Milk me! How do you choose a breast pump?

UTAmbs11

I have no clue where to start on selecting a breast pump.  How did you all pick one?  

STM+'s did your body take to it easily?

Greencows4812

I chose based on what my insurance provided and hen did reviews. My insurance provided a Medela and another brand I was super familiar with and I knew Medela is consider one of the best brands so that's what I went with. 

Ash9614

I used Lucie's list to narrow down some options on quite a few things, from pumps to baby carriers, to strollers. She has a "baby registry" recommendation list that's super helpful! Once I narrowed down, I then checked with my mom friends for their personal experiences on some brands. Hope that helps!

atcwag

First, check with your insurance/DME provider as to which ones they cover. After that, honestly unless they don't cover it, you're probably going to want the Medela Pump in Style Advanced. It's pretty much the one that most get unless it's unavailable through insurance. 

jarethinafrock

Like PPs, I got what what covered by my insurance company. I ended up
getting the Medela Pump in Style. I wish I had also gotten a manual hand pump, but in the end it wasn't that necessary.

jstinkz

I agree with checking with your insurance to see what they cover. My insurance covered the Medela Pump in Style and it's rated one of the best so that's what I got. I did buy a manual just in case for some reason I had to use a work truck that didn't have a working power source and if the batteries were dead. I used the manual once and hated it. I loved the Medela PIS as much as you can love a breast pump. I HATE pumping, but had to do it 6x a day once I went back to work. 

ZoeFer

I also heard that Madela is the best. I have not checked with my insurance yet though. My question is whether to buy the pump before or after the birth? Do you need the pump as soon as baby arrives or only when you start working. Some people say wait and see if you have milk etc. I feel so ignorant about these things.

shevaCC

Like PPs I got the Medela pump in style advanced. I bought one with DD, my insurance covered a second one for DS so I kept one at home and one at work.

@zoefer, You might need a pump early on if baby has a lot of trouble nursing, or you decide to feed some bottles of breastmilk. And there's no harm in getting one early since they don't expire. I ended up buying mine from Babies R Us right when I needed it, and my insurance reimbursed me, but all insurance providers handle it differently.

I didn't start pumping until 6 weeks post partum either time and hope to do similarly this time.

atcwag

ZoeFer said:

I also heard that Madela is the best. I have not checked with my insurance yet though. My question is whether to buy the pump before or after the birth? Do you need the pump as soon as baby arrives or only when you start working. Some people say wait and see if you have milk etc. I feel so ignorant about these things.

You'll have to check with your insurance to see how they handle things. Mine would only cover after birth, so I submitted a claim soon after and went to a local DME supplier to pick up. 
It's recommended, in the absence of any major latching or feeding issues, to wait until 4-6 weeks to pump. This will allow time for your milk supply to regulate and breastfeeding to become well
estabilished. Some issues from early introduction of bottles, with some babies, are bottle vs. breast preference, overeating leading to refusal at the breast, nipple preference and supply issues. Pumping before supply is regulated can also cause oversupply, which sounds great, but really sucks. 
In the event that you would need to pump early because of feeding issues, your hospital can supply a pump until you can pick up your own if you weren't able to get it before birth. 

UTAmbs11

Thank you for all the feedback!

Just curious, is there something specific about the Medela brand that makes it so preferred?  More reliable, better comfort, easier to use?

atcwag

UTAmbs11 said:

Thank you for all the feedback!

Just curious, is there something specific about the Medela brand that makes it so preferred?  More reliable, better comfort, easier to use?

All of the above + most feel they get the most output. 

shevaCC

@UTAmbs11 I feel like they all suck, but the medela is the best known and perhaps the most reliable. There's been research in the last 5 years on developing a better, more natural feeling pump since today's pumps haven't been improved in many years. But I'm not sure anything will come of the research in time for these babies.

ashleymercado88

ZoeFer said:

I also heard that Madela is the best. I have not checked with my insurance yet though. My question is whether to buy the pump before or after the birth? Do you need the pump as soon as baby arrives or only when you start working. Some people say wait and see if you have milk etc. I feel so ignorant about these things.

I like to pump as soon as the baby arrives because my body has stopped producing milk continuously at 2 months and 4 months of age for each of my sons. So I like to pump and freeze as much as I can to continue their breast milk routines and of course, save money from buying formula.

fiscally3

Just a fun fact, check how your insurance covers it. My sister's was "free" after she met her deductible, which would be fine except she had a December baby and didn't think to order it until January. Which meant that she had no longer met her deductible.  

