Will the hospital provide a pump if you need one?

why were they saying about pumping straight away? x

My hospital had pumps for people to use 👍🏼 we tried breast feeding but for a variety of reasons it didn’t work for us so they helped set me up on a pump for the 4 days we were in hospital and stored the milk for us until we needed it.

I struggled with getting little one to latch, the midwifes tried to help and get things going, and then provided me with syringes when needed to collect more colostrum and feed baby. Their tummys are so small, and milk doesn't come in until day 3/4 that a few syringes of colostrum fills them up at first, whilst continuing to try getting them to the breast. I also just had a Hakka and it was enough for the first week as baby was only eating 1-1.5oz at a time if you do still struggle to get baby latching. I was also lent a pump when we went to children's a&e on day 5.

@Charlee I might be wrong but I think I saw a few posts on here about maybe helping the milk supply etc to come in and saw a few mums had been doing a mix of the two x

@Jay mmm okay fair enough, things have changed so much since i had my last! x

@Charlee really hoping I won’t need one, think I’m just overthinking everything 🙈 x

I was advised to pump straight away to help milk come in. My little one was slightly prem and 5lbs1, and struggled to have enough energy to latch so I pumped to be able to feed her from a little bottle before she was strong enough to bf @Charlee @Jay I didn't have a pump, as held off buying one too, the hospital had hospital grade pumps that they give you to use. Plus syringes too if you wanted to harvest colostrum. 🥰

@Gabi makes sense!!

@Jay well not that my experience stands anymore because clearly everything changes lol 😂 noone had ever recommended any sort of pumping, collecting nothing to me with my kids (youngest is 4) and ive always just put them straight on boob and fed like 20 minutes after theyre born xx

The hospital I was at had medala electric pumps but they would encourage you to be able to hand express first and fill a syringe before they would let you use them. They aren't really effective until your milk comes in anyway but can be used as stimulation. I bought a manual just incase. Thankfully I was able to feed our early little man 9hrs after delivery, while he was connected to a breathing tube and wires. I gave them permission to top him up with formula because his blood sugar levels were low and he might not have had the strength to feed.

I’m currently in hospital at the moment with my little one due to her having an infection we are staying in for quite a while on day 6 now. She latched but was lazy about feeding and feeding every hour and not settling. So when my milk came in the hospital lent me a pump. I get about 7-8ml off each boob every pump and give the to her for food. Honestly I didn’t bother getting one but have brought one for home now because it’s been so great and hassle free especially meaning my other half can feed a few feeds

Thanks everyone 🥰 x

I've just had issues with little one due to a quick birth and him being full of mucus, he spent day 1 predominantly asleep and then he was too sleepy to attempt to latch. After multiple attempts with assistance from staff on ward to help secure a latch I tried hand expression but we were getting nowhere fast, I think the 1 hour sleep Saturday night before labour started at 1am (born at 8.55am), the barely eating or drinking wasn't helping either. They said he needed feeding either by breastmilk or formula but I didn't want to give up on breastmilk so they gave me a Medela electric pump and a milton steriliser for the parts. It's definitely an option. It's still taken us another 12 hours for him to actually start requesting to be fed but finally getting the demand feels like a win x

Make sure the midwives know you want help breastfeeding straight away and if all goes well you won’t need a pump at all. If you did need one in an absolute emergency they would help but most important thing in first 2-3 days is letting baby go to breast learn how to latch on and have lots of skin to skin. Pumps aren’t needed unless there is a medical issue or you absolutely need to pump. A pump also wouldn’t collect much colostrum as it’s too thick.

@Louise glad it’s starting to go well for you! Xx

@Louise thank you xx