We Want to PUMP! YOU UP! (My Double Electric Breast Pump Has Arrived!)

Yes, I have been so eagerly awaiting the day that my Medela InStyle Double Electric Breast Pump would arrive! I absolutely adore breastfeeding my little boy, but I am also a working mom. While I am blessed enough to be able to work from home and also have an area to bring my son to work, there are times when meetings are on and I need to leave bub with someone else to take care of him.

Because I've been breastfeeding exclusively, I've really been hesitant to use formula even for those occasions I had to leave my baby with someone else. I know breastfeeding is not for everyone but since it is something that is working for us, I wanted to maintain what was going into my son's body.

My pumping journey has been a bit on the hilarious side.

1. First, I tried a manual pump from a friend. I started out very optimistic., picturing an abundant flow milk pouring from my bosom. Then came the reality check. After about 15 very uncoordinated minutes, I found myself with a cramped hand, and an ounce of milk. I was so discouraged!

2. I then rang the chemist as I heard they hired out electric pumps which would hook up into this manual pump. I had to ring a few places before I found success and it was $30/week! Great for a once-off but not a good long-term solution at all.

3. A couple of days later I happened to be at a friend's house. She was moving out of the country and had a few items to get rid of so I was stoked to see that one such item was a electric (battery operated) pump. This was the funniest experience to date. I hooked up, convinced this was going to be the pump that changed my life. As soon as I got it connected, I cried out in pain! It literally felt like my nipple was going to fall off! I finally understood women who say they have great pain in breastfeeding and immediately felt horrible for them! Determined as I am, I continued to try but no milk came out. My midwife happened to be coming the following day for a home visit so I asked her about it. After showing her what I was going, she said, "First of all, this pump is too small for your nipple." (Hence the awful ripping feeling!) None the less, the battery faded out within the time that it took to try and show my midwife so I gave up on that one!

4. My husband and I decided to suck it up. We have been very thrifty with our "Baby Bonus" but this was going to be worth it. We did lots of homework online - and asking other breastfeeding moms - and decided to go with the Medela In Style Breast Pump.
Even the packaging indicates that THIS is the real deal! It arrived in a beautiful backpack with a compartment for the actual pumping mechanism on the bottom and a section at the top for bottles and the cooler bag (included.) There are all kinds of practical compartments which really excites an organised mom like me. It even came with a manual pump just in case!

My first pumping experience was in the evening and my baby was going through one of those big eating stages. He had all but sucked me dry but I still managed to pump 2 ounces. I couldn't believe how comfortable it was compared to the other pumps I had tried! It felt like a miracle and I waved the milk in my husband's face in joy!!

I now pump regularly to keep up a stock for those just in case times and always have a great yield in record time and with a lot of comfort.

Its a real blessing. This morning, our baby woke up about half an hour early. Being the weekend, my sweet husband grabbed him and gave him a bath while I kept sleeping (yes, exhausted from the other 3 times I had fed him in the night!). I started to hear my son's hunger squack but by the time I had come out from bed, there was my wonderful husband feeding our baby a bottle.

We love our Medela In Style Advanced Breast Pump and would DEFINITELY RECOMMEND it!

Happy feeding times!