Wife wants to exclusively pump, need advice on supporting her

3w ago1 min read

So my wife had our daughter 3 weeks ago and is dealing with pretty bad cracked nipples from nursing. Her OB suggested pumping exclusively for a few weeks to let things heal up. I want to be supportive but honestly I'm a little lost on what I should be doing to help. Do I need to buy special bottles? Should I be the one doing night feeds so she can rest? Any of you dads gone through this with your partners? I feel like I'm reading conflicting stuff online and just want to do right by her.

9 comments218 views

Comments(9)

MMatteoRegular3w ago

Lanolin, hydrogel pads, and proper flange sizing made a huge difference for my wife when she was dealing with nipple pain. If your wife is pumping make sure she gets the right size flanges because wrong sizing actually makes it worse. Also let her know healing cream and time is the real answer though.

KKevin M.New Dad3w ago

The best thing you can do is make sure she's hydrated, eating well, and not doing anything else besides feeding and resting. Pumping is a lot of work so don't underestimate how much support she needs. Handle diaper changes, laundry, meals, all of it. This phase will pass.

BBrandonRegular3w ago

My wife dealt with this and honestly the lanolin cream and those gel pads made a huge difference. Also let her know that exclusively pumping usually gets easier after a few weeks. It's rough at first but doable.

NNathanNew Dad3w ago

Three weeks in is the hardest part. The cracking usually improves a lot after week 4-5. Just make sure she's staying hydrated and not stressing too much about supply right now.

MMason T.New Dad3w ago

You're doing the right thing by being supportive. Make sure she's got good nipple cream, hydration, and honestly just give her space to recover. It gets better after a few weeks.

MMike T.New Dad3w ago

My wife dealt with cracked nipples too and exclusive pumping was a lifesaver. Best thing you can do is handle all the bottle prep and cleaning so she can focus on healing and resting between sessions.

JJoeyNew Dad3w ago

Support her by taking night feedings so she gets solid sleep blocks. She's dealing with pain and sleep deprivation which is brutal. If you can give her 5-6 hour stretches without pumping, that helps recovery.

NNathanNew Dad3w ago

Exclusive pumping is legit hard on the body. Make sure she's getting good nipple shields if she hasn't already, and just be present while she's doing it. That's your main job right now - being there and telling her she's crushing it.

KKevin M.New Dad3w ago

Your wife is making the right call for her own comfort. Cracked nipples are seriously painful and exclusive pumping takes a lot of the pressure off while still giving the baby breast milk. Your job is to handle as much of the other stuff as possible so she can rest and recover. Take night shifts with bottle feeding when you can.