Comments on: Why Do You Need A Breast Pump When Breastfeeding?

By: Irritated Lactivist

Irritated Lactivist — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 00:13:48 +0000

I agree with Obber. I’m SAHM who’s never needed a pump!! Obviously it’d be important for a working mother.

By: Nina Lee

Nina Lee — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 21:41:16 +0000

Any time you have to be away from your baby so that you can supply milk and keep your supply up. I use it daily but I also work full time. If you don’t work, I would recommend getting a manual pump to have just in case.

By: gran.mom

gran.mom — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 17:40:25 +0000

If you plan on working, a pump would be necessary. If staying at home, you won’t need one. When I would go out without my baby, I just had sitter use powder formula. Sometimes I would have to hand express to be comfortable, but your body will adjust to the need.

By: proudmam

proudmam — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 14:21:22 +0000

i breastfed my son until he was 18 months. he never ate from a bottle at all. the only time I used a breastpump was in the beginning to relieve engorgement if my son didn’t eat enough from the engorged breast. The hospital gave me a cheap breastpump that was quick and easy to use that I only needed my hands to use it.

By: Erika S

Erika S — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 11:07:43 +0000

You only need a pump if you plan to be away from your baby for any significant length of time (over an hour or so). If you are going back to work, then I recommend a double electric pump (Ameda Purely Yours/Lansinoh Double Electric). If you just want to pump a little occasionally, a hand pump would probably suffice. If you don’t plan to pump at all, then I really wouldn’t bother.

By: I'd rather be at the beach

I'd rather be at the beach — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 04:18:21 +0000

If you ever want to have some time away from the baby =)
I used mine when I wanted a date with my husband (that was during the time he would take a bottle), or if I had an appointment I couldn’t bring him along to. I also used the pump when he was sick and not nursing much, so I could keep my supply up. Or if he randomly decided to sleep through the night, I would pump to relieve the pressure. I used the pump more than I thought I would!

By: Shut up Obber!!!!

Shut up Obber!!!! — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 23:17:23 +0000

“Why do you need a breast pump when breastfeeding?”
You don’t.
“Many women are under the impression that it is necessary to own or use a pump to breastfeed. This is not so. You do not need a breast pump to breastfeed; uninformed use of a breast pump can lead to premature weaning. There are very few circumstances under which it is necessary to express your milk. Certainly, if baby is not yet latching then mother needs to pump. However, it seems that women are being encouraged to pump their milk and give it to baby via bottle for the most unnecessary reasons: Weddings, doctor’s appointments, shopping…why not take the baby with you? How can babies not be welcome at weddings? Or, if it is necessary to leave the baby with someone else, why not use a cup (handout Finger and Cup Feeding)? We often hear that the father or partner would like to feed the baby. While this is very noble and often offered to give mother some rest, there are other ways partners can help. Giving a baby a bottle is not one of them and may often interfere with mother’s hard-earned efforts to breastfeed. Fathers and partners can help mother by sitting with her during the feeding, doing breast compressions to help the feedings be more efficient, and cup feeding the baby who does not yet latch.
The pump should not replace the baby as mother and baby receive numerous benefits in addition to nutrition by breastfeeding. There is more to breastfeeding than the breastmilk. Do note, a pump is not as efficient as a well-latched baby and so a baby who breastfeeds well is the best pump, but, granted, some babies don’t breastfeed well.
¨ Obviously, if you can pump a lot, you are producing a lot, but if you cannot pump a lot, this does not mean your milk production is low. Do not pump to find out how much you are producing. This is an inefficient way to judge milk supply and often results in emptier breasts for baby to feed.”http://drjacknewman.com/help/Expressing%…

By: Blah blah blah

Blah blah blah — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 18:14:31 +0000

You actually do not need one if you plan to stay at home and don’t plan to be away from baby for any significant amount of time. If anything, breast pumps complicate nursing.
If you do plan to go out for a bit you can always hand express some breast milk into a cup or bottle.
Edit: Agree with Nina, a hand pump would be a convenient thing to have on hand just in case.

By: Mommy of 1 baby and 2 puppies!

Mommy of 1 baby and 2 puppies! — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 15:20:47 +0000

Make sure breastfeeding is working out with you and your baby before making the purchase. Some moms only need to pump a little extra to store away for emergencies, Other mothers pump to relieve engorgement. And some pump daily while working, or for babies that cannot latch. You may need it often or very little, therefore wait to find out the demands of your baby before buying one because you may need an inexpensive one, or an expensive hospital grade double pump

By: Pippin

Pippin — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:38:06 +0000

You don’t *need* a breastpump unless you expect to be apart from your baby for significant periods of time. (i.e. you will be returning to work outside the home.) If you will be with your baby most of the time, you can just breastfeed — or for an occassional time-away you can hand-express if necessary.
In the rare situation where you would NEED to pump early on (i.e. a premie or sick baby who can’t breastfeed or a newborn with very poor latch) you would want to rent a hospital grade pump anyway — so no real need to buy one.
Of course some women who dont need a pump opt to buy one — so daddy can ‘help’ (but there are more sensible ways for daddy to ‘help’ or ‘bond’ that don’t make more work for you;) or to avoid having to nurse in public (but it’s 100% possible to nurse in public discreetly, so there’s no real need to give bottles when away from home) — so the choice is yours.
I never owned a pump and never missed it.