Breast Pump Advice

[patissac]

I see that there is a lot of pregnant mommies on these threads and was wondering if anyone can help me out. I'm 5 months pregos and since this is my first baby this is all new to me, I do want to breast feed and will have to invest in a good pump. A friend suggested to me to get a really good one, one you have to shell out a couple of extra bucks for meaning expensive ones. She had informed me of this because supposedly the inexpensive ones motors die fast, I have never even heard or thought of this. Can anyone suggest a really good breast pump brand that doesn't cost an arm and a leg?

[angelamaria]

i wouldn't buy one this early. at the hospital talk to the lactation consultant about renting a hospital grade pump esp if you are going back to work relatively soon. or wait a few weeks to make sure you have gotten a good breastfeeding relationship going and then get a pump'n'style - they are by medela which makes most hospital pumps. if you aren't returning to work you likely only need a hand pump like the avent isis. hth!

[Sarah428]

I would recommend renting one from the hospital for the 1st month to make sure that you're going to be able to nurse before spending the money on a pump. If you can nurse and plan on doing it for awhile quit renting & buy a pump, it's cheaper than renting. IMO you're friend is right about buying a good pump. I used a medela and was happy w/ it.

[Molli526]

I would suggest going on eBay. The newest model of the Medela Pump in Style - Medela Pump in Style Advanced is going for $234.99 with no shipping! Other sellers with good feedback have it at $239.95 including shipping. The PIS-Advanced is sold in stores for $319. You can also get an Original Pump in Style for $204.95 including shipping.

I will be buying mine off eBay in about a month, so there will be plenty of time for shipping etc. I want to take my pump to the hospital with me, so the lactation nurse can help in using it.

[paula]

(mother of twins who breastfed for 13 month)

The pump-in-style from Medula is an excellent pump for someone who will be frequently pumping. I had a Lactina (hospital-style) available for use during the day at work and used a PIS at home at least daily for 7 or 8 months. I never heard or saw any signs of motor failure. If you choose to buy a PIS, there are numerous website from which one can be purchased significantly cheaper than from your hospital or BRU. You may also want to consider a used one because all components which come in contact with the milk can be sterilized by boiling or completely replaced for ~$30.

I also heard a lot about potential motor failure on cheap models or used models, but have not meet anyone who used a PIS enough to cause motor failure.

Paula

[RunnerKim]

I'd also recommend the Medela Pump In Style. I ordered mine from Ebay (new). Check your hospital's lactation clinic, they also might sell them and ours was cheaper there than at BRU (although Ebay was the cheapest).

I was really glad I had mine when Lainey was born. We had major breastfeeding problems - I had low milk supply as a result (or maybe it was the cause of some of the problems) and would pump after feeding to try to increase the supply and at one point early on my nipples were in such bad shape I exclusively pumped for a few days to help them recover. (sorry if that's too much information). I was happy I had played around with the pump before Lainey was born and had a basic idea how it worked and had it on hand. Life was pretty difficult for me in the those first few weeks. I returned to work around 3 months and pumped for another 3 months after that (although my milk supply was always really low so I didn't get much).

Kim

[MrsReber]

I also had a Medela pump in style. I brought it to work with me when I went back and it was great. I don't know if you're working or going back to work. Many people, including my own mother, told me not to get a pump right away. I mistakenly listened to them and ran right out the first chance I had to buy the pump. I had a great milk supply, but was engored something awful because my daughter never ate a lot at once (still doesn't at almost 3!). The hand held pump the hospital gave me was worthless and I couldn't get the hang of it. The Medela pump was awesome and took hardly any time at all.

I bought mine at Babies R Us and used it when both my kids were born. It was expensive, but it was well worth it. I gave it to DH's neice, who is now having her second baby in July. The pump is still going! I think they have a backpack model, too. I don't know much about that one. The Pump in Style holds and keeps cold 4 5 oz containers, which was great for me. I could get my pumped milk home from work each night without a problem.

[Molli526]

The way I figure it, if I have problems breast feeding, I will still be able to pump to give that liquid gold to my baby. That's why I am buying mine before. I also won't be stressing about needing it and having to pay ~$75 more. My brother and SIL use formula and it runs them ~$100 a month, so I figure if I use the thing 2 1/2 months, it is worth it, plus I own it and can use it again for our next child.

[patissac]

sounds like the medela one is the way to go, thank you all for your advice sometimes it seems like this mommy stuff is kinda scary especially when your new to it all. I wish everyone would give me useful information like I have recieved on this thread instead of those annoying old wives tales! It sounds like I should by mines way in advance and cross my fingers that I can breast feed, I've also heard of allergic reactions to breast milk or being completely dry,etc. Thank you again!

[hrk]

Another daily user of the Pump in Style checking in. I went back to work when DS was four months and used my Pump in Style three times a day until about a month ago and then twice a day up until a week ago. It was wonderful and I never had issues with the the motor. I bought the traveler so that I had the back back style and it was great for going back and forth to work and also taking on trips with me.
I waited until after DS was born and rented a hospital style pump for the first month and in my opinion it was worth it. As wonderful as the pump in style pumps are they are no where near as powerful as the hospital grade pumps and they really do wonders for increasing your milk supply if you use them in the beginning. Also if you rent a pump in the hospital ( at least my insurance) covered the cost of the pump accessories kit that came with it, so that I had a full extra set of breast shields, bottles, attachements etc.. That may not seem like a big deal now but when you have to pump two to three times a day at work that extra set is great. (just ask DH who was great about washing all my stuff) Plus you can usually get the pump in 2-3 days off the internet when you need it.
For those of you who are going to be ordering a pump off the internet, I HIGHLY recommend www.kidalog.com. They are a company based up in Canada and they sell new medela products but since they are based in Canada, you get the advantage of the exchange rate. I bought my pump in Style Traveler form them for $170 including shipping and saved close to $100 off the cheapest price I found anywhere inlcuding Ebay. There customer service was great, it arrived right on time and they even included extra literature on ways to pump for success, etc.
HTH from someone who just put her pump away all ready for the next child (whenever that might be)
Heather

[Karen M]

ditto what Heather said. kidalog.com and pump in style all the way! I was glad I had the pump early because my son stayed in the NICU for a while after birth unexpectedly and it was one less thing I had to think about.

[AvrilH]

I would suggest that the pump in style is the BEST on the market. But it's not always needed to have so much power. If you are going back to work when the baby is under a year, and would like to continue exclusively giving her your milk, then that is the way to go.

BUT - if you want only want a pump for an occaisional feeding here and there (and to deal with poor production, or to help ease sore nipples or other little issues....) then I can reccoment the Avent isis handheld. It is small and convenient, comfortable and easy to use. And much much cheaper than the pump in style.

And - if I may - I hear so often about people "trying to nurse" ... The lesson I learned after my first son that having HELP and good ADVICE in the first few weeks makes a huge difference. Except for a very few women, nursing works once you LEARN HOW. I did not learn quickly with my first son, and had NO HELP. It was a struggle, and he was supplemented, and it was difficult for months and months.

I have never met a woman who had good support and excellent teachers who abandoned nursing because it did not work.

Just a little soapbox. Good luck!