Hellobee Boards

I have the Ameda and like it. I also have the Freestyle and I like the portability of the Freestyle. The motor is small and compact so it's great for traveling. I like the Ameda bc it's less parts to clean, but make sure you buy a small bottle/nipple brush to clean your Ameda parts because the tubing is all one piece and regular bottle brushes can't reach down in there well. The Ameda also has separate controls for speed and suction so you have complete control on that, which is nice.

@littleveesmommy: I've attached my Medela bottles to it, and it fits fine. Just don't twist too hard bc it can "jump the threading" and you have to rescrew them on. DS takes the Medela bottles so I haven't had to buy additional bottles. However, I'm assuming it'll attach to any narrow neck bottle.

I used my Ameda almost daily for 10 months, 2-3x a day and it did very well by me. But I have no comparison to other pumps.

@littleveesmommy: also, I pump directly into Dr Brown bottles.

I had an experience similar to Mrs. Blue except my pump didn't die. I was gifted one medela pisa so the ameda was just a back up, I disliked it so much though I bought another PISA. As it was free, it was great to try out but I personally did not like it. I know @kjpugs also had similar issues with her ameda.

I have an Ameda PY and a very old Medela PIS. My Ameda is definitely underpowered compared to the Medela. I do like how small and portable the Ameda is, and it does work, just not as well in my opinion. I use the Medela at work and the Ameda at home.

If I was only going to have one pump I would try to get something other than the Ameda.

I have an Ameda Purely Yours and it works well for me. - I pump about 14-18 ounces at work every day and DD drinks 12 ounces at daycare. I love that it is a closed system so there is no need to worry about cleaning the tubing or possibility of mold growing inside the pump itself and getting into the milk.

@Mrs. Blue: @littleveesmommy: My Ameda motor went out also. It started acting funny before then, then one day, it decided to just stop working. I called Ameda and they overnighted a new motor to me.

I have the exact same insurance, exact same situation, and I aabsolutely HATED it. I won't go into the whole shebang - I literally fought tooth and nail with Cigna and CareCentrix up really high because having no choice like that is unacceptable, and it's considered (per my outside the hive research- mostly LC's I've worked with) to be a very poor quality pump. However, it may work for you. I had very low supply though and ultimately I say it was one of the nails in my pumping/BF coffin. I eventually got them to approve a hospital grade and worked with a supplier who was local - the CareCentrix person felt bad for me and gave me their info but said that "she never told me if anyone asks." Every person at Cigna and CareCentrix I talked to comisserated that they knew it was a miserable pump. Even just the quality of the parts- ugh. The flanges were so poorly made that I had to use a nail file along the edges because they weren't smooth, seems like they were messy in the process of making them. I can't express my disappointment enough and I recommend pushing the envelope a bit to have more choice, if possible.

That being said, I've seen here on HB lots of people who love it. I think you won't know til you try. Hopefully it works better for you than it did for me

@kjpugs: wow! I'm sorry you had such a miserable experience with it. Mine was the exact opposite. I'm sorry you had such an unfortunate experience with the Ameda. The PY was actually one of the ones reco by the LC at my delivering hospital. But then I hate her.

I really like mine. It has worked great for over a year (pumping 1x/day). I can't compare it to any others since it is all I have tried.

I really liked my Ameda. The fact that it was a closed system was super important to me, particularly as I know of a few people who have had funky things grow in the tubes of the Medela (an open system).

I should add that BF didn't work for LO so I was EP- I think that can be a big part of it, if you are EP or using a pump while at work.