pump advice

Hi there, I haven't had my twins yet but I need some advice from Mum's who are doing this already. My midwife told me today that I need to organise an electric pump if I want to breastfeed, something I hadn't considered at all having just had big healthy greedy singletons before!!! The idea of someone who would get tired before they've had a full feed is so foreign! To hire them is quite pricey, I am considering just buying something second hand. The type available for hire where I am is the Medela Symphony, I see other brands for sale - how do they compare? What recommendations can you make? Also did anyone pump before their babies arrived? I know it's possible (but can also stimulate labour) Any advice appreciated, I have an induction date 2 weeks away if I make it that far!

 

Honestly, I would wait and see what happens. I had my twins at 37w by scheduled C/S and I never had to pump for them. I did pump eventually, but only because I went back to work. With a scheduled induction I am assuming they will be full term? Most twin moms who pump do so because babies are premature, have poor latch, etc. It sounds like you are experienced, and the best thing to do is feed on demand regardless of how many babies you are feeding. I am sure others will weigh in but I know there are other moms on this forum who did not pump either.

 

I would also recommend waiting to see what happens, especially if you already have experience breastfeeding. If you need a pump for medical reasons, many insurance companies will pay for or contribute to the cost of renting. One of my (full-term but still small) babies had a very hard time gaining weight in the beginning and I got a prescription for a pump for 4 weeks when she was 2 weeks old. After that time I was good at tandem-nursing and her brother would trigger the let-down for her, so she got enough milk directly with his help instead of having to have additional EBM. I later used a hand pump once I went back to work (3 days a week), for me the hand pump worked much better than the electric one and it will almost certainly be enough if you just need to pump occasionally (e.g. for an evening off).

 

If I remember correctly, you're in NZ? Are going public or private? I am not too sure of how private hospitals operate but over here, at public when you hire the pumps, you buy your own tubing, bottles etc to go with it and the ones they offer while you are there are disposables (to be used for 24hours only).,

I did my sums beforehand and bought a second hand Medela (double) Pump In Style Advanced but bought all new tubing, shields, bottles etc from a US based supplier through ebay. Even with postage I saved $100s. If you do decide to go this route, I can send you a link.

I knew I would need a pump because my supply starts to ease after 4-5months so my plan was to build up a storage for when that happened and also for DH to do some feedings.

My babies were in separate NICU at different hospitals, so I am so glad that I had this at home already sterilised and ready to go because that was one less thing I had to worry about in the midst of all the chaos and trauma.

Both the hospitals the girls were in had the hospital-grade Medela Symphony and Lactina. I preferred the Symphony, oh the power! I found the PIS almost as good and I was really pleased with it - it was my best friend for 3 weeks, lol!

I do agree with others though, if you know you have good supply, you might be better off waiting to see how it goes.

 

I agree with PPs that said you may not actually need it. I personally am a fan of the medela line of pumps. I used the pump in style after I went back to work with my oldest and am using it again with the twins. I pumped at work from when my daughter was 8 weeks and I had to return to work until about 13 or 14 months when I switched her to whole milk during the daytime feeds and I nursed when I was home. I just started using it again to build up my supply for my return to work and it still works great.

 

My babes were born at 37/5 after induction and I did pump at the beginning, only to build my supply. My doula said it's like telling your body you had triplets, not twins and to make more. I do think it helped. Then I just tandem fed which, as previous posts have said, helps with the let down and, therefore I think, your supply, if you can get them on the breast often, and on demand, you may not need to pump.

 

thanks for your replies ladies, I feel very at sea with the concept, great to hear I may not need to worry. I have put my name down to hire one, I do have to buy the kit to go with it (whatever that involves!!!) but if I don't need it I don't have to take it. With any luck these babies will hold on until 36 weeks so they could be okay so I guess I'll go with the wait and see option!

 

Ha! Funny reading my last reply, a few hours after I wrote it my waters broke! I used the pump in hospital to help my milk come in and we had to hire one for home so I could pump while the babies were stil there and i had been discharged but the hospital was awesome at supporting breastfeeding, found me a room so I could stay and do night feeds, so although they were born at 34 weeks we had breastfeeding established in 4 days. My supply appears to be awesome, we came home 2 days ago and I ave pumped a few times but even with awesome big feeds the girls are hard pressed to ever drain a breast so I'm wondering if I should just stop!

 

Question about pumping. My DS is exclusively breast fed and my DD is getting EBM . So my DS just started not having to be supplemented. So now I have a problem. I can't pump enough for her. Does this mean I don't have enough milk? Or is my DS just eating more now? Cause I used to have enough for her but now I don't. I'm worried I will have to give her formula. Please help!

 

You can pump for her more often, especially early morning.

OR- I'm not sure if you are doing this currently but if your boy will cooperate, get everything ready and get him to let down your milk, then put the pump on for your girl (yeah, he'll scream ) THEN switch him to the other side which would have been his in the first place. I'm not sure if that makes sense but just use him to get the milk to let down as if she'll be eating on that side. You can also try to put your daughter on the breast when he brings the milk down to see if she'll suck. She may just surprise you.

:youcandoit:

 

Agree with above and just keep pumping/feeding. Milk production is normally demand based so it may take a few days but if you tell your body it needs to make more, hopefully you will see more soon.