Breast Pump Recommendations???

I love the Medela Pump in Style. Don't know about Purely Yours, but I can tell you why I love my Medela. One, Medela is just a great company that has all sorts of breast feeding items such as breast shells (to help sore nipples or help flat nipples come out) and breast shields (to help the baby transfer from bottle to nipple). Without these items I would have had a much more difficult time successfully breast feeding. Now to the pump... it has double suction which is what you wanted and it works quite well. It has been working for me 3 months strong and I have 4 girlfriends who all have the same one. No problems from any of them. They have all had theirs from 2 months all the way to 2 years. All working mothers and all love it! I really like that you can buy all of the accessories separately if you need something additional. Also, they portable ice chest with ice pack is a wonderful feature. Especially when traveling. Best of luck to you!

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I have tried both and I would definitely recommend the Ameda breast pump!! It has more speed/strength settings and it's the only FDA approved pump for no back flow. Also it was just more effective at emptying the breasts in my opinion. With my first child I used the Medela and liked it okay, but when I had my second and bought my own Ameda I fell in love with it. And I loved it just as much with my third child. So my recommendation is absolutely the Ameda!

Happy pump hunting!

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Hi there!! first of all CONGRATS on still breast feeding even though you are going back to work. I know it's not easy but it is DEFINITELY the best thing we can do for our kids, and I'm sooo glad you're doing it!! Anyway, I recommend the MEDELA highly. I've been very happy with it!! I know they say you're supposed to get a new one, but honestly, I used my sisters' and just bought all new replacements, this can save you a lot of money and honestly I really don't see the big deal. if you go to craigslist.com there's always people selling them.

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I really recommend the medela double breast pump set. It actually comes complete with everything you need. i had a hard time when i pumped my milk with my son. i took my cousins' advice and bought the medela pump and everything went well with my breastfeeding. she recommended it because somebody recommended it to her as well. I hope this helps. Good luck!!!

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pump in style all the way- mine saw me through 2 kids- i have a 5 1/2 year old and a 17 month old, and i breast fed for 14 months the first time, and 11 months the second.... :)

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Medela Pump In Style is best! I am thrilled with mine. Plus I am a labor and delivery nurse and that's the pump our hospital uses. That says something, right?

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I purchased the Madela 7 years ago and it was fantastic. It is a bit more expensive than most pumps but it has lasted and worked fantastic. I think we spend close to $300. The one we purchased looked like a carry bag - nicely concealed and had a compartment to hold bottles and the pump attachments and came with a freezer pack. I pumped milk for a year for our daughter - I was working too. I passed the pump part on to my sister-in-law (three years ago) who used it and gave it back to me. This past summer when my sister gave birth to a 10 wk premature baby girl, I shipped it to her. She is still using it. (Of course, both my sister-in-law and my sister bought their own pump attachments for sanitary reasons.) Plus the Madela uses the same pump attachments that most hospitals give to nursing moms in the hospital. I have friends who have purchased other brand pumps and all of theirs gave out and they had to buy another. I would say that if you are going to be using it regularly for a long time, I think Madela is the way to go. Congrats and Good Luck!

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I used the Medela Pump in Style after I had my first daughter. I also used it briefly with my newborn because she was in the hospital an extra day due to jaundice. I loved it. While pumping in the hospital (Avery was in the NICU so I couldn't nurse her), I used a Medela Expressions pump. that one was AWESOME, but I don't know if they're sold to indivuals or just to hospitals.

Definitely don't rent. You can buy one for what you'll spend renting it for a year plus, you can always use it for future kids or hand it down to a sister, sister in law or friend when they have their kids and need a pump. The one I have was used for six kids prior to Avery. We've bought new accessories and attachments as needed, but it's still going strong... the case is pretty beat up, but the machine still sucks like a champ.

Good luck!
G.

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I have used both and strongly recommend the Medela pump. I It's stronger than the Purley Yours. I got more milk using the Medela pump.

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Hi N.
I am using the Medela Pump In Style Advanced for my second child. It was recommended by the hospital when I had my first child 3 1/2 years ago. I like the fact that I can buy parts for it without buying a whole new unit. (I have had to replace the face plate twice, because of my neglegence.) If you go to Medela's website, you can get a list of people in your area that sell the pump and parts, or go to a retail store that sells it.
Be sure to get a halter to allow you to pump handsfree! When the going gets tought, remember it is for your precious bundle of joy!
Happy Pumping!

