***The New Super Supportive Weekly chat: March 18 -- March 24*** - Page 3 « Back to Group Discussions

[Just1More]

Originally Posted by cristeen 

I reported it, too.  Under "illegal activity".  The listing says babies 5-20 lbs, and only ships to the US, I do believe that all 50 states require RFing until a year, don't they?  So technically it's encouraging illegal activity. 

I don't have time to type up my stuff, I took too long to read, and DS' therapist will be here in 5 minutes.  But I did want to say...

Sosu - how did you break your ankle?  Is this new, or how did I miss this info?  So sorry to hear about that, that must make things extra tough right now. 

Too bad that thingy isn't safe.  It sure would be handy...

And, yeah...I missed that, too.  How's your ankle feeling?  Do you have a cast?  Do you expect it to be off before the baby comes?

[BubbleMa]

It would be handy!  Especially if you use taxis often.  But yeah, totally not safe.  Especially for an infant...and in the front seat!?  I also reported it under illegal activity.  I wish there was a place for comments though. 

[Kamiro]

Ok, I was afraid I was the only one that looked at it like "Damn. Too bad that's unsafe!" lol

You have any consignment shops near you Bubblema? I do not shop at Walmart very often (I may live in the last place in the NW where I am 100 miles from a walmart!) but they usually have car seats that are just like the ones sold at Costco etc. for cheaper. It may be a better route than ebay, don't know.

You know what..I just realized *I* don't have a baby car seat.

We need a new baby list thread.

Also, do you need me to send my addy or do you still have? <3

Has any one seen Linniethree or did all our Catholic mama's take off for all of Lent?

[BubbleMa]

Originally Posted by Onemoreontheway 

Ok, I was afraid I was the only one that looked at it like "Damn. Too bad that's unsafe!" lol

You have any consignment shops near you Bubblema? I do not shop at Walmart very often (I may live in the last place in the NW where I am 100 miles from a walmart!) but they usually have car seats that are just like the ones sold at Costco etc. for cheaper. It may be a better route than ebay, don't know.

You know what..I just realized *I* don't have a baby car seat.

We need a new baby list thread.

Also, do you need me to send my addy or do you still have? <3

Has any one seen Linniethree or did all our Catholic mama's take off for all of Lent?

Yeah, I looked at Wal-Mart, Target, Overstock, Amazon, etc.  The prices seem to be about the same across the board.  We do have a couple consignment shops around too.  I'll check them out.  I decided to get an infant carseat until we can afford the Britax Marathon 70.  It'll buy us a couple months to save up for one.  With everything else we have going on, the thought of coming up with almost $300 is super overwhelming.  Especially since we just had to put one of our cars in the shop, and we still need to buy something for the baby to sleep in.  And while I don't plan on using it to carry the baby around all the time...it will be nice to have every once in a while. 

And yes, I still have your addy.  :)

[casmer]

So my mom was going to give me her Medela pump (gross, I know), but I wasn't really planning on using it.  Of course, I have no idea what to expect, but my goal is to primarily breast feed.  We haven't decided if we'll use bottles or not.  If we do, I don't think it will be often.  I'm just too lazy :)

Anyhow, she is now dead set on buying me a new one because she realized hers is 8-10 years old (gross).  Specifically she wants to get me a double pump.  This seems overkill to me.  I mentioned they had a manual one and she said that it would be too painful and kept talking about the double one...haha.  I'm looking at them at BRU, where she wants to buy it from, and they're like $300-$400!  My fear is that she's going to spend the $$ and I'm not going to use it.  Is a double pump necessary?  I've heard of some people feeding on one breast and then pumping the other...is this common or a necessary part of bf?  Any thoughts?

I'd really, really prefer to use that money to buy a car seat, but if I might need a pump then I should probably just let her get the pump.

[forestmushroom]

I had a pump in style and just gave it away after my last baby. It Worked for 10 years and was still going strong.  It was awesome and worth every penny. Just so you know, you can get a new sterile pack of all the parts that touch your body and the milk for like 20 or 30 bucks... the expensive part is the motor. 

An older pump may have BPA in it--so it is worth getting the replacement set for the tubes and containers, etc. But there is nothing really gross about getting a used pump--again the parts that touch your body or the milk can be replaced. At least with the medela pumps.

If someone is offering to purchase a new pump, I would totally accept it.  I don't see how you would operate a manual pump and nurse a baby at the same time... And pumping is not the same as far as milk output goes as nursing-- you spend a lot more time pumping for a smaller amount of milk.

