Breast pumps?

"cjra" wrote in message
ups.com...
On Mar 21, 5:42 pm, Ericka Kammerer wrote:
cjra wrote:
If not, and it's only for the occassional bottle, any of the manual
pumps are ok (I use one that came with the Ameda PY electric kit). If
it's just to make it easier for her baby to nurse, then hand
expressing worked well for me when I was too engorged for DD to latch
on.

I'd quibble with this. For some women, any old
pump will work. For others, it matters a lot, even if it's
only for occasional use. Many have good luck with the Avent
Isis. I'm sure there are some others that of similar caliber,
but many of the inexpensive pumps are worse than useless.


Fair enough - I've only used the medela from the kit and regularly use
the ameda from the kit. I was (wrongly) guessing the manual pumps
didn't vary that much.

The other caveat I'd offer to the OP is to be
judicious in the use of a pump to relieve engorgement
this early. Breastfeeding is a demand-supply feedback
loop. The more milk that is taken (by the baby feeding
*or* by pumping), the more milk the body makes. So,
pumping to relieve engorgement can just encourage more
production tomorrow.

That's where hand expressing worked best for me. I'd just lean over
the sink and express a bit til they weren't so hard, then latch DD on.
Then there was the time I was in DH's office and didn't bring the
manual pump, DD was desperate to nurse but I was too engorged. Didn't
have a nappy or anything, so I expressed into the trash can in his
office ;-)

Hehe, you saying that has reminded me that used to get a little lump appear
when i was really engorged, I used to think of it as a button, because if I
pressed it, the milk would flow -effortless expressing!! When the lump was
gone, I'd be ready to feed!

Lucy

"Sue D." wrote in message
...

Will she be going back to work? If so, I'd recommend an electric pump
- Medela PIS or Ameda Purely Yours.

If not, and it's only for the occassional bottle, any of the manual
pumps are ok (I use one that came with the Ameda PY electric kit). If
it's just to make it easier for her baby to nurse, then hand
expressing worked well for me when I was too engorged for DD to latch
on.
Thanks so much I will let her know...she does want to do the
occasional bottle but hand expressing would work for now.
Duh, why didn't I think of that!
Thanks,
Sue

I'd agree with others that for engorgement a little hand expressing is fine.
Especially better for sore nipples, as the pump can hurt. When I was pumping
for a while and had to hand express a whole bottle though, my goodness it
was a pain. It took forever and my hand ached. I was never a Dairy Fairy so
it was always hard work at the best of times. Much quicker to pump. I used
the Avent Isis which was good and will use again if the time comes.

Jeni

On Mar 21, 5:42 pm, Ericka Kammerer wrote:
The other caveat I'd offer to the OP is to be
judicious in the use of a pump to relieve engorgement
this early. Breastfeeding is a demand-supply feedback
loop. The more milk that is taken (by the baby feeding
*or* by pumping), the more milk the body makes. So,
pumping to relieve engorgement can just encourage more
production tomorrow. Sometimes you do need to do a
little pumping to allow the baby to nurse or for
comfort, but you want to do as little as possible so
that supply lines up with demand well. Or, she can
decide to start banking some milk and find a convenient
time to pump and plan to do that consistently to build
up a little stash of milk for the future.

I'd agree with Lucy on this. When I had DD, I took the advice that I
*shouldn't* pump because I'd only keep getting engorged. I was in
pain, too big for DD to latch on (I couldn't hand-express that first
time -- I think I didn't "know" myself well enough to get it to work
until I was a bit more exprienced with BFing), etc. It was a terrible
mistake for me. With DS, I pumped as much as I felt like. The pain
of engorgement was less severe and lasted no longer than with DD, and
I stashed away many, many bags of EBM in that first month or so of
DS's life. So I think everyone's different with respect to this.

As far as pumps, I have the Lansinoh double electric and Avent Isis
and really like both. The Lansinoh is virtually identical to the
Medela Purely Yours, and though the Isis is great, I just prefer a
double pump when at all possible.

Good luck!

-Carlye
DD 9-29-04
DS 6-2-06

In article , davis9580
@verizon.net says...
Hi all, my daughter had her son last Saturday. Her milk came in
yesterday and her breasts are engorged so that the baby is
having trouble feeding. She's thinking a breast pump would
help...I don't know as I never needed one. Anyone have
any ideas? Her hubby will pick one up on his way home
from work later today, or I can go buy one and take it to
her. Brands, features to look for????? Help would be
most appreciated.

Thanks,
Sue D.

Medela Pump-In-Style is good, and is Ameda Purely Yours.
I have also heard good things about Wisperwear, but the
reactions are more mixed depending on your views.
Avoid anything made by formula or bottle manufacturers,
such as Gerber or Evenflo.

Larry

On Mar 21, 2:09�pm, Sue D. wrote:
Hi all, my daughter had her son last Saturday. *Her milk came in
yesterday and her breasts are engorged so that the baby is
having trouble feeding. *She's thinking a breast pump would
help...I don't know as I never needed one. *Anyone have
any ideas? *Her hubby will pick one up on his way home
from work later today, or I can go buy one and take it to
her. *Brands, features to look for????? *Help would be
most appreciated.

In those early, much-engorged days, if I expressed just a little bit,
I'd get a sudden "deflating" effect and the whole breast would soften.
I think much of that early engorgement isn't actually milk at all,
it's extra fluid collected elsewhere in the breast, just like swollen
legs or feet during pregnancy. Somehow getting the milk flow going
also seems to start the process of getting the extra fluid to move
around, too. Not sure how that works, but it definitely appeared that
way to me.

--Helen

In those early, much-engorged days, if I expressed just a little bit,
I'd get a sudden "deflating" effect and the whole breast would soften.
I think much of that early engorgement isn't actually milk at all,
it's extra fluid collected elsewhere in the breast, just like swollen
legs or feet during pregnancy. Somehow getting the milk flow going
also seems to start the process of getting the extra fluid to move
around, too. Not sure how that works, but it definitely appeared that
way to me.

I know that that pain of engorgement is related to other stuff, but I think
there is a big component of excess milk, at least for some people, I could
express 8oz from each breast just by looking at a breast pump and still feel
full, that's excess milk, but it wasn't particularly painful.

Anne