Looking for Information About Breast Pumps!

Hi there! I bought a breast pump with my first child (noe 3 1/2 years old) and barely used it. I got used to the one i used at the hospital and then found out that you can rent them from the hospital or a local lactation consultant. The one at the hospital had a more varied strength and sucking motion. I believe that it's $45 or $50 per month. You could also get in touch with the lactation consultant at the hospital, she should be willing to give you some advise. Good luck

I highly suggest a battery powered pump. I did breastfeed my son and he was a little slow on the uptake for those first couple weeks so I had to use one until he could latch on. I started out with a hand pump but by the time 3 minutes passed my arm was tired! I then used the Evenflo Comfort Select Single Pump that WalMart carries and I loved it. It operates on batteries and it also has a cord to plug it in if you don't have batteries. My little sister also used the base (buying the less sanitary stuff herself) and she also loved it. A single pump would work better because you have more of an ability to adjust it as needed much easier. It's not that expensive and works great!

I took the one they let you borrow in the hospital. They let you take the home for a small weekly fee, $1.25 a day. They're better than most of the ones you buy.

I have 2 kids, both of whom I breastfeed. I did pump to go out with my spouse and have free time away from the baby however, I think you should try feeding from the breast. It does not work out for everyone, but if you can get it going it is truly the most convient thing on the planet. No warming bottles at 2a.m. And going places is a breeze, no bottles to pack or anything. I was anxious to ween my son( he was my 1st) so i could have my body back for myself and soon after I did I regretted it, once i saw how much stuff I had to take with me just to go to the mall. O.k. Off my soapbox- I had a simple medela hand held pump, however I only used it once a week. If you plan to pump exclusively you will need to invest in a good electric style pump. They can be very expensive and you may find pumping and feeding, pumping and feeding all the time may be very time consuming and decide not to do it for long. For that reason I would look in to renting an electric pump through a lactation consultant. They are sterile and any parts that come into contact with your milk will be brand new. If you then decide to stick with it you can consider buying one for yourself. Good Luck with whatever decision you make!

Well, I breastfeed, my daughter who will be 14 months Nov. 3rd shes just not ready to give it up yet which is fine with me it's good for her. You really can't just pump your milk supply will not build up the way it would if you nursed from the breast and there is a chance your milk supply will dry up. It is also hard to get your letdown going with a pump. I'm not trying to upset you but if you want your baby to breastfeed, you will have a much easier and more pleasant time nursing the baby from your breast. It is a GREAT bonding experience that I cannot explain until you try it then you will understand. I pump occasionally, not anymore since she went on whole milk and only nurses for her nap and for bed at night and pumping is difficult you have to relax and concentrate if you want to get anything out. Breastfeeding is better the baby is much better at getting the milk out than a pump a pump cannot replace a baby's suckle. If you have any questions I am a pro at this send me a private message =) Good luck!!!! Oh and I have the Medela Hand Pump not sure what model it is but the hospital gave it to me (I delivered at Moses Taylor) and my automatic pump I got from WIC. Breastfeeding is an amazing experience. Yes, it takes some time to get used to but with time it gets easier and easier and I enjoy it, like I said it's awesome to bond with her the way I can. As for soreness, use plenty of Lanolin cream the CVS brand is just as good as the more expensive stuff. (the soreness doesn't last that long anyway =) But, like I said if you have any other questions or just need someone to talk to about this, send me a message =)

Hey there! Well, I just wanted to mention that my experience with the Medela electric pump they let me use in the hospital made me REALLY want one when I got out. My daughter was a month premature and my milk hadn't come in yet so I had a lot of work to do. The hospital let me use theirs while I was there and it helped me out a lot. I was lucky enough that my boyfriend's (the father) mother knew a woman who's husband was a doctor and they sent us their used Medela Breast Pump afterhe had it sterilized and cleaned for us. However, I am sure in your research you've found that the electric pumps are a bit high on the cost end but trust me, you will get that money back in your use of it. Especially if you want to just use it to toally pump instead of doing both feeding from the breast and pumping. (Your hand will get tired with the manual pumps after doing it so much you'll wish you got an electric one). So, I'd recommend a Medela Electric Breast Pump (check out E-Bay there's sometimes good deals on there). One last thing to leave you with...with the electric pump...you'll feel like a cow hooked up to a milking machine. :-) I always thought that was a funny sight. :-)

if you are looking to only pump you will need a VERY good pump. Medela is a great brand or I would see what the hospital will sell or rent you. You will need one of the big ones and will have to pump every few hours to keep up your supply to meet the demand of your baby and have extra on hand for groth spirts and stuff.

