Breastfeeding
happylady07
member
Newbie pump question
happylady07
member
Hi ladies, I'm only 14 weeks pregnant but I already have friends asking me what kind of pump I'm going to get. I will be a SAHM, so I'm wondering if I will need one at all? One of my friends is adamant that I will want to pump, but it sounds like her main reason for pumping was she was uncomfortable breastfeeding in front of people (I said why didn't you go to a more private place?) She also only lasted 3 months breastfeeding, and my goal is to make it 1 year, so I'm wondering if I should just take her advice with a grain of salt. My mom never pumped with any of her kids, nor did one of my SAHM friends. Though I have already heard from my mom how tough it could be to EBF, it's my goal. I guess it's just not something I considered since I'll be home all the time, but the thought of it opens up a whole bunch of new questions! Mainly, more work washing & sterilizing bottles! My husband wanting to feed isn't an issue either, he works a lot and I will not be expecting him to help with feedings. Any insight is greatly appreciated!
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Re: Newbie pump question
You certainly don't have to have one but my guess is that sometime in the course of a year, you'll want to be away from baby and will need to leave milk for her.
A manual pump might be enough for your needs. If you pump once a day after your first morning feeding, you can save all that up for when you might need to leave a bottle (and of course pump any time you do leave LO with a bottle). If you want an electric pump, there are some very affordable options. The Lansinoh double electric or Ameda Purely Yours are great pumps - although you could certainly get away with less if you are SAHM.
Breastfeeding Counselor with Breastfeeding USA
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I agree with getting a manual for the rare occasion that you might need to pump for extra (or if you just want a small stash for date nights, ect...). I have both a manual and single electric, battery-powered one (same evenflo brand) that I use depending of if i'm at work (part time) or just pumping extra in the middle of the night. It's definitely a good piece of mind to know that you have extra if you need it (say, if you get really sick and just don't have the energy to deal with feeding all night).
I don't think it's that hard to BF in public, and I have seen quite a few women do it without batting an eye. It's all about what you're comfortable with. I personally prefer to use a bottle when we're out shopping because I don't want to have to carry DD around the store with a cart attached to me or try to find a seat somewhere.
Bottles are not hard to wash/sterilize. Even on the busiest of days, washing 7 bottles and two pumps isn't that much of a chore. Having a bottle brush helps a bit :-}
Good luck with your LO and BFing :-}
I suggest waiting until you start breastfeeding and see what your needs are at that time ... my original plan was to only use a manual pump sometimes. Well, LO has had issues latching, I had to pump for a few days exclusively while my nipples healed and now LO won`t take my right breast due to a super fast letdown. I had to end up buying a double electric, not the original plan!!