Until now, I've never found boobs particularly confusing ;)

gamommyx3 · December 2015

However, now that I have to pick out a breast pump, I have no idea about anything. So, for those of you who have been down this road, how did you pick your pump?

I found out my insurance will complete pay for a Medela Pump in Style Advanced Breastpump Starter Set or a Ameda Purely Yours Dual Electric Personal Double Pump. OR, they will partially pay for a Medela Pump in Style Advanced Breastpump Tote or Backpack or a Medela Freestyle Breastpump. Anyone have good/bad experience with any of these?? Is it worth paying the up charge to get one of the 2nd 2 options, or will the free pumps work just fine?

Also, FTMs, Target has a program where you call and give them your insurance info and they contact your insurance, figure all this out, and email you what you're covered for...it took them about 12 hours to get back to me with the info. You then pick an option, they order it for you and keep it at the store until you're ready. Just FYI in case anyone else is looking into their options and wasn't aware

Edited before posting because I realized I wrote "how did you pick your pimp?" instead of pump. I don't need to know how anyone picks their pimp

countrygrl5533 · December 2015

Most of my mom friends have a Medela, different models. They come highly recommended. Doesn't seem to be one model that is better than the other, just personal preference. I only had a hand pump so can't speak from personal experience.

businessmama · December 2015

Can you share the number to call?

My insurance changes in Jan so I'm wondering if I can give them my new one or just wait.

doozer1345 · December 2015

I loved Medela everything. My insurance paid for the double pump (don't get anything other than double pump). I also got the Medela manual pump for when I was losing my milk but had some clogged ducts and only needed to express a little. It's not badly priced. If you can get with a LC or someone who is very knowledgeable in using pumps that would be helpful. When I became engorged DD couldn't drink as much as I needed her to to make the girls go down. My sister in law came over and showed me how to pump (it looks like a weird torture device if you don't know how to use it). I wish I would have had someone show me before DD came so I wouldn't have had to wait over and hour and a half to get relief. Being engorged hurts like a mofo.

gamommyx3 · December 2015

AliciaD39 said:

Can you share the number to call? My insurance changes in Jan so I'm wondering if I can give them my new one or just wait.

Sure, I can't get on the site at the moment but I will post it later. If you're anxious to know now, you can go on the Target web site and go to the breastpump page. There's a banner at the top with the number. I'd say wait til you have your new insurance..,.they call to look up your benefits and if you aren't active yet I doubt they will be able to find you.

wamam027 · December 2015

Thank you for this info! I just called, the number is

(855)406-7867

kbrands7 · December 2015

I used a Medela Pump in Style Tote (double electric) pump daily for 1 month (12 times/day) while we worked on DS's breastfeeding latch and M-F 4 times per day from when DS was 3 months to 14 months. It is an absolute workhorse. I did replace the tubes and membranes a few times to keep a good suction (and to keep things clean and tidy) and opted for duckbill membrane valves because they gave me better out-put.I would absolutely recommend it.

My insurance wouldn't cover a breastpump unless I had a documented physical abnormality or medical reason to be apart from my son (weird stipulation especially since my insurance covers so many other things). It's great that yours covers it, even if only partially!

I haven't used that style of Ameda, but I used a hospital-grade Ameda during the first week DS was born. I liked the amount of control it had over suction and pacing, but it wasn't quite as easy to use as the Medela and I felt like the bottles tipped over very easily. (I definitely cried after having one tip over after BF and pumping in the middle of the night on day 4.)

ETA-- I also had a Medela manual just in case. There were a few times I toted it with me to relieve engorgement quickly and, unfortunately a few times I had to pump with it all day because the power was out at school/work, but they made us stay. The suction when using the Medela battery pack isn't the greatest. The wall plug and car charger are awesome though.

countrygrl5533 · December 2015

kbrands7 said:

My insurance wouldn't cover a breastpump unless I had a documented physical abnormality or medical reason to be apart from my son (weird stipulation especially since my insurance covers so many other things). It's great that yours covers it, even if only partially!

I thought because of the Obamacare stuff that all insurance companies now have to cover a breast pump.

kbrands7 · December 2015

countrygrl5533 said:

kbrands7 said:

My insurance wouldn't cover a breastpump unless I had a documented physical abnormality or medical reason to be apart from my son (weird stipulation especially since my insurance covers so many other things). It's great that yours covers it, even if only partially!

