Any need to manually pump/express when milk comes in?

[MaMaPo]

Stupid question here.

I'm 36 weeks and trying to make sure I have everything I need for my first child. I am hoping to breastfeed and have everything crossed that it will go well.

Do people think there is a need to have a manual breast pump in the house? My mum suggested it but I could only think that it might be needed if the milk comes in and I need some comfort - the expressed milk could then be frozen.

I am willing to go down the expressing route if I need to do so - ie. if issues arise - but when planning in advance would you put this on your list of things you'd probably end up needing?

I would get one, they don't cost much and if you are sore it could be helpful Good luck!

I didn't bother with any equipment beforehand. You can always hand express a bit if you feel sore (but you might not, I never did).

I think expressing milk to have it in the freezer is just making more work for yourself personally (although HV's always seem very keen on you doing it )

Like the PP said, if you need to, you can hand express (and it'll be more comfortable if you're very full too). You could always look in local shops to see what they stock (I reckon I could get a hand pump in any of my local Tescos, Boots or Mothercare). Then if you decide you need one, you can ask someone to go out and get it for you.

I don't quite understand why you'd want to express to relieve engorgemet? Only my experience, but I had premature twins 1st time round that had my expressed milk via tubes. I was therefore expressing for weeks until we started breastfeeding (and never really suffered therefore with engorgement). 2nd time around, when I was literally climbing the walls in pain when my milk came in (DD had one proper feed when the milk came in and then slept for hours) I just went back to what I knew iyswim, expressing etc to relieve the pain but it just made things worse, seemed to stimulate the supply even more so I was producing lots more milk than DD needed (probably a load of rubbish but I think my body thought I was feeding 2 babies again!!).

Yes, hand expression is fine for relieving engorgement. If you wanted to express a lot of milk (ie if you were going back to work) then you might need a pump, or you might get along fine with hand expression. I bought a pump and used it twice, I wish I'd waited to see if I'd need one.

What about if you want to/need to go out for a few hours without baby? You might need to express then? So DH/DP or whoever can feed baby... like your mum says a pump might be handy in this case?

(I have a 5wk old and when she was just 10days old DS1's nursery calls to say he'd been involved in an incident and that he needed to go to hospital I had to trail new baby with me and was sat feeding her in a&e whilst DS cried next to me.. Would've been easier to be able to leave her with my mum)

Mamapo. My suggestion would be to get a manual pump like the avent which is high rated. I got mine half price for 12.50. I ran into problems first time. I has a poor feeder and ended up with engorgement, mastitis, thrush the lot. You can hand express but there is a knack to it and second time around that is easier i have found, but not as easy as a hand pump. Plus it is much less messy, and IMO more comfortable if relieving engorgement. . If you do not use the pump then you can eBay it and will have lost hardly anything.

Some say do not use a pump until 3 wks. I lost my supply following this advice as Dd's feeding problems went undiagnosed and by the time it was understood I has failed to establish my supply. A pump can be used early on if used in a measured way and cautiously it need not cause an over supply. I have done so this time - I have a four week old, feeding like a good'n.