Need a Recommendation for a Good Breast Pump for a Working Mom ~ HELP ~

I noticed everyone has said the Medela, well, i used the single electric medela with my first daughter at work and could only pump in the breakroom. My problem with it was how loud it was. With my second daughter, who is 2 months, i bought the Lansinoh double pump. I absolutely love it! I can sit and watch tv while I'm pumping and still hear the sound! And I can pump at work and not be worried that people can hear me. ( I now work in my own office) PLUS, it cost about half what you would spend on a medela and all the reviews I read about it say it is very comparable. I bought it thru target online. I could never find it in the actual store. Well, good luck. Hope this helps!

A.,
I don't know where you are, but I have all of the Medela pumps in stock as well as rentals and consultations right here in grapevine, I will even come to you. Call me if you are interested.
K. @ The Nestingplace ###-###-####

I use the Medela Pump in Style. I have the backpack as it has been easier to transport. I love it and I have used it literally evrywhere! I have to second the idea that pumping in a bathroom is not a good idea - ask for use of a small office or somewhere else to pump. Most employers are quite cooperative and willing to help. It doesn't tkae long, however some privacy is nice and it is a liitle bit difficult to manage juggling all the bottles and breast pump in a bathroom stall - YUCK! Good luck and happy pumping!

I use the Medela Pump In Style. It works for me. I also have the car adapter and have used it when I didn't have an office to pump in. It works well and the car is much more comfortable and clean than a bathroom. Also, try to relax and think about holding your baby while you pump. That has helped my let-down become faster and stronger! Lastly, if you have concerns call La Leche League or The Nesting Place in Grapevine. A little help can go a long way in having a successful experience. Good Luck!

My sister and I used the Medela Pump in Style. It's a good one. You can find breast pumps on eBay, just be sure to get new tubing, bottles, etc... Hope that helps. Good luck with breastfeeding. Nobody told me how hard it was to breastfeed, but so rewarding too. I think one of the most important things for me was the Lactation Consultant at our hospital. If you don't have one in your area there are lots of good books available.

S.

I agree with the other mothers. Medela Pump In Style is the BEST! I bought one with my second child who is now three. It was much more efficient than what I had with my first. Also, they last forever! I used it, two friends have used and my cousin is now using it. They say not to share like that but if whoever is borrowing it buy their own tubing and other parts and takes good care of it I think it's fine. I think they are just worried about it not being made for as much use as a commercial Medela. Anyway, you might even go that route, see if you can borrow a friends if you know anyone who has one.. at least until you are s ure that is the one you want.

I am a working mom and I use the Medela pump in style. It is quiet and quick. I tried other pumps but the other ones weren't as good.

Hi A. -

First, your body produces milk on demand. So, if your baby seems hungry, put them to the breast. This also tells your body that to make even more. If you start the trend of supplementing, you body reacts by making less. Supply and demand is all it is. This is especially important to remember during growth spurts when a BF baby can want to nurse around the clock. This usually doesn't last more than a couple of days but it can make you think your doing something wrong b/c they are constantly eating.

Second important thing to remember is that BM does not "hold" as long as formula PERIOD! Simply put - - formula has more ingredients to be broken down during digestion. Hence a formula feed baby goes 3-4 hours b/t feeding and a BF baby is typically 2 hours. Neither my mom nor my sister BF and they couldn't understand why I was feeding DD so often. Additionally, it generally takes about 3 months for the babies stomach to be able to hold enough for them to go longer in between feedings.

In terms of a pump, I used a Medela Pump in Style. Like others said it take about 20 minutes. However, 2 important points about this....first, your body must get used to pumping. In the beginning, you'll get hardly anything. Overtime, you'll be able to fill up a container - but not initially. Secondly, if you pump for a while past when you are getting any milk out, you are signaling to your body to increase production (again - the more removed, the more created).

When I first returned to work, I was at a client that did not have a nursing room. Rather than pumping in the bathroom, I used my mini-van. I got the car adapter for the pump and parked in a corner. I was able to relax much better in my car than in a bathroom. There was a fridge in the building so I would store the milk there in the medella cooler.

My last piece of advice - - get multple parts for your pump. For example, if you have 3 sets of shields and you pump 3 times a day, you can use 1 set per session and wait to clean them all when get home. Also good b/c sometimes these break. Ditto for the plastic containers to hold the milk.

I wish you all the best. I nursed for nearly 15 months, while working full time. While I hated leaving my girl, it was fantastic knowing that I was giving her such a good start and even though she was in day care, she never got more than a cold the entire first year!

I breastfeed & worked with both of my kids & I used Medela's "Pump In Style Advanced Backpack". It was WONDERFUL!! It has a car "cigarette lighter" adapter for pumping in the car. You might drape a blanket over you for more privacy if you can't just park in a remote place. The Medela breastpump is GREAT!! Go to www.medela.com for more info. GOOD LUCK!!! Breast is BEST at whatever cost! By the way this pump only cost about $250 & that is with all the needed additional accessories. TAKE CARE & BE BLESSED!!

