Anyone NOT get a pump?

[swissair81]

I'm sure it doesn't help that I'm lusting after the Bravado body silk ones. He keeps looking at the Target ones for $20-25 and asking what is "wrong" with them. Sigh. Ironically, I always bristle under his frugality, but he inevitably always gets me what I want and ask for. He's generous, just cautious.

Thanks for all the words of wisdom.

Why don't you take a middle tactic and go look at the Motherhood & Mimi Maternity ones.

[BabyBearsMom]

[QUOTE=bostonsmama;2785548]*I* hear you, but these aren't "needs" according to my penny pinching DH. (insert eyeroll) New bras? "What's wrong with the old ones?" Bottles? Isn't that what your breasts are for? He didn't grow up w/ any sisters; he's the baby of the family, so he never saw younger sibs get raised, and his parents were really tight w/ money. I feel like I'm just gonna have to wait until she gets here b/c he's just not "getting" it.
QUOTE]

Even if you aren't pumping, you will still need nursing bras. Your breasts get really tender for the first few weeks and slipping off your old bra all the time gets painful. Plus, those first few weeks, you literally nurse constantly, so dealing with the usual bras will not work. As for bottles, you don't need to buy 20, you can just get 2. In fact, you won't want to buy many because your DC may be picky about the nipples (mine wasn't, but I know some kids are).

Also, I know your plan is to breast feed, but keep in mind that it doesn't always work out that way. I can't tell you how many people I know who just couldn't get breast feeding to work. For me, breast feeding has been a huge challenge (I am an under producer) and we have had to supplement with formula. It is just something to keep in mind.

I have a hand pump and I hate it. It can take me 15 minutes of cramping hand pumping to get even a few ounces and when my breasts were engorged I couldn't even use it (I had to hand express it). My PISA was priceless to me when I got it.

[MommyAllison]

I don't think I used my pump more than one time with DS, and probably only 3 times with DD. I have an Isis, and it was plenty for my needs. I tended to wait until my babies were going 2 hrs between nursing, and then go for 1.5 hour dates. So it is possible, if BF goes well. Nursing bras though, those are a need. Can you figure out what the cost of formula would be for 1 year and then present that? I don't think the cost of what you want is anywhere near the cost of formula for 12 months!

[lowrioh]

Here is a run down of formula vs BF costs.
http://www.schsa.org/PublicHealth/ma...ostSaving.html

[Piglet]

Here is a run down of formula vs BF costs.
http://www.schsa.org/PublicHealth/ma...ostSaving.html

I think that is *slightly* skewed towards BFing... $300 worth of bottles??? Don't get me wrong, I think there are savings in the long run to BFing, but those type of charts inevitably skew one way or the other and make me question the validity of the whole thing.

For me the costs of BF were:

6-8 bottles or so (over the whole year once we found which ones worked, about $40 or so)
pump ($50 for a manual)
2 nursing tanks ($100 or so)
3-4 nursing bras ($100-$125)
Food for mom (who knows how much this cost, but I was hungry those first few months)
Lansinoh, pads (these added up pretty quick too)
Bigger tops - I needed some size larger stuff since boobs were much bigger at first

For some people there is also the cost of a BF cover (I used blankets), nursing clothes (I didn't find the need but a friend loved nursing shirts), bottle sterilizer (I didn't use it and would have needed it if I were FFing too), BM storage bags, etc.

I think the reason to BF or FF are not monetary and should not be approached as such.

[PGTB]

[QUOTE=BabyBearsMom;2785684]

*I* hear you, but these aren't "needs" according to my penny pinching DH. (insert eyeroll) New bras? "What's wrong with the old ones?" Bottles? Isn't that what your breasts are for? He didn't grow up w/ any sisters; he's the baby of the family, so he never saw younger sibs get raised, and his parents were really tight w/ money. I feel like I'm just gonna have to wait until she gets here b/c he's just not "getting" it.
QUOTE]

Even if you aren't pumping, you will still need nursing bras. Your breasts get really tender for the first few weeks and slipping off your old bra all the time gets painful. Plus, those first few weeks, you literally nurse constantly, so dealing with the usual bras will not work. As for bottles, you don't need to buy 20, you can just get 2. In fact, you won't want to buy many because your DC may be picky about the nipples (mine wasn't, but I know some kids are).

