Help Choosing Breastpump.....manual....electric....dual....yikes

I am a mobile groomer and I had the Medela "pump n style" it was electric and I also had a car adapter to plug into the lighter. It worked great for me I used it thru 2 babies and my friend who gave it to me used it thru 2 of her kids I just bought new hoses and bottles for it so electric is the way to go esp if you are going to nurse for a long time. Good luck.

I know you have already received a lot of responses. But as a full time working mom, I found these two websites VERY helpful!!
http://www.workandpump.com/
http://www.pumpinpal.com/

I have the Madela Pump In Style and it works great, but I like the Pumpin' Pal's Super Shields Plus, these flanges fit directly onto my Madela Pump and they are wonderful. I also have the hands free strap - I get better milk production and I don't have to lean over!!

I didn't need my pump right away, actually I was very worried because I couldn't pump any milk in the beginning, despite the fact it was sparying out of my breasts! The lactastion consultant told me to wait 6-8 weeks. While I was at home it was still difficult, I could only get my milk to let down if my son was nursing on one side as I pumped on the other side. I have been back to work for 3 months, and the pumping is going great! I produce enough every day for him and he has never had to have formula.

Best of luck!!

I would rent one from hospital or Elizabeth Blackwell first and see how it goes. U can always buy later. I would get Medela if u buy. It is worth the cost! I have 3 boys, breastfed all and went through 2 pumps. The co. Told me they last 4 about 2.5 kids so I guess I should have another 2 get my moneys worth:-). Good luck!

Since you will be going back to work, you will using it quite a lot... so don't buy one meant for occasional use. By all means, get dual. In fact, I would tell you not to buy one at all but rather rent from a hospital. Hospital-grade pumps are much more effective at getting more milk out. Trust me, I know. I know the Medela Pump in Style probably retails around $300... you can rent a pump for about $30 a month; sometimes insurance pays for it. Check into that. Plus if you buy one, you will have to store it... When you rent you get all new parts that come into contact with you and your milk. It is just a much stronger motor / "vaccuum" than you can buy yourself.

If you are just looking for occasional use, I recommend the Whisper Wear... you actually fit them in to your bra and you can walk around! You are not chained to the pump/wall outlet.

Good luck!

hello, I did use the Medela dual electric pump and so did my twin sister and we both LOVED it! I started with a Platex electric dual pump and HATED it-dont waste your money on that. I was amazed at how fast the Medela works (it worked wonderfully too). Best of luck with nursing-it's so good for your baby and a double bonus is you will be amazed how fast the weight falls off. Everyone told me it would but I didnt believe it until I saw it for myself!

I'd get Medela Pump N Style, Medela Swing, or Ameda Purely Yours.

First I had a manual...too much work. Then I got a Medela Pump in Style and it was great. Nursed my first child until she was almost 18 months and pumped regularly at work. It is very quiet too.

N.,

I would DEFINITELY recommend the Medella dual pump. Depending on your work situation, I would buy the one that has the suction control as well as the speed control. I usually only have about 15 minutes or so at a time to pump, so those 2 features are very important to me. I borrowed a Medella with my first that had both of those features and I loved it. Family members wanted to buy me my pump with my second and I felt bad about the cost of the Medella, so I settled for an Ameda with all the features I thought I wanted and needed. The pump gave out after 5 or 6 months, it took WAY longer to pump, and I ended up borrowing a friend's Medella that she was no longer using to get me through the rest of the first year. The Medella is expensive, but SO worth it! I am actually pregnant with my third right now and have learned my lesson - I'm buying a Medella no matter what it costs.

Hope this helps!
A.

I used the electric Medela and never had any problems. Went back to work when my daughter was 12 weeks and nursed until just after she turned one and quit by herself. I can tell you I had trouble with let down while pumping. I just never was a productive pumper! I know it helped to keep my milk going while I worked but I sure couldn't keep up with demand - never pumped enough to have enough for her to eat while I worked. This was very hard for me and took a lot of encouragement from friends, but I finally decided it was okay to supplement while I worked. I wanted to nurse exclusively but our life became so much easier when I decided it was okay to let her have formula while I worked. Life is stressful enough, add a newborn and wow! I loved breastfeeding, still miss it and she is now 28 months old! Best of luck to you and baby. Definitely recommend electric - dual - to help you out at work. And just remember, after you've already been up 4 times at night to nurse and the baby is crying again - you're doing the best thing for your child! No matter how sleepy you are, enjoy those times because they're gone too quick!

