Am starting this thread for breast feeding concerns & questions. thanks.

I am using the medela Pump IN style advanced - you can go into the singaporemotherhood forum to join a bulk purchase or Spree to get them in cheaply - its around $599 - 739 in singapore undiscounted. I paid for mine around May 2007 for S$460 including california taxes - however i saved on shipping as my friends brought it back for me (checked into the plane)

I didnt know alot about breast feeding & was also thinking what if i spent so much on this pump & i dont have breast milk? it will be such a waste right?

For those who are truely cash tight - you might want to consider manual pumps - its just tiring on yourself lor as you know during the last few mths of pregnancy our wrists are already quite swollen or weaken due to hormones - causing all joints to loosen up in preparation of the child to be delivered thru your birth canal. & the schedules given by most breast feeding help - 20-30 mins every 2-3 hrs - gosh - your hands will be very painful lor - on top of that - i had the avent manual pump - its a great pump, but not for beginners.

Its very painful for beginners - so really horrible for stimulation.

For starts - if you want to breast feed successfully - you need a few tips & some aid - i can try to reply as much as i can here for consultation help - i am no professional - just that i have gone hru this & talked to more people about this & read up more that's all - if u read more & went thru breast feeding - you are as good as i am.

1st in KK when i told my nurses mybaby is on breast feeding - they will feed her & pass to me when i am ready to try breast feeding - iof you say total breast feeding -they will nto feed the baby at all & whenever you can they will ask you to try. dont worry babies can last 1 week or so without milk - they still have reserves in their bodies to last. - i KS la so just gave her formula as supplement until i stabilised my supply.

2ndly - KKH nurses squeezed my nipple - i nearly wanted to slap them as it was so pain! but looking back i thank them - cos if they didnt do that i wont know how to prevent engorgement - & woiuld have had bad engorgement.

3rdly you have to keep pumping even if u didnt get the squeese nippple initiation - the squeesing is to OPEN up the milk ducts - i was told each nipple has around 25? milk ducts (holes from which milk will come out) while pumps can stimulate milk - it can also help to un clog these ducts - no warm towels recommended - as you will encourage milk to flow - but if your ducts are not open yet - you will have a JAM - engorgement - they say its terrible pain in which some mothers get so sick & feverish they have to be on anti biotics & some just stop breast feeding altogether. Those who perservered - (for the love of out baby we should try out best) survived with stories to encourage new mothers like myself - to continue.

my lactation consultation gave us free consultation during mystay at KK & pinched the other nipple - i literally saw colestrum coming out! & she squeesed my hb's finger to give him a taste of the pain his wife went thru just. He was like - MAJOR OUCH!

4) scheduled routine stimulation & clearing of milk - every 2-3 hrs 20-30 mins as much as you can spare - surf read a book do whatevery sit comfortabily & pump & pump - work hard - it will pay off - if you do this & still there is no milk - you did your best - the pump $ is not wasted dont blame yourself - you did your best & give yourself a pat on your back.

a friend of mine had this mentality - so expensive #1 & 2 not much milk gave up very fast, #3 came along she bot PIS adv $600-700 (ouch to pocket) but she succeeded in breast feedingfor 7-8 mths & she preaches about medela PIS lor - i was thinking aas at that time i was still preggy - she's quite well to do you see - i tot she just wanted the best cos she is rich - no its really a good tool - well invested $.

The alternative which alot of good reviews out there is the ameda dual pump its costs around $320-350 at robinsons, momsinmind.com, etc motherhoood shops. I would say amongst my peers who gave birth same mth as me - we form a group of friends in a mama forum - most of them usethis pump too & successful breast feed for 5-6 mths or more. one such mum is still bfing like me - till 12 mth old. (our babies are 10 mths old). some choose to stop earlier for personal, work, preference reasons.

5) steraliser - is only a popular concept with breast feeding mothers especially - as we need the pumps, & containers to be clean clean for breast milk storage - ( you can use milk bags - presteralised i recommend playtex - cheaper & more convenient to be used with rubberbands.)

i am glad i bot the big pigeon one (avent is also not bad) but tryto visuallise your stuff - if it can fit then decide which to buy.

I agree with dual electric pumps for those planning to go back to work - as much as society is now ok with nursing area in most offices, etc - you dont want to look like u are less efficient - pumping 30 mins 3 times a day - once u have established your pumps - you can complete your pump in 10-15 mins (not recommended for starter ok as you will decrease your supply) at work - & electric pumps can stimulate & have the suction mechanism with ease - i know my breasts are being cleared properly with little or no pain at all.

I have avent manual, medela manual (harmony) Pigeon battery operated, & the medela PIS advanced. I bot the pigeon battery operated - purely cos my adaptor broke down on a work day & it was too much of a hassel to buy one to replace so i went & bot this battery operated one - its ok - but very painful i feel . my colleague successfully breast fed with teh tollyjoy batteryoperated breast pump - for 8mths. I really bow down to her - she saved alot of $$ but its so painful & not to mention - time consuming cos its only 1 side at one time (imagine 15 mins each side - 30 mins already!)


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I want to add this incase i forget - POWER PUMPING

I read about this in another beauty forum & really thanked that mother for posting it there.

I was depressed, just gave birth - just went home from hosp - desparate to stablise my milk flow - surfing last min to get all the help i can get - (stupid right never read up earlier)

I found this power pump method/schedule:-

I was pumping 10-30ml every 3 hrs i felt so sad & patetic, very very depressed lor.

After i got on this power pumping my milk increased after 2 days to 180ml & on the 4th day onwards stablised to 80-120ml per session. most people i have told about this method -especially when they try during 1st few mths after delivering - works for them.

YOu just need to do this for 2 days - after that do 1-2 times a day on day 3 & 5 for maintenance & repeat the 2 days system again maybe before you go back to work.

4-5 times a day power pump

Pump 20 mins
rest 10 mins
Pump 10 mins
rest 10 mins
Pump 10 mins
rest 10 mins
Pump 10 mins
total 60 mins

this gives u 10 mins inbetween to tend to your baby change her or carry her/him. (roughly la - +/- few mins is ok for this system just do it 4-5 times a day.


For single pump users - its abit more tedious but i have come up with a system for you as well

Pump 15.mins (Right)
Pump 15mins (Left)
Pump 7mins (Right)
Pump 7mins (Left)
Pump 7mins (Right)
Pump 7mins (Left)
total 58 mins (approx)

while u pump one side the other side is resting - single pump users really have to be tied down whole nearly 1 hr lor. But i developed this just for those who dont plan to buy another pump since they have already bot one.

just 2 days of this system - most will see significant milk supply increased - but still pump 15-20 mins every 2-3 hrs after that as usual - really up to your lifestyle & your urgency to upp your supply.

BABY IS THE BEST PUMP.

for stimulation/engorgemnent BABY is the best pump - nothing beats latching on - however there are exclusive pumpers - who only express & dont latch on at all. its just personal choice.



some breast feeding help online - you are free to post more.

http://www.breastfeedingonline.com/newman.shtml

Breast feeding places in singapore:-
http://www.motherhood.com.sg/breastfeeding/

Manual expression:-
http://www.lactationinstitute.org/manualex.html

on fenugreek:
http://www.kellymom.com/herbal/milksupply/fenugreek.html

Some people use fenugreek - some dont -its best to read up on this - but for starters no fenugreek is recommended as it can cause engorgement - same as hot towel & massaging the breasts too much when yuor milk ducts are still not yet 'opened for business'