Also, I know your plan is to breast feed, but keep in mind that it doesn't always work out that way. I can't tell you how many people I know who just couldn't get breast feeding to work. For me, breast feeding has been a huge challenge (I am an under producer) and we have had to supplement with formula. It is just something to keep in mind.

I have a hand pump and I hate it. It can take me 15 minutes of cramping hand pumping to get even a few ounces and when my breasts were engorged I couldn't even use it (I had to hand express it). My PISA was priceless to me when I got it.

Agree with the above post. Seems like your DH is assuming breastfeeding is a breeze when in reality the experience is different for every woman. Not every woman has easy time breastfeeding and for some of us establishing supply enough to feed our LO is hard work that requires pumping around the clock. I used to have to pump 7 times a day in order to get my supply established and there is no way in the world I would have managed to do this without a good double-electric pump and a hands-free bustier. Establishing milk supply means not just nursing but pumping in addition to it for those of us who's babies have problems latching and have a hard time learning to nurse. I also used my pump in the beginning to give a rest to my torn bloody nipples because there were days I couldn't physically withstand the pain from my nursing baby and had to use the pump instead to not lose my supply.

You should try to sit down with your DH and educate him on the entire topic of breastfeeding and the many challenges that can possibly happen with that. It's not a guaranteed smooth road especially with the first baby and if your DH is already having such a negative reaction towards the basic items of breastfeeding such as a few nursing bras, the main question is whether he would be able to deal with the more difficult challenges like when you need a help of a lactation consultant, when you may need to experiment with different types of bottles or get some creams and nipple shields or other devices to help with breastfeeding when things are not going all that great naturally. You have to explain to him that having supportive partner is really necessary for a woman when things aren't going naturally well and that not getting that support (morally and financially) can lead to quitting breastfeeding altogether. He needs to understand that if he is serious about giving his baby the benefits of breastfeeding (as opposed to looking at it as a cheaper alternative to formula), it's not time for penny pinching. Try to cut back somewhere else in household instead to make money for it, IMO.

If you are not getting the help at home if you have challenges breastfeeding, I suggest contacting the local La Leche League and see if there are any resources there to help women who have financial challenges. I think if you are financially disadvantaged and make less than certain threshold amount per year there have to be free resources to help.

I feel bad for you. I had all sorts of challenges with breastfeeding and even have a thread I started wondering whether I should quit. If I didn't have a supportive husband I might have quit right there.

[Sweetum]

I used a hand pump briefly when I was on a plane, and whenever I was just too lazy to clean my pump parts. I thought it wasn't too bad, and I was one of those women with a low milk supply and had to pump for 20 min each side to get a total of 4 oz. I would definitely recommend it, esp if your supply ends up being good, but only if you are going to be an occasional user. I was exclusively pumping (DS refused to BF) and also WOTH, so it made sense to me to buy a good pump. Assuming (fingers crossed!) BF goes well for you, and you won't be away from DC for more than one feeding, a manual should be fine, and even if it's a bit of hardwork, it's soooo much cheaper that you won't mind it. Of course, there are in between ones too (battery operated, single pumps), those too could be an option.

If you are ever doing bottles, it's going to be trial and error anyways - your DC may not like what's popularly known to avoid nipple confusion. Or your DC may like any and every bottle. Again, advice is to not introduce a bottle till at least 3 or 4 weeks after birth. If there are feeding difficulties, it's better to avoid bottles, and use cups or other supplemental nursing systems (do make sure you get help at that time) to establish BF.