I know it is expensive, but go with the electric dual pump--it is worth every penny in convenience and speed. The manual ones take forever, and you can only do one side at a time--plus, I never got much milk from them. I have a Medela, and I LOVE it. If you'll be pumping at work, you're going to want to get the job done fast, and the dual electric pump, in my opinion, is the best way to go!

Medela pump in style dual electric pump. I just put mine away after 14 months, and just use a manual pump from time to time. It works great, you will need a good pump to make sure you express enough milk for your baby. We never had to supplement, and still have extra milk in the freezer. Good luck!!

Hi N., I had an Avent IQ duo electric breast pump and I loved it! It was light and soooo quiet, I could use it and no one could hear the sound of the motor. I work with mostly men, so that was a huge plus. It alows you to pump at your own pace. You can start out with short little sucks, just like a baby does, then when your milk lets down, you can control the timing and suction to mimic how your child nurses. When you get to a just right rythm, you just push the button and it keeps up until you stop it. I loved the control it gave me to closer mimic the way my daughter nursed. It has now been passed away and is helping to feed its third child. I took a chance and bought it becuase I use the Avent bottles and then I wouldn't have to transfer milk from bottle to bottle. It was definitely a good buy! I never had any problems with lost or broken parts and it was easy to clean. All of the parts are dishwasher safe, so I'd rinse well between pumping sessions at work and put the pieces in the dishwasher every evening. I pumped 3 times a day for 10 months and never had any supply issues. It costs about the same as the Medela, but I had a coupon from Babies R Us and saved about $75.00. When I went they plugged them all in for me and let me listen to the motors, it was the quietest hospital grade pump they had, so that sold it for me. Good luck, breastfeeding is VERY hard in the beginning, but after that it's the easiest thing in the world. Hang in there and enjoy your sweet little one!

Hi N.,

I would definitely suggest a dual pump. It is more efficient than the single pumps, and I don't know about you, but I didn't have much time to pump. I don't know what your job is, but if you have your own office (complete privacy), than you could get the hands-free pump--you don't have to stop working to pump. I think it has a battery pack too so you can pump anywhere. A friend of mine has one and loves it! I did the Medila Pump-in-Style Backpack but that was before the hands-free pump came out. It was convenient and discrete.

Good luck! Congratulations on your little one to come!

I really loved the Medela electric pump. I actually prefered renting it because than you get the help from the lactation specialist whenever you need it and you don't have to pay but a little each month. Good luck!!! You'll do great!

Hello N., I highly recommend the Medela Pump in Style electric dual pump! I tried using a less expensive pump and it failed to work for me (evenflo). The Medela is very comfortable and easy to use (check out mysimon.com to find the cheapest). I nursed and pumped until my son was about 4 1/2 months (he'll be 3 in December). I would have nursed/ pumped longer but unfortunately it was difficult as an Account Executive on the road all day long (I had male managers riding with me the first couple weeks I returned to work). I'm looking forward to using my Medela again in the next couple of days when our daughter arrives (I'm being induced this Monday). Wish me luck!

N.,
I agree with the many others that say Medela dual breat pump! I nursed until my daughter was a year old and i work full time. Watch Target for sales. I received several gift cards to Target for my baby shower and then Target had a special on the Medela purchase it and get a $50 Gift card back! We ended up spending about $15 out of pocket once i used all the g.c. I would also highly recommend the Medela bottles. They attached easily to the pump and you can just pump directly into them. I would keep fresh for the next day and if there was extra i'd place in a milk storage freezer bag and freeze.
N. :)

I'm using the Medela pump in style and am very happy with it. I bought two sets ohf shields and I'm good. It seems expensive, but not when you consider the price of formula. You may weant to rent one at first to make sure your supply is in and established and then buy one. I've also heard good things about an electric pump sold at drug mart...something "yours"

