A Day in the Life of an Exclusive Pumper
Photo courtesy of Danielle Ritter
Most new moms start out breastfeeding, but it may not be an option for some moms. In fact, six percent of moms today are exclusive pumpers due to medical issues (preterm babes, poor latch, tongue-tie) or personal choice. These moms spend a lot of time tethered to a breast pump, often feeling like a milk-making machine.
Danielle Ritter would know. Danielle spent the first few weeks with daughter, McKenzie trying to initiate breastfeeding. McKenzie was born early at 37 weeks and didn’t have a strong sucking reflex, so in addition to putting McKenzie to breast, Danielle pumped every two hours, measuring ounces of breast milk to ensure her daughter was getting enough. After nine weeks, she finally made the decision to exclusively pump. Over the course of the year, she logged 1,694 hours on her pump.
Now a certified lactation consultant, Danielle shares what those early days looked like as she and McKenzie figured out what form of feeding would work best for them.
6:00 AM: Watch the sunrise while McKenzie sleeps on my chest. The big question of my day is whether I should pump first or feed her first. We’re still finding our groove.
8:00 AM: Put McKenzie on my breast to practice. My milk is in, but she doesn’t have a strong sucking reflex. I’m stuck in a vicious cycle: put her to my breast to practice, syringe-feed her to work on suck training, and then pump. Every. Two. Hours.
10:00 AM: Here we go again: pump, feed, sanitize pump parts, change diapers, cuddle baby, watch baby sleep, repeat.
12:00 PM: I discover that if I sit cross-legged on the couch I can fit McKenzie in my lap and, if I twist one of the flanges off to the side, TA-DA!—I can pump and put her to my breast at the same time. If only my newfound superpowers would get all this equipment washed.
2:00 PM: Did I eat today? By the time I’m done pumping, feeding, and washing everything, I have a few fleeting minutes before it starts all over again.
4:00 PM: Stress pump because I only have a quarter of an ounce of milk left, and McKenzie is about to finish it. My life is watching milk trickle into a bottle while praying for more.
6:00 PM: Hello, witching hour. When my babe fusses, my boobs want to be helpful, but since she can’t transfer milk, they’re useless. I want to cry when I think of all the wasted milk flowing into my breast pads.
8:00 PM: A friend stops by to help: she washes pump parts, folds laundry, and brings us dinner. I relax on the couch and hold McKenzie, inhaling her fresh new-baby smell.
10:00 PM: Drip, drip, drip. I’m hooked up to my pump while I shove food in my mouth. I worry that I’m not making enough milk. I worry that she’s not getting enough milk. I feel like my worth is measured in ounces.
12:00 AM: Someone should invent a pump that milks you while you sleep.
2:00 AM: Time to buy another set of flanges. More sets of flanges means less time washing pump parts...which means more time to sleep!
4:00 AM: Practice latching, then syringe feed McKenzie, and get ready to pump, again.
Mamava designs solutions to empower breastfeeding and pumping parents on the go, like our freestanding lactation pods, Mamava’s lactation space locator app, and other helpful resources.
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