Need Help Choosing a Breast Pump!

I loved my Medela Pump in Style dual breast pump. It works great and looks like a bag not a breast pump. It, though, like any good pump was expensive.

Good luck!

Hi! I had my first child in Sept. 2007 and chose to breastfeed. He had difficulty latching for the first three months so I pumped full time. I love my pump. It is a medela pump in style advanced. I choose Medela because a friend gave it an excellent review, and I had heard terrible stories about other brands. My friend used the same medela with all 3 children. Hope this helps and good luck!

I had a hand pump when I was at home (I think an avent one) and that was plenty. They are not too expensive and are very small and portable.
When I went back to work I had to get a medela pump and style advanced. You definately need a double electric pump if you are planning to pump on a daily basis (they cost around $300). The medela works well and comes with bottles and cooler, I would recommend it.

I recommend any Medula product. I have the travel backpack version and I am currently pumping for my second child. It is dual which works great to get the most milk. Hope this helps- good luck!

As a nurse and lactation educator and a mom, I highly recommend the Medela Pump in Style, so much so, that soon I will renting them to moms!!

I have the Medela (the shoulder bag one) and loved it. I plan to use it with my next baby (due in July) and right now my sister is getting lots of use out of it. It ius expensive but worth the investment. keep in mind if you don't want to purchase, you can also rent them from any pharmacy that rents home health products and just purchase the attachments.

I love my Melda(sp?) Pump in Style Advance. I work full time and it was very easy to use and clean.

Dr. Brown's worked well. My only advice is don't open it until you know for sure you can or want to really breastfeed. I wanted to nurse my daughter so badly, but after two months of trying I had to go with solely formula. I just couldn't produce. I tried everything to make it work. Some times it's just not in the cards and then you have wasted all that money. Best wishes.

I LOVED the Medela Pump In Style Advance. It was so easy to use!

Medela(spelling) is the only way to go. I tryed 2 or 3 other brands and they did not work for me i even had a single medela and it was not as nice and the Melela Dulla(doubble)
K. B

Hi J., I have a Medela Pump In Still Duel pump. I have been pumping for 7 mo. about 5 times a day and have had no problems with it. They are quite expensive, but I feel they are worth it. If you don't get one for a shower gift, I found it on drugstore.com for a lot cheaper than any where else. Good luck with our search!
T.

My Medela has been outstanding, I pumped and nursed for 10 and 1/2 months with my first, and it's going strong with my second. It was $300 but worth every penny. Good Luck!

The dual action Medela Pump in Style is the best on the market. It pumps both at once - all the parts are dishwasher safe and made cleanup easier. I used mine with two kids. Originally, I had rented one from the hospital to make sure my first would breastfeed before we opened the box and possibly wasted the money. Definitely comparable to hospital quality! Also, it looks like a briefcase, so I could transport it to work without questions - it used to come in a backpack style too.

Medela pump in style are the most popular and recommended by laction consultants. I don't have one as I went with a manual because I didn't think I'd use it that much but I wish I would have bought one anyway. They are on the more expensive end but still much cheaper then formula and anyone I know that has used one says they are well worth the money.

As a side note don't open your pump until you are established breastfeeding. They aren't returnable once opened and while I hope it doesn't happen to you a few women who want to breastfeed can't and obviously that's an expensive paperweight if it doesn't work out.

Good luck!

Hello J. I used both the medela and ameda I used a the single medela which was fine but I didn't want to spend the money with my son. I did want a dual pump though, The ameda worked fantastic.. Not as expensive (although still pricey) But my friends bought the cheaper ones and they did have issues with it cutting out etc. I pumped 3 times as fast then my friend who was pumping at the same time. The pump comes in a nice black bag and a nice cooler. I did not have any problems at all. Good luck with whatever you choose...

I used the Pump in Style by Medela and highly recommend it. My little guy was in the NICU so I did a lot of pumping in the beginning.

Medela is the best pump. A bit expensive, but worth it. I had gotten an Evenflo dual electric pump which worked pretty well for a while, but once I went back to the Medela brand, I can see that the suction was much great and I produced more milk. Congratulations on your 1st baby. My baby girl is 9 months old.

congrats on your baby. If u plan to work and carry ur breast pump with you then Medela In style Advanced is the best out there. Also their website has very good info on breast feeding.

