Should I get a pump?

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!

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk

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

just subbing as i was wndering this last night

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

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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 :)

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk

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!!

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.

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?

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk

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 :lol:

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?

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk

:

---

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?

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk

---

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.

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 :(

I agree with the Medela Swing pump (although I'm eyeing off the symphony - double pump but it's a bit $$$). I got a secondhand Medela mini-electric and that would have done me fine if I didn't go back to work fulltime at 4mths.

Sign up with the ABA - do it even if you don't think you'll need them (handy mag every 2 mths) and you get 20% (or is it 10%) off purchases - online included (it's where I ended up getting my Swing pump. -cheaper than the chemist or Target where I've started to see some pumps even with postage) They have a number of pumps available and good support as well.

Hmmm... thinking now I may go for an electric one, the medela one if it's getting such good reviews! Thanks though human bean :)

Reckon I'll definitely sign up to the aba too, thanks for the tip leckert. Thanks again for all the advice, it's helping me get my head around it all!

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk

Hey I just did a quick search & medela swing is on sale at nursingangel for $229 so its probably worth doing a google search Kaytee.

:

---

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?

---

I wrote that last post a bit quickly. I should have added that I was always under the impression that unless advised by your midwife/OB, you shouldn't express too early before your due date as it can induce labour (nipple stimulation releases oxytocin). Might be best to start another thread and check with Barb - unless you're reading this Barb - any comments???

Colustrum is liquid gold though so any amount of the good stuff will be very much appreciated by your little one :)

With regards to having something sucking your nipples, it really is SO different when you're BFing. I was a bit concerned about that but honestly, it is a different feeling altogether - it's incredible, heartwarming and surprisingly relaxing once you get the hang of it ;). I'm sure you'll be fine hon.

Ah good point taurean, I'd forgotten about it inducing labour! I had a chat to DH (cos he'd really know lol) and a work friend with a baby, and I think I'm leaning towards getting a medela. If I get that one you found lissy, or sign up to the aba, cost should be alright. And from the chat with DH I can see a few reasons to get a bit of a milk store going.

Thanks again everyone!

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk

Personally I am a fan of waiting until you need something especially with baby things, because you imagine things one way and they always are different and then you can buy something suitable for the actual situation you are in, which might not be what you thought. I thought about getting a pump with DD, but in the end decided to wait and see, and borrowed one from a friend just to see what I thought when bub was about 8 weeks, I couldn't use it, it killed me, my nipples got stuck in the funnel - I was so glad I hadn't bought one. But I was able to express by hand fine and that worked really well for me and got plenty, and didn't cost anything.

You can hire pumps through the ABA too, that way you can try and see what suits you, and then make a purchase if you need to. Or borrowing from a friend to try out is also a good move.

:

---

I couldn't use it, it killed me, my nipples got stuck in the funnel - I was so glad I hadn't bought one.

---

Just on that, there are various different nipple shield sizes for Medela pumps and it's SO important to get the right size or yes, you can damage your nipples. I did that. My LC got me onto the correct size and boy did it make a difference.

Thanks :) I think I'm still leaning towards getting the medela, as I'll need it when I go back to work, or as a just in case when bubs is with daddy one time. Given me a fair bit to consider anyway!

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk

Not sure if you want to buy yet hon but the Mothers Direct website currently has 20% off breast pumps - until Friday 30 Jan :)

Personally, I would hold off on buying anything just yet - you might spend hundreds on something you hardly ever use. Some mums find expressing really easy and handy, others (like me) find it far more hassle than it's ever worth, you know? Plus, different pumps work differently for different women - it would suck to buy something that didn't end up working well for you.

Yeah, we wound up deciding to see what it's like at hospital first, if I can borrow one and see what it's like. Also will be signing up to ABA when our computer's fixed, so hopefully there's lots of advice there :)

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk