Breast Pumps - Lake Worth, FL

Updated on April 30, 2008
J.G. asks from Lake Worth, FL
22 answers

I am wondering if anyone knows some information about breast pumps. I had problems with my first daughter by not making enough, so this time I wanted to rent a hospital pump because it is the best. I have also heard that renting a pump from the hospital is more expensive then just buying a really expensive one, but I am worried that I wont be able to breastfeed again and we will waste another 200 dollars and my husband would be very mad! HELP!!

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So What Happened?

Thank you so much for all of the advise everyone gave me, it was really helpful! A very nice women sent me her old pump that can have multiple users, this way I have a good breast pump, but didnt break the bank. I hope I am successful with this baby!!!

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M.G.

answers from San Juan on

Congrats! and keep on breastfeeding! the best machine is the Medela Pump in Style. Trust me I've been pumping for 7 1/2 months exclusively because my baby boy never latched on correctly. This machine is great!

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J.M.

answers from Miami on

I use the Medela Pump In Style. It's a bit expensive but worth the money if you plan on working full time and need an efficient pump. If you will only be pumping occassionally, you can always speak with a Lactation consultant to recommend a cheaper yet reliable one.

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Y.S.

answers from Miami on

I would not spend money on a pump until you really need it.
My advice is to learn as much as you can about bf now and also find out how to deal w/ the problems you had w/ your first child.
Find a La Leche League group near you and start attending their meeting now that you are preg.
Try to have a natural birth.
Bf as soon as you can after birth. Do not give bottles or piaifiers. Colostrum is all your baby will need.

It is ok if she wants to eat every 30 mins. to an hour, those first weeks will be very important to establish your supply.
Bf on demand. Let the baby finish one breast before offering the other one. Don't worry about the clock.

As long as she has enough wet and dirty diapers, then she is ok.

If worried, contact a cert. Lactation Consultant and have her weight the baby before and after nursing. That will give you a rough idea of how much milk she is taking.

Good luck

1 mom found this helpful
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E.B.

answers from Miami on

First, I would ask why you're pumping? The best way to be successful breastfeeding is to breastfeed at the breast! It's crucial for building your supply. Just pumping and not nursing is a much, much harder way. A pump only gets out about 60% of the breastmilk. A baby gets out 100%! Not that your breast ever runs out of milk. It will make as much as you need.

Second, you'll get different results with different pumps. So, yes, the hospital grade is the most efficient but some women find that one pump doesn't work for them and another does.

Third, call La Leche League! I know there are some leaders up in Lake Worth. Here's the link to your area meetings.
http://www.lllflorida.com/web/PalmBeachCountyFL.html

If you had supply problems the first time, definitley get some support from them and also consider hiring a lactation consultant! They should know some local names for you.

Good luck and don't worry about your husband. REAL Breastmilk is wayyyyyy cheaper than articifical breastmilk (formula)even when you factor in the costs of a pump.

1 mom found this helpful
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C.C.

answers from Miami on

although I'm not pumping yet, everyone that I know that have used pumps say that the Medela electrical pump is the best hands down. It is the most expensive one (325.00), but I have seen them used for about $200. As far as producing milk, it's probably better to put her on your breast a little bit before using a pump so that you get steady flow of milk coming in from constant sucking from her....I would however check with a lactation consultant on that though. Good luck!

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D.H.

answers from Miami on

You may have already found your answer, but I wanted to share with you if you decide to buy a pump I found this authorized retailer online and saved a lot of money compared with what the pump was selling for in the store. www.addalittlelove.com. I bought the pump in style advanced because I am going back to work and have to pump. It appears to be the best retail pump and I got it for $75 less than it was in the store. Good luck!

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K.G.

answers from Miami on

Have you been in touch with a lactation consultant? They can help with all of this...ours became my best friend when my babies were new!

