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September 2015 Moms
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When To Buy Breast Pump?

JBelanger2015JBelanger2015 member
in September 2015 Moms
ladies, I am wondering if I should wait to purchase my pump (Medela PIS) until after delivery, in case I have production issues? I'd hate to spend $450 and have no milk, or something? Is this common? The stores here won't accept pumps back that are unopened.. I guess I am just so unsure and scared that something will go wrong. I have large breast implants and am worried they will cause me issues. (Submuscular)

Thanks. Sorry if this sounds stupid.. I'm just nervous to buy it. Not knowing what my body will do..
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Re: When To Buy Breast Pump?

  • NatabearNatabear member
    Where do you live? Have you found out if your insurance will cover a breast pump? I think most plans in the US cover it now, so you should definitely find that out before you spend so much on one yourself.
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  • abchrist1abchrist1 member
    They're so much aren't they? And we have no idea if we'll need it or not. I'd look into renting a pump or if your insurance will cover the cost, some do. I didn't have problems, but I also got a pump for free from my sister. I have a friend though that is way more well endowed than me and she didn't produce anything. I get why you're hesitant, we really don't know what our bodies will do.
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  • squigles28squigles28 member
    I'm a FTM, but here is my take. So from what I've been told, it takes a couple to three weeks to know if the baby will be able to breastfeed successfully, latch, etc and your supply should have come in by then. Even if it isn't all established, you'd probably have a good idea by then. So maybe wait a couple weeks.? That would be my logic.

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  • rebeccabloomwoodrebeccabloomwood member
    Do you plan to pump right away for work/stash reasons? I waited to buy my pump the first time around to make sure I had an established supply and was successful at breastfeeding. If this is an option for you, waiting can't do any harm. I plan to start pumping well after my milk has come in so you'd had plenty of time to grab a pump.
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  • ForeverEverAfterForeverEverAfter member
    No harm in waiting. Unless there are problems with baby you won't need to pump right away (and if you did, the hospital grade pumps are better anyway). My friend had to pump to increase supply and supplement because of jaundice and no weight gain, but even that was 3 weeks after birth (she just worked at it with a LC up til then). And knowing the use it would get, she bought a nicer pump than originally planned for, to get the hands free option.
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  • BabyBugutskyBabyBugutsky member
    edited August 2015
    I will primarily be pumping. I was dead set on buying one now but then I talked to some family members who are nurses, who just had babies and pumped. They said until you know what you production is like, rent a pump if you can. That way your not invested with a huge cost on an item until you know it's going to work for you. So I plan on renting a pump for the first little bit to see how it goes then I will buy my pump.
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  • meggipi5meggipi5 member
    I agree with some of the PPs. Most hospital ones will rent you one monthly, so you can pay to rent one the first month if you are concerned. I bought one and was really glad to have it since I ended up Eping for a few months until DD1 learned to nurse.

    Good lucK!
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  • surprisepkg31surprisepkg31 member
    Majority of insurance companies provide a free one now! Do not go buy one! Call them its.super easy and tell.them your due like 2.weeks before your actual due date and they will send it quick!
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  • CaboBride2015CaboBride2015 member
    I'm not sure I follow why you'd wait to get a pump at all... most insurance companies now provide one for free and if, for any reason, you can't breastfeed right away having the pump on hand to be able to provide breast milk just makes sense to me. If you have to pay a couple hundred out of pocket I could see renting but I think it makes sense to have it available right away either way.
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  • irenejeanirenejean member
    My clinic doesn't give you a prescription for a pump until after the baby is born, someone else I know who went to a different clinic had the same experience, it might be a common practice here in Utah, where I live.
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  • missrachelMrsOmissrachelMrsO member
    edited August 2015
    I submitted my prescription already, but I won't get it until 2 weeks before she's due. Perhaps it's an insurance regulation. I'm taking it because my insurance pays for all of it except a small copay.

    Eta: I plan on breastfeeding.
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  • amykrellamykrell member
    I wasn't even asked for a prescription (however, I still got one from my dr just in case). All I had to do was call my insurance company, tell them I was pregnant and they gave me approved places to buy from. I called the approved places and they billed my insurance company.

