When Ds was born, I expressed fairly regularly - I had a massive supply of milk, so much that while I was in the hospital, I fed both DS & also my milk was used to feed a premmie baby in the nursery who was struggling with a drug addiction after being born
I've been looking at pumps to buy this time round, and obviously, 12 yrs later things have changed a little
I don't remember electric pumps being available back then (except for the one I used in the hospital) - is one better than the other (electric/manual) as far as whats best for your supply & general care of your breasts (with milk ducts etc?)
I didn't have any issues last time as far as the amount or length of time it took to express - hopefully I'm lucky enough to be the same this time round as well.
Just curious as to if one is better for overall care & to maintain a healthy supply
Also another topic which perhaps needs its own thread - but while you're all reading this
How do I go about looking into donating to milk banks?
Is it a fairly straightforward thing?
If I'm lucky enough to have the supply I had last time, I'd love to be able to help - although I helped the little baby last time, it was only for short time before she was moved to another hospial & then to a foster family... after that, a lot of my milk went wasted down the drain in the shower last time
I would love to put it to good use this time for longer.
I can't help with the milk bank babe... last time I enquired up here, it just wasn't possible....
But I can with the pump!!!
I used a Ameda Purely Yours, elec double pump.
And it was used up to 12 times a day, for just over 10 months, and not one minutes of trouble with it.
It is extremely easy to use, has controls for how hard to suck, and how fast to suck, so you can put it on soft but fast suck to get letdown, then adjust to stronger but longer sucks... just like what baby does when baby is on the breast.... just awesome.....
I think there is a milk bank in QLD & one in WA for some reason. I'm really not sure why I think that or if its right though. I probably very wrong, lol.
I do know that they only want milk from a mum who's bub is under 6 months. Once they hit 6 months BM looses most of the anti bodies NB need, so under 6 months is preferable.
You might not have quite the supply you had last time, but I still say go for it if you can! I really can't say how much milk you'll have, but I do know that I had way, way more with DD1 than I did for the other 2. I used to spray getting out of the shower, lol!
I'm not sure if its the same for everyone though.
Good luck!
First, to milk banks - I am donating to one at Tweed, not sure where you are but if you want I can PM you details - the co-ordinator might be able to put you onto somewhere closer to you. I had heard the same as bjrose, that they don't want milk past 6mths - but I asked her last time she picked up & she said they would still take it, it's not quite as valuable as the earlier milk but still useful.
As for pumps, I'm using an Ameda Purely Yours & I love it too although I have to say I don't know if it's worth grabbing unless you're full-time expressing (or planning to). I did have an Avent IQ (single electric pump) before AR arrived, planning on occasional expressing, but we ended up expressing FT & I never used the Avent. With DS2 I used the manual Avent & it was quite good.
It might be worth waiting to see what your requirements are WRT expressing before you fork out big bucks for a double electric pump... I was lucky my Avent was unopened & I was able to return it.
Holly, it really depends on why you are wanting to express and how often you will be expressing. For frequent expressing there is no doubt that the electric ones are the way to go, and one with a double kit is highly recommended. However, that's not necessary if you won't be expressing much.
WRT the milk banks, the PPs are correct - there is one on the Gold Coast that has just started running again, one in the process of opening at the Mercy in Melbourne and one in WA (I think that's still going). If you are not near those, then you will be unable to donate. You will need to contact the milk banks directly for more information. It's such a pity the Government didn't follow through on the recommendation to fund national milk banks which came out of the Parliamentary Inquiry into Breastfeeding. It never hurts to write to your local member though
Question For Barb & Anyone Else Who Can Help!
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