Get over It??

A.--
when you rent a breast pump you have to purchase your own pieces (flanges, filters, tubing, bottles, etc). the part that you are renting is essentially the motor. your breast and your milk don't come into contact with anything that anyone else has been in contact with. they are sterilized before they are re-rented, but really there's nothing for you to worry about.

i bought a pump when i was nursing my 1st child (i have 2) and it was worth every penny. i got a high-end brand (ameda) because we were planning more kids and i figured i would need it again. it cost about $250. if you are planning to nurse this baby as long as you did with your 1st one you might save money in the long run by buying one. i agree that you will want an electric vs a handheld pump. a double will save you time too. once you get the hang of it, you will be able to hook up to both sides of the pump, lean against a desk, and eat your lunch over it!!

hope that helps. good luck!

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Like you when my daughter was born I was working full time and insisted on giving what I thought my daughter deserved.... the best she could have - breast milk. So, being tight on money because we were alsoin the process of buying a house at the same time... I opted for a double electric pump that I found on ebay - it came with everything - then when I finally got it to the house, the first thing I did was clean it myself - with alcohol and hot water, boiling what I could.
I would not change a thing if I could go back in time - my nephew was born 3 days after my daughter... My daughter was breastfed, and he was not.... health wise - my daughter is much healthier than my nephew - she does not get sick near as often and she she is sick - it is not as severe as my nephew -
Electric all the way!!!!

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I wouldn't worry, the ones you rent can't be contamanated like the ones you buy. I have breastfed 2 babies and work full-time. Go for the double and the best thing I ever bought myself was one of those bras you use with the pump so you are hands-free. Looks funny but it well worth it.

10 months is a long time to rent but you have to just do the math to see what will be cheaper. You can always pass the pump on to a shelter or sell it to a friend. New tubing and cups and it's really o.k. to share.

1 mom found this helpful

I rented a breast pump and was very pleased with the quality and experience. You will have to purchase the parts that come into contact with your breast and milk in a brand new package so you will be the only one using them. I rented a double pump so that I could get it over with faster. The brand I had was Medela. Good luck!

Hi A.,
I rented a electric breastpump from the hospital. It was a double pump. This was four years ago .The only thing that was in used condidtion was the motorized part of the pump , all the attachments were given to me packaged, and sanitized.
Renting the hospitals heavy duty pump made a huge difference for me. I did not even feel any pain when I was using it, compared to the ones you buy in stores. The store bought ones are torture .It was a breeze.
The cost to rent the pump was only 40$ a month, and let me tell you , it sounds like a lot per month, but your breasts will be forever grateful .
Hope this helps

When I rented a pump in Indiana the pump was used but the tubes and parts that touched me were new- and the milk only went through those parts, not into the pump. This was a hospital grade Medela pump- is that what you are looking at? Even if the tubes and parts are used and then sterilized, there should be no problem- no contamination or anything. The thing I would check is if the milk actually goes through the pump somehow and if so, is that part able to be sterilized. Hope that helps.

I rented one from Special Additions which is a fabulous maternity and nursing boutique down near Seton Central hospital. The ladies there were soooo helpful and knew exactly what I needed and would need. I rented the hospital grade pump and it came out far cheaper than buying one and the quality was so much higher than any of the ones at Babies R Us. You will have to purchase your own tubes and collection bottle - they sanitize the machine but the part that actually touches you or the milk is yours alone! After using that and then in an emergency using a handpump, there's no way I'd use a handpump or single pump ever. Good luck! :)

My daughter was in the hospital for 4 months and I used the hospital breast pump. The parts that touch your breast and milk are only used by you. The pump itself is the part you rent. At least the hospital grade one I used was. I have my own parts that went to the pump. So, renting will be a great option. You can no concern over the sanitary issues, if it is the same kind of pump I used. Good luck!

If you plan to pump often, I would definitely rent a hospital grade pump. They are much more comfortable and take less time because they're more efficient. They give you more options for cycling and such. Also, you will not be using the same tubing. The pump, which the milk never touches, is the only part that is reused. The tubing, bottles and cones will all be new. So don't worry about that.

I used a rental pump from the hospital w/ my 1st, it was a Medela hopsital grade. It was fabulous! I think it is much more efficient than the kind you can buy at the Babies r Us etc. You can buy a Pump in Style (Medela?) used, but I don't think those are meant to be used by others. The hospital grade rentals are definitely sanitary, like the other respondent said, human fluids don't come into contact w/ the working parts. And I don't know about here, because I had my 2 babies in CA, but if you ask at the hospital, post-partum for a pump while you are there, they will give you the plastic parts and ins. will cover it. Those plastic parts are actually pretty valuable, plus extras always come in handy. Hope this helps. Good luck!

Hmmm think if you rent one at least like yeah said will not have to pay full price...also if you decide to buy one can also sell it. Maybe call your local kids resale shop ( we have two here) Kid 2 Kid or Kids Junction ( San Antonio) ask if they buy them ( if so useally store credit) and get something else you might need

I understand the "fear" of used pumps, but normally they make you buy your own tubes/hoses and breast shields and bottles. The only person I'd share one with is my sister though- it's different with family, kwim?! Anyway, this time around I bought an Ameda Purely Yours double pump- I bought it online for $150 brand new. Double pumps definitely cut down on pumping time especially now that you're going to be going back to work.

