+1 for the solutions part. I've amazed myself at how creative I've become. And I'm not the only one - a mom recently started selling these tank tops (http://www.ryleespocket.com/#). I ordered one and LOVE IT! They work great when you wear skirts.
I've seen a lot about women using their bras to conceal. I'm not sure how well that would work for me though because I am not well endowed at all. I've thought about the garter belts. I don't feel that I'm too concerned about concealing the pump underneath all my clothing. My biggest concern was the dresses. I have a TON of dresses (compliments of my mother working for Dress Barn) and I love wearing them. I just didn't know how I would go about using my pump with one.
My total daily does on MDI is about 40 Levemir and 20ish Novolog (depending on what I eat obviously). The Medtronic rep I met with yesterday suggested the smaller Revel.
I am considering a CGM. The Medtronic rep had one of their sensors with him yesterday but I didn't really like the size of it. A DexCom rep is scheduled to come out to see me this evening.
It's crazy. I knew when I started thinking about pumping that I would have to make a decision on which I'd want. I never knew there'd be so many features to consider. ;)
Oh! I meant to add a note to my insulin needs at the moment. I'm 12 weeks pregnant, and that in itself has significantly raised me insulin needs over the past few months.
Amanda - The responses so far have been very comprehensive. I agree with all the advice given. I've worn insulin pumps for many years. I started with the Mini-Med pumps(now Medtronic) and switched to the Animas Ping in 2008. I'm now wearing the Omnipod.
One thing that I did not like about the Ping was the speed of the meter remote scroll. You have to scroll up to a desired insulin dose before you hit another button to deliver it. I was constantly overshootng and undershooting the desired dose. I abandoned using the meter remote for this reason.
The other thing that the Ping fell short on was screen visibility in the bright sunlight. I can not read the pump screen in the sun and must shade it to see what I'm doing. If you're an outdoor type of person then this might affect you.
Overall I found the quality, durability, and customer service very good with both Medtronic and Animas. Both companies overnighted a replacement pump to me when I needed one.
Have fun with your selection and purchase. I love the flexibility that pumping offers me.
Oh yeah, one other thing that I find important. If you want to get a CGM function, I think it's best to get a separate receiver like the Dexcom so that you can place it so it can be heard at night while you sleep. The Medtronic CGM integration with the pump itself leaves the sounding alert buried beneath the covers -- not acceptable to me.
A few things - I am not well endowed either. At all (A cup here...) I actually find that it makes putting it in my bra easier. I wear those cami-style bras (never anything with underwire). I have a nice little natural pocket right in the middle that happens to be perfectly sized for a pump (it's almost like I was built to wear my pancreas on the outside :-)
Regarding CGMs - I have tried both the Dex and the Minimed CGM. The Minimed one is harder to insert, but overall I liked it better because it was integrated into the pump. I can only carry so much stuff around.
BUT....I didn't get a level of accuracy from either CGM that made one worth it for me in the long run. CGMs are expensive (the sensors cost quite a bit each month, even with good insurance) AND you will develop more scar tissue. Both pumping and CGMing will cause scar tissue to develop in most people. For me, it was just a trade off in the end, and I opted to just spend the money on more test strips each month to stalk my BGs. You may find that a CGM is helpful while pregnant, but not something you want to continue using. It's a very personal decision and you need to do what is best for YOU.
With 60 units/day on MDI, you'll need about 40-50 units per day on a pump (and that will increase as your pregnancy increases, but then drop significantly once you have your baby). The smaller Revel should suffice.
They sell running "leg things", compression bandages. I have one for my thigh that was pretty tight until I used it to hold ice on my knee last year. The fabric is pretty sturdy: