HSAs and Breast Pumps

SkiChic626 · April 2016

This might be a dumb question, but can you use your HSA card to purchase your pump? I do get a free Medela or Ameda through insurance, but I want to get something a little more upscale and powerful this time. I think they'll reimburse me for some of it, but I'm wondering if I can just put the rest on my HSA card. Technically it's a medical supply, so I would think you can, but I know how weird they are about stuff you put on those cards. Though, the HSA card has been infinitely easier to use than the past FSA cards that I used to have.

MamaKSquared · April 2016

You sure can.

bananers · April 2016

What do you want that's more upscale? I think Medela is pretty much top-of-the-line.

amccul20 · April 2016

I think Madela and the Spectra are the top of the line.

what are you looking for? all my mom friends are jumping the Madela ship and getting the Spectra.

SkiChic626 · April 2016

amccul20bananers Yes, Medela is up there. They gave me a PISA last time, and they told me it's the same pump this time just the newer model. It was a good pump, but I want to try the Freestyle. I might just get both and keep one at work. I've also learned that even though you can buy the same pump in the store as you might get from insurance, apparently they're not made the same. Someone who works for Medela told me this. As for Spectra, I actually have one that I used a minimal amount last time and it was awful, not nearly as much suction as the Medela, and at that point the Spectra was brand new and the Medela had about 7 months of continuous use but the Medela was still more powerful.

bananers · April 2016

I have heard the Freestyle is not as good as the PISA. More convenient but less suction.

kristynmac · April 2016

Do any of you have an older model Medela? I had the pump in style with my son 11 years ago and loaned it out to a friend that used it for both of her girls. She gave it back to me and as far as I can tell it looks close to what the new style is. Do I really need to get a new one or would you recommend just changing out the parts?

nanner26 · April 2016

I just went with the Spectra. It was either that or the Medela and I after doing some research I honestly felt like it was a toss up. I liked that for the Spectra you can control the suction(?) or speed I think. So it sounded easier for a FTM. It's also supposed to be quieter. I only plan on using it for when we go out and I will need bottles or if I need it rid myself of milk I guess? I obviously know so much on this topic....ha.
We'll see!
p.s. It's also white/pink..so that's basically why I chose it.

nanner26 · April 2016

@kristynmac From what I read yesterday I would probably change out the tubing? They said it can get bacteria/mold etc. in there because it can be hard to clean. I believe you can buy separate parts on Amazon.

But also if you have insurance a new pump should be 100% covered. I think an electric pump can be replaced after 36 months so if you got one 11 years ago, you should be covered! I would look into it.

ThisisNumber3 · April 2016

bananers said:

I have heard the Freestyle is not as good as the PISA. More convenient but less suction.

Completely disagree. I have had both and I LOVE my freestyle

mmclark10 · April 2016

Has anyone had experience with Spectra and customer service? I had a PISA with my first and after a couple of months pumping at work, it died. Medela sent me a brand new pump, overnight, and were wonderful about it. Unfortunately, the suction on the replacement was greatly reduced after another few months of pumping and Medela again stepped up and overnighted a pump to me. Hugely important when needing to be pumping at work. I'm interested in Spectra (if insurance covers it) but would like the reassurance that customer service will be prompt also. I read reviews on Amazon that made it sound like a replacement could take up to a week.

jamiesc58 · April 2016

I used my HSA card to pay for the upgrade to the Medela PISA. My insurance covered the basic but gave me the option to upgrade.

SkiChic626 · April 2016

I got the Freestyle this weekend during the BRU 20% off sale, and I've already reimbursed myself, so all good! I'm also going to get the PISA through insurance and just keep one at work so I don't have to schlep it back and forth everyday.

mmclark10 My PISA also stopped working a few months into pumping at work, but my customer service experience wasn't as easy. They made me open it up and go through this rigamarole at work in an open office because it stopped working during my first pump of the day, meanwhile I'm sitting there at my desk with engorged boobs and everyone around me can hear what I'm doing. Anyway, I wasn't sent a new one.....that said, I had the Spectra as a back up, so I suffered through that day, and then used my Spectra until my milk dried up.

kristynmac I would definitely get a new one. The PISA is not a closed system and really shouldn't be shared.

Hannah0726 You can control the suction and speed on pretty much all pumps. I had the PISA and the Spectra S1 with DD, and the Spectra wasn't as powerful, even when turned it up all the way, and it was a lot louder because it constantly vibrates, so you have to keep it on a towel or something to absorb the vibration. That was my experience with it, anyway. I still have it, but I don't plan to use it with this baby.

MamaKSquared · April 2016

jamiesc58 said:

I used my HSA card to pay for the upgrade to the Medela PISA. My insurance covered the basic but gave me the option to upgrade.

This is good to know! I'll have to call to see if this is an option for me.

nanner26 · April 2016

@SkiChic626I went with the S2. I think it's the newer version? I hope it's more powerful! That would suck if it doesn't suck. Ha..ha..

