Recs for pump and bottles?

[lalemma]

Hi mamas,

I got my dream job (whoo hoo!) so I'm headed back to work in a while. My husband will be staying at home with our 8-month-old, and I'll be pumping while at work. Our baby doesn't eat solids in any meaningful way yet, if it matters.

So... of course I need to buy a pump and some bottles.

Help! I'm clueless.

If money isn't an object (okay - I don't want to spend nine thousand dollars or anything) and I'm looking for something powerful, durable, and (fairly) easy to use, what do I want? The Medela Pump In Style Advanced? Is there a difference between the shoulder bag and backpack style? (I am not wild about the aesthetics of the Metro bag version, but that's a petty qualm.)

What about bottles? Our son hasn't taken a bottle since he was a few weeks old. I don't know if he'll actually take one at this point - we'll be practicing over the next few weeks, and I guess trying a cup if he won't. When we used bottles, we used Dr. Brown's glass ones. Still an okay choice?

What do you think about milk storage containers? Are those flat bags the way to go, or can you just pump directly into bottles and store those in the fridge?

Thank you for your help!

[MacKinnon]

Congrats on the job! I'll be going back to work again and need a new pump and bottles. I'm interested to see what people suggest. I'm planning on using a Medela Pump In Style and I'm planning on gathering a selection of glass bottles to see what baby will take. We couldn't get our other two to take a bottle. I'm hoping for better luck if we let baby pick rather than just stocking up before hand. I froze my milk in the Lansinoh bags the last time, and they always worked well. Best of luck!

[andlee]

I use the Pump in Style and love it, but I've never tried anything else. As for bottles, the only one we had luck with was the Breastflow, everything else would cause the milk to come out too fast and DS would choke, causing him to not want to drink from it.

Good luck!

[smpayne]

You may want to rent a pump. They tend to work a bit better than anything you can buy. If money is not an issue, I would rent the Medela Sympony. If you rent from a LC, they can help you navigate how to use the pump and help you make sure the parts fit correctly.

Function wise, I found very little difference between the Medela PIS and Ameda Purely Yours. The PIS was a lot heavier and bulkier, so I prefered the PY, but that is just a very personal choice. They are both very good pumps.

The flange size will make a difference in how effectively you can pump (too small or too large).

Bottles can be an even bigger issue, each baby has their own preferences. I would buy one of a couple different styles and see which one baby is willing to use. I had one kid that would adamantly refuse one particular bottle, but just about anything else was fine, while the other would only take one style.

Pumping and storing in the bottles is fine. Most pumps work with standard narrow neck bottles, Avent makes an adapter to work with most pumps (their pump only works on their bottles). I personally hated freezer bags (mine always spilled or got a hole), but I just had a bunch of cheap bottles to store in the freezer, including some 8oz mason jars and then transfered to the prefered bottle for feeding. If you freeze in the bottle remember to leave at least 1" of head space or the container can break.

[cchrissyy]

the pump in style advanced is the exact same pump whether you go shoudler bag or backpack style. the only diference is the shape of the actual bag FWIW the Metro bag is also the same pump, but it cna acutally come out of the bag instead of being permanetly attached.

the Symphony is great, but so is the PIS and you'll come out ahead financially by buying if we're talking 3 months or more.

you can pump directly into the medela storage bottles, or bags, that's personal preference.

oops, almsot forgot to link these articles - Breastpumps 101 and Storing Breatsmilk Safely

[haydn'smommy]

I'm always the voice of dissent. I have 2 Avent Isis Duo pumps and I love them. I used the first one for 16mos with my first. I pumped 4-5 times/day 7 days/week with it from 3mos until 15 mos and then 2-3 times/day with it from 15mos to 19mos. I bought the second one when pg with my second so that I could have one at home and one at work. I've used number 2 5 times/day 5 days/wk for the last 8 mos. And I'm still using number 1 at least once per day.
The suction on these pumps is greater than even the hospital grade pumps. The pump is tiny and lightweight, and I can pump into Avent bottles, which is what my baby will drink out of.

[NewDirections]

I use Breastflow bottles and they're great

I have an Ameda Purely Yours and an Ameda Elite (hospital grade pump). The PY works well, but I my Elite. I scored it for $200 on ebay

[lunarlady]

I have a PIS Advanced that I love. I did the metro bag version because it actually has a smaller bag inside with the pump that you can take out and put in whatever bag you choose to use. But I actually ended up using the messenger bag. Look online at medical supply stores to find the best price, and remember that you can get paid back for the pump through your medical withholding at work.

We used breastflow bottles and loved the.

I stored my milk in the medela pump and store bottles. I liked that they were a smaller size, could just get tossed in the freezer, and were wash and reuse rather than single use like the bags. Good luck!

[To-Fu]

I love my PISA.

[monica82]

I'm almost positive I also have a pump n style Medela. It is an older one that someone gave to me-some may disagree w/ that. I obviously used all new parts to it. It was older...but it still worked GREAT! I pumped into the bigger bottles that each held 5oz or so. I used Gerber, but mostly the Medela ones. I did freeze someinto the small bottles that only hold 2-3 oz. They are harder to label-I used paper & tape to place a date on them. I also froze in the flat bags AND regular freezer bags. The off-brand ones worked better than name-brand. We were not good at nursing, but I was a pumping machine & quit about 2 1/2 months before DS ran out of milk.
Our DS used Advent bottles and did great on them.
I hope that u find a great pump that works well for your body & bottles that work for your lil one.
Congrats on the awesome job!!!

[Quinalla]

I love my Ameda Purely Yours double electric pump, I would recommend that or the Medela PIS. I haven't used the latter, but it is supposed to be comparable. I would recommend getting a box or two of freezer bags to store excess in the freezer and whatever you have time to build up ahead of time, but otherwise yes, as a full-time working mom, I pump directly into my bottles and store it in the fridge and use it the next day. I use Dr. Brown's bottles and they are fine, though all the parts are some extra work but she likes the nipple shape on them the best. You can pump directly into them with the PY anyway, the horns fit right onto them so that saves some pouring and washing of extra storage bottles.

[lalemma]

Thanks, everyone! I bought a Pump in Style. I have a few weeks before I have to go in to work, so we're going to practice and see what works best, bottle-wise.

[bella99]

I have the PISA and loved it. I got it on ebay and saved a bunch.