Breast pump recommendation

[Hesperia]

I'm looking for breast pump recommendations!
(not even pregnant yet, but I'm a planner).

Originally I wasn't going to buy a motorized pump, because I plan on being on around baby 98% of the time and could draw out milk with hand expression/hand pump for a small stash. After doing some thinking, I'd really like to donate breastmilk to a family in need, and now I need some help.

I think I would like a dual (double) pump, and would like to keep the price range on the lower side. I will not be carrying it around, so I don't need a fancy bag type pump.

I'm drawn to the Ameda Purely Yours pump. Has anyone used this and can share your thoughts?

I'd really like the Hygeia pump, but I don't think I can spend $300. A

Can anyone share any info on pumps other than the Medela, there is enough info on those to sink a ship.

Thanks ladies.

[MommaShark]

If you really want to donate - the Ameda is great!!!! I used it for 2 years then gave it away (thought i was done)...now I have Avent's handpump - works great as well.

[3girls1boy]

I also had good luck with the Avent Isis, worked as well as the Medela mini electric I had used before. I also was able to hand express very easily. Every mom reacts differently to pumping. Some actually get more milk by hand expressing because it's more natural.

[annekh23]

Whilst I commend your desire to donate milk, I don't think as a first time mother that getting a pump that I otherwise wouldn't use would be high on my priority list, there are just too many unknowns.

With my first I had a borderline supply, I ended up buying a double electric pump to work on that, but only after trying quite a few other things and not until baby was about 5 months, I'd have been frustrated to have paid for a pump for the purposes of donation and not have been able to use it for that.

With my 2nd and 3rd I've been blessed with oversupply and had to exclusively pump with a hospital grade pump for a couple of months with my 3rd. Because of my supply issues with my 1st I pumped from the beginning with my 2nd, then dumped it all as she never took a bottle and I'll probably end up dumping all the excess from #3 in the next few weeks. I'm unable to donate due to medications, there may be some who would accept it through milkshare, but I'd still be concerned as I don't have an exact record of which meds were taken when and I don't feel comfortable donating it and there being a consequence in another baby, at least when I'm bfing or originally pumping and giving it the same day, if there is a reaction in the baby I know pretty soon and I can watch carefully and see if it happens again with the next dose or if I need to stop. Before I had kids I could never have predicted that this would be the situation.

By all means research pumps, but also research how you would donate and remember that more pumps may be on the market by the time you have a baby, or manufacturing details may have changed and a previously good pump may have deteriorated in quality, but I'd recommend you don't spend the money until you know how things are after you've had the baby, the world can look a very different place the other side of that!

[UberMama]

Check with insurance. Some insurances will pay up to a certain amount (if not completely) for durable medical equipment (a pump!). My old insurance only did this if you had a preemie and had a dr note stating so. My current insurance does this regardless, so I'll be getting a Medela Pump in Style Advance for free.

Otherwise, if you want a double electric, you're looking at a pump in the $100-$300 range (lower end is lower quality usually - hate to say it).

If you do donate later on, having that double electric will be good! I kept up a full supply with no newborn with a PIS. I bought it used (which I know some warn against) from a friend for $100.

[Comtessa]

Originally Posted by annekh23

By all means research pumps, but also research how you would donate and remember that more pumps may be on the market by the time you have a baby, or manufacturing details may have changed and a previously good pump may have deteriorated in quality, but I'd recommend you don't spend the money until you know how things are after you've had the baby, the world can look a very different place the other side of that!

I agree.

But I second the Purely Yours recommendation. Mine is great.

[jamesjackmom]

I love my Medela Pump in Style Double Harmony...I'm using now with DS #2 and it still works great...a little pricey...you can usually find a coupon for Babies R Us and save a lot of money...but well worth the money!!

[Hesperia]

Anyone else want to chime in?

[Bokonon]

I like my Medela Pump In Style.

