Would I use a breast pump?

[quelindo]

With my first child I EBF for his first eleven months, and I never pumped or used a bottle. I did have a small hand-held pump that I tried to use once or twice when he was sick, so I could squirt breast milk into his mouth, but that was it.

I'm expecting my second baby in November, and a friend is selling her Medela Swing Pump for $25. I know this is a good deal, but honestly I'm not sure I'd use it. If I was able to EBF with my first child and never pump, would I ever use a pump and bottle-feed the second?

[Nicole730]

I'd say for $25 and from a friend, buy it. I'm assuming it's electric?

You might want to go out with your first born a few hours without the baby and it would be nice to leave a bottle just in case. I hardly ever left DS alone, I didn't want to and didn't really have reason to. Even though I thought it would be the same with DD, it's not. I do like to take just DS to the store sometime, so we can enjoy one on one time and because it's easier with just one kid.

I had a manual pump that was pretty much useless. I was able to hand express more than I could with that thing. I bought a Medela pump of some sort, electric, and it works sooo much better. I'm still not a very productive pumper, but it's not as stressful as it would be.

[rparker]

I wouldn't buy it because the Medela Swing is meant to be a single user pump. You can buy a Medela Harmony (or other manual pump) new for the same price.

My daughter only had a handful of bottles and I was able to pump way more EBM than she ever used with my Avent Isis. I also own a double electric pump, but honestly it was overkill for me (a SAHM) and the manual pump was easier and I used it more often. This time I plan to pump for a milk bank so the electric pump may get more use.

[UberMama]

Being it's from a friend, I'd buy it. I love my manual, but many times I produce more when I use an electric. Even with your situation, it may be nice to have on hand as a "just in case" that you hopefully never NEED really.

[cchrissyy]

since that's a good pump and so cheap, I woudl probably take it, and just hold on to it "in case". you never know if something might come up during that first year and you might really wish you had it for a day or two.