Product Spotlight: Breast Pumps and Accessories

inthewoods23

Share you suggestions, tips/tricks, or even things that are helpful when it comes to getting a breast pump through insurance

runnergirl2018

Call your insurance company directly to find out specific coverage - especially because SOME will cover replacement parts and breast milk storage bags

feather_heather

Breast pumps and pumping was one of the most confusing and overwhelming things to me when I was pregnant with DD... low and behold I ended up exclusively pumping for 9 months, and now feel like quite the expert lol 

I had the Spectra S1 (the blue one) and loved it! I liked that it had hospital grade suction, while also being  portable. I got it thru my insurance company and paid the $100 for it to upgrade from the S2 (well worth the $100 in my opinion). The portability of it was unmatched - I pumped in my car, in the middle of a park, at friends and family's houses, hotel rooms, the beach, the pool, you name it.

I looked into getting a Willow or Elvie once I switched to exclusively pumping, but I have a pacemaker and you cannot use those hands free pumps with one unfortunately (there are magnets located in the pumps that cannot be that close to your pacemaker). Please also note that those hands free pumps do not have the same suction, and if you end up exclusively pumping you cannot use those as your primary pump. I do think the new Elvie Stride looks like I can use it with a pacemaker, so I am hopeful that I can get that thru my insurance this time around to use as my secondary pump. The Elvie Stride is stated to have hospital grade suction, so it may be able to be used as a primary pump. I did end up buying a laptop strap and putting that thru the handle of my spectra and I was able to wash dishes, vacuum the house, and do lots of other things while pumping hands free. 

Please note that the flange sizes that come with breast pumps are not a one size fits all. Generally pumps come with a 32, 28 and 24mm flange. I ended up needing a 15mm flange. If you are not using the correct flange size, this will negatively effect your output and you could end up with clogs. I ended up using the brand "Maymom" flanges from amazon (and I used their brand duckbill valve replacements and larger collection bottles). You can get sized by a lactation consultant. 

I purchased so many pumping bras and was really annoyed in the beginning when I was still also nursing that I had to keep switching bras all day long. I ended up discovering that you can "hack" a nursing bra to use as a pumping bra and it actually held the flanges in place the best for me. These are the nursing bras I loved and here is a video showing how to "hack" them for pumping. 

Exclusively pumping is ALOT of work, but that's how my breastfeeding journey ended up going. I pumped for 9 months (720 hours hooked up to that spectra to be exact), dealt with a huge oversupply, bought two deep freezers to store milk, and in the end DD will have breastmilk until she is around 15/16 months old. 

I am an open book and happy to share my advice and experience if anyone has any questions about EPing!

runnergirl2018

I agree on the spectra s1 - a friend ended up giving me hers (even though thats not considered sanitary) because her kiddo had so many allergies it wasn't feasible for her. I had gotten the medela freestyle trhough my insurance - and even paid upgrade  -and i did not like it at all. i didn't find it strong enough and it was much noisier.
looking into the willow for this time around, as long as i don't have to end up exclusively pumping. I work 3 days a week so will just have to pump (if all goes to plan) during those times

Pumping is it's own beast and it was honestly my least favorite part of my breastfeeding journey

Also agree with the above- i had no idea on flange sizes or all of that when i first starteed, and i also did not realize the frequency that certain parts needed to be replaced.

If anyone has any breastfeeding and pumping online resources you found helpful - i think this would be a good place to share.

In my experience i liked the Kelly Moms website and the Sarah Wells VIP group - they sell pump bags but lots of great resources and support there. I also took a breastfeeding class at my local hospital which was helpful and connected me with the LC there.  I have moved since then so i still need to look into what is offered here - especially since first baby was 2018 and the world was very different!

jellie603

@feather_heather this is phenomenal information and advice, thank you! My BF/pumping journey did not pan out with my first (5 years ago) and I ended up stopping and doing formula after about 1.5 months. This time around, I am willing to try again but will not be putting pressure on myself. However, it will be a whole nother beast as I will be feeding/pumping for two. I was looking into a hands-free pump so supplement to the primary pump and use instead of those pads in your bra for when you leak haha - so this was great info!

feather_heather

@jellie603 - yes, pumping for two and taking care of twins is a whole other level of exhausting! My best tip for EPing is to try and pump and feed the baby at the same time. I had this whole set up with a boppy lounger with a regular boppy pillow on top of that to sit/lounge DD in and I would sit in front of her and pump while I fed her the bottle. I was able to hold the bottle/pace feed and burp her and everything with this set up while pumping! 

