breast pump

[tweeni]

anyone got one?are they worth having?

A couple of people on here (me included!) ended up expressing milk full time for our babies so I would say yes! If you're in a Surestart area you can get them for very reduced prices... I would get an Avent Isis, you might want to express for an evening out or something in the future so they are worth having even if you don't express often, and there are always people looking for breast pumps on the cheap for you to sell to afterwards...

I've got an Avent Isis which I've only used a couple of times as for me it was too much hassle and tbh, didn't really have the need to express. It's a good pump - lots of people love them.

I'd be happy to sell it if you're interested.

Hehe, this place should have a section for sales of breast pumps!

does it run on batteries or do you plug it in?

Have you had a look at the MN info about breast pumps, and the reviews of the different models? It's here .

can someone tell me what a manual pump is? i thought they were all electric!

Manual pumps have a handle on that you squeeze with your hand to pump the milk. Really easy.

so you need to be able to hold it with two hands?one to hold and one to pump?

ahh not if you have the nack! you can do it onehanded once you get used to it

i have a brand new avent isis i am selling if you're interested?

i used an all-singing all-dancing electric pump in hospital and a manual avent isis at home - it was a million times easier and more effective.

I used the avent isis, i got alot of milk out quickly but they can be very complicated as there are so many parts to put together which is very frustrating when incredibly tired. I found it hard work pumping for the weeks thats i did. I have heard that when pumping lotswith them that partsofthem can break.

I used an Avent Isis as well and found it really easy once I'd got the hang of it. I used to express every evening watching the 10 o'clock news and then my dh would wake the baby to feed from a bottle.

All pumps break if you use them lots, medela electric are crap for breaking in about five seconds... I use my Avent Isis to pump with 7 times a day for 40 minutes every day and it's lasted two months so far, it lasted about 4 months at a time before the bit that connected the handle to the pump snapped with wear last time I was expressing... much better than both the pump in style medela and the mini electric which broke within weeks pumping expert lol

(All pumps have fiddly bits too!)

I went through 5 Avent pumps in two years, and every one of them broke the same way - the piece that connects the bottle to the pump snapped. As far as I know, though, it's not only Avent that does this, it happens with any pump if it's used a lot, as mine was. I did like the Avent one, which is why I kept going back to the same one when I needed to replace it.

so what does everyone reckon - manual or electric?

I could never get one with the avent. My breasts never leaked at all, not even in the first few weeks, although I bf dd for 18 months. I was more successful with the Medela electric, but even then never got more than a couple of ounces. Basically, expressing just didn't work for us at all and on the rare occasion she needed a bottle I had to use formula.

lulabelle - I also expressed f/t 1st time round as bfing too painful (fine 2nd time round though!). For me, avent pump was brilliant, once you get the hang of it - I started expressing at 5 weeks having bfed for 1st weeks, gradually building up supply. This time round with ds2, expressed from day 2 in addition to bfing- whatever people may tell you this IS possible (my midwife fortunately agreed & was v helpful), just be patient and quite disciplined in how often you do it. I started expressing so ealry in case I had problems again. HTH

lulabelle, there is a thread in breast/bottle feeding called the expressing clique, I would go and say hi or read through... they'll be able to answer any questions...

but in short yes it is possible to express and feed via bottle indefinately I did it for 9 months last time... but I have to go cos the little one's crying! HTH!