When you were breastfeeding, did you also need to pump? If so, what kind of pump did you use?


I have a good friend who is due in september, and definetally wants to BF, but she is currious about pumps, does she NEED one, and what kind, and where can she get one online....And of course anyother info you can provide.

I never breast feed, but if they ever plan on going to work or going away for the evening or night, they will need one, there's not much diference in them Baby's R Us has a wide variety of them.

If she needs a breast pump would depend on her overall lifestyle. How often she will be away from the baby at feeding time, etc. Milk can also be hand-expressed, into a cup, which would be an alternative if she only needs to relieve her breasts away from the baby rarely. It may also be possible to set up a routine of having some feedings by breast, and some of formula, if she will be working away from the baby on a regular schedule.

If she is taking childbirth classes, the instructor may have a variety of pumps available for her to compare, or have reports from other mothers about what worked. There may also be a lactation specialist at the hospital maternity ward, to give advice.

There are brest pump reviews (http://www.diaperpin.com/diapers/itemlist.asp?subcat=BREASTFEED) available, online as well, at the link above, and probably elsewhere.

She is planning on being a SAHM for at least 6 months then working PT after that. I think she wants dad to be able to do feedings with breast milk also.

We do have a breastfeeding support group on our base, and she knows about it. She is going to her prenatal childbirth classes, and getting all the info together so that she can be ready.

Hmmm....

From what I understand about breast feeding, breasts like to be kept on a fairly regular schedule. Pumping tends to work to fill in blanks in the schedule, when mother and baby are apart.

So what happens is, first feeding mom and baby are apart, mom pumps, baby gets formula, pumped milk gets refrigerated/frozen. Next feeding they are apart, baby gets milk from the last pumping, mom pumps and saves milk for next time it is needed.

Mothers also frequently "let down" milk if they hear their baby's hungry cry.

So having dad feed with breast milk, while mom is around, may be a bit silly, since she'd be spending the time pumping. Building up a small stock of frozen breast milk, for use as needed, using a pump to cover for occasional separations, or using the pump to cover for routine separations would be more typical.

I feel they come in handy the first couple weeks while baby (and Mum!) are learning the ropes. When my second bubs came home, she was having a couple probs feeding, and my breasts became so sore the first week I just about developed mastitis. It really would of helped so much to be able to get some of that milk out, I find doing it by hand is just too slow.

In addition to breast pumps she can buy, there are also medical-quality ones that can be rented. That might be a more comfortable/convenient option, particularly if she faces a few days where she'll be away from the baby, and wants to keep her milk going and stay comfortable. I'm not sure about availability on a military base, however they may be available from a local medical supply place.

Extended BFer here. I found having a pump useful since I produced so much that I would get engorged at times. I went ahead and splurged on a Medela PumpInStyle. It's convenient, works well, and is discreet all at the same time.

A few of my friends never could pump because they didn't produce much. I would recommend your friend wait until her milk comes in after birth to decided which path she wants to go.

Another extended breastfeeder here.

I would STRONGLY recommend that your friend wait at least 6 or 8 weeks (preferably 3 months or more) before even thinking about pumping. It can take that long for the breasts to adapt to exactly how much milk the baby needs and when. No matter how good the pump is, it isn't as efficient as baby at getting the milk out. It's a far better idea of to nurse the baby every time she's hungry for as long as she wants -- that's how the milk supply is calibrated. That and baby has to work to get milk from a breast and doesn't to get milk from a bottle, so some babies develop a preference for the easier way of the bottle if they expericne it too soon.

Later, when she's got a stable milk supply and the baby has the hang of nursing, pumping occasionally while Dad or Grandma give the baby a bottle won't hurt her supply. In the meanwhile, feeding is a small part of caring for and bonding with the baby and Dad and Grandma can do any of those.

If there are BF support meetings on the base, she should go while pregnant. They usually welcome moms who *plan* to BF or simply want to ask questions before deciding whether or not to BF. Of course I have very strong opinions in favor of BF and so here's what I think FWIW.

First, there are untold ages of sucessful exclusive BF in many species, including our own, before pumps were invented, so they are not necessary. But they may be nice to have. If your friend will be home with the baby for the first 6 months, she may never need one at all. By 6 months, the baby will be able to go several hours without feeding, even if he isn't eating solids or taking formula. So her absences at that age may not necessitate pumping, although it might be more comfortable for her and the baby to have at least one time a day when he is taking a bottle of BM while she is pumping at work. SOrt of a long distance feeding. My own opinion is that doing this while the mom and baby are in the same place is ridiculous. My sis used to go into another room to pump while visitors fed her baby BM in a bottle. Within a month, her milk supply was not able to keep up and her baby switched to 100% formula. Feeding the baby directly from the breast is her best bet for the first 6 months to keep supply at pace with demand. I know, we tend to think that dads and grandparents and friends will *need* a turn feeding the baby, but nature disagrees. Moms will not explode if they are the only ones feeding the baby, day and night, every feeding. That's where the dads, grands, and friends come in. They can change babies, fluff pillows, fetch water--kindnesses done to the mother are kindnesses done to the baby--and also bond during baby's non-feeding times by talking, singing, making faces... Babies need more than milk, but when they do need milk it is my unabashed, politically-incorrect opinion that they need it straight from mommy if at all possible. I rarely left the bed at night once I decided to keep the baby in the bed and learned to nurse lying down. Her dad handled changes (and, later, when we started EC, I helped her use a potty without either of us leaving the bed, then woke up DH to go empty it), getting me water, lansinoh, whatever I needed to do my job without leaving the bed.