You will probably hear this from others, but the pumps parts that process the milk cannot be reused, so all you are renting is the machine not anything that milk passes through. My sister rented one double one and it really worked well. I never had any luck with hand pumps or the small electric ones. If you qualify for WIC the nurse my OB/GYN said they give them away for free to working moms. It was a pretty nice Medela model I understood. Good luck!

Hi A..
You might want to rent the Medela from the hospital. There is a really great one for working Moms with a travel bag and a "cold" compartment. Double pumps are way quicker and saves time. And yes, electric is always the easiest.

D.

I am a labor and delivery nurse. Buy the best you can. It makes a difference in maintaining your supply. Some hospitals let you rent the pump. St. Davids does through their lacation department. If you decide to buy one, spend the extra money on a Medela Symphony Double electric pump. They are great. It comes with a carrying case. Medela is all about breast feeding. Good luck.
E.

Personally, if I weren't having any more children I would definitely rent a double pump. It makes the "chore" of pumping much faster. Double pumps are pretty expensive. As long as the rented one is sanitized and you can replace the tubes and stuff with your own I don't think there is anything wrong with it. You can also rent a better quality pump sometimes than you can afford to buy....just my two cents!

Hi I am a mother of 3 and also breastfed them. I also had the hand held pump with the first. But dried up after going back to work (5 months)with the 2nd and elect. with the 3rd. I had the playtex elect. pump from walmart (single) and it was great as I breastfed the baby I was also able to pump the other side and store my breast milk for later use. By doing that I also was able to keep my supply of milk up and not dry up. If you are afraid of spending the money you should check to see how much it would be to rent on a wkly/mnthly basis versus what it would cost you to buy it right out.

I would definately rent a breast pump before buying one, for two reasons. Buying is expensive and with you working full time it may become very daunting to be pumping all the time so you may not breastfeed as long as you thought you would. Also, if this is your last child you might not get the money out of the pump that you buy. Regardless of whether or not you rent or buy you should definately get a double pump. I used a rental pump with my daughters and it was so easy to pump both breasts at a time and it literally took me about 10-20 min. total. Hope this is helpful.

Whatever you do don't get an evcenflo pump. I just had my baby bout a month ago and I had bought an evenflo one. They are not any good. If there is a WIC office near ya they will lend you one. It didnt work out for me. I really wanted to breast feed my 3rd child but, I had some probs. Good luck to you. With my 1st and 2nd child I had a medella pump. It is expensive but, it worked for me and it was a single I think......

I couldn't tell you about renting v. buying, because I bought mine...but I do recommend a double pump. I had a single with my first and a double with the youngest. The double was more time efficient, kept my milk production up and it was just nice to be able to get both done at once.

That's just my two cents though.

my sister recently had a baby and she received a used pump from a friend- she too was a bit uncomfortable with the idea of reusing a pump- she called a lactation consultant and they endorsed the idea of it but recommended that she buy new tubing and the actual cup piece that fits onto the breast.

Hi A.,
I was a breastfeeding mom of twins (now 2) & was very glad to have an electric pump. I bought mine instead of renting because we are planning on having more children. Any part that touches you is replaceable and sold at the same places as the pumps or online. I had to replace parts of mine while nursing because of some medical tests that used radioactive dye. They were inexpensive and easy to find. I found them at Target, Babies-R-Us and Toys-R-Us. Also my personal preference on single vs. double, go double. You will get the job done in half the time which may make it less stressful to pump while working.

Congrats on the new little one!
A.

when I had my son i was given a rental pump from WIC. everything is disposable that comes in contact with you and the bottle. so rental pumps are ok. The pump was an electric one and worked well. If you are on WIC they can loan you one for a time for free. I don't know who rents them though. but rentals are ok if your not going to have any more children, that is the way to go.

If you are going to be working I would definately recommend a double pump to get the job done in 1/2 the time of a single. I own the Medella Advanced Pump in Style and love it. It's very easy to use. I completely understand your reservations about renting a pump. Have you done a cost comparison between what it would cost to rent for 10 months vs buying? That might help you decide.

Just rent one girl! And if it makes you feel any better wash it again yourself. Why throw all that money down the tubes if you aren't having any more babies. If it was unsanitary to do, they wouldn't do it!:)

I used an electric one and I rented it. Theres no point in buying one if you arent having anymore kids. The sanitation really isnt that big of a deal cause you can put it in hot water or the dishwasher and it cleans great. The double pump is better only because you can get done faster and go on with your life.

I spoke with 2 lactation consultants who had no vested interest in either selling or renting me a pump so that they would not be biased. Both told me to get an Ameda. They are the ONLY pumps that do not have the chance of any milk (bacteria) from someone else getting into the machine b/c of the way they are made & operate. So, you could get a previously used pump and buy the tubes and collection bottles & flanges new to avoid any possibility of coming in contact with someone else's germs at all. That's what I did. In fact, I found a used Ameda on Ebay and bought it for only $71, which is way cheaper than renting it each month. This was the most cost effective way I could find. The one I have is Ameda Simply Yours. It is electric and has the option of using it as a single pump or a double pump. It is super easy to use & fast! It's also small & very portable, which would come in handy for you at work. I love it!
I'm also not sure if I'll be having another child either. So, that option worked out great for me. Good luck!

Never had to use a pump, neither of my girls would take anything except my breast - but considered renting one if I could ever get them to use an artificial nipple.

If you think about it, the tools that are used on you in a dentist's office are put through the same sterilization process as the rented pump and parts - I would feel safe using a rented pump from a hospital. Good luck with your decision - proud of you for breastfeeding your little one!