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I have the Ameda pump and it has been great for me. I have used it for two kids and it is still going! It is a double pump that you can use with electric or batteries. I bought it at Kaiser for $150. The good thing about this pump should you choose to resell it or give it away, the new mom can purchase a hygienic kit (tubes and collection parts) for $30 and feel comfortable about using a second-hand pump. Good luck!

J.

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Wow, lots of answers already.
I just have to put my own 2 cents in :-)
With my first baby, I borrowed a Medela pump (hospital grade) when my son didn't want to nurse. I ended up renting it for 12 months (!!!) because my son could never latch on (I found out I have inverted nipples). So, with my next child I knew I would need a pump and ended up buying a used Medela (double) and just got new attachments for it. Both pumps, although one Hospital Grade and one was the socalled "pump in style" w/ bag etc, they both worked excellent. Since this was what I EXCLUSIVELY did for a year per baby-I really put them to the test so to speak.
I also want to add that I am normally a size DD (so that would be considered large breasted, I assume) and I had NO PROBLEMS pumping.
Good Luck!

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Hello N.,

I used the Medela and liked it very much. You definitely want the double breastpump. It makes it so much easier. Mine came with the Dr. Brown's bottles, however, I would just pump directly into storage bags. Most clear hard plastic bottles contain a chemical called Bisphenol A, which is toxic, and has been shown to leek into the liquid held in the container. I recommend going to Whole Foods to buy some "Born Free" bottles, which are free of this harmful chemical. Your baby's health is the most important.

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N.,

There is a yahoo group called "PumpMoms" that I've been a member of for close to 5 years (through 2 children and tons of pumping!). Everyone has their favorites but at the end of the day a PY and an PIS are very equivalent. The PIS is a bit more expensive because Medela does a lot more advertising that Ameda. And I think replacement parts are easier to find for the Medela (you can get them at Target among other places) but I don't think there are any real significant differences between the pumps. I have heard that it is more difficult for milk to back-flow into the pump motor with a PY than a PIS. I have a PISA (Pump in Style Advanced) - actually I have two LOL. I like it very much and have never tried a PY but I would hesitate because I've heard good things about them.

So I think the true answer is they are really similar so it is just a matter of deciding if you'd rather spend a little less on the pump or a little more and be able to easily obtain replacement parts (the collection equipment stuff like the membranes do wear out and you have to replace them occasionally or if you break or crack something, it is also helpful to have more than one collection kit so you aren't washing everything multiple times a day).

From what I've heard, the hospital grade rental pumps ARE a better pump. But if you don't want to rent, the two that you've got to choose from are very equal.

Good luck! And join PumpMoms. You can get tons of really good advice there.

T.

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I use the Medela Pump in Style. I bought it for my first who is now 2.5 yrs and it still works for my second who is 3 mos. I haven't had any problems with it - it works perfect. I would recommend it.

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Hi N.! You're an amazing mother for sticking to the breast feeding and pumping while going to work! My hat off to you. It can be done!! I HIGHLY recommend the Medela "Pump In Style". I had a ridiculously high amount of milk production so was required to pump in between the breast feeding! (No sleeping for me!! Ha! Ha!) I would get blocked milk ducts if I didn't do this. The "Pump In Style" did the job for me. The only problem was the cleaning of the parts (which is just par for the course with any pump). I suggest buying the microwave bags for sterilization. They were a life saver. The pump also comes in a very nice black bag which made it easy to travel with! The staff at Medela were also very helpful when it came to customer service. Best wishes to you!

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I chose the Purely Yours Breast Pump by Ameda and bought it before I had my baby and then I also used the Medela Lactina due to lactation issues which has some features similar to the Pump In Style (same tubing and collection methods). Both were good pumps but the Medela pumps have an issue with the tubing. Milk and residue can build up in there and it is very hard to clean it. The Purely Yours pump has silicone inserts that prevent any milk from entering the tubes so I don't have to worry about build up. I use my Purely Yours pump about 4 times a day and it lasted until month 9 when the motor went out. I called Ameda and they sent me another one quickly with no questions asked. The Purely Yours was also less expensive than the Pump in Style. I have recommended the Purely Yours to others for this reason and I'm very happy with this pump. Good luck with your choice.

