Becky, Jared and Sarah
Breastfeeding
So, I am planning on breastfeeding my baby. I also plan on working part time (really less than 15 hours a week), so I will want to pump and incorporate bottles into my feeding program. I’ve prepared myself so far for this endeavor by getting nursing covers and looking at reviews for different breast pumps. Needless to say I am still very much a novice in this area.
What I was thinking for pumps was these:
It is a The First Years – miPump Double Breast Pump. I liked it mostly because it was a electric pump under $100. (I can’t believe how much pumps cost). However it only gets 3 stars (out of 5), so some people love it and some people hate it. So, I have mixed feelings, I probably won’t get this one after all, maybe I’m just attracted to the cute bag and low price.
This is a Medela Harmony Manual Breastpump. It gets 4 stars on Target.com and babiesrus.com with hundreds of reviews. It looks like most people generally like it.
So my questions for all those mother’s out there are these…
What products were essential for you for breastfeeding?
If you used a pump, did you like the manual pumps or electric? Is an electric pump worth the price?
If you used a pump, did a certain type or brand work really well for you?
If you used a pump, was a certain type or brand really awful?
Are there any bottles that you especially liked?
Do you have any tips or advice regarding feeding a baby (that you will be willing to post on the internet)?
If you want to give me advice but do not want to post it on this blog you can e-mail me. My e-mail is my first name (no space) last name @gmail.com. (all lower case)
PLEASE COMMENT. Thank you for the advice.
| Print article | This entry was posted by Becky on April 30, 2010 at 3:59 PM, and is filed under FYI. Follow any responses to this post through RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site. |
No trackbacks yet.
Pregnancy Wrap Up
about 2 months ago - No comments
This is me at 39 weeks. This is me at hours from 40 weeks, I’m actually at the hospital for this picture. Worst Trimester: The first trimester, no one knew I was pregnant I couldn’t buy any baby clothes, and I was sick. My body didn’t feel like it was mine, but there was no
Baby Shower
about 3 months ago - No comments
I had another baby shower on last Saturday, May 8th. It was put on my my mother-in-law Serena with help from my other mother-in-law, Kathy and my sister-in-law, Starrie. We had a lovely breakfast consisting of a breakfast casserole, fruit, and muffins. Starrie also provided a couple of fun games. One game was where everyone
about 4 months ago
What products were essential for you for breastfeeding?
Nursing pads. My favorite are the Lansinoh disposable ones. You will also probably want to get the Lansinoh paste type stuff that is used to put on your nipples to help them from getting sore and cracked. They might just give you some in the hospital though.
If you used a pump, did you like the manual pumps or electric? Is an electric pump worth the price?
Good luck deciding what pump to get. I know the hospital gives out parts to the Madella pumps, and I see lots of those automatic ones come up on Craigslist for sale…as long as you have your own parts from the hospital you’re not using anything that someone else has used. …if that makes sense.
I can’t say. I have only ever used the Avent Manual Pump, which has worked nicely for me. ( Since I don’t work)
If you used a pump, did a certain type or brand work really well for you?
I have really liked my Avent pump. You have to use Avent brand stuff with it though…but it’s a really comfortable pump.
If you used a pump, was a certain type or brand really awful?
no.
Are there any bottles that you especially liked?
I’ve only ever used Avent, but I see tons of people use that Dr. Brown bottle.
Do you have any tips or advice regarding feeding a baby (that you will be willing to post on the internet)?
Make sure you have a nice big glass of water next to you cause you’ll get crazy thirsty. Be relaxed, and have lots of pillows for support, especially at first. Make sure Sarah’s mouth is covering almost all of the areola, that way you’re nipples don’t crack and get red and sore. Try all the different positions because one might work way better for the baby than another.
If you ever have any questions, you can always ask the lactation specialist at the hospital…or you can call me too!
about 4 months ago
Hi becky! Congratulations on your pregnancy! I honestly think it’s so smart that you’re putting thought into these things before the baby comes. Breastfeeding isn’t the easiest thing for most people to accomplish, and I think it’s wise of you to look into it before little Sarah comes.
