EPing Pump opinions needed. Poll

Bippy798

So up until now I have been using a cheaper double electric pump that takes forever but eventually gets the job done. In the last week for some reason my let down is not happening until between 5-10 minutes of pumping. Before I was taking 15-20 minutes to pump and now it is up to 30-35 minutes. I have no idea why it has changed because the suction and everything still seems the same. When I go to the hospital and use a hospital grade pump I let down within 1 minute and it takes me 10-15 minutes to pump. I need a new pump. I just can't decide between renting a hospital pump like the Medela Symphony or just buying Medela PISA. Does the $300 Medela pump work as well as the hospital pump? I am thinking it makes more sense to buy one just because even if BFing works well for us after he comes home I am still going to be going back to work again and will have to pump there and if I make it to 1 year BFing then I will have spent much much more money on renting. Advice please!!

 

[Poll]

ssg73

Have you checked with your insurance because my insurance paid for the pump with a prescription from the doctor.  Some will pay for a hospital grade rental.  I have not noticed a difference between the pisa and the synphony at the hospital.  We just bought a new pisa so I have one at home and one at work (I was sick of lugging it back and forth and I forgot my pump when we traveled last week oops!)  I looked at the freestyle and for the money it didn't seem all that better.  I went with the metro since you can take the pump out of the big bag and I liked that feature since it takes up less room where i have it set up in the living room all the time.

TriciaJoy

I rented. Yes, for 15 damned months. I was going to buy a PISA but the NICU LCs said that for EPing, I really needed the hospital pump. She really likes the PISA and said she bought one for her daughter when she had a baby, but for our situation, she really recommended the hospital pump.

Do you know anyone with a PISA you could borrow to try out? You can use your own tubes and such, there's no milk mixing at all..

 

Bippy798

TriciaJoy:

I rented. Yes, for 15 damned months. I was going to buy a PISA but the NICU LCs said that for EPing, I really needed the hospital pump. She really likes the PISA and said she bought one for her daughter when she had a baby, but for our situation, she really recommended the hospital pump.

Do you know anyone with a PISA you could borrow to try out? You can use your own tubes and such, there's no milk mixing at all..

 

Unfortunately I don't even know anyone who has ever pumped at all. My family is a bunch of formula feeders :c) My mom was trying to be nice and bought my first pump. She had no idea there was any difference in pumps and that a $70 one wouldn't work for long in my situation.  I wish I knew someone who had one I could try. I wonder if there is any way to return one if I didn't like it?

goblue

Like Tricia, my LCs said to rent a hospital grade pump (the Symphony), which I did the whole time DS was in the hospital and for about 2 months afterwards.  While DS was in the hospital, I actually rented two Symphonys so that I could have one at work and one at home.  DS caught on to BFing and I wasn't EPing anymore, so when I went back to work I just used the PISA my sister gave me.  The PISA is a big step-down from the Symphony - in terms of overall niceness and noise level.  I didn't notice a huge difference in the amount I pumped using the Symphony v. the PISA, though. 

browneyes_24b

I have been EPing for my DS since he was born and I've been renting the Medela Lactina (another hospital grade).  I highly recommend using a hospital grade.  I purchased a Medela Freestyle and it did not get the milk out as well for me.  I never felt empty after using the Freestyle.  I know a lot of women have great luck with the Freestyle or PISA, but in my experience I've needed the hospital grade.  HTH!

beachykeen1723

I have a PISA that was given to me (I know, you aren't supposed to use someone elses, but I seriously cleaned it and replaced everything). I used a Symphony for a month, and I could tell a difference, but that may be because my PISA is older. I need to start saving more milk, so I am thinking about re-renting a Symphony. Good luck!! Try power pumping- it really helps me (10 mins on, 10 off, for an hour).

SkypekWithoutAC

I would rent until you *know* BFing is well established and going to work long-term (maybe the first 3 months or so), then decide if you want to continue renting or buy. If I knew I'd be pumping on a regular basis, I'd go with the rental. I have my own pump, but only used it ocassionally and could tell a huge difference in the effectiveness.

BartsGirl

I rented a Symphony for 2 months and then used the PISA that I had bought.  I actually liked my PISA better when I first switched.  I had no problems with my PISA and my hospital wanted $40/month for the Symphony.  I knew it would be used for a second child at some point, so I made the purchase.  Good luck and hang in there.  I remember how hard pumping was.

gymrat

I used the Symphony and the PISA while mine were in the NICU and then I EP'd for 14 months using just the PISA. My supply did take a hit after they left the NICU but it may have had more to do with my daughter being readmitted to the hospital w/ group strep B then it had to do with the pump but I'll never know for sure.

Anyways, I found the the PISA worked fine as long as I upgraded membranes (those little white things) and tubes every so often.

purplepuggles

SkypekWithoutAC:

I would rent until you *know* BFing is well established and going to work long-term.

this is my advice as well. i used the hospital grade rental pump until jack was 5 months old i think (until i went back to work). after that i used a PISA. i EPed for 10 months, and had enough in the freezer to get him to 1 year on breastmilk, but i never really had any supply issues or anything. some women need the hospital grade pump throughout EPing, and some women are just blessed and do fine with a good quality breastpump like the PISA or the ameda purely yours. definitely use a GOOD electric double pump until you are either BFing most of the time, or reach a decision that EPing isn't for you. you don't want to lose that supply you have worked so hard to build!

 

 

sweetpea18

I eped and, honestly, I didn't notice much difference between the hospital grade pump and my pisa. 

Call your insurance and see if they will cover a rental.  Mine would, as long as I had a letter of medical necessity from a dr.  The neonatologist was more than happy to write the rx for me. 

Bippy798

Just wanted to let everyone know I decided to rent for now. I don't know where BFing/EPing is going to take me and it was the smarter decision financially for now.