Exclusive Pumping - Boston Moms Blog
Gear of an exclusive pumper

My name is Kat, and I am an exclusive pumper.

Those words make me think of those old Reebok pump sneakers that were all the rage when I was a kid. In all actuality, it refers to the fact that I breastfeed my kids via pumping and bottle feeding.

There are a number of reasons why a mother would have to exclusively pump — medical issues with the mother, prematurity, tongue or lip tie with the baby, or pure personal preference. Exclusive pumping is growing in popularity, as it gives those of us who are unable to traditionally breastfeed a way to feed their children with breastmilk.

When I made the decision to exclusively pump with my first son, I struggled to find information, tips, and tricks. I did a lot of things wrong. My second time around, I not only had my own struggles to build upon, but a growing number of resources online and more lactation consultants informed about its best practices.

Here’s what I have learned from two exclusive-pumping journeys.

You need buy-in from those around you.

Exclusive pumping takes up a ton of time — more than normal breastfeeding does. If, at any given moment, you aren’t giving your infant a bottle, odds are you’re pumping. Then as soon as you put that pump away, you’re feeding your infant again.

In order to make exclusive pumping work, you cannot skip a chance to pump (something that has derailed me with both children). You will need help, support, and understanding from those around you, such as your husband or partner and any family members who are helping you out. Make it clear what you need from them, be it to watch the baby for 20 minutes or to take over a feeding. Also, stress to them the importance of not missing a pump. And if you think you would respond well to their encouragement, ask them to pump you up when pumping gets hard. There will be times you want to quit. The support of others can make a huge difference.

Have your gear handy at all times.

Because exclusive pumping is so time-consuming, anything that can make the actual act of pumping easier is welcome. Buy a basket and put everything you would need in that basket — the pump and its piping and cords, bottles, pump wipes, hand wipes/sanitizer, and a water bottle for you. It really makes all the difference in the world when everything you possibly could need to pump is in one place, ready to go and easy to tote.

A Glitter Yeti cup
A Glitter Yeti

Find whatever gets you to drink massive amounts of water and do that.

Is it a cup with time notches on it? Is it adding lemon to your water? Is it a glitter Yeti? (A giant stainless steel mug that an Etsy crafter blinged out with glitter. I love mine. It is obnoxiously wonderful in every way.) Not drinking enough water was my total downfall the first time I exclusively pumped. My second time around, I was determined not to let that happen again. 

The internet can be your friend.

Since exclusive pumping isn’t the most popular concept in the world, it can be difficult to find resources to help you. That’s where social media has stepped in. In just the two years between my children, the amount of Instagram accounts, YouTube channels, and email newsletters that discuss exclusive pumping topics has seemingly tripled. Here are my favorites.

The Exclusive Pumping site and newsletter: Amanda Glenn’s Exclusive Pumping newsletter is an offshoot of her website full of knowledge. This site provides basics on the topic in an easy-to-read manner, from pumping for a newborn to her recommendations for gear.

Legendairy Milk’s Instagram account: This a treasure trove of information for everyone who breastfeeds, especially exclusive pumpers. Legendairy Milk is a breastfeeding supplement brand, but their Instagram account strikes a good balance between hawking their products and giving advice. Their breast pump advice and hacks are especially helpful. It’s also one time on the Internet where you can read the comments and get something beneficial from it. The bits of knowledge other moms drop there are just as wonderful as the account itself.

Wonderfully Ale’s exclusively pumping series on YouTube: Let me preface: I have an addiction to flight attendant YouTube channels. It started during my first maternity leave and hasn’t let up since. Wonderfully Ale is a flight attendant and mom of two, and she became an exclusive pumper when her second son was born last year. Her series of videos on gear and schedules were a departure from her usual topics, but they were extremely helpful for me. Advice surrounding breastfeeding is easier to digest when it comes from someone actually in the throes of it at that moment, and Ale provided that for me.

 

Kat Cornetta
Kat grew up in Rochester, NY, and attended college in Ithaca and Binghamton, NY. She moved to Boston to earn a graduate degree in educational administration. In addition to her career in education, Kat has a part-time freelance sportswriting career covering women’s college hockey, gymnastics, and figure skating. She contributed to the Boston Herald for a decade before moving over to the Boston Globe, where she wrote their first-ever weekly women’s college hockey notebook. Her long-term career goal is to write a book. An Ipswich resident, Kat is a mother to two sons (born in 2016 and 2018) and owns a cat named after legendary Buffalo Bills head coach Marv Levy. After having her sons in 2016 and 2018, Kat is attempting to balance a full-time job in education with her writing dream and motherhood. She loves coffee, cats and 1990s NFL quarterbacks. She dislikes chewing gum, high shelves and baby pajamas that snap instead of zipper. You can read her work at sportsgirlkat.com