The latest breastfeeding trend: exclusively using a pump rather than nursing. According to this Babble dispatch by Kate Tuttle, more and more women are choosing to give their baby breast milk but not actually delivering it via the breast. One tragic reason is a repulsion toward employing the sexualized breast in the context of a baby:Although there are certainly some women who exclusively pump because of such attitudes, most come to it accidentally, through a combination of a bad start at nursing and a conviction that breast milk is best, even if it doesn't come "straight from the tap."
We know a couple of people who went this route because of physical problems. It seemed like all the hard parts of breastfeeding with only one of the good parts (the milk). So hats off to anyone who spend so much time hooked up to a breast pump in order to get milk to their babies. Hear, hear, to Kate's call for more and better lactation consultation at hospitals, and for raising consciousness about the fact that breasts can actually be both sexy and a source of food.
You can read the whole story here.
Reader Comments ( Page 4 of 6)
46. Gosh something new. There doing something good for the child
Rob at 4:32PM on Jan 19th 2008
47. The act of breastfeeding isn't simply about the milk, it's the method in which the child receives the milk - hence the word "breastfeeding". The majority of breastfeeding difficulties can be tracked back to a lack of information, encouragement & support for the mother. Our culture does far too little to support nursing moms (although there have been huge improvements in health care provider awareness about advantages over the past 20 years). Hats off, of course, to anyone dedicated enough to spend that much time with a pump to provide breast milk to their babies via bottle. There are actually many benefits, in addition to the milk itself, in the skin-to-skin delivery system. The hormonal cascade triggered in the mom during the act of breastfeeding has a number of advantages for her. The infant has enhanced oral development (less likelihood of braces), better hand-eye coordination, more tailored immune fighting cells (infant saliva mixes with mom's milk & specific antibodies are made during the feed), to name a few. All mothers make the best choices they can for their babies, based on the information & situation at hand. I wish every hospital in the US (okay, since I'm dreaming, the world) was Baby Friendly & Mother Friendly. Something to work toward, for sure.
LH at 2:53PM on Jan 19th 2008
48. Yanno, BOTH my kids were bottle fed. I had extreme difficulties with breast feeding and would never try it again. NEVER. I pumped some but ended up using formula. ANY AND ALL of you people out there that put moms like me down need a kick in the rear end.
Both of my kids are in the top 10 of their schools and neither of them is fat. They are thin, well, and happy.
So, get off your booby horse and understand that not all the moms have to kow-tow to the idiot brigade of boobs.
And, hey Ken, realize that kids that are bottle fed do NOT have teeth, jaw, or palate issues. My entire family did not have any issues like that and neither do my children, nor my sister's children.
Ken, you are plainly wrong.
willowreed at 7:58PM on Jan 19th 2008
49. While eating at a local Subway located in Walmart Store my wife stated "She's going to get in trouble, the woman Breast Feeding". (We were expecting our child@the time was eating ,in a rush and hadn't noticed.), and asked "why?" when seeing,"she's got a blanket over her"! "That's Walmart and their thingy" she stated!I ignored the woman as if not seeing afterwards as really wasn't a big deal covored or not! Sure enough they made a big deal out of it! It has been our experiance that most pumps are junk. My wife fails to lactate properly and had to use them in order to get what she could then suppliment formula. The pump has it's place but the breasts are really No Biggy especially when covered.I'm glad for my children their was The Pumps.
Ricky P at 8:17PM on Jan 19th 2008
50. How will the baby learn to focus? The close range focusing while nursing is a skill that is developed while breast feeding.
Dave at 9:04PM on Jan 19th 2008
51. How will the baby learn to focus? The close range focusing while nursing is a skill that is developed while breast feeding.
Dave at 9:05PM on Jan 19th 2008
52. Breasts are like that electric train set you gave for christmas......
Intended for the children.... but dad usually ends up playing with them.
mac at 9:36PM on Jan 19th 2008
53. I am surprised that many "modern" women don't hire out the job. Find some poor woman who just gave birth and pump away. Bonding? Caring? Love? Nurturing? Too busy. Besides don't want those silicon breasts to have to get "damaged" by your own child......
