Breast Pumps

michaela0704 · January 2017

Alright... I know it is early but I think this will probably we a topic that we see pop up over and over in the coming weeks and months.

STM+ which breast pump do you have/used? Would you recommend? Pros/cons?

What options are your insurance companies offering?

For those going outside of insurnace, what are you getting?

michaela0704 · January 2017

I plan to answer my own questions but wanted to share this option I saw recently... seems very tempting!

https://www.cnet.com/products/willow-wearable-breast-pump/preview/

Stankonia2014 · January 2017

I had a medela PISA for DD2/3. I loved it. I don't really have any cons because I've never used a different pump. I was an exclusive pumper with DD3 for a year and I loved my pump.

I have a version of military insurance, so pumps aren't covered. I'll be buying a PISA again.

allywat · January 2017

I had the medela pump in style which is a popular option that insurance covers, it does the job for sure but I always hear people rave about the spectra so if I am able to get another one thru insurance I think I'll go with that. Also invest the $15-$20 for a manual they are awesome in a pinch and actually seem to produce more than an electric.

doodleoodle · January 2017

Allybiery said:

I had the medela pump in style which is a popular option that insurance covers, it does the job for sure but I always hear people rave about the spectra so if I am able to get another one thru insurance I think I'll go with that. Also invest the $15-$20 for a manual they are awesome in a pinch and actually seem to produce more than an electric.

I have used both the Medela Pump in Style and the Spectra 2. It's not even close, Spectra wins hands down. I got a lot more milk with it in a lot less time. It was also a lot quieter.

allywat · January 2017

@doodleoodle that's what I hear from everyone!

swanbrooner · January 2017

A coworker just got her pump. She did it through her insurance and Target and said it was so simple. She also paid a bit extra out of pocket to get a different version than what her insurance covered, so that's good to know.

michaela0704 · January 2017

I used the Medela Symphony (hospital grade) rental for the first 2.5 months that paid for out of pocket as i was determined to give my boys breast milk and then switched to the Ameda Purely Yours that I got through insurance. That was around the time they were first covered and the Medela PIS option was sold out everywhere/not available from any of the Durable Medical Equipment providers.

The hospital grade one was amazing and I had a hard time switching to the Ameda... I exclusively pumped for 11 months for my twins due to my milk coming in late and a severe case of mastitis within the first 10 days. I had to pump for 40 - 45 minutes every 3 to 4 hours to ensure my ducts were completely empty, it was terrible... but I was producing close to 60 oz. per day.

NarrowHouses · January 2017

I used the Ameda Purely Yours with DD. It was free through insurance and worked fine. I SAH for about a year with DD so it worked well but wasn't a huge priority since I was able to feed on demand.

I'm thinking of getting the Spectra as PP mentioned quieter with good output. Friends who have used the PISA have mentioned how hard it pulls.

I'd also second the manual! I had the Phillips Avent and it was great for traveling and to relieve pressure/discomfort early on without creating oversupply. I found that you can position it differently to get a surprising amount.

Stankonia2014 · January 2017

I'm not sure if this is the case for everyone, but my hospital 'gave' me a manual medela, so you may not need to purchase one.

gave = billed me for it later, I'm sure.

michaela0704 · January 2017

@Stankonia2014 my hospital was ridiculous and 'ran out' of pumps so they only gave me a single manual Medela pump to use the first day and then said they couldn't give me the automatic/electrical as I already had one... my postpartum nurse pretty much said screw 'the system' and snagged me an electrical one once it was free even though admin people said no.

Needless to say, I'm not delivering at that hospital this time around, I'm opting for the baby factory that I had try to avoid last time.

shmarpler · January 2017

I got the Medela, I think it is the In Style. I called my insurance to see what pumps they would cover, and looked up consumer reviews on those. I chose the one with the best reviews, and have had no problems. Plus, because it is relatively popular, a friend gave me all of the spare parts to her pump, so I have new valves and tubing that is still in the package, plus extra storage bottles and caps. I also have a manual, but found it very awkward to use

OT, but for disposable breast pads, I liked Lansinoh best, with Medela as a second. Bamboobies were the best reusables.

kfry22 · January 2017

Like swanbrooner said, I used the target breast pump program and went through my insurance. They did all the work for me and I got a phone call when it was ready to pick up at target. You have 48 hours to get it and it must be picked up by the mother or father of the baby.