Congratulations on your decision for breastfeed. Medela puts out the best pumps by far. If you choose any of those you are sure to get good results! I own the Medela Harmony pump, if is a hand on, but its AWESOME. Quick, quiet, and efficient. I owned a first years electric pump before this and it was terrible! I would have pumped for my daughter much longer if I had the Medela. Good luck!

Congratulations on your upcoming birth and for your decision to breastfeed your baby!!!!
Medela pumps have THE best reputation for effectiveness, comfort and quality. The Pump in Style is the gold standard for women who will be returning to work & who will need to pump "full time" (most of the week).
I also highly suggest reading "Nursing Mother, Working Mother" (although, I may have that backwards!)
I also can't encourage you enough to start attending LLL meetings now! They are a wonderful source of support and information, as well as a great place to meet new moms & moms-to-be!
Good luck!

Congratulations on your first baby!! I understand you wanting to go ahead and get a breast pump as part of your resgistry, but I would strongly suggest that you wait until after your baby is born. Breast pumps are a very expensive item, especially if you don't use it much. I was very happy with a manual pump for the times when I wanted to have a bottle for my husband to do a feeding or when I was out for longer than 2 hrs at a time. Even then I rarely used it. If you want to "try before you buy" the breastfeeding center of Pittsburgh www.breastfeedingcenterofpittsburgh.com will let you borrow, rent and or buy a pump. They are also an excellent resource for new moms, especially since breastfeeding is often a little difficult at first. Best of luck with the rest of your pregnancy and with the new baby!

Double Medula breast pump is ALWAYS rated the highest!

Hi J. -
I got the Medela Pump Instyle Advanced and I really like it. I just started using it two weeks ago and feel I made the right choice. Although this is my first child so I don't have a lot to compare it too, but I feel it will be great for when I go back to work and continue to pump. Here is the website I bought it from: http://www.lactationcare.com/

It is much cheaper here than at Target or Babies R Us and there is free shipping for orders over $100. The website is a little weird you have to give them your email address and they send you the price and then you have to call or fax in your order. I haven't gotten any junk mail from them from submitting my email so don't worry about that either! I got this website from my midwife and this is wher she just recently got hers too. But anyways, the people I talked to on the phone to order seems very nice and helpful and I actually got my pump within a few days of ordering it!

I hope this helps and congrats in advance,
Jenn H

I really like my Ameda "Purely Yours" dual electric breast pump. It's significantly less than the Medela, but my lactation consultant said it was good, and it has been.

Hi J.,

The only two pumps that I would recommend are the Medela Pump in Style and the Ameda Purely Yours. Be wary of any other pumps out there as some can actually do damage to your breast tissue. The Medela and Ameda pumps are the only two pumps that have hospital grade components. I would also avoid the big chain stores for purchasing them as you will pay top dollar.

Here are some links to where you can find breastpumps:

Ameda pumps: <http://www.mothersboutique.com/peelbrpu.html&gt;

Here is an article on working and breastfeeding which will have some helpful tips for you. Even if you aren't going back to work - it has helpful tips for anyone who is pumping: <http://www.mothersboutique.com/woandbrtifor.html&gt;

Please let me know if you have any other questions that I can help answer.

J.

A Mother's Boutique
Breastfeeding clothing, nursing bras, breastpumps, slings and accessories.
MamaSource members save 10% off of their first order (excluding breastpumps) using promo code MAMASOURCE.
http://www.mothersboutique.com

I used a Medela Pump in Style for all 4 of my kids, and loved it.

Make sure you check to see if your insurance will pay! Sometimes if your Dr. prescribes it (such as if you are going back to work), you can get it paid for by your medical insurance. At the very least, try for using your flexible spending account if you have one.

