Seeking Moms - Grand Rapids,MI

E.,
I just used a manual hand breast pump and was satisfied with it. You don't have to plug it in, it doesn't make any noise, it is much smaller and lighter than a machine, and it is only about 30 dollars. I had an electric double pump machine but prefered the manual hand held one. Maybe try this after the baby is born before you go out and invest in an expensive machine.
Good luck!
P.
p.s. I also didn't find electric pump to be all that much faster than the manual pump. Maybe if you buy the best machine out there it will be super fast, but the mid grade machines don't seem worth the money to me.

I rented my breast pump from the hospital - I think it was about $15 per week. My milk never came in, so renting a high end pump for 4 weeks was much cheaper than buying a cheap one.

my daughter uses the evenflow electric breast pump, which is well priced, and she loves it. It's $45 at kmart, but well worth the investment.

I really liked the Medela hand pumps, not the electric ones. It's cheeper, it's quiet, you can very the pressure you pump with and mimic the rhythm your baby sucks, it's not to big to haul around, and can be extra gentle when your sore. It helps to hold a warm wash cloth on the breast before pumping to help letdown. It's great you want to nurse there are so many benefits to both of you, including lowering your risk of cancer. My Doc told me to use breast milk for stuffy noses, or gooey eyes. It sounds yucky, but is the right ph, and has the natural antibodies, and really worked. Try not to get discouraged nursing doesn't come as naturally as I thought it should, you both have to learn how it works for you.
Good luck, A. H

Check with your insurance company as sometimes they can help cover a breast pump. Talk to your doctor about it and see what they say. Congratulations on your new arrival and I hope things work out for help with your purchase.

At the hospital they will give you a new package of a Manual medela pump. Or at least they did for me. So when I got a used pump, i throw out all the hoses and everything, and use the pieces i received from the hospital.

Hi E.,

I would check with your insurance company. They may cover one for you if it is medically necessary. All you need to do is get an order from your doctor. My insurance will pay 90% of the pump and all I need is for my doctor to give me a script right after I have the baby. They have the pumps at the hospital so I will have it when I leave.

Good luck!

craigslist or ebay don't pay more than 150 for it. Because anything more expensive you can by a brand new one. Also you may look into renting one from the hospital you deliver at they are alot better than the store boughten ones and there medulas too. When you get one off of the craig or so you can go to babiesr us or buy buy baby and buy the stuff new and fresh you need for the pump like cups bottle hoses and other stuff. That sway ylou just clean the machine and should be good to go.

i never could afford an expensive one either I am using a First Years miPump and I love it they offer it in a single or double. I'd recommend if you can afford the double to get that because you can pump both at once or only one side if that's all you need. Here is a link to it on Amazon so you can check it out. I believe they carry it at like Walmart and Target.

http://www.amazon.com/First-Years-miPump-Double-Electric/...

Try Craigslist.com. Or a medical supply store should have one. I would even think that CVS or RiteAid would carry pumps. Just about anywhere should. I'd be real surprised if even Meijer's didn't. Most department stores cater to all aspects of motherhood. But for a previously used one, Craigslist.com. Otherwise just about anywhere. Check to see if your health insurance would help, or your OB/GYN.

I've been in your shoes, E.. I had my two oldest sons overseas, far from family and baby showers. So my mom and family sent the baby shower to me in the mail instead.

Good luck. Y Feliz Navidad.

For other help with baby essentials, search for a Pregnancy Helpline in your area. I have donated many things to the Pregnancy Helpine in my community. They most likely won't have a breast pump but still you can get many other things for your baby.

God bless you and your family.

you do not need a pump... if you are home wiht your baby you will never need to pump. you only need the $300 medela double pump if you are going back to work and will be pumping every day so someone else can feed the baby. If you want a pump for occassional feedings.. you can get a cheap pump and it will work fine. I did get the medela double electric pump but I worked full time and I need a fast and efficient pump for the days I was at work.

Do not give up on breastfeeding it is hard in the beginning but then it gets easy and it is so good for the baby. My kids have only had 1 ear infectin in their entire lives. they get the normal colds and viruses but no infectins.

also you can apply for wic.. it will give you milk eggs and cheese for you so you can eat well to make good milk for the baby... check with your county health department to see where the wic office is in your area.

Dear Elizabeth

It is good to breast feed your baby.

You can rent the machine.
Best wishes for you and your family. May God bless you.
C.