Your body will adjust. I couldn't imagine feeding from the breast for my first one but i have nursed my last two and love it. If you only pump you may have problems with your supply because you will have to put every 2 hours to get it going ad it will take longer than the nursing session. Also you may have problems with let down if you only pump and you may not get the hind milk which is essential for the baby's development. You will be fine. You are going to be sensitive until you get starte but after about a couple of days and lanolin you will be fine. Your nipples will actually toughen up. Also go ahead and start using lanolin now like one a day and it will help you to be able to relieve some of the sensitivity and make the skin mre supple.

I breastfed my first for 13 months and second for 18. I am pregnant again and plan to do the same again. I do have a small Medella pump which worked just fine for my usage. It was reasonably comfortable too. Mine is a single and can either plug in or use 2 AA batteries. It was simple to wash and use. I am a stay at home mom so I mostly just nursed, but I did always try to keep a frozen supply just in case nursing wouldn't be an option for whatever reason. My husband also enjoys feeding the baby occasionally too.

At least one other person mentioned that the pump may actually cause more sensitivity to your nipple than nursing. I would have to agree with this. While my pump worked fine and wasn't painful, it wasn't as comfortable as actual nursing. Not to get too weird, but the sensation of nursing is completely different than other types of stimulation on your nipple. I honestly didn't feel anything on my nipple itself. If they are latched correctly, they have quite a bit of your breast in their mouths and the nipple is back on their tongue and they actually sort of massage the area behind it with their mouths as they suck for milk. I am also quite sensitive and get irritated easily, but had no difficulties nursing. My first got 2 teeth at 4 months! I was unsure and a bit freaked out at first, but it really had no impact on her nursing and I never felt the teeth or had pain. Both of my children tested out their teeth (gently thankfully) when they were maybe 9-12 months - ONCE. I pulled them off immediately, put them down and turned away. They got the picture and didn't do it again.

I mentioned that I did use the pump occasionally and always liked to have a supply available. Honestly though, pumping usually took twice as long to do (not including the feed the baby milk from a bottle part)...just pumping time versus a nursing session. For this reason, just nursing is an advantage. If you are going to pump exclusively, you at minimum should look into a higher end pump that allows you to do both sides at the same time to help reduce your pumping time. Remember how often they eat in those early weeks and months?? And a breastfed baby usually eats more frequently than a formula fed one - every 2-3 hours. If you spend 15-30 minutes pumping and another 15-30 feeding the baby, you may end up with only 1 hour break between feedings. Personally I can't imagine dealing with the pumping through the night either which I'd imagine you'd need to do in order to keep your supply up if you plan to exclusively breastfeed for an amount of time - at least for a month or two.

Depending on where I was going and timing, I would sometimes take bottles when I'd go out. Other times I just planned to nurse on the go. It's weird at first, but once you and the baby have got the hang of nursing, you can be quite discrete and it does make dealing with keeping bottles cold or warming them up a non issue.

I think it's great that you are hoping to breastfeed your baby. I'm sure you are choosing to do so because you know there are many benefits. It's a perfect food, inexpensive, convenient. I was lucky and it came very easily for me and my first 2 children. I have had friends that wanted to also nurse and for some it also worked easily and for others it just didn't for whatever reason. It doesn't work for everyone but if it does, it's ideal. I think it's great your going to give it a try!

I guess what I'm trying to encourage through my sharing is to consider giving nursing a try despite your concerns about sensitivity. While in the hospital the consultants and nurses can help you and your baby learn to latch properly so that you are comfortable. If you experience too much sensitivity or discomfort, you can always continue pumping to give your baby that good nutrition through a bottle instead. I just think you'd make your life simpler if you "skip the middle man" so to speak - at least for some/most of the feedings - especially since you've got an older child to also be dealing with. Pumping and bottles are certainly great and convenient in some situations, but can be real headaches in others.

I'm certainly not an expert, but have enjoyed nursing 2 babies and would be happy to share any other - just ask if you have further questions. Good luck figuring out what will work best for you.

Hello. I just had my baby in August. We tried and tried to get him to breastfeed but he would not latch on. I really wanted to give him breastmilk though. The hospital reccommended using a breastpump. The one I used that works great is the First Years Dual Electric Pump. It came with the pump, a couple storage bags, two soothie bottles (which my baby loves), two pieces to attach if you want to pump into any size bottle, and a carrying bag. I got mine at Target for around $60, and I'm sure they sell it at Walmart and Babies R Us. What's also good about this brand is that if anything breaks they will replace it for free. I hope this helps.

