Question for nursing mothers..?

Question

Do I NEED breast pump? Last time I found they didn't work worth a darn and they are so expensive, I was thinking of not getting one this time.... It has been years since my last baby and so I wanted your opinion... are they necessary?

Also, where can you get cheaper nursing bras then the brand name ones from maternity stores? Not online.. I need to fit them properly in person.

Answer 1

Hi Sweetie. Congratulations on making the wonderful decision to breastfeed your baby! I wish that all mothers were as smart and as well informed as you are. It saddens me that so many mothers deny their babies the chance to receive the health benefits of their mothers milk. The colostrum that you make before your milk comes in is so full of antibodies that it protects your baby from staphylococcus infections, polio virus, coxsakie virus, infant diarrhea and Escherichia coli infections...the very things to which newborns are most susceptible. Did you know that something as simple as your colostrum could do all that? Pretty amazing isn't it? Not only that but if you continue to nurse him for at least 6 months you will give him the immunities that you have developed over your lifetime and prevent him from getting most common childhood illnesses.
OOps....sorry! You did not need to hear all that did you? You probably already know it! Sorry, I get so excited when I talk about breast milk and all the wonderful things that it does that I tend to get a bit carried away.
But, as to your question: No. You do not need a breast pump. Not unless you want one and are going to need one. If you are planning on leaving your baby with someone a lot and will need to leave bottles of your own milk then you will need a way to pump it out for him or her. I personally never had any luck with breast pumps. Not even the very expensive ones like they have in hospitals. The few times that I did need to save my own milk I had to let the baby nurse on one side while I hand expressed my milk into a cup on the other side. Sounds kind of odd I know but when my milk would let down I was able to get 5-6 oz's of milk from the other side. I did not leave my baby very often and if I did I just made sure I was home in time for her next feeding. I always tell mothers that if they want to try a pump that is fine but it is not a necessity.
About your bras, the more expensive they are the more comfortable and convenient they will be. I am sorry to say but it is true in this case that "you get what you pay for". You can save money by purchasing the less expensive bras but they will not have all the nice features of the more expensive ones. The thing I liked most was being able to undo the cups with one hand, they were so easy to put them up or down. That sort of thing helps when you are balancing a hungry baby in your arms. I always found nice ones at Penny's and Sears. They are not super expensive but they do have the features of the best ones. It is actually better to have two really comfortable, great bras that you love than 6 that are uncomfortable and awkward!
Good luck to you and again, you are fantastic for what you are doing. Once a mother makes the decision to breastfeed there is not much she can do wrong. When you are nursing your baby everything else just falls into place.
Since you have already nursed a baby I won't bother with the usual advice. You probably know it well.
Take care!
Love and Blessings
Lady Trinity~

Answer 2

I found I didn't use a pump at all with either of my kids (both breastfed until right around the one-year mark.) I do not work outside the home, though, so I was able to personally feed them when they were hungry. I did buy an expensive Medela electric pump, but found that I was just plain worn out so never really prioritized pumping. If you work and/or need to be away from your baby for any real length of time (4-6+ hours), you might want a pump. There is a new, small woman-owned company called Limerick that makes a terrific, revolutionary pump. If I had returned to work that's what I'd use. Many lactation consultants recommend it.

As for nursing bras, I just discovered the Liz Lange ones at Target. They are terrific, and inexpensive. Try them! I also like Bravado but they are expensive and I've only seen them at boutiques.

Answer 3

I think whether you need a pump depends on your lifestyle. I know for my first two kids, I spent a lot more time away from them, and the few times they needed a bottle I was glad to be able to give them expressed milk. So with this newest baby, I bought the same pump (Avent Isis) and pumped out maybe a quart, total, in the first month or so (it DID help with engorgement, but so do other home remedies), and then found I never left my baby with anyone, and she wouldn't touch a bottle, anyway! So I really wasted the $45.
No real advice on nursing bras, but I found a website that shows you how to measure yourself, and it's been a helpful skill to have (the only kind of nursing bras I like are the front snap kind, and they are *hard* to find!).

Good luck!!!!

Answer 4

I found one decent nursing bra at Walmart, they also have some nice ones at Kohls, but wait until they are on sale to save some money.

I am feeding my 2nd child and using the same double electric pump that I used when nursing my 2 year old. I have the Ameda Purely Yours. That was the one the hospital was pushing. It has gotten A LOT of use because I pump at work 2x a day. So for me it is worth it. If you aren't going back to work, maybe you might want to get a manual one just for back-up, also, when I had my 1st son, I rented one from the hospital before I bought one, and thank God I did! I got so engorged the first couple of days that I had to pump some milk out before my son could latch correctly (plus my boobs hurt!). GOOD LUCK!

Answer 5

If you are really serious about nursing and you dont want to supplement at all then yes you will need a pump.I bought the Medela double electric pump and it was great. I was able to pump 4 ounces on each side in about 7 to 10 minutes. It cost about 200 dollars but it lasted through 3 kids so it was worth it. Also if you consider how much formula will cost you just the first year alone it will pay for itself in no time at all. I used those zip lock freezer bags which are much cheaper then the other bags to freeze my milk. I froze 4 ounces in each bag and that worked out really well. I have seen cheaper nursing bras at Target and Walmart.

Also,the key to producing lots of milk is water. Make sure you drink lots of water.

Answer 6

You don't really need a breast pump unless your baby refuses to latch on( mine did, she's lazy), or you plan on going back to work full time early on. But I got an evenflo double pump from Wal-mart for about 50 dollars and it suited my needs. I also found their nursing bras were comfortable too- between 5-10 dollars and come w/ removable underwire or soft cup etc. Good luck!

Answer 7

Hi there :)

As you said you have bad experiance with breast pump me as well, but also you are the one who knows how your lactacy looks like. I do not recommend then since they are not working or are way too complicated to use them. Whats more some of them even harm your brest. Its not worth it.
What I can suggest is - if you feel that you need to increase the producing amount too feed your baby - drink a lot and massage your breast - you can ask your partner to do that for you - that will relax you whats very important as well.
If your breasts are overloaded make sure that you feed your baby by a different side every time and take out the overloaded amount.
Good luck and congratulations. :)

Answer 8

i never used a breast pump my kids were always on the breast so i had no time/need for one and it was easier to hand express milk as far as bras try target, walmart, kohls or last resort maternity store or go to an outlet and buy a bigger bra some outlet bra stores carry nursing bras so check there but i know all target, walmart, and kohls have pretty good prices on nursing bras cheaper than like motherhood maternity congrats

Answer 9

I had to rent mine on a monthly basis. It was alot cheaper that way and it was a Godsend. Believe me, a good quality pump that can not even compare to the stores. And so much cheaper on a month to month basis. Try your local yellow pages or directory.

You can find nursing bras almost anywhere nowadays. I found mine at most major departments stores. A must to try on to ensure a proper fit.

Good luck!

Answer 10

Sometimes, letting go seems like the easiest thing to do. But think about this: you've invested so much of your time and energy into another person; you've made a solemn promise; and you still know there's love, even if it's hiding underneath the surface. This website will show you how to save a marriage and avoid divorce, even if you're the only one trying https://tr.im/444vG