PS. I suggest the sse the Purelan ointment for sore nipples & they will adjust eventually. It is GREAT stuff & it is "baby-friendly". Remember they will go back to "normal" when you're completely finished breastfeeding.

Remember that breastfeeding is wonderful & beatiful gift from God & is also a serious committment. DO NOT EVER feel like a failure if it for some reason it doesn't work out for you with this one or for as long as you'd like it to. Some is always better than none. If it does work out for you then thank God & ENJOY!!!

M. in Plano

Hi A...looks like you got alot of responses already... I also used the medela breast pump for my last two children. I worked too and had to pump in the bathroom for my daughter, for my son I was lucky enough to be able to pump in my own office. I, too, have a medela pump, you can purchase new attachements at any hospital who sells the pumps (not expensive at all). If you are interested in purchasing it from me just let me know. Good Luck and don't stress too much over it. I have three kiddos and my first one did not do so well and I had to stop ...the other two NO PROBLEM.

Medela Pump in style is the best out there. It's a workhorse! I went back to work when my son was 6 wks and did the same thing you're talking about. It takes about 15-20 minutes "all in" (setup, pump both sides at once, cleanup). It's very quiet and the bag is descreet.

To cut costs - buy a used one on ebay and purchase (or the hospital can give you) your own pump parts - tubing, breast sheilds, etc. I had 2 - one for my office and 1 for home.

Also ~ start pumping the DAY you come home. Your body will acclimate to the pump and the baby being the same "thing", and you will not have difficulty letting down, producing, etc. I can't tell you how many mom's I've talked to out there that have said that they started pumping when baby was 6 weeks old and couldn't let down or produce because it felt too mechanic.

Best of luck! I pumped and nursed both my kids until they were 18 months and 15 months, while working full time. It CAN be done! Feel free to email me personally if you have any questions - ____@____.com

Medela Pump-in-style -- it has a double pump so you can do both sides at once! Plus, it has a cooler bag in the pump bag with ice blocks to store your expressed milk.

However, it isn't *officially* safe to borrow or buy a used one. There's a *chance* the contaminated milk from the last person could have gone into the actual machine -- not just the tubes & phlanges that are replaceable. Something to weigh before your purchase.

Good luck this time around! Your baby is so fortunate to have such a dedicated momma. :)

I love the Medela Advanced Pump In Style. You should also be able to rent a hospital grade pump from the lactation department at the hospital.
Remember that your body will only produce as much milk as your baby drinks so every supplemented bottle of formula you give tells your body not to make as much milk. Good luck!

A.,

I would suggest renting a hospital grade pump. I rented the Medela Symphony from an online source. I rented it from babysbestonline.com, which no longer exists. I believe they are now chickybella.com. It was much cheaper than renting from a hospital. Good luck!

Definitely use the Medela and DON'T pump in the bathroom! I understand that you have a super small office and they may not be held to the same laws as big companies, but you really need to ask around and figure out a different setup. You shouldn't have to pump your child's most precious nutrition in the same place you urinate and defecate. Not Cool.

BTW, if you get your OB to write you a prescription for the pump, you don't have to pay sales tax.

AND, if you are delivering at Presby Plano, you can buy the pump there at their mother's store and get a discount since you are delivering there. Between the discount and tax free savings, you can save about $20.

I also used the Medela Pump in Style. It was great cuz you just plug it in and let it do its thing and in 10-15 mins your done. They also make car adapter for it as well, if you are pumping on the go.

I bought the Medela pump in Style from my hospital Baylor Dallas, i had a coupon for 10% off at the breastfeeding store there. At the time I went back to work, I was working with 7 males and 3 females, so I went in to my bosses office and I put a note that said "Pumping in Progress" Do Not Disturb. I really liked the way it helps express your milk. I too had a tough time with my daughter, I was only able to breast feed exclusively until 4 months, but I absolutely love the breast pump from Medela.It has a switch to control how much vacumn you want and you can do both at the same time. IT is electric so make sure that you have an outlet to work from. ITs also very quiet so nobody can tell what you are doing!! And nobody knew what it was, b/c it looks like a bag you would take to work. I hope that this helps you. good luck.

Another vote for the Pump in Style. It is very quick.

Medela is without a doult the best. I used it too with both my kids and it is the only one I carry in my shop. I taught child birth classes for years and still am a nurse in l and d. I only recomend Medela. If you are in need of one please let me know. My shop sells them and Medela nursing bras too. ###-###-#### THanks P..

