[gumonyershoe]

Hello. I'm an expectant first time mother and I intend to breastfeed, however I will have to go back to work either at 6 weeks or 9 weeks depending on whether a coworker was right about my maternity leave or my manager was right. So, I'll have to pump. I'll probably come to this board more once I'm closer to time to pump and all of that as right now I'm only 16 weeks. But I had an issue that came up today.

I had asked the OB what he thought about used breastpumps the last time I was there and he said he didn't see a problem with it as long as the tubing and everything that comes in contact with the milk and breast are bought new. I don't want any lectures about how pumps are single use and there are health risks and everything. I've already heard all of it which is why I asked the OB and since he said it was fine, and it seemed sound that as long as the hygienic stuff is replaced, that's the important part.

Anyway, when I saw someone selling a Medela Pump in Style for $100 I jumped at it even though I'd kind of been eyeing a Medela Freestyle for $250, and had really decided that perhaps the Ameda was the way to go, even though the OB and almost everyone said Medela was the absolute best.

So when I get home I'm leisurely taking everything apart and plugging it in just to test it and make sure it all worked even though the girl assured me and offered to let me try it with the battery pack there. I'm too trusting of a person.

The good news is, the motor turns on fine. That's as far as I really experimented. The bad news is that the whole reason why I had decided to go with Medela vs. Ameda was because of the "let down" button/function. Turns out this is one of the "original" Pump in Style's, not one of the "Advanced." So it doesn't have the famous "let down" feature. It just has a 2nd dial.

Now maybe the two dial process will be better? Better customization? But I just keep thinking that for another $150 I could have gotten a pump that the woman told me she only used for a week and was the new style that has the let down and is a lighter pump and yada yada. This one is clearly worn, but I also got it for a fraction of the price.

I just don't know what to do and pregnancy hormones are making my emotional state of spending $100 worse than normal. I can't give it back, 'cause I mean she showed everything to me and I agreed to it. But I also can't afford ANOTHER $250 to get another pump. And there's no guarantee that I would be able to offload the one I just bought anyway.

Anyone have experience with the two dial Medela?

[Jennyt13]

I personally didn't use the letdown feature all that much on my PISA untill I was ready to dry up - so that I could get to the slower pumping state faster. I don't see that this would be a bad thing - sounds like you got a great deal! I say stick with it - buy the parts you need to, and if, IF at some point after the baby arrives it ends up sucking (no pun intended) - then think about investing in something else.... but, as long as the pump is a functional pump - and it sounds like it is - I think you'll be just fine.

I don't have experience with the 2 dial - just know that I didn't really use the let down feature on mine!

[gumonyershoe]

The thing is, for those that have the advanced, what I have read is even if you don't activate the "let down" feature with the button, it automatically switches to that mode after 2 minutes. So, I've found in my "polling" people that a lot of people never used the button, but whether they knew it or not, they were benefiting from the two stage thing which is why I wanted the Medela over the Ameda.

I have gone ahead and decided to try and sell it again. If I can, great. If not, at least I got a functioning pump at a good price.

[Rae-of-Sunshine]

I have the Medela PIS and I like the feature ... You are right it switches automatically from the faster suction at first to the slow and steady after that (2 min sounds about right, though I haven't timed it). I often switch back to the faster about halfway through my pumping session for another 2 minutes and I see more milk coming out than I had before I switched it, so I assume it is doing some good ...

I went back to work at 9 weeks also and have been pumping at work for 7 months now. I will tell you it is a royal pain in the butt, but worth it!

[eiramillek]

Originally Posted by Rae-of-Sunshine

I have the Medela PIS and I like the feature ... You are right it switches automatically from the faster suction at first to the slow and steady after that (2 min sounds about right, though I haven't timed it). I often switch back to the faster about halfway through my pumping session for another 2 minutes and I see more milk coming out than I had before I switched it, so I assume it is doing some good ...

I went back to work at 9 weeks also and have been pumping at work for 7 months now. I will tell you it is a royal pain in the butt, but worth it!

I never thought of turning it off and back on to get a better let down! Great idea!

I also love the let down feature on my PIS (which is a used one that I'm borrowing). I was going to suggest to you that you try to resell it and then buy the one you want.

I'm a huge advocate for getting a pump you love and that works great especially since you will be pumping A LOT! I know for a fact that I will be buying a brand new medela of my own with the next baby. We were just tight on money with our DD so I ended up borrowing a co-workers.

[Daffodil]

I had the freestyle and loved it (as much as I hated pumping, that thing worked well) and I exclusively pumped and used the let-down feature a few times during a pumping session. I rented a Symphony at first (hospital-grade, top-of-the-line supposedly) since I was EPing (baby wouldn't latch) but I found the freestyle to be even better. I'm sure an advanced PIS is just as good, no experience without the let-down feature.

[gumonyershoe]

I've got someone who said she'd buy the Original Pump in Style from me at the beginning of April. So now I'm trying to decide if I want to pursue the Freestyle or an Ameda after she pays me for the Original I have. I've got a line on both of them I just have to decide which I want. The Ameda is a new motor unit and the Freestyle was only used for a week.