I got got the Madela PIS as well. I bought extra tubing, more of the plastic storage bottles, and replaced the membranes every three months. I pumped while driving for work a lot and used a hands free pumping bra. I carried mine in an extra diaper bag and used a regular cooler and cold packs to keep the milk cold. For freezer storage, make sure you lay the bags flat to freeze so you can stack and store them more easily.

neludelu · January 2017

I saw the commercial for the Willow today and was shocked that it was less than $500! I am seriously thinking about getting that one. I had the Medela Pump In Style and it did the job but not as well as I had hoped for. If I can't get the Willow I am eyeing the Spectra.

lmudra · January 2017

So what do you all need if you plan to nurse and pump?
I feel like such an amateur even though I have a two year old. He was adopted so I didn't have the whole pregnancy/labor/nursing stuff to figure out. This is all so new to me!

delujm0 · January 2017

I recommend going through aeroflow online, they do all of the insurance nonsense for you which is awesome.

Got the medela PISA for DD. I'd advise to NOT get one of the "upgrade" packages, as the messenger bag I got with mine broke almost immediately and you can get all the extras on amazon or at any baby store anyway. It was fine, though as soon as I switched to only nursing DD twice a day (after school and before bed, even on weekends) and pumping the rest of the time, I got 3 bouts of mastitis in a 3 month period. It was brutal. I replaced all parts, etc but I have to blame the pump bc when I pump weaned I was totally fine with just the twice a day nursing. Because of this I'm considering renting hospital grade this time once I'm back to work and pumping more often than nursing. I can't do that bullshit again.

Get a hands free bra and and battery pack and car charger too...nothing is worse than needing to pump and having a power outage. Also have a manual pump in your diaper bag always just in case. The medela storage bags are shit, you want lansinoh for that. If you'll be pumping a lot you'll need a shitload of collection bottles. I pumped into medela bottles but DD actually used Avent. I had 20 medela bottles for collection and there were times when every single one of them was either full or dirty. It was nuts.

c1tym0m22 · January 2017

@delujm0 is spot on with the lansinoh bag recommendation - never had one leak / split in the time I used them. Also buying extra collection bottles was a lifesaver - I swear we ran the dishwasher nearly every day before I did

I used a Medela Symphony rental for the first month - needed to clear up mastitis and get things moving after my milk took a while to come in. Then switched to a Medela Freestyle which was fine for the 4ish months I was pumping at work.

This time around, considering adding a Spectra. My insurance will apparently cover two pumps (rented or purchased) so also have the leeway in case a rental is needed in the first weeks again.

I also have heard about the new Medela pump, but can't figure out where it fits into their product line from a differentiation perspective. So...may see how the reviews there pan out too.

heath313 · January 2017

I had the medela PIS, but this time I'm buying the spectra. It is hospital grade and very affordable on Amazon right now.

mombod · January 2017

I had a medela PISA. Insurance accidently sent two and bc its medical equipment couldnt take it back. This made it easy bc I left one at work and one at home. Hands free bra is a must and definitly change membranes very often. This time I will just get a new set of parts. Although my new insurance covers Ameda so I might get it just to see if I have a preference. The PISA I like bc it pumps right into the bottles. We only ever needed the 5 oz bottles but i did have one 3 pack of 8 oz bottles which came in handy (I had over supply and would pump about 10 oz in one extra sitting every morning). For bags I cannot say enough about lanisoh. I never had a leak or break and I had a freezer stash at one point over 1000 ozs. Also if you are going between direct breastfeeding and bottle feeding youll probably only need slow flow nipples. We never used anything else.