If you are going to be pumping a lot, you will need an electric pump that can do both sides at once. I have a Medela Pump In Style and highly recommend it. I think they are about $300.

Keep in mind that if you are going to exclusively pump, you are going to be spending double the time pumping and then feeding. I would encourage you to give breastfeeding a try. It is not easy at first, but it DOES get better! Nursing my first baby was very difficult and uncomfortable, but after a few weeks, she got the hang of it, my body adjusted, and we nursed happily for 14 months. It really is convenient and easy.

Also, breast pumps are not as efficient as babies at emptying the breasts. In my experience, pumping tends to pull a bit and can be somewhat uncomfortable. If sensitivity is an issue for you, it might actually be more comfortable to breastfeed instead of pump.

Good luck finding the best fit for you and your baby!

I understand how you feel about being sensitive in that area, I am too. I did manage to breast feed four children though. It really is easier then pumping and feeding. I know this is going to seem long, but there are many disadvantages to expressed breast milk (EBM). If you really aren't interested in reading any of the benefits, then just read the last paragraph about the pump that I recommend.

Some of the benefits of breastfeeding over bottle feeding are:
1. Skin-to-skin contact
Feeding an infant at-breast necessitates some skin-to-skin contact between the infant and mother. Mothers who hold their infants skin-to-skin often experience an increase in breast milk volume and possibly a greater production of maternal milk antibodies to specific pathogens in the infant's surroundings.
Taking breast milk at the breast rather than from a bottle offers other advantages to the infant. Breast milk loses some of its nutritional and immunological properties by freezing, thawing and reheating in the process of expressing the breast milk prior to feeding it with a bottle, which reduces the protective benefits offered by breast milk. For example, ascorbic acid levels decrease significantly when stored at low temperatures, and have been found to drop 40% when reheating.
2. Infant oral developmental effects
In addition to the potential physiological, nutritional, immunological and more efficient advantages offered by receiving breast milk at-breast, infants may benefit from fewer dental problems later in life. Breastfeeding at-breast has a positive effect on the development of an infant's oral cavity including optimal mandibular development, strengthening of the jaw muscles, and increased nasal cavity space. During breastfeeding, the tongue, lower lip and mandible move in concert to draw the milk into the mouth by a stripping action, gently shaping the infant's hard palate. This process leads to an enhanced formation of the hard palate producing improved future teeth alignment and a decrease in malocclusions. Whereas the shape of the breast-nipple is in a geometric form consistent with the infant's mouth, the artificial nipple in bottle-feeding hinders the formation of the jaw muscles. Palmer also proposes that the increase in nasal space may have a significant effect on the person's breathing efficiency, reducing later problems with snoring and obstructive sleep apnea.
3. Reduced risk of breast trauma
Although electric breast pumps have been crucial for the milk supply of many mothers of infants, they also offer some potential disadvantages. Problems with breast pumps may be overlooked and contribute to ineffective emptying of the breast, especially if they are underpowered or poor fitting. Some researchers have suggested that the breast pump's reduced physiologic mechanism may negatively affect emptying, especially in the periphery of the breast and may be a contributing factor to the association between pump use and mastitis. Another disadvantage of breast pumps are that they work primarily on suction, and may be ineffective if set at too low a level (<150 mmHg) or cause damage to the nipple skin if set too high (>200 mmHg)
4. Lack of breastfeeding is a risk to mothers' health
It is reasonable that when mothers are successful breastfeeding at the breast, they are more likely to continue breastfeeding longer, and reduce the health risks of not breastfeeding. Breastfeeding reduces mothers' risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life. In an analysis of data from 47 epidemiological studies in 30 countries, breastfeeding was also found to reduce the relative risk of breast cancer by 4.3% for every year of a woman's life spent breastfeeding.
5. Psychological effects of breastfeeding
The act of breastfeeding has also been associated with positive psychological effects for the mother in respect to mood and stress. A study among mothers who were both breastfeeding and bottle feeding. After a breastfeeding session, the mothers were found to have a reduction in perceived stress and negative mood relative to what was found after a bottle feeding. In contrast, bottle feeding appeared to decrease positive mood. The researchers suggested that the higher levels of the hormone oxytocin released by breastfeeding contributed to the decrease in negative mood. They also speculated that over time breastfeeding may condition the mother to regard her infant positively leading to greater mother-infant attachment, and the decrease in negative mood and stress associated with breastfeeding may reduce the risk postpartum depression.
6. Practical advantages for mothers
Finally, there are the practical advantages for a mother, who transitions to at-breast feedings rather than continuing to feed EBM. One benefit is the savings in time and effort of feeding. Hours of the mothers' time, which were previously spent in expressing breast milk and later preparing it for re-feeding and cleaning bottles and breast pump equipment, are saved. The milk is always available in the breast at an ideal temperature. The time and effort spent in pumping and re-feeding around the clock has clear advantages for the infant with immature sucking skills, but once the infant is able to efficiently feed at-breast, these efforts may become overwhelming for the mother leading to early weaning to infant formula. There may also be a considerable cost savings to the mother in not having to rent or buy a breast pump.