But that is just my humble opinion.  I didn't use my pump very much with my last baby at all... so maybe you could skip it or get one later when you think you might need it and have some experience with nursing.  Another option is that often hospitals and lactation centers will rent a pump--again, you have to buy new parts that touch you and the milk, but rent the motor. 

:)

[forestmushroom]

Originally Posted by BubbleMa 

Yeah, I looked at Wal-Mart, Target, Overstock, Amazon, etc.  The prices seem to be about the same across the board.  We do have a couple consignment shops around too.  I'll check them out.  I decided to get an infant carseat until we can afford the Britax Marathon 70.  It'll buy us a couple months to save up for one.  With everything else we have going on, the thought of coming up with almost $300 is super overwhelming.  Especially since we just had to put one of our cars in the shop, and we still need to buy something for the baby to sleep in.  And while I don't plan on using it to carry the baby around all the time...it will be nice to have every once in a while. 

And yes, I still have your addy.  :)

That isn't a bad plan... to get the baby seat and then when you've budgeted get the bigger seat.  I know we've spent a lot more money lately on stuff and would do this too, except MIL offered to get us a seat...

Sears often has great prices on carseats, too.  :)
 

[cristeen]

Originally Posted by casmer 

Is a double pump necessary?  I've heard of some people feeding on one breast and then pumping the other...is this common or a necessary part of bf?  Any thoughts?

I'd really, really prefer to use that money to buy a car seat, but if I might need a pump then I should probably just let her get the pump.

Will you be staying home after baby arrives? 

A double pump is not a necessity, the way maybe a car seat is.  But it's one of those "really nice to have if you need it" kinds of things.  For most moms who will be staying at home with the baby for the first year (or more), a double pump is probably not necessary, and a manual would be plenty for the occasional bottle if you want to go out to dinner or whatever.  That being said, there are definitely times when a double electric is a life-saver.  If you think you might need to go back to work within the first year, I'd absolutely get one.  Or for any mom who has had difficulty BFing, for whatever reason, a double pump can keep the milk flowing where a manual really isn't going to cut it.  For pumping anything more than the rare occasion, a manual is too much work for most people.  However, I will point out that not everyone responds (or responds well) to them - I happen to be someone who doesn't - and despite renting double electric pumps (which are more powerful than the kind you buy), I was never able to BF DS after our rocky first few weeks.  For me, the double electric was a waste of money.

However, if you get the pump, and don't open it, you can then resell it down the road for close to full price.  Once you open it, you're going to take a big hit on resale value, since they are intended as a one-user item. 

[casmer]

Originally Posted by cristeen 

Will you be staying home after baby arrives? 

A double pump is not a necessity, the way maybe a car seat is.  But it's one of those "really nice to have if you need it" kinds of things.  For most moms who will be staying at home with the baby for the first year (or more), a double pump is probably not necessary, and a manual would be plenty for the occasional bottle if you want to go out to dinner or whatever.  That being said, there are definitely times when a double electric is a life-saver.  If you think you might need to go back to work within the first year, I'd absolutely get one.  Or for any mom who has had difficulty BFing, for whatever reason, a double pump can keep the milk flowing where a manual really isn't going to cut it.  For pumping anything more than the rare occasion, a manual is too much work for most people.  However, I will point out that not everyone responds (or responds well) to them - I happen to be someone who doesn't - and despite renting double electric pumps (which are more powerful than the kind you buy), I was never able to BF DS after our rocky first few weeks.  For me, the double electric was a waste of money.

However, if you get the pump, and don't open it, you can then resell it down the road for close to full price.  Once you open it, you're going to take a big hit on resale value, since they are intended as a one-user item. 

 I'll be staying home with the baby until...Jr. High?  I'm not planning on breast feeding that long :)  I was just shocked at how expensive they are!  I would hate to decline it and then have issues and then be all "...wished I would have gotten the pump..."  What about an electric single pump?  Why the double?  I didn't think about reselling it if I don't use it...that's actually something to keep in mind!

[BubbleMa]

Originally Posted by casmer 

So my mom was going to give me her Medela pump (gross, I know), but I wasn't really planning on using it.  Of course, I have no idea what to expect, but my goal is to primarily breast feed.  We haven't decided if we'll use bottles or not.  If we do, I don't think it will be often.  I'm just too lazy :)

Anyhow, she is now dead set on buying me a new one because she realized hers is 8-10 years old (gross).  Specifically she wants to get me a double pump.  This seems overkill to me.  I mentioned they had a manual one and she said that it would be too painful and kept talking about the double one...haha.  I'm looking at them at BRU, where she wants to buy it from, and they're like $300-$400!  My fear is that she's going to spend the $$ and I'm not going to use it.  Is a double pump necessary?  I've heard of some people feeding on one breast and then pumping the other...is this common or a necessary part of bf?  Any thoughts?

