So, I have been through three breast pumps now! I'm not sure if I have just been unlucky and gotten lemons or if these companies make crappy products. Either way, I am very irritated by this situation.
When I was pregnant with Remi, I forked over the big bucks and got the Medela. It worked great threw remi's nursing period and about 4 months of Roen's. One day, it just stopped working. For several reasons, I was mad. One, I was out of town, without Roen, and fixing to walk out the door for my birthday dinner. We were meeting friends and I needed to pump before we left so that I wasn't a huge leaking mess by the end of the night. It was horrible timing! Second, I felt like the pump should have atleast lasted through two kids....I did in fact spend the extra money to get 'the best'...
So, Micah runs and gets me a new pump. He ended up going with a cheaper brand, Mi Pump by The First Years, I didn't like it quite as much as the Medela, but it worked and that was all that really mattered. However, after four months, it just quite working as well. This one happened to quit working the day we were leaving for Louisiana.
So, when we got to Louisiana, I bought another pump from Wal-Mart, it was Nuk brand. After FOUR days, it quit working. I called the company and they are supposed to be sending me a refund, but I am so frustrated!
I will say, I pumped every single day for the first two months after Roen was born just to stock up. We went out alot more with Roen than we ever did with Remi, so that milk didn't last long. I started pumping again everyday about a month and a half ago because I am leaving for New York right after Christmas and will be gone for five days...without Roen!
So, I have to buy another pump.
Should I just bite the bullet and buy another Medela? Which pump have you had good luck with? I just want one that will last until I'm done nursing Roen (only 5 months).
6 comments:
All I can tell you is don't buy the Lansinoh (purple box) brand. I went through two of those pumps before a friend let me borrow her Medela. Sounds like the Medela is the way to go...
You could also rent from the hospital (and some Babies R Us locations) if you don't want to buy. It runs about $30 a month and they are hospital grade!
Congrats on sticking with it!! All too often, moms don't get credit for breastfeeding for a lengthy period of time. Kudos to you! Your boys are precious btw!! :)
I ran the motor out on two different pumps with Addisyn. But they were for occasional use. I used an older medela pump for about six months with Addi and a year with Karter and I was pumping at least twice a day. It still works, but I was given a new one for Lexi, Medela and it worked great.
If you plan on having more kids, I would buy a nice one so that then you know you'll use it again.
I have a older style medela that has made it through 4 kids...my sister in law bought it through the hospital when she had a premie. We call it the Mercedes of breast pumps. I don't know how much it cost but you might check through the hospital, it isn't one you can buy at the store for some reason.
I would call your local hospital and ask if you can just rent one. I've heard they have amazing Medela hospital grade pumps... unless you for sure want more kids then I would purchase another :( bummer on those crazy pumps! I had / have a medela and didnt have any problems when I pumped with Elliot {but I only lasted 4 months} so fingers crossed this time it last through this next baby! those suckers are SO expensive!! Sorry!
Hygeia is a great hospital-grade pump. I'm not sure where to get them, but my aunt is a lactation consultant and that is what she rents now.
I haven't had any trouble with Medela either though.
Man. Bummer. This kinda scares me because I have a Medela & I heard they lasted for like 20 years or something. I agree with others- I've heard you can rent top-notch, amazing breast pumps at the hospital.
Did the Medela just completely stop pumping, or was the machine still working but your milk just wouldn't fall? Towards the end of breastfeeding Kennedie (maybe when she was 10 or 11 months) I had a hard time with my pump. It was still running & it seemed like it was still sucking, but my milk just wouldn't come. I ended up calling a local lactation consultant and she said that sometimes if you've been breastfeeding for awhile and not pumping and then try to pump again- your body knows the different and your milk just won't fall at all for the pump. She said just keep trying over and over all day long and try to relax and put a hot rag over my breasts before I pumped. I eventually got to where my milk would fall again using the pump. Don't know if this is helpful or not.
I also called Medela thinking there was something wrong with my pump & they were eager to help. They also mailed me some replacement parts for free to see if that made a difference. You might want to call Medela & see what they can offer you.
Hope this is helpful. Please update me one what you end up deciding, or what happens. I'm curious to know since I plan on breastfeeding at least 12 months with baby girl #2 also.
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