Electric or hand pump. Which is faster? kinder?

[mamerin]

Long before dd was born a friend recommended I used the Avent pump for expressing. Having used it on and off over the last few months I have found it to be very hit and miss. I tend to express in the mornings or when I'm full and dd doesn't want a feed. Have tried all the usuals of looking at her pic, thinking of her etc but I still sometimes find that expressing hurts. I also HAVE to squeeze and pump at the same time. (Couldn't do it for the first 2 or three months because of the pain.) Anyway off back to work 2 days a week in Sept and want to know whether an electric pump might be better than the hand one and if so which pump?

think motherinf is the woman who tested them...
I used an en electric/battery (and felt just like a cow ! it worked fine and didn't take very long.
But you need to be relaxed (hahahaahhaha)lots of water and food in you, ideal time is usually first thing in morning.
NB.. don't get disheartened by amount etc, every little helps....
Good luck!

How about hand expressing using no pump. Much kinder and faster when you get the knack IMO.

handexpressing

Don't much fancy hand expressing at work. I only want to express two days a week when I'm away from dd. There's no specific room I can use so am going to have to lock myself in my classroom (teacher) to express. Just thought an electric one might be quicker. Need to express at lunchtime those days as well as it's as much to stop me from getting engorged and leaking (can you imagine it if I leaked in front of a class of secondary school kids? horrific)as it is to feed dd. Think she may be own to just a lunchtime feed then anyway as I can feed her just before 8 and then again about 4. the rest of the time it's service as usual . ta for the tips though

I have used both. Avent is fine for smallish amounts - eg at work - but if you need to feed exclusively by expressing (I did it for my twins) the electric pump wins out for speed in that you can double pump. If you do go down the electric route then make sure you work out what pressure works for you - don't just wack it up to full strength. You need to try and mimic the babies feeding - fast and light to begin with, and then when the milk starts flowing slower and deeper (but not necessarily full power - figure what suits you best).

I also found that thinking about the baby or what I was doing really made things worst. I got the best results when I managed to forget what I was doing - usually while surfing the net or reading a book.

Also massage for a few minutes before you pump, but do it gently.

Good luck.

by the way - I don't think it is quicker per se with an electric pump - either way you just have to get the letdown going - if that takes 5 minutes that's how long it takes - not much you can do to speed it up. Generally you will probably need to pump for 15-20 minutes max.

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Going totally off track now Yorkiegirl- were you part time before getting pg and having baby or is this something you've done since having baby? work haven't been all that nice with me about going to 2 days and I envisage problems next year as I've done it on a yearly basis to ensure that I've got a full time job to go back to when dd starts school in a few years. am in touch with union in preparation for a fight next year. ru primary or secondary? Do you think i should start a seperate thread for this?

Mamaerin -I'm a secondary teacher who expresses and just gone part time after a fight.

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Having used both I'd go electric everytime. At least you can vaguely get on with some things while you're at the milk bar! Besides I found the avent pump practically gave me RSI for the amount of effort put in to get such a small amount back. The electric pump even managed to stimulate my let down reflex which the hand pump never got close to!

I never bought the electric one because of the noise. Not at all suitable having a loud buzzing noise in a small room with kids on the side corrider!!

Hercules and Yorkiegirl (and anyone else who's interested) Started a new thread for the job issue- Going back to work/ subheading- Part time teaching. What are the possible problems.
Think I'll stick to my avent pump for the expressing- better the devil you know I suppose. And at least I know that I can express with the avent. I'm loathe to drop the feed as I'm going to be with her for the rest of the week-HV/BF counsellor says I can drop and just feed her b4 and when I get back from work, she'll be ok with water and sloppy food in between.

My 2p worth: I was always quite hit and miss with Avent (OK if I got a letdown, but often I couldn't), but found a double electric pump (I used the Ameda) perfect for going back to work. The thing that makes it quicker is being able to double pump - so you do both breasts at the same time, and no leakage from the "uncovered" breast. Also for me the letdown was much more reliable with electric pump. It was expensive but worth it (esp as I started out pumping twice a day). Overall, what with the faffing about going to the first aid room, getting set up, putting milk in the fridge, etc it would take me about half an hour for each session. I was never a very big producer though - unlike Motherinferior!

I second that florenceuk. I bought an electric double pump (Ameda lactaline) to cut down on time spent expressing at work and it was a good decision. Had been using the Avent before then, but it was taking ages to get a decent amount. My let-down was also much more efficient with the double pump and my supply increased while using it. I also managed to do up my bra over the pump and had both hands free to eat my sandwiches.

Where are you MotherInferior?
(she has tested every pump known to woman)

Dummingbunny - I have a vision of you (not that I know what you look like but YKWIM!) sitting eating sandwiches while being milked like a cow! Thank you for making me smile at this time of the day!
BTW and FWIW I found no difference in speed with the pumps but manage very well with Avent one - although didn't have to do it at work - good luck

I expressed a lot with dd1 and found the Medela electric one quite good and speedy. Have just bought one of the Tommee Tippee hand pumps to take to hospital (mainly to try and prevent latching on probs I had last time) and it feels FAB so far (but am till pg so can't comment on how efficient). Really comfy and simple to use though. hth, D

Tommy - I used to lock myself into our first aid room at work, imagine my horror when a maintenance man tried to get in using his master key

Oh no! I missed this thread! Yes, I did test 11 in two weeks once (for work, not strange perversion of my own, honestly).

If you can afford the Ameda doublepump, I think it's fab. Not very portable (I am a freelance journalist who works from home) but did the job very well and also stimulated a let-down very well.

I borrowed a friend's medela electric pump the other day and it is SO noisy - it woke a sleeping ds up! And slow. I actually found that the Avent hand pump was better as I am obviously pumping v vigourously. Must have tough old nips... My Avent pump also squeaks which makes ds laugh so I'm glad that I don't have to use it at work. Never forget the look on dh's face when he saw me pumping for the first time - how to recreate the magic... not!