No, I'm not voting for Hillary.
But I'm looking for advice and recommendations on a topic so far from my own personal areas of expertise that I can't even begin to pretend to have an informed opinion.
I'm looking for a breast pump.
Now the last time I went looking for a specific feminine related product was when I bought my then wife an EpiLady. For the guys out there who don't know what an EpiLady is, do you remember those old strength training kits with the steel springs attached to two plastic handles? The idea was that you stretched out the springs and that would build up your muscles. The reality was when you let the springs snap back from a full extension, they grabbed all the hairs on your chest and ripped them off by squeezing them between the coils of the springs. A couple of guys I know lost nipples to that barbaric contraption.
The EpiLady was invented by the guy who invented those spring things, except this time, he added electricity to the fun and games. Instead of stretching the spring, he turned it into a coil and attached it to a motor, so the coil would spin rapidly. The idea was that the spinning coil would capture the hairs on a woman's leg and rip them painlessly out of her flesh, resulting in a silky smooth shave that lasted for weeks. This time, the reality matched the ideal, except for the "painlessly" part.
When my wife opened this "gift" she was very excited and wanted to try it out immediately. She plugged it in, flipped the switch and brought it carefully towards her leg, aiming for a spot on her calf just below the knee. This woman, who gave birth to 5 babies without any medication screamed in pain as this torture device came into contact with her skin. She threw it across the room, and began to speak to me in words my children had never heard before. Heck, I was a sailor, and I hadn't heard some of them before!
Then she asked me to try it.
I politely declined, and reminded her that the only reason I had bought her that particular gift was that she had asked for it specifically, and by name.
Have you ever noticed that facts and logic rarely win arguments, particularly when a spouse is involved?
Anyway, I tell you that story so you'll understand my dilemma. My daughter wants to breastfeed my newest grandson, and I told her I'd get her a pump for when she returns to work. I've done some basic research, and since she plans on breastfeeding exclusively, I figure she'll need an electric pump, probably a double. But which one?
That's where you readers come in. The beauty of the blogosphere is that I don't have to know everything; I just have to be able to ask a question and let it percolate through the pixels until it reaches the people who do know the answer. So let me know about your experiences with different models of mammarian machinery. Which ones worked best for you, and which ones were flops (so to speak)? Just as importantly, which ones were a pain to use, physically, or mechanically, and which ones were easy and comfortable? And what accessories and supplies will she need? I believe very strongly in the advantages of breastfeeding, and I'd really like for my daughter to succeed.
So thanks in advance for your input.
Posted by Rich at January 26, 2008 12:43 AM | TrackBackI wouldn't buy one at all. Check through her hospital where she can rent one. This way she can make sure that the one she gets is right for her - and you can make a decision about buying one later. No point in buying a $200 contraption and it not being quite the thing.
Don't waste money on a cheapie, though. I did and it was just that - a waste. Of course, we have a long maternity leave here - so my boy almost 8 mos old and I won't be going back to work more than 1 or 2 days a week until April.
Re accessories and supplies for success - I didn't really need much. But some kind of really high quality (lanolin based) nipple cream for the early days. Mostly what I think is needed is support from a woman who knows what she's doing, confidence that you are feeding your baby enough and that you'll know if you're not and need to supplement, and determination. Not "I will try to breastfeed" - but I WILL breastfeed.
I did have to supplement with formula in the early days (I had a c-section and post-op infection but there can be all sorts of reasons why supplementation is necessary). If the baby needs formula then I would feed with a little blunt tipped syringe to avoid introducing a bottle too early. A little bit of formula is not the end of the world. It's best avoided, but some people think that once they've introduced it that has to be the end of exclusive breastfeeding. It's not. It can be a temporary measure. Just always offer breastfeeding first before offering formula. That's my number one tip.
My second tip is to offer a bottle at around 4 weeks so the baby is well established at breastfeeding but young enough to take to the bottle. While trying to establish bottlefeeding, baby should get around one bottle a day and probably from someone other than your daughter.
Posted by: Vol Abroad on January 27, 2008 4:18 AMTry the Pump-In-Style. I wouldn't know, cause I've never had a baby, but my favorite Showtime show said it was the best! And, if its on TV, it's true, right? Actually, Lacey had that one and said she liked it best, but couldn't use it cause Aiden is lactose intolerant.
Posted by: Elmyra on February 1, 2008 2:18 PM