Is it too early to talk breast pumps?

hippiemama-2 · September 2016

If this topic has been started elsewhere, please point me in the right direction, but I don't think we've gotten onto it yet.

With DD I had the Medela Pump in Style, which was great. I didn't end up bfing for as long as I had hoped, but it was definitely a quality pump. This time, I have to choose from the following per insurance:

Ameda Purely Yours Ultra
Medela Pump in Style Advanced Set
Spectra S2 Plus
Freemie Hands Free Standard Pump
Hygeia Q Breast Pump
Lansinoh Signature Pro

I'm torn between Medela because I am familiar with it and the Freemie Hands Pump because the idea of being able to multitask (especially where pumping at work is concerned) really appeals to me. Does anyone have experience with the Freemie? Or recommendations/suggestions from the rest of the list?

Gators&BoSox · September 2016

I had the Medela pump in style and thought I would be getting one this time. just talked to my neighbor last night who just had her baby 20 days ago and she got the Spectra and loves it!! She said she gets 5x more with this pump than she did with her Medela. It's not personal experience but I think I might go with Spectra this time since I still have my Medela that I bought last time

hippiemama-2 · September 2016

@gators&bosox Good to know! That is definitely something to consider.

kiyamurph · September 2016

I got the Hygeia Q last time and loved it. I went with that brand since it's the only brand endorsed by the Le Leche League. I never lost suction and have no complaints.

Cbeanz · September 2016

Thanks for this post. I actually searched this exact question a few weeks ago and found this:

https://forums.thebump.com/discussion/12668112/medela-vs-freemie

There is another link embedded on that thread. Anyway, MIXED REVIEWS on the Freemie! It's not as "hands-free" as it seems, and not all women responded well to it (like those that needed compression). So I am up in the air which one I want to go with this time. I respond better to pumps with a silicone insert (rather than the hard plastic flanges in the Medela) so I am shopping around this time and interested to hear more about what you all say.

BelcherEars · September 2016

I actually got a Medela pump in style. I plan to get a bustier accessory to be hands free. Medela has a bustier they offer: https://www.medelabreastfeedingus.com/products/579/easy-expression-bustier . Just a thought for anyone who is wanting to go with Medala but would like a hands free option as well.

hippiemama-2 · September 2016

@BelcherEars YES. THANK YOU!

nursemama-2 · September 2016

I got the Freemie and it was awful! I was an exclusive pumper, so tons of pumping experience. Instead of getting my average 10 Oz I would get like 3 and it hurt my supply. I ended up with a blocked duct because it didn't empty properly. I only used them for a few days and went back to my Medela. It didn't allow me to do compressions which is so important for getting the most milk out.

I am getting a Medela PISA again

kiyamurph · September 2016

Just FYI, for hands free, you can save yourself some money and just cut holes at the nipples on an old sports bra. Works just the same.

JustAnotherUsername16 · September 2016

I know literally nothing about breast pumps. I need to find "The idiots guide to breast pumping", is that a thing? Also, I tried to look up which pumps my insurance will cover and it just tells me that I have to buy it at a "Durable Medical Equipment (DME) vendor". Does that mean anything I can find by that vendor would be covered?

nursemama-2 · September 2016

Yup, my hands free bra cost me 2$ from Walmart because I did the sports bra trick.

hippiemama-2 · September 2016

@DaniBanani16 You should be able to call your insurance provider to find out what specifically is covered!

Phil413 · September 2016

I have a hands free nursing bra and it's fantastic. I had a little set up where I could see the tv and could do Sudoku to pass the time while I double pumped every night.

jem89 · September 2016

You are all geniuses. This will be my fourth time renting a medela pump and I never figured out that it could be hands free! Lol Thanks for the tips

Silverbelle843 · September 2016

I have been keeping an eye on this company: https://www.babyation.com. They had a Kickstarter campaign and last I heard they were expecting to release their pump in March!! I emailed the company about a month ago and haven't heard back

fiest time around I bough an older models PIS and it sounded particularly creepy (especially at night!). This time around I bought a newer PIS but would love to try the babyation one.

Cbeanz · September 2016

I have to put in a plug here for the Medela single manual pump. I know your insurance will cover a double electric, but it is SO WORTH the $40 to get a single manual just to use around the house and while traveling. No batteries, no tubing, no tethering to a wall outlet. I LOVED my manual and used it until I went back to work and had to do my double electric. I never would have believed how great it was until I tried it. Plan to use it again until going back to work.

kiyamurph · September 2016

@Cbeanz Very true, good suggestion!

GoldenTMama · September 2016

@hippiemama Thanks for starting this post! As a FTM, I have absolutely no knowledge on this topic and it's good to hear people's experiences. I plan on annoying my sister with these kinds of questions too because she is lactation consultant, but I definitely need to look into what my insurance covers!

Foersty · September 2016

FTM, but I talked to my insurance a month or so ago, and they sent me info for different providers for double electric breast pumps...I went with the Spectre because it's supposed to be hospital grade and I've heard good things...it was really easy to order it from them and they sent it right to my house!

Minger86 · September 2016

Thank you for posting this! I had to call my insurance company about something else, and this reminded me to ask them if breast pumps are covered. I wasn't aware that the Family Care Act made it mandatory for insurance companies to cover breast pumps now. That wasn't the case when dd was born, and it really affected my ability to breastfeed. Forgive the pun, but I was super pumped to learn that I get a free breast pump this time!

I rented a Medela hospital-grade Pump for a month last time, and absolutely loved it. But, at $90 per month while being out of work, I couldn't maintain that cost.

GoldenTMama · September 2016

@DaniBanani16 I just called my insurance and they said the same thing about purchasing from a "durable medical equipment company." I had them do a search and email me a list of qualifying stores in my area. But apparently any pump purchased from one of those stores is covered.

