You can rent a hospital-grade pump by the week or month. I would recommend that vs. an Avent (which I used and loved) since it will be your first time dealing with breast milk at all. The hospital-grade pumps do all the work for you.

I won't try to talk you into nursing if you really don't want to do it -- but I can tell you that God nicely arranges for our post-pregnancy nipples to shift downward, thus making it possible to nurse without exposing anything (except a bit of muffin top). ;-)
 

I agree with Nancy...check into renting.

I am also one that never wants to show a boob...and I nursed for 17 months. I don't think I EVER nursed in public. I always sat in the car, or went to a changing room if I was in a store. However, I had so much milk, that Laney was always done in 5 minutes (after about the 3 month)...so it was never a big deal to hide somewhere for 5 minutes. Also, it was the best diet around...that's why I stuck it out for 17 months.

But yes...it so helped with the engorgement. I used the Purely Yours Pump and loved it.
 

The manual pump can be a pain. Mine always squeaked - so annoying.

I would rent a hospital grade pump too. You can pump both sides at the same time - so efficient! It will help with the engorgement. And then you can pump a little less time each day and slowly wean yourself off. Then the pain wouldn't be that bad, I would think. When I stopped breastfeeding, I just stopped, and it was kinda painful! I'm dreading it this time around...
 

I breastfed Emily for 11 months, but I pumped as well. It helped increase my supply and it allowed me to store up bottles and stuff so that L could feed her.

At first I used a manual pump (Medela), but I seriously would not recommend it unless you are like a milk fountain. I was not a milk fountain and I struggled with the manual pump. I would get blisters from trying to use it.

Definitely go with the electric pump. I had the Medela Pump-In- Style and I liked it. (Although I swear that whenever it is quiet I can still hear that dreaded "pump" noise.)

I didn't buy, it is a family hand-me-down. I did upgrade to the new Pump-In-Style for the new baby b/c someone was selling one for really cheap and because my sister is already using the other one.

Pumping is time consuming, but once you get the hang of it and know how to "manipulate" your breasts to get the maximum milk production out at each sitting, you get used to it.

It will definitely help with engorgement! I never had an engorgement problem-- probably b/c I was always either nursing or pumping.

Maybe try the manual pump when you first have the baby, but don't be discouraged-- I thought the electric was soooooooo much easier, so you might want to try renting one if you think you can manage.

I think I have heard good things about the Avent manual pump.
 

Oh, when I said the manual pump gave me blisters, I meant on my hands!
 

Katie, ROFL at your last comment. ;) I figured...

Thanks for all the advice and comments, all. I think I'm leaning toward renting the hospital one for awhile to see how it goes.
 

FYI--pumping sucks! I couldn't imagine all the time spent pumping and then feeding it to the baby! I swear actually breastfeeding isn't that bad (I don't breastfeed in public, we take a bottle when we are out)...I will now shut my trap since this is unwanted advice!
 

Oh, and I don't restrict caffeine...Claire has no issues!
 

I exclusively breastfed both of mine and had a hand pump that I used several times a week with M, rarely with J. For as little as I used it, I couldn't justify getting an electric pump. However, I didn't begin to use the hand pump until my milk supply had been established.

I know many, many people who have pumped exclusively or done some combination of pumping and formula--including a mom who pumped for twins (while suppleneting with formula) for over a year. If you think you'd like to try the pumping thing for an extended period of time, send me an e-mail and I can find out if one of them will give you more info.
 

Erin, I am no expert, but when I pumped with Beaux I used the Pump in style. It took much less time and was pretty easy. That said? The more you pump? The more you produce. So, I still had engorgement and pain when I stopped.
The interesting thing is that I could have fed the Russian army my breastmilk with Beaux, but with Bella? I had none. Nada. No pain, no engorgement, no leaky boobs. It never came in and I had no trouble.
 

