https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 04 Apr 2026 11:21:06 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pump-recommendations#post-1107435 Tue, 24 Sep 2013 11:02:42 +0000 Bluebonnet 1107435@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No longer pumping, but I'm a WOHM and I used the Medela Freestyle. I was able to EBF LO until her first birthday.</p> <p>I LOVED the Freestyle. Its super small and lightweight, which made it much easier to haul around. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pump-recommendations#post-1107382 Tue, 24 Sep 2013 10:47:42 +0000 indi 1107382@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks for the extra info, ladies! I'll have to add the Hygeia Enjoye to my list of pumps to have the pharmacist check out for availability and cost while I google away for more info. :-) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pump-recommendations#post-1106733 Tue, 24 Sep 2013 00:53:43 +0000 lemondrop 1106733@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yet another for the Hygeia Enjoye :) I love mine, it's small, fewer pieces to wash, and worked better for me than the Ameda Elite hospital grade pump that we rented shortly after birth. The only downside for me was tracking down bigger bottles to pump into once my production was peaking. </p> <p>I'm planning to get a second one using the insurance benefit as a backup when we get closer to #2 arriving. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pump-recommendations#post-1106713 Tue, 24 Sep 2013 00:03:28 +0000 ChelseaRose 1106713@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@indi: Good job in advocating for yourself! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pump-recommendations#post-1106679 Mon, 23 Sep 2013 22:53:32 +0000 indi 1106679@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ChelseaRose: They cover a manual pump to be compliant (boooo), but then cover other DME at 80%, and the 20% I pay out of pocket applies to my out-of-pocket max. So it's not all bad, but you bet I pushed them on the double electric issue. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pump-recommendations#post-1106664 Mon, 23 Sep 2013 22:27:19 +0000 ChelseaRose 1106664@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I got a PJ's Comfort Pump through my insurance. I like it so much better than the PISA that I had before. <a href="http://www.limerickinc.com/pjs_comfort_breast_pump.php" rel="nofollow">http://www.limerickinc.com/pjs_comfort_breast_pump.php</a></p> <p>@indi: I'm pretty sure that your insurance is not allowed to charge a copay for a breast pump. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pump-recommendations#post-1106576 Mon, 23 Sep 2013 21:10:31 +0000 yin 1106576@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Another recommendation for the Hygeia Enjoye. I exclusively pumped for 13 months, and this pump was a lifesaver. It was comparable to the hospital grade pump that I rented from the hospital in suction and speed. The only drawback would be the difficulty to get extra parts (flange, valve, tubing, etc), which you won't be able to find in stores like the ease of finding Medela products. I just ordered another Hygeia today through my insurance, and I'm excited to use it again for LO2. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pump-recommendations#post-1106549 Mon, 23 Sep 2013 20:52:53 +0000 Dr. Pepper 1106549@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I second the Hygeia Enjoye. I exclusively pump and it works GREAT for me. I LOVE it. Closed system. Comes with cute tote bag and a cooler with freezer pack for milk storage. You get a free 1 year membership to La Leche League with it too!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pump-recommendations#post-1106108 Mon, 23 Sep 2013 15:48:17 +0000 birdofafeather 1106108@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>i have a hygeia enjoye and LOVE it! it's a closed system (can re-use safely by buying a personal accessory kit new), hospital grade and recommended by la leche league. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pump-recommendations#post-1106103 Mon, 23 Sep 2013 15:46:10 +0000 swedishfish 1106103@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have an Ameda Purely Yours and I love it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pump-recommendations#post-1106084 Mon, 23 Sep 2013 15:38:59 +0000 Mrs. High Heels 1106084@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I got a Medela PISA that I paid out-of-pocket when I had my first kid (Obamacare didn't kick in yet), and I'm still using it with my 2nd. It's my favorite!!</p> <p>I got the Ameda Purely Yours for free this time around through insurance, but the suction wasn't as strong so I used it once and never tried again. I LOVE my Medela even though it's almost 3 years old now! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pump-recommendations#post-1106078 Mon, 23 Sep 2013 15:35:18 +0000 Anagram 1106078@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@indi: so I am basically an exclusive pumper at this point, since my LO's latch has never improved and its still hard for us to BF....so I pump 6 times a day, every day. I'm on mat leave now, but will be going back to work.</p> <p>I got a PISA through my insurance since so many people on here seemed to love it--- and I am just not a fan. I tried every single size flange, and they all hurt my nipples a lot. I even had an LC watch me pump and she confirmed that none of the flanges were the right size for me. Since I am an exclusive pumper and have to pump while caring for my baby and in the middle of the night, the PISA became super inconvenient for me.</p> <p>I ended up getting a Freestyle and I LOVE IT. (Well, all pumping basically sucks, but for me it's much better than the PISA). Now I can fix my baby a bottle while pumping, or go to another room to pick something up. The vibrating suction of the Freestyle is not as painful to me as the other sucking motion the PISA makes. And I pump while fixing my hair or putting on makeup all the time because my LO never sleeps long enough for me to pump and get ready separately.</p> <p>I read a lot of scary Amazon reviews saying the Freestyle hurt their supply, which is why i went with the PISA in the first place, but I have never experienced a dip in supply. I used the PISA the first month after my LO was born and used to pump 7 times a day. I now pump 6 times and produce just as much....but I also produce a lot in general-- about 40 oz a day.