Lots of mums invest in a breast pump before baby is born. But is it something that needs to go into the hospital bag?
Will I need to take my breast pump to hospital?
Kira – Summer 21/22 Baby Group member
Most, if not all, Australian hospitals with a maternity ward have their own hospital-grade breast pumps. A hospital-grade pump is generally larger, more long-lasting and designed to be used by multiple women. That’s because they’re closed system pumps so there is a barrier that stops germs and bacteria from going into the motor and tubes of the pump.
A breast pump purchased for home use is usually smaller and designed for use by just one person. However, there are companies that sell breast pump models that are classed as hospital-grade.
So the question is, should you take your own breast pump to the hospital? There are a few things to consider:
- The hospital breast pump may be more powerful, or different to the one you have at home.
- You may prefer to get used to your own pump while there are midwives and lactation consultants to help.
- Your hospital may only have a small number of pumps that need to be shared around, so you may not always get it when you need it.
- If you take your own pump you’ll learn if it’s the right one for you.
- If you’d prefer to use the hospital grade pump, there is the option to hire a similar one from the Australian Breastfeeding Association once you leave hospital.
Real mum advice: “I took mine so I could get help with using it correctly before I went home. They’re all a little different and I wanted to be confident with mine.” – Tanitha
So, technically, no you don’t need to take your own breast pump to hospital. Just check with your local maternity ward that they have pumps available.
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