Breast pump ?

[Sumi76]

Whats a good oen out there in the market ladies ?

I got a mini medela but it took an age to get anything out so I feel it was a waste of money really. I didn't get another one but would imagine the bigger ones are better.

Basically with breast pumps there are three sorts. Manual (great if you can be arsed and get the right rhythm to stimulate let down. Electric -- I've heard good things about the Medela Swing (I only had an Avent as it was all you could get in Asia where I lived). But again, it may not stimulate let down, so effectively all you are managing to get out is what's left in the ducts, in some cases not much. I could never EVER get a breastpump to stimulate a let down no matter what I did so it was a frustrating, noisy, fruitless task. All I could get was 20 ml and I had to add one session's onto another etc to get enough for a feed. I hated it. Hated it with a passion.

Hospital grade pumps can be slightly more effective. Again, I didn't have that much luck but I've heard friends who have.

To be honest, and I do like to be prepared, so understand, I wouldn't buy one unless you need to in advance. Besides, effective bfeeding needs a baby to stimulate as often as needed to establish supply and introducing bottles (though I have tried cup feeding in the early days as baby was prem and a leeetle slow to put on weight, I gave up in the end and just fed more frequently) isn't advisable in the first 8 or so weeks as it can (I stress can) affect latch and may get you to think they are glugging down a bottle but not feeding effectively from you, so you might stop feeding.

Good luck.

I have a Spectra, it does a good job.

It's a very personal choice...will depend how much time you have to sit there and how much of a "milk cow" you want to feel.

I loved the Mini Medela electric pump last time around.

I had a manual for ds1 and it was really just good for occasional use or pumping off a bit of milk if he was ill (teething, didn't want to drink much and I'd get very engorged) or pumping off a bit of my boobs were too hard for him to latch.

I had twins second time and invested in a Medela double pump (Pump on the go or something). It was brilliant and I used it A LOT. Can pump 2 boobs at a time and is v powerful. It really got a lot out and I was able to use it frequently when they were very small. By the time they were a couple of months old, I didn't need it anymore, and was just bfing without the hassle of the pump.