To those who exclusively pump!

Nov_2006 · April 2009

This is what my plan is when we deliver... our little one.

Quick questions:
What pump are you using?
How often?
Had any trouble?

I am looking at the Medela Freestyle...I am planning to go back to work. Bathroom here at work do not have outlets in them.

Stacyc625 · April 2009

i am never one to ask why someone would CHOOSE to EP- however that is your call.

Its MUCH MUCH more work than BFing- I have been doing it for ten months.

For the first three months you have to pump every two to three hours around the clock without fail. you have to get up even if your baby is sleeping to pump for twenty minutes- THEN feed the baby, store rest of the milk, clean all the pump parts etc.

i have the regular Medela PISA. i have heard lesser things about the freestyle. women have had problems with them.

gbtc01 · April 2009

I second that! I wouldn't choose it unless I had to do it. I hate cleaning bottles, taking time away from DD to pump and I had to get up 2 times a night to pump. DD STTN starting at 3 weeks old....

If yuo can BF then do it! SO much easier.

I have a Lansinoh DOuble Electric. I really don't understand the hype around the medela. SO not worth the price IMO. I don't have to worry about milk backing up into my tubes or the motor due to the closed system.

music247 · April 2009

Stacyc625:

i am never one to ask why someone would CHOOSE to EP- however that is your call.

Its MUCH MUCH more work than BFing- I have been doing it for ten months.

For the first three months you have to pump every two to three hours around the clock without fail. you have to get up even if your baby is sleeping to pump for twenty minutes- THEN feed the baby, store rest of the milk, clean all the pump parts etc.

i have the regular Medela PISA. i have heard lesser things about the freestyle. women have had problems with them.

I am planning to EP too...You can't breast feed if you're at work.

ourbaby08 · April 2009

music247:
Stacyc625:

i am never one to ask why someone would CHOOSE to EP- however that is your call.

Its MUCH MUCH more work than BFing- I have been doing it for ten months.

For the first three months you have to pump every two to three hours around the clock without fail. you have to get up even if your baby is sleeping to pump for twenty minutes- THEN feed the baby, store rest of the milk, clean all the pump parts etc.

i have the regular Medela PISA. i have heard lesser things about the freestyle. women have had problems with them.

I am planning to EP too...You can't breast feed if you're at work.

No you can't BF if you're at work, but I assume you don't work 24 hours a day.

I agree with PP. My baby is unable to latch so I have to EP. It gets really old really fast. In the middle of the night it would be so much easier to just put the baby on the breast as opposed to connecting bottles to the pump, pumping, washing bottles, and feeding baby.

Right now I'm renting a hospital grade pump. I plan to buy a Lansinoh Double Electric at the end of my rental month. I pump every 2-3 hours to build supply. With that said, I've been fortunate and I'm already getting at least 40 ounces a day and have started a freezer supply.

makclair · April 2009

I am confused by your statement " You can't bf while you're at work" True, but I pump at work and breastfeed my baby at home. I am a resident, and I work 60+ hours per week, sometimes for 14+ days in a row, 24 hours or more at a time.

I would NEVER NEVER NEVER pump when I could just nurse the baby instead. Seriously. It baffles me why somebody would choose to EP, when they could bf the baby when they were with them and then pump at work.

That said, i have a medela freestyle, I think it works pretty well. I do use the symphony at times when I'm at work and I think it is more efficient. But, the rechargable battery of the freestyle and the light weight is the best feature for sure.

Stacyc625 · April 2009

of course you can't nurse if you are at work- however if you can BF at home the entire time you are there and pump at work- that is more reasonable. AND Plenty of women do it.

I have been EPing for ten months and NO ONE that i know on this board has chosen to EP.

star173 · April 2009

I wouldn't choose to EP..and if you want to EP, I'd say at least try nursing while you are on Mat. Leave. EPing won't build your supply as good as nursing will. Good luck.

To answer yoru questions:

At first, I rented a hospital grade pump (which I'd advise to anyone for the first month or two) and now I use an Ameda Purely Yours (just like the Lansinoh)

I now pump every 4 hours of every.single.day.

Yes, I have trouble. It's a major pain in the butt, and I wish my DD would nurse. She stopped at 3.5 months though. Oh, and my supply is starting to go down..I'm not sure I'll make it to a year, which makes me very sad.

jerseygirl81 · April 2009

Ditto everyone else, at least give BFing a shot when the baby comes. I would never wish EPing on anyone.

Most women who BF and work BF during maternity leave, pumping some to build up a stash for daycare, and then pump ONLY at work and continue to BF at home.

jerseygirl81 · April 2009

Oh, I have the Medela PISA. I like it.

EastCoastBride · April 2009

music247:
Stacyc625:

i am never one to ask why someone would CHOOSE to EP- however that is your call.

Its MUCH MUCH more work than BFing- I have been doing it for ten months.

For the first three months you have to pump every two to three hours around the clock without fail. you have to get up even if your baby is sleeping to pump for twenty minutes- THEN feed the baby, store rest of the milk, clean all the pump parts etc.

i have the regular Medela PISA. i have heard lesser things about the freestyle. women have had problems with them.

I am planning to EP too...You can't breast feed if you're at work.

EP means to "Exclusively Pump", meaning you don't EVER BF. And as others have said, I don't know why anyone would CHOOSE to do this. I had to EP for about a month due to latch/suck issues w/ DS and was ready to commit to it for 6 months. It was a LOT OF WORK!!!!!

I got lucky, though. One day, when I was just about to finally give up on BFing, I tried DS on the breast one last time and he actually took to it. At that time I didn't realize how much work EPing really was but now taht I don't have to anymore, it is SUCH a weight lifted from my shoulders.

I am back at work and have to pump at work, but I BF almost entirely when I'm at home w/ my DS.

Assuming people understand what EP means, again, I don't know why anyone would CHOOSE to do this w/o trying to BF first.

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