breast feeding

[michelle66]

Does anyone have any advice on breast pumps? I will be using it very often and am confused by all the different brands.

[BabyBearsMom]

I had a Medela Pump in Style Advanced. I used it 5 days a week, 3 times a day for 4 months when I went back to work and it held up really well. Never lost suction, easy to use and clean etc. It has a very discreet bag so you aren't walking around with a big "I'm lactating" sign on your forehead at work.

I would strongly recommend that you buy a hands free pumping bra (they cost about $35) or you can make your own with an old sports bra. They made my life about 1000 times easier because I could do something else while pumping (I usually read these boards, haha).

[michelle66]

Thanks for the advice!

[Purple18]

I had a Medela Pump in Style Advanced. I used it 5 days a week, 3 times a day for 4 months when I went back to work and it held up really well. Never lost suction, easy to use and clean etc. It has a very discreet bag so you aren't walking around with a big "I'm lactating" sign on your forehead at work.

I would strongly recommend that you buy a hands free pumping bra (they cost about $35) or you can make your own with an old sports bra. They made my life about 1000 times easier because I could do something else while pumping (I usually read these boards, haha).

I 2nd everything here. I actually had someone (a stranger in a parking garage elevator) ask me where I got my backpack (I have the PISA with backpack) - they must have thought it was a computer bag - thank goodness it was a woman and I could say, well, it's a pump since I have a new baby. I wouldn't call it stylish, but it IS discreet. I also am larger on top and the pumping bras didn't have enough support for me so I wore my nursing bras and used a Made by Mom's Nursing Band - not pretty, but very functional and I could read, work, whatever, while pumping. Good luck with it all!

[lizzywednesday]

I exclusively pumped for my daughter's first 2 weeks due to some medical issues she had/has. The hospital LC advised me to get a hands-free pumping bra.

I swear by the Simple Wishes hands-free pumping bustier. Lately, the best price has been on Amazon.com while in-store it's around $35. It's very adjustable, so you can get a good fit with little effort. (I was a 38DDD through my last trimester and am currently in the DD/DDD cup range with the same band.)

I've also got a PISA (Pump In Style Advanced) in the backpack model because I knew I could get replacement parts at Target (a mile away) versus having to trek all the way to BRU or another specialty shop, internet ordering notwithstanding. On top of that, Medela is the brand of pump that the hospital used, so I had the added bonus of having "free" parts from the hospital because they supplied me with a pump kit compatible with their pumps (Symphony) so I could ensure my milk would come in.

The one thing that everyone who owns a Medela pump raves about is their customer service. I've never had to call them, but I do like the layout of their website and find it easy to troubleshoot any issues I've had with my pump. I love that there are several different types of pump and lots of accessories (like the car adaptor that I've used several times, including during a breast cancer multi-day walk and on my commute home from work, among other places)

[Minnifer]

I'd also like to recommend the Medela Freestyle, which is much smaller than the PISA - fit in my purse - but just as much a workhorse IMO. I used it to pump at work for almost a year - for the first 10 months or so was doing 3x/day 5 days a week (then gradually went down to 2x, then 1x a day). Never had an issue with it - it was great!

[Kimbrosia]

I purchased the Medela pump in style advanced and I use it daily. My baby is only 3 weeks old and I mostly feed at the breast, but when she sleeps trough a feeding or doesn't eat much I pump so my Husband can feed her if he has night duty. So far I have had no complaints, it is expensive, but easy to clean and use.

To the moms that are pumping I have a question, How many ozs should I expect to pump in a sitting?

[mommylamb]

I also had a Medela Pump In Style (the one before the advanced) and used it 5 days a week, 3 times a day for about 8 months. Hoping it's still in good working order, as I'm just buying replacement parts for DS2.

Just wanted to remind everyone that breastpumps are now eligible expenses for your health savings account if you have one.

[Aerienne]

Check your insurance company as well, as my Blue Cross Blue Shield MN plan covers breast pumps. I have a 2000 deductible, but it's covered as part of that, so in the end, I'll save $300 or so on getting it, and all I need is a prescription/note from my doctor.

I also found that if I signed up for their Healthy Start program, BCBS will give me a $50 visa gift card for completing the program, which assigns you a nurse to keep in touch with (in addition to your doc, so it's a nice resource).

[hehateme]

Thanks for mentioning that Breast pump is FSA eligible.
After reading these recommendations we ordered PISA with tote model for walgreens.com for $249 with free shipping. This price was much better than any other place.