July 2016 Moms
benten24
member
Pumps galore
benten24
member
Okay ladies, let's hear what pump you recommend and why. Insurance is reimbursing me for whichever one I want, and I'm overwhelmed with the choices.
Re: Pumps galore
ohhhh, breast pumps... I forget I'm pregnant sometimes...
DD #2: EDD July 2016
I found this link today while on TB website. Essentially this company takes all of the guess work out of the process if you know which pump you're most interested in. They call your insurance and contact your provider for the Rx and then they call you to make sure everything is correct and that this is the style you want/is covered/ etc. Then they mail you off the requested pump. I signed up to have them handle it for me and I should be hearing from one of their company reps within 5 days so I'll let you know how that goes but it seems promising ! edited because the hyperlink was wrong.
@LifeofLauren2 they don't ask for cc info or anything and don't mention it costing anything, I think they're more interested in the $ they get from insurance companies to buy their stuff - BUT if that changes and they ask me to pay I will let you know !
4 rounds of clomid, 2 with IUI = BFN
I'm overly excited about it. I'm trying to avoid buying things before my shower, so anything I can have now is exciting.
1. For the first three months after delivery, while I was on maternity leave, I rented the hospital grade pump from my hospital. I kept it upstairs in the baby's room for middle of the night pumps and had the Ameda downstairs for when I wanted to watch tv or whatever. I strongly believe that this established my supply and helped me stick to the every two hour schedule.
2. I played around with lots of different flange sizes at different times. My breasts fluctuated in size as my supply first came in, then was established, then when my pumping schedule changed. Sometimes I would think I was losing supply, and I would change size and blam, back to normal. I also used coconut oil EVERY time I pumped. Made things much easier on the ole nips.
Good luck!
There are so many options! Ugh. I kinda wish insurance would just pick for me haha.
I recommend the Medela PISA for the following reasons:
- The dual-mode feature is amazing. It has a 'let-down' mode and a 'suck' mode. Other pumps, like the Ameda Purely Yours (often compared to the PISA), does not.
- Replacement parts are incredibly easy to find and not too expensive.
- It's
one of the most used pump brands on the market so nearly all medical
providers that deal with BFing are familiar with the pumps.
- Very easy to troubleshoot.
- Medela customer service is above-par.
It doesn't matter if you get the Medela with the bag and bells/whistles or just stick with the starter kit. I paid extra to get the bag and ended up buying a completely different pumping bag when I returned to work (I was carrying a purse, pump bag, and lunch bag to work every day... it was ridiculous! I needed one bag to consolidate it all).I also have the Ameda Purely Yours and I dislike it. I used the PISA for nearly a year before I got the Purely Yours (for free from my insurance because I still BF). Its speeds and suck don't compare to the PISA and there is not let down mode. I honestly think if I'd been given a Purely Yours when I started BFing I wouldn't have been successful. I couldn't even get a letdown with the thing... and that is after pumping for a year with another pump (so my body knows what to do at this point...)!
Insurances generally take two approaches to providing breast pumps:
- They provide them directly
- They provide them through a medical equipment supplier, other authorized retailer, or reimburse you for your purchase
I've had insurances that did both. I used Aeroflow for my first pump and and had the option of three different pumps. I elected to go with the PISA (a starter kit was free but you could pay a small fee to upgrade and include extra supplies and a carrying bag). For my second pump, I was under a new insurance plan and they send you your pump directly. I had no choice about the brand of pump and was sent the Ameda Purely Yours.For this baby I will continue using my PISA however, I plan on buying a Spectra 2.
Like a PP mentioned, the Spectra s2 is all the rage right now. This is because its a hospital grade pump (closed system) for a non-hospital-grade pump price. My insurance doesn't cover it so I will pay out of picket for it. Some warnings about the Spectra system though: the parts aren't as easy to acquire as Medela parts. Medela parts are not interchangeable with the spectra system (although you can hack it I hear), the Spectra s1 and 9 plus are completely different from the s2 (the s2 is the one that's all the rage, NOT the 1 and 9).
In the end, I would chose to get whatever gets you the most bang for your buck from your insurance company.
- Medela PISA - the starter kit is valued at about ~$150, a full package including carry bag and extra ranges from $250-$325 (depending on which carry bag you select).
- Spectra s2 - Starter kit is about $130, full package is about $230.
- Ameda Purely Yours - starter kit is about $100, full package is about $150
It's worth noting that a quick amazon review search will return the same results; both the PISA and Spectra s2 are far better reviewed than the Ameda Purely Yours.DS: EDD, December 19th, 2014. Born, December 19th, 2014!
DD: EDD, July 18th, 2016. Born, July 19th, 2016!
Baby #3: EDD, April 16th, 2016
DS: EDD, December 19th, 2014. Born, December 19th, 2014!
DD: EDD, July 18th, 2016. Born, July 19th, 2016!
Baby #3: EDD, April 16th, 2016
DS: EDD, December 19th, 2014. Born, December 19th, 2014!
DD: EDD, July 18th, 2016. Born, July 19th, 2016!
Baby #3: EDD, April 16th, 2016
Agreed!!!!
Mine always said "PAT BOONE" or "BATHROOM" over and over and over again. It was enough to drive me nuts.
Mine always said "PAT BOONE" or "BATHROOM" over and over and over again. It was enough to drive me nuts.
Mine said "you're my bitch, you're my bitch"
But I rented a hospital grade Ameda pump from my hospital for the duration--I firmly believe that it worked 10x better than any consumer grade pump and was worth the additional cost. https//jet.com/product/detail/f36d1ab35f6245a19859a77a8443266fjcmp=pla:ggl:baby_toddler_a1:nursing_feeding_breast_pumps_a1_other:na:na:na:na:na:2&code=PLA15&k_clickid=5a8c84bb-ace1-4b04-85ab-3040f9372a66&abkId=403-22189&gclid=CKKV08DDy8oCFVQYHwodmM4ITA I did have to replace the valves frequently to maintain suction power. And It was nice to have a backup pumping option in case something broke. For a hormonal mommy whose breasts are about to explode, a malfunctioning pump is a catastrophe of the highest order.
Some other stuff you might need if you're a frequent pumper:
My insurance just said "send us the receipt" and they'll reimburse the cost. Call your insurance to find out what they cover.