[penelopec]

I sure these are totally dumb questions but I've looked around and haven't found clear answers! First, how many nursing pads should I plan to start out with? It Always seems to be on the list but I need a number! I am planning on the washable kind, and I don't mind hand washing if necessary.<br><br>
Second, is a breast pump a necessity for someone who will be staying home with their LO? Your opinion would be great here. My insurance will cover up to $300 for one but I hate to clog up the house with rarely used objects. If having one is a good idea are the manual kind sufficient/convenient for just backup use? Should I have this ready before bubs is born?<br><br>
Thanks for any input here!

 

[primalmom]

For the breast pads you want at least 3-5 sets, possibly more... Even if you hand wash them as soon as you change them out, they take a bit to dry.<br>
Last time around I got a bamboobies sampler pack with 3 sets regular and 3 sets overnight, and that was fine with my frequency of laundry... I had a coupon for a free set a few months ago, so I also added some more overnights and some heat/cold packs (which came with a free set), so now I have 5 sets regular, 5 sets overnight, boob hot/cold packs, and some disposable ones that came with my breast hand pump... I think this will be more than sufficient.<br><br>
With the breast pump, I don't see a reason to get one until/unless you know you need one. It's not something you can/should give to someone else as a hand-me-down unless you've never used it (or changed out a bunch of parts/tubing on certain models), so if you're gonna use it once or twice, its just going to take up space in your home.<br>
I have a manual one that was in the $20-30 neighborhood (I used it to relieve engorgement because I didn't have a baby to suckle and I was in a lot of pain)<br>
The beauty of the internet, etc. is that even if you decide you need a breast pump overnight, that's probably doable... I think the medela pump in style models I was looking at (I will be working while DP takes care of kiddo a LOT) were available on amazon prime (free 2-day shipping and/or overnight for very reasonable $)

 

[lilmiss'mama]

With my insurance they said I have up to a year after the birth to get a pump, so if yours is the same you could always hold off & get it later if you want it. Also, starting June 1 I could get one from Target instead of ordering one, so that may be an option for you too.

 

[penelopec]

Thank you both so much for your input! I bought a pack of the bamboobies (3 pair reg., 1 overnight) from babiesrus the other day. They seemed really expensive but also really thin and soft compared to a couple store bought cotton ones and me-made imitations of those I have. It looks like I can check those off my list for now. I wasn't sure if it would be like cloth diapers where the amount you need can be more than you think at first.<br><br>
@PrimalMom you are so right about being able to get the pump fast if I need it. We also have amazon prime so the max I'd be waiting is 2 days. The pediatrician I chose recently mentioned getting the baby used to an occasional bottle once breast feeding is well established "in case of emergency." That's what put it in my head that maybe I needed to run out and get one.<br><br>
@lilmiss'mama thank you for the tip concerning the insurance. I'll be checking in with mine to see the window I have for purchasing. They already told me I could purchase from a retail outlet and submit a claim but I didn't think to ask how long after birth I have to do that. I feel like I'm always calling them these days. We're getting to be real buds, <img alt="wink1.gif" class="bbcode_smiley" src="http://files.mothering.com/images/smilies/wink1.gif">.

 

[riverbliss]

Our little genevieve grace joined us after a really speedy labor! Midwife appt at 2 pm I has no signs of labor by 4 pm I was having a few contractions. By 5 they were regular and pretty heavy and midwives came back and I was 4cm. By 7pm I was in the birth tub, and after 3 pushes she was in my arms at 820 pm! 9 lbs 22 inches. Big bro (2yr old) cut the cord w daddy....and is adjusting to sharing mommy and the big bed w his sister!

 

[shenanegans]

congrats riverbliss! You should post this in the birth announcements thread, I know that is where we are all checking for updates! Xx

 

[Dandy Lion]

Congrats Riverbliss! Sounds like an awesome birth. Enjoy your babymoon.

 

[Becky Wheeler]

Congrats, Riverbliss!

 

[penelopec]

Congratulations, Riverbliss!!! Her birth sounds amazing!!

 

[dawncayden]

Wow Congrats Riverbliss!!! :smile:


For breastpads, I needed so many with my first child, I would just soak through them in seconds. I really liked Lilypads.

About 4 months into nursing I discovered the forearm-breast-squish. So with the free arm I'd push into the breast that I wasn't nursing from (because that is the one that would be leaking) and taa daa...no more leaks. I got to know the feeling of my milk 'letting down', and if I pushed into my breast until that feeling went away, I wouldn't leak at all.

With my second son I didn't use breast pads once.

I had a pump with my first, and I probably pumped with it about 10 times. We never ended up using that milk until ds1 was eating solids and I mixed it into some food. Dh had tried to give ds1 a bottle on 1 or 2 occasions and wouldn't take it, and we just realized that I was never away from ds1 longer then 2 hours, and he could go that long without nursing. I also found that I hated pumping and would rather hand express if I wanted to save some milk for later. When ds1 was teething I'd have a few milk ice cubes that I'd put into a mesh feeder for him to suck on.

With ds2, I didn't have a pump and never attempted bottles.

 

[EarthyLady]

I go through a TON of breast pads! Plus "burp" clothes, towels, wash clothes, anything that will soak up milk. I leak like crazy. For a pump, while it is not NECESSARY if you stay home, it certainly does come in handy! I get rock hard, porn star, boobs that the baby is just not capable of latching on or relieving enough to help with the pain. I did endure once and refuse to pump, but it was a miserable two weeks waiting on things to calm down. I pump and donate and it makes life so much better. So .... a NEED? maybe not. But certainly is helpful. Plus, sometimes babies have trouble nursing from torticollis, or tongue ties/lip ties, etc and being able to pump until help is reached, can make all the difference. If insurance is willing to cover for free, then I would highly encourage having it just in case. If you don't use it, you're not out anything.