I am using the Medela Pump in Style for the second time and love it. I was told by a lactation consultant that it's not a pump to use until your 3rd or 4th week into breastfeeding/pumping (b/c of how fast it draws) but I have no problems with it. I use it countless times a day and am very happy with it. It even comes with an adaptor to plug into your car cigarette lighter and I have used it in my car multiple times. ha ha

Hi, first of all congrats! We just had our first in March :) I completely feel your pain about choosing a pump. I can only share my experience, but I hope it helps. First, when we were deciding wether to rent or buy, we thought about if we were going to have any more children after Piper. It can run about $50/mo to rent, so if you plan to breastfeed longer than 6-8mo OR you plan on using it again for a future child, we thought it was more cost efficient to buy. We bought the Medela double electric and have loved it. I also went back to the "real world" after only 2 weeks, and pumped when I was away. It comes in a bag that fits all the pump parts and has room for other things you may want (book, picture of baby or baby blanket, etc). I also bought a hands free bra (like a tube top with holes). It allows you to catch up on emails, phone calls, etc without making a mess :) If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask. I'm proud I was able to make it work with such a hectic schedule and have no problems sharing my ups and downs! Good luck!

N. - This is a little late ... finding a breast pump is such a daunting task!!! First off, I would rent a hospital one before you go shelling out the kind of money that is needed for a pump (I had the Madela dual pump system). I know it sounds creepy renting a pump (believe me, I had the same thoughts). However, after talking to a lactation - sp - nurse after the delivery of my first girl; I did it. She assured me that no milk or anything touches the pump (and she was right). They set me up and charged my hospital bill for the "starter" kit (it was Madela ... consisted of two pumps, tubing and flap guard. The hospital supplied the bottles to store the breast milk. They even had labels to use so I knew what breast milk to feed my baby). Antoher thing the nurse told me was that the hospital pumps are the strongest and will aid in getting your milk to come in faster. With my first daughter, I rented the pump for one month (I think ... I know that I took it home with me); then started using the Madela pump (this is the closest pump to the hospital pumps on the market). With my second daughter, I just rented the pump while staying in the hospital. BTW, I delivered @ Good Sam in Cincinnati. Also, I would definitely go with a motorized pump ... I've heard that the hand pumps are a pain. Hope this helps! GOOD LUCK!!!

Check with your hospital before you do anything. The hospital I delivered at (Summa) gave me a free one when my daughter was born. Breastfeeding did not work for me so that saved me a lot of money. I would wait and see how it workd for you before buying one.

I used an electric dual and thought it was great! My only warning to you is when you buy one make sure you read the box to make sure it is for everyday use. I bought one that was a once in awile use not knowing and it broke. Then I had a breast pump emergency....lol

My suggestion would be to hold off on buying a pump right now. You wont' be going back to work immediately, you'll have a little time. You want to make sure that breastfeeding will work out for you. I may be wrong, but I don't think breast pumps are returnable. I needed a pump as soon as my milk came in and I borrowed one from WIC till I could get my own. I'm pretty sure you can rent them from hospitals too. Since you are going back to work, you'll doing a lot of pumping you'll definitely want an electric pump. I've heard good things about the Medela. I bought a cheaper pump and since I stayed at home, it worked, but there is no way it would have been efficient if I had to pump at work. Good luck and congrats on the new baby!

I would say that if you are planning to breatfeed & pump for as long as possible, an electic pump would probably be best, even just for quickness when you head back to work. I haven't personally used a manual pump, but have a hard time thinking I could do it well! I have the Medela pump-in-style advanced, and loved it. I have a lot of friends who have used the same, one after tons of research (she's a dietician. It might be a little more expensive, but if you're planning on more than on kiddo, and long-term breastfeeding, it tends to be worth the investment. I got a good deal on mine on ebay - but make sure it's sealed in the box!

Medela is by far the best you can get I have the electric dual pump and i love it(although i no longer breastfeed my son) I plan to keep it for my next baby...Its the best out there..although pumping both sides at once is a little tricky at first if you dont have a nursing vest that holds everything in place so u can have your hands free....

I had to pump for my twins b/c they were premies and did not latch on. I rented an electric dual pump from the hospital and it was the best pump (medela). I highly recommend this pump.

