break in between sessions. I remember crying to my mom (thank god for Moms!) night after night saying how I felt like I was just constantly watching the clock, I felt like a machine. I completely lost myself, it felt like I was outside myself. The mental load and postpartum anxiety was creeping in and I found myself crawling into a dark place and struggling to connect with my baby. For any of the mommas going through this, remember you are stronger than you think and you will get through it and THINGS DO GET BETTER! 

With some extra encouragement and support,  I kept at it. I started giving myself a bit more time in the overnight periods between pumping sessions so that I could get more sleep.  By the time my daughter was 6 weeks old, things started to turn around. Just when I was about to give up on my pumping journey, after a late night feed, totally exhausted and ready to throw in the towel she looked up at me and gave her first smile. It was the first time I felt connected to her, and at that moment I thought, I can do this. I kept at it and along the way I learned a few things that made my life A LOT easier. So much so that when I had my second child I made the choice to do it all over again! But this time, I learned from the mistakes I made the first time and applied everything I had learned to make the process this time a lot more manageable and sustainable! 

2 Weeks Old

Here are a few exclusive pumping tips I used to make my life easier the second time around:

1. Invested in a high quality pump

2. Used a pumping bra

3. Created a manageable pumping schedule

4. Invested in multiple parts

5. Created pumping stations

6. Made sure I had a solid support system

7. Made the most of my pumping time

8. Batch prepared bottles for the day 

9. Froze milk in small portions (to reduce waste)

10. Did not feel the need to warm up my bottles (time saver for a fussy baby)

For more information on the tips above click here. 

Life of an Exclusive Pumper

As we post more on this topic, we will be sharing all the info on how I made my journey more sustainable including tips on how to make a killer pumping schedule to the best pumping gear and how to get through the dreaded middle of the night (MOTN) pumps easier. So be sure to save this page and check back for more of the best tips!

Disclaimer: I am not a medical doctor, always consult a medical professional before making changes to your baby's feeding regimen.