Hi A.
Well I am going to join in with the thumbs up for the Medela Pump in Style. I have the traveler system and it has worked wonders for me! BUT I am going to go against a few things people have said -and encourage you to really work with a lactation consultant from day one if possible to figure out what is best for you and YOUR baby! I had all sorts of issues from day 1( just had my baby in May) ---but I was so committed to breastfeeding and failure was just not an option for me. For EVERY issue with breastfeeding, there is a solution. I had a bad latch, problems with him sucking, yeast, clogged ducts, etc... and I was just so determined that I met with a LC at Harris HEB ( even though thats NOT where I delivered) and they really helped encourage me and empower me to press on. I did not get my pump until he was 7 weeks and it still worked fine. Like with initial breastfeeding, I just had to figure out what worked for me and then work on it a little.

I am sure that your past experience makes it a bit scary--but I cant encourage you to enough to just trust that you can do this if you are really up to working hard on it. Some times moms feel its too hard--too much work and thats ok. We all can handle only so much---but at the same time if its some thing you want and are truly dedicated to doing no matter how hard the work--then you CAN do it!!!
Feel free to PM me if you want to talk more or if you need any resources.
Take care,
L.

along with my recommendation for a GREAT pump (the medela pump in style advance) i'm going to refer you to a GREAT message board and support system on www.kellymom.com they have a message board dedicated to pumping/working moms and its FULL of wonderful information and tips and tricks and so forth and i really encourage you to check it out :)

Well, it looks like I'm the only momma to not use Medela! HA! I'm currently using the Whisper Wear breast pump (whisperwear.com I think). I'm a FTM and my doula recommended this. It's battery operated and can fit in your bra so you can pump hands free. I've done this a few times in my house (I've been a SAHM for 4+ mos now). You do have to find the right bra to keep the pump in. I use a nursing sports bra and I did have a slight problem with a good enough suction, but if you have a regular nursing bra, you shouldn't have a problem. I've heard people complain about it, but the problems I've had were operator error (aka, my own fault). One down side is the bags only come in 4oz, but I don't have a problem with that, I just fill one bag and put another one in. Babycenter.com has the cheapest prices (I think it runs $121? I bought mine on special). iI believe it was designed by a lactation consultant. Feel free to ask me any questions, and happy hunting!

Since you had trouble the first time, I would just rent when the baby is born and get things established before you spend so much. I have known a couple of people who just couldn't get it going and their pump was a waste of money.

Also, it sounds weird, but put a picture of the baby with the pump to look at while you are pumping. I didn't believe it, but visualization works. Good luck!

REAMPED POST:

Once again, as a working mom, Medela Pump In Style is what i have (and like) and what other moms I know have sworn by when it comes to owning and long usuage.

But also, some of these same moms (that use the Madela)swear by using a hospital grade at first to help with the establishment of the milk production (being better than the Medela at first). The only down-er with the hospital grade is that you have to rent one and have to have a place to rent it from, but you said you had probs. with production with you last kid and this might be a better "At first" option for you. I never had a problem with milk production, so the Madela was all I ever needed. Also, I live in the "boonies" so I'd rather buy and own than worry about renting and returning and that is why I have the Medela, but this gives you a couple of options. Some insurance companies also pay for you to rent a hospital grade, so you might want to check into that.
My Medela works quietly and efficiently (I can be done in less than 15 min but am told this is not the norm but that I am quick-don't know).

As far as you having probs. with nursing your first, remember that every baby is different and with this child, he/she just may be a natural nurser and take to it just fine, or maybe not. Just 'cause you had probs last time doesn't mean you will with this one. If you have probs with this one too, GET HELP EARLY!!!!!!!! I don't know where you are delivering, but many hosp. now keep a lactation consultant on staff. Ask for one even if all seems well. If they don't have one, find one or contact La Leche League if you have probs. I delivered north of Denton and no lactation consultant but my dad was in Harris Hosp (Ft. Worth)at the time and they have an AWESOME lactation center with consultants and products. You can talk to them free any time (they have a 1-800 number if you can get your hands on it) or you can make an appointment but for that, they charge a fee (that some insurance companies pay for). They helped me and many other mothers SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much! If I EVER had ANY problems nursing, I would contact them or another lactation consultant in a heart beat because they were soo helpful towards me, even though I had no problems--they just reassured me and answered all sorts of questions. They would be great to talk to about a pump also!!!!!!

I also agree with other "posters" that you should try to find a better place than a bathroom to pump. I use a bathroom only when I absolutely can NOT find anywhere else and I throw that milk away and starilize all my equiptment afterwards. Bathrooms are dirty, even the cleanest ones! I wouldn't pump in my own bathroom. Find a closset, empty office, empty break room, meeting room, your car, anything!!!!! Or, borrow an office from someone else. Would you eat in your/that bathroom or in a public bathroom????????? Why should your baby (even if it is pumped, he/she is virtually eating in there)!!!!!!!!!!!!

Best of Luck!!!!!!
You will do fine -- just know you may need to ask for help!

T.