First time Mum breastfeeding 🤍

I think you will have your own journey with your baby. All babies are different. I really wanted to breast feed but my guy wouldn’t latch and we’re almost five months in and I’m still pumping. I do formula for a couple bottles a day because he’s just taking so much now. That being said I was gifted a couple pumps. I gave the pink spectra I liked at first but I also have the ameda finesse and I love it. The switches are like gauges for suction and speed so I feel like there’s unlimited ways you can use it to see what speed and suction works best for you. And I looked it up and it’s only like 80 dollars on Amazon. I have four different brand wearables because I thought that was what I’d use but I have found they just don’t get all the milk out and I have big boobs so it wasn’t really possible for me to do anything with them on anyway.

I agree that your journey will be your own, and won’t be the same as anyone else’s. As far as breast pump goes a lot of people can respond differently to the same pumps, just try to figure out which one your insurance might cover. Make sure you read the manual when you get it, some have different settings that can be really helpful. You can start hand expressing colostrum around 37 weeks pregnant, however, double check with your OB first. You can even bring this colostrum to the hospital with youyou to feed baby if your milk hasn’t fully come in yet.
Pros /cons of pumping versus from breast/- pumping offers you a break, someone else is able to feed baby for you, and like you said you know exactly how much baby is drinking. Pros of nursing , it can provide better bonding- especially in the first few days, dishes, less dishes to wash 🫢 , it can help increase/ regulate your milk supply. Feel free to message me any questions you have!

The absolute most important thing though, be patient- with yourself and with baby. You’re both learning a new skill, it’s very hard to remember to be patient when you’re early postpartum but it can make or break your nursing journey

Speak to your midwife about pumping colostrum as collecting it too early can lead to you going into early labour but they say to start collecting it from 37 weeks. I use the medela brand and love them, the pumps come with bottles and you buy the teats for them separately it my boy has no issues with drinking as the are made to simulate a nipple, and don’t worry about how much baby will be drinking, there will be signs they aren’t getting enough but again I’d recommend speaking to your midwife as this really helped my anxiety. Another thing to do is make the most of support you can get in the first few hours, I had help making sure I was getting a good latch etc and it massively helped x

I m exclusively bf. Never pumped and my baby is now 8 months old. The only inconvenience I can relate is that you are needed always. I usually can do stuff on my own but never more then 3 or 4 hours maximum. All the rest is a blessing. Having baby close and bond with him, no bottle wash, supply up as baby manage supply increase properly,...
Good luck mama