Mary Kay posts about how she illustrates the difference between a
personal pump and a 'multi-user' pump, comparing a chain saw and a
hand saw for cutting down a large tree.

I'm not sure I agree. It's not as if women need something huge and
motor-powered vs something hand-operated if they need to express milk,
is it?  It's not as if you need a more powerful tool, just a more
durable one, or perhaps a more easily maintained one.  And I try to
avoid any kind of analogy that has associations to bloodshed or
mangling. For that reason I don't use the hamburger/spaghetti analogy
either. Seen too many damaged nipples that looked like raw hamburger
meat for that one to work for me (some of the worst ones were caused
by pumps, ugh). I know I am very picky in this respect :-)

Here we don't have a lot to choose from in the multi-user breast pump
category. If I am counseling someone who needs to pump it's usually
because the baby is unable to suckle well enough. If it's a temporary
thing like near-term gestational age or large weight loss after birth,
I advise them in no uncertain terms to rent a pump rather than buy
one, because then it is really obvious that the pump is a temporary
thing. Also, if something isn't right with it, they can complain to
the rental agent.  If they buy one, they think they should keep using
it even after baby is feeding well.  Rental pumps get returned the
minute they are no longer needed.  My impression is that women are
relieved to know they don't have to make permanent space in their home
for this contraption.

If the baby has a cleft palate that precludes breastfeeding, or
something else of that magnitude, and it looks like pumping is going
to be needed for more than a few weeks, I might recommend they look
into buying a good, durable pump that will stay the course with them.
If the community health visitor has a loaner pump, so much the better
- they may be able to borrow it for as long as they need if they live
in a small enough community (and here, that is a possibility).

It ought to be possible to try on a pump before you buy it, like
shoes.  They are way too expensive to commit to without at least
checking to see if it works for you.

Rachel Myr, still a fan of hand expression wherever possible, in
Kristiansand, Norway

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