IF she has to work after the six-month point, she should have a pretty well established supply. Personally, I think extended BF is very important (as I type this, I have a 2 year old attached to my breast--and no, I never thought before she was born that I would still be nursing her at this age) but the greatest benefits happen earliest. Many studies have show that 6 months of *exclusive* BF reduce risks for all kinds of things: childhood and adult obesity, ear infections, diabetes, etc. (Mom also enjoys a reduction in her risk of breast cancer and possibly a decreased chance of postpardum depression.) For this reason, I strongly feel that even one formula feeding to start the pumping cycle is a bad idea. If she knows a times is coming when she will need to leave the baby with a bottle, she can start collecting milk. I found it worked best when I pumped one side while nursing the baby on the other during the morning feedings, when I had the most milk. A few mornings of this (possibly only one if she's a heavy milk-producer) she'll have a decent bottle to start the cycle.

I found I was never able to pump as much (in a single session) as I would have needed if my daughter was really taking meals from the bottle. But she only sipped at them an ounce or two at a time anyway and waiting until I was available to get really full, so in our case it never mattered. I was also not working--I only pumped for a sense of security, and because I used to buy into the "feeding=bonding" myth and didn't want my husband and mom to miss out. IF I'd been working, it would have been more important to me to make it work, but even unmotivated as I was, I still had a freezer full of milk before long.

My pump of choice was a manual. I picked the Ameda One-Hand Pump, because it felt most comfortable in my hand. (Other ones I've heard good things about are the Avent Isis and the Medela Harmony.) I also later bought a funnel (Medela makes one) because I found I got as much milk by hand expressing into the pump (using it as a funnel in essence) as I got by using the mechanics of the pump. Sometimes, I would simly set up the funnel on the other breast while nursing just to catch the "let-down" even though I wasn't expressing that breast. These are economical and effective options that I think are best for moms who won't be away from the baby too much during the early months. For serious separation, I'd got with Medela Pump In Style or a hospital grade rental. I do NOT trust any electric pumps lower grade than the Medela PIS. The suction those cheaper motors provide is actually weaker and less effective than what you can comfortably provide by hand with a manual pump.

Engorgement isn't a problem for everyone, and even those who do experience it early may find it decreases as the breasts and baby get synced up in terms of supply and demand. Pumps can be a very comfortable way to alleviate engorgement, but gentle hand expression will also do the job, and the milk can be collected in a clean bowl or--if the milk won't be needed for a bottle feeding--the mother can simply do it over the sink, in the tub, into a cloth diaper or towel, whatever.

My advice to a woman in your friend's situation is to buy either a manual pump or a funnel (or nothing) and wait until the return to work is closer. (FTR, she may feel more at ease owning a pump before the birth, but she shouldn't use it for several weeks--I'd advise 6 or more weeks--after the birth. BF needs to be established and the best way is baby to the breast. Leave pumping out of it unless a severe problem like hospitalization requires early introduction of the pump.) She'll be better able to judge then whether she can collect enough milk with the equiptment she's got, whether the baby will simply want to wait for her (keeping in mind this will probably mean more frequent feedings at night, which may not bother her much if she sleep-shares and gets good at nursing lying down), or whether a PIS or hospital grade pump is a good investment.
[/lactevangelization]

Oh - if she can get her hands on an old copy of Dr. Spock's "Baby and Child Care", it has some good illustrations of how to manually express milk into a cup. Surprisingly explicit, for 1946. I don't know if the latest version of the book uses the same pictures.

Here's a link to the Marmet Technique (http://www.lactationinstitute.org/MANUALEX.html), complete with illustrations. Ursula, are these as good as the one's in the Spock book?

Here's a link to the Marmet Technique (http://www.lactationinstitute.org/MANUALEX.html), complete with illustrations. Ursula, are these as good as the one's in the Spock book?

Looks like a slightly different technique. Spock's method uses a flare-lipped cup, and presses the bottom of the breast against it. That might be easier on the hand, since the edge of the cup would provide leverage, rather than trying to do all the work with just your hand.

If you can find an old (1945-1955) edition of Spock, grab it! It's kind of fun, to see what was considered good child care, then.

And to look at the "things you need" list - surpisingly short, once your drop all the equipment for bottle feeding. Adapted to modern clothing styles, it would be a good way for someone on a tight budget to set spending limits.

When you were breastfeeding, did you also need to pump? If so, what kind of pump did you use?


