Where to put a pump as a woman??

meganL

Newbie
Messages
1
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I was diagnosed with T1DM a year ago and my consultant thinks I should go on a pump. Medically, I know this would be the best thing for my diabetes but what I'm struggling with is where on earth to keep it! My consultant thinks I should get the medtronic 640g for its auto suspend function but it's really really bulky...

Please don't judge me for being shallow but I'm 26 and it's taken a little while to feel comfortable in my own skin, so I'm fairly concerned about how I'll look hooked to a pump. I already have a libre sensor, which I hate wearing enough as it is but at least when it's on the back of my arm I can't see it.

Also, practically speaking, I don't know where I'd keep it as I usually wear dresses for work so no handy waist belt to clip it on. I've seen some women keep it in their bra but I'm not exactly ample chested so I'm not sure it would fit. Then I'm a fairly busy junior doctor running around hospital all day so it would preferably need to be fairly accessible.

I would greatly appreciate any advice or words of wisdom you ladies could offer me.

x
 

Lisas81

Member
Messages
9
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I spoke to a lady who put hers in a garter type belt on her leg but no idea if this will help you
 
D

Deleted Account

Guest
I understand your concerns and shared them.
As you say, many women use their bras but I would be very lopsided if I did that. Waist belts hide the pump from immediate view but the bump is still visible.
I am usually a trouser wearer and end up clipping my pump to my belt or wearing baggy trousers so I can put it in my pocket.
When I wear a dress, I wear it in a garter holding the pump on my inner thigh (a try not to waddle as I walk). This works and does not affect the lie of my dress. However, it is not very easy to access with a long dress: I have started to wear slightly shorter dresses that I can slip up a little under the table when I eat.

Being a slim woman, I have not found a way to conveniently hide the bulge of my pump.
However, I would not give it back. My control is much better, I have less hypos, exercise is much much easier, .... I have had to put my shallow vanity on the back burner in favour of my health. That said, very few people comment on my pump: I think I am far more conscious of it than anyone else.
 
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Sue192

Well-Known Member
Messages
594
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
This may help - I have a T1 friend who puts her pump (sorry, I don't know which one) in a scratch mitt and then in her bra. She isn't well endowed either but I couldn't see the outline of the pump at all - perhaps the scratch mitt softens the shape. She buys all sorts of colourful mitts and of course they are lovely and soft against her skin. She's in her 60s though but she does wear dresses and hasn't had anyone say 'what's that on your chest' as far as I know.
 

dancer

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,360
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
I wear the 640G clipped to my bra ( between boobs). I just have to make sure the neckline of tops and dresses isn't too high, so that I can reach my pump. On the other hand, if neckline is lower than usual, I have to make sure I wear a low cut bra. I am quite well endowed, but wearing it there cuts out any lopsidedness.

@meganL I should point out that the auto suspend facility only works when you also use the Enlite sensor. I hope that was explained to you.
 

fairylights

Well-Known Member
Messages
185
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
I wear my 640g in a childs sock and then shoved down the middle of my bra, I wear crop top, sports type bras and this works really well, it's not at all visible. Or I wear in a pump belt - if I push this up to right under my bra it's also hardly visible. Once you are attached to it you will hardly notice it's there. I also resisted for some time but now I wouldn't be without it.
 
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Deleted Account

Guest
I wear the 640G clipped to my bra ( between boobs)
I tried this and found the pump stuck out more than my slightly larger than negligible boobs. I’d heard of mono-boobs before but never trio-boobs. I never left the house with it there so never found out what others thought. I also found it very uncomfortable there as I have little fat to act as cushioning.
In my experience hiding a pump in a place that is convenient to acces on a slim body wearing a well fitted outfit is difficult.
That is not to say I would give my pump back because of how it looks. Just that I have had to accept it is visible.

I saw something once about how they can hide pumps anywhere including a bride on her wedding day. Turns out they hid it under a huge bow on her behind. Everyone has different tastes but i’d be looking for ways to hide that bow!
 