I'd really, really prefer to use that money to buy a car seat, but if I might need a pump then I should probably just let her get the pump.

I had a hand pump with DD1 and it was terrible.  It was slow, and my hand got tired easily.  I don't remember the brand now though.  I'm sure some are better than others. 

You could always exchange the double pump for a single.  Or a carseat.  Would she even know?
 

Originally Posted by forestmushroom 

That isn't a bad plan... to get the baby seat and then when you've budgeted get the bigger seat.  I know we've spent a lot more money lately on stuff and would do this too, except MIL offered to get us a seat...

Sears often has great prices on carseats, too.  :)
 

I didn't even think of Sears.  I'll check there too.  Thanks. :)  I've always planned on getting the Britax, so we've known it was going to be an expense.  But it seems like since the moment I got pg we've had one financial "surprise" after another.  And not the good kind.  lol  We just can't seem to get any money saved up at all.  It's really frustrating and disheartening.  I feel better now that I've made this decision though.  $80 is much more doable than $270. 

[rozziemama]

So, this was just my personal experience but while I have the Medela "pump in style" (idiotic name), which is a double, with DS I never used both at the same time. I think I was a big pumper too - went back to work at three months and was literally pumping 20+ oz of milk every day for the first few months (had pretty intense milk production).
In my case, I just never liked doing two at the same time. It didn't feel good at all (not like pumping felt good but it was even worse with two at once). I would just pump like I breast fed-- first one side hen the other. It turned out ok.
I dont know what the price differential is if you get double or single -- but could it be the cost of a car seat? No right?
If someone is buying you the pump, I'd really recommend taking them up on it -- I also had a hand pump (for home- kept the hardcore pump at the office) and I swear it gave me carpal tunnel -- was more frustrating than anything, really. It broke in the end.

I pumped until DS was exactly 12 months old, at which point I happily stopped cold turkey (still breastfed til he was about 16 months but he was eating so much solid food by 12 months). I'll tell you that was one of the happiest days of early motherhood - finishing pumping. I can't believe I'll be back there again so soon!?

[mlovesj]

Pumps....I had a Medela Pump In Style, which I loved, when my breastmilk-only fed twins were infants.  I went back to work part-time when they were 2 months old and I couldn't leave the house unless I had at least 4 bottles of pumped milk in the fridge :)  So I was a heavy pump user!  I really loved my Pump In Style (a double pump) but I actually found I preferred to pump only one side at a time.  For some reason, holding both sides in place took too much effort and I preferred to focus on one side at a time.  I don't have that pump anymore, but I was thinking since I only used one side at a time that I'd opt for the Medela Swing which is still electric, but is a single pump. Have any of you used one?  Does my logic make sense?  I will be working full-time after baby but I can take her to work with me (I am so lucky!) but my man wants to have her for part of the day so we'd like to introduce pumped milk when she's a couple of months old, so I anticipate pretty regular pumping...

[sosurreal09]

My oven caught on fire and I fell down the stairs holding my 2 y/o! Saved her and the baby but my ankle took the blunt of it. Not sure when I will be boot free (they don't cast ankles except rare cases).

Not to be un--supportive of anyone but I would never buy a used car seat. Car seats are not something you want to skimp on and then find out it was actually damaged and did not do it's job. Even a very minor accident can ruin a carseat with no visible damage and if you buy that seat and it fails...besides you have no clue where it was stored, how it was handled etc

[Just1More]

I can't speak to which pumps are good and which aren't, but I can say that it is totally possible for a sahm to nurse without ever needing one.  I tried one when I was pg with dd2 because I wanted to put back some milk for ds, but after once or twice decided it wasn't worth it.  And, then, with dd3, I kept getting mastitis and I tried pumping to help that.  But...after I had pumped about 4oz from one side (the side she had just nursed!), I was still able to hand-express, thought the pump wasn't getting any more.  I put it in the closet and that was that.  So, excepting those 2 occasions, I've not pumped.  Don't get a cheap one. :)

Otherwise, I've been nursing somebody for 7 years now, and haven't needed a pump yet.  (The two times I thought I did...I didn't really. :))

[MeredithA]

I also loved my Medela Pump In Style. I used it with DS1 then lent it to a friend who broke it so for DS2, I had what I could afford which was a manual Medela Harmony. The Harmony really wasn't bad! I was in grad school at the time and it allowed me to pump a bottle or two and leave it with DH so I could go to class. I'll be home with the baby all summer but I'll have to go back to work in August so I would like to be able to get a double electric pump before then. I might just use the Harmony at first and save over the summer for a nicer one. 