SkiChic626 · April 2016

Hannah0726 said:

@SkiChic626I went with the S2. I think it's the newer version? I hope it's more powerful! That would suck if it doesn't suck. Ha..ha..

Seriously! I'm actually not sure which one it was, but at the time it was whatever one was pink. This was in December 2014, maybe January 2015, when I bought it.

kwilliams3402 · April 2016

I asked my OB at my visit last week if I needed to do anything before delivery to be able to leave the hospital with baby and a rented pump. She said no--they'd handle it then. Just something to keep in mind for FTMs thinking about buying a pump and wondering about if it turns out they can't pump. My current plan is to leave the hospital with the rented pump, and if it's all working great after a couple months, get one through insurance.

SkiChic626 · April 2016

kwilliams3402 said:

I asked my OB at my visit last week if I needed to do anything before delivery to be able to leave the hospital with baby and a rented pump. She said no--they'd handle it then. Just something to keep in mind for FTMs thinking about buying a pump and wondering about if it turns out they can't pump. My current plan is to leave the hospital with the rented pump, and if it's all working great after a couple months, get one through insurance.

The problem with this is that hospital grade pumps are typically A LOT stronger than the pumps you can buy at retail. If you switch from hospital grade to a normal pump you may see it affect your output and, in turn, your supply. The only reason I'd use a hospital pump is if my regular pump wasn't yielding the output that I needed.

kwilliams3402 · April 2016

@SkiChic626 - So the hospital grade might cause basically an oversupply?

SkiChic626 · April 2016

kwilliams3402 said:

@SkiChic626 - So the hospital grade might cause basically an oversupply?

Not necessarily, but I wouldn't start by using a hospital grade pump unless you have early supply issues or issues with your milk coming in. I actually did have issues with my milk coming it - took 10 or 11 days - and I wish I'd known that I could have asked for a pump while I was in the hospital. I know this time, but FX that I don't have the same issues. I'd be more concerned about going from a strong pump to one that's not quite as strong. I did this because my PISA crapped out so I got a Spectra, and the Spectra wasn't nearly as strong so it caused my supply to drastically drop. Again, this was just my experience, and everyone is different, so definitely do what you're most comfortable with!

kwilliams3402 · April 2016

@SkiChic626 - Thanks for sharing! FTM mom here and full of good theories.

Katm89 · April 2016

@SkiChic626 Lurker here... thank you so much for sharing all that information. I am going to be looking into this closer to august when I find out what my insurance pays for.

bananers · April 2016

My insurance this time only covers a rental, which I'm assuming means hospital grade. I still have my PISA from DS1, but as a full time working mom, I used that thing a lot, and I'm not sure how much life it's got in it still. Not sure what I'll do yet.

SkiChic626 · April 2016

@Katm89 You should be able to call now and just find out what's offered. You'll also want to make sure you have your pump before August so that you have it when baby is born in case you need it right away for some reason.

Katm89 · May 2016

@SkiChic626 I called and my insurance has 3 different providers that have 3 different pumps... and I have to call the provider... I was going to ask my midwife which provider/vendor she works with. I assume that they will set me up to have one right away. I think I'll also buy a hand pump to just have to release pressure.

Curls919 · May 2016

Katm89 said:

@SkiChic626 I called and my insurance has 3 different providers that have 3 different pumps... and I have to call the provider... I was going to ask my midwife which provider/vendor she works with. I assume that they will set me up to have one right away. I think I'll also buy a hand pump to just have to release pressure.

I don't know if I'd recommend pumping to releieve pressure since it's all about supply and demand. If you pump then your body will think the baby needs that milk and it will continue to produce that much. You should hand express to relieve pressure.

Though when I went back to work and he got older and he'd just nurse from one side in the morning I did start using a hand pump on the oppoisite side to help keep up my freezer stash.

Katm89 · May 2016

@Curls919 I kind of view a hand pump and hand expression the same way... a friend of mine recommended the hand pump for dates and such... when I can just pump out a little to be comfortable... I figured its good to have and if I can get used to hand expression then great... but I feel like it is a skill and who knows if it will be easy for me to do

bsckgb7 · May 2016

I agree with Katm89 - a lot of the sights I read have said to register for a hand pump just to relieve some pressure. I assume you are "pumping" a pretty small amount (similar to what you would hand express), just to get comfortable when you can't nurse/store BM.

SkiChic626 · May 2016

Katm89 I found hand expression to be WAY easier than using the manual pump. I never could get that thing to work right. That said, if I needed to relieve pressure I would pump, not always until empty if I knew DD would need to eat soon, but I put that milk toward my freezer stash. I went back and forth with having OS, and frankly I kinda liked it because it helped with my stash when I went back to work.

bananers · May 2016

A hand pump is also good to have in case your pump breaks, by the way!

Bookhousegirl · May 2016

I got a hand pump as a backup or if I needed to pump while I was out to dinner/etc. It's great because it fits in my purse and doesn't make any noise. I'm sure if you are good at hand expressing than that works too, but I never got the hang of it.

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