I am a new Mom...to a 4-month old wonderful boy! I use the Medela Pump In Style Advanced Breast Pump. I LOVE my pump! I got it before I had my baby, and when he was born, he went to the NICU in a different hospital. So, I had to start pumping right away. Once we were home, we tried breastfeeding, but he really had troubles trying to latch on. So, I exclusively pump (I'm saying this so you know that I use it all the time.) I have not had any problems (knock on wood)...and the only replacement parts I have needed are the small little disks that filter the air. If you have any questions about this pump, please feel free to ask. But I would recommend this to anyone. It takes about 12-18 mins to pump, depending on how long I go in between. And it is just so easy! Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy and with finding a pump!

Hey J., its T. again, I was gonna leave you this message in the last post, but I thought you only wanted help with bottles, lol...Medela dual electric/battery backup is the BOMB!! I had one that came in a carry all bag and 4 bottles, I ordered 6 extra bottles for storage reasons(having all these children you have to think WAY ahead). Check out Ebay for a pump even the Playtex nursers, its a shame, about 6 months ago I sold everything on Ebay - FAST. You can get a much better price looking on Ebay first. You gotta save money now, because your child is gonna suck you dry when he/she gets older...lol! Good Luck with delivery!

I recently bought the Medela Pump in Style breastpump at Babies R Us. I bought the backpack style to make it easier to carry to work when I go back in April (don't want to think about that yet). Our baby was in the NICU and was having problems latching on, so I pump 8 times a day. The double pumping saves time. Hope this helps.

If you'll be staying home or unsure about returning to work, then there's really no need to have a double electric pump. A good hand pump like the Avent Isis will do you just fine for relieving engorgement or the occasional bottle.

As most others have already recommended, Medela Pump in Style is one of the most popular/effective pumps on the market. I, on the otherhand, used the Whittlestone Expresser. It's about the same price range as the PIS, very effective, easy to clean, and extremely comfortable. They're not as prevalent as Medela's pumps, but well worth it if you can find one.

My friend recommended the Purely Yours dual pump by Ameda, and I would recommend it to anyone else. For a mid-grade pump, it's probably the least expensive, and it works great. I got mine online for $150, which is about $100 less than most of the pumps that are similar. It is a dual pump, but you can choose to pump only one side at a time as well. It has different cycle speeds as well as the strength, so you can pick a setting that is most similar to your infant's feeding. It has worked great for me, and I am very glad that I got it. The only thing is, that I have not seen it in any stores, so it would be difficult to put it on a registry.

I highly recommend the Pump In Style. There is an advanced version that came out after I bought mine 4 years ago. I was able to pump with no problems at all. I had the backpack style. No one would know that it was a breast pump. It came with a cooler & bottles. I would also suggest a hands free pumping band. You can then do something else (surf the net, read a book, etc) while pumping which for me helped the process.

After four children I still love my super simple manual Medela hand pump. It is easy, comfortable, doesn't require batteries/electricity so I can use it anywhere, compact so it is easy to travel with, and cost less than $20 when I bought it 8 years ago. I wouldn't trade it for the most expensive pump out there. Best of luck to you with your new baby!

E.

I would choose the expensive one like they use in the hospital. I think it is called Medula. The other ones hurt. If you qualify for WIC they give you one for free. Let me know if you have more questions.

T.
mother of 4 yo son and 2 yo daughter, breastfed both for a year.

Hi J.. I've nursed 3 kids (7, 5, 2) and I used the Medela Pump In Style electric pump with all 3. It was comfortable, not too bulky, comes with a manual pump for emergencies (I had to replace the ac adaptor halfway through the third kid and couldn't use it for a week while the part came in). It's one of the more expensive ones, but it really paid for itself with just the first child. I used to take it to work with me to pump at lunch, too. I HIGHLY recommend it. Congratulations on giving breastfeeding a try, and good luck!

I have the medella pump in style advanced and I love it.
You can choose a purse or backpack. It comes recommended from La Leche League and it's easy to use and easy to clean. You will also need the storage bags if you are planning on freezing any milk (lasts for about 3 months in the freezer). The pump runs for about $300 - but check your insurance - they might pay for part of it.
Don't get frustrated when you first start to pump.. it might take a little bit to get the hang of letting the milk down, along with producing enough milk to nurse and store. It took me about a week to pump more then 2oz a day.

