First time Mum- breast pumps

[stepmum88]

Hi all,

Am first time Mum, 27 +1 ATM and am starting to panic about things I "should" have. Am intending to breast feed & was wondering if people had any advice on electric breast pumps? I got a tommee tippee bottle set from a friend, but she said not to get the matching pump. I've heard the avant or the Mandela are you?
Any advice gratefully received 😊

I used the medela mini pump, it was great, but honestly I would see how you go with the first few weeks of breastfeeding and if any issues you could always hire a pump if needed. I took note of the numbers for local hire of them prior to my due date in case I needed one.

Congratulations on your imminent baby!

Why do you want to pump? Are you planning to bottle feed from early on, or to have a small supply for emergencies, or to support a return to work...? My reccommendations for pumps would probably be different in each case.

I just got the tt hand pump as I didn't want to spend a lot if bf didn't work out. However it did work out and I spent my pumping time with that silly squeaky hand pump that took ages and gave me a sore hand! So i guess the moral of my story is, once you know you are going to get the use out of it, invest in a decent electric one!!

@GreggsBenedict thanks for your reply 😊 I want to freeze some for the small possibility of an evening out (!!) or leaving with Daddy whilst I escape to get chocolate 😊

I pumped in the hospital as my baby wouldn't latch from one breast and during the first couple of days at home, I fed him with a syringe. Doing this enabled us to establish breastfeeding so I think it's a good idea to have a pump ready. I then started pumping again when he was a few weeks old and froze milk and introduced a bottle at around 3/4 weeks for occasional use. I borrowed a pump off a friend and I can't remember the name, and have bought an avent one second hand for my next baby. I have heard good things about the medela swing.

For occasional pumping to build up a small supply, I'd suggest don't go big bucks! A single, manual pump will do the job just fine. Lanisoh and NUK (sensitive, 1st choice) both have goos ones (imo) around £30 with easy storage options included.

Pump while, or just after, baby feeds from the other boob, to get the best chance of a good haul! And remember that what a baby takes in breastmilk over a 20m feed might be absolutely tiny, so don't expect big amounts. Have a google for the infographics that show the stomach size of an average newborn through the first months of life. The volume of milk they need initially is very small, that can be reassuring when it looks like there's nothing coming out of your boob.

Oh and finally don't judge your supply of milk based on how easily you can pump. It's not a good reflection as babies are much more efficient than a pump at getting to the good stuff. So if you pump and don't get much, you don't necessarily need to worry about your supply.

Good luck! x

I've got the ardo calypso and think that is great but I only got that because my baby was premature and I needed to pump so she could be tune fed it. Since she came home I haven't used it; they aren't cheap and I'd really recommend waiting to buy one until after your baby arrives so you can decide if you would get real use out of it.

I'd echo what others have said re waiting until the baby's born. I bought a Medela Mini while pregnant as I thought I'd be doing the odd pump for DH here and there, but in the very early days DD had tongue tie and could only feed from a bottle, so I ended up sending DH out for a Medela Swing as recommended by the midwife.

Once the tongue tie was all sorted and DD was back on the breast I just kept on using the Swing if I needed to express as it was so quick and easy to use. The Mini is still in its box 8 months down the line and so a total waste of money.

Why not see how you get on and make a decision then?

I concur with the suggestions to do your research now but wait until baby is born before buying. I knew I'd be back to work so DD would need bottles and I'd be pumping, so narrowed down to a powerful double electric (Medela Freestyle). But I waited until DD was about 4 weeks old and BF was established before buying it. It's not recommended to express too early as it can lead to oversupply and mastitis.

I went shopping for a few baby things this past weekend as well and was advised by the shop assistant to wait till after birth as well before buying a pump as they don't exchange it!

I pump so I have a bit of a freezer stash so I can have the odd bit of time off and have the medela hand pump. My friend pumped so her husband could give a bottle every night and she went for an electric pump. Definitely wait until after the baby is born though, it's so easy to buy things quickly these days and it's not something you'll need there and then.

I pump so I have a bit of a freezer stash so I can have the odd bit of time off and have the medela hand pump. My friend pumped so her husband could give a bottle every night and she went for an electric pump. Definitely wait until after the baby is born though, it's so easy to buy things quickly these days and it's not something you'll need there and then.

Just remembered it was the ardo calypso I used. It worked very well but was a bit of a faff with lots of parts.

My situation sounds just like Flipper and I just used the medela hand pump. I was really lucky and could get 6-8oz in 15 mins in the first few months. I'd planned to try the hand one and move onto an electric but never needed to.
Having said that I'm pregnant with twins now and I think I'll probably try and hire a double electric one from the hospital this time just to make things a bit quicker.

Hand pumps are actually very effective, just take a bit longer and more effort. I've found a solid hand pump much better than a weak electric.

I used the avant electic single pump the first time and it was great. Lasted me through two years of feeding allowing me to bottle feed when I wanted to (I found breastfeeding really hard and expressing really helped me to get through) and allowed me to go back to work.
My friend had the Medela swing and swore by that one so I think these are the two that I'll be looking at when I have number two!
I'm due in two weeks and I've been looking but as PPs have said, don't buy straight away. Establish breastfeeding first for a good few weeks and see if you need one! Then I would see which was on offer!
I found breastfeeding horrifically Hard for about 5-6 weeks and was so ready to give up. I went and bought a pump and it got me through. At about 5-6 weeks breastfeeding just got so much easier all of a sudden, I'm so glad I carried on as I'm lazy and didn't want to make bottles up! That's the best advice I got though, it's hard, painful and tough for the first few weeks but it does get easier! Good luck with it!

It's hard to predict in advance what you will need and why. I fully intended to breastfeed, but then was faced with a baby who just would not latch, so I started pumping while still in hospital using hospital equipment.

Some hospitals will rent out pumps if need be (unfortunately not mine) so we ended up panic buying a Philips Avent before I could be discharged, which worked ok but died very suddenly after 6 weeks of heavy use (I was pumping exclusively,, probably for about 6 hours a day as it was a single pump). I had plenty of milk, and a very hungry baby!

I'm pregnant again, and this time around, I am looking into renting hospital grade double pumps from express yourself mums (other places exist). You can get one for £45 for 2 weeks, then £45 a month thereafter. If I need to do this exclusively, I want a really good pump so I'm not constantly attached to it (I'll have a toddler to look after too).

If you're just looking to pump occasionally to have a 'going out stash' then most single electric pumps will do. It's when it takes over your whole life it becomes very vital to get a good one like a Medula, and those aren't cheap!

Of course I'm rather hoping this baby just knows how to latch and I can return my pump after a fortnight. Fingers-crossed we all have an easy time of it!