I have both the Medela and Spectra. I 110% recommend Spectra over Medela!
I had the Medela with my oldest. I did a lot of research with my second and EVERYONE said Spectra was better. As much as I wanted to get another Medela just to be able to use the same parts, I went with Spectra and decided I would keep one at home and one at work. Nope - I used the spectra one time and never brought the medela out of the basement.
I have the Spectra S1 and Medela PISA. I prefer the Spectra S1. I'm a TTM and will be getting another Spectra to keep at work since it's covered by insurance. If it wasn't covered by insurance then I would just take my S1 back and forth from home to work.
Is it too early to get one through my insurance right now?? When is the right time? Definitely don't want to procrastinate on that one. I do plan to BF while on maternity leave, but it would be nice to get the hang of it before I go back to work!
@jemmerjams Your insurance likely has a certain time you can apply. Mine I had to be 28 weeks before they could approve anything. Also ask your OB. Mine actually did all the legwork for me. I just had to sign something in the office.
@jemmerjams I ordered mine through the Aetna portal (they have business partnerships with medical supply companies in their network) in my first trimester, no questions asked. Not sure about other insurance companies, though!
@sammierose464 I had BCBS when I had DD and I went through Aeroflow. They did everything for me as far as contacting insurance and finding out how much each one would be. I chose the Spectra S2 and it ended up being completely free. Once I emailed her back with my choice it was actually at my door the next day! It was a pretty great experience.
I have both the Medela and Spectra. I 110% recommend Spectra over Medela!
I had the Medela with my oldest. I did a lot of research with my second and EVERYONE said Spectra was better. As much as I wanted to get another Medela just to be able to use the same parts, I went with Spectra and decided I would keep one at home and one at work. Nope - I used the spectra one time and never brought the medela out of the basement.
this is what i keep hearing. i was okay with my medelas (although i have had two and both quit working eventually...one lasted through two babes, and the other not quite, but with significantly more use), but really wanted to try the spectra. my insurance assured me that they covered any, but after more research i found that they cover anything but i only have two providers to choose from in-network and neither carry spectra. i am considering just purchasing one though as i will use it quite a bit.
ooo! I'm excited to get a new pump! Not that pumping is exciting at all, but I'm excited for a new one. haha. I had the Medela PISA last time and it was great. But I'm thinking of trying the Spectra S1 since i've heard such great things about it!
@sammierose464 I have BCBS Blue Choice and last time i couldn’t order my pump until baby was born. I don’t have that pump, but almost everyone I know has the Medela PISA or the Spectra, those seem to be the best on the market.
FTM here. Any experience with the Avent pumps? My insurance doesn’t cover a pump so I will be paying out of pocket and looking for something cheaper. I read some mixed reviews but I really like the Avent bottles and figured getting the whole system would be easiest. Are different pumps compatible with the Avent bottles? Also, is it worth it to get a more expensive pump used (I see tons of Medelas on marketplace)? Are there certain parts you should switch out of buying used?
I’m doing my registry now so I’m trying to get some idea of what route to take. I will have at least an 11 month mat leave so if pumping works for me, I’ll mainly be doing it at home to supplement breast feeding so my husband can do some of the night feedings. I’d prefer a plug in model so I’m not messing around with batteries. I know nothing about breast pumps!
@jenchoo - The extent of my breast pump knowledge-
If you are buying a used system, make sure it is a closed system. Some systems allow milk into parts of the pump that can’t be sterilized or replaced, which puts you and your baby at risk for any communicable diseases the previous owner may have had.
Way late to this. I had the Medela PISA and I loved it. I did get another used one from my cousin (so I knew it was fine) but though she didn't really use it, it was a few years old, and the suction was not good. I had planned to leave one at work and use one at home. My work actually provides a Medela Symphony for use at work and will give you new connectors. Less to carry so I just used that. I got a never-used lansinoh from a friend who decided to ff. I hated it. It only ever got half of what the medela got, took twice as long, and I was annoyed. For reference I pumped at least 1-2x per day on leave, and 5-6x on work days. I work 12hr shifts and left before DS woke up.
I've heard how great the spectra is and am contemplating it. But I really did love the medela. And most of the negative I hear about it is the question power is too hard or it's too rough. I think I'm not very sensitive because I didn't have an issue - also other things many agree on as pain didn't bother me with nursing. So if its only sensitvity, what does it matter? For those who love the spectra - what precisely made it so great? Comparisons to medela are fabulous.
From what I have heard all Madela are open systems so you are NOT supposed to use a used one. Even if you know the person as you can not clean the milk out even with new flanges etc.
To the STMs+ what has your experience been getting insurance coverage for a nice pump? How did you go about getting it through insurance? I’ve read some hospitals work that out for you after you deliver, but I am not sure yet about mine.
@rabtaido1214 I just went through the Aetna portal online to order mine. If you can log into your insurance's website, that's what I'd recommend doing.
@rabtaido1214 - My Insurance, UnitedHealthcare, didn’t have any useful information on the website; it just said to call the number on my card. The customer service person explained the benefits (covered at 100%, doesn’t count towards the deductible, can only be ordered within 30 days of due date).