Just remember fed is best! I recently saw a meme that made me laugh (in spoiler below):

letsgox

@runnergirl2018 i agree with so much of your advice. Especially using Kelly Mom for a resource. 

I’ve had 4 children and pumped for 12-18 months with all of them. With the first 3, I used a Medela pump in style because that was what was recommended to me. With my fourth, the flanges didn’t fit well and the suction was too different from my LO so I got a spectra S1 and a Spectra S9. I’ll never recommend another brand!! 

The S1 is great, but it is bulkier than the S9. I did like the S1 more for the efficiency of the pumping, and it emptied quicker than the S9 so I typically pumped with the S9 in the car (my commute is 25-30 mins) while I used the S1 on my pumping break at work, which shortened pumping by 5-8 mins. doesn’t seem like much, but it adds up! 

jellie603

@feather_heather omg I have seen this around and it is so freaking true! 😂

runnergirl2018

I also learned with my first that my body wouldn’t produce milk while driving - I don’t know if it was the stress of the Tampa traffic or what but I never got milk pumping while driving. I know some people are successful with that but keep it in mind if it’s part of your plan

LJMoon6

I also got the Spectra (I think S2, pink) and loved it. But I guess it was the only pump I used so take that with a grain of salt. The one thing I wish I would have done differently was maybe getting a different, more expensive pump through insurance and then buying the Spectra separately (since the spectra isn’t overly priced). That way I could have had 2 pumps (I guess I could have bought 2 spectras…). One for work and one for home. Instead I was lugging that thing back and froth every day. That might not be as big of an issue with a lot of people WFH now. But it was a pain for me.

If you are thinking about getting a pump second hand there’s a few things to keep in mind. Preferably you should get a closed system pump. This prevents milk from going past the tubing and into the actual motor itself. All parts that the milk touches are detachable and washable. Then there’s the open system that doesn’t have this barrier. I’m less familiar with these types of pumps, but I think if you have a friend or family member that you trust then this type could be fine as well. I just wouldn’t be getting an open system from a stranger.

Definitely agree about flange sizes. I still don’t even know if I have the right size. I bought a couple different ones from Amazon.

Being a FTM last time I struggled really hard for the first month. I think I went to the lactation consultant 4 times? It was so hard. Emotionally and physically. My milk took a while to come in, so of course DS lost a certain percentage of his birth weight. Naturally the pediatrician recommended we start supplementing with formula. The very next day my supply came in but then basically dropped back off since we were supplementing. Over the first month I had to work to get my supply back. It involved nursing for 10-20 minutes on each side, then pumping for 15min on each side. Put baby down. Wash parts. And then repeat every 2.5-3 hours. But by the time you got done washing parts it was nearly time to start feeding again. It was exhausting. And I nearly gave up. But I was able to finally get my supply back and we ended up having a healthy BFing journey for a full year.

I wish I would have waited an extra day before starting supplementation with DS. I think our journey would have been much different then. Some things that did help get us through this was following legendairymilk on Instagram. They post so many helpful tips. And also finding out that you can put your pump parts in a ziplock bag in the fridge in between pumps and not have to wash them was a game changer (only wash them once every 24 hours).

Oh and the other thing was a Haakaa. Definitely get one of those. I could never get much out of it while breastfeeding on the other side (which I think is the main purpose of the thing), but I did use it often in the hot shower when I suspected a clogged duct (again, another helpful tip I learned from legendairymilk). It’s important to get those out early so they don’t lead to mastitis.

rubyrose_0919

I had included this in another thread somewhere but I can certainly share my experiences with using the HaaKaa Style pumps here too!

The haakaa is just a little suction cup basically that is designed to slightly draw out and catch any leakage on your opposite breast while nursing. It can be really helpful for clogged ducts too and just relieving pressure if you aren't pumping but are away from your baby. (Like @LJMoon6 said!)

It seems like people have wild success with this item, or not at all. The wild success people (like me!) rave about it constantly, but it is important to know that it doesn't work for everyone depending on supply, pumping, general lactation differences, etc. It can be a "must have" for some and a bit of a flop for others.

For me, I always leaked on the opposite side (especially in the early days) and this little contraption allowed me to a.) Not get soaked and b.) Catch and use that extra milk for bottle feeding, added to baths, cradle cap, eye and ear infections and skin rashes (oh yea FTMs your breastmilk can do ALL of that! Cool hey!?)

