Omaha Nesties
Dear Community,
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
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Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Talk to me about pump renting
I know it's early, but I'm trying to decide if I need to set aside (read:save) money for buying a pump or if I should rent one. How does renting work? How much is it? Are they always available at the hospital? I'm going to be at either Lakeside or Bergan
Re: Talk to me about pump renting
love is for every her, love is for every him, love is for everyone
I would definitely recommend renting a pump. I'd say that within a month you'll know if you will be able to keep producing or want to - then you could decide if it would be worth it to buy one.
I know this is a no-no but I bought mine from my friend just bought new tubing/accessories.
Why is it a no no is you are going to buy new accessories and tubing that seems safe...
Then again I have no clue what I'm doing. lol
If you have an opportunity to borrow a pump, borrow. As for "buying" anything, Methodist gave me all the tubes, bags, bottles and pieces for free. Twice actually, since the NICU staff gave me a whole other kit when I forgot my stuff upstairs. I'd wait to see what the hospital gives you before you buy anything.
As for how the renting works, the lactation consultant just asked if I'd like to continue using the hospital pump when I went home. It was $58/month, and we just filled out a form right then and there. Easy Peasy.
Yea I pumped for six months too and never understand how that could happen either.
This was my breakdown for how much I spent during my pumping experience.
Medela PISA - $100 - I was lucky enough to score my pump from a friend that only used it for 1 week
Medela Accessory Kit - $25
Extra Bottles - $10 - Gerber First Essentials (1) 3-pack 5 oz, (2) 3-pack 9 oz
Extra Membranes $7
Milk Bags - $150 - I use an average of 1 box of qty 50 bags per week
Breast Pads - $25 - I use on average 1 box of qty 60 per month
Total: $317
I'm an Alegent girl, so I hope that applies for them too...that just seems so expensive, but I guess if you rent it until you know if you like it then you can buy one...
And Niki I wish I knew someone who would lend one but most of my friends either don't have kids or didn't BF.
I delivered at Bergan and pumped in the hospital and they didn't give me one thing for pumping supplies. They kept telling me I should be trying to BF not pump. whatevs.
Obviously I wasn't worried about the ifs
Well sh!t. I wish I could convince my doc to go to Methodist, everyone keeps saying this new place is awesome but I like my doctor too much to switch.
Besides that I loved Bergan and will deliver there again. I never wanted to BF I was set on pumping and nobody was going to change my mind about it. I'm sure if you are planing on bfing they are probably helpful.
I was thinking of just pumping, mostly because it will help me feel like my H and I are both in it together.
I didn't want to spend the $$ to rent or buy a pump so I have a manual Medula pump that I used at home a couple times. Now that I am back to work I pump 1-2 times a day at work then bf the rest of the time (morning before work, right after work, bedtime and one late night/early morning feeding). Ian gets between 2-3 bottles of either BM or formula per day at daycare. I am so just going with the flow and it's working out that I am able to bf, pump and feed formula without having any issues.
If you have time and want to read all about my pumping "adventure" I posted it to this blog.
The HIV.
Most "consumer" pumps are open systems, meaning there's no protection against milk not getting into other parts of the mechanism, apparently. The powers that be say because not every part of the pump, like the motor, for example, can be sterilized, they're only OK for single-person use.
That said, I have a used pump from H's cousin (and bought new for the parts that could be replaced). She seemed clean enough to me. I would not, however, borrow a pump from you; who knows what you contracted in CB. Holla!
I haven't read all the posts but in talking with the lacation nurse she told me once you rent it and buy all the attachments you need, you shell out $150 off the bat then rental on top of that.
I bought my medela swing for $130 (with coupons). Yes you can only do 1 boob at a time but I have mastered feeding S and pumping at the same time and during the day while I'm at work, I can still work with 1 hand while pumping and I don't feel like I'm taking too much time away from the job.
When are you due again?
Audrey Hepburn:Not until May 10th.
I think I am going to borrow a friends, she just let me know she had one. And HIV free so I'm down.
Thanks for all your help girls! And thanks Kylee for the blog link, I saved it for future use!
This was one of the great things about EPing with DS for a year -- DH couldn't tell me that he couldn't do it. Now, with DD, I nursed, so it was more all on me, especially in the beginning when she wasn't in daycare and wouldn't take a bottle. Once she would, it was a lot easier! But, in all honesty, I did feel a connection during those bedtime and middle of the night feedings, since it was just me and her! Good luck!
Happily Married Since 11.29.02
Brayden Kenneth born 3.27.06
Blaire Kay born 7.10.10
By then I will be done nursing so I would be willing to sell you my medela swing. I have a new tube and a few other new stuff still left in package and I'm HIV free!
Way late to the game but, I would suggest renting at first as well just to know if it is something you are going to stick with. ALSO, a hospital grade pump is great for getting your supply established (which can be tough when EPing, though not for everyone, it is proven that EPing moms may have a more difficult time establishing and maintaining a supply than EBF moms). I EP'd with Mara for a year and had supply issues (although I blame mine mostly on the ridiculously limited diet I was on) but having rented the pump helped me. If you choose to EP, they recommend you start pumping asap after birth--within 4 hours just to get things going. The lactation consultant will bring one right up to your room. I deliver in Lincoln obviously but St. Elizabeth brought the tubing and everything right to me--along with the super skinny bottles to collect colostrum
If you plan to EP, I suggest getting a barely used or new pump (it sounds like your friend's is barely used) because that thing will get a LOT of love in that year and most pumps, used that much, are not intended to last more than a year.
This. I thought it was going to be a walk in the park EPing...it was not. Not to discourage you, but it is more work than just BFing. However, I was the complete opposite of Robyn and had an oversupply so I was able to stop at 6 months and I still have 3 month worth of milk frozen.
I BF & pumped for a year. If you go my route, your pump will get a lot of use (see Haven's reference to 100+ minutes/day....when I first went back to work, I was pumping 100 mins/day, BF morning, late afternoon, evening, couple times a night...and this doesn't include all the clean-up & storage time). Now that I'm done pumping, my pump is still in great shape and I hope it will work for my next kiddo, but even it if doesn't, I would buy a new one. With coupons, I think I spent about $230 for my Medela PISA. Worth it, IMO.
Oh, and in regard to the storage bags - I think they suck. They have all (lansinoh, medela) leaked when I thaw them. I much prefer my "ice cube" storage trays from walmart.com. They take more room in the freezer to store all the cubes, but no waste.