Though it's tempting to register for a breastpump, the fact is it's hard to know what your needs are going to be when it's time to start pumping, and you may want to wait. The going-back-to-work question may affect your decision, as well as the ease with which you and your baby are able to breastfeed in the first place. The first six weeks are all about building up your supply by breastfeeding your baby as much as possible; only then (I was told, and I took the advice) should one even start thinking about pumping.

All that said, I will tell you what worked for me: the Medela Pump 'n' Style, the "Cadillac" of breastpumps. It's all part of one bag that you can just grab on your way out the door, hook up in the car, etc. It's expensive, but compared to the price of formula, it's worth it! I did find a good deal on a new pump on the internet, plus my health insurance reimbursed me $50 for the purchase of a breastpump.

Good luck, and best wishes!

Hi J.,
I had my first son last May and also breast feed. I never got an electric pump. I use the Avent Isis manual pump. I make out very well with it and I used it a lot from the time he was 2 to 6 months when I worked full time. It was comfortable and never caused any soreness. I also had good results and could usually get 4 to 6 oz in about 10 to 15 minutes. The only time I used an electric pump was in the hospital and I made out better with the Avent manual one. It is also much cheaper and does the job. It is conveinent because you can use it anywhere with out electricity. The key to any pump, is finding a place you can relax so you get a good let down reflex. Good Luck with your decision.

I have been very happy with Medela Pump N Style

I definitely recommend the Medela Pump in Style! I used it for several months when I went back to work this fall (pumping 2-3 times a day) and it was quick and easy. I also recommend buying their microwave steam-clean bags that you can use to clean all of your pump parts. Finally, I found the Easy Expression Bustier that allows your to have your hands free while pumping. That way you can do others things while you are pumping and you don't feel like you are wasting any time. Good luck!

You've received a lot of advice about the Medela Pump in Style. I used that pump for my daughter, who would not nurse. She had been in the NICU and I had to pump there. I used it for 13 months, and it never lost suction. It was worth every penny.
I had also used the Avent Isis manual pump, when I had to be out for longer and just couldn't stand the engorgement.
Good luck to you and congratulations on deciding to breastfeed.

I received 2 different breast pumps as shower gifts.....both were garbage. When I returned them to the store they were not cheep one was 50.00. The Medela Pump in Style is what I purchased from the hospital where I delivered (I believe I paid $200.00 for it in 2001). I agree with alot of mom's here, it is a great product. I feel as though I am almost an expert on this topic, because my first child would not nurse and I soley pumped and bottle fed her breast milk for over 9 months. SO I used my pump A LOT! My second child nursed like a champ, but I still used the pump some. It was expensive, but worth every cent. Good luck with your delivery and congrats! I hope everything goes well for you. :-)

Hi, J.! You’ll probably be overwhelmed by the differing opinions on breast pumps as well as your options. Like you I was unsure as to whether I would return to work after my first baby. I own and frequently used the Medela Pump in Style for my first child when we had lots of problems with thrush, mastitis, etc. and I didn’t want to totally abandon breast feeding. It’s a great pump, but you have to transfer the milk you pump to a different bottle to feed the baby. Also, I was blessed with a great milk supply, so the 5 ounce bottles were a pain for me b/c I would frequently have to stop and “re-load” with new pump bottles.
A friend lent me her Avent Isis pump for my second child and I really like that one better. For one, you can control the draw of milk on each breast. In other words, if one breast frequently usually gives more milk you can increase the suck on just that one side. Also, you can pump directly to the Avent bottles which are bigger than the regular breast pump bottles. That might not be a big deal for you now, but something you might want to think about if you plan on having more children. For me, it’s less of a hassle to pump directly to the baby’s bottle while my two year old is running amuck!
As for the bottles, I obviously used the Avent bottles. I prefer them b/c you can safely heat the bottles in a bottle warmer. I was always afraid that my hubby might inadvertently overheat the bottles, making them too hot for baby and destroying the nutrient value of the breast milk. I don’t think all bottles can be used with an electric warmer, so keep that in mind.
Sorry this is so long! Please let me know if you have any more questions about what I wrote. Lastly, Congratulations on the baby!!! - J.

Hi J.,

I used the Medela Pump in Style