Breast Pumps

I'm due in December and will be going back to work (unfortuantely!) p/t in April. I want to breast feed for 6 months so, I'll be pumping.

If you've done (or are doing) this, I'd appreciate recommendations for breast pumps. Are the expensive ones necessary or are the manual ones just as good? Also, what has been your experience? Is it a total PITA?? I'm definitely dreading the whole process!!

Re: Breast Pumps

Definitely splurge on this item, it makes a HUGE difference, the Medela Pump n Style is great, about $200 on average (I think you can get it cheaper on some web sites). I was home with my girls for the first 5 months and then went back to work and pumped until they were 1 yr, it is fast, efficient, easy! and most importantly less painful than some pumps!

Message edited 8/15/2005 4:47:06 PM.

Re: Breast Pumps

Thanks. Does it make a lot of noise? I have my own office but I'm paranoid about making a ruckus while I pump!!

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No, not too bad, I use to do it in my offic eor in the car.

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i have the ameda dual pump....great investment

i have the car adapter as well as the plug, it also runs on batteries, although they die off quick...

fm if you want any other info

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I have the medela pump in style which was an expensive one but so worth it. It has two pumps so you can pump both at the same time and get twice as much in one pumping session. I found the whole thing to be a BIG PITA though... Between pumping and cleaning the pumps and feeding the baby it was too much. By the time I cleaned the pump it was time to do it again.
I was doing this because he wouldnt latch on in the beginning, so I was pumping then feeding him a bottle. I eventually gave up the pumping thing and he HAD to latch on.
If you are doing it so you can go to work, then it wont be as much of a PITA.

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Something you may not have known...if price is an issue for you, since many of the good pumps are btween $200-300, LLL actually rents them. You can rent the really good hospital-grade ones for any amount of time, be it one month or many months. you can go to www.lelecheleague.com for more info. my mom is a lll leader for like 35 years and she's set a lot of women up with renting them.

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definitely splurge on this - or borrow one from someone (many are against this, but I have spoken to an infectious disease doc who says as long as the parts that come into contact with the milk are new, it doesn't matter if the pump itself belongs to someone else...) - I have lent mine out to several people and have had no problems. Anyway, a double electric pump is a must - renting a hospital grade one is good, but it is not really portable. The Medela looks like a backpack or shoulder bag and is very portable. good luck!

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You 110% need a solid breast pump for working- the Medela PIS or PISA. You can purchase it NEW, sealed on Ebay from The Leche Connection (seller's name) . I saved $100 off the BRU price doing it this way. BRU has a HUGE mark up on that stuff. Also, invest $30 in the Easy Expressions Hands Free bra. It was the best $30 I ever spent!You can pump and not hold the "horns".

If you have ANY supply problems in the beginning you need a hospital grade pump. There is a difference. But you only use that for the first 10-12 weeks. When you return to work you would use your PIS.
If you need Lacation Consultant info I used Dawn Frank at South Shore Lacation Consultants in Babylon- she is wonderful.

editted to add: breastfeeding itself is a beautiful thing, pumping is not. I pumped full-time for 1 year because Molly would not latch. I will say that as hard as it was it was worth every minute. I am glad that I did it. Carrying my pump into NYC, pumping 4X a day at work, 6-8x a day today was hard but you need to take it one day at a time. Sometimes I just had to get thru my next pump without thinking of the rest of the day. After a while you get into a rountine and it just all works somehow. I was actually sad when I stopped pumping- like part of something special was ending.

Message edited 8/16/2005 4:36:09 PM.

Re: Breast Pumps

Thanks for all the great info. I'll definitely check into that Ebay seller.

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my best friend rented hers from the hospital...she said there is nothing better than that one quality wise.

I'm not sure how much it is....or which route I'll go. I guess I will see if BF works for me first!

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I had the Medela PISA and loved it. I didnt have it at first and was MANUALLY pumping. I can only say I had wish I had gotten it sooner. I pumped 2x a day for 10 minutes HANDS FREE and was able to read a magazine in my car.