My advice is to rent. I thought I was going to breastfeed, and I ended up pumping in the hospital. I thought about renting when I left but I opened and used the pump that I had bought only to give up pumping (and attempted breastfeeding) one day later. That was $150 lost :( I sold the pump on ebay for $50, but still lost quite a bit of money. Breastfeeding can be difficult. I knew it could be, but figured since no one in my family had ever had problems breastfeeding neither would i.... but i did. So i say rent a pump until breastfeeding is working for you and you are sure you will continue it.

N., I have used the Medela Dual Electric Breast Pumps, its great, my son had difficulty latching on, and I pumped for him since Day-1 till he was a year old, this product worked wonder for me, I would highly recommend that. Good Luck!

My Medela pump n style double breast pump is on its second kid and going strong. I bought an inexpensive one for my first child and it wasn't good enough quality to keep it around for my second child. I use both the battery and electric power (battery is great feature if you have to pump in out-of-office locations!). It's worth every pretty penny I paid for it. My only concern with breast pumps in general is that I never know if my cleaning/boiling of the parts is enough to keep them sanitary. I wish they would make parts that you use a few times and can throw out. I recommend having an extra set of parts on hand just in case one little part gets lost; there is a teeny white plastic disc that is prone to disappearing; the parts are hard to find in stores. I also recommend Gerber storage bags for the milk.

Good for you to keep it up after going back to work. It's a pain sometimes to pump, but worth the effort! good luck :)

Hi N.!
Since you will be going back to work I'd definitely recommend a dual electric. I got to borrow a Medela with my first, which was great because they're so expensive, and it worked just fine. For my second (she's 8.5 months) I used a Lansinoh that I got from Walmart ($150) and I thought it worked great. It doesn't come with a bag but it is pretty small (I used a small tote bag/purse). Even after breastfeeding my first, I still waited before buying the pump just to make sure breastfeeding would work with my second. I would also recommend trying to pump at home first - at least a week or two before you go back to work - just to try it out and get a little used to it before trying at work. Hope this info helps. Good Luck!

Medela Pump-N-Style! Worth every penny!

Medela is a great brand. I have the pump in style and it is wonderful. If you are for sure returning to work then I would recommend an electric dual pump. Manual pumps take so long and your arms get so tired. Then you have to switch and do the other side!! I'm assuming you will be pumping a couple times a day with going back to work, so electric is the way to go. I planned on returning to work and bought my pump in style then I realized I just couldn't leave my daughter and go back to work so I have been home with her for 2 years and am still nursing her. You might want to wait until after having your baby to buy a pump, just to make sure you want to go back and you can always rent a couple to see what you like. I pumped in the hospital and they gave me a manual pump to take home so hopefully you will get one too. Good luck and don't stress out about it too much. Enjoy nursing your baby on your maternity leave and you will know what will work for you when the time comes.

Hey N.! I highly recommend the Medela double electric pump. I used it for my now 4 y.o. and I am using it now for my newborn. It is a very good pump. It has several settings for speed and tension so you can personalize it to your preferences. Plus if you do dual you are able to pump all of your milk in half the time. Also, if nursing doesn't work out and you haven't used it yet, you can always return it. Glad to see you are dedicated to nursing! Each time I had some major pain but I persevered and it is now so rewarding for both myself and my baby! It was well worth it in the long run! Enjoy!

Congratulations on your pregnancy, and kudos for deciding to breastfeed!! It is the best for you and your baby! As far as breast pumps, for me the manual was too much work, although it is more accessible and easy to take with you. I had luck with the Medela pump you are talking about. They are expensive, so you might want to think about renting or buying a used version if you can find one (I found one on Ebay) I believe La Leche and WIC and even lactation consulatants from the hospital can direct you on good places to find or rent one. You might also want to try checking out an online Yahoo Group for Pumping Moms. They would have excellent suggestions and ideas. If you need any help or support during your breastfeeding, let me know! Congrats again!

Hi N. - Kudos to you for wanting to continue your journey of nursing even after returning to work. I highly recommend the Medela Pump in Style. I purchased mine 7 years ago after having my first child and paid $300 for it. It has surely been my best investment yet. I have successfully nursed 4 children and it has been great b/c its a double pump and does the job efficiently. I returned to work after my first 2 and pumped for about a year both times.

Best wishes - the pumps have come a long ways and lowered in price too!

