Breast pump?

Question

I plan to breat feed when my baby is born...do I need a pump right away?

and of course by breat feed I mean BREAST feed...geez it's been a long day

Answer 1

No, you do not. Start nursing/breastfeeding right away after you give birth. The liquid that will be in your breasts then will be colostrum and very good/yummy for your baby. Your milk should fully come in within two to three days after your baby is born, upt to a week depending on the circumstances of your birth.

To ensure a good milk supply, eat well, drink lots of water and other liquids and make sure you nurse at least 8 times a day, if not more.

You shouldn't need a pump right away as your baby will probably be with you all the time. If you need to go back to work or be away from the baby for an extended period of time, you should look into getting a pump. The lactation consultant where you have your baby will be able to give you lots of information about brands and models, consumer grade machines vs. medical grade machines.

If you have a problem with engorgement when you milk comes in, or if your breasts become hard and swollen and you can't nurse your baby for some reason, you can manually express the milk from your breasts until they are comfortable again.

Answer 2

Well it depends actually. Are you planning on working after the baby is born? If so I would say buy a pump because then you can take it to work with you. If you are not planning on working then I would say that you don't need one right away but think, do you want to use formula? If not then I would recommend getting a pump so that you can stick to breast milk. You definitely do not want to have problems with engorgement, hit really hurts. Hope this helps!!

Answer 3

I would say yes. When my milk came in I was so engorged that I had to pump for relief. However, the hospital did send me home with a decent manual pump. It worked great for me. It is also helpful to pump and store extra milk in the freezer in case you need a babysitter one night or some other emergency comes up - even if you have to take a certain medication. After 6 weeks postpartum, I was put on a medication that prevented my from breastfeeding, but I had a freezer full of extra milk that allowed me to give my baby my milk a little longer. Good luck!!!

Answer 4

Yes. I do recommend that you get one. It will help alot if your breasts get engorged, milk supply, etc.

The hospital should send you a lactation consultant to help you and answer your questions, if they dont have a consultant, I recomend seeing one.

Also, in my opinion the electric pumps are waaay better then the manual. Its the exact opposite with some women, so whatever works best for you. I started out with a manual one, and it took me hours to pump two ounces of milk, and my hand hurt! The electric ones are a little more pricey, but you might even be able to rent one.

In my area theirs a place called kangaroo kids that rent them out to mothers. There might be a place like that in your area:) Id look into it!

Good luck! And dont be discouraged when you start! Its harder then it looks, and takes alot of practice! But if you stick with it, it will be so beneficial for you and your baby! And is well worth the rough first few weeks!

I hope this helped!

Answer 5

what I did with my first child was sqeeze my breast. It actually goes very fast and you can get more milk out of your breast by doing this. With my second i had to use a pump because he was in neonatal for a couple days and used that for awhile but it didn't do as good as just sqeezing. Just massage your breast to losen up your milk glands and then sqeeze as you pull down towards your nipple. It will come out in a very steady stream

Answer 6

It is recommended that you NOT pump until the baby is at least 4 weeks old. By then, your supply will be more established and you will be getting actual milk, not colostrum.

Good luck!

Answer 7

No don't pump right away. Let your milk start to flow first. Really you should pump when its needed. I'm glad your breast feedin! Me 2. Baby 2wks! I only pumped once. Let your milk come in good.

Answer 8

i didn't but when my milk came in 3 days after giving birth it came in in the middle of the night and they were so hard it hurt so bad i wanted to cry! i tried to wake the baby to get her to eat but she wasnt hungry so i started pumping! what a relief!

Answer 9

i would buy a breast pump about a week or two before you return to work if you plan on working. if your not planning on working then i would buy one after you've stopped your postpartum bleeding, if you choose to get a breast pump at all.

Answer 10

yea i would get it because the day your milk comes down it really helps to have one because when your boobs are engorged its hard for baby to latch on. i would talk to your doctor and get the # to a lactation consultant. she can really help you out a lot!! trust me, there are things i wish id known BEFORE having the baby!!