breast pumps

Cunning Stunt

Hi,

have you used a breast pump - automatic or manual?
Do you have any recommendations for a make / model or likewise, any makes / models you would recommend to keep away from?

Thanks in advance

Hannibal Smith

I used the automatic ones, I actually hired one for the first month, because they're quite expensive to buy. It was a Medela one. I tried the manual one, but found the automatic one, far quicker!

Storm_rages

Automatic, had a maniual one and could not get a drop out, it was actually easier to just squeeze my boob...

Moonbeam

Medela automatic either mini or swing are worth looking in to.
I have a manual one too but could never use it.

Ayla

I used the Avent manual pump and it worked fine. Mine unfortunately developed a squeak so each time I squeezed the pump...well, let's just say it wasn't discrete. I can't comment on whether this is general problem with the pumps, but I used mine a good bit for my first child and some for my second. It was nice b/c it had the bottles & containers that made storage & use pretty handy.

CathyMoran

I am using a medela hospital grade pump for feeding my daugher once a day (she is on premature milk the other feeds), hope to up the pumping to get her more feeds from me.

Cat Melodeon

I also used the Avent manual and it worked fine, but also found it to be less than discreet - less a squeaking noise and more of a flubbery farting noise! I'm going to invest in the Medela Swing this time out - I've heard a lot of good feedback about them and figure I can splash out this time as it's about the only bit of kit we need.

Glad it's going well for you Cathy - when I wanted to up my supply, nothing could beat porridge for breakfast and the odd cup of fennel tea during the day. That and sleep, sleep is the best dairymaid going!

finooola

Lads, recommend me a breast pump please.

With my last baby I just had a little manual travel pump. However I didn't use it that much and didn't really put much effort into it - consequently the little fella never took to taking the bottle of expressed milk. It was grand anyway just breastfeeding, but this time around with two babies now I'd like my smallie to take a bottle so that I can go out and leave her with someone occasionally. Also, I'd like to avoid any emergency where I'm not there to feed her (that happened with my son when I dislocated my toe shortly after he was born and had to go off for hours to get an X-ray!).

Anyway I was looking at the Medela on thats around €80/90, and the Nuk Luna of a similar price however it says they are for occasional use, and I've some talk about the motor breaking if you use them more than occasionally.

I don't know how much/often I want to pump, but I presume I'll be doing it most days to maintain a good stock in the freezer. I'll probably have to try her on a bottle at least once a day to get her used to it. Am I going to have to bite the bullet and go for one of the pumps that costs well over €100?

Also, please recommend bottles. I never found a good one last time until I was finally weaning him off the boob and he finally accepted Tommy Tippi bottles. My fella's cousin is having success with Munchkin bottles. I tried a lansinoh bottle last time based on the fact that their cream works great, by my son didn't take to it. Can't remember the others, there were loads!

comongethappy

finooola wrote: »

Lads, recommend me a breast pump please.

With my last baby I just had a little manual travel pump. However I didn't use it that much and didn't really put much effort into it - consequently the little fella never took to taking the bottle of expressed milk. It was grand anyway just breastfeeding, but this time around with two babies now I'd like my smallie to take a bottle so that I can go out and leave her with someone occasionally. Also, I'd like to avoid any emergency where I'm not there to feed her (that happened with my son when I dislocated my toe shortly after he was born and had to go off for hours to get an X-ray!).

Anyway I was looking at the Medela on thats around €80/90, and the Nuk Luna of a similar price however it says they are for occasional use, and I've some talk about the motor breaking if you use them more than occasionally.

I don't know how much/often I want to pump, but I presume I'll be doing it most days to maintain a good stock in the freezer. I'll probably have to try her on a bottle at least once a day to get her used to it. Am I going to have to bite the bullet and go for one of the pumps that costs well over €100?

Also, please recommend bottles. I never found a good one last time until I was finally weaning him off the boob and he finally accepted Tommy Tippi bottles. My fella's cousin is having success with Munchkin bottles. I tried a lansinoh bottle last time based on the fact that their cream works great, by my son didn't take to it. Can't remember the others, there were loads!

Loads of my friends have recommended the ardo calypso double pump. It will set you back about 170, but it's a fully enclosed system so your milk can't get into any parts. It means you can resell or keep for your next baby. I haven't used it myself but plan to get it this time round. I rented the hospital pump last time and could have bought above pump for the 2 months I had it. One of my friends who bought it when she was going back to work said she found it as good as the hospital pump, but I would take it with a pinch of salt as her supply was established by the time she purchased. But still good reviews.

I had to combine feed at the start and found MAM bottles were great, my son took to them straight away. You can sterilise individual bottles in the microwave so you don't need a massive steriliser when you only give a bottle now and again. Just don't get the pack with the MAM manual breast pump, it's worthless. I think Nuk are doing similar self sterilisating bottles.

Dinkie

I had a mendela mini on my first and found it super. It was fairly cheap and it did the job for baby 1 + 3 donations of milk to the breast milk donation place.

I actually took it out of the attic the other day and its still working perfectly for number 2. I just need to replace a couple of the fittings.

It was a little loud, and it probably took a little longer then some of the more expensive ones - but I didn't mind that.

Gatica

Have the tommee tipped manual pump. Not great before supply is established and haven't tried it since. It nearly broke my arm using it regularly at the start though.
Rented the hospital one, but it was faulty, and cost nearly as much as to purchase.
I've a medela swing, and that would be my recommendation. It's a great pump, with good settings and a battery option.
Then I got the Ameda lactaline double pump, just cos couldn't afford the alternative brands for the double pump. It's not as good as the medela, but with a better established supply it does get the job done.