Bring breast pump to the hospital?

[SurpriseBub]

I am just putting together a packing list for the hospital... And it struck me: should I be bringing my breast pump in?

 

[Rhio92]

They have breast pumps you can borrow at the one I'm giving birth at... Maybe you should ring up to see?

 

[sheebee]

If your planning to breast feed (as in straight from the breast!) Then I wouldn't. Its best to try to get things established in those early days and its tricky when you first start. Seeing each feed in hospital as 'practice' for when I got home really helped and I buzzed for a midwife for each feed to so they could help. I think if I had had the pump I wouldve used it and it would've made the 'learning' experience longer and hard for me and Ds1. I haven't even bought bottles this time around. Also if you really need it someone should be able to bring it I'm for you?

 

[emyandpotato]

No you don't need one. They have them and anyway you'd probably be asked to hand express if need be.

 

[RaspberryK]

No it'd be useless for colostrum anyway.
Xx

 

[SarahBear]

I am just putting together a packing list for the hospital... And it struck me: should I be bringing my breast pump in?

If you wish to be breastfeeding, it's best to put off the use of the breast pump until your supply has been established. Some people do choose to exclusively pump, however and in that case it might be a good idea to bring it.

 

[Kirsty3051]

I'm glad I packed mine. We had problems with breastfeeding for the first 4-5 days so I pumped the whole time we were in hospital.

 

[SurpriseBub]

Thanks, ladies! It is still in the box... so I guess step one is to have a look at it/read the manual/clean it! I think I will at least have it packed in the car. If they have a lactation consultant around, she might be able to talk me through it if needs be. I really hope that I can exclusively breastfeed and will just use the pump to up my supply and maybe store some milk 'just in case'

 

[northern_me]

Actually, I went to two Le leche league conferences for health professionals, one which had Nancy Mohrbacher presenting and one had Dr. Jack Newman speaking. Nancy actually recommended getting moms to pump within the first few hours in the hospital if they intended to pump later on, and Dr. Jack Newman actually referenced prenatal pumping of colostrum, so it isn't necessarily useless.

 

[dom85]

I will be bringing mine with me. I had gestational diabetes with DS and still to find out if I have developed it this time too, it really affected my ability to produce milk and my midwife has actually recommended antenatal expressing three weeks before due date for me as I didn't produce anything last time. Before baby comes I will be hand expressing but I will take the pump to the hospital to help establish a good supply this time. I know the best thing is to have baby feed but they don't want to do that all the time and I really want to BF so I'm basically going to try everything.

I don't think it matters if you take it and don't use it, just bring it home with you, there will probably be other things that you pack and don't use as well.