Questions and answers

Compare this section with Yahoo Answers and Google Answers. Questions are all related to becoming pregnant, pregnancy, birth and babies.
Go to the Questions and answers index

When to buy a breast pump?
Added: 715 days ago.
Added by: LANNiE
Section: General.
Status: This question is Closed. (Questions will be closed after 10 days.)


Hey ladies. This will be my first baby once she arrives, and I was wondering when I should buy a breast pump. I am wanting to breast feed for at least 6 months, providing it works out for me. I am unsure whether I should buy a breast pump before she`s here, or wait until she`s here to see how I go with breastfeeding, and if it works out for me before I buy a pump. What are your suggestions, or what did you do? Thanks in advance.

---

Huntersmom28 - 712 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes) I would buy one now, if breastfeeding doesn't work for you you can pump so the baby still gets some mile from you.

♥princessr♥ - 714 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes) I had a breast pump before my daughter arrived and used it alot to stimulate the milk. It also really helped when she was first born to have my husband do the 9.30pm feed so that I could go to bed super early, and get about 5 hours uninterrupted sleep - it really helped HEAPS!

canadababy - 714 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes) I took my breastpump to the hospital when I delivered my DD to help stimulate my milk production. We gave her a pacifier the night she was born because she had a very strong sucking urge (the nurse recommended it) and we gave her a bottle of breastmilk within a week of birth. She was 90% direct-breastfed with about 10% bottlefed either formula or pumped milk. I'm not sure if I believe in 'nipple confusion' as I have many friends with kids and none of them have experienced it, nor have I. So for me, I was really glad to have my pump before my DD was born snd nipple confusion has never been an issue :)

LANNiE - 714 days ago Thanks for the advice so far. I may get one shortly after she's born, as I will be going to the movies when the 3rd installment in the Twilight series comes out, and I will want my breastmilk available to whoever (most likely my mum or dad) will be looking after her for the few hours I am out just incase she gets hungry before I get home. I don't want to use formula unless I end up having to.

LANNiE - 714 days ago Thanks for the advice so far. I may get one shortly after she's born, as I will be going to the movies when the 3rd installment in the Twilight series comes out (June 30th it comes out in Australia, bub is due June 11th), and I will want my breastmilk available to whoever (most likely my mum or dad) will be looking after her for the couple of hours I am out just incase she gets hungry before I get home. I don't want to use formula unless I end up having to.

Love.my.kids - 714 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes) Ditto to what aussiegirl80 told you. You CAN purchase one prior to the birth, but then you'd be tempted to use it once she was born. It's best to wait until she is 6 weeks old and exclusively breastfeed on demand to properly establish your supply before using a pump - a baby is WAY MORE effective at expressing your milk than even a hospital grade pump could ever be - so you need the stimulation from your baby. When you breastfeed you release oxytocin - which stimulates letdown - but for this to be effective you need to hold and feel and be able to smell your LO for your body to react instinctually and how it is meant to react to the act of breastfeeding - even when you pump, keep your LO in sight, or a picture of them or an item of clothing to smell - it will help when expressing via a pump.

aussiegirl80 - 715 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes) Hi Lannie :) With my DD, I waited to buy a breast pump untill she was 6 weeks old as my midwife said that for the first 6 weeks you are establishing a milk supply and you don't want to give the baby nipple confusion by giving a bottle too soon. This time, I have already bought a pump as my daughter refused to take a bottle until 6 months so I will introduce expressed breast milk sooner this time! Good luck! Also, I bought my pump second hand this time, got the same one as last time brand new it's about $120 and I got it for $30, so at least I know that I haven't wasted too much money if baby doesn't like the bottle like my DD!