What products were essential for you for breastfeeding? I swear by my boppy pillow. Loved, loved, loved it! I never tried any of the other pillows (i.e. my breastfriend), but I think the $30 I spent on my boppy was one of my best investments I made. I also really liked my nursing cover. My visiting teacher made it for me, and I used it a lot in the beginning. Now I just use a blanket because he’s big enough to support his own body, but in the beginning you have to do a lot of finagling to make things work so it’s really necessary to have both hands available. Quality nursing pads were vital too. I think I used the Lansinoh pads, but I’m not completely sure. I would get some before the baby comes so you or Jared aren’t running to the store post baby. As far as nursing bras and nursing garments go, and I hated both and never used them. Nipple ointment was extremely important. For about the first eight weeks, I used it every time after I breastfed as a precaution. I didn’t have any major problems, but I think that was primarily because I used the Lansinoh ointment from the start as a sort of preventative measure. I asked the nurse for some right after I had Eli, and I asked for more before I left. I think I asked for breast pads too.
If you used a pump, did you like the manual pumps or electric? Is an electric pump worth the price? I had a Medela harmony pump (manula), and I really really really coveted my sister’s electric pump. If you’re planning on pumping regularly I really believe an electric pump is the way to go. I didn’t need it for work purposes, but Eli started sleeping 12 hours a night at 10 weeks so I needed to pump at night so I didn’t wake up soaked around 5 am (if that’s too much info, sorry!). I’ve already decided that for the next baby I’m going to get a really nice electric pump. I got so tired of sitting up at eleven at night pumping the last minute before I would go to bed. It usually took about 20 – 30 minutes with the manual, and I was so tired by then that it would have been nice to have a faster and more convenient way to get the job done. I want the Medela In Style for the next baby. It’s expensive, but I pumped enough to make it worth it. I would probably wait until after you have the baby to invest in an electric pump though. I had a friend who bought a nice pump, but then her milk supply never really came in so she had to formula feed. I think she sold it on KSL, but she still lost quite a bit of money. Just a thought.
If you used a pump, did a certain type or brand work really well for you? I really liked my Medela pump, just hated that it was manual.
If you used a pump, was a certain type or brand really awful? Nope.
Are there any bottles that you especially liked? I started using the Dr. Brown bottles when Eli was a few weeks old because he has acid reflux. They helped tone down his symptoms somewhat. With that said, they have two parts independent of the bottle and the nipple, and I think they’re a pain to wash. It wasn’t much of an issue in the beginning because I only bottle fed once, maybe twice a week. Now that I use one or two bottles a day, it can be annoying. I just bought some cheap walmart bottles a week or so ago, and they work just fine.
Do you have any tips or advice regarding feeding a baby (that you will be willing to post on the internet)? I totally agree with the water tip. I carried my Intermountain Healthcare mug around with me everywhere for the first month or two. I didn’t drink enough water in the beginning, and about three weeks after he was born, I started to get horrible, sharp cramps the would last all day long. After about two days of worrying that something was extremely wrong, I figured out that I was just very dehydrated. Drinking a ton of water made the cramps go away within minutes. Other than that, I would take complete advantage of any help you can get in the hospital. I really didn’t like my lactation consultant, but I had a nurse who was a lifesaver. She really took the time to work with me, and helped a lot. If anything she really helped me to feel more confident. Don’t be afraid to ask for help while you’re there because once your home you won’t have the same resources. Patience I think Is a big part of successfully breastfeeding. It’s not as easy or natural as you would think it would be, at least in the beginning, but it’s completely worth it! One thing that I had a problem with was making sure that my baby’s mouth was open extremely wide before he would latch. If they’re mouths aren’t open fully they’ll just suck on the tip of the nipple which will cause blistering. It hurts like heck! Just keep in mind that both you and the baby are learning so it will take a little time.
about 4 months ago
I used the medella harmony, but honestly, if you’re going to be pumping on a regular basis I would say get something electric. I barely used mine, but I did use it twice a day for a week while we were on vacation, and it got really annoying, and tiring on my hand.
about 4 months ago
I had an ameda purely yours double electric pump. It’s more expensive than these but it wasn’t as expensive as a similar Medela product. I would recommend it and I felt like it was fast, not too loud, and sanitary. I also used a special holster so I had my hands free while using it. I hardley used it at all for my second child and really don’t think it was necessary for me since I didn’t work. My kids also wouldn’t really take bottles and if they took bottles, they preferred formula (crazy, I know.) I didn’t want to give it to using formula for my first but with my second I just gave him formula when I needed to give him a bottle and it worked fine. (that was after he was already a few months old.)
