Breast pump - any suggestions?

[CKJ]

I only got to breastfeed DD for a week before she was out onto formula (not my choice, it was made by ex MIL)

I am determined to give it a real shot with this bubs (if he ever arrives) and was wanting some suggestions on breast pumps.

DD is 6.5 and very keen to help with feeding so thought maybe I could express and let her help feed him every now and again. This pregnancy has been taxing on both of us and I know she feels extremely neglected so would like her to bond with her brother and not resent him.

So what pump did you find worked for you? Manual/electric. Brands etc.

Also is there any knack to expressing. Storing EBM etc.

Any advice is much appreciated.

[Maruschke]

Do you want to exclusively express, or just now and then? If it is only now and then, a cheap manual pump might be sufficient. But if you want to do it a few times a day, go for a decent electric pump (like a medela freestyle). I have two medela mini electric, and both have their problems and really aren't suited for the exclusive expresser but could be ok for once or twice a day.

I use glad snap lock bags to freeze EBM, laying flat, and it is space efficient and BPA free. No need for expensive EBM storage that way .

[bellany]

To be honest I would forget expressing at least while you establish breastfeeding and encourage your dd to bond in other ways.
I had the same thoughts with my second and it just didn't end well.
I found he got confused with bottle and boob and I found expressing stressfull. I would worry I didn't have enough I was sore from feeding and expressing and I think it led to the many feeding issues we had.
Just something to consider. I would wait till 4 months of breastfeeding and then introduce pumping/ebm feeding.

[luna moth]

To be honest I would forget expressing at least while you establish breastfeeding and encourage your dd to bond in other ways.
I had the same thoughts with my second and it just didn't end well.
I found he got confused with bottle and boob and I found expressing stressfull. I would worry I didn't have enough I was sore from feeding and expressing and I think it led to the many feeding issues we had.
Just something to consider. I would wait till 4 months of breastfeeding and then introduce pumping/ebm feeding.

^^ good call.

I can't pump. My boobs just don't let down for plastic. My baby wouldn't take a bottle until 8 months. A pump was a total waste of time and money for me. Just wait and see how you go, as bell said , it can be quite confusing and screw ith your BF journey.

[CKJ]

Thanks for opinions ladies

It was something midwife said about helping DD bond with him (she's been acting out a lot so I know it's affecting her)

Will see how I go then reassess

[Ladylove]

I agree with what the others said ... I however did find a pump helpful in the early weeks- my milk came in late and baby was slow regaining her birth weight in the first week so i pumped after breastfeeding to encourage the milk in. That said, I could pump easily but a lot of people can't get much milk with a pump. The best thing is lots of babe on boob- every time baby looks even remotely hungry or even if you are not sure if it's hunger. Your hospital should have a pump there and for home you can hire an electronic one for as long as you need if you don't want to buy, from Mother's Direct (retail arm of the breastfeeding association) or maybe your hospy hires out.

[LuluHB]

On the advice of lots of lovely BB ladies I got the Medela swing and so far its working really well - only used it three times because I just can't organise myself!

As for teh bonding with your DD, I agree with the others that it could be a bit tricky to start, and also interfere with your supply, but FWIW my "big" girls love just having cuddles with their baby sister - everyone lying on the bed snuggling up. They also love it now that I'm starting to let them get in the bath with her. They take turns gently washing her, playing with her toes etc. While its still technically me giving Miss A the bath, they feel pretty important because they're actually in there with her.

We also had a couple of very special things planned for the girls after Miss A was born - went to Dora and Elmo to try and show them that while lots of things had to change with the new baby's arrival, there was still great stuff just for them ITMS.

Good luck. I hope you'll find that your daughter adjusts really well. Mine have surprised me.

[Barb Glare]

It's great that you are thinking about the ways your children can bond. But feeding doesn't need to be one. Feeding is the mother's job. Other people have given great idea. Your son can, above and beyond all, play with his brother or sister. Teach him some songs he can sing to his baby, get some little picture books he can show her. Ask him to get things for you and the baby. Pretty soon he'll be rewarded with his brother's or sister's smiles and laughter.
Consider going to an ABA breastfeeding class - worth it's weight in gold if you are serious about wanting to breastfeed.