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J.M.

answers from Miami on

I rented a pump from the hospital and it worked really well. It was a blue medela pump. I think it was about $25 a month to rent from the hospital. I also bought one and used that one when I was traveling or did not want to lug the bigger, heavier rental pump.

You may want to check with your insurance too - my friend just had a baby and her insurance covered the cost of a pump.

Good Luck!

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P.B.

answers from Miami on

You are right it's much better to rent one at the hospital. I did it and it was great. And if you want something like them they are Medella and their price is more that $300.00. Good luck!
P.
I breastfeed my baby for 5 months working full time with those pumps.

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C.M.

answers from Melbourne on

I used the Playtex Embrace pump and I loved it!! I found it to be almost as strong as the hospital pump but MUCH more comfortable to use.
It is over $250.00 but I really found it to be worth it. 2 of my friends have used it since i have finshed nursing and they both loved it as well.I think the website is www.playtexbaby.com
They have a video on the site that shows a women using it so you can really see what it is all about.
Good luck.

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T.F.

answers from San Francisco on

Hi, check with a lactation consultant but I was told not to pump for at least 6 weeks if I could wait. That should give you plenty of time to do some research on breast pumps. The price I was quoted at the hospital was $25.00 per WEEK so if you can rent one from the hospital at $25.00 per MONTH go for it. Depending on how long you use it, it may be cheaper to buy one. I have heard from a couple of women that the pumps you rent from the hospital (while very good) are still not the great pumps that they use in the NICU. I would check craigslist or ebay for a new, semi-new pump and replace the tubing etc. I don't know where you live but You should also check local mother's groups for a used pump or possibly borrowing a pump either short term until you know it works for you or long term if money is an issue. You don't say what you "wasted" $200. on the last time but don't let your husband stress you out about the money. Stress is the last thing you need right now. And don't get stressed out about "performance issues" regarding your milk supply. I would talk to a lactation consultant now to see what can be done to increase your supply. One trick that worked for me was to feed on one side and pump on the other, while your baby is feeding. Best of luck to you.

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A.Z.

answers from Boca Raton on

I got my breast pump at Boca Community Hospital.. the nurses there re all really nice. The pump is about $160.00 to buy and it depends on the accessories you want if you want to rent it. It starts at about $40.00 for the basic pump a month.
It seemed more reasonable to buy it if you are thinking about using it for more than 4 months.
Give them a call.. I don't think you'll be sorry!!

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N.S.

answers from Miami on

Hi J.,
I would wait to see how the breastfeeding goes and if it goes well, then you can buy a pump. My great breastfeeding support group at Mercy Hospital is not fond of renting a breastpump because of germs/contamination. Instead, they recommend either the Medela (too expensive!) or the Ameda Purely Yours, which is cheaper and just as good. That pump is doing wonders for me. Hope that helps!

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H.S.

answers from Melbourne on

I would say just buy the hospital grade pump beacuse if it works out for you it will cost a lot less than renting, and as for your husband being angry about spending $200 to try and help your body produce enough milk to feed your daughter, just explain to him that your child is worth the risk of "wasting" a couple hundred dollars in order to provide her with the best nutrition possible. If breastfeeding her is imprtant to you, and it sounds like it is, then go for it. You could always put it on your registry and see if someone in the family will get it for you too. Good luck with nursing!

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J.B.

answers from Miami on

J., I would not worry about a breast pump right now. We only make a little milk when the baby is just born even a few months old because the baby's stomach is very small. When you continue to give the baby breast milk you will produce more milk. Drink lots of fluids and eat right. If the baby is still hungry you can supplement it with an ounce of bottle milk.

My daughter was having the same problem and she did just this and she bought the breast pump after he was a month old. He is now 7 weeks. It was with much encouragement that she did this. I have breast fed my babies too, but with each it is different. All the best.