ZoeFer

Thank you all for the information and insights !

hellopartyof5

The Spectra S2 is actually supposed to be freaking amazing.  From what I've been reading its better than the Medela (which is what I had).  The only problem is the parts aren't as readily accessible.  That being said, I never needed different parts, so it wouldn't have been a problem for me.

whaat

I got the medela pump in style bc my insurance covered it and it had good reviews. It already came in the mail. 

TinyAlligator

I just ended up getting the one my insurance covered which was the Ameda Purely Yours. I liked that it was a closed system over the Medela PISA (which is open). But parts I had to order on amazon. I exclusively pumped and it did a great job. I heard some really good things about the spectra. If I end up having a NICU baby again I'll see what I can do about having insurance covering the cost of renting a hospital grade pump. (They said that was an option) the Medela Symphony that I got to use while visiting the hospital during my daughter's stay was AMAZING.

aquasocks

To piggyback on this, should I get a new one since my old one is now 3 years old? Just new parts?

TinyAlligator

aquasocks said:

To piggyback on this, should I get a new one since my old one is now 3 years old? Just new parts?

If insurance covers it, I would definitely get a new one, as the pump gets weaker the more you use it. Unless you didn't use the first one much.

shevaCC

@aquasocks, I got a new one when DS was born since insurance covered it so I could leave one at home and one at work (I commuted via transit at the time). I mostly used my old one since that was the one at work, and I probably could've lived without the new one. I didn't even get new parts, just sterilized the old parts. I don't actually think I'll get a new one this time, even if covered, since I don't need a 3rd pump.

PrettyPalomino

For those of us without insurance coverage, what is a great pump that won't break the bank? Medela's are so expensive....

shevaCC

@PrettyPalomino, what do you need it for? Working FT? Occasional use? If you're working FT and planning on pumping I don't know anyone who managed without a double electric breastpump. Ameda Purely Yours might be slightly cheaper, but I've noticed pumps rarely go on sale any more now that every mom with health insurance should be eligible for one in the US.

How are you otherwise managing to afford pregnancy with no health insurance? Formula is pretty expensive too, much more so over the months of use than a breast pump, even an expensive one.

PrettyPalomino

@shevaCC thanks for the info! I'm actually Canadian so baby is free and mat leave is a year but I want to mentally/financially prepare for worst-case-scenario where baby doesn't latch or whatnot.

They also rarely go on sale in Canada, I do know some people have coverage through work but I guess my workplace is stingy...

HotSauceSwagBag

@PrettyPalomino renting might be another option? I'd rather rent and get a good one than put up with a shitty one, especially if you plan on pumping a lot. Maybe not though since you get pretty long maternity leave so maybe a power pumper won't be as essential to you. 

I don't know how to go about doing this through insurance. I need an adult. Nothing is straightforward on the website. 

PrettyPalomino

HotSauceSwagBag said:

@PrettyPalomino renting might be another option? I'd rather rent and get a good one than put up with a shitty one, especially if you plan on pumping a lot. Maybe not though since you get pretty long maternity leave so maybe a power pumper won't be as essential to you. 

I don't know how to go about doing this through insurance. I need an adult. Nothing is straightforward on the website. 

I would totally consider renting, as long as I can get past the weirdness of it (kinda feels the same as buying a used mattress?)

ZoeFer

I don't know how to go about doing this through insurance. I need an adult. Nothing is straightforward on the website. 

@HotSauceSwagBag I am totally the same way with insurance issues, I just sent out a message to customer service and ask how I can get info about this issue. I hope it will help me to start with.

shevaCC

@PrettyPalomino being Canadian makes sense. So you're not exactly uninsured, that's good!

I think in your shoes I'd wait. If you end up needing a pump right away, at first the hospital will supply one. If not and BFing is going fine I'd wait the recommended 4-6 weeks before introducing bottles. That will give you plenty of time to figure out if BFing is working out well or not.

Since you're on maternity leave for a year, you don't necessarily need a double electric pump. I only used mine until DS turned 1 -- most women quit pumping at age 1. Now we still BF, but only when together -- he drinks cows milk from a cup and eats regular meals. I have an inexpensive ($30ish) Lansinoh manual pump and it works fine for occasional use, it's just slow. I would kill myself if I had to use it at work all day long for months. There are also single electric pumps (Medela Freestyle has good reviews). Those are easier to use than a manual pump, but obviously slower than pumping both sides at once. I think they're cheaper? Anyway, you have options.

fiscally3

@HotSauceSwagBag I called to ask just where we were deductible wise, mentioned I was pregnant and just trying to figure out how much we might owe. They volunteered the information about providing a pump without me mentioning any interest in a pump. So you could try the customer service number, also if you are working and have insurance through your employer, if anyone else in your office has recently had a kid, they maybe able to guide you, with my first I had co-workers volunteer information without me asking. 

yosemite2018

My mom is a lactation consultant and swears by the Medela Pump in Style Advanced. She also said that Amazon usually has it discounted, so that's going on my registry in about 3.4 seconds... 

