Do I need a breast pump?

Re: Do I need a breast pump?

• lanie30 member

  December 2009

  I think it would be crazy to be anti bottles/pumping. I can't imagine a situation in which one could judge something like that. I went back to work and wanted to keep breastfeeding so, I pumped.

  but just like you say, it would give you some freedom too. We never had any problems going back and forth from breast to bottle and I had a "wake every half hour" sort of baby so being able to sleep and have my husband feed her was important.

   

  Josephine is 4.

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• charlatti member

  December 2009

  I'm definitely not anti-bottle, but my daughter is -- she refused to take them. So I have a lovely Medela PISA, but it just sits and gathers dust most of the time. If you want your LO to take bottles occasionally, you'll probably need to start doing it once every couple of days or something like that.
  

  
  

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• cindy453

  December 2009

  I am sure there are women who are anti bottles/pumps, but I don't think there are too many of them on this board MDC, on the other hand.... there are women who can literally count the hours they've been apart from their 5 year old on one hand. IMO, that's when you start crossing over into crazy town.

  I think you could get by just fine with a good single electric pump, or even a really good manual. I have a double pump, but I still only pump one side at a time normally. A warning- the first few times pumping you might not get much. Your body has to learn to respond to the pump, and you have to learn how to pump. Also, if you aren't pumping for a missed nursing session it's completely normal to only get 1/2 an ounce combined, from both sides. Don't let it freak you out! 

   
  

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• lanie30 member

  December 2009

  cindy453:

  I am sure there are women who are anti bottles/pumps, but I don't think there are too many of them on this board MDC, on the other hand.... there are women who can literally count the hours they've been apart from their 5 year old on one hand. IMO, that's when you start crossing over into crazy town.

  I think you could get by just fine with a good single electric pump, or even a really good manual. I have a double pump, but I still only pump one side at a time normally. A warning- the first few times pumping you might not get much. Your body has to learn to respond to the pump, and you have to learn how to pump. Also, if you aren't pumping for a missed nursing session it's completely normal to only get 1/2 an ounce combined, from both sides. Don't let it freak you out! 

   
  

  I can't even imagine. MDC is a dark dark place. 
  

  Josephine is 4.

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• penguingrrl member

  December 2009

  Coming in late.  I would highly recommend getting a pump and occasionally bottle feeding.  I have given DD2 a bottle every week or so since she was 6 weeks old because sometimes you just have to go to events without the kids.  I've been to a wedding and two different baby showers and my children were not invited to any of these events, but I did not want to miss them.  But, more importantly, this past Friday my older daughter suddenly began wheezing and was running a fever.  Of course, as these things always happen, it was 5:30 on a Friday and the Dr was already closed and they recommended taking her to the ER.  I did NOT want to take my infant to the ER with all the germs running around.  Luckily, I have a significant stash of pumped milk and she'll take a bottle, so I was able to leave her with DH and take my toddler to the ER and fully concentrate on DD1.  You never know when you may need to leave unexpectedly and it's better for you and the baby to be prepared for that possibility than to be torn between something important (such as an ill family member) and your nursing baby.  Not to be an alarmist, but this made me realize that sometimes things come up where you may need to be apart from your baby.
  

  

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