Best breast pump

[millie15]

Ok - I am sure that this has been a post before but what breast pumps do you recommend?

Is it better to get electric over manual? I'm looking to start expressing quite soon and will need to do it regularly as want OH to be able to feed and also need to build up a supply for when I have to go back to work which will possibly be 4 months time.

What is your experience? And does anyone know where I can buy one cheaply?

 

[widowwadman]

I've got the Tommee Tippee handpump which was about 20 quid and works well for us. Hands start hurting after a while,but I see it as a toning exercise for my arms.

 

[Sherlock]

I'd say if you plan on expressing a lot then spend the dosh and get a really decent one. I bought a cheaper electric one as I only planned to express occasionally. It is ok but not great if using it a lot. Using a hand pump for a large quantity will be tiring and time consuming.

The Medela Swing would be my choice next time as I plan to express more if I can for various reasons. Blurb on it says

Medela Swing Breast Pump
The Medela Swing Breast Pump is a powerful yet gentle electric breast pump for modern Mums who want a breast pump that keeps their babies happily breastfeeding on the go.

The Medela Swing has 2-Phase Expression, this mimics what a baby does while feeding from the breast. Initially, the baby sucks rapidly to stimulate the breasts milk ejection reflex and induce the milk “let-down” phase. This is referred to as the “Stimulation phase”. Once the breast milk starts to flow, the baby settles into a more relaxed sucking speed. This phase is called the “Expression phase”.

The Medela Swing Breast Pump is the only single electric pump of its kind and in this price bracket with 2-Phase Expression - which is a pumping action that mimics your baby's natural sucking rhythm.

http://www.medelabreastpump.co.uk/index.html

Having used the hospital equivalent I am sold. OK the hossie one is much bigger but the pumping action is the same and wow was it effective when I had to express in hossie when LO was 6 months old.

Also I'd stick to breastfeeding only for at least a few more weeks so your supply is built up for LO properly. And to avoid nipple confusion and baby preferring the bottle due to faster flowing teat. You can then helpavoid both these things by using nipple shaped teats for the bottles and making sure they are not fast flowing ones that may make your LO lazy when back on your boob.

Also if you are returning to work you will then need to express in the day there to keep your supply up and be able to continue to BF and express for your LO. I'd be looking to express for as many feeds as your LO is taking. So if he was having about 8 a day, and I was at work for 8 hours, then I'd be expressing at least 3-4 times during this, the same as if he were feeding from me. This can be chilled and then taken home to freeze

Hope that all makes sense

 

[kalia]

DD exclusively had expressed breast milk until 5 months and i used the Avent Isis as I'd heard the medala are very noisy. Because I expressed a lot all of my friends have been with me while I've expressed and all of them who have had a medala have commented on how quiet mine are.

However, at 5 months (ironically as I dropped a feed that I was expressing to give me more time) I decided to call the NCT breast pump person and ask for advice. They recommended the Ameda lactaline dual breast pump. It costs the same as the Avent (£85) but is a million times better! It can be used as a single or double pump and double pumping saves a lot of time. With the Avent I had it on full suck but with the Ameda I had it on half way (and half way was more powerful than the Avent) so it goes all the way from really really gentle to suck your boobs off! It is just as quiet as the Avent. I bought it from here:
http://www.simplybreastpumps.com/product/17071UK

There is an american website somewhere that did indepth study into lots of breastpumps and the ameda one is one of the few that are really effective according to them. Though in America it is called the Hollister Purely Yours. It took me a long long time to work that out! http://breastfeeding.hypermart.net/pumps101.html They also recommend the Medala professional grade ones but that costs £200 as opposed to the £85 for the Ameda.


However, if you'd rather use a manual pump, the avent isis manual is far easier on the wrist and angles better than the Tommee Tippee one.

In my experience an electric one is better because you express for half an hour or more at a time and my mind would start to wonder and I'd realise I'd stopped expressing. With an electric you just plug in and let it get on with it If you get the dual pump that halves the time. Turn it on, put one pump to one breast. Now hold that pump with the opposite hand. Put the other pump to the other breast and you will be able to hold it there with your first arm, leaving you a free hand to drink tea and change the TV chanel.

 

[Lisamj]

Just to say one that I DON'T recommend, which is the Medela Mini Electric Pump. Noisy and and could never get more than 2 or 3 oz at a push. I have heard others have had a similar experience.

Lisa xx

 

[Laur_250]

Just to say one that I DON'T recommend, which is the Medela Mini Electric Pump. Noisy and and could never get more than 2 or 3 oz at a push. I have heard others have had a similar experience.

Lisa xx

I agree i tried this one first its very loud.

I have both a manual and electric pump.....

The medela swing as sherlock said is great, more expensive but quiet and effective.

I also use a manual pump sometimes and can get just as much off so can recomend the Lansinoh pump. They're the people who make the nipple cream and the pump is a good price and comes with 2 bottles and some bags for storage, i find this pump easier than the electric one at times.

Hope that helps

 

[purplebluered]

I tried different ones and the only one that worked for me was the medela swing. I can't get much out anyway but the swing was the only one that did. It was great for using regularly and easy to use. I'd be considering a double pump for next time and so I like the sound of what kalia said about the Ameda.

 

[flowergirl]

I use the Medela swing and it is OK although works better of a full breast. I can ALWAYS express at least another oz from each boob after the Medela has stopped getting anything- therefore- hand expression= better yield. However- the Swing means that I can express and manage to watch TV or hold a conversation-something I can't really do if I'm hand expressing as I have to lean right over and concentrate on where the jets go!

I find that it is louder than I would like as I'm sure people could hear me using it at work (although I have no evidence of this- I guess I'm just a bit self-conscious- lots of men around!) and I find it less efficient than hand expression but really it has been invaluable since my return to work so I would recommend it from that point of view.

I tried Tommy Tippee manual and hated it- it hurt and I got nothing for my pain other than about 1/2 oz.

I really liked using a battery operated electric pump like the Medela Mini Electric as you can very easily express whilst feeding your LO and take advantage of them stimulating your let down- I got 2-3 oz without even trying. Unfortunately this doesn't work with the Swing though as there are too many wires for a 9 month old to grab!

Sorry- I've rambled on a bit-I hope this gives you more answers than questions!

 

[Clydesdaleclopper]

If you are going to be expressing at work as well I'd recommend an electric double pump with a hands free bustier. I use the Medela Pump in Style double pump and can carry on working at my desk while I pump (I do have an office to myself though). It is so much quicker than a single pump and is apparently much better at maintaining milk supply.

 

[Squiglet]

Well! I'm not recommending the Avent hand pump... I just put mine in the dishwasher and its all effing broken!!! I've only used it about 20 times so thats a pile of poop!.

I have a medela electric mini... Its ok.. Its not the best, but it suited my purposes... Looking back though I should have paid the 200€ for a decent one. Now there is no point in getting another pump because I won't be using it for much longer