[Kamiro]

I had a blue one that WIC gives out. It was a friends of mine and it had dual action going on. I pumped every day, multiple times a day for 3 kids (and I could kick myself in the pants for giving it away since having to deal with this rural WIC lady.) but I very rarely used the double pump on it. Maybe five times, tops. 

I don't think Bubblema or I are looking for a used car seat.

Often times on ebay and in consignment shops (in bigger cities atleast) there will be carseats brand new that people were gifted and didn't need at 1/2 off the retail price solely because they are not bought from a franchise.

I could really kick myself in the pants (again!) cause about 4 months ago they had a britax marathon that was brand new, everything still attached (manual and all that. suspect it was a display model from Target) pink and brown print ...for $70 at Goodwill.

I didn't have the money and I don't think we knew if Dodi was a girl or not at that time...but it really was a great deal.

[Kamiro]

Sky sent an update about Sang. Posted it in the thread "Sky's Update".

She sent me her addy also so for those of us interested in doing a care package for her and Sang, so we got that :)

[Astraia]

Going now to catch up on posts since this morning, but this was on my Facebook this morning- it's baby wearing positions/info with a see-through wrap! Crazy! Helps to explain it a lot better than other pictures/descriptions, because you can actually SEE what's going on.

http://jeportemonbebe.com/en/faq/physiology-positioning/what-is-the-physiological-position.html

[Ruby2]

I have an older Pump in Style that a friend gave me. I used it for a year with dd and hope it lasts for this baby...it was starting to sound a lot louder to me toward the end of my first pumping experience, but I don't want to buy a new one! I just saw a USED one for $250 on Craigslist. Yikes. They are expensive but priceless to me when I was pumping 3 or 4 times a day. I always did both sides at once and it took about 15 minutes. I pumped so often that I didn't want to do one side at a time and have it take longer. I would totally buy a used one. I am close to starting a campaign with our local hospital that makes expecting moms bring a pump with them to the hospital when they're in labor...so few of the larger population in the US actually breastfeeds past a few weeks that it's completely unnecessary to suggest that everyone buy one! Anyway, the upside is that there are tons of "used" ones out there that have probably literally been used 5 times.

I'm 33 weeks 4 days today and I cannot believe the changes that my body has gone through in the last 48 hours. I feel like I gained 20 pounds. I think the baby must have dropped even lower, which I didn't know was possible. My balance and posture are completely different than they were this weekend and I suddenly feel like a WHALE instead of the cute pregnant woman that I was last week. I can barely stay upright for more than about 3 minutes without having to brace my hands on my knees and stretch my back! Lots of cervix pokes that I haven't felt until this week and I want to shove food down my throat but realize after doing that that there is no room for it in my belly. You'd think that would stop me after a few times, right? Not yet! :-)

We still need to put the crib together too. I'm hoping to side car it to the bed and do at least a little bit of nursing the baby in it at night. We have a much softer mattress this time than we did with dd and I'm worried a little about that...plus only a queen bed. I swear the lack of space in the bed last time around led to more marital discord than anything else we've encountered as parents! Hopefully having the crib attached to the bed will help. If all else fails, we can sleep sideways and put our feet in it!

[Astraia]

Pumps- I had a medala hand pump and a medala pump in style. I got the electric on loan from a friend and just bought new tubing, etc, to go with it. I started using them early on to a. try to put milk aside if I knew I might be out late and B. because I got pregnant so quickly after my first was born, and wanted desperately to keep my supply up. Neither of them worked for me, I didn't have a let down with either one of them most of the time. The only time I got any milk out was when I was thoroughly distracted AND drinking a beer, and managed to pump a full bottle on the manual one off one side. Then I went, "holy crap, I did it!" and instantly my let down stopped and that was it. If i was desperate to get something out (take the pressure off if someone slept through a feed) then hand expressing always worked better for me. I hear my letdown-refusal is abnormal, but who knows? 

I definitely thought you were talking about a used carseat- freaked me out a bit too! No thanks! I thoguht I might be getting one on loan from a friend, but we're not :( Ugh, so expensive! Danged carseats. I've never, ever seen a carseat new in box in a thrift store. If only! I'd snatch it up. Isn't carseat one word? Spellcheck says no.

Worked a full shift today. Thought I was going to die. My feet started swelling within the first 45 minutes, and I started having some intense contractions (not regular, very sporadic) towards the end. 6 weeks left!