I don't have much to share... I'm sure Monday will bring more comments. I ended up stopping pumping a lot because DD refused a bottle so we exclusively breast fed-I'd fill an occasional bottle to mix with solid food later on. I have the medela through insurance, no issues or complaints for the times I used it. But-I actually preferred manual pumping over the course of our year instead of being hooked up to the pump-would pump on one side while nursing on the other.
Alright, so this might also be part FFFC, but several months ago my current insurance sent me a Spectre S2 pump, but my insurance plan is not renewing and I'll probably end up going on DH's insurance. So I'm considering trying to get a different pump through that insurance, maybe a Medela PISA?? I can't help it, I'm all about trying to get the most I can out of my insurance benefits...
Me: 27 DH: 33 Furbaby: Walther, 4 year old Rottweiler/Coonhound mix EDD: 3/7/17<img
Alright, so this might also be part FFFC, but several months ago my current insurance sent me a Spectre S2 pump, but my insurance plan is not renewing and I'll probably end up going on DH's insurance. So I'm considering trying to get a different pump through that insurance, maybe a Medela PISA?? I can't help it, I'm all about trying to get the most I can out of my insurance benefits...
Nothing wrong with that. Maybe you can donate whichever one you like less to a local womens clinic or something?
@Foersty switching insurances is a pain but sometimes you can get some perks with it haha I'm going on my husband's policy in 2017 so I'm trying to get my pump now while I still have the option between the Ameda & Medela.... His insurance only covers the very basic Ameda pump. I'm gonna try to go with the Medela PISA.
Question, with my daughter I used a rented Medela I think. But I really liked the Avent manual because my breasts are larger and their were the silicone cups that were directly against my breasts. It's been 9 years since I used a breast pump so I don't remember if the Medela did. Does anyone know and if not can I purchase an accessory for it. Lastly, does anyone who has responded previously have boobs that are at least a 40DD before pregnancy. I was thinking the using the Medela again but I was looking through a magazine today and I saw that Lansinoh has a pump now. Has anyone use this one?
Question, with my daughter I used a rented Medela I think. But I really liked the Avent manual because my breasts are larger and their were the silicone cups that were directly against my breasts. It's been 9 years since I used a breast pump so I don't remember if the Medela did. Does anyone know and if not can I purchase an accessory for it. Lastly, does anyone who has responded previously have boobs that are at least a 40DD before pregnancy. I was thinking the using the Medela again but I was looking through a magazine today and I saw that Lansinoh has a pump now. Has anyone use this one?
You can definitely but different sizes flanges for the medela, but I don't think they are silicone
I have a question about part compatibility with breast pumps-I've heard that Medela parts can work with a Hygeia pump...does that mean that I can put some Medela flanges onto the hygeia and then pump into the medela bottles and such? Or can I just screw the medela bottles directly into the hygeia? I'm not sure how it all works...I've also heard that Tommee Tippee bottles can work with the spectra pumps, but does that require an adapter? Anyone have experience or advice in this area?
Me: 27 DH: 33 Furbaby: Walther, 4 year old Rottweiler/Coonhound mix EDD: 3/7/17<img
Re-bumping with questions for Spectra S2 and/or glass bottle moms.
Any Spectra s2 moms who've used glass bottles? Other bottles/storage bags you'd recommend with the system? I won't be working or using daycare regularly any time soon, so pumped milk will be for DH and grandparents/babysitters to use occasionally (DH will have to move away when the baby is about 9 weeks so he won't be regularly feeding baby beyond that). I wanted to avoid plastic storage and go with glass, then I realized I'll probably be freezing the milk because of the spotty/occasional usage - and I assume freezing means using plastic bags, not glass bottles, for that part. So now I'm not sure if I could even get the benefit of heating the breastmilk in glass rather than plastic... am I on track? Or can I cut bags open and move the frozen milk into glass bottles easily to reheat & give to the baby?
Any accessories/things for the s2 you love or found worthless?
@sunshine507 I'm a glass bottle mom and soon to be spectra mom!
Yes I pumped into glass, fed from glass, and froze in plastic bags. I would semi defrost milk from the freezer bags, transfer to glass and warm up in the glass bottle. I love glass bottles bc they won't degrade in the dishwasher or over time and won't leach chemicals ever.
I haven't gotten my spectra pump yet - it's processing through insurance.