Xath · January 2017

I used a Medela Pump in Style with DS1; it worked ok, but took forever and I had a gradual loss of supply. With DD I rented a Medela Symphony from the hospital and it was amazing. I got 60+ ounces per day; 14+ oz per pumping session. So for DS2 I bought a used Symphony on eBay. Since hospital grade pumps can be sterilized for multiple users, you can resell them after use. I plan to sell it after this baby and recoup most of the expense. My body responds so much better to this pump, it was absolutely worth it to me.

mamaelle27 · January 2017

I also had the Medela Pump in Style. With my insurance, in the third trimester, I was able to call and see what I was eligible for, go to Target (or wherever) and buy it, and then just submit my receipts for reimbursement. I pumped (at least a few times most days) for 6 months and the only extra parts I needed were the tiny little membranes. Always have extras on hand because they do tear, and if you don't replace them every now and then you lose suction. I also used the medela bottles (with slow flow nipples) for convenience, as well as their freezer storage bags.

michaela0704 · January 2017

@xath had I known we would have more children after the twins I would've done the same damn thing... now I'm kicking myself! The Medela Symphony is just amazing!!

heath313 · January 2017

@michaela0704 the spectra is comparable to the symphony!

swanbrooner · January 2017

Thought or experiences on using the Kiinde system to pump directly into storage bags? Worth it?

mrt · January 2017

I'm so glad I read this. I had the Medela pump in style from my baby shower, which I barely used with my first. With my second, I got an Ameda pump through insurance, and I hated it, so I ended up using the pump in style for 8 months of pumping at work. It was good, but now I'm thinking I should try the Spectra this time instead, since faster collection would be great. Also, for some reason, I never got a hands free pumping bra last time, I will definitely be getting one this time.

Mistiemorning · January 2017

I got mine through my insurance already!! It was free. I used Aeroflow to help me trough the process and they did everything for me. It was great. All I had to do is pick my pump. It was a hard decision. I knew I wanted a "closed sysem" pump though. It prevents mom backup into the tubing causing mildew. I picked the lansinoh smart pump. My breasts are pretty large so I'll have to order A larger set of flange on Amazon. The extra parts are easily found, it has the closed system and it has an app that tracks how much milk you've pumped and I believ the pup itself times you too. It looks great and got good reviews. It does take aa batteries too which is nice.

JessyKV · January 2017

I got the Medela PISA with insurance with my first who is now 4. I worked full time and used that pump for 14 months with DD and 16 months with DS. It worked great with both.

I also got the Freemie pump with DS from insurance and I never quite got the hang of the cups/ placement plus I didn't like how it was opaque and you couldn't tell how much you were pumping while you were pumping so it's only been used a few times.

I also got a hand held manual Medela pump in the hospital with my first and I absolutely love that thing. I used it a ton if I was leaking in the middle of the night to pump a couple ounces for relief in bed or when we went out with friends. I would definitely recommend them!!

I think I want to try the Spectra 2 this time if insurance covers it. I've heard great things.

I also stay home now vs working before so I'll probably use a pump less if all works out well.

Other pumping necessities to have.

extra bottles (I think I only ever had 13 through both kids)
a couple sets of flanges and parts so you aren't always washing. You can also store parts in the fridge between pumps and wash at end up day. I did this at work.
extra membranes in your pump bag. When one tears at work or out you don't want to not be able to pump
hands free bra
lansinoh storage bags
lansinoh breast pads
lanolin (either Medela or lansinoh is what I liked)

Poppy2014 · January 2017

I had the Medela In Style and the Symphony. I pumped for 12 months and hands down the symphony was great. I used the In Style for back up for long car rides and they don't compare. My insurance covered the symphony but my OB/GYN had to write my a prescription for it. It's really heavy to lug to work everyday but it was well worth it. With a hands free bra it would take me about 20 minutes to empty which was super efficient. I highly recommend. Some hospitals will rent them to you. And oh, rent don't buy. They r close to $1k.

rmarble23 · January 2017

i found this list pretty helpful:

https://www.babylist.com/hello-baby/best-breast-pump

the spectra sounds like its better than the PISA except for the battery/car plug in option which makes me sad as i dont know what my work schedule will be at this point so i want the flexability

Xath · January 2017

Poppy2014 said:

I had the Medela In Style and the Symphony. I pumped for 12 months and hands down the symphony was great. I used the In Style for back up for long car rides and they don't compare. My insurance covered the symphony but my OB/GYN had to write my a prescription for it. It's really heavy to lug to work everyday but it was well worth it. With a hands free bra it would take me about 20 minutes to empty which was super efficient. I highly recommend. Some hospitals will rent them to you. And oh, rent don't buy. They r close to $1k.