[ladybirdflies]

I agree with Barb, go to a breast feeding class or a private lactation consultant if you can. Breastfeeding is more successful if you are supported by those around you, so talk to your partner about ways he can support you to sit on the couch or in bed and learn to feed.
When I had my last baby my girls were 8 and 6, I gave them time alone between feeds and sleep with the baby. Sometimes I took their clothes off and let them have skin on skin time, one day I was having a little peek and found miss 6 smelling the baby and touching her cooing at her and stroking her, that sacred time was such a beautiful time to watch from the doorway and allow them the space to be together!

[leesha]

I'm going to go against the grain here.... Background story is DS1 born with bilateral Cleft Lip and exclusively expressed breast milk fed thru a bottle for 9 months. DD was exclusively breast fed for 14 months and straight onto sippy cup..DS2 is 11 weeks old and has both.

Ds2 is 11 weeks old and breast fed. From week one I have expressed and he has a bottle at his bedtime feed which DH gives him. It has never interfered with breast feeding and has definately given DH a feeling of being active in the feeding process and gives him a feeling of being useful. There is other ways to do this I know but we all now how special feeding time is

Our DD was exclusively breast fed as I waited the recommended time before I introduced a bottle and she would never take it...I saw a difference in DH and DD's relationship compared to the other two who would have a bottle.

So I am all for the expressing and breast feeding combo!

Pumps depend on your need and I obviously needed a pump full time for DS1 so I have a double electric pump that is still going today I have never used a manual hand pump so I'm not sure as to what is best.
Go to the ABA website and they have a section on storing and handling breastmilk which is fantastic..I could write it all here but you are better off just going there for a read or print it off.....

Are you on facebook? A friend of mine runs an exclusive expressers page you could join. It is private and we are all there for advice and hints etc...we all have different expressing journeys.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do but I think it is lovely you are considering your daughters feelings and role in this new little persons life!

[Maruschke]

Are you on facebook? A friend of mine runs an exclusive expressers page you could join. It is private and we are all there for advice and hints etc...we all have different expressing journeys.

OT but...

I would love those details!

[PumpkinZulu]

Leesha, I'd also really like those details for a friend!

[leesha]

PZ if you search exclusive expressers and Rachel Mcbride is the admin!!

[surprised]

I exclusively expressed for my first and have done everything imaginable to avoid the pump this time (even feeding through 7 bous of mastitis). It's so much more complicated than breast feeding, and I think I would have found combining the two even more so.

I agree with Barb - feeding is the mum's job. There is plenty of other stuff your daughter can do to help with bonding.

[AlligatorsMum]

I am another one that has done BF and EBM from nearly four weeks of age? My DS has never refused the boob yet and goes back and forth all the time. I am back at work now and have been for nearly two months and he takes bottles during the day tue-thurs apart from morning and night feed and then back to exclusive breastfeeding on the other days. I've only had issues with me trying to give him a bottle but it's not a huge issue as most of the time I am perfectly happy to feed him out.

I originally was using the avent electric single pump which I borrowed from a friend but when I returned to work I bought a agent duo electric pump. This is fantastic. I have great success pumping and get between 200-400 mls a session when pumping at work (depending on time of day).

I know some people prefer single pump so they have a free hand to massage the breast if they need to but I have no problem getting let down so a double pump is just so efficient at work! And if I only need to pump one side it can convert to a single pump aswell!

Good luck with your BF journey. I hope your little man Arrives soon and feeds like a champ!

[*beannaithe*]

Hiya CMKM, hope your little guy puts in an appearance soon.

So we are only about four weeks into our bf journey and while supply has not been an issue for me thankfully, things have been pretty rocky. From little babies who have found latching difficult, to bleeding and cracking, to tongue tie in both girls to severe mastitis. As I was having twins, I thought a good pump from the outset would be a plan so I bought a Medela pump in style advanced from Amazon. There have been so many times over the past few weeks I have thanked my lucky stars for having it, especially the last few days where I have been too sick in hospital with mastitis to breastfeed or care for the girls. Having a pump, I have been able to get a decent enough stash in the freezer so that even with the dramas we have had, we are still exclusively feeding breast milk in some form. So far, neither Miss E or Miss G have had a problem transitioning from bottle to boob and back and I am a very thankful mummy for having a good electric pump.

Good luck


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