Lactation room at work comes with a pump?

[greenmulberry]

So, I am about to have a baby any day now. DH will stay at home with kidlet but I have to go back to work after maternity leave, so will need to pump.

I was researching the nearest lactation room near my office. There is one in my building, and in the listing of services, it says "Medela Lactina Pump".

Forgive me because I thought breast pumps were "personal" items, but do you think I should plan on using this pump at work? Can I get away with a cheaper pump at home?  Do I need to buy parts to go with it?

There is something about a shared pump that is grossing me out, but this must be normal because there are many many lactation rooms here (I work for a large University) and many of the rooms come with pumps.

They do have contact people to call for information about using the rooms but I was wondering what you all thought. I had this image of me lugging a pump to and fro, maybe that isn't needed?

[motherhendoula]

This must be a hospital grade pump.  You will need your own flanges and bottles etc...  there is no cross contamination with a hospital grade pump.   Every Mom uses her own equipment.  I think this a great thing - having had to lug around my own hospital grade pump  (like carrying around a small microwave!)  the downside however, is that you do not have a pump to use at home to start collecting milk for your first few days back to work.  You dont know yet how often your going to have to pump - you may find you need to pump an extra time or two while at home in order to leave enough for baby.   Buying your own pump can be pricey though.  I would contact the person in charge

(and first tell them how thrilled you are to have a pump lounge with pump provided)   when i had to pump at work i had to hide in the bathroom! 

Also ask exactly what type of pump it is - im sure you can get your personal attachments for it on-line...or possibly through the person in charge of the lounge

[Viola]

Yes, a Lactina is the hospital grade model, so you'll have to buy your own attachment kit, as motherhendoula said.  I think they are in the $45-$50 range, but I don't really know.

[crystal_buffaloe]

You'll buy the medela lactina kit (about $45 -- they sell it on Amazon, and also at 2 of the drug stores in my town, and I believe also at Target). The only thing that is shared is the motor (which is powerful, and has adjustable suction and speed) -- all of the tubes and horns and collection bottles and everything are your own personal items, which you'll carry with you.

It's much nicer to only have to cart around a small, light bag (I use a gallon ziplock) than it is to lug the whole pump. As a bonus, the kit can also function as a manual pump.

The only downside I can see here is if you want to or need to fit in extra pumping sessions at home. You'd be able to get enough for one or two days with just the manual pump prior to going back to school, and then the goal is to pump what your LO will need the next day while you're at school/work (you don't want her eating more while you're away from her than you're pumping -- you want to keep that supply/demand balance pretty even), but being only one or two days "ahead" would seriously stress me out.

I wonder if you could rent the hospital-grade pump for a week before you return to school, to learn the pump, get the first bottles ready, and maybe put a few ounces in the freezer.

[greenmulberry]

Wow this is great news!

I suspect I can rent a pump here and there to do some pumping at home, I figure I will need to have DH work out bottle feeding before I leave for work. I work at a large University with a pro breastfeeding hospital and I imagine they do stuff like that.

They are very supportive of pumping here, the lactation room also has wireless Internet. I envision bringing my laptop and surfing the web while I pump.

[macandcheese]

I really have nothing to contribute to the conversation except to say that it's awesome that your school provides such great BF resources! 

[JudiAU]

In some large corporate workplaces, they include a professional grade pump. There was some push awhile back to include pumps so that businesses look bf-friendly, maybe a certain magazine or whatever. My office has an official "lactation room" but I've never used it. I found it more convenient to look my door, have a personal pump, and buy a small personal refrigerator so I didn't have to share. Takes a lot less time and lets me easily squeeze in an extra session if I need it.

Lactina is a top of the grade hospital grade pump though. If I knew I had access to one I'd probably bring my own parts.Perfectly fine to share. As OP said, $450-500.

 I'd still buy a pump though. Sometimes you'll want it at home or in the car..

[dalia]

If you have insurance they may pay for you to get your own pump. Mine did! You may want to check into that.

[CheriK]

You'll probably want to check with whoever coordinates the use of the rooms before buying a kit; if your university provides lactation rooms they may also sell the equipment to use the pumps at a discount.  Ours sells it through the campus bookstore at cost.  Many of the moms who use the lactation rooms at our university also have their own pump for use at home or if they pump in their office at times.  If you think you might want to buy a pump, it would make sense to buy one by the same manufacturer so the equipment is interchangeable.  Or you might be fine with a hand pump or even hand expression while at home.

[~Amy~]

If for any reason you end up pumping while you're in the hospital, you may actually be given the pumping kit if it's the same pump.  I used a Lactina while we were in the hospital after delivery & while I didn't bring the kit home since I had no intention of pumping again, I could have.  Insurance will likely pay for it if it's needed while you're admitted.

[Ellien C]

THat's a good point about the hospital. I ASKED for a kit with my second so I didn't have to buy a new one.

[greenmulberry]

Oh that's good to know. The place I work for and the hospital I am delivering at are the same place (a University) and they are pretty progressive and pro breast feeding.

I had to laugh because when I went on a tour of the delivery suites the woman guiding me said that after delivery I will be visited by a lactation consultant "whether I want it or not!!!!".