If you really plan on using your pump a lot or at least 3 times a week I would hope that you don’t get a manual pump. Really, pumping is really annoying to me, even with my hands free, just because you have so much to put together, take apart, and clean so it’s nice if it doesn’t take too long.
I didn’t really use nursing pads after a few months, but everyone is different. i actually like the fabric pads a lot better because they didn’t itch as much, though they are thicker and you have to be aware of that in your wardrobe.
As far as bottles go, I tried them all trying to get my daughter to find one that she would actually take. Don’t get any that look too weird and after the baby gets older, they can just use cheap ones though I really like the ones with the bags. It helps with the air and burping issue plus the kid can hold and feed themselves easier (they don’t have to tilt the bottle as much.)
about 4 months ago
I used Medella. It’s nice to have a hand pump option as well as electric. Electric is nice and fast but if you get sore (it happens) it’s nice to be able to gently do it yourself at your own rate. I found that the bigger choice than what pump to use was what kind of storage to have for milk you express. Having a handfull of small bottles or containers is best since it’s easier to reheat anything you store because you can’t microwave them. You have to set them in warm water. I loved the teensy tubes from the hospital for the first couple weeks before baby’s stomach got too big for them. I looked EVERYWHERE for a good ice pack type cooler. I had to pump while away from home and my biggest problem was how to carry them home and keep them cool. A lunch box in a fridge at work will work if that’s available. I bought a couple on the go ice packs that came with little zipper pouches to put milk in and they fit into a diaper bag great! You don’t want to have to haul around a diaper bag plus a cooler while you’re already trying to juggle baby. Look around until you find something that’s convenient because it’s totally worth it! The extra hassle of pumping and storing while you’re out and about it also totally worth it for your baby. =) Good luck Becky!
about 3 months ago
I used a double electric Lansinoh pump. It was under $100 and electric, as I had friends that used the hand pump and their hands got really tired. I wasn’t able to breast feed, as Rachel would just scream when I tried to get her to latch on, but I did pump for 2 months and bottle feed her the breast milk. I wish I would have had the harness, because sitting there with both hands making sure the pump stays in place is not fun.
It was a decent pump, and I liked that it had an adjustable rate and it never got clogged. I never produced a ton of milk, though, and I’m not sure if a stronger pump would have helped me produce more – which might mean a stronger pump would work better for a working mom strictly breastfeeding. I have let a friend who had twins borrow it, but since her babies are getting older now, if you wanted to try it, I can get it back and let you borrow it and see what you think.
I also have an unopened box of Lansinoh breast pads that you can have. I would have brought them to the shower if I had seen this blog before then!
I really like the Avent bottles. I tried a few different bottles and Rachel just really seemed to like the nipple on these bottles the best. You might want to get ONE of a few different bottles and see what Sarah likes and then get more of the one she really likes. Also, since I ended up using formula, the wider opening made it easier to put in formula w/out spilling it all over.
I would definitely recommend taking the breastfeeding class at the hospital. I went to that, as well as had the lactation specialist come and work one-on-one with me and Rachel.
Good luck! We are so excited to meet little Sarah!
about 3 months ago
Hey Becky, I didn’t read the other responses, but I pumped while I worked with baby no 1. I had a single medela electric pump. I liked it a lot. The only thing I didn’t like was the time it took. I would have preferred to have a double pump so pumping would have taken 10 min instead of 15. I would definitley go with electric as it is much faster. I have not used a manual pump, but have not heard great things about them. good luck!
[WORDPRESS HASHCASH] The poster sent us ’0 which is not a hashcash value.