@sunshine507 For breast milk storage bags, I recommend Dr. Brown's. Most bags work pretty well, but I would stay away from bags that are thin as they can get holes or cracks during freezing and then they leak when you thaw. That's the reason why I didn't like Lansinoh bags. Dr. Brown's was nice and thick, but there are other great brands out there as well. As for freezing, I don't recommend cutting open the frozen bags and then trying to heat in glass as it may be difficult to get all of the milk out. I'd be more afraid of not getting all of the fat and such that makes up breast milk. Heating in the plastic is fine as pretty much all of the milk storage bags are BPA free and all of them come pre-sterilized. Breast milk is heated slowly by putting the frozen bag in a cup/bowl of hot water. Once it's thawed, it can easily be poured into a glass bottle. I think there would be concerns for heating in plastic if the milk is heated quickly in a microwave, but since it's a slower process it should be just fine. I don't have any advice for accessories for the S2 since I don't have my pump yet. Last time around I used the Hygeia Q.
For anyone curious about the spectra s1 from my insurance. Right now I'm using mostly the hospital grade pump (medela symphony) because that's what's recommended during the nicu stay - I pump every two hours except twice at night I go three hours in between.
Between the two I get about 10ml more on the symphony per pump so not much of a different considering the cost difference in pumps. The spectra does have a learning curve though but it's nothing too hard to handle. The medela brand though is pretty simple to use - push a button and boom milk. With the spectra I like it though because you can switch settings so you can have multiple "let downs" and get more out sometimes. As a disclaimer though I always manually help the pump and massage my breasts while pumping so it yields more milk. My little guy is 6 days old and yesterday I pumped 800ml of milk - the lactation consultant said anything over 500 is good.
Honestly I thought I wasn't going to get milk. For 24 hours I pumped every two hours and got nothing. Literally nothing. And then all at once I got 20ml. Then 23. Then 25. It just kept getting better. Now I'm regularly pumping 90ml a sitting - my little guy only takes 40ml every 3 hours.
Just wanted to give an actual spectra review - if anyone has any questions about it let me know!
I ordered the Spectra because I heard it was great, but I have soooo many Medela parts and makes life much easier for cleaning and whatnot.
im guessing parts aren't compatible among pumps?
I'm so glad you asked that! Anyone with experience rigging medela accessories for a spectra pump? All I know is that such a thing exists. I have no idea what that means. I'm hoping to get a spectra s2 this time.
@ivorytower2@longliveregina all I know so far is that there are thread caps to adapt the medela bottles to spectra flange to pump directly into https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01A4LUZA4. This I only know/looked into because my insurance provided a few medela bottles for free when I got my Spectra. As for other parts, I know there must be something to adapt medela parts but I don't know which ones are adaptable and what you would even need!
married 10.10.14 @ Turks & Caicos yorkie mama to Oscar FTM EDD 3.12.17
You can use all your medela parts if you purchase the adaptors - which is an $8 accessory. Totally worth it because medela is so easy to find everywhere where as spectra not as much. Not sure if this link will work for the adaptors or not - being on mobile is hard sometimes.
Any suggestions as far as brands go for manual pumps? I want to have a manual as a backup because I went with the Spectra S2 which has to be plugged in to use and from googling it doesn't seem like there's too many differences in brands?
@EALasagna45 I'm obsessed with my Medela Harmony. I was so surprised at the convenience of not being tethered to a wall outlet, and how efficient and ergonomic it was. I actually didn't bother getting my double electric out of the bag the first 6 months (until I went back to work). And I got 200oz of my freezer stash using only the Harmony.
Thanks @Cbeanz! That brand popped up on my google search but I'd much rather have some feedback from IRL people. That's a crazy impressive stash-I think you may have sold me! Thanks again
That's awesome @Cbeanz! That's the one I got. Need to submit my receipt to my insurance to get reimbursed for that one too.
Is anyone bringing their pump to the hospital if just to have the lactation consultant go over the basics with you? Will obviously try to BF right after birth if possible...
married 10.10.14 @ Turks & Caicos yorkie mama to Oscar FTM EDD 3.12.17
@pandalily I never even thought about asking the hospital of about pumping basics! It can't hurt. Honestly I found it pretty intuitive, and kellymom also has great resources for pumping moms. (like I discovered one reason my kiddo wouldn't take a bottle was that my milk had a crazy lipase imbalance or whatever and would taste seriously nasty after storing 24 hours...I had to scale every bit of milk I stored to deactivate/kill/whatever the enzyme)
@pandalily I brought my pump to the hospital (I have a spectra s1 and a manual Avent and I brought both of them).
My hospital has a Ameda pump, and they gave me a kit with flanges and tubing etc. I used it at first but didn't care for it. I've had better output with the Spectra, but have had the best output with the manual pump.