Hi E.. I've skimmed through most of the responses. There's a lot of misinformation out there! You should never buy a used breast pump! The ones for personal use that you buy in the stores can get milk into the pump itself. There's a risk of contamination. The ones in the hospital are HOSPITAL GRADE PUMPS! They are ok for multiple users. These pumps are VERY expensive (thousands of dollars)and the milk does not get into the mechanism. The shields and tubes are changed for every patient. Please see if your insurance will buy you a new pump or pay for the rental of a hospital grade pump. That's the safest way to go for you and your baby! Best of luck to you!

Glad you are going to breastfeed. It is the best! If you are home with your baby and not away working, you won't need a pump at all. I suggest you connect with your nearest La Leche League Group, which you can find on www.llli.org. There are lots of them in western MI. You'll get a lot of info and support. Also, you can find info on their website. If you will be working and away from your baby quite a bit, you'll want to invest in a hospital-grade pump, but you can wait to do that just before you need it. Many women, like me, never own a pump but just keep our babies with us nearly all the time. Both you and your baby will love that anyway!

The hospital sometimes rents them out check with them. also if you buy a used breast pump, you can still buy all the parts to it fairly cheap.

You got alot of good advice. I have 5, all breastfed. Each experience is different. May you have success-keep an open mind. My insurance didn't cover the cost of a Medela ($300 in my area) so I rented one from the local hospital (I want to say it was like $30 a month for as long as I needed it) after my third child I just saved and bought the Medela cause I knew we had plans on having more kids. I gotta tell you (and this was my experience) the more you pump-the more milk you make so you gotta be careful and with my first I think I overdid it with the pumping. I think all that pumping made me dry up quicker (my experience-may not be yours) I nursed most of my kids past 12 months and it wasn't bad once I got through the initial hard part. Kudos to you and do try something to relieve your stress it will be better for you and your baby (especially when your nursing).
R.

Im so sorry for your stress!! I had my second child at 21 and my first at 19, so i know how it feels. I would recommend second hand stores. they have decent clothes and baby supplies, just wash everything first. Do you have health insurance? If you get insurance through the state it should cover for the breast pump. I used my insurance to get a medela breast pump and i didnt have to pay anything. This stress will all pass, and everything will work out. Good Luck

If you have insurance, they may pay for the pump. call them and ask. Good luck.

First off only certain pumps are reusable.

meaning some are made for re-use

DO NOT USE A USED BREAST PUMP. Hepatitis, AIDS/HIV....and other diseases are carried through mothers milk. I don't know what the rate is for actually contracting these diseases but I would ask your Ob/Gyn before using a used pump. I got the first years pump and it's ok. Only when my breasts are really full will I get a lot of milk. If your baby latches on good it won't be painful. When my baby was in NICU they gave me breast shields that the baby would latch onto to eat. They were comfortable and the baby didn't tear me apart.

Best thing is to breastfeed, pump when you don't want to do it in public. You'll probably have to buy a pump new. And yes Medela is best. The hospital you deliver in should let you use a pump. Pump as much as you can when you're engorged you'll save up a lot of milk.

Your local WIC office will help you with breastfeeing info an possibly give you a new breast pump. I used Medela and was very happy with it.

Good luck!

Do you have insurance? Call them and ask them over the phone if they cover one. My insurance did. I got a Medela Pump In Style for 10% of the cost (which was like $30) as long as I followed the conditions and got it somewhere that would bill it to the insurance for me. It's worth a shot!

Hi. I was just wondering where you live and if you are having a boy or a girl. I am done haveing kids and was wondering what am I going to do with all the things I have left, my youngest is going on 10 months old and has grown out of some toys/clothes/coats etc. I know you are only asking about breastpumps, which I guess I would try to get the hospital grade one, or just hand pump, nothing is needed except you and something to put the milk in, unless you need to pump a lot. Congratulations on the custody battle. In the beginning of this year, my husband adopted my older two kids, but it was not that expensive! Send me a private message.

Dear E.,

Check if you qualify for WIC (Women with Infants and Children). If you qualify and are breastfeeding, you can often get a good electric breast pump to use if you're returning to work or school. If you'll be staying at home, you probably won't even need a breast pump though. You might also want to look into hand expression at La Leche League Int'l website (www.llli.org). The Marmet technique works well for many moms. Costs you nothing but time. Hope this helps, S.
P/S Just wanted to add... I notice many responses back and forth on whether it's safe to use a breast pump that someone else used. Medela has info on that by going to:
http://www.medelabreastfeedingus.com/tips-and-solutions/1...

