Electric AND manual breast pump?

[ruby242]

I'm pregnant bought a madela electric breast pump for expressing so my husband can help me with occasional night feeds on the weekends. I then won a manual breast pump so was planning on selling it but my friend said I might want both as some people find the manual gives better suction in case I don't have success with the electric one.

What do you think I should do, keep both or sell the manual? I was under the impression that the electric ones were better but I'm a total newbie at all of this so any help is appreciated :)

I bought a Lansinoh manual pump but have found it rubbish. I once managed to get around 2oz, but every other time I've tried it's literally been a couple of drops. It made my nipples quite sore the time I did manage to express with it too.
I'm hand expressing as finding that much easier but was considering an electric pump so will be interested in replies here.

Yes I'd keep hold of it until you've properly tried out the electric one, as people find that different things work for them.

However, your baby isn't here yet, and it's easy to think of all the things you 'should' be doing once it's arrived, like expressing. But seriously expressing is such a palaver and it won't actually help your baby at all. What your baby will want (demand) is your undivided attention and cuddles. And finding time to build, sterilise, and use the breast pump, never mind storing the milk properly, then the hassle of trying to feed it to the baby. You could be doing something really useful with that time like sleeping, or getting out with friends.

I expressed with dc1 because it's what everybody talked about and did. But I made it a point of principle not to express with dc2. I just kept him with me, fed him when convenient. Expressing is a hard lonely experience and I wouldn't bother unless it was medically recommended to you.

Different pumps suit different women.

Eg unlike a PP I tried other brands but the only one that works for me is lansinoh manual!
So keep/try them both.

Also you might not get much first time whatever you use. Like most things, pumping has a "knack" and needs a bit of practice.

I agree, try both.

I had a medela swing electric pump (supposed to be the best!) but didn't get on with it, mainly because I got annoyed with the fiddly wires and the fact that it hummed and clicked noisily. I then got a philips avent manual pump, which I love because it's so compact and easy to use. Despite what people tend to say, I pump 200-250 ml daily and prefer the manual over the electric.

I borrowed an electric one from the hospital but got on much better with a manual one

Darcey I don't think she means exclusive expressing? In which case how would it be "hard and lonely"?

The vast majority of breastfeeding mums I know use a manual pump every day or two, for half an hour while baby naps etc. They shove a couple of ounces at a time in a breast milk bag and freeze it.

When baby is a few months old that stock is useful for if they need a rest, or to do some chores/medical/hairdresser ... or GASP some time baby free such as a lunch out.

Without pumping, I would have become horribly isolated and exhausted. I say that as a woman who has never been away from her baby longer than 3 hours ever. But it has enabled me to have a couple of hours sleep here and a shower there.

Without expressed milk, the loneliness and stress would have been debilitating to my mental health. For most women I guess it would just be tiring.
But I honestly believe modern reliable pumps help women decide to breastfeed longer when used sparingly for a bottle a day or every 48 hr. When you're absolutely wrecked with worry and exhausted you have mothers milk for a partner to give. When you want just an hour or two of your own time which is perfectly perfectly ok you don't resent breastfeeding ... you reach for the doidy cup and a frozen bag, knowing it's one feed and your own milk.

Thankyou all, that's very helpful to know-I will keep it for now and see how I get on :)