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CarolynRS1
07-24-2002, 10:08 PM
I just ordered a Pump N Style breast pump online for $189.00.

Does anyone own one? And, if so, how do you like it? Any tips? When does one first start pumping after having a baby?

Thanks!
Carolyn
...first time mom-to-be :)

jojo2324
07-25-2002, 09:27 AM
Please, I would love to hear feedback also...I have to go back to work in about a month and my baby will only be 7 weeks. I have frozen one bag of milk, but I'm worried about pumping at the wrong time and him not having anything to eat. How does it work? thanks!

laura_winckler
07-25-2002, 01:03 PM
I have this pump and like it very much. I'm a stay-at-home, though, so I didn't have to pump regularly like you will if you are going to work and breastfeed (hats off to all of you moms who do that, by the way! what a challenge!). A lot of the literature recommends pumping after a feeding, but I always had trouble getting enough milk if I did that. I pumped either an hour or so before a feeding, or at night when we were through feeding for at least several hours. My understanding is that you can start pumping right away, although I didn't get the pump until my son was a few months old.

There's an interesting string somewhere else on this board about freezing and storing milk that you might want to look at. I used Medela's bags, attached them directly to the pump, and froze them. I thawed them in a cup of hot water, cut them open, and pored them into a bottle. For my purposes, it often worked better to freeze my milk in 2 oz. units rather than a full bag, since then I could just thaw what I needed and not waste any. Trust me, you'll start to feel like breastmilk is liquid gold!

Good luck with it all!

Zansu
07-25-2002, 03:07 PM
I went back to work full time two weeks ago, and I think I've worked out a reasonable system.

I have the PIS, and I started to pump about a month before I went back to work. I would feed DS around 8am, then pump at 930am while he slept. I froze the milk in the Gerber bags in 3oz incrememnts, and marked the amount on the bag so I would know how much was in there. As DS has increased his appetite, I have started putting more in each bag.

Now that I'm at work, it gets a little more complicated. DH gets up first and does the diaper change, and brings DS back to bed (we have a co-sleeper, which I highly recommend). I feed the baby, then shower /hair/makeup. DS takes a nap while I get ready. Then I pump and fix his bottles for the day, using the fresh milk and whatever I pumped at work the day before. I started off with 2oz per bottle and am now sending 3oz per bottle. I send four bottles, and also have some frozen breast milk at daycare in case he's really hungry.

At work, I usually only pump once, at lunchtime. I could definitely pump more often, but I'm usually not in enough discomfort to stop what I'm doing. I have a small conference room that I use, and I have a bright orange sign to put on the door, so none of the absent-minded engineers I work with will walk in on me. I read a magazine while I pump b/c the pages stay open. It takes me about 20-25 minutes, including set up and clean up. I pump into bottles, and keep a few bags in the bottom of the cooler just in case I forget bottles or have an extremely productive session. I rinse the horns out after each use and then tuck them back into the bag. I also keep a diaper to catch drips and dry off my nipples when I'm done.

My biggest concern (and it was *quite* stressful) about pumping was getting DS to take a bottle. A few afternoons with Grandma was all it took, especially after she sent Grandpa out to get a different nipple. Medela includes the Size 1 (0-6 month) silicone Nuk nipples. Grandpa bought him the Size 2 (6 months +) rubber Nuk, and DS is much happier with those, and they work just fine with the Medela bottles. We also tried Avent, but DS is evidently a old-fashioned rubber nipple kinda guy.

Good luck!

joodyjr
07-25-2002, 08:49 PM
I started with the Ameda pump when I went back to work and ended up buying the PIS and was very pleased with it. I loved it! I didn't pump before returning to work. I pumped 3 times a day at the same times that I would have normally nursed my son. I just pumped right into the bottles and kept them in the very handy cooler part of the bag. I managed to do this for a little over 6 months before my son weaned himself at 9 months. The Medela worked much better for me than the Ameda. I'm now a SAHM and kept my Medela just in case, as I am expecting #2 in Oct.