My bottom line was that it is more beneficial to mother and baby to feed directly from the breast. You also don't have to get up in the middle of the night to make bottles, you don't have to clean & sterilize bottles. Don't get me wrong, I did own a breast pump and did use it so that I wasn't the only one capable of feeding the baby.

Just give breastfeeding a try. It isn't as awkward as it may seem and it truly was painless. If it doesn't work for you but you still want to give your baby breast milk via bottle, don't feel like a failure. For many women breastfeeding just isn't for them. I have tried many different types of pumps over the years and I hated electric, they were expensive, often painful and produced very little milk. I had the most luck with the Avent breast pump. It causes no discomfort and extracted the most milk compared to all of the other pumps that I tried. They offer manual pumping and also an electric model (their's is the only one that I know of that doesn't cause discomfort). Here is a link with information on their pumps: http://www.aventamerica.com/products/breastfeeding.asp

I have a 5 month old, and went through something similar. I tried to breastfeed, but I hated it for many reasons; he fell asleep all the time at the breast, it exhausted me, he didn't latch on well at all, I was feeling guilty about continuing to use the breast sheild the hospital gave me... After 2 weeks I gave it up, but I continued to to pump my milk out and feed him the milk via bottles. Then when he was about 12 weeks, I was at a friends house and forgot the bottles. So I took him upstaires and put him to the breast and I couldn't believe it, but he nursed! Then the next day I didn't feel like pumping so I tried it again, and I've been breastfeeding him ever since. Having done both - pumping only, and breastfeeding only, I can tell you that breastfeeding is so much easier once you and the baby get a hang of it (which is not easy). Pumping is a commitment! I pumped 5 times a day to start, then went to just 3 times a day because it was so time consuming. I used to Madella electric pump in the morning and at night. I used the Avent manual pump during the day because I could move around while I was pumping. With the electric one you are hooked up and have to sit still. And honestly, the manual one worked just as well, if not better then the electric one. I would recommend that you rent an electric one from the hospital because they are very expensinve. I hope this helps. I was also nervous about the sensive nipple issue. It was a little weird at first, but your nipples toughen up and then you don't feel the sucking as much.

I tried to breast feed my son, but he would not take to my breast. I used an electric pump for 9 weeks by that point my body could not keep up with him anymore. Breast milk is not as heavy as formula, so breast feed babies require more frequent feedings...Needless to say I was feeding my son every 3-4 hours and pumping for 30-45 minutes around the clock... As much work as it was, it was so rewarding for me to know he had the best nutrition. You never know you may love breast feeding, try it out before you stick a bottle in his/her mouth... good luck!

*Additional advice that I found out AFTER purchasing the pump, you may be able to get a pump from your insurance company if your childs dr. gives you a script if you baby is not taking to the breast and you are very adimate on breast milk.

I couldn't get my twin sons to nurse, so I pumped. Thankfully I didn't spend the $300 or whatever it was on the pump because I couldn't get enough milk supply to provide both babies with enough to eat. The hospital would bring in the Medela one that everyone is talking about and when I left they let me rent one for $52/month. I wasn't able to breastfeed past 2 months because I had to supplement with formula and I just didn't have time to pump every 3 hours, feed 2 babies, change their diapers, etc. I would try to do it straight from the breast (although I didn't have much luck, when I did get them to latch on, it was less painful than a pump) or wait and rent a pump. That way if you have problems like I did you won't waste $300. I also recommend you go with the double pump (which is what I rented) because you can get them both done at the same time and you aren't sitting there doing 10 minutes or whatever for each breast.