Bras, while that's an individual choice, I second buying nursing for maternity. While you won't know what your feeding size would be, there's no harm in buying them and if they work, great! About brands, that's an individual choice and comfort related thing.

Milk storage - if you are not going to be pumping as regularly then you probably are not thinking of building a stash, unless you have an over-supply and you are "forced" to start a stash. So, again, it'll depend on what your supply is going to be and what you would like to do on a regular basis.

Formula is expensive. We used only formula for DS from 6 months of age and we used Earth's Best - $30 and I would look for deals and would get them for an average of $22 per container. That makes it $44 per month. And for 6 months, that comes to $264. Not very different from BF if you are getting a pump. And formula from the beginnning would be more expensive. So, even if you end up having a couple of lactation visits that you pay out of your pocket, you will still only equal what formula would cost, but never more, IMO. Trust me, there's nothing like being able to "pull" out your breast to feed your baby - formula needs a lot of prep and not to mention the cleaning

GL!

[PGTB]

Check ebay.

BTW, I wouldn't borrow a (medela pump from anyone). Not only does it void the warranty, it really is contaminated by the first user. Unless you know they have no secrets, I wouldn't risk it.

Oh and most pumps come with 2 bottles & they usually make nipples to go with it. Otherwise, buy 1 or 2 bottles. You won't need more.

That depends on the pump I guess. I have a Medela Freestyle and I don't see how it can be contaminated. The pump itself is a completely separate unit that only comes in contact with tubing which only has air circulating though it and never comes in contact with the milk. The actual pump is what costs the most, the parts that come in contact with milk are those that cannot be shared, but they can be bought for less than $40. I don't know about PISA.

I also have rented Symphony pump which is similar in a way that the pump itself is a separate unit not coming in contact with the milk. I had to buy my own shields/valves/membranes to use it.

I think the entire contamination scare is just a propaganda by the pump companies to make you buy new ones. At least for a Freestyle pump, I don't see how it's different from the hospital grade pump that gets used by multiple people and where you have to buy your own shields/membranes/valves to use it.

[WolfpackMom]

That depends on the pump I guess. I have a Medela Freestyle and I don't see how it can be contaminated. The pump itself is a completely separate unit that only comes in contact with tubing which only has air circulating though it and never comes in contact with the milk. The actual pump is what costs the most, the parts that come in contact with milk are those that cannot be shared, but they can be bought for less than $40. I don't know about PISA.

I also have rented Symphony pump which is similar in a way that the pump itself is a separate unit not coming in contact with the milk. I had to buy my own shields/valves/membranes to use it.
.

I bought a pump in style used for $75, I bought all new tubing, shields, membranes etc for around $30. In fact, I simply called Medela because I didn't know where to buy new tubes and they sent me new tubing for FREE. The actual pump is completely seperate from what you use to pump with, if there was a risk of containmination from just the pump part then you wouldnt be able to rent pumps (FWIW you can rent pump n styles and free styles etc, not just the hospital grade ones). I wouldnt hesitate to check our Craigslist or ebay or childrens consigment sales.

[PGTB]

*I* hear you, but these aren't "needs" according to my penny pinching DH. (insert eyeroll) New bras? "What's wrong with the old ones?"

You should explain to your DH that your breasts are going to become much larger than what they are now even during pregnancy. And there is no way you would fit into your old ones for a while and have to buy new ones anyway. Also, if you still need to buy maternity bras, you can just go straight to the nursing type bras and use them after you give birth.

Bottles? Isn't that what your breasts are for?

Like other PPs have already mentioned, it can be trial and error with bottles. I have different types I experimented with to find the one that would improve my baby's latch. He was formula fed in the beginning from regular nipples and I had horrible horrible time with him latching. I found relief when I switched to wide mouth Playtex natural latch nipples.

If you do buy Medela pump it comes with 4 bottles and a cooler, you can buy nipples for them and use them if you only bottle feed rarely. I think bottle-feeding is important otherwise you will be stuck at home or getting stressed out trying to always find a place to nurse in public.