I mean, whatever you are into. But, as a Lactation Consultant, I can tell you, if you are NOT lactating, it will hurt like hell. And not in a good way! Lactating breasts secrete a lubricant from the Glands of Montgomery (those little bumps on your aureole that look like pimples or goosebumps) and when you are not lactating, they Glands don't secrete much at all.

Also, the better quality pumps yield better results and have more consistent suction PSI and cycle times.

Cheap pumps, like the Evenflo, the Gerber, the Isis, the "Gentle Expressions" do NOTHING but cause pain, not good, sexy pain, just shitty pain. Any pump under $300.00 (with about one exception, the Medela Double Ease) is usually poor quality, can generate so much suction that they actually can cause nipple and breast damage and HURT like hell. Cheap pumps can generate, in a very inconsistent way,up to 10 times the neccesary suction, and cycle times that keep the negative pressure on the breast for TOO LONG of a time and it can cause breast damage to use these cheap ass pumps. That is why breastfeeding mothers should NEVER buy a breast pump from places like Baby's R Us, Target, KMart, Walmart etc. They carry crappy products, and the people who work there are clueless about HOW the product works, and which product is best for each woman's needs.

I need to tell you. I have certainly used breastpumps myself, while nursing my own children. I also sell and rent high quality hospital grade pumps for my clients (they are expensive, because a lot of research goes into them, the materials are medical grade, and safe and the suctions and cycles are consistent and similar to what a human infant generates.) and there is NOTHING sexy IMO about pumping your breasts. It's actually a bit of a pain in the ass. I've never heard a woman say she ENJOYS it. It may be necessary if you need to be away from your baby, or your baby can't latch or is hospitalized, but most women see breast pumps as a necessary PITA. And many breastfeeding moms NEVER even need a breast pump. Many just use the baby all the time, which is ideal.

The suction on a good quality breast pump should NOT be strong, and should be very consistent (meaning the PSI are the SAME on every cycle and don't' change as the container fills with milk) in a high quality pump, babies don't generate a lot of negative pressure, and neither should a good pump. I have never felt the least bit stimulated while pumping and NEVER felt the desire to use one while not lactating, and I have at least 20 pumps in my house at all times.

Whatever floats your boat, but I wouldn't buy a cheap one. I've seen serious, deep tissue damage from poor quality pumps. This, in some cases, can actually be permanent. As the FDA refuses to control the quality of breast pumps (urged by the formula companies that they are "not medical appliances" and they ARE!) so many dangerous breast pumps are easily available.

Also, trying to pump a "dry breast" without good preparation can be painful and also harmful. If done properly, say a situation where a woman is going to adopt a baby and needs to generate a supply, or the non-pregnant woman in a lesbian relationship wants to be able to also feed the baby and needs to generate a supply, it is quite safe, but one would need to hire a lactation consultant (they run about $120.00 per visit and up in my area) do the proper preparation, obtain a high quality pump and stick to a regular schedule. I wouldn't recommend just putting a pump on non-lactating breasts, if you aren't trying to make milk for a baby for any reason. less

I find the idea of feeding babies with my breasts unappealing. As I have no desire to have kids, my breasts will always be toys. It is bizarre and fascinating to me that a body part might be able to make a kind of food, though. On and off, I have had an obsession with lactation. It is rare that the act of lactation or breasts that look ripe for lactation turn me on (but I have seen some videos and art that were very, very nice in that way.). But I still can't help but want to try lactating for a little while, even if my partner isn't much of a fan of the bodily function. But I have turn offs, too--the fear of permanent changes to my breasts (would there be?), the amount of time needed to lactate at all without pregnancy and all the unfun things that can occur with pumping. But the act of pumping seems very interesting to me. Not just the sensation--but more so the act of producing. I realize pumps don't feel like lips but that is sort of the appeal. I am interested in sexual acts with cold, hard machines. Yes, my interests are strange, but a lot of "normal" interests are just as strange to me. :/ I am leaning further away from the experimentation now, though. I hope I can get better at drawing machines and play with the fantasy in art. less

Hmm, I'm a Lactation Consultant, so I could go on about this all day, It isn't supposed to hurt. Many women need professional help, in the form of a Private Practice LC (NOT the ones in the hospital, who only want to get you out of there in 15 minutes.) Private Practice Lactation Consultants work IN the Community, they don't fly by your hospital room for 3 minutes, tell you to "keep trying" log you into their book and then go home. PPLCs actually will spend hours, or days, or even weeks working with you until the problem is solved, IF it takes that long.

There is more to just "benefits to the baby." Reduces the death rate in infancy by 50%, protects children from at least 15 different types of cancer until after THEIR menopausal or senior years. Reduction of allergies and sensitivities. Possible up to 12 Point IQ boost to the baby, girls who are breast fed are more protected against breast cancer, women who breast feed can lower their cancer risk by up to 85% in their lifetimes. Less diarrhea in the babies, less ear infections, less GI and respiratory infections, reduce chances of diabetes and high cholesterol in the child's adulthood. As I said, I could go on for days. It's a biological imperative. Only about 0.01% of the female population is completely unable to breastfeed, sore nipples, if they DO happen, if attended to right away can be remedied easily. (and more than 80% of women who DO NOT use bottle or pacifiers in the early months NEVER get sore nipples)

Aside from that 1 in 1,000 to 2,000 women who actually, physically can't, those who DO manage to breastfeed (yeah, the first few weeks are difficult for many, like ANYTHING WORTH DOING) the rewards are immeasurable.

Swing over to La Leche League Site or KellyMom Breastfeeding site for more info.

It's really not "gross" and there is a hell of a lot more to it than "Better for the baby." Good luck in your quest. less