Since I ended up with both, I left my Symphony at work since that's where I did 90% of my pumping. I kept my PISA in the car, so I could pump on the drive to/from work. If I had to do random pumping other places, I'd take the PISA. Long term, I'd move the Symphony, but it was a hassle to move every day.

ellie111227 · January 2017

I had the medela in style. I worked full time and pumped for the first eight months of my daughter's life. I got a bunch of spare parts from a nurse at the hospital, and it was definitely nice to have lots of parts so I didn't have to wash stuff at work during the day. I pumped 3-4 times per day, and it worked fine, but I have no comparison. I don't have a manual pump, but I do have a car adapter. This time I will try something different if my insurance had multiple options. I don't think I really need a new one right now, but I want to get it just in case before the ACA gets repealed and insurance companies are allowed to deny coverage of them again. If my old one keeps working, I still keep the bed one in the box and donate it to someone once moms are getting screwed by insurance companies again (too much commentary?)

Edited to add: do the target breast pump program. So easy!

Xath · January 2017

swanbrooner said:

Thought or experiences on using the Kiinde system to pump directly into storage bags? Worth it?

I'm not familiar with the Kiinde system, but I had some major fails trying to pump directly into bags with the medela adaptors. The bag tops are open when you pump, so if you accidently bend over or something while they're still hooked up, you can spill all of the hard-earned milk. The bottles are semi-sealed into the system, so it's much harder to spill while connected (but not impossible--ask me how I know...)

Yailani23 · January 2017

I used the Medela In Style as well. It was handed down to me from one of my cousins. I loved it. It worked perfectly and I was able to pump for about 7 months. I did buy extra parts because it was missing a couple things but I hope I can do it again this time around.

Stankonia2014 · January 2017

@Xath, pumping into Medela bags was a nightmare!

Xath · January 2017

@Stankonia2014 I found the medela bags to be a nightmare in general. I used Lansinoh bags. Much lower rate of leaks and spills. They also packed flatter for freezing.

flyingncmama · January 2017

Does anyone have experience with the freemie? Is it really as discreet as it seems? Like, if someone walks into my office while I'm using it, would they notice?

Stankonia2014 · January 2017

@Xath, same those are up & up are all I'll use.

Xath · January 2017

flyingncmama said:

Does anyone have experience with the freemie? Is it really as discreet as it seems? Like, if someone walks into my office while I'm using it, would they notice?

I bought one with DS2 but it's still sitting in the box. I ended up losing my supply before I could use it. I think it could be fine if you're smaller chested? I tried it on and had horizontal snowmen coming off of my chest because the cup that's supposed to sit over your breast just sort of sat on top of mine. I'll still give it a go this time around, but if I ever end up with an office of my own, I might just use my regular pump and a nursing cover.

Or, you know, just not use a nursing cover and give people the harsh lesson of not barging into a closed office without knocking.

alm52386 · January 2017

swanbrooner said:

Thought or experiences on using the Kiinde system to pump directly into storage bags? Worth it?

I'm a FTM so I've never pumped obviously but a kid at the center I worked at had these and I hated how you turned the bags into bottles. The nipple just pops in and when she was older she would drop or throw the bottle on the ground and the nipple would come right off and there went 6oz of milk! So if you do this, I suggest then transferring to an actual bottle.

n0soup4u · January 2017

I have the medela in style. It seemed to whave to fine. I have heard wonderful things about the spectra. I may decide to get an additional pump to keep at work.

Also, I've used both of these options and really like both.

kahlan82 · January 2017

Had a medela in style backpack. It took me about 20 minutes to pump. I would pump into the bottles and then transfer to bags for freezing. I used Lansinoh bags which were pretty good, but sometimes the seams split after freezing (even when not over filled). We wouldn't know until it started defrosting the fridge..MESS.

I really like the Medela and am just planning to reuse that.

the other thing I loved was my hands free pumping bra. It looks "so sexy" with your pumps hanging out BUT it does both boobies at once and you don't have to hold them.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00295MQLU/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1483831706&sr=8-1&keywords=hands+free+pumping+bra

Want a personalized experience?

Breast Pumps

Re: Breast Pumps

Choose Another Board

Search Boards