breastpump advice

[fatnhap]

time to start pumping and let the good old hubby wake up at night!!! soooooooo many breastpumps in the market that making my breasts dizzy!! any suggestions from all you pumping mothers out there?

[bundle]

Mumsnet resident pumper is motherinferior...

[gingerbear]

Avent handpump is the one that I used.
tried medela electric for a while when I went back to work - also good.

If you search the archives of 'Talk' section there will be a lot of advice there.

[Gwenick]

I loved my Avent handheld one when I was expressing.

[franch]

Motherinferior emailed me a fabby article she wrote on breast pumps - expect she'll be along soon to help you out

[Kelly1978]

Another vote for the Avent. I tried some other one, but found the avent so much easier, could fill a 9oz bottle in 10 mins.

[franch]

I recommend electric - if you try both you'll find the manual a real chore

[nailpolish]

i liked my avent pump too (handheld manual)

was quiet and small.

i liked the reassurance of avent cos most places stock their stuff, therefore its easy to get hold of replacements etc, it fits in the steriliser, baby liked the bottles and teats

i liked the whole range of things avent actually

[tangerinecath]

The avent one without a doubt.

I started with a Tommy Tippee one, it really hurt and I broke it by microwave sterilising a bit that I shouldn't have done !

Do you live in a Surestart area fatnhap? I was loaned an Avent pump for free through them by our local bf support midwife.

[tangerinecath]

oh and I should add that all the parts of the avent pump are microwave sterilisable

[Lonelymum]

I used a hand pump (Boots own) and a battery operated electric pump (Lindam) and I have to say, if you can afford it, the battery operated pumps are far easier to use and more effective. I used to plug baby on one side and the pump on the other and regularly got several ounces out. The hand pump was a lot of wrist aching effort - in fact it was easier to express without any pump at all!

[nailpolish]

another thing i discovered were the cup things you put in your bra over the boob you are not feeding from while baby is feeding off the other one

(someone tell me what they are called please?)

if i was feeding dd on one boob i just placed it in my bra on the other boob and it would 'leak'. i used to get about 6 oz!

totally hassle free no effort req

(they were avent breast shells i think?)

got them in boots

[Lonelymum]

Nailpolish, those things are called breast shells according to my childcare book!

[Kelly1978]

Boots do their own brand breast shells for less than £5, far cheaper than avent. I liked them!

[pixiefish]

Avent

[nailpolish]

breast shells are the best things ever. before i discovered them i used to leak into the breast pad/bra and i always got annoyed that it was wasted milk

would SO recommend them

[Gwenick]

Talking of Avent ones - if you're interested I've got an almost complete one (I say 'almost' because the teat and cap that go on the bottle are missing, but seen as though you get those on every avent bottle not really too major IMO). Which has only been used about 2 times. Still got in the box, all instructions, even the pack of 2 breastpads that came free with it!. If anyone reading this is interested I'd be happy to let it go for a small sum

[fatnhap]

gwenick, how much are you selling it for and you only used 2 times soooooo not good enough or pumping generally a pain?

[NotQuiteCockney]

Like everyone else, I like the Avent one. I used the Medela electric single for a while, but the noise really annoyed me. Also, I prefer the hand-pump, it's more ... controllable, you know? You can just automatically change the strength of the suction as you go along.

[motherinferior]

Oh, hello. How could I not see this thread? Yep, I tested loads of them (weirdest wek of my life). Email me and I'll send you the piece I did.

I got a lot out using the Avent.

[ChicPea]

John Bell & Croydon hire out a fantastic double breast pump for £100 deposit and £1 per day. Tel 020 7935 5555. It has two controls, one for speed and one for strength and you can turn both up on full at 3am and your DH can sleep soundly through!!!
Couldn't work the hand held Avent for some reason and hated the Madela single pump as the noise made my ears ring.

[throckenholt]

avent hand one is good for smallish amounts (ie 1 or 2 sessions per day) - more than that and you risk getting repetative strain injury (). If you are going to pump more than that go for an electric one that lets you double pump. I used the amede lactaline and it was great (but expensive). You can hire from ameda direct or via the NCT.

[Fennel]

avent hand pump worked for me too (up to 18oz in a working day) ok I do have some wrist strain though come to think of it - but I'd assumed that was too much mumsnetting!

tried the mothercare own brand hand pump first it was far harder.

[mears]

I hand expressed - no cost involved

[Beansmum]

I had an electric pump when I first went back to uni, as ds was only 4 months and needed a lot of milk.

But now he is only on 1 feed during the day I use the avent hand pump. I haven't had any problems with it, it's easy to use but I wouldn't like to be using it more than I do. I only express in the mornings now, if I used it more I think I'd have seriously sore wrists!