Should You Rent a Breastpump?

Every week we have several moms come in to A Nurturing Moment to find out about renting a breastpump. Sometimes they want to make sure breastfeeding is going to work before they invest two or three hundred dollars in a good pump. Many times, though, they are trying to decide if they should rent or buy. That's a really good question, and the answer depends on several factors.

Timing of Baby's Birth
If your baby is a healthy, term baby, you should be able to exclusively breastfeed from the time he is born. As long as he is nursing well, you shouldn't need a pump to stimulate your milk supply. However, if your baby is 3 or more weeks early, he may have a very difficult time nursing. Even if he does latch on, he may not have the strength to help you establish an adequate milk supply. I tell mothers of premature babies that they really need to use a hospital-grade breastpump to establish their supply. The Medela Symphony pump actually has a preemie card, developed through extensive research, which helps the mothers of premature babies establish a more complete milk supply earlier than they would otehrwise. I think all mothers of preemies should have access to this technology!

How Nursing is Progressing
If everything is going well - no sore nipples, good milk supply, etc. - no pump is necessary in the early days. However, if a mother is experiencing cracked and bleeding nipples, then she should pump for at least 24 hours and finger feed the pumped milk using a curved tip syringe or a supplemental feeding tube. A hospital-grade pump is ideal for the mom in this situation. Even though she might have another pump, the hospital-grade pump will be more effective at helping establish and maintain a good supply.
Pumping should NEVER be painful. If it is uncomfortable, ask your lactation consultant to help you find breast shields that will fit you better.


Mom's Work Situation
First of all, I want to make a disclaimer here....I believe that ALL mothers are working mothers. The word mother implies lots and lots of hard work. Some mothers, however, have a second job outside of the home. Those mothers need to be able to pump their milk quickly and efficiently. Good pumps that a working mom can purchase include the Medela Pump in Style, Medela Freestyle, Ameda Purely Yours and Hygeia. Some mothers, though, prefer to rent a hospital-grade pump. You can rent a pump for about 4 months before it becomes more cost-effective to purchase a good quality double pump. The mom who struggles with decreased milk production when she returns to work may find that a hospital-grade rental pump will be more effective at helping her maintain her supply than a regular double pump.

What Is a Hospital-Grade Pump?
Many people really don't understand what makes a hospital-grade pump different. First of all, it is larger and has a more powerful motor. But the difference doesn't end there. Because it is a multi-user pump, a hospital-grade pump will always be a "closed" system. That means that it is engineered in such a way to make it impossible for milk to ever back up into the pump's motor. Therefore, it is totally hygienic and safe for multiple users. The two most popular hospital grade pumps are Ameda and Medela. You can use these links to find a rental station near you. Find out if the rental station allows short term rentals or pro-rates the price if you return the pump early. Some do, but many do not.

Ideally, you should rent your pump from a breastfeeding professional (IBCLC) if possible. That way you have someone who can give you solid research-based advice on your particular situation. Ultimately, your lactation consultant is the very best person to help you decide if YOU should rent a breastpump.

Nursing in Public

Many states have passed laws protecting the rights of breastfeeding mothers to feed their babies in any location they choose. It's great to know that whenever your baby gets hungry, you can feed him or her without worrying about negative consequences. Nevertheless, some people -either through ignorance or just because of plain meanness - still make it very uncomfortable for nursing mothers. You might be the kind of mom who doesn't care what other people think. If so, more power to you!

However, if you do worry about other people, or you want to be discreet when you nurse, that's fine, too. I've nursed in airports, restaurants, malls, Wal-Mart, church services, school functions....you name it, I've probably nursed somebody there! Most of the time nobody had any idea that I was nursing.

Moms today have so many options for discreet nursing. The easiest for many moms is a baby sling. You might like a ring sling like the Maya Wrap or Over-the Shoulder Baby Holder. One advantage to a ring sling is that once baby is done nursing and has fallen asleep, you can easily slip baby and sling off together. When I was nursing a decade ago, I used a ring sling made by Parenting Concepts. I loved everything about it! But today there are lots of other sling options. Pouch slings like the Peanut Shell, the Hotsling and the Dittany Baby sling are great, but you have to make sure they fit c0rrectly. Another carrier option is a tie-on wrap. This versatile carrier offers a wide variety of positions, but some styles work better for nursing than others. My new favorite carrier is a two-shoulder carrier called Baby K'Tan. It is the only carrier I've ever seen that actually works for twins! It makes nursing discreetly both comfortable and easy. TheBabyWearer.com is a great site for moms who are new to babywearing.

An alternative to the sling is a nursing cover. Two companies make very similar nursing covers, Bebe au lait and Peanut Shell. Both provide nice coverage and allow Mom to easily see her nursing baby. Another interesting cover is made by a mom working from her home. She calls it the Privacy Breastfeeding Coverup. It is larger than some of the other covers on the market, thus providing more complete coverage. Poncho or cape covers are another option. Baby Boo offers an attractive cape option. The big drawback is that it doesn't allow mom to see her nursing baby as easily. A new poncho option that we've just discovered is made by Moody Mamas. This roomy grey poncho allows you to see your baby as you nurse. It also doubles as a soft baby blanket. You'll find this great poncho at A Nurturing Moment. (It will available in the online store within the week).

Regardless of how you choose to nurse your baby in public, remember that you are making a statement every time you feed him or her. You are telling people that you want the very best for your baby. You are also saying that your baby's health and well-being is more important to you than public opinion. Finally, you're letting the whole world know what an incredible mom you are!