Recommendations for Hospital Grade Pumps?

[TigerMom]

Hello everyone. I used to read regularly (as MamaC), but have been absent for a while.

My DS (nearly 4 yo) is still nursing at bedtime/naptime/wake-up, but my supply is quite diminished. We've just been matched with a baby that is due Dec 31. I plan to start pumping again and have been advised to rent a hospital-grade pump to build up my supply in preparation of newborn nursing & tandem nursing.

Does anyone have experience with hospital grade pumps? My choices seem to be Medela Lactina, Medela Symphony, and Ameda Elite. I used a Lactina for the first month after my son's birth, but then I switched over to the Ameda PY (I own two -- the first fell off my desk a few too many times & stopped working well after ~2 years, so I replaced it). I'm having a really hard time letting down for the pump now and I really want to get my supply ready for the new baby.

I'll cross-post this on the Adoptive Breastfeeding forum. Thanks for any advice or tales from your experience!

[MrsKitty]

The Ameda is fantastic and has fabulous customer service. I work with one of the reps on a fairly regular basis, I can't say enough good things about this company. Highly recommended!

[whitnessforhim]

I can only give my recommendations for Medela because that is all I have had the opportunity of using. Although I've heard just as good of things about Ameda.

Anyhow, I rented the Medela Symphony pump and used it for 6mo. and loved it. I thought it was a fantastic pump and had zero problems with it. I particularly liked Medela's two phase suction mode.

After this I purchased the Medela FreeStyle pump and its just as fabulous. The fact that it fits in the palm of your hand and is extremely portable makes it even better than the Symphony. I've been using this pump now for 6mo. and still going.