My best friend was VERY sensative in that area to but after about a week (which is always the worst week anyway) she and her breast adjusted and she LOVED it.
I would always recommand actually breastfeeding above all else because I am crazy about it. I breastfed all four of my girls. And honestly, having watched other mothers try pumping instead became more work and they were more likely to switch to formula.
The La Leche League website has A LOT of great advice and support including on pumping.
Sadly I can not recommand a pump as I always had extreme trouble personally with pumping (I can not relax the same way so I could never get enough milk out!)

I don't mean to be negative, but based on the statement in ur request that u were sensitive in that area, i hate to be the bearer of bad news, but breast pumps hurt too. they are both about just adjusting and getting through the difficult part then it's smooth sailing.....well so i've heard, sorry to say I could'nt do it. So better luck to u, I will pray for u. LOl. no really good luck. :)

I am going to advise that you give nursing a try before you decide against it right off the bat. I found it the most rewarding, and satisfying, thing I could ever do for my child and it is nothing like you imagine. Your body knows what do do and behaves accordingly.

That said, I do know a bit about pumps. The best you can buy and the only one that will really work is the Medela http://www.medela.com/. Don't waste your money on pumps available in the department store. They are manufactured by formula companies whose only interest is getting you to feed formula. They don't work and may damage your breast.

Seriously - talk to other mothers who have nursed and/or start talking to a lactation consultant now. I was very sensitive in the breast area too and handled it with ease. It is such an incredibly easy, natural and rewarding activity you should give it a try.

my twins were too small to take from the breast so i had no choice but to pump so they could get the milk. in my opinion electric pumps are definately your best bet and if you can afford them you will want one that does both breasts at thesame time. the only problem i had with this process is that it is very time consuming. as far as brands i think playtex makes a nice one. best of luck.

I had planned on breastfeeding, but my son was 5 weeks premature and his sucking reflex was not well-developed; they also gave him bottles of formula in the NICU to get his weight up. I ended up renting a breast pump from a local lactation consultant, and it was fairly inexpensive and a great investment. I only pumped until I went back to work, but if you are looking to pump for a long time you may want to look into buying one. I would suggest renting first and finding out what brands/features you like before buying.
One woman mentioned your milk supply drying up and having a difficult time achieving letdown; I never had trouble with either. I had a very adequate milk supply to feed my son breastmilk exclusively, and I never had any problem with letdown.
I will tell you that it can be very stressful and exhausting; unless you can convince your husband to bottle-feed the baby while you pump, you end up spending at least twice the time it would take just to breastfeed the baby. I wish I could have breastfed, and I hopefully will with the next one.
I hope this helps you. Good luck with everything!

The best place I found for any & all information on breast-feeding was the book 'The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding'. There is info in there for every single thing you could ever want to know, including where to find support groups, co-sleeping, and of course, breast-feeding. I was the first between my sister & female cousins to have babies. I bought that book a couple of weeks before my oldest was born, then passed it to my cousin when she was pregnant, & she in turn gave it to my sister a year ago when she had her first. There are about a million tips & tricks for every situation you may come across. I have the same problem with sensitivity, but it really wasn't a problem once I got the hang of it. I did use a pump starting a couple of weeks before I went back to work, and I really liked the EvenFlo brand. It runs off of batteries, or you can plug it in & it was very inexpensive (I think I got it at CVS actually). Good luck whichever way you decide to go!

Just wanted to add a tidbit that a breast pump is WAY more uncomfortable than a well latched baby. The hurting part of nursing is only in the very beginning but it is worth it in the long run!

K.

Check with your doctor about breastfeeding groups at your local hospital. There will be nurses who can give you all kinds of information that will be very helpful. I personally breastfed both of my children, but did not like to pump because it hurt. There is a world of new breastpumps out there now (my youngest is 10). Good luck!!

Congratulations D.! I am breastfeeding my daughter. First let me say I suggest that you at least try actually breastfeeding your baby, you may find you enjoy it. Now, on to your actual question. I have tried two types of pumps, hand and electric. I tried an Avent hand pump first because I wasn't returning to work and didn't anticipate using it that much so I didn't want to invest alot of money into it. It didn't really work for me. I had a hard time getting into a rhythm, so I could never get more than an ounce or two at a time. So, I bought an Evenflo dual pump (electric) and can easily pump 5-6 ounces a sitting. The pump cost $150, so maybe you want to try renting a pump first to be sure you're going to use it. Then if you do, it would be more cost effective for you to just buy a pump since you'll probably spend $150 to rent a pump for just a month or two. Hope this helps. Happy feeding!