Expectant Mama Advice: The Breast Pump Insurance Thing

What is a modern day Mama Essential that all women pretty much HAVE to have? It doesn't matter if you are a SAHM (like me) or if you are headed back to work after 6 or 12 weeks. You pretty much gotta have one of these bad boys.

A Breast Pump.

I was well aware that this was something I would have to have. I've heard my Mom talk about how much she used hers, and that was 26 years ago! I've heard my sister in law tell hilarious stories of pumping while driving because she forgot to earlier in the morning and the strange looks she was getting through the car window. I knew I had to have one, I knew I needed one, especially with planning and hoping to breast feed. But with this being my first baby, I had no idea how to go about getting one.

When it came time to register for our baby showers, I stood in the pumping section of Babies R Us and nearly had a melt down. $300+ for a pump. I chose to put a manual pump on my registry and hoped that I would figure out the always quoted "Insurance will pay for it," thing by the time baby arrived.


Fortunately I have a good friend that has given me all kinds of "Baby Advice" over the past 9 months. She is a Mom of 4 now and without her chiming in on this subject I would probably still be hoping to get by with that manual pump -- thank God I didn't get it.


So many women are asking "I need an affordable breast pump. How do I get a breast pump?" A friend from childhood and his wife recently had their first child and while our Mom's were comparing Grandma Notes his Mom mentioned her daughter in law had paid well over $400 out of pocket for her pump. My Mom said her jaw nearly hit the floor. She explained to her the ease with which I came by mine and the other lady said she had no idea it was that easy.... So I'd like to try to explain it to you now, so you can help someone, or yourself, in the future.

So here's the deal. Insurance will pay 100% for a breast pump. It is a medical necessity for new Mom's. Doesn't matter is you are EBF or PBF or whatever. You've got to have one. Period.

I was sitting at home one day, fussing in my head over how I was going to afford another huge chunk being ripped from our bank account to pay for this pump when I got a text message from the above mentioned Mom of 4.


HAVE YOU GOT YOUR PUMP YET? she asked me.

NO. I CAN'T AFFORD IT. I said, being totally honest.

INS WILL PAY. She said. I'd heard that schtick my whole pregnancy. My doctor had not mentioned word one about it, and at this point my appointments were so few and far between I would forget to ask every time.

THAT'S WHAT I KEEP HEARING, BUT IDK HOW TO GO ABOUT FILING TO GET ONE.

IT'S EASY. She said and she sent me a link and told me how to do it.


DISCLAIMER: This is the company that I used. I am not being sponsered, coerced or paid any amount of money or being compencated in any way to mention them. They have no idea I am even writing this review. I am simply wishing to share this with other Moms-To-Be so that no one has to PAY for a Breast Pump out of pocket every again.

• The webstie is www.edgepark.com. They are a medical supply company. 
• When you arrive at the main page, type "Breast Pump" in the search bar. 
• There is a bright blue button that says "ORDER NOW." Clicky clicky.
• A new page will open up. This is the breast pump eligibility form. It is going to ask you to fill in a little information - your state and your insurance provider. Once you click the "DETERMINE YOUR COVERAGE" button a new page will pop up.
• And BOOM! Pick your pump. I chose the Medela pump. It was first on the list and the only pump out of all that was listed that I recognized the name of. I highly suggest you choose this one - photo below.
• Once you've clicked on the pump you want, scroll down to the bottom of the page and fill out the two boxes, your estimated delivery date and your email.
• Continue on with any information it asks until the process is complete. (Be sure to have your insurance card handy, just in case you need it.)

Medela Breast Pump

I received a confirmation email immediately after the order was placed. I was never asked for a thin red penny. It say takes 7 - 10 business days to process, ship and receive the order, so be patient, it may take a little longer. For my Mom of 4 friend she got hers 2 days before I got mine, and we ordered on the same day within minutes of each other. But don't worry, in your confirmation email you get a tracking number.

If there is a hiccup along the way EdgePark will contact you. If there isn't, they won't. They do everything.

One thing you will notice about this pump is that is does not include a tote bag. The thing with that is the tote bag IS NOT covered by insurance, the pump, however, is. Personally I'm not gonna be toting my pump here, there and yonder. I have a basket with all of my breastfeeding and pumping essentials sitting right next to the chair in my daughter's nursery and that's where it stays, unless I want to move it to the living room or our bedroom, in which case it's all contained in the basket anyway. But if you are someone that will have to pump on the go, say at work, you can always buy a cute tote bag, that way you aren't carrying around an obvious black breast pump bag. The money you are saving from not having to pay for the pump will buy 100 totes. 

When your pump arrives in the mail, you will have an invoice, but it's not a bill. I was FLOORED to see that that itty bitty little pump cost $450! I immediately called my friend and thanked her for saving me basically $500! My husband was blown away and so thankful someone had "shown us the way."

If you know someone expecting a baby and flipping out over the cost of a breast pump, or searching for a used one high and low, please show them this post. Paying even $10 is unnecessary when you can get it for free! I hope this helps someone out there!