I have a good friend who is due in september, and definetally wants to BF, but she is currious about pumps, does she NEED one, and what kind, and where can she get one online....And of course anyother info you can provide.

All I can say is that when my wife had one I could get it out of the steriliser and re-assemble it without touching any of the important sterile bits with more ease, and quicker, than they teach the military to strip down and re-assemble assault rifles I think I could even do it in the dark...

Mind you given what a pig our youngest was I don't think we needed it much as I recall ....

If she is only going to pump occasionally, I would recommend the Avent Isis. It is a wonderful manual pump (many women claim it works as well as an electric, I never used an electric so I don't know) that runs about $40 at Target and such stores. If she is going to pump on a regular basis, she will need an electric hospital-grade pump such as a Medela. Do not buy an electric "cheapo" pump!

I would recommend the Avent Isis.

That was the one we had, rember now!

Isn't the Avent the one that pumps directly in to the bottle, so you pump, store and feed from one container?

Congratulations to your friend on her upcoming baby and decision to breastfeed!

With my first baby I compulsively pumped and stocked up the freezer with many bags of milk in case of emergency. I never used them and ended up feeding them all to the dog. I used a manual Gerber pump, which is fine for occasional use. I also hand expressed until I got tendinitis from it. DS1 bf'd for 3 years.

With my second baby, I never pumped at all. DS2 bf'd for 4 years.

For increasing milk supply, I'd like to mention breast shields (not nipple shields). Breast shields compress the areola and encourage leaking, which improves supply. If I was at home I would save the milk; if out and about, safer to discard. They also keep clothing away from the nipple, which may be sensistive/raw in the initial week or so. I didn't use it long term, but it gives peace of mind in the early period to see all that milk!

If your friend has milk to spare, she may consider donating to a breastmilk bank.
http://www.breastfeeding.com/all_about/all_about_milk_banks.html

If dad is going to feed baby while mom's away, they may want to look into a Medela SNS. This is a pendant bottle with a tube attached. He hangs the bottle around his neck and puts the end of the tube on his nipple. This assumes his breasts are big enough to do this (I think mine are, but I haven't had a baby yet). If not, he can use his thumb.

Isn't the Avent the one that pumps directly in to the bottle, so you pump, store and feed from one container?

Yes, although I would freeze it a different way. Some people like to pour milk into ice cube trays and pack in freezer bags once frozen. This makes it handy to defrost only the amount needed.

I wasn't much of a bottle user though. DD1 had latching problems and we ended up using a bottle during the 1st week (this is not recommended!). She occasionally took one while we were out until 3 or 4 month when she refused them altogether. She nursed until 2. DD2, 4.5 months, has never had a bottle. I'll just start her on a cup when the time comes.

Yes, although I would freeze it a different way. Some people like to pour milk into ice cube trays and pack in freezer bags once frozen. This makes it handy to defrost only the amount needed.

I wasn't much of a bottle user though. DD1 had latching problems and we ended up using a bottle during the 1st week (this is not recommended!). She occasionally took one while we were out until 3 or 4 month when she refused them altogether. She nursed until 2. DD2, 4.5 months, has never had a bottle. I'll just start her on a cup when the time comes.

In the UK it is sold with sort of mini-plastic-bag liners which you can use to freeze milk in. But we thought they were pants so didn't use them .....

If your friend is planning to be a stay-at-home-mom for a while she's probably going to do BF only, right? Infants, so I've been told, take to bottle-feedings very easily and it is very hard to get them to go back because with BF they've got to work more :> Also, Spock is very helpful ...so i hear :\ His books are worth a peek or two

I breastfed both of my boys. With the first one I started pumping at the same time that I started nursing him. After a month of this, I got lazy and didn’t use the pump for several weeks. When I tried to pump after that I couldn’t get my milk to let down. So I gave up pumping altogether since I was a SAHM and didn't really need to pump. If your friend intends on being a serious pumper I would highly recommend a Medela electric pump. Regardless of her choice of to pump or not to pump I even more strongly recommend joining the support group prior to birth and buying the Breastfeeding handbook put out by La Leche League. http://www.lalecheleague.org/
Believe me, it is better to know who you can call that can help at 3:00 o’clock in the morning when your infant is having trouble latching on.
Best of luck to your friend!

merimae, thanks for mentioning the LaLeche League! I meant to also, but overlooked it. They were the reason I did extended breastfeeding, and I wouldn't have even known about it if not for them. In fact I almost became a leader but couldn't pass the active listening portion of the test. Guess I was just too eager to disseminate information! :lol: So, for anyone who is apprehensive about going to LLL meetings, I want to reassure you, the leaders will not proselytize to you; they are caring people who listen to your concerns and give support and help if you ask.

LLL rawks. i breast fed for a total of eleven years. First kid 4 yrs, Second kid 3 yrs, Third kid 2 yrs, Fourth kid 2 yrs. One thing- If you take cold medicine, remember that the milk ducts are sinus'z too. The milk and your nose will dry up.