When I asked what restrictions there were on ordering (my understanding is that some insurance companies don’t pay for certain brands), he just directed me to three of their in-network providers.
I have united health care and they gave me a website to go to and said the company works with a lot of insurance companies. Www.Byramhealthcare.com you can pick your insurance from a list to see your options are before having to put in all your insurance info. Super easy. I ordered mine thought like @knottieamusements said it won't ship until closer to my due date. But now I don't have to think about it or worry!
I have Aetna and the info is on their website, but I sent a message to them because I had additional questions (which they answered!). I have like 5 or 6 companies to choose from, but not all have the upgrade to the Spectra S1 that I'm looking at. ($30 upgrade for me to get the battery option. Worth it, for me.). I filled out my insurance info on one of the websites (Edwards health or something like that) and someone called/emailed me back the next business day with my options/pricing. I can order now, and it will be delivered within a week.
I think some companies/insurance require a RX for a breast pump. The way mine is working our is that Edwards/Aetna will fill out all that paperwork and I don't have to do anything, from what I understand. Since I've already filed claims for OB visits, my insurance knows I'm pregnant and thus eligible to order a pump.
FTM so I’m new to all this but I just ordered mine through Target since that’s where I’m registered (they use a program that connects with your insurance) - I received an email with two free options and 3 upgrade options. I elected to upgrade (came with a travel tote and additional accessories) but still was 1/4 of the price of actually purchasing one. And I was able to pay the upgrade fee with my HSA card so that was a plus!
Just wanted to chime in with my experience trying to get a pump free through insurance (BCBS).
I called a few months ago to make sure a pump would be covered by insurance and to find out how to obtain one. The insurance rep gave me a list of 4 local pharmacy/medical supply companies in my town (yay for supporting local businesses!). Two no longer carried pumps, one never answered the phone. I went into the fourth one to fill out all the paperwork to get the pump, only to then be asked for the prescription/order from my dr (which I didn't realize I would need). Turns out, my dr won't write the order until after baby is born.
I don't like the idea of waiting "last minute" to get a breast pump - my husband and I are going to have other things we need to take care of - sorry local business...
I called BCBS again and asked if I had another option - they gave me numbers/websites for two online suppliers. Byram was one of the companies I was given info for. I was told they would process my order, likely within a week, and request the order/script from my dr, but even if my dr doesn't send the order over right away, they won't wait to ship my pump out. I just made myself a note to make the request a little closer to my due date.
I have BCBS FEP since I work for the government and unfortunately have to go through some CVS line but can only do it in the third trimester. Apparently I only have two options to choose from that are covered and based on online ratings, they're not the best (brands I haven't heard of). I'll be registering for a Spectra and then get the free one from insurance to have as a backup.
Re: insurance coverage. Call your insurance company and ask about your pump coverage. If your plan is grandfathered pre-ACA it might not cover a pump at 100%. If they do, then a lot of the time they give you the names of outside vendors that you can order from (Byram and Edgepark are the two that come to mind). You select your insurance plan and network, select your pump, give your OB’s information, and they do the rest. Your OB’s office will get a form from them requesting confirmation of your pregnancy and due date. A lot of plans won’t process the order until 30 days before your due date but some plans allow it sooner. So even though you order now, you might not get it until a couple of months from now.
Also, speaking from personal experience, request signature confirmation upon delivery for your pump. With DS, I ordered mine and it was delivered to my front door by UPS. I was gone at the time but got the notification. I got home 10 minutes later and it had been stolen from my doorstep. The medical supply company was great about sending me a replacement, but just a heads-up.
I’m no help on pump brands because I don’t respond to a pump at all.
I am super excited about this discussion! I have always done Medela pumps and they just haven’t ever done a great job for me I just called my local Lactation consultant and she said my insurance covers Spectra s2 which I am excited to try and would never have thought to change to if not for all the info on here!
I still have a bunch of medela bottles of course- is it a good idea to get the adapter for the pump to use medela accessories or is it easy enough to just pump into the Spectra bottles and pour milk into storage bags? I’m on the fence maybe i’ll Wait until I start using it to decide! Thanks again for posting this discussion! Greatly helpful!
@kellitama920 You could wait until you start pumping to see what you're most comfortable with. I pumped into the Spectra bottles and poured milk into the storage bags without any issues.
Oh side note: kinda funny Mom moment- when I was super exhausted one pumping afternoon I put my medela tubes in the microwave (to dry them) i’m Blaming this on exhaustion and not brain activity lol well I got busy with a kid and ... found my tubes melted together smoking in the microwave !
Well just ordered from the site @SweetSweetTooth suggested for UHC...and realized the UHC plan dropdown was limited. My insurance is a different PO box than the one they listed, but I picked it anyway. Hope it goes through?
So I have Anthem BCBS and through their website they gave me a list of companies to go with to choose my pump. I went through Edgepark. I chose the Spectra S2 based on recommendations here. With previous babies I had the Medela Pump in Style Advanced. It worked well for me but I got rid of it with everything else thinking we were done. I just did the online application this morning so I'm not expecting to hear anything for a while.