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Congratulations! I actually went through 2 cheapo Evenflo pumps (they both broke after about 2 months) and a cheap single Medela pump before I got the Lansinoh double pump at Walmart. It's identical to the Ameda Purely Yours except for being purple instead of green. It's great! It's actually really quiet. I to got see the Medela pump at a parenting class and they were way noisier and heavier than the Ameda/Lansinoh pump. I've been very happy with mine and I plan to use it again with my next child (Due in September). Also, I never had an overflow or backflow problem with the Lansinoh pump like I did with the others.

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Dear N.,

Congratulations on your new little one on the way and hats off to you for juggling both mommyhood and work! I am a HUGE fan of Medela electric pumps, mine (the double capacity pump) was still holding strong after over a year, and I liked the car adapter option too--really came in handy for us (purchased separately), with the same pump power.

And you're right, I've only tried the Medela, but our choice was based on mega-first-time-parents-over-the-top-research LOL, Medela kept coming up as the "go to pump" for solid, electric pumps. Plus our local Healthy Hearts uses the same Medela pump for their rentals, so we figured they had to be pretty easy, fast, and sturdy--which it was!

Good luck,
M.

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Hi! My friends and I all have used the Pump n Style by Madella and LOVE it! I don't know about the other one. Also, you can buy them on eBay or Craigslist.org for about half the price. They are used but you just buy your own piping and bottle, etc.

Just a thought!

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Hi! I used the Madella for all 3 of my kids and it worked great. I had the double pump and it was great!!! it cuts your pump time in half which is wonderful if your are at work, or having to chase a toddler. I never used the other pump, but where I work they offer the new mothers a nursing room and also "loan" them the Madella pump. As far as I've heard no one has ever complained about that pump. Good Luck!!

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I love my Medela Advance Pump in Style. It has been invaluable! My husband was wary about paying that much for a pump, but after the first week of using it he's recommends them too! I had my first child 8 mos ago and was thinking I'd just breastfeed for 6-9 mos. After the great success, speed, & cost factor (not buying formula,) I'm going to continue for the whole year. As for speed, once I got used to the whole process I can pump in 7-10 mins! Hope this helps... let me know if you have any other questions. (PS I got a great deal on amazon.com for a brand new pump.)

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I have used both and they are both great pumps! I lean more towards the Medela, it has less parts to deal with and the bottles seem to be bigger and able to hold more milk, if you have a lot of milk like me, I needed the bigger bottles. The Ameda pump had two many parts so it was a little harder to take apart when I was done pumping and the parts are made out of the hard brittle plastic, I actually broke one of them and had to order a replacement. The Ameda was a smaller pump, so it didn't take up as much room and I did like that about it.

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Hi N.,

I searched high and low when I was pumping with my first baby. I had a hospital grade Medela that I had rented and that thing felt like it was ripping off my nipples (and that wasn't even on the highest setting). Not that I felt that for long since I lost a lot of sensitivity, but I just couldn't get over the plastic cone effect and my breasts were so misshapen afterwards. I had considered the Medela Pump in Style but I just hated the thought of those plastic collection cones. My friend had the PIS and said that it worked great, but it hurt. So, I tried it and it wasn't as bad as the rental, but it wasn't anything I would call comfortable. So, I looked at all of the pumps that I could find and the best one that I found was the Whittlestone. They are kind of hard to find and bit more expensive, but it is SO worth the money. The part that goes over your breast and nipple is made of silicone and is super soft. Under that is a soft foam donut shaped piece that cradles your nipple. So, when the pump is in motion, it simulates the baby sucking, it actually looks like the baby's mouth. Kind of hard to explain but believe me...it works. The ONLY bad part about the pump is that there is no car adapter for it. I didn't think that was a big deal since I wasn't going to be traveling with it. It is also one of the only pumps that is an entirely closed system so no milk can EVER get back into the pump. I also found, while pumping in the same room with my friend, when we traveled together, that the PIS was much louder than mine. My pump also worked with the Expressly Yours bustier. I am pregnant again and am actually excited about pumping since I loved my pump so much!
Hope that helps,
V.
ps...Don't know where you live but Bergstroms carries this pump in their store.
Feel free to email me if you have any questions! If you live in the area, I would be happy to show you mine before you buy!

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I'm not speaking from experience here because I'm 9 months pregnant with my first, but I just went to a breastfeeding class last night and the instructor said that the Pump in Style is by far the best for moms who need to go back to work. She even brought it into class and turned the motor on. It's very quite so you can be discreet. This woman really knew her stuff so I trust what she said and didn't feel like she was a spokesperson for the brand. I hope this info helps a little even though, like I said, I'm not exactly speaking from experience.

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