another SAHM / bottle / pumping question

jennlin

as a SAHM, did you feel the need to have a pump? all my friends have recc'd one, but all of them work long hours out of the house....

ChubbyCheekiesMom

I got one, you never know how BFing is going to go for you and pumping was a life saver for me the first month.  I only BF for a week, then pumped for 3.  Of course everyone's situation is going to be different.  I ended up selling mine to a friend a few months ago.

soralette

I intend to be a SAHM and plan to get a (relatively cheap) pump -- at some point prior to weaning, I know I'm going to want to be able to have DH or a babysitter watch the LO without me!

blueLu25

Yes! I would def. recommend getting one. I got a small manual one (the Medela Harmony) and loved it. It didnt need it that much so it was a good price. I dont know how people go without them. I did stay home, but its great for at first when you can get engorged, which can be really painful. If you can just pump a bit it feels a lot better and then your milk doesnt go to waste. Also, you can build up a stash for when you will want to go out without baby. There are a lot of great benefits, I am so glad I had one. 

babyaustin725

Yes, I would get one if you can.  If you have trouble making milk or you aren't sure how much you are making, you can pump and see.  Also, if your baby has issues gaining weight, you will want to know exactly how much they are consuming.  I got the Medela Pump In Style (it was a million years ago, so I'm sorry if they are super outdated or whatever) and ended up selling it on ebay for like ten bucks less than full price. 

jennlin

thanks for all the advice! i will be getting one i suppose.....just wondering if it was *necessary*, because i know so many things get pushed at us FTMs that we don't ever need!

omangie

ITA that you need at least a cheapie to get a bit of a stash, but honestly, I only used my single one like four times.  My little guy just never really wanted a bottle, and I never left him that often.  When I went to work, that's when I decided to get a more substantial one.

outlandartist

I'm a SAHM and I pump every day. I like to bring bottles when we are out in public not because I'm afraid to NIP, but for convenience. Also so I can leave her with someone else to feed her. If she goes too long without a bottle she starts to reject it, so I try to give her one regularly and don't want to use formula. Insurance (through boeing) covered my Ameda pump 100%.

tfarabians

I pumped exclusively with baby #2 and I'm a sahm.  I wasn't a fan of bfing and I wanted dh to be able to get up in the night and be able to feed the baby too.  I rented a hospital pump which was awesome.  I kept my personal pump in the car in case I needed to pump while I was out and about.

ATT&BTT

I pumped so I could go places without DD. :-) I pumped in the evenings and had DH feed DD with a bottle.

dosafyre

I had the big pump and the manual...and truthfully I could have just gotten by with the medela harmony manual. I used the big one like twice. DD wasn't a big bottle drinker though, and eventually she just outright refused anything that wasn't "all natural".

LauraLynneC

I needed a pump because I went back to work at 11 weeks - but we started a fun tradition before that.  DH and LO have "happy hour" in the evening when DH gives LO a bottle and just hangs out on the couch with him. 

In the beginning, it was really hard for DH to feel "helpful" since whenever baby cried, he needed to go to mama for food.  He used to say "this baby hates me, I can't DO anything for him!"  This allowed him to be helpful, allowed me some "free" time (to do dishes, laundry, dinner etc with TWO hands!) or just surf, take a bath, a 30 min. nap.  That tradition has been priceless.

jennlin

LauraLynneC:

In the beginning, it was really hard for DH to feel "helpful" since whenever baby cried, he needed to go to mama for food.  He used to say "this baby hates me, I can't DO anything for him!"  This allowed him to be helpful, allowed me some "free" time (to do dishes, laundry, dinner etc with TWO hands!) or just surf, take a bath, a 30 min. nap.  That tradition has been priceless.

i like this idea.