If you are going to be working and therefore pumping several times a day and wanting to keep your supply up this way go with something higher end, I've heard good things about the medela dual electric models, I used one, but it was just a loaner for supplemental pumping. With my first child I was able to maintain my supply with a manual Avent Isis, however, I only worked part-time and was to nurse on alternate days so I think that helped, manual is more physical work, with the electric, you just have to hold them there. The hospital will most likely encourage you to rent a "hospital grade" model, but I don't think it's going to make or break your breastfeeding/pumping success. I'd look into the cost effectiveness of both, if it's cheaper to rent then do that. Good luck and good for you on wanting to breastfeed.

Unless your insurance pays for it (mine did years ago) I would rent one for a bit to see if you will even be successful. Then if it all works out, by a dual electric pump. Taking breaks to pump is hard enough, so you want to try and make the best use of the time. i had the Ameda Purely Yours and loved it! Got me through 2 infants.

L.

I have a 4 month old, work full time, and am using the Avent Isis Duo with great success. However, I strongly urge you to NOT decide ahead of time what pump to buy. My daughter was born 5 weeks early and I had to start pumping in the hospital. They rented us a Medela hospital grade pump, which was wonderful. However, I did not know how much I would need to be pumping until after I was home for a while during leave, so I put off buying one for the first month and just kept renting. When I ended up buying a pump, I chose one that would stand up to very frequent use, had a completely closed system (the new Avent Isis pumps do) and was a little less expensive, smaller and somewhat more portable. I found it online for quite a bit less than in stores. I pump several times a day and breastfeed whenever possible (mornings, evenings and most of the time on weekends). Good luck!

I am also a working mom who has to pump... I use the Medela Swing and love it! It is very user friendly and isn't too bulky. Good luck!

I am still breastfeeding my daughter (who is 9 months) and don't plan on stopping anytime soon. I work parttime so I have to pump a lot. I have that Medela pump and love it. I also have an Evenflo battery powered pump for travel (nowhere to plug in and pump in the airport!) - I love that one too! I recommend them both.

I agree with everyone so far. Medela is by far the best. Check on ebay. You should be able to get one less expensive than if you buy it new. You might have to buy new tubes and breast shields but it is much more economically friendly. You should try to rent before buying. The hospital has really good ones and you might want try those before buying.

You should always rent one first. You never know maybe your milk won't come in or who knows! You can rent them from most Walgrens stores in the pharmacy. But if you decide to buy one get a dual electric and make sure it has a battery backup! Medela is a great brand I have the Medela pump in style advanced and love it! I recommend going to a website www.awaybabyrentals.com that is where I bought mine and they have a support person 24/7 and will service the pump if something happens! I would not buy one at a store because then you are on your own! Good Luck!

ELECTRIC, ELECTRIC, ELECTRIC!!! Your hand will fall off with a manual LOL! Medela has the best of all of them hands down. Babies R Us has a whole line of Medela stuff. The people there are usually pretty knowledgable (sp) too. I have the the Medela Pump In Style. Mine actually belongs to a friend and including my baby has been used for 7 kids now (I have new personal parts obviously) and it shows not sign of giving out. She purchased it about 7 years ago now.

I used the Medela dual electric & I really liked it. If you are planning to breatsfeed for a while and going back to work you really need a dual & electric pump. When I did research to buy one the Medela seemed like the way to go. I dont think you would one to rent one-i didn't anyway. Also, I see some say to wait to buy it but I used my right away to increase my milk supply (pumped after nursing for a few minutes) & when my milk first came in, my breast were so engorged, he couldn't latch on so I pumped to get some milk out, then he could latch on. This also help me bulid up some breast milk in the freezer for when I returned to work. Good luck!

definitely electric, dual, possible battery operated! don't go cheap. i would reccommend renting the hospital ones to be sure breastfeeding/pumping is for you. then if so get the medela pump. i used the hospital pump for 2 weeks because my son was in the nicu then i came home to my cheap playtex pump and it was worthless! go for the medela by far!!!!!!!!

I highly recommend the medela electric pump. I have had 2 different kinds of pumps and the medela is by far the best. It is spendy at first for the big lump sum but think about it long term when your not buying formula how much money you'll save.