Maybe a dumb question, but I want to breast feed, but also have the option to pump so my husband can pull some feeding duties. It looks like the pumps come with the bottles that are pumped directly into, but do moms usually transfer from there into a storage system, or is there an adapter for those bottles to feed from? Trying to figure out what supplies I need and if I should be putting regular baby bottles on my registry.
@rabtaido1214 you can pump into bottles that you then screw a normal nipple onto, but the bottles aren’t great for long term storage or freezing. You can buy ziplock style bags that connect directly to the pump, they have a spot to write the date on them, and then you can lie them flat in the freezer to store. Medela and Lansinoh definitely have bags, but I’m sure most pump brand have similar ones.
@ummibtihaj I used Edgepark to get a new pump last year. They take care of everything for you, which was awesome! I’ll probably use them again. It shipped like 3 days after I ordered it.
Re: Product Spotlight: Breast Pumps
I had the Medela with my oldest. I did a lot of research with my second and EVERYONE said Spectra was better. As much as I wanted to get another Medela just to be able to use the same parts, I went with Spectra and decided I would keep one at home and one at work. Nope - I used the spectra one time and never brought the medela out of the basement.
I’m doing my registry now so I’m trying to get some idea of what route to take. I will have at least an 11 month mat leave so if pumping works for me, I’ll mainly be doing it at home to supplement breast feeding so my husband can do some of the night feedings. I’d prefer a plug in model so I’m not messing around with batteries. I know nothing about breast pumps!
If you are buying a used system, make sure it is a closed system. Some systems allow milk into parts of the pump that can’t be sterilized or replaced, which puts you and your baby at risk for any communicable diseases the previous owner may have had.
I had planned to leave one at work and use one at home. My work actually provides a Medela Symphony for use at work and will give you new connectors. Less to carry so I just used that.
I got a never-used lansinoh from a friend who decided to ff. I hated it. It only ever got half of what the medela got, took twice as long, and I was annoyed.
For reference I pumped at least 1-2x per day on leave, and 5-6x on work days. I work 12hr shifts and left before DS woke up.
I've heard how great the spectra is and am contemplating it. But I really did love the medela. And most of the negative I hear about it is the question power is too hard or it's too rough. I think I'm not very sensitive because I didn't have an issue - also other things many agree on as pain didn't bother me with nursing. So if its only sensitvity, what does it matter?
For those who love the spectra - what precisely made it so great? Comparisons to medela are fabulous.
Eta:
https://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/pumping/buying-a-used-or-new-pump/
https://www.medelabreastfeedingus.com/products/223/symphony-breastpump
When I asked what restrictions there were on ordering (my understanding is that some insurance companies don’t pay for certain brands), he just directed me to three of their in-network providers.
Good to know that I can order now and they will ship when appropriate.
I think some companies/insurance require a RX for a breast pump. The way mine is working our is that Edwards/Aetna will fill out all that paperwork and I don't have to do anything, from what I understand. Since I've already filed claims for OB visits, my insurance knows I'm pregnant and thus eligible to order a pump.
I called a few months ago to make sure a pump would be covered by insurance and to find out how to obtain one. The insurance rep gave me a list of 4 local pharmacy/medical supply companies in my town (yay for supporting local businesses!). Two no longer carried pumps, one never answered the phone. I went into the fourth one to fill out all the paperwork to get the pump, only to then be asked for the prescription/order from my dr (which I didn't realize I would need). Turns out, my dr won't write the order until after baby is born.
I don't like the idea of waiting "last minute" to get a breast pump - my husband and I are going to have other things we need to take care of - sorry local business...
I called BCBS again and asked if I had another option - they gave me numbers/websites for two online suppliers. Byram was one of the companies I was given info for. I was told they would process my order, likely within a week, and request the order/script from my dr, but even if my dr doesn't send the order over right away, they won't wait to ship my pump out. I just made myself a note to make the request a little closer to my due date.
your pump, give your OB’s information, and they do the rest. Your OB’s office will get a form from them requesting confirmation of your pregnancy and due date. A lot of plans won’t process the order until 30 days before your due date but some plans allow it sooner. So even though you order now, you might not get it until a couple of months from now.
Also, speaking from personal experience, request signature confirmation upon delivery for your pump. With DS, I ordered mine and it was delivered to my front door by UPS. I was gone at the time but got the notification. I
got home 10 minutes later and it had been stolen from my doorstep. The medical supply company was great about sending me a replacement, but just a heads-up.
I’m no help on pump brands because I don’t respond to a pump at all.
I still have a bunch of medela bottles of course- is it a good idea to get the adapter for the pump to use medela accessories or is it easy enough to just pump into the Spectra bottles and pour milk into storage bags? I’m on the fence maybe i’ll Wait until I start using it to decide!
Thanks again for posting this discussion! Greatly helpful!
well I got busy with a kid and ... found my tubes melted together smoking in the microwave !
You can buy ziplock style bags that connect directly to the pump, they have a spot to write the date on them, and then you can lie them flat in the freezer to store. Medela and Lansinoh definitely have bags, but I’m sure most pump brand have similar ones.