Hello,
Just looking for ideas for my son. He just starting pumping and can not find a comfortable way to wear his pump.
Any suggestions would be appreciated!
Thanks
Hi! My daughter has a little flannel pouch that straps around her waist. The material is really soft and comfortable. A grandmother made them and donated them to the clinic. We have since moved and now my own mom makes them for her.
How old is your son cath0617? What has he tried so far?
my daughter uses the omnipod, so the "pump" sticks right to her, but we have found these arm bands to help protect the pod from being knocked off: http://bands4life.net/
this probably will not help much for a more traditional pump. but while searching for the bands mentioned above i came across these others that i have heard work really well to hold the pump secure, and supposedly is easy and comfortable to wear: www.tallygear.com or http://toosweetboutique.net/
check out the websites, maybe you can find something that will work well for your son...im pretty sure they come in a variety of colors/patterns so hopefully he can find something he wouldnt mind wearing!
My daughter puts her pump in the pocket of her jeans, either the front or the back pockets depending on where the set is.
My 9-year old is self-conscious about the pump. He has the Animas Ping. He wears walking shorts or sports shorts and just drops it in the pocket. He does not seem to mind the tubing hanging out, oddly enough. One thing I've seen done and tried (with some success), is to cut a small slit in the side of the inside of the pocket so the tubing can be threaded through and re-attached to the site. That way, the tubing is not hanging out. He's not much for pouches. Hope this helps.
My son just started wearing the Animas Ping in July (was dx on his 5th birthday Jan 2012), and our JDRF mentor family recommended SPI belt -- a very lightweight belt originally designed to carry 'small personal items' for runners.
I have purchased several SPIelts and can't imagine going a day without one. They have a version that has 2 pockets that my son prefers because it gives him the ability to carry his pump in the larger pocket and his CGM remote in the 2nd pocket when he wears it (or whatever he'd like when he doesn't have a CGM on). We went on a cruise this summer and purchased their waterproof bag to keep the remote dry - it worked like a charm.
They do have a version that has been made with a hole sewn in for tubing to pass through, but I haven't had any issue with just buying a regular belt and leaving the zipper slightly unzipped where the tube comes out.
Here is the website for the kid SPIbelts:
www.spibelt.com/.../kids-spibelt
Our mentor families son happens to be the kid on the header on that page, and he is in the 3rd grade and prefers the adult sizes (where there are many more options).
I'm thinking of ordering one for myself -- just to be hands-free with the upcoming JDRF Austin Walk!
Hope that helps!
Amy
My 9 yr old daughter is exactly the same and very self concious about hers as well. Only wears it in a pocket. We have a leg holster for dresses. She used to wear the Omnipod which was easier to hide. I wish she would just wear it clipped to her pants and just say this is my insulin pump. I am a diabetic. I have told her that I believe the more she hides it and refuses to explain what it is, the more curious the kids are. To be honest, it drives me nuts, but we have vastly different personalities and I don't know how it feels to walk in her shoes.
I bought some really awesome "fanny pack" type pouches from ebay! They come in all kinds of different patterns and have a stretchy band that goes around the waist. They are somewhere around like $6 each or so.. Bryan was 2 1/2 when he started wearing his first one which was Spongebob! He is 5 now and still uses them! He has Batman, Bengals, Smurfs and tons of others! If you buy 1 and are able to sew they're pretty easy to make yourself even! I don't own a sewing machine which is the only reason I don't make them myself!