PrettyPalomino

shevaCC said:

@PrettyPalomino being Canadian makes sense. So you're not exactly uninsured, that's good!

I think in your shoes I'd wait. If you end up needing a pump right away, at first the hospital will supply one. If not and BFing is going fine I'd wait the recommended 4-6 weeks before introducing bottles. That will give you plenty of time to figure out if BFing is working out well or not.

Since you're on maternity leave for a year, you don't necessarily need a double electric pump. I only used mine until DS turned 1 -- most women quit pumping at age 1. Now we still BF, but only when together -- he drinks cows milk from a cup and eats regular meals. I have an inexpensive ($30ish) Lansinoh manual pump and it works fine for occasional use, it's just slow. I would kill myself if I had to use it at work all day long for months. There are also single electric pumps (Medela Freestyle has good reviews). Those are easier to use than a manual pump, but obviously slower than pumping both sides at once. I think they're cheaper? Anyway, you have options.

Thank you! I don't know where I'd be without non-FTM first hand experiences. I will try my best not to jump the gun and buy things I might not use.

LikeICantEven

I cannot say enough good things about this bra by the way. It was indispensble with my first baby. I HATED pumping and having to hold onto the bottles in the middle of the night was too much sometimes. Sounds small, but it's incredible to have your hands free.

You can also just buy a sports bra for cheap and cut holes where the nipples are to make your own. I highly recommend it. Keep an eye out on Amazon, sometimes it goes for half price or you can buy a different size but buy the tie kind, it doesn't really matter as it's fully adjustable.

Link: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00295MQLU

atcwag

LikeICantEven said:

I cannot say enough good things about this bra by the way. It was indispensble with my first baby. I HATED pumping and having to hold onto the bottles in the middle of the night was too much sometimes. Sounds small, but it's incredible to have your hands free.

You can also just buy a sports bra for cheap and cut holes where the nipples are to make your own. I highly recommend it. Keep an eye out on Amazon, sometimes it goes for half price or you can buy a different size but buy the tie kind, it doesn't really matter as it's fully adjustable.

Link: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00295MQLU

I don't disagree with this, BUT...as I got used to pumping, I found the hands-free bra more than a hassle than anything. I wasn't one to walk around while pumping (that wouldn't really be hands-free anyway as you'd have to hold the pump), but just needed a hand for my phone or the remote. I came to find it just as easy to tuck the flanges into my regular bra. 

aquasocks

I did the rubber band trick to pump hands-free at work! Wrap a large rubber band around the flange and hook it to the bra hook. Kellymom.com might have a pic. You can't walk around really but you can definitely sit and work or check emails!

atcwag

aquasocks said:

I did the rubber band trick to pump hands-free at work! Wrap a large rubber band around the flange and hook it to the bra hook. Kellymom.com might have a pic. You can't walk around really but you can definitely sit and work or check emails!

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

jenesiso

I ordered my Medela pump yesterday through Edge park Medical Supplies and already got it in the mail today! I thought it would come much later. Registration was easy on their website. 

MrsMaryK2016

So I just used this service to get my breast pump on the recommendation of a friend. It was SO EASY! You submit your personal and health insurance information and they send you an email with all the pumps your insurance covers and then some that you can upgrade for a fee. You just email them back which one you want and they mail it out for you. There is no paperwork, no calls to your insurance company, and it's completely FREE! I can't believe no one else told me about this because it was about as simple as you could ask for.

Now, I haven't gotten my pump yet but it's supposed to ship by Monday. If I have any issues I'll let you guys know but so far this has to be the easiest thing I've done this entire pregnancy.

https://www.breastpumps.aeroflowinc.com/

Hope this helps someone!

LadyBugMe101

So I was about ready to buy a pump and started researching which pump to buy when I remembered this thread. I am so glad I read through it all before buying a pump. Called insurance and the pump is fully covered, I would not have known. It was super easy as many of you mentioned. I had many choices but went with the Madela as I saw they have accessories for this brand at almost all stores that sell pumps and supplies. It should be arriving tomorrow :-)

kristah2

Any Canada mommy's know if our insurance also covers pumps?