Home Forums Induced Lactation aka Adoptive Breastfeeding Natural Methods to Induce Lactation/Increase Milk Supply Limerick breast pump vs. Symphony and other ?s

Hello
I am expecting number 2 in a few weeks, and want to have everything ready before the baby comes. I had a hard time with number 1- woould not latch well and I ended up with a poor milk supply. I didn't pump the way I should either.

Anyway, I used the Medela Symphony last time. I can't say it was anything exceptional, though it worked better than the Lactina for me.

Here are my questions:

1. If money is not a factor... should I use the Symphony or the Limerick this time?


2. I am able to buy a Limerick that was acquired in June 2006. Would that have all the latest updates/features? If not, then how recently purchased should resale be to me the latest model?


3. Do you guys think it is a good idea for me to start eating oatmeal and fenugreek now , 4 weeks before the baby comes? I am hoping that might help from the get-go.

I am having a repeat c-section, so that does not really help much with the milk stuff.

Thanks for taking the time to answer this mail.
You were all so helpful on my previous visits here.
Thanks

The oatmeal would be fine now but I wouldn't do the fenugreek until after baby comes. I would get with a International Board Certified LC right now and enlist her help immediately when baby arrives. It is super important to get a good latch as you know. As for the pump I don't have any personal experience with either of those (I used a PIS)but I have heard Lenore say if money isn't an issue get a Limerick. It seems the used one would be the latest version as the others came out much before that. Nona and Lenore both used them.

Thanks for the reply.
I was a bit confused, because when I tried to search on this site, I thought I might have read that if money is not an issue, then use the Symphony. Then on the other hand, everyone is raving about the Limerick! :-)

So why do you think I should not use Fenugreek? Could it cause a problem? I was actually thinking of using it more in my diet- not taking pills yet. We actually use fenugreek seeds as a spice and eat the leaves as well. Would love your input on that.

You know now that you mention it I think I heard the same thing on the symphony. If you didn't have such great luck last time with the symphony though I think I would give the limerick a try. Everyone does seem to rave about it. That and it is a multi user pump so you could easily sell it when you are through with it.
As for the fenugreek I use this site a lot to look at herbal safety http://growinglife.com/herbalsafety.htm and it shows a caution for fenugreek during pregnancy. I am not sure why but I would be sparing in my use to be on the safe side and not add the herbs until after delivery.

Thanks again for the post.
I really wonder what Lenore's actual opinion is on the matter.
Does she still answer questions on this board?
She may know best since this is her line of expertise, and she may have used both pumps.

Thanks for the link re- herbs.

She does still post on this board For the last year she has been working on her doctoral thesis. Those of us that have been here awhile jump in to help out where we can. Lenore is the one who posted that if money wasn't an object to buy the Symphony, you refreshed my memory on that one. Do you already have a symphony or did you just rent it last time? If you already have it then that is what I would use and see how it goes. You can always switch pumps later on if you need to.

Wow you are fast!!
I rented the Symphony last time, so I don't have it.

So in spite of the great Limerick reviews, Lenore still thinks the Symphony is a better bet? Hmmm... now I am really confused

I am on the verge of buying the Limerick pump of June 2006 for a very low price, but now I am reconsidering.

Hope Lenore will have a minute to shed some more light on this.
You, Lalle, are a great help. Thanks!

I would buy the Limerick for the great price. Trust me you will be able to sell it here if you end up deciding on a Symphony. I am sure Lenore will pop in soon.

Whew! Ok I'm here. I do check the board every day and chime in where needed. As Lalle said, I'm finishing up my Ph.D. but also in March my son Ethan was hospitalized with pneumonia and last week my husband's business partner was killed in a plane crash together with his companion. So it's been a rough couple of months. I'm most grateful for the women on this site who pitched in and helped each other.

Having said that. The Symphony is the only pump with current research behind it by way of Dr. Peter Hartmann and his team in Perth, Australia. However it's expensive so most moms rent. That doesn't mean it's for everyone. The Pump in Style Advanced is based on the research that was done on the Symphony and much less expensive in the long run for moms pumping long-term. Then there is the Limerick Pj Junior which although doesn't have the paperwork that the Symphony has, is still a fabulous pump because it applies both positive and negative pressure much like a baby at the breast....and until recently was competitively priced with the Pump in Style. Now that the price has gone up, it sits between the Symphony and the Pump in Style.

Probably the main difference between the 2006 Limerick and the newest model would be the noise factor. About 1/2 way through 2006 they were able to produce a more quiet model.

But all three will do the job. The rule of thumb I guess would be if you don't do well with the Symphony, go for the Limerick because it functions differently at the breast compared to the others.

As for the fenugreek...that's a no no during pregnancy and probably not necessary. Better to spend your cash on an excellent board certified lactation consultant. You can find one here: www.ilca.org Just click on the "Find a Lactation Consultant" button at the top of the page.

Hope this helps clear things up.

Best, Lenore

I thought the Limerick was cheaper a while back. Why did they increase the pricing?