I ended up catching way more milk than I needed (in large part because I was home with my little one for an 18 month maternity leave) and never really needed a fancy huge pump.

The last thing I'll say is that this little pump is just so, so much easier to clean and there is no taking apart/putting back together. Just use, rinse, store in a zip lock in the fridge, and boil every other day or so to sanitize. Easy!!

inthewoods23

What's everyone's experience with pumping at work? We have a new office but I believe every single closed office and conference room has a side window so there's no privacy besides the bathroom. I shouldn't have to pump in there right??

feather_heather

@rubyrose_0919 - I liked the hakka when I was nursing so I wouldn't end up soaked, but found it difficult to keep it from getting knocked off and it's not very discreet when you have company over. I plan on trying something like the milkies milk saver this time so it can fit right inside of my bra.

cmhme

@inthewoods23 I wouldnt just accept pumping in the bathroom without asking HR. It seems a basic human right to not have to do it in the bathroom. My other moms group had someone that HR's solution was to put construction paper over the windows and for another HR "converted" a storage closet so she had to sit next to a popcorn maker that they used for carnivals etc! Better than nothing i guess!

I am another vote for the S1. I also pumped pretty much everywhere so the battery was worth the cost of the upgrade.

Flanges are horrible to get fitted right. I ended up getting pumpin pals (soft silicone instead of hard plastic) and had great success with them but i own probably 4 different plastic sizes and 3 different silicone and had to trade them out depending on the situation.

inthewoods23

@cmhme I was thinking about it and was thinking something similar that they could add a curtain (or construction paper like you said) to one of the check out office's windows we have for visiting employees from other locations. They aren't really getting used right now so it would be easy to designate one as my pumping room. Of course I won't need a pumping space at work for at least 6-7 months so who knows how much they'll be used this summer.

feather_heather

@inthewoods23 - No, your work legally needs to provide you with a private space other than a bathroom to pump in. I believe this is a federal law - so if they push back you push back harder. 

ETA: "Federal law requires employers to provide reasonable break time for an employee to express breast milk for her nursing child for one year after the child's birth each time such employee has need to express the milk (Section 7 of the FLSA). Employers are also required to provide a place, other than a bathroom, that is shielded from view and free from intrusion from coworkers and the public, which may be used by an employee to express breast milk."

I have my own office, so I was able to just close the door when I needed to pump. Like @cmhme said, perhaps paper over the window would work in one of those offices? 

rubyrose_0919

@feather_heather - totally not discreet 😂 I used the hair tie hack to keep it from spilling everywhere if it got knocked off though and that saved me a few times!

runnergirl2018

@LJMoon6 so much good info there!
I'll add that if you do have to supplement for some reason and it plans to be temporary -make sur eto still be nursing and pumping often!  We had to supplement at birth because of blood glucose issues in my little one and i was pumping but then the LC was like, keep nursing and getting baby on the boob too! Definitely nothing wrong with formula but there are some good options for donor breastmilk too (which i was given the option to do in the hospital)
Y yes yes to the Haakaa as well - especially the early days. I later wished i had used it sooner and earlier.
Also agree on the 2 pump thing if you work away from home and have the ability .  I ended up leaving my spectra at work, which was the primary place i pumped, and had a medela that i did not like as much that I used at home as needed. (brought the spectra home over a weekend if needed or if iwas going to be out for a bit) but having less to haul around was sooooo nice

@inthewoods23 NO to the bathroom. Legally speaking, if your office/workplace is required to abide by the Affordable Care Act, they have a legal requirement to give you a private place to pump. I'm not sure if any more has changed on this, as a lot of people just say , "they have to" but legally it's related to the ACA and only businesses that have to abide by the ACA have a legal requirement to do so.  It should be an easy fix to put a covering over the window. I also highly recommend having a do not disturb sign on the door during pumping.  I had a designated room at my last office but here and there It was not available at the time i needed so one of the managers let me use her office and it had  window on the door, so i just would cover it with dark colored construction paper and it was fine

sjb2215

Seconding the hakaa! I generally didn't really leak, but still got a decent amount from the hakaa and it definitely adds up if you use it at most feedings in the early days. 

With my 2nd I also used the Spectra s1 (with the battery) and was overall happy with how it worked, especially compared to the ameda that was the only option available through insurance with my first. I also think a hands free pumping bra (I think mine was lansinoh?) was helpful to try and get a little work done still while pumping. 

