Breast Feeding discussion

flashnazia

Hi

Please don't tell me of anyone if I'm supposed to post this in MSE Parent club!
I'm so tired I don't know what I'm doing.

Had a baby last week and am breastfeeding and I have realised I need a breast pump asap if I ever want to catch a wink of sleep at night ever again....

Preferably electric as I don't want to get RSI as well...

Can anyone pleeeeease recommend a good one that is value for money and where to get.

You will be a lifesaver!

sunshinegirl_3

I'd personally go for the Avent hand pump to start with, not everyone gets on with expressing and an electric pump is an expensive mistake. The Avent hand pump works well and you won't get RSI unless you plan on pumping all day!

If you really want an electric, the mini medela is good. Small, not too expensive but noisy and hard on batteries (you can plug yourself into the mains though).

I started with the Avent and used it happily for months, then bought the medela and it was okay, but ended up switching back to the avent as the noise really got to me (couldn't watch tele whilst pumping!!!)

Good luck

cluuuuur

Will be reading this thread with interest as my 'next to buy' item is also a breast pump.

haylibo

If you have the energy to have a look...http://forums.lalecheleague.org/
I found them invaluable when feeding my wee beans and the forum members should have up-to-date advice. I used the avent at first (which was fine) and then went for a full on industrial number, don't remember the name of it though, and it was fantastic. I'm sure it was recommended by laleche.
Best wishes

cranezoe

I have to agree - the avent hand held one is the best buy. comes out top in alot of parenting magazines and awards and stuff. I used it when I was breastfeeding and found it really easy to use it. as for aching arms, it wasnt bad at all, once you managed to work it out you could just sit and squeeze the handle for a few seconds, release and then again - its not like you have to pump away at fast speed. or it wasnt for me anyway! you express straight into bottles too which is handy. I used to use milk freezer bags too. (from boots)

a friend had a tomee tipee one and said she just couldnt get on with it. she used to hand express - must have taken forever!

ask your health visitor or midwife or hospital if they hire breast pumps, or if they loan them to test out whether you like them before you buy one.

I think that electric ones are noisy by the way.

best of luck. sending sleep vibes!

LGDNUFC

At first I used an electric breast pump as my clinic lent them out. The local hospital used to sterilize them etc before they were loaned out again.I didnt rate it much, but then I used an Avent breast pump and never looked back... I used to pump away whilst watchin Eastenders.It was a god send, specially for night feeds. on the other hand my sister used the mini medela and thought it was brilliant.
I would ask if your clinic do anything like lending out of breast pumps, if not I think they are quite an expensive item to buy only to find out you dont like it.

starbump

Another vote for the Avent manual pump here. Works for me.

Btw, have you tried lying down on your side to feed? Less tiring, I think.

Good luck with your sleep.

Mummy_Jo

I had an Avent hand pump and hated it with a passion. With My son I choose to express manually. My daughter was born with a tongue tie and feeding second time round was a total nightmare. I bought an electric breast pump in sheer panic at 4pm on xmas eve 2006 and it was heaven. I didn't find it noisy or painful at all and it made my life a whole lump easier and gave a chance for my hideously painful and cracked nipples to heal. I'm fairly sure I bought the Avent ISIS IQ electric one and it cost about £100. I bought it with Boots points.

I used it a lot and it really helped. If you have any other questions please ask.

newbie71_2

Hello there, I'd go with a lot of other people on this post and recommend the avent hand pump - got mine (new and unused!) from ebay for about £10! Simple and easy to use and could use if right from the first time I tried - although I did feel like a heifer! lol! And also like another poster mentioned can sit in front of the TV and pump away!

My little girl is now 5 and a half months old and she's now been in bed asleep for over 2 hours but I remember well her newborn nights when she would finally sleep at 5 in the morning! :eek: So do I feel for you with your sleepless days and nights!

cazziebo

Warning!

I used the Avent and also did hand expressing from time to time. Found it a bit difficult to start with but got quite good at it - here's the warning!:rotfl: :rotfl:

No one told me that the more milk you take, the more you produce. I was particularly enthusiastic one day (think I'd got into freezing the milk as well) and woke up in the middle of the night in agony. Talk about engorged- I was like Dolly Parton towers! Really uncomfortable and painful.. made the second mistake of expressing some milk to relieve the pain. Of course few hours later it was worse.

Can laugh about it now but would never want anyone to go through that!