Moms who pumped- help please!

Last time I ended up pumping exclusively and had the Medela PISA- I called insurance and these are the ones that are covered with my plan.

Anyone have any positive or negatives on them?

-Ameda Purely Yours Double Pump
-Medela Double Pump- but its not the freestyle or the pisa and its on backorder
-PJ's Bliss Double Pump

Message edited 7/17/2013 1:49:34 PM.

Re: Moms who pumped- help please!

My insurance covered the Ameda pump and a Playtex one. I went with the Ameda and I've been using it everyday for 6 weeks and I really like it. It's very easy to use and BRU sells the different parts for it if you need. I haven't had any issues.

Re: Moms who pumped- help please!

Re: Moms who pumped- help please!

i have a medela double pump...i dont know the exact name of it though...its not the pump in style nor is it the freestyle. the company i got it through told me it is the same motor as the PISA which is why i got it. i love it
maybe ask them that question about the madela and if its the same motor go for that one.

i personally love the madela pumps - i have mine that i got through insurance plus a friend gave me her PISA that is 8+ years old and was used while she nursed 4 kids for a year each and its still working well (i keep at it at home bc i bring my other one to work and hate schlepping it)


edit - which company did you contact for the pump? when i got mine edgepark was back ordered on the madela but i got the name of another company and they had it and shipped it right away. let me know if you want me to dig up their contact info....

Message edited 7/17/2013 2:47:24 PM.

Re: Moms who pumped- help please!

Re: Moms who pumped- help please!

I went with Medela before my insurance started covering, I have no complaints, but my LC actually recommends the Amedas.

Re: Moms who pumped- help please!

I'd go with Ameda or the other Medela. I used a hospital-grade Ameda when I was in SB and thought it was great. And I'll be done pumping in mid-Nov for DD2 - you are welcome to my PISA after that

Moms who pumped- help please!

Ladies curious how long do u pump for & how many oz's do extract? Trying to figure if my pump is a good one.lol

Moms who pumped- help please!

Where are you delivering?

Re: Moms who pumped- help please!

Re: Moms who pumped- help please!

Re: Moms who pumped- help please!

Posted by TheDivineMrsM

I'd go with Ameda or the other Medela. I used a hospital-grade Ameda when I was in SB and thought it was great. And I'll be done pumping in mid-Nov for DD2 - you are welcome to my PISA after that

Re: Moms who pumped- help please!

Re: Moms who pumped- help please!

I almost quit EPing because of the Ameda Purely Yours. I switched to the PISA. I wrote a long post about the Ameda before, I'll try to find it for you.

Re: Moms who pumped- help please!

OK, so here's a cut and paste of a post I put up in the pregnancy board when someone was asking for a comparison of the PISA and the Purely Yours...obviously everyone has different experiences, but here was mine....



I've heard a lot of people say they thought the Ameda would be better because it's a closed system (so milk/condensation cannot get into the tubing) and because it has separate controls for the speed and suction. I also heard someone say they thought it had fewer parts. I have personally found that none of these things make the Ameda better and here's why:

1. Yes, the Medela is not a closed system but if you use the pump correctly I don't see how milk could possibly build up in the tubing. Yes, I've seen condensation (a very small amount) in the end towards the flanges but all you have to do is run the pump for a minute after you disconnect the flanges and bottles and the condensation clears right out.

2. For me, the Ameda had MORE parts and the flanges were awkward sizes. On both breasts I was definitely somewhere in between their 25 and 28.5 flanges. To use the 28.5 flange, you basically have to use their 30.5 flange and then put a 28.5 inch insert inside of it. Also, on one of my breasts, depending on how full it was, the 28.5 flange was sometimes too big and the 25 flange was sometimes to small! So I had to carry the 25 flange, the 30.5 flange and the 28.5 insert for that breast. It was SO ANNOYING. Medela's 27 flange is much better for me on both breasts.

3. The little white membrane on the Ameda is so fragile and I tore several of them. When they are torn, the pump doesn't work and you have to replace.

4. Yes, the Ameda has separate controls for speed and suction but I could never figure out the right combo for me. The Medela doesn't require you to figure out the right combo - it only has one knob that controls both and it works great. The combined setting is very effective, much more than I was at guessing which combo was right with the Ameda. The Medela also has a special "letdown" mode which the Ameda does not have. The Ameda left me trying to figure out how to set the pump to cause letdown, which was a lot of time/effort/stress, especially in the early days.

5. I would pump at the highest suction on the Ameda and I still wouldn't get nearly as much milk as I do with the Medela, which I have never turned up to the highest setting! I get more milk with the Medela and I pump for less time per session.

Long story longer, I wouldn't recommend the Ameda at all.

Re: Moms who pumped- help please!

Thank you so much JB! That was very helpful! I am going to get the medela- I have the PISA so I feel more comfortable and the parts are probably interchangeable, etc so makes more sense coupled with what you wrote above!

Thank you!