Talk to Your Patients about Their Infant Feeding Goals Before Birth:
Ask your patients if they’ve considered breastmilk feeding or chest feeding. If so, will they be returning to work? Do they plan to exclusively pump? Are there any aversions to having the baby at breast? Is there any history of low milk supply in the family, thyroid conditions, breast surgery, or any other factors that may mean that the patient would need to consider having a breast pump?
If yes, then …
Ask Your Patients to Talk to Their Insurance Company as Soon as Possible:
Most insurance plans cover double electric breast pumps because of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). According to Healthcare.Gov, “Health insurance plans must provide breastfeeding support, counseling, and equipment for the duration of breastfeeding. These services may be provided before and after birth.”
Have Your Patients to Ask their Insurance These Questions:
- Do you cover electric breast pumps?
- Do I need a prescription?
- When can I receive a pump? Does my baby need to be born first?
- Can I select from which Durable Medical Equipment (DME) supplier to get my pump?
- Are breastfeeding supplies and accessories covered? (Some insurance plans cover accessories like extra valves, replacement parts, flanges, and even milk storage bags)
Talk to Your Patients about Quality Features:
- Completely Closed System: In a completely closed system, this means that bacteria, mold, dander, and other contaminants cannot enter the tubing or any part of the breast pump. Ardo’s “Vacuum Seal” technology for electric breast pumps, such as the Ardo Calypso, represents a completely closed system.
- Multiple Flange Sizes: Women’s nipples come in all shapes and sizes. Pumping with the wrong size flange can not only reduce milk supply, it can also cause painful irritation and damage to the nipple. Ardo offers seven different flange sizes.
- Durability and Warranty: Pumping mothers rely on breast pumps to express milk, so it is important to recommend only the top quality. Unlike many other pumps, which are manufactured in Asia, Ardo Calypso double electric breast pumps are manufactured exclusively in Switzerland (“Swiss Made”) and come with a 400 hour or 1 year warranty starting with the first day of operation (rather than shipping).
- Silence: Because mothers may often be pumping while working or near their baby or partner, it is important that the breast pump be very quiet. The Ardo Calypso double electric breast pump has been proven to be the quietest pump in the market (see “Silence Test” results).
- Gentleness: The breast pump should be gentle enough so as not to create damage to the mother’s breast. The Ardo Calypso uses a piston with a sophisticated vacuum algorithm, mimicking the baby’s suckling, to gently express breast milk.
Access to Care:
As a healthcare practitioner, you understand how important the highest level of care is to the families you support. We at Ardo also share this sentiment, which is why our Customer Service is staffed with International Board Certified Lactation Consultants and Certified Lactation Counselors. You can rest assured that when there is a need, the highest level of lactation care is accessible to your patients when they order an Ardo Calypso breast pump.
How to Get Your Patients an Ardo Breast Pump?
The process is very simple: Ardo will match the mother to a supplier who accepts their insurance, and once matched, the supplier will ship an Ardo Calypso to the mother. In some cases, the mother may even be able to pick up her pump the same day in the supplier’s store. To start the process, have your patient fill out the information at www.ardo-usa.com/ardo-dme-referral.
Want To Know More?
If you are a health care professional and would like more information about Ardo breast pumps or breastfeeding accessories, or would like to receive details on how you can test one of our pumps personally, please contact us here, and we will arrange the details with you.
Note that we do not have any minimum order requirements for professionals, and you are welcome to buy only accessories in any mix that best fits your needs.
All Ardo pumps are piston-powered, are completely closed systems, have independent speed/suction controls, and are WHO Code compliant. Ardo provides single-user, multi-user, and hospital-grade breast pumps to meet the needs of any practice. Most items are available in clinic/professional sterile packaging as well as retail packaging.