My advice to mothers exclusively pumping is that it is hard and time consuming but it brings you just as close to your baby as breastfeeding does.

Do what's best for you and your situation and don't let anyone tell you what you "should" be doing. If your baby is getting fed, getting the nutrients they need, that's all that matters. And be flexible and forgiving to yourself. Plans change, some days are easier than others, and things don't always go the way we imagine them going. It's all good momma, just keep going!

My breastfeeding journey with my sweet LillyBug, just like our birth story, started much differently than my other stories. When she was born, it seemed as though she would latch ok. But then as bottles and syringes were given to her to help her blood sugars come up, it became apparent that we were going to have a hard time.