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wendy0804

Member
Messages
10
Type of diabetes
Type 1
I spoke to a lady who put hers in a garter type belt on her leg but no idea if this will help you
I have an omnipod pump which is wireless so pod on my arm, leg or abdomen. Handheld monitor in my handbag until needed. Omnipod have their own website so worth a look.
 
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NicoleC1971

BANNED
Messages
3,451
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
A pump is worth it. Can be awkward but I find mine is best in a sports type bra. If I put it in the middle of a wired bra it can beep making me sound like a gieger counter. Generally speaking the mid boob position is absolutely fine in a dress unless its bodycon/v.slinky. I do not really care if the pump is noticeable in any case but that is what is nice about being in my 40s!
Another thing to consider is to get one with a bluetooth handset thus you do not need to fish it out of your underwear. I have a Roche Insight for this reason.
 
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Saffron26

Member
Messages
16
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi MeganL, I use the medtronic 640g and as it was my first pump, I found it difficult to “wear” in the beginning as I used to wear dresses most of the time. In the early stages of getting used to the pump, I started wearing skirts or jeans/trousers - this was useful to begin with. I missed wearing dresses and had heard about keeping some people keeping their pumps in their bras and I thought, where is it going to go??? - I am very small all over so could not think how it would work but I got some body belts from hid-in that are brilliant and very versatile and then I went off bra shopping to find a style that suited me and my pump - as you probably know, there are so many styles available but I found some that worked for me. It takes time to get used to it but it really is worth it!!
 
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Russem

Active Member
Messages
28
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Hi MeganL, I also use the medtronic 640g, I've only had this pump for 4 weeks but had the Animas Vibe before this new one, the 640g is slightly bigger but I generally wear in in pockets in my trousers, jeans and dresses. I buy dresses with pockets and cut a small hole in the back of the pocket to feed the tube through so the pump can sit in the pocket and it works great. I used to wear the Animas Vibe in my bra but I find the 640g bulkier so haven't yet tried it in my bra, but definitely wouldn't be without a pump. Good luck.
 

Sandymcat

Active Member
Messages
30
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I bought a cheapish belt from amazon. It’s really comfortable but it doesn’t retain its shape so have to wash it a lot to shrink it back. Mostly I’m wearing it in a bra pouch but on one side or the other just past the cup. I don’t like wearing it in the middle so much.
 

Seacrow

Well-Known Member
Messages
496
Type of diabetes
LADA
I'm an F cup, and if I wear it in my bra it just shows a little bit. More importantly, though, you don't half get some funny looks if your bosom starts beeping and you dive into your cleavage to get to your pump.

There is someone who makes lycra, fit-to-the-chest bands with a pocket for the pump. They're comfortable, can be positioned so they're almost invisible, but are a bit of a faff to get to in a hurry.

I find that putting the pump in a pocket is fine if the extra weight doesn't pull your waistband down (happened to me while running for a bus, grrr), and you can tuck the tubing away.

I tried garters. Maybe I got the wrong fit, but I spent an entire day suddenly clutching at my upper thigh as the garter slipped again.

My best option? Clas Ohlsen does a belt with a small stretchy zip pocket. It exactly fits the Medtronic 640g. You can turn it round so the pump is in the small of your back and its invisible, or have the pump at the front so it's easy to access. It's still going to be awkward to get at in a dress, but I don't really see a way around that.

Realistically, I think you're going to have to make a trade-off between accessibility and invisibility. If it's accessible, it's visible, but most people will think it's a pager. If it's invisible, you're going to need somewhere to duck into where you don't flash the hospital getting to the pump.

Sorry I can't be more helpful.
 
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fozzie84

Well-Known Member
Messages
51
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I am a similar size and have the roche insight. I don't need to access it due to the handset but I have found a variety of ways to wear it. Most of the time I use the clip and pop it on my skirt waistband but when that is not an option I tend to use the hid-in band. You can wear it a lot of ways, depending on the dress I either go for waist/hips or if it is more fitted I wrap it around my thigh. You can see on her website some ideas for how to wear it but accessibility may be more of a consideration depending on your pump http://www.hid-in.com/gallery/
 
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