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T.B.

answers from Miami on

Hi J.,
You are correct. A hospital grade double electric breast pump is ideal, especially if you have supply issues. When I rented a hospital grade pump a little over a year ago, I found a company online at www.ecobabycare.com. They rent Ameda breast pumps for $49 a month. You will need to buy a HygieniKit and that is around $50 too. The pump I rented from them was fabulous! I had a lactation specialist who was also working with me and she had recommended the Ameda pump so when I told her of the company I had found she too was impressed. Check out their web site. They ship extremely fast and they make it so easy to return the pump. I gave my local Le Leche League leader the company info because the only hospital where I live doesn't rent pumps at all. And yes, renting from a hospital can be pricy. I called a few hospitals in Miami and they wanted way more than this ecobaby company. Good luck to you.

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T.B.

answers from Boca Raton on

Congratulations on baby #2. I just had my second (a boy) and have a two year old DD, too.
With my first, I borrowed a Medela Pump in Style from a friend. I have that pump again now, with my son. As others have recommended, you should probably buy the "parts" for sanitary reasons (tubing, the collection bottles, and the parts that fit over you nipples for suction.) Otherwise, look around for a pump that someone is selling (or borrow?).
In between getting my friend's pump for baby #2, I needed a pump immediately (I couldn't handle being engorged) so I drove to Palms West hospital on a Sunday afternoon and was set up with a rental on the spot. I can't remember how much it was, but long term rental is expensive. (I'm back at work, DS is 4.5 months old, and I intend to BF for another few months at least, so long term rental would add up.) I shouldn't have left the hospital without lining up borrowing the pump first... but in a pinch you can rent one until you get a long term solution. I didn't notice much difference between the hospital Medela and my at home model.
(BTW ~ the hospital rents you the "parts", too... and take them back so they are able to be sanitized.)
If you're near Palms West, Margie and Judy are the lactation specialists on duty there... Margie is my favorite!

Best wishes with the birth of your second daughter and enjoy the wonderful chaos of life with two little ones... I sure am!

T.

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N.S.

answers from Miami on

I think that renting it from the hospital is your best bet... especially incase you wont be able to nurse. If you buy one you'll wind up out the money and with an unused pump. Renting it if you can't nurse you'll return it early! Then you won't have wasted the money. Either way, if you think about how much it costs to rent/buy a pump verses the cost of formula, over the course of the year renting or buying is still MUCH cheaper!!!! My sister in law rented it from the hospital and she was very glad she did! This way you at aleast know that you are getting the very best as well!

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J.S.

answers from Miami on

Hi J.!

I would suggest looking for a used pump on eBay, and then just purchasing new accessories, that way you don't have to worry about germs/contamination. The pump itself is just a motor, so it's perfectly OK to get a used one. You can purchase the pump accessories directly from the company in most cases, and sometimes in baby superstores.

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C.M.

answers from Miami on

You might try renting a hospital grade one first and then if it goes well and you like that one, you can buy one. Check with the hospital - sometimes they rent them or they can tell you who does.
Don't give up too quickly. My pediatrician said not to try pumping until at least a week or 2 after my daughter was born, because 1) no pump is as good about getting your milk flowing as your child and 2) it takes a little while for your milk to come in and seeing just a few drops in the bottle after pumping is frustrating.

Good luck.

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A.M.

answers from Boca Raton on

I waited until after I successfully started breastfeeding before getting a pump. I actually got a medela dual pump from a friend and replaced all the parts and it worked fine...I even loaned it out between my 2 daughters and am using it again. There are several listed on craigslist and you may be able to find a friend that has one collecting dust... You can also research sharing breastpumps...there are some brands that you shouldnt b/c of the way they work. Good luck!

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J.A.

answers from Boca Raton on

HI J.
I am a Lactation Consultant. I worked at Boca Community Hosp. where they rent a hospital grade pump for a reasonable price. I wonder though if you just need good early support and breastfeeding manangement so that your milk will be sufficient and you won't need the pump. I run a free support group called Nurturing Your Newborn and you are welcomed to visit us. You can do this... J.

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