For going back to work, you definitely want to invest in an electric dual pump -- It just can take way too long with a manual or single pump when you're trying to breast pump at the office. Some people are high outputters and it is no problem to get things flowing, so perhaps for them, they could manage with a single or hand pump at the office, but unfortunately you don't know that until afer you deliver. If you want to be prepared and buy before your delivery, I'd recommend the Ameda pump -- it's specs are similar to that of the Medela, but it is much cheaper. I was very happy with it. If you want to wait and see what your output is like and how easily breastfeeding comes to you, that can be a good idea, because you never know how it will go and if you will require something more specialized. It is easy to rent commerical grade pumps from local Walgreens stores or other local locations for the first month or so to see how things are going and then decide what you need.

I had complications, as well as success eventually with breastfeeding for the first five months, and went back to work at three months, as well as have used both commerical grade, Ameda, and Medela, if you want to get in contact with any other questions I can help with. My biggest recommendation would be to be sure you make time at work for pumping and never skip it, as this can lead to decreased output quickly. It is so easy to get caught up with a meeting and forget to pump, so you just have to be really diligent.

The Medela electric dual pump is the best! I used it for 13 mo. up to 7 times a day, and I'm sure if I have another child I would be able to use it again.

I think that's a good choice.

Good luck!

Hi N.,
I would definitely buy electric if you are going to be pumping frequently. The Medela is a good choice I think. I have the Ameda dual pump and it's fine, but I think the Medela is better! Good luck.

If you are planning to work, definitely go with the dual pump Medela. I used mine through three pregnancies and definitely got my money's worth out of it in the first year of having it. I worked full time for a year after my oldest was born and the pump was so easy to use. I could even sit at my desk and pump hands free while on the phone or computer (office door and window blinds closed, of course!), though I am sure people on the other end of the phone wondered what that strange noise in the background was!

Congratulations! I have been very fortunate to have been a buyer for breast pumps for a drug distribution company. I also have four kids. All of which I breast feed for a minimal time. The first and the four child took to it right away. The second, I was ill and had to quit to take care of myself. The third had a difficult time and preferred a bottle. My recommendation is to buy a manual at first to get you through the first couple of months. Especially while you are on maternity leave and have time to nurse at home. The Avent Isis is the best on the market for the price. Truthfully, I believe that breast feeding is the best thing for your child, but it is not as easy as some make it out to be. It is difficult and very painful process to work through the first couple of weeks. Personally, I would perfer to give birth and 3 of the 4, I delivered naturally without drugs.
Breast feeding is something that you need to be dedicated to. Therefore, I do not recommending investing in an expensieve pump until you get through about 6 weeks of feeding. Once you get that far and know that you are going to continue once you get back to your daily routine, working, arrons etc.... then go for the Medela Pump & Style. I will say the difficult thing about a dual pump is the sound from the motor. But other than that it is the greatest on the market but costs around $300.

Hi N..

I have the Medela electric dual pump, and I LOVE it. I used it with my daughter, who's now 2, and now I'm using it for my 7 month old son. It's super quick, and comfortable. My sister in law had one made by I think Playtex, but she says hers was uncomfortable. Mine also has a battery pack for on the go pumping. Good luck in your search, and congratulations on your baby to be!

You definitely need electric if you plan on breastfeeding for any length of time. Medela is superior to anything you could buy at a discount store. You should consider a dual pump also. Research has shown dual pumping increases milk production. Do some online research. Try to find a breastfeeding forum and get some advice from mom's who have gone back to work and sucessfully continued to breastfeed. Good luck!

Hi N.,
Medela dual electric is the best pump hands down. I have 3 children. With my first I tried all kinds of pumps but once I found Medela my life was so much easier. Hope this helps. L.

I want to let you know that Medela is the way to go. I rented the Medela Symphony electric breast pump from the hospital after I delivered and it worked wonderful. I cannot compare it to any other pump because I did not try any other one, but from what I have heard from other people you cannot buy a breast pump that works as well as the ones you can get from the hospital. This is why I just went ahead and rented the one from the hospital and worked wonderfully.
Hope this helps :)

I LOVED the Medela Pump in style advanced. I went back to work after 3 months and it worked well for me until I stoped around 10-11months. Good luck!