It's wonderful that you are planning on breastfeeding your baby! It's the best thing for you and your baby. A good breastpump would pay for itself over time, given the cost of formula. There are so many out there now. I just had one that was a hand pump (25 years ago)that worked great. I have seen lots of electric ones too, but I can't recommend one specific brand. You might contact Le Leche League and see what the experts there might suggest. I hope you can find one you like and can afford. Breastfeeding keeps you and your baby healthy,saves $$ on doctor bills, saves money you don't have to spend on formula...it's ALL good. All the best to you.

I recently found the Lansinoh double electric pump on sale through Drugstore.com. It was $102 including shipping. The same model at Target goes for $147. I haven't used it yet (I am due in January) but it has received some great reviews - many think it works just as great as Medela but doesn't come with the carrying case. Good Luck!!

I'm confused by Monica's statement... part of it makes sense, but in the hospital, all nursing mothers use the same 'pump' (and possibly the hoses.). If you are worried about disease, you can easily replace the hoses and other accessories that touch the breast (as the hose can get a back-splash of milk from time to time, but it is not often.)

I have a medella pump, still trying to figure out what to do with it as it was costly (and I may be sending it to California to my cousin as she is expecting a baby). But I loved my pump and got my use out of it. It was worth every penny as I nursed for nearly a year - I would have gone longer but I had to stop due to medications and health issues. But there is no reason my cousin or anyone else for that matter could not re-use this electric pump. Just replace the plastic accessories and have at it. I never had anything back up into the pump itself.

I would say never purchase a used manual pump. Most of these are closer to the breast and the fluids are more likely to get contained in places that are not as easy to clean out. (at least I found that of Advent when I attempted it and gave up immediately!).

EDIT: I was six weeks early and able to successfully pump while my son was in SCU.

I also pumped to keep the supply and demand up - even before returning to work. (and my supply that was stocked depleted very quickly.)

You sure do have a lot going on!!! wow.

Ok, any kind of electric or motorized breast pump is constructed so that the milk NEVER gets into the motorized system. That would cause a shock. The manual ones are designed differently but still you can replace the parts and sanitize the whole thing. While the electric/ battery ones are reuseable, I would look into getting new hoses and plastic parts as priorly suggested. Make sure everything that can get wet is sanitized and don't worry about the "disease comments"...

Yes, it is/would be nice to have the "tops" of pumps... But is not necessary. I have 3 kids and am 20 weeks along with my 4th. I did not use any kind of pump regularly until my 3rd was in the hospital when he was 4 months old. If you are planning on stocking your milk so you can go back to work or leaving your baby for a few days for a vacation it makes sense to pump all the time. But if you are planning on more of a feed on demand schedule/ stay with baby, a simple cheap manual or electric pump will work fine.

I assume that you will be delivering in the Holland area. Contact your hospital and find out if they have a Nursing consultant. Ask what she recommends. Go in (they usually have examples)and look at them.

I used a hand held electric pump when my 3rd was in the hospital and also a hospital pump sometimes. lol If you ever want to feel like a cow..... :-) And wow, louder than you would think they would be... Or maybe just more selfconcious... But most of the time with all 3 I just used a hand pump to take pressure off at night. Even doing that, I did end up with quite a bit of milk in the freezer.

You will not have to worry about pumping in the hospital... Your milk (as a first time mom) will probibly not come in fully until you are home.

Ask your hospital about what your insurance provides. We have BCBS and insurance pays for a manual pump AT THE HOSPITAL. Its brand new and you take it home with you. But usually you have to ask them for it.

NOTE: Any open packs of diapers, etc in the baby bed is YOURS. They also usually send home extra "tucs" pads and other supplies you use. Don't turn them down... And don't forget your "peri " bottle... You'll LOVE it!

Your insurance may cover part of the cost of a more expensive pump, but may stipulate that they be brand new.

Also look at consignment stores for kids and infants. They may have a few pumps...

Also... Some moms can pump and get seemingly gallons of milk at one time... Others can only get an ounce or two at best. Pumps are not a replacement for baby. They don't do as good of a job. Try a cheaper pump first, then if you still feel you need it, spend the extra money.

Good for you. Try Craigslist. As for the comment earlier- I received a Medela breastpump from a coworker. I boiled all the plastic parts that touch milk and never worried about disease. As far as HIV and Hepatitis goes, they really only last outside of the body for a few days, at most. Longer than that, and they die (unless in moist, warm places)- but for the most part, don't worry. I used my breastpump starting at about 4 weeks to build up a supply when I went back to work at 8 weeks and then I pumped every day at work for one year. The electric pump is great for that. Good luck and try to relax.