Is a pump necessary?!

[cflower04]

I'm a FTM and I'm hoping to EBF! My question is regarding buying a pump? Do I need one from the beginning or should I wait to see how it goes?! The reason I ask now is because the sales are on at the moment and I could possibly save a bit of money if I bought one now!

I plan on feeding baby myself for at least 6 weeks but it would be handy to have a stash of milk in the freezer if I ever wanted to go somewhere without baby for a few hours!

Any help is much appreciated

 

[Perplexed]

I personally didn't get a pump till maybe a couple of days till we got home from the hospital. And only used it twice so far to help clear a plugged duct. However, it is a hand pump and kinda tiring to use! And I have no plans to start building a freezer stash so for me a pump isn't really a necessity so far.

If you for sure plan to start building a freezer stash maybe it would be better to grab one now since there'll be a price difference.

I will probably get a double electric pump in the future for when I do need someone else to take care of LO while I do other things (like if my grad school program starts again)- but this will be a bit further down the line when she is a few months old or older possibly!

 

[rachelleigh]

FTM here as well-- I didn't buy a pump, didn't think I would need it, but ended up having to get one as soon as we left the hospital because LO wasn't latching and I had to pump and spoon feed him and to keep my supply up. 5 weeks later and now I'm pumping at least 8 times a day because we still are struggling with bf, though I have high hopes that we'll figure it out and won't have to pump so much in the future! I also have a freezer stash started which is really satisfying! Anyway, I hope that bf goes really smoothly for you from the start, but a pump can be a really nice thing to have on hand.

I have a medela in style advanced which I got on sale at target.

 

[Lauki]

I haven't used a pump at all this time around . Feeding directly is much easier, but then I have never responded well to a pump.

If you plan on going out without baby a lot then it might be worth it. Otherwise I would wait as you might not need one at all !

 

[madasa]

Short answer: no.

 

[Malouka]

You don't need it unless you will be away from baby soon after birth. I try to pump every morning after a feed and freeze it. If I am outside for a longer time I feed him by bottle as I am not comfortable nursing outside sometimes. I'm also planning to go to the gym soon and then my husband can feed him. But you dont NEED it..it's just handy to freeze some breastmilk.

 

[Mum2BKW]

I couldn't have coped without my pump! I have oversupply and had horrendous engorgement problems for the first couple of months and my pump has been invaluable. I also used it a few times to relieve blocked ducts. I planned to use it to express milk for Lo to have in a bottle occasionally but she won't take a bottle! So I'm not using it how I thought I would but I absolutely couldn't be without it.

 

[summer rain]

If you're in the UK they are on offer all year round, not just at sales time. Also almost all supermarkets and pharmacies sell them here even if you live in a tiny village. I bought a great pump with my youngest, it has sadly been discontinued now but it was £15 for the pump (it's the pump that goes with breast flow bottles), with two spare storage containers, a few storage bags and an extra set of 3 full sized bottles. It's an excellent pump I don't respond well to pumps even hospital ones, and the first time I used it I got 100ml in 5 minutes but fact is my youngest won't take a bottle and I have come to realise that any amount of pumping for me over stimulates my supply for up to a week, meaning green poo and colic, so the pump is just in a drawer not being used. Xx

 

[Ninagrrl]

I didn't buy a pump but have one that is being rented for me for the next 2 months (from the government) and looking into insurance covering the cost of one for me. However, I have circumstances that weren't planned. When my daughter was born she had low blood sugar and an elevated white blood cell count so she was in the NICU for a week (which is why we qualified for a pump). Due to a low lie central line I couldn't hold her or breast feed. We also had latching problems as well so pumping and bottle feeding was necessary while we work out the kinks. She is now 16 days old and today was the first successful day of breast feeding during the day but I still plan on pumping and bottle feeding at night due to it taking her an hour to an hour and a half to feed right now. Once her latch gets a little stronger than I will be switching to EBF and I hope before my time with the pump runs out in case insurance doesn't cover one. I'm currently using a hospital grade medela double electric.

I would say, if you plan on having a stash for feeding or cooking with, get a double electric pump... but if you don't want to spend the money in case you don't end up needing it then wait and see if you actually need one. You can also try to find out if your insurance covers the cost of one.

 

[Peppermint25]

I used a hospital pump at first due to becoming extremely engorged when my milk came in resulting in latching issues with my LO. I didn't use a pump again until LO was about 3 months old and due to the contraceptive implant I got supply issued and needed to pump like mad! Now my LO is 6 months I pump once in the morning to get some milk to make up some purées and for her porridge.

 

[AliKitts]

i would say to wait. i got a pump before i gave birth and not used it yet, I've just been breastfeeding. think il use it when shes a little older so that my husband can feed her

 

[angelandbump]

I exclusively bfbm with my first son and went through 6different pumps. This time I didn't buy one before DS was born but ended up sending my DH out at 2am to get one because I was in so much pain. I only used it for a day but that was the break my nipples needed and then my LO latched better after. Now I use my pump every day after every feed to increase my supply and I have a stash in my freezer. I bought 5 ice cube trays and once i have finished bf my son, I then pump about 2oz after on each side. I then put them in the ice cube trays (each cude is 1 oz) so if I ever need to unexpectedly leave LO with my parents I have a stash. Plus, when LO starts weaning, I can take an oz out at a time to use in babies rice and food ect x

 

[cflower04]

I exclusively bfbm with my first son and went through 6different pumps. This time I didn't buy one before DS was born but ended up sending my DH out at 2am to get one because I was in so much pain. I only used it for a day but that was the break my nipples needed and then my LO latched better after. Now I use my pump every day after every feed to increase my supply and I have a stash in my freezer. I bought 5 ice cube trays and once i have finished bf my son, I then pump about 2oz after on each side. I then put them in the ice cube trays (each cude is 1 oz) so if I ever need to unexpectedly leave LO with my parents I have a stash. Plus, when LO starts weaning, I can take an oz out at a time to use in babies rice and food ect x

That's a really good idea... Hadn't considered using it in baby food but of course it makes sense! I might wait until after the baby is born before getting one... I suppose I could always hand express a little if I'm uncomfortable! As a FTM I really don't have a clue about breastfeeding... Each of my friends has bottle feed their babies but I'm sure with a little research and help... I'll get there!!!

 

[twiggy327]

if you plan on exclusively breastfeeding it most def is!

 

[madasa]

if you plan on exclusively breastfeeding it most def is!

I never used one. DD was EBF for 6 months and then BF and BLW from then on. She happily BFs now at 3 and a half. She's never had a bottle. She's never had a drop of formula. When I worked and she was in nursery, I hand expressed and she was fed my milk via spoon or cup.

Wow. That felt surprisingly good! GO ME!

 

[ickle pand]

From a cost saving perspective, the supermarkets and Boots etc have regular baby events, so you'll have plenty opportunity to buy a pump at a reasonable price. Maybe just read reviews now so that when an event comes up, you know what model you want, rather than just going with the cheapest. Plus remember you don't have to use the same make of pump and bottles. I use an avent pump and just pour the milk into a medela calma bottle because I'd read it was supposed to be the most similar sucking action to breast feeding. Medela products aren't cheap so using the avent pump and steriliser keeps costs down a bit.