</p> <p>I have already used my Freestyle to pump in the car and the airport. Love it!! It's so much smaller. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pump-recommendations#post-1106074 Mon, 23 Sep 2013 15:33:23 +0000 MrsKoala 1106074@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@indi: Thank you for starting this!! I really should start thinking about pumps but I keep putting it off because it overwhelms me! It's nice to see other's reviews! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pump-recommendations#post-1106017 Mon, 23 Sep 2013 15:06:45 +0000 Adira 1106017@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@indi: I actually got the Medela PISA because I was spending 20-30 minutes pumping to get a decent amount out and I was thinking my Avent just SUCKED. But since getting the PISA, I realized it's just me, haha, because I get the same output in the same amount of time with the PISA! BUT I do think if I pumped more often (I pump 2x/day), it would probably be easier with the PISA to just pump for shorter periods of time since it has the letdown function and then transitions smoothly to the slower, harder suction. I can do the same thing with the Avent, but since it's manual, it's more of a pain in the butt, and I have to actually STOP pumping for a second to make the switch, so it's not as smooth as the Medela. But I definitely find the Avent more comfortable to use - the petals are awesome. I was hoping I'd be able to use them on my Medela flanges, but they don't quite fit.</p> <p>So... I think there are pros and cons to both, but you probably can't go wrong with the Medela! :) Plus I LOVE the tote and how compact everything is. It's much easier to cart around than my Avent. And the fact that the storage bag fits in the tote with the pump - priceless! That was the most annoying part of my Avent - having to carry my little storage bag separate - what a pain! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pump-recommendations#post-1105906 Mon, 23 Sep 2013 14:38:20 +0000 indi 1105906@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Bao: Glad to hear! That one was VERY popular among my friends, too.<br /> @Adira: Thanks for the AWESOME reviews. I'm pretty sold on the PISA on-the-go, unless I can find an awesome deal on a closed system with really good recommendations. Almost everyone I know IRL used the PISA, so not too many folks have recommendations on good closed systems. Thanks for yours, I'll have to look into it more! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pump-recommendations#post-1105563 Mon, 23 Sep 2013 12:40:45 +0000 Bao 1105563@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have the Medela PISA and LOVE it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pump-recommendations#post-1105551 Mon, 23 Sep 2013 12:38:32 +0000 Adira 1105551@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have both the Medela Pump In Style Advanced On-the-Go Tote and the Philips AVENT BPA Free Twin Electric Breast Pump.</p> <p><b>Medela Pros</b><br /> Includes bottles, storage case, freezer pack, easy to tote around<br /> Has an easy-to-use let-down setting to getting the milk going<br /> Has multiple flange sizes &lt;-- so nice!!!<br /> Easy to replace parts<br /> Works with standard size bottles<br /> Works great!</p> <p><b>Medela Cons</b><br /> Pumping speed/suction not fully customizable<br /> Flanges are hard and can be a little painful to use<br /> So many parts to connect to pump!<br /> Open system - milk can get in tubing</p> <p><b>Avent Pros</b><br /> Petal flanges are soooo comfy and massage for you<br /> Handheld grip lets you customize speed and suction COMPLETELY<br /> Can pump directly into Avent bottles<br /> Only a few parts, so very easy to use<br /> Closed system - no worries about milk getting in tubing</p> <p><b>Avent Cons</b><br /> Since suction/speed is so customizable, it can be hard to get it perfect<br /> Only two flange sizes (24mm and 27mm I think)<br /> Bulky tubes and pieces - not as easy to carry around as the Medela PISA tote</p> <p>That being said - I like them BOTH. I use the Medela at work and the Avent at home. Since I had the Avent first, I have all Avent bottles, so I bought an adapter to be able to use my Avent bottles with my Medela pump. The Medela makes my nipples a little more sore than the Avent (those petal flanges on the Avent are AWESOME), but seems to work just as well (and sometimes better). The awesome thing about the Medela is that when the milk stops flowing, I can just hit the letdown button to stimulate my boobs to keep going. That's a LOT harder with the Avent, where you'd have to manually speed up/change the suction and then once it's flowing, manually go to a slower speed, which is a PAIN IN THE BUTT. BUT I usually just keep it set to one speed that's somewhere in between and that seems to work well for me. It also remembers my settings, so I now just have to turn it on and hit the button and it works great without me having to do any other adjusting! Also, the Avent is a closed system so you don't have to worry about milk or anything getting into the tubing! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pump-recommendations#post-1105492 Mon, 23 Sep 2013 12:25:41 +0000 indi 1105492@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My insurance covers double electric pumps at 80%, AND I can get it through a covered DME distributor before the baby gets here, so now I'm on the hunt!</p> <p>The local provider has the Madela Pump In Style Advanced On-the-Go Tote at only $50 cost to me in-stock. The store 30 minutes away (where I occasionally work, so no hassle to go there) can order me pretty much whatever (she mentioned the Spectra Dew and a few others I'd never heard of). </p> <p>Please give me the ins and outs of what pump(s) you used, loved, hated, pros, cons, hospital grade or not, etc. I'm WOH, with lots of meetings and other time constraints, so my main wishes are powerful/quick emptying, quiet-ish (I'll be pumping in my office), and easy to haul between my offices or hearings. I don't mind so much if I have to be attached to the wall through a plug-in, especially if suction decreases on battery power. Night lights aren't really an issue, either, as I won't pump in the nursery if I'm night pumping. I'll likely pump during the day at work and nurse at night, if it works out, but this could be an exclusive pumping deal, too, so something that will hold up for a long time with a lot of use is important.</p> <p>All your honest reviews are GREATLY appreciated. I can't wait to cross one more thing off the list. :-) Thanks! </p>