    Moral of the story, definitely worth the call to your insurance company to make sure you have all the information.
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  • JBelanger2015JBelanger2015 member
    Thank you all for replying..

    I am in Canada, so we don't have this luxury of a fully covered free pump. My insurance will cover $300 of the pump I have selected, as we recently found out. Still, $200+ out of pocket I will be paying.

    The reason I would consider waiting (in response to someone's post) is because as I had mentioned, I've had 2 breast surgeries and am unsure if I will be able to BF/pump at all... And if I buy the pump I can't return it even if it is sealed and untouched. Makes sense to me, after spending 15k on first baby items, and buying a new house to make room for him... I don't have money left to waste unfortunately.

    I thank you all so kindly for your suggestions. Sounds as if renting is a good idea until I know better. Cheers mommas! :)
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  • str13str13 member
    Under the circumstances I think you're making a good choice renting. Then if it turns out that you will need a pump you can always get one at that point. Many hospitals or medical supply companies rent them. My insurance was able to give me a small list I could rent from, and my delivery hospital didn't rent, but was able to tell the nearest hospital that did.
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  • kkerner87kkerner87 member
    Mine is covered 100% by insurance. They won't ship until baby girl is born. Luckily I won't need it until I start pumping my work stash (which will be 4 weeks after she is here).
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  • kkerner87kkerner87 member
    Sorry just read you're in Canada. I'm just curious what kind of pump it is for 500 dollars? That seems crazy. Mine that is coverd is a Medela electric double breast pump and that's only 130 bucks. The ones that were pricey were the same thing but it came with an ugly bag (I plan to buy a cute one myself)and extra bottles and parts. Not worth the extra couple hundred dollars IMO
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  • serenityuy01serenityuy01 member
    Something else to consider (if your comfortable with it) is EBay. I know that might weird some people out but I feel like even used for the price I see medela pumps go for on there (really inexpendive) taking some time to clean it a little extra isn't really a big deal in my opinion. I'm in the U.S. And my insurance paid for mine but if I hadn't that's what I would have done.
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  • angholc10angholc10 member
    Just FYI ladies also: my ins co has a stipulation... You have to order it at least 30 days prior to your due date for them to pay for it. Not sure how many ins companies have that stipulation...
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  • JBelanger2015JBelanger2015 member
    kkerner87 said:

    Sorry just read you're in Canada. I'm just curious what kind of pump it is for 500 dollars? That seems crazy. Mine that is coverd is a Medela electric double breast pump and that's only 130 bucks. The ones that were pricey were the same thing but it came with an ugly bag (I plan to buy a cute one myself)and extra bottles and parts. Not worth the extra couple hundred dollars IMO


    The Medela Freestyle is $495 at Walmart.. Looks like we pay out the ass for pumps in Canada! Lol yikes... Lucky you!! :)

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  • AshandJesse9409AshandJesse9409 member
    For those interested, my sister found this breast pump hotline from babies r us. You call them and give them your insurance information and they will send you an email with the breast pump options that your insurance will cover. You just email/call them back with which one you want and babies r us will send it to you and bill your insurance! Here is the phone number. Sorry, it's just a screen shot my sister sent me:

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  • cmehlhofcmehlhof member
    Weird some won't ship until a certain time I got mine weeks ago through my insurance
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  • jen83mnjen83mn member
    irenejean said:

    My clinic doesn't give you a prescription for a pump until after the baby is born, someone else I know who went to a different clinic had the same experience, it might be a common practice here in Utah, where I live.

    This is also the case with my insurance. They will cover 80% of the cost of an automatic pump after my deductible is met (and since I'll already be at my out of pocket limit it will probably end up being free), but only with a prescription. So my OB will write me a prescription at the hospital and the hospital will fulfill the prescription while I'm there so I'll leave with the pump. Definitely check with your insurance to see what they will provide and when!
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  • jessrjenningsjessrjennings member
    FYI my insurance here in Florida will not cover one at all. But I was told Babies R Us rents them or once she is born I can apply for WIC and maybe they will give me one. But I don't meet the income levels for WIC so if I need a pump I have to buy one. So not all insurances cover them and they are pricey.
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