Should I get a pump?

[Teeki]

I'm only half way along this pregnancy, but I'm going through my list of stuff still to get. A pump is on the list, and seems to be on every list I see, but do I really really need one? I'll be home with bubs for 10th months and I can see that when I go back to work expressing would be good, but is there any point in getting one now?

I guess it would be nice if DH could feed ebm from a bottle every now and then but I've heard that can cause confusion? I just don't really want to get one if it'll just sit there for 10th months and I can't think of any other reasons I'd need to express.

Thanks!

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[lissy]

Kaytee I'm not stalking you sorry dahl but I've been wondering the same thing...

[Rainbow_Mumma]

just subbing as i was wndering this last night

[Teeki]

Hehe I'm glad you girls wanna know too, I thought I was thinking about it all too early!

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[{sarah}]

Most people will say no, but from my experience I needed it. My bub fed hourly during the day but only once & from one side over night. So I was going up to 10hrs between feeds from the one side & had to express that side or I was in a lot of pain. It is unusual for a tiny bub to do that, but it was what happened for us.

I just froze it all for when I went back to work.

[lissy]

So how on earth do you know what to buy?? Or any recommendations?

[Nai]

Often you will get to try some in hospital so you can see what sort you prefer. You can also hire them from chemists or the ABA. I would recommend that you don't buy one until you have the baby and you can trial some and see what works best for you.

I was fine with a manual pump but a friend who exclusively expressed had a double electric one. The type you get can also depend on the purpose so if you are only using occasionally then a manual could be fine.

[{sarah}]

I had an Avent Isis, just because that's what my mum bought for my baby shower!

[Rainbow_Mumma]

ive used a couple in my time and just couldnt use a manual one id only get 50ml after 2 hours of pumping it had me in tears i only just sold my isis avent electric one before we got married ... kicking myself now

[HotI]

Before you buy, ask around if your mates have one you could borrow to try out if you need one.

[Teeki]

Thanks for your advice everyone. I reckon I'd like to try one first - might have to try the hospy ones as my only friend with kids is on the other side of oz Might get one early though, in case I have the same situation as you Sarah, and then yeah, I can just freeze it if I don't actually need to use it yet

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[Enchanted]

I first bought a cheap manual Tommee Tippee one after I had DS and I really really disliked it! I barely got anything out and ended up chucking it out.
With DD I spent the $$ and bought a Medela Swing and it is magical!! I found it so easy to express, was easy to clean and nice and compact. All depends on your budget too but I would highly recommend that one!!

[human bean]

Kaytee I have a manual avent one that I'm happy to send over if you want to have it on hand just in case? If you use it, you do, if you don't, no worries either. You can just send it on back after the fact. I used it about 4 times, but I was far too lazy to express regularly (Plus I didn't have too much luck either!) No pressure either way, but the offer is there.

[Teeki]

Thanks heaps bean Is there much point sending it now though? Seeing as i'm not actually going to get anything out for a while lol. I haven't noticed colostrum yet, and don't know if it can it needs to be expressed?

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[Taurean]

One of my best friends is a midwife and she started expressing a few weeks before her DS was born. She had a great stash in her freezer before he arrived and her supply was insane!

I would second getting a Swing - they are magic. I never got much out with my Avent manual pump and it was time consuming. The Swing was so quick!

Next time round I'm hoping to buy the Medela double pump (I think it's called the Advance??). They pop up on sale every so often and you can pick them up on eBay too. I had to use the hospital grade double pump for a few months with DD (we hired one from our pharmacy) so I'd like the ease of that again next time

[Teeki]

That's a good point taurean, it should help with supply right? And will at least get me used to the feeling, DH is very rarely allowed to touch my nipples so how will I go with a little one sucking milk out of there? Makes me a little nervous to be honest lol.

If I do start expressing early, is bubs going to use all that extra colostrum? Or do they only need it until the actual milk comes in?

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[human bean]

Thanks heaps bean Is there much point sending it now though? Seeing as i'm not actually going to get anything out for a while lol. I haven't noticed colostrum yet, and don't know if it can it needs to be expressed?

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Hey I can send it whenever, it's just sitting in my cupboard anyways. I didn't express before DD arrived so can't help with the whole expressing before bub comes? I didn't realise people actually do that, so there you go, I've learnt something new. Just let me know if you want it, and when, but no probs either way.

[Mrs P]

Hi Kaytee - another vote for the Medela Swing. They retail around $300 but often you can pick them up on sale. We got ours from a Friendlies chemist (no idea if that's just a WA store though!) who offer a 15% discount when you sign up to their membership for about $13 a year - since it was already August I think DH paid $6 to join and then saved about $30 on the pump!
Times to think about when you might need EBM is when you get a little break from bub and leave the house, lol. So for example I need EBM when I leave DD for: going to the beautician for waxing once every 6 weeks (took DD the first time, NEVER AGAIN haha), going on a 'date night' with your DH/DP (we haven't managed one but have planned one in a few weeks!), I try to get to an exercise class once a week at night, and a couple of times I've gone out for a cuppa with girlfriends and some uninterrupted adult conversation

Also DD went through a stage of sleeping 8 hrs at night (aaah I miss that!) and only feeding off one side when she woke, so I HAD to express the other side or it would burst!!

And it's very useful to have frozen EBM in case of an emergency - I was on antibiotics for quite a while after DD was born and I wasn't able to store EBM as the antibiotics pass into the milk and give bub lots of painful wind etc. However if that hadn't been the case, I would have been able to freeze a lot more EBM for emergencies.. like the time I accidentally ate broccoli and cauliflower and she screamed all day