Also recently started following Karrie locher on Instagram and it seems she has a lot of great tips and resources

sunshineandlemons

I will add votes for the spectra S1 and the hakaa. With my first, I had the Medela pump in style advanced and it was not comfortable. I produced so much more with the spectra and it felt more like my baby did (as much as a pump can feel like a human 🥴). Hands free pumping bras were great. When pumping at work, I did sudoku puzzles just for a break and was nice not to have to hold the bottles. At home, I was finger knitting a little blanket for my daughter’s stuffed animal lol. 

I would also recommend gel pads in the beginning and good nipple creams. I liked the Lansinoh Soothies. As for nipple cream, I liked their organic balm (it was easier to spread than plain lanolin). Earth mama has a good one too.

@inthewoods23 I echo what others have said- they need to provide a dedicated room for you to pump in. I would see if you have the ability to reserve them too. You probably won’t know what your pumping schedule will look like now but when you get back from leave, you’ll want to try to stay as close to that as possible. 

runnergirl2018

Also was just remembering, I used the Kiinde system with my first and plan to again.  YOu can pump directly into the bags and feed from them rather than pumping into bulky bottles or having to transfer between bags and bottles. There is obviously some waste since they are one time use but the convenience and lack of having to clean bottles as a working parent was worth it to me! I did have to do some evening out between bags, since one side always produced way more, but that was pretty easy and not a big deal for me.

runnergirl2018

Has anyone used Willow? I’m debating getting it because I’d love more flexibility, especially at work, and it sounds like it is designed to be more like baby  - it’s pricey though so I’m debating pros/cons of it.  My insurance only would give me a $90 discount on it, or i could just use a $50 healthcare discount on it and get a free Spectra S2. I liked having 2 pumps with my first (one from my insurance and a hand me down closed system pump from a friend) so i didn’t have to bring them back and forth with me to work all the time, had one at home for just in case an kept one at work since that’s the primary pump location

caymanmel

This will be my 3rd.  I've used the Spectra S1 and spectra S2 for each pregnancy.   The suction/comfort felt the same for me.  It just depends if its worth it to you to have to be plugged in or battery operated.   

Another positive experience with Haakka.  I always got so excited when I would collect a few ounces each session while using it.

And just like @runnergirl2018 said to me the kiinde twist system is so worth it.  Just screw them on to your pump vs bottles.  Then you can just put the cap on it until ready to use.  There are different flows of nipples you can attach to the bottles too.  To me that was a game changer in pumping; not having to wash/sanitize bottles everyday. I know finding bottles is hard but for reference both my boys took the kiinde bottles well.   

zinnia19

@caymanmel @runnergirl2018 thanks for the tip on the kiinde system!

stardustskies

Also- please be aware that the flanges that come with the pump may not be your size!!! I was so discouraged because I wasn't getting much during my pump sessions, and come to find out I needed a 21mm flange instead of the 24 or 28 which come standard with the pump. Look up how to measure your nipples and order the correct sized flange. It makes a world of difference.

bumblebee0210

@runnergirl2018 I didn't have a willow but I had an elvie which is basically the same (at the time elvie had reusable bottles and willow only had bags, but now I think willow has bottles too). I also had a medela that I got free with insurance. The suction from the elvie is not as good as the medela, but the huge benefit to me was to be able to pump in front of people. We went on a trip with MH's family when my daughter was 6 weeks old and I would just pop them in and go hang out in the living room. You can also walk around, which is nice, but really it was the modesty aspect i liked.  I was fine BFing in front of people but pumping felt weird and graphic to me.  I would still typically use the medela for the big morning pump and at work, but I was happy to have the elvie. 

runnergirl2018

@bumblebee0210 thank you! that's exactly what i'm thinking.  and i think having them popped into my shirt would be easier for doing admin stuff at work, i just remember feeling so constricted doing stuff on my computer with tubes and stuff coming out and had so much lost time at work

thegeekymom

I used the Aeroflow company to get mine last time and got the Luna Motif. I was happy with it! I love that the company will send you reminders to request extra parts for your pump too. I ordered one last set of extra parts when I was done pumping so I have all new parts sealed in a bag for this time. I'm wondering if I should use the same company and upgrade my free pump this time to a portable pump that I have to pay out of pocket to upgrade, but I read such mixed things about the portable pumps. 

ETA: I went to their site and ordered my new pump. The Motif, but its the portable version and comes with a hands free pumping bra! It has really good reviews. I was also able to buy a pregnancy support belt for free with insurance which is awesome, because I'm already huge, like random cashier's look at my belly and go "Any day now!?" huge.