I thought because of the Obamacare stuff that all insurance companies now have to cover a breast pump.

I thought so too, and even had a lactation specialist at my hospital go to bat for me with my insurance company, but they apparently found a loophole because there are instances where it's covered...just not the common instances why someone might need one. This was in 2014, so the law had taken effect by then. I'm not sure if the coverage is different now; it's on my list of things to do because I'm not sure if expecting three working years of service out of 1 pump is too much to hope for a machine.

laurenmdrn16 · December 2015

kbrands7 said:

I haven't used that style of Ameda, but I used a hospital-grade Ameda during the first week DS was born. I liked the amount of control it had over suction and pacing, but it wasn't quite as easy to use as the Medela and I felt like the bottles tipped over very easily. (I definitely cried after having one tip over after BF and pumping in the middle of the night on day 4.)

I can't tell you how many times I cried over spilled milk! The first time, MH jokingly said "Oh, now, no use crying over spilled milk!" That was the last time he tried to joke about it.

Seriously, my Medela Pump in Style was great (my boobs on the other hand did not want to cooperate) and I agree that the bottles were a little sturdier. I still have mine from the first pregnancy and hope I can just replace the tubing and membranes and it will serve me well for this nugget. My insurance did end up covering the full cost after I sent back the hospital grade one.

gamommyx3 · December 2015

countrygrl5533 said:

kbrands7 said:

My insurance wouldn't cover a breastpump unless I had a documented physical abnormality or medical reason to be apart from my son (weird stipulation especially since my insurance covers so many other things). It's great that yours covers it, even if only partially!

I thought because of the Obamacare stuff that all insurance companies now have to cover a breast pump.

They do, now, but it's only been a couple of years since that became law. However, they can pick and choose which ones to cover as long as they are meeting the minimum requirements.

valerie4786 · December 2015

@Knottie25455542 thanks for the information about Target! This is super helpful!

gamommyx3 · December 2015

You're welcome!!

Kurrant · December 2015

Arg! I wish I could get a pump covered by insurance! I have to pay out of pocket and the Medela electric double pump is going for around $800 here. Has anyone tried the Avent pumps? or Nuk? I'm not sure if these are international brands or just NZ brands so maybe no one has heard of them. These are the only three brands I can find around here. I read the Avent pumps are easier on sore/tender breasts but I don't know anyone to ask personally.

countrygrl5533 · December 2015

Kurrant said:

Arg! I wish I could get a pump covered by insurance! I have to pay out of pocket and the Medela electric double pump is going for around $800 here. Has anyone tried the Avent pumps? or Nuk? I'm not sure if these are international brands or just NZ brands so maybe no one has heard of them. These are the only three brands I can find around here. I read the Avent pumps are easier on sore/tender breasts but I don't know anyone to ask personally.

I had an Avent manual pump that I really liked. Hoping to get their double electric this time around. We used the Avent bottles too so it just made sense to me.

yogahh · December 2015

Thanks for the info about Target!

Bluejay3030 · December 2015

I agree that the Medela In Style double electric was super easy to use and clean (not sure what the difference is between the two you mentioned, but they're probably pretty similar).

I also got a handheld manual pump, which was AMAZING for traveling or when storage space was limited. I paid for that out of pocket since they're cheaper and let insurance cover the heavy duty electric pump.

araecasey · December 2015

Medela hater has arrived! lol. The motors in them aren't meant to last more than a year. They're an open system which means milk can get in the tubing and ruin the pump, and means if you get one used from a friend or sister that their milk is likely going to touch where your milk touches. The valves are membrane style which wear out very quickly, if you pump daily you'll need to change the membranes once a month, and they're a pain to take apart and clean. Having said all of that, I hear Medela's customer service is good about replacing motors that poop out before the one year mark.

I have a hygeia and love it, it has none of the issues above, it's meant to have multiple users, it's recyclable, it has duckbill valves that mean wonderful suction. But all my girlfriends at La Leche League say the new Specta SII is the bomb.com, and it's pretty reasonably priced. That's what I'll be getting for this baby since I gave my hygeia to my cousin.

nerdymama15 · December 2015

Babies R Us also does the insurance thing. That's what they told me in the store anyway.

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