Sorry, should of said that they were my first port of call, although there rentals are double the price if your not a member. : ( I could not find out how much membership was..
Membership is $65 or $50 if you are on a health care card. You get a fabulous free book, Breastfeeding naturally included with your membership (the book retails at $34.95 alone)
Most chemists retantals are $38-40 per week. A membership of ABA is the best investment new parents could make. There will be a group hiring pumps near you
Thank you Barb. I will send them an email and see what happens. Your right probably a very good investment and since I had a very bad go at it the first time.
Tams, sounds like you're getting prepared! The other advantage of joining the ABA is that there will be counsellors in your local group and I found talking face-to-face about the odd thing really suited me. Not to mention catching up with other bfing Mums who'd all BTDT. The mag often covers topics that will come up at some point for most bfing Mums.
Most groups will run a regular session aimed at pg Mums, preparing you for bfing after the birth, or if there's going to be trickier circumstances. I'd really encourage you to talk to your local group about when/if they're doing one before March. They'll also have brochures that you might be able to borrow/read/buy if you're facing something a bit more challenging.
I must admit that with my last after 4 agonising weeks, I finally got the pump and it made my life better by 100 times. However because of everything I stopped after 8 weeks.
Plus I want my other half to be able to feed from the bottle. I am just trying to think ahead and do everything that will make this transition a smooth one. I will probably rent from the week I go into the hospital so I can bring it with me. I was thinking of just buying one but I then changed my mind as I want one that can double pump and is hospital grade so minimum time pumping.
I have sent an email and hope to hear back from someone soon. Thanks again. : )
Going and talking to the local ABA members will probably be the best source of advice for you (apart from us!). They will probably recommend no artificial teats (bottles, dummies) for at least the first six weeks while you get bfing established. A lot of the issues you faced with DD might be able to be avoided if you have a bit of a debrief and get the right support and advice upfront. If bfing is working well it is convenient, quicker and there's far less work (sterilising bottles, pumps, etc)! And you can always come on here and get tips on managing whatever challenges might be coming your way. Bfing after a c/s is something that many, many of us have done, so closer to your delivery date, you might want to start asking for how best to get bfing established following the op.
tams, it's great that you are preparing early. I definitely agree that joining the ABA is money well spent. Also you get as much counselling as you need with the pump hire if you hire through ABA.
I tend to agree with Jennifer though that unless you really need to pump, it works best for most mums to avoid it for at least the first 6 weeks. It can be hard enough establishing feeding, and definitely time consuming and tiring enough with a newborn, especially with an older child also. Pumping is extra time and work - first you have to take the milk out, then you have to feed it to the baby, and also wash pump parts and bottles etc. It can also interfere with your supply settling down to the right level and with the baby attaching well. If you do decide to pump, feeding the expressed milk by cup or syringe is a better option than using a bottle. With my first DS I had to pump until he could attach after having a tongue-tie snipped at 3 weeks and I can tell you that just breastfeeding is a lot easier than pumping as well. If your partner wants to help, many dad like to do the bath and have cuddle and play time with bub while mum rests. A lot of Lactation Consultants have a saying that I really love and think is very true - "it's the dad's job to teach the baby that love can come without food".
All the best hun. I am sure this time things will go much better for you - experience is a big help and now you know where to get support as well.
I have to agree with the others - invest in an ABA membership and a breastfeeding education class. After a difficult experience the first time around it is normal to feel that history might repeat itself, but there is no real reason that should happen. Knowledge is power. Many mothers have gained insight into their first experience breastfeeding while reading aBA's book "Breastfeeding naturally" or attending a Breastfeeding Education class. It starts to all make sense
Thanks Jen, Manta and Barb. I was really torn but now think I am on the right track. Thank you for taking the time to reply, I appreciate it very much. Still have not heard from ABA but hoping to after new years. xx
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Breast pump hire on North side of Brisbane
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