But I agree with the PPs - donating is a very generous thing to do, but I think mentally committing to that at this stage in the game might be premature. If you have low supply, you will need to save that milk for your own baby. If you have a good supply, you could create an oversupply and overactive letdown by pumping excess, which could be difficult for your baby to handle the forceful milk, may cause reflux-like symptoms and/or colicky behavior, and also potentially cause plugged ducts and/or mastitis. You may have a baby who spends a lot of time nursing, as most newborns do. Pumping takes a lot of time as well, and that would be time you spend that is not focused on your baby.

I think donation is a wonderful thing, and I am looking into it myself (I haven't committed to it because I have oversupply even without pumping, and it's not easy on my baby's tummy, plus I really don't have much spare time these days), but without knowing what your breastfeeding situation will look like, my opinion is that you may want to hold off on plans to donate until your supply is well established.

[LilMomma83]

I think, depending where you donate, you might be given a pump???? Does anyone know?? I vaguely remember seeing something about this when I looked into donating at one point.

I'm not help, the only dual electric I like is Avent which retails around $350....I do know a lot of moms who like the Ameda (I've not tried it) and the Medela (didn't like it)

[smpayne]

I prefered my Ameda PY over the PIS. Size and portability were big issues for me, but they seemed to work the same. The PY required less cleaning of the tubing (I always got milk in the tubs of the PIS).

A manual hand pump (avent or such) may be better to have on hand until you know what your supply will be like. That way you won't be out $150+ if the donation thing doesn't work out, but you will have a pump on hand if it is necessary.

[sunshynbaby]

I love the Ameda PY.

[writteninkursive]

MEDELA!!!!

I made the mistake of going with Avent with my first baby, and I never produced enough milk to breastfeed past a few weeks (she had some health problems that didn't allow for her to feed from me). If only I'd had my Medela pump back then, I could have fed my first baby with breastmilk! But I didn't know...

I definitely recommend Medela. They are amazing and the product line is huge and you can find the stuff at a ton of places. And definitely go with motorized, I would say, even if you plan to be around the baby all the time. Manual pumps are AWFUL, in my experience. Your hand will hurt and you don't see the same outcome you do with motorized pumps.

Good luck to you on your journey to conception!

[MeepyCat]

Originally Posted by Bokonon

I think donation is a wonderful thing, and I am looking into it myself (I haven't committed to it because I have oversupply even without pumping, and it's not easy on my baby's tummy, plus I really don't have much spare time these days), but without knowing what your breastfeeding situation will look like, my opinion is that you may want to hold off on plans to donate until your supply is well established.

Yes this.

I really would not recommend that you even think about donating until you've had a month or so to comfortably establish your milk supply.

Donating milk implies a certain amount of oversupply, and oversupply (as great as it can sound - who wouldn't love to have extra?) can be really hard on moms and babies. The engorgement can be painful, the chances of plugged ducts and mastitis are high, and oversupply comes with foremilk/hindmilk imbalance, which makes babies gassy and miserable.

Also, it seems like a lot of pressure to put on yourself. If you have extra, by all means, donate, but there is no guarantee that you will.

[detroitgirl77]

I've tried both the Medela PIS and Ameda PY and prefer the Ameda--I got much more milk out in less time, plus there is no way for milk to back up into the motor with the Ameda, unlike the Medela. For times when I used a hand pump, I prefered the Ameda/Lansinoh one handed pump which uses the same flange you would use on the electric pump with a hand adapter.

[RPS67]

I have an Ameda PY that I used to pump for my son for 8 months while I worked. I love that pump!

I agree with the others about donating -- it's a great thing to do but I don't know many women that have a big enough supply to provide any significant milk for anyone other than their own babies.

If you plan to be a SAHM, though, the other option is the Lansinoh double electric pump, which runs about $150 so it's quite a bit cheaper than the Ameda or Medela PIS. This is the exact same pump as a Ameda PY but it comes without the great extras like the tote, insulated bag, bottles and icepacks. If you're not hauling a pump around, I think this is a perfect option.