Philips Avent breast pump.

[thesmallbear]

I'm 24 weeks pregnant with my first and planning to breastfeed when the baby arrives. I know it's quite early to be thinking about breast pumps, but there's a really good deal on the Philips Avent breast pump in Boots. I've also joined the Boots parenting club, so I have a voucher for a further discount on top of the one already being offered. The pump is rated third best on mumsnet, so I reckon I just go for it while it's cheap. Or is there anything else I need to consider before I rush in?

I am going to a wedding in Spain when the baby is two months and will be leaving her with my parents for the day, so hoping to pump and leave the milk with them. Would also like to express sometimes so that my partner can help with the night feeds.

I would leave it and see how you feel once the baby is born. I know that's probably not what you want to hear though.

Also, talk to a BFC about expressing for your day away, age might have some tiros. Try the National Breastfeeding Helpline

As for the night feeds, you might be really lucky and get one who sleeps or you can just find other ways of coping. Some mothers find expressing more hard work than doing the actual feeds.

I found the Medela Swing brilliant, got mine from eBay for £50 and it was like brand new. I used a Tommee Tippee electric one before that, that wasn't half as good!!

I expressed from early on and found it good as my husband could give our DD one bottle at night, which he loved! It's all personal choice though, boob, bottle, express, formula, it's up to you. Good luck!! Xx

Op just wanted to add, before you buy any pump please have a look to see if it's a closed or open system. I bought an ameda lactaline secondhand and it was brilliant.

I have one of these. It's fine, works pretty well, a bit noisy, but honestly I would echo pp's comments to hold off on making any purchases or decisions at this point. I am ebf my second, and honestly can't be doing with the faff of sterilizing, expressing etc., just to include DH in feeding... There are so many other ways he can contribute that the extra time and work of expressing doesn't strike me as a useful contribution to something that is in itself very simple (boob out, baby fed).
The trip away is a different matter, as ideally you'll want to acclimatise baby to a bottle before you go (and accumulate enough expressed bm in the freezer for the trip, don't underestimate the time commitment needed for this if it is important to you that baby is ebf). Not everyone is successful at expressing, it can be much harder to get a full feed volume out (babies are more efficient than pumps, but others with more experience may be able to give tips for expressing).
Good luck and enjoy your new baby.

Thanks all, lots to think about. I think I might hold off making the purchase for now and see how things go once she's here. I'd like to get her used to taking the bottle though, so I can leave her with my parents and go to the wedding. I guess it will be trial and error and I'll just have to see how it goes!

Some things you can do to prepare for the baby arriving are to find out where your local Bfing Support Groups are and start going before LO arrives and to put the numbers of the Breastfeeding Support Helplines in your phone

P.s. what is the difference between a closed and open system and which is better?

I've brought the double electric one this time of ebay for £40 in fantastic condition with loads of extras. I used the manual last time and loved it.

I expressed exclusively though so he never went to the Breast but still got my milk

The open system like Tomee Tippee can have the milk back up Into the pump. The closed can't

Wrapped has wrapped it up quite succinctly

Forgot to add earlier, these links are good for preparation too.