Breast pump advice.

[calvemjoe]

I'm expecting my 2nd in september and I really hope to breastfeed. I only stuck with it for 5 weeks with ds and found the avent isis breastpump useless. Was hoping that mumsnet would help me to find a breastpump that I can get along with.
TIA

What problems did you have with the isis?

Calvemjoe, why do you need a pump if you are intending to bf? I only ask because the only pump which ever worked for me were hospital industrial strength ones and even then, I usually only got 1-2 oz per session. I have small boobs and low storage capacity, I suspect. Anyway, pumps are much less efficient than baby at drawing out milk and I think you might be more successful at establishing bf-ing by putting baby to breast than by pumping?

BTW, would you consider hand expressing? That was the only other thing that worked for me.

TheBlonde, I found the isis painful and got next to nothing out. But maybee I was using it wrong.

blueshoes, I'll need to return to work when baby is 5 months and hope to still be feeding then, hence needing a breast pump that i get on with.

I used a Tommee Tippee manual pump. It took a while to get the hang of it (how long did you try for?) and in the beginning it was only worth doing it first thing in the morning when my breasts were very full - I had to try to wake up before dd.
By the end I was getting loads out though - my record was 10oz in one session (felt like I ought to get a rosette for that one!) but next time I would definitely get an electric pump if only to save time.
BTW I never understood the books that said to express after a feed - this never, ever worked for me - the only time was when dd hadn't fed for a while.

I have had mum's who successfully used the Avent Isis Hand pump and the Medela Mini Electric pump.

None of them expressed before day 10 and then tending to express about 30minutes after feeding, most only used 1 breast per feed and would express the used breast and get 1-3 oz a time.

Present mum uses 1 breast a feed and started expressing at 3 weeks and is a third timer, she gets a little under 2oz a time and baby takes 2-2.5oz each night feed.

It shouldn't be painful to use
I would recommend trying it again. Maybe you were applying too much suction

i hire an ameda egnell one and could not feed without it.I express 12 oz a day and give some as a dream feed and store some. i love it - gentler than baby at start!

I use the Medela electric pump, it works best for me with baby on one boob, pump on the other! hand pumps do not work for me at all

Another vote for the Medela Mini Electric. I have an Avent Isis but find the Medela better. Cost me £45 but well worth it. DD is just over 6 months old now, i've been back at work for a month and I express in my lunch hour, get a minimum of 10oz in 30 mins, then I do another 5oz in the morning before I go to work so that I can send 15oz to the CM.

the 30 mins might sound like a long time, but that includes washing up etc afterwards, and the pump on a medium setting. When I'm going out at lunch, I whack it up to the fastest setting (still not painful) and it takes about 10 mins!

Thanks everyone. If 2oz is an ok amount to get then maybe I was expecting too much. Ds used to feed in long, constant bursts and anything I expressed would last him about 2 mins and it had taken me an age to get. It could be that he was just a guzzler

i'm with kathy1972 - found the best way was to express in the morning, having fed from only one boob during the night (would then express from other boob). would get about 6oz with an avent then. i'd also express from both boobs at about 9.30pm, and get around 3oz - did that mainly to keep my supply up.

I tired tommee tippee one hand - bearly got 1oz out with Joey on the other side.

found a n electric works best, can get 2.5 oz off (at 11pm) each side, and also leak from the other side at the same time. but I don't use it v often at the mo.

i agree with matnanplus, i use to feed one side then half to an hour later would express frrom other side. i used avent and medela, found avent best for me as medela felt like sticking hoover nozzle on my breast. also helped to do a bit of nipple manipulation as this triggered a let down reflex and yielded a better result 1-4oz. incidentally if you have a surestart project nearby or b/feeding group you may be able to hire or borrow a pump.

I love the medela. Also had an isis first time and found it really tedious, and I seem to get lots more out with the medela. borrowed it from a friend as they're so expensive, but she got it off ebay for about half price.

I exclusively pump for my 15 week old baby and have been doing so since birth. I have a Medela Mini Electric which is okay, but I rent a Medela Symphony from Medela, it costs £35 a month, but is well worth it. I pump 3 times a day and get a minimum of 12 oz per pumping session.

I used an Avent breast pump. I found it easy to get the milk out, 8oz no problem, but only when the milk was there in the first place, if I had missed a feed. Tried hand expressing once and could barely get anything out.

calvemjoe: focus on establishing your supply, at least the first 6 wks, before bothering with expressing. too much logistics to say the least for a busy mum and with a newborn and toddler. get in touch with a bf counsellor before you give birth as it will make things easier for you if things go off course later on. read a good bf book while you have the time.

I use an ameda lactaline (double pump) to express for my baby (just turned 1!) at work I can't sing its praises enough.

good luck!

another vote for the medela mini i only bought mine when i had baby number 3 i'd never been good at expressing with hand pumps but got loads when i used the medela much much quicker.

Thanks for all the advice. It's definatly given me something to think about and has been really helpful.