The first lactation consultant that came in was not familiar with the settings on the spectra, but the second consultant that came in was able to help me with it .
All of the nurses have have been super impressed that I brought my own pump. I just assumed everyone did...
@direwolfmini I'm so glad you've had good results with your manual pump! So many moms don't believe it until they try it (myself included). My output was as good if not better than using my double electric. It doesn't seem possible but I swear it's true!
My spectra is set to arrive today. This baby needs to get out so I can try my new pump out lol!
Re: Is it too early to talk breast pumps?
DH: 33
Furbaby: Walther, 4 year old Rottweiler/Coonhound mix
EDD: 3/7/17<img
I'm going on my husband's policy in 2017 so I'm trying to get my pump now while I still have the option between the Ameda & Medela.... His insurance only covers the very basic Ameda pump. I'm gonna try to go with the Medela PISA.
DH: 33
Furbaby: Walther, 4 year old Rottweiler/Coonhound mix
EDD: 3/7/17<img
https://www.theglassbabybottle.com/info_BREASTPUMP.shtml
This was a good resource for pump part compatibility.
Any Spectra s2 moms who've used glass bottles? Other bottles/storage bags you'd recommend with the system?
I won't be working or using daycare regularly any time soon, so pumped milk will be for DH and grandparents/babysitters to use occasionally (DH will have to move away when the baby is about 9 weeks so he won't be regularly feeding baby beyond that). I wanted to avoid plastic storage and go with glass, then I realized I'll probably be freezing the milk because of the spotty/occasional usage - and I assume freezing means using plastic bags, not glass bottles, for that part. So now I'm not sure if I could even get the benefit of heating the breastmilk in glass rather than plastic... am I on track? Or can I cut bags open and move the frozen milk into glass bottles easily to reheat & give to the baby?
Any accessories/things for the s2 you love or found worthless?
Yes I pumped into glass, fed from glass, and froze in plastic bags. I would semi defrost milk from the freezer bags, transfer to glass and warm up in the glass bottle. I love glass bottles bc they won't degrade in the dishwasher or over time and won't leach chemicals ever.
I haven't gotten my spectra pump yet - it's processing through insurance.
Between the two I get about 10ml more on the symphony per pump so not much of a different considering the cost difference in pumps. The spectra does have a learning curve though but it's nothing too hard to handle. The medela brand though is pretty simple to use - push a button and boom milk. With the spectra I like it though because you can switch settings so you can have multiple "let downs" and get more out sometimes. As a disclaimer though I always manually help the pump and massage my breasts while pumping so it yields more milk. My little guy is 6 days old and yesterday I pumped 800ml of milk - the lactation consultant said anything over 500 is good.
Honestly I thought I wasn't going to get milk. For 24 hours I pumped every two hours and got nothing. Literally nothing. And then all at once I got 20ml. Then 23. Then 25. It just kept getting better. Now I'm regularly pumping 90ml a sitting - my little guy only takes 40ml every 3 hours.
Just wanted to give an actual spectra review - if anyone has any questions about it let me know!
Baby #2 - March 2017
im guessing parts aren't compatible among pumps?
And I second what @Cbeanz said! Keep up the good work! You'll have a nice freezer stash started for your little man!
Anyone with experience rigging medela accessories for a spectra pump? All I know is that such a thing exists. I have no idea what that means. I'm hoping to get a spectra s2 this time.
yorkie mama to Oscar
FTM EDD 3.12.17
Maymom Flange Adapter for Spectra S1 Pumps, Spectra S2, Spectra 9 Pump to Use Medela... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DGEDVUM/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_1xQMybRJB0WQJ
Baby #2 - March 2017
The other adapters would also you to use Medela breastshields too.
Samantha - 4/5/2017
yorkie mama to Oscar
FTM EDD 3.12.17
Samantha - 4/5/2017
Is anyone bringing their pump to the hospital if just to have the lactation consultant go over the basics with you? Will obviously try to BF right after birth if possible...
yorkie mama to Oscar
FTM EDD 3.12.17
My hospital has a Ameda pump, and they gave me a kit with flanges and tubing etc. I used it
at first but didn't care for it. I've had better output with the Spectra, but have had the best output with the manual pump.
The first lactation consultant that came in was not familiar with the settings on the spectra, but the second consultant that came in was able to help me with it .
All of the nurses have have been super impressed that I brought my own pump. I just assumed everyone did...
My spectra is set to arrive today. This baby needs to get out so I can try my new pump out lol!