Does pumping breastmilk hurt just as much as breastfeeding?

Question

I am not planning on breast feeding because of many personal reasons but still want to give my baby milk.Does pumping the millk hurt just the same as breast feeding?

honest non biased answers needed..i don't need "the pain will be temp" or any.Just experienced peeps!thanx

Answer 1

Not usually.  I was unable to breastfeed because of the pain, but I did pump and use bottles to feed breast milk to my children without issue.  Most breast pumps, if used correctly, do not hurt.  Even the hand pump I got from WIC when I had my oldest was pain free.  Or...  You could always pump manually, but the electric pumps are much faster.

Answer 2

Not at all!  If you have a good quality pump - and you will need a good one - you should feel no pain at all!

My friend only pumped for her baby for 8 months.  She bought the ones offered at the hospital.  They are pricey, but not really when compared the cost of formula for that amount of time!

Good Luck & Congratulations!!

Answer 3

It didn't hurt me when I first started. It felt a little weird though. Not painful, just different. It goes away after a few days. I use an Ameda Purely Yours. It works great for me.

I don't know if it feels the same as breastfeeding though. I was not able to breastfeed so I pump, pump, pump. My baby is 7 months old and I am still pumping! I am very proud of that =)

Answer 4

"does pumping breastmilk hurt just as much as breastfeeding?"

breastfeeding shouldn't hurt if done correctly. the first few days, its an adjustment to get use to and your nipples are sensitive but painful? then its not being done right.

pumping is alot more work. because you are having to wash bottles, pump parts, etc. on top of having to pump, then feed.  

Answer 5

Yes!  Sorry to say.  I used the Medela pump that I rented from the hospital.  It was painful for the first few pumps, then it got better.  The entire 1st month I pumped it would hurt when I first turned the pump on, like 30 seconds, then it didn't hurt.

Just to for warn you, I had a lot of difficulty getting my milk to come in by soley pumping (I could have been a personal problem???).  I spoke to a lac consult. and she said when the baby actually makes contact with the nipple an oxidation process happens and that gets the milk moving even more.  I eventually had to make the decision to go to formula, which was a good decision for me personally (I know I'll get thumbs down for that comment!).

If pumping is what you want to do, go for it!  Just make sure you have a quality pump.

Answer 6

I find pumping more comfortable than breastfeeding because you control the latch more than you control it when your baby feeds.  Sometimes she will suck a strange way and it will hurt.  But pumping doesn't hurt.

Honestly, neither pumping or breastfeeding hurts now, but both did for about the first week.  My nipples bled and cracked.  I don't think it was an improper latch, which is what most people say.  I think that they just needed to get used to being used.  If the soreness continued, however, I would have thought there was a problem.  Once they healed, they were tougher and I have had no problems except for the occasional nip my daughter gives me.

Answer 7

breastfeeding only hurt me in the beginning.  once my daughter and i got used to it - there was no pain at all .  but girlfriend, let me tell you - in the beginning (about 3 weeks), that sh** hurt so bad.  i couldn't figure it out but didnt want to give up.  i got cuts, scabs, and even got an infection that made me feel like I had the flu.  It was bad but like I said, I didn't give up.   So when my baby was 6 weeks old, I had to go back to work and so I started pumping on my breaks at would go home during lunchtime. Little by little, we were just fully onto a pumping and bottles and omg, that was the answer to my prayers.  I think THATS why I was able to "breastfeed" her for so long, even though it wasn't really breast-fed. lol.  

So, either way - good for you.  I'm not a breastfeeding advocate but I did it with 1 out of my 3 kids.  I did try with my next 2 kids but it didn't work out so they are Isomil babies. lol.

All are very healthy and beautiful and smart, and so on.  Good luck!

Answer 8

Pumping as I type.  I am doing both.  I pump three (minimum) times a day and breast feed twice.  (Pumping will go up to four when I go back to work  :(   )  For me, it all ( breast feeding and pumping) hurts.  I have friends and sisters who all said it would get better.  I don't know if it's gotten better or I am just used to it.  My nipples are always tender and hurt to touch.  I hate to have to say that, but like I said, it has gotten better (again, am I just used to it?).  The first two months I was dying...crying and wanting to give it up completely.  The guilt kept me pumping and breast feeding, especially since my little guy has really bad skin and allergies run in our family.  His pediatrician said "nothing but breast milk for the first six months."  So, I'm sticking it out.  He's worth it.  This choice/decision works for me, and only you can make it for yourself and your little one.  Good luck.

Answer 9

Nursing isn't painful unless baby isn't latched on correctly--which is easy to fix and to teach a baby having difficulty.  Pumping also isn't painful necessarily; that's unusual.  Either one can be temporarily painful if the b*****s are very engorged (happens more early on) or if there is some kind of infection.  Nursing immediately after birth and for the next day or so will cause the uterus to contract and return to its normal size more quickly, and the cramping caused by this can be painful, but again, also temporary.  If either pumping or nursing is very painful, then there is something wrong.  Nature wouldn't have kept this method of feeding babies around and humans wouldn't do it if it were regularly painful.

I had only a little bit of minor uterine cramping after my second and third children were born (it's more common with babies after the first one), but it's not even enough to warrant taking any tylenol or anything.  And there was no nursing pain unless baby was not latched properly.