well the past two times I was a "pumper", I nursed Easton at home because I too wasnt into the whole nursing in public thing. So I would take a bottle with EBM :) I pumped for Haley for 15 months because she was so early we had alot of concern of "how much" she was getting..It got so easy that I would only pump 3 times a day and would pump enough for her 8oz bottles all day. But I was a milk cow and was close to making 3 gallons a week...haha With Easton, I didnt have quite the same supply, but it was still good until I/we got thrush and I gave up nursing because we couldnt get rid of it, and I pumped until my supply dwindled around 10 months. I always used the electric medela pump in style. its awesome. both sides got done at the same time and it was only about 10-15min of my time. I got so good at it, I would have my computer time while pumping ;) both hands free. get a car adapter and pump in the car ;) haha I would recommend getting a rented hospital grade one or find a medela pump in style (gift, craigslist, ebay etc) I have heard the manual avent is the best for hand ones, but really only good for pumping enough for one bottle here or there I believe. if you want to try and use only breast milk for a couple months the electric is better.
 

Oh I second..or is it third? the caffeine thing..The other two never had a problem with it and so far Hudson doesnt either :) have you ever checked out kellymom.com? I was just reading there about it :)
 

Becky, not unwanted advice at all. I appreciate the input! :)
 

I didn't limit caffeine either. If I had done that...I wouldn't have made it 17 days, much less 17 months.

Diet Dr. Pepper runs through my veins!!!!
 

I limited my caffeine with Isaac, but not with Jacob. It didn't seem to make a bit of difference either way.

Feeding your baby breastmilk is absolutely frustrating at first, whether you use the boob or a bottle. At first, hardly anything comes out, because the baby needs to eat so frequently -- I remember with Isaac I was constantly in tears for probably the first six weeks thinking there was no way he was getting enough to eat (while clearly he was getting rolier and polier by the second). And when it is time to pump, your boobies will get engorged and it will not be comfortable. I didn't pump at first with either of my fellers, but you may have to pump very frequently to get your milk supply up. I remember for the first month Jacob wanted to nurse, no joke, like every 45 minutes.

I pumped part of the time with Isaac from 3 months on and used a Medela Pump-in-Style I bought brand-new on eBay, saving probably a hundred bucks. There are lots of people on eBay hawking their used ones... ew. Just ew. But if you're not sure pumping would work for you, I would echo what others have said about renting a hospital-grade pump at first. Then if you decide that it suits you you can go from there. With Jacob, I only pumped when he started eating solid foods and so I never touched my PIS and used only the Avent Isis, a $40 hand pump that I recommend strongly above all other hand pumps.

All modesty aside, and just sharing my extremely limited experience here, but I really have no idea how anyone can get by without breastfeeding their second baby (if they can, that is). I know people do it all the time, and I know I am sheltered in my little university-erected granola tent, but ...There are not words to express how convenient it is. No bottles to wash, no trips to the store to buy formula, (hopefully) no worrying about switching formulas to help a gas-master baby. When the baby wakes up in the middle of the night screaming and hungry, it takes two seconds to pop a boob in his mouth, so quick that no other small people in the house will be awakened by said screaming. And there's the fringe benefit that breastfed baby poop smells like Auntie Anne's pretzels.
 

DOH! Blogger deleted my well-thought out comment.

Well, I had just commented to reply to the previous comment about Ebay pumps.

I wouldn't advocate buying a used pump from a stranger on Ebay.

I used one from my sister and I bought one from an acquaintance from my husband's work who was selling hers after using it for only one week. I know none of them have AIDs/hepatitus/ or any crazy diseases.

I just replaced all of the parts/tubing etc. and used the motor part. I know that sharing is considered unsafe, but I think the warnings are fairly cautious/conservative.

I guess I'm a rebel pumper for having a used pump.

The hospital rentals are made for multiple users and are obviously safe to share.
 

I am a little late and you have lots of advice already but I will put in my 2 cents. I had all kinds of latching problems with Rece so for a couple weeks, I pumped a lot and I couldn't get a drop out with a hand pump. I had to rent a hospital pump and later I bought a medela pump in style. I love it. I won't give advice about breastfeeding cause I do it freely in public and I don't really care about the whole modesty thing. But I will agree that I never limited caffiene and it is soooo much easier mid night!