Tenderloin at 10:34PM on Jan 19th 2008
54. With all the people abusing and killing their children and the horrible things that can happen to children I think this is a silly argument. I had my first child at 20 and was so engorged that she couldn't latch on properly. It caused my nipple to split and then when I tried pumping it made it worse. The Dr. told me to stop and go to formula. I can't tell you how glad I was because I was young and wanted no part of the pain. My second child I nursed for the first week and the same trouble started and I quit right away because I feared the experience. I waited about 8 years until the next one was born and we had no problem nursing but as soon as she got hold of a bottle that was the end of nursing. She wanted no part of it. I got pregnant while waiting for my IUD to be ordered and then she wouldn't take the breast milk I pumped either. (She was only 4 months old) The fourth one nursed fine for a whole year. I don't regret what happened for any of them. We bonded regardless. They were fed and nurtured and healthy. Each one. I do prefer to nurse. BUT, it's a personal choice and I don't think anyone has a right to judge another about what or how someone is feeding their baby. As long as it's approved formula or breast milk. As for the stares/comments I did receive on the maybe three times I had to nurse (fully covered) in public I made sure I let people know that the only reason women have breasts is to feed children so go get over themselves! That usually shut them up. Either way - it's a personal choice. As long as they are loving and provide for their children.... that's all that matters.
Shelley at 11:18PM on Jan 19th 2008
55. My son breastfed exclusively for 16.5 months. Because I was a full-time student, then full-time employed, and a single mom to boot, I made an uneasy truce with the pump in order to accomodate his needs while he was in the care of others. Pumping felt like HELL, and the one thing I could count on soothing my poor boobies after being away from him all day was for him to latch on. But my boy ate good!
I'm now a labor and delivery nurse, and help many new mommies get off to a good start with their newborns. There are so many benefits for both mommy and baby. There's no shame in bottle feeding a baby, but breastfeeding is the best way, especially if mommy is dedicated to it.
Something not touched on: breastmilk is the absolute best thing for a preemie, once they're stable enough to take feedings, and there is even a breastmilk donor bank (they Pasteurize it) for their benefit. If anyone's interested in helping, check with youir local hospital for information.
Lynnie at 10:59PM on Jan 19th 2008
56. Vikki C - thank you. You make the most compassionate, sensible SENSE of anyone on this board. My kids are 14 and 20 now and, would you believe, after all these years I so fondly recall nursing them. It was truly one of the loveliest times of my life. I would like to add tho - my breasts were so damaged during my 2nd child that a LaLeche consultant told me to quit. It was a lactation consultant nurse who set me on the right path so I was able to continue without pain.
Pamela Grow at 12:23AM on Jan 20th 2008
57. I tried to breastfeed for a month but just wasn't producing. I tried pumping and it was miserable. For 30 minutes of pumping, I only got a half ounce of milk. I never tried to actually breastfeed in public. Jeez, the comments people would make just about breast milk in a bottle! So eventually, the dreaded formula.
Perhaps I'll have better luck next time around. The older ladies in my family say I will and I trust their experience! Even so, I would need to quit before I returned to work because there is no way I could pump at my job (school teacher hahaha).
I am still glad I tried to breast feed as long as I could. The comments about closeness are so true. It was worth every ache and shooting pain LOL
Julie at 8:39AM on Jan 20th 2008
58. Cheers!!! To the power of the breast!
http://www.fakebuddy.com
jackie at 11:04AM on Jan 20th 2008
59. A note to HAIKU1VT:
I am having a difficult time seeing the anaology between breast feeding and restless leg syndrome. If I am understanding you correctly, you think that women who pump instead of nurse are simply too lazy and selfish to take care of their baby properly; and people who claim to have Restless Leg Syndrome ("aka Lazy Leg Syndrome") are too lazy and selfish to...what? Stop twitching? Restless Leg Syndrome, despite it's dopy name, is a neuorlogical disorder related to Parkinson's Disease. It is treated primarly with low-dose Parkinson's drugs. I am dismayed to read that you produced three children. People as breathtakingly stupid as you should be sterilized for the good of humanity.
Lisa Wheeler at 1:48PM on Jan 20th 2008
60. Well, I'm a gramma now...but thought I would share my experience. First baby I nursed with my feet flying up into the air everytime she latched on the first week (and biting my finger) but eventually it was great. We could go anywhere easily w/o "stuff". Then at six months doc said she had lost a pound and I had to quit. Very sad day. Made me a little paranoid with my second girl and after two weeks (with my mother's encouragement :o( I quit nursing her and she immediately started having symptoms of what I thought was a cold...ended up a food allergy..dairy products I guess. So sad. Was going to tell you my daughter's experience but don't want to get too long. One had blood blisters but nursed anyway...other has GREAT nipples, nurses at home, pumps once at work which lets her hubby (or gramma) feed the baby. She was three months when this started so no nipple confusion.
Sueso at 1:54AM on Jan 22nd 2008