Pumping questions

melgul001

I know I may not be pumping for a few weeks into it but I have a few questions.

 

I have a Medela pump. I have the 2 container bottles. Do I have to pump into the bottles or can I pump directly into dispostable bags?

Do I have to buy the medela bags or can I buy the other brands too? 

Also, several mentioned nipple cream to put in your bag for the hospital. What brand? Where can I find it? 

Thanks! Also, sorry if my posts become annoying over the next few weeks. I'm on bedrest and going CRAZY already! I have tons of thinking time now!

katie00224

Valid questions You can pump into disposable bags, however, I hated the Medela bags that have the adaptors to screw onto your flanges. They don't seal well, don't freeze flat and are twice as $$ as the Lansinoh bags. I prefer to pump into bottles & transfer into bags. My suggestions for at the hospital: ask for a lactation consult ASAP; ask for a breastfeeding kit - this will give you a second pump setup with all the parts (plus the diaphragms for the symphony pump that you may be able to use when you return to work); get the lanolin cream from the hospital. You may or may not need it and its $$ if you don't use it Sorry you're on br, keep the questions coming!

melgul001

I attended a breastfeeding class....kinda funny they teach you about breastfeeding but who teaches you about the pump??!!

Thanks so much! 

Jolene84

I would recommend pumping into the bottles and then filling the bags. It's easier to know exactly how much you pumped and the Medela bags suck. I much prefer the Lansinoh bags because they freeze flat.

I used Lansinoh nipple ointment, which you can get pretty much anywhere and then I also had a prescription cream - Dr. Newman's. I know some of the other gals have gotten scripts for triple nipple cream.

smiles4ya

I pumped into bottles..

 

I liked Lanoish bags better than Medela bags

Medela cream worked for me -  Which hospital are you using?  St. E gave me a small sample.  

 Milkworks has a lot of this stuff if you need it.  

brynners

Ditto everyone else, I pump into bottles, then pour into Lansinoh bags.  The bottles have a more accurate reading than the bags.  I use the Lansinoh cream, it's a lifesaver!

438Suburbia

I pumped into bottles then poured into bags. I used the Gerber bottles they screw into the pump just like the medela bottles. is there a reason you plan to wait a few weeks before pumping?

brynners

438Suburbia:

I pumped into bottles then poured into bags. I used the Gerber bottles they screw into the pump just like the medela bottles. is there a reason you plan to wait a few weeks before pumping?

I think typically they say to wait a few weeks so that you don't end up with an oversupply.  They want your body to be a little more regulated before you start to add in pumping sessions.  I just started pumping this week, I just pump after each feeding and am slowly building up my stash for when I go back to work.  We haven't tried the bottle yet, but probably will sometime this week.  

melgul001

brynners:

438Suburbia:

I pumped into bottles then poured into bags. I used the Gerber bottles they screw into the pump just like the medela bottles. is there a reason you plan to wait a few weeks before pumping?

I think typically they say to wait a few weeks so that you don't end up with an oversupply.  They want your body to be a little more regulated before you start to add in pumping sessions.  I just started pumping this week, I just pump after each feeding and am slowly building up my stash for when I go back to work.  We haven't tried the bottle yet, but probably will sometime this week.  

Yup, this is exactly what I learned in my BF class. Both with the pumping and bottle offering. Obvoiusly I will pump if I need too for obvious reasons, but if everything is going okay I plan to wait. 

brynners

melgul001:

brynners:

438Suburbia:

I pumped into bottles then poured into bags. I used the Gerber bottles they screw into the pump just like the medela bottles. is there a reason you plan to wait a few weeks before pumping?

I think typically they say to wait a few weeks so that you don't end up with an oversupply.  They want your body to be a little more regulated before you start to add in pumping sessions.  I just started pumping this week, I just pump after each feeding and am slowly building up my stash for when I go back to work.  We haven't tried the bottle yet, but probably will sometime this week.  

Yup, this is exactly what I learned in my BF class. Both with the pumping and bottle offering. Obvoiusly I will pump if I need too for obvious reasons, but if everything is going okay I plan to wait. 

I had supply issues at the beginning with E, so I had to pump so I knew exactly how many ounces she was getting.  Isla is gaining weight like a mad woman, so we know that she is getting enough.  

MissManda

My mom got the medela bags for us -- I thought they would be SOOO convenient. I was wrong! They take up so much more space in the freezer, and since I pump at work, I figured out it was easier to still pump in the bottles and then pour it into the bag. Oh, and since you aren't supposed to combine milk temps, you can only use the bag for one pump session (and I double pump, so it was taking 2 bags for one session, and then it wasn't a full feeding in one bag!). The Lansinoh bags are so much cheaper and take up less space in the freezer.

I started pumping at 2 weeks and we started introducing the bottle at about 4 weeks. I took my pump with me to the hospital and asked the LC to help me with it. The BFing class we went to kind of helped, but the LC was great!

+ShannonB+

I did not pump much with Jameson and battled keeping up with his needs the entire time I pumped/nursed. With Delilah, I pretty much started right away to help relieve engorgement & to build up my stash. I had an awesome stash with D! :-) Other than that, what everyone else said - i pumped into bottles and poured it into bags. I bought whatever bags I could get cheaper.

My biggest pumping piece of advice is to get the car adapter & pump to and from work!

sroby

Ditto pumping into the bottle then dumping in the bags.  I don't have a stash now, so I pump into the bottle, store for 24-48 hours and use.

I didn't pump until around 2w pp and all I had at first was a hand held manual pump. I didn't think I'd still be nursing at almost 7m.  I have an electric one now.  ;-)