Child Developement
Breast Pump Buying Guide
A good breast pump can make a big difference in making breastfeeding more convenient for both mother and child.
What To Consider
Efficiency
No one wants to spend all their time hooked up to a milk pumping machine, especially if you are a pump exclusive mum. Electric pumps often are higher in efficiency because they're able to pump out the same amount of milk as other models in a shorter amount of time. However, the investment may not be worth it if you will only be utilizing the pump sparingly.
Comfort
The comfort of a breast pump depends largely on how well the breast flange fits on your breast. You'll want to make sure that the flange does not rub vigorously against the nipple which may cause skin abrasions, bleeding, or even infection.
Portability
Mothers who are often on the go or who travel will want to put portability high on their list of priorities. This will include what kind of milk storage the pump offers, whether it has a battery pack, and how easy it is to carry around the pump. Manual pumps will be much easier to carry around, but is more time consuming and labor intensive.
Hygiene
A pump comes with many parts that need to be cleaned following use to ensure no contaminants in your baby's milk. You'll want to pay attention to whether the pump can be easily disassembled and cleaned, because condensation build up in the tubing can be breeding ground for mold.
Acoustics
Working moms will appreciate quieter pumps, especially if pumping in a public area like an office, or while pumping in the middle of the night when others are sleeping. Electric pumps are often very loud, compared to manual pumps.
Popular brands | AVENT | MEDELA | SPECTRA | MEDELA | HAAKAA | |
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Product Image | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | |
Model | Philips Avent Double Electric Comfort | Medela Pump In Style Advanced Breast Pump | S1+ Breast Pump | Harmony Manual | Haakaa Silicone Manual Breast Pump, 100ml | |
Type (Hospital Grade, Consumer Electric, Manual) | Electric | Electric | Hospital Grade Electric | Manual | Manual | |
Features |
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Product Details |
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| Comes with bottles with lid and nipple for storage and easy feeding. | No additional accessories. Need to purchase breast pump cap or milk storage separately if you want to store milk. | |
Best for (e.g. working mums, frequent travelers, mum with twins, pump exclusive/heavy mums, occasional pumper) | Pump exclusive / pump heavy mums, mum with twins | Pump exclusive / pump heavy mums, mum with twins | Mum with twins, pump exclusive / heavy mums | Working mums, traveling mums, occasional pumper | Traveling mums, occasional pumper, relieving engorgement or catching let down | |
Weight | 960 g | 2.8 kg | 1.1 kg | 170 g | 159 g | |
Price | 799.00 | 822.35 | 497.5 | 99 | 29.9 | |
Where to buy | Qoo10 | Agape Babies | Pupsik | Pupsik | Pupsik |
Tips
- If buying a second-hand electric pump, check when the machine was last used or last serviced to make sure it will still work properly. Also, make sure to replace all parts that came into contact with breast milk with a new set (breast shields, tubing etc.)
- When deciding on a pump, find a pump that best fits your usage levels and needs. If you're a working mom, having an electric pump saves so much time. However, there's no need to invest heavily in an electric pump if you are going to use it very rarely!
- Having a manual pump as a complement to an electric pump can be an emergency back up if you forget your electric pump, or one of the components needed to make it work.
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