Hands free pumping?

DM718

I finally got around to contacting a DME company for my breastpump, and one of the options is a Freemie system (fully covered by insurance) or Freemie cups as an upgrade to a Medela system.  I've (hopefully) posted a picture from the Amazon listing to explain what the Freemie system is, but it's a hands-free pumping set up.

Anyways, discovering that "hands free" was an option made me aware of how little I know about this stuff - I didn't realize I'd have to hold up bottles to my boobs while I pump with a typical system.  

Anyways, I'm wondering what other "hands free" options there are?  So far, I've found those bandeau bra things that hold the pump bottles up.  Any other ideas?  Is holding up bottles all that bad?  I figure I could do that at home, watching TV, but at work I'd prefer to respond to email, etc.  Will I be stuck in button down shirts at work for the next year if I go with the standard collection bottles?  My non-maternity wardrobe is heavy on dresses.

Thanks in advance for any advice.  

lynndavid6912

Agreed with everything already been said. I used a Medela PISA and the bandeau style pumping bra for work. Worked out great for me. Never did the sports bra thing because it seemed too awkward to manage at work.

Your wardrobe does have to change, because whether you're nursing or pumping, you still want to have easy access to the girls. Wrap dresses work okay, but most of my work dresses sat in the closet until my pumping days were over.

FrecklesInside

My hands free option was cutting slits in a sports bra and using that to hold it on.

Or you could not be as cheap as me and buy bras made for pumping.

mangomimosa

I had the Freemie as an option, too. But reviews are not nearly as good as Medela PISA & I plan to get hands free bras instead (also highly rated: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0097GUCZ6/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1421172605&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SY200_QL40 ) I KNOW this combo will give me hands free pumping + a great pump.

I just figure - I want a damn good pump. Medela PISA has amazing reviews from hundreds of women, the LC's where I used to work highly recommended it, and tons of people on TB sing its praises. Replacement parts and accessories are available at Target. Freemie is a pump with a gimmick -- not a damn good pump. It has worse reviews, I've never heard of it, couldn't run out to buy a back up battery if I needed it NOW, etc. Freemie is a gamble, in my book.

DM718

Thanks for the advice!  I'm not used to being so ignorant about what my world will be looking like going forward, it's nice to hear what has worked for all of you who've been there before.

Stephy129

This is what I did.

https://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/pumping/hands-free-pumping/

I used thin hair ties and looped then around a nursing bra and then looped them around the cups. (There are pictures in the link because I know this makes no sense) No need to change every time I pumped and it was much more comfortable than the hands free bra my sister used.

Boycrazymommy

My experience is that pumping hands-free did not give me enough output. I was an exclusive pumper with both a hospital grade rental and a PISA, and unless I manually expressed while I was pumping, I could not meet my son's demand. I got significantly more milk by squeezing with my hands while the pump was doing its job. I wish it had worked for me though, because I was pumping around the clock for months and being able to use my hands would have been a godsend.

ETA Take-home point: I would not go with a hands-free only pump. There are plenty of ways to make a traditional double-electric hands free and you never know what your needs are going to be.

DM718

@Stephy129 - That is genius!  I have to bookmark Kellymom.com - it keeps on coming up on the board as a great resource.

Bostonchelle

This is a nursing tank w the hands free option built in... Works great.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B009EFS9GY/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1421176117&sr=8-1&dpPl=1&dpID=41+uYml5rdL&ref=plSrch&pi=AC_SY200_QL40#

I had greater output with a hands free device- I also used the bandeau type bra style.

lynndavid6912

I feel like I need to add because I feel like it might not be obvious to a FTM or someone new to pumping... I wore a regular bra or nursing bra to work and then hooked up my pump and put on the bandeau pump bra over everything - it wasn't something I wore all day.

tabitha722

cwbandthenewbie said:

I feel like I need to add because I feel like it might not be obvious to a FTM or someone new to pumping... I wore a regular bra or nursing bra to work and then hooked up my pump and put on the bandeau pump bra over everything - it wasn't something I wore all day.

This exactly. I kept my bandeau pump bra in my pump bag. It's not something you wear all day.

Thank you!! Even though this is my 3rd, and I was an exclusive pumper for my first... I never really knew how this part worked. I felt stupid even considering asking!

DM718

@tabitha722 I've started to become thankful whenever something makes me aware of how little I know.  I have no shame in asking questions, and @lynndavid6912 and @cwbandthenewbie are right - this stuff is not intuitive.  I got home from work last night and probably researched and discussed "pumping logistics" with my husband for an hour.  

I'd rather look dumb here and be better prepared in the spring than try to figure this out on minimal sleep in a couple of months.

JennyP0222

Add me to team "cut a hole in your sports bra". Would you believe it took me like 9 months to figure out to do this? The whole first 9 months I just sat there and held the bottles like a dummy. Granted at that point I was nursing mostly but just pumping for extra 2x a day. Once my son self weaned and I became an exclusive pumper, I realized that I was wasting away many hours of my day sitting there holding up those stupid bottles. Then I cut the holes in my sports bra and never looked back. Could reallllllly have kicked myself for not figuring that out a whole helluva of a lot sooner. 

JCWhitey

I'm getting the Freemie!  I told my boss I was going to be pumping during out meeting.  :P

I already have a PISA somewhere in this world and wouldn't even get another pump if I knew when I'd be reunited with it (like the rest of my belongings, it's in storage somewhere I can't get to).  I figured I'll get it eventually so I'm getting the Freemie just to try it out and have it as an option.