[sara~b]

For those of you who are or did BF and pumped... What pump did you use? Did you like it? Why or why not? Also how did you store any pumped BM?

I am figuring I will probably pump some so that Shane can share in feeding the baby sometimes and also for when I have to take Gemma to cheer or when I go back to work. I have browsed some at BRU and some other places but I have no clue what would make a pump a good one and how to store BM after it is pumped! Plus how do you re-heat it for baby? Thanks in advance for putting up with my questions!

[greeneyes]

When I had Lily I had a Medela Pump-In-Style that was four years old that someone passed down to me - it was great! With Violet, I bought a brand new Medela Pump-In-Style Advanced and that thing was/is amazing. My friend is currently using it and she pumps several times everyday and it's never skipped a beat.

I froze the majority of my milk because I so rarely needed to use pumped milk. They make storage containers for your bagged milk that cost upwards of $20 but I found pretty much the same thing at Target for $1.29! It's just a regular ice cube storage bin but it's tall enough and wide enough for even the largest storage bags and keeps the freezer soooo much better organized. Looks like this one: Amazon.com: Ice Cube Bin by Sterilite®: Home & Garden

[**Jenn**]

I second the Medela Pump in Style Advanced--I got it when Liam was a couple months old and I love it!

As far as storing breastmilk I would keep my pumped milk in the fridge in one of the bottles that came with my pump until I had enough for a feeding. My boobs are not pump friendly so it would take me 3-4 sessions to have enough for a feeding. Once I had enough I'd transfer it to a freezer bag--love the Lansinoh brand for this. Then I'd put keep all my little bags into a gallon sized ziplock and keep them in there.

To reheat from the freezer just run the bag under hot water until its thawed and the desired temp. Then transfer to a bottle. Don't ever microwave breastmilk, it'll lose some of the good stuff. To reheat from the fridge just run the bottle under some hot water briefly until its the desired temp. You could also just let it sit in a bowl of hot water too. I would also swirl the milk around in the bottle to make sure there weren't any hot spots.

Just remember that breastfeeding is a supply and demand thing. If you (or someone else) give a bottle of pumped milk you still need to pump during that time otherwise it'll send a signal to your body that not as much milk is needed and you'll produce less.

[..Christine..]

I also have the Medela Pump in style and so far haven't had any problems with it!

[Resi]

I'm still BF currently. I also pumped until 3 weeks ago while at work. I waited until after Oliver was born to buy a breast pump. I rented a hospital pump the first month because I wanted to wait and see how much I could pump before investing in a pricy pump. I ended up getting the Pump in Style by Medlea and it's worked awesome. I got it on BestBuyBaby.com - Your source for great baby products for right under $200 with free S&H. That was the best deal I could find on this pump. It was worth every penny! If your only going to need to pump on occasion you might be okay with a cheaper pump. If you will work and pump it's best to get a GOOD pump.

While on my maternity leave I built up my stash by pumping when I was still producing more than needed. I would pump into a bottle that came with the pump and then put it in the Medlea storage bags and freeze it. If you keep pumped milk in the frig I believe it's good for 7 days. In the freezer it's goof for 6 months? It's hard for me to remember. I know it lasts longer if you have a deep freezer. One word of advice is to hold off giving a bottle until your baby is a month old. That is what I did in order to not get Oliver confused between my nipple and the bottle. He never had a problem going back and forth.

[soImarriedAnerd]

Medela Pump-In-Style for us here as well. I donate my milk so I package it in the milk bags so its easier to ship. I do keep a couple for me and DH just runs it under hot water when he needs to use it.

[**jessie**]

I only pump, not bf. I have the Medela PIS in the backpack. It's a great pump. If you are going to pump with an frequency, even at work, I think a good pump is a very wise investment.

I pump direct into the 5 oz Medela collection bottles that screw onto the pump. About twice a day I divvy them up into the appropriate volumes he is eating and put it directly into the Dr Brown or Playtex bottles that we feed in (you can feed out of the collection bottles if you want). I always have 5 ready to go bottles in the fridge at all times. I will only keep milk in the refrigerator for a max of 3 days... just think, its not pasteurized like cows milk from the store.

Any extra above those five bottles goes into freezer bags (just get the cheapest ones you can find). I freeze them flat so they take up less space. In a regular side by side freezer, the milk with keep for 3 months. In a deep freeze at -20 C (sorry dont know the Farenheit right now), then you can get 6-9 months out of them.

[LisanAndy]

I EBF but I used the pump in the beginning to relieve engorgement and in the end to help wean her to formula at 5 months. I got the breast pump from my SIL who rented one from a hospital back in Cali when she lived there. She moved this way and realized she still had it and they told her to just keep it! She had a breast reduction and couldn't BF/pump so she gave it to me. It was a Medela Lactina double electric pump. I loved it, it worked great! I used Lansinoh milk storage bags and labeled them and stuck them in the freezer.

[Mars]

I'm still breastfeeding and pumping. I use the Ameda Double Electric Purely Yours and I don't have any complaints about it. It works great, is easy to use, easy to clean and easy to transport. I chose the Ameda because it was a lot cheaper than the Medela but had pretty great reviews. I was not sure how pumping would go so I didn't want to waste my money. Unlike the US, we can't rent these items here to test before we buy and I would not have been able to sell it to anyone if I had not like it. I've heard excellent things about the Medela and I think it's the leading brand but the Ameda is an excellent alternative if you are not looking to spend so much.

As for storage, I use Mother's Milkmate storage bottles (this comes with a rack) as well as Lansinoh and Medela storage bags.

[Adriana's Mommy]

I use a Medela Pump in Style Limited Edition.. I like the Limited Edition one because it's separate from the bag.. Makes pumping around the house easier and less bulky

Mine looks like this



I also use Lanolish BM bags to store my milk in the deep freezer..

Looks like this when you store them.. **Picture taken from Amazon**


Just remember, BM last longer in a deep freezer, up to 6 + months.

To reheat the milk, just put it in warm water and transfer to the bottle.. If your a working mommy, I'd suggest start storing milk as soon as your milk comes in.. So you have a nice stash when you go back to work..

[fromGirltoMommy]

I would have LOVED to drop $200 on a pump, but I really could not. I got the cheap $40 electric Evenflo pump, and then I got the $20 mannual pump. I use one side electric and at the same time I pump the other side with my mannual. It works awesome for me. I have no problem with it and LOVE it. It just works for me.

I freeze my milk in the Lanolish bags. I can get 50 bages for like $8. And then to reheat I just run it under hot water. Never ever microwave!!

[*kyle*]

I use the Avent Duo Electric pump. I've pumped a couple of times so far. It works great. I like 2 things about it:
- You get to set the amount and rate of suction
- It is totally compatible with all the Avent stuff, so it is easy to pump, freeze, defrost and feed because all of my bottles and storage containers are Avent. Everything is interchangeable

[IamMom]

I didn't have great supply either time so electric pumps didn't work for me at all (either the hospital ones or the First Years one I had). I was able to use the little manual pump the hospital gave me with Nora - seriously it was like three little cheapie plastic parts you squeeze together - to get a few bottles made for a few instances I needed to be away a couple hours and when I was trying to transition her to bottles a little. I just wasn't a pumper! I would recommend not buying one until you know you're going to be a pumper like after they let you try one at the hospital