Help please...Breast Pump from Insurance

Hi Ladies,

So sorry for long post but I need advice!

I have united health care and have the option of getting the Ameda Truly Yours or the Medela Personal Double Pump.

Besides opinions on these pumps, I am really looking for advice on which to get because.....

My first child is almost 2. I had a terrible time nursing her due to a bunch of different variables I won't go into but most important to know is....Basically I stuck it out until she was 6 months but she would only get very little from me when I nursed and we had to supplement most of her daily milk intake with formula.

With her, I had the Medela pump in style advanced which I would use at work (I no longer have this one) and I also rented the Medela Symphony (hospital grade) for at home. BOTH would only ever get 2 ounces if I was lucky no matter how long I pumped.

Soooo, point of all this, I am not sure if it was my milk supply, the medela was not a good fit for me, or if I was just not an efficient pumper.

Now I don't know if I should order the medela and risk it not being good for me again or try the Ameda even though I have read the suction is not as good as medela.

Any help/opinions would be appriciated as little one is coming in less than 30 days so I need to make a decision.

Thanks so much!!

Message edited 4/24/2013 9:34:05 PM.

Re: Help please...Breast Pump from Insurance

I could have written this post word for word interchanging medela with ameda. I thought Ameda was ok but I wondered if it was poor supply or a suction issue that led me to produce little milk. I really don't know. If my insurance covers Medela I will try that this time. Otherwise I don't think Ameda was bad I just wonder if another brand would be better.

I am curious to hear from moms that tried both.

Re: Help please...Breast Pump from Insurance

I actually had both an Ameda pump ( purely yours ultra ) and the medela freestyle. Over the course of the year that I breastfed, I went back and forth about which I preferred. Sometimes I liked the medela better and other times I liked the Ameda better. I'd sort of get into a rut using one pump over the other depending on which I felt was working better. I do think that your body sort of gets used to one pump after a few days. When I'd get sick of one and felt it wasn't working great I'd switch to the other. I was fortunate that I received both from family members who decided not to breastfed so it wasn't cost prohibitive. I guess the point is that I've used both, And while there was a difference, I can't say that I clearly preferred one.

Re: Help please...Breast Pump from Insurance

May I ask where you are getting your pump from?

I have United Healthcare as well and when I called, they told me to call edgepark medical supplies.

I called a few months back and they said I can only order a Pump 30 days before my due date.

I called last week (Im due May 12th) and they said they no longer provide pumps until the baby is actually born.

I dont really want to wait until hes already here which is why Im curious to know if United gave you other options.

Re: Help please...Breast Pump from Insurance

Help please...Breast Pump from Insurance

I have the madela through insurance and am very happy with it. There was a post on the patenting board I believe. Within the past week of someone saying they didn't like the Ameda but everyone is different.

For those of you looking to get pumps in advance try sun med medical that's where I got mine...but I have Aetna so that may be why I got it early

Re: Help please...Breast Pump from Insurance

Thank you for all the replies!

I went through Byram Healthcare. I have united health care and they said I could order it within 30 days of birth. I am expecting it to come before my due date.

I ended up going with the Ameda. If I have issues I guess I will just purchase a medela or rent again ::sigh::

Anyway, thanks again for all the input!

Re: Help please...Breast Pump from Insurance

For those of you looking to get pumps in advance try sun med medical that's where I got mine...but I have Aetna so that may be why I got it early



I have Aetna too and they said up to 60 days before. . when I had United they didn't even give me anything but I'm glad things have changed. .

for the OP, I don't have any specific advice on those two though I did use a Medela the first time and it was pretty good but not wonderful though mine was my sisters so might have been a little used. . . sorry but I hope you have an easier time this time. . I have friends who could not nurse at all the first time and are now doing great with 2