Linds1083 · September 2016

I got the Freemie with my second child. The collection cups are very large- they couldn't really fit in my normal bras. So I basically was holding them in place while I pumped. This pump did not have the option of being battery operated- perhaps they have changed this? I wished it did at work. The positive side of this pump was that the strength of the pump was great and cut down my pumping time at work (this is compared to my ameda purely yours pump that I had from my first child). I ended up using my ameda at work because it was more portable. I used the Freemie at home but had to sit while using it. It wasn't any more or less hands free.

If giving the Freemie a rating, I'd say 3/5. I didn't love it or hate it. Hope this helps.

CanadianintheSouth · September 2016

@minger86 I'm with you, wasn't the case with DD. I tried to go through insurance, but apparently my insurance plan was "grandfathered in" or some crap so a pump wasn't covered (this was 2 years ago). I'll try calling again, and hopefully now I'm not in the loophole of no coverage, even though I already have one I might try a different brand!

Minger86 · September 2016

@CanadianintheSouth Definitely worth a quick call! I've had the same insurance company for the past 5 years. DD was born 4 years ago, and they wouldn't cover a pump at that time. Now, they tell me that they are required to by the Women's Care provision under the Family Care Act.

CanadianintheSouth · September 2016

@minger86 I will definitely try! It was supposedly mandatory to cover two years ago as well when the law passed, and somehow my insurance found the loophole so that it wouldn't be covered for my plan.

korpisar · September 2016

I had a Medela freestyle which I hated. I ended up renting a pump from the hospital as it worked way better for me. I pumped exclusively for 9 weeks and had supply issues. DS was premature and couldn't latch. I needed the industrial grade of a hospital pump.

wintersong · September 2016

kiyamurph said:

Just FYI, for hands free, you can save yourself some money and just cut holes at the nipples on an old sports bra. Works just the same.

I am shocked and embarassed that I never thought of this. Amazing.

SandiaLiz · September 2016

I bought a Madela PISA and I loved it! (Well, as much as you can love anything to do with pumping). I went back to work at 5 months with my daughter and pumped 4-5 times a day until she was a year. It actually died like a week before her birthday and Madela was amazing and sent a brand new one!

My insurance was also grandfathered in and wouldn't cover it. Hopefully they will this time! It would be so convenient to have two. I ended up struggling with supply the last two months and I started pumping before bed. It's a lot to carry back and forth every day!

I also used a borrowed Ameda from my SIL. I was really not impressed.

And I really think if you pump a lot it is worth it to get the hands free bra. I would be so annoyed trying to pull a sports bra over my hair and work clothes 4 times a day.

KellyT22 · September 2016

Spectra S2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've tried hospital grade pumps, etc, but none of them compared to the Spectra. I loved it so much I bought another one (affordable on Amazon!) for work. Do not question this, just buy it. #TeamSpectra

hippiemama-2 · September 2016

I have officially gone with the Spectra S2. Between glowing reviews here and everywhere else ... it had to be done. Thanks, ladies!

Cbeanz · September 2016

@KellyT22 @hippiemama can someone please tell me if the Spectra S2 is compatible with Medela bottles (or Dr. Brown or Evenflow - they all have standard narrow neck bottles with the same threading)? If I go with Sepctra I don't want to get allllllllllll new bottles and nips. Thanks!

KellyT22 · September 2016

@cbeanz It's not compatible as is, but you can buy these adapters that work great - https://www.amazon.com/Maymom-Changer-Spectra-Flanges-Bottles/dp/B01A4LUZA4/ref=sr_1_2_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1473432634&sr=8-2&keywords=Spectra+adapter

mcclainv · September 2016

I have a hygeia pump (not sure offhand if it's the same model you listed) and I felt it worked pretty well for my 1st. I was able to use medela bottles/accessories as well. It also has a filter thay can be changed, so you could sell it/lend it out if you wanted after you are finished. The only thing I wish it came with was a variety of flanges. It wasn't until my son was 3 or 4 months that I realized I didn't have the right size!

hippiemama-2 · September 2016

@Cbeanz I found this ... https://www.theglassbabybottle.com/info_BREASTPUMP.shtml

wintersong · September 2016

KellyT22 said:

Spectra S2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I've tried hospital grade pumps, etc, but none of them compared to the Spectra. I loved it so much I bought another one (affordable on Amazon!) for work. Do not question this, just buy it. #TeamSpectra

I want to!!! My insurance covers it.
Tell me about accessories, though. Medela PISA is attractive just because of all the convenient stuff!

Foersty · September 2016

@longliveregina I thought about that, too. It doesn't look like Spectre has as many accessories and stuff, which is a bummer. But I've seen that Tommee Tippee has a lot of pump and go stuff that works with Spectre, so I might try that.

Also, if anyone is independently wealthy, I saw a news article about this fancy pants new breast pump that uses water hydraulics to make pumping less painful. It looks interesting, but not $800 interesting for me anyways. It would be cool for them to come up with some new innovative products. https://nayahealth.com

Gators&BoSox · September 2016

Idk why but almost every time I pumped I thought about this scene from A League of Their Own when he says "well that would bruise the hell outta me!" lol

Image: https://i.giphy.com/ObyRj9O8TJfUI.gif

kjd291 · November 2016

Bump

@serenity13

serenity13 · November 2016

aww yayy!!! thanks so much @kjd291 you're the best!!

mrsyimster · November 2016

I am also debating between spectra va medela. Does the spectra or can it be hands free too?

dizzymom-2 · November 2016

I just ordered mine through insurance. I was torn between the Medela and the Spectra, but ended up going with the Spectra mostly because it's a "closed system."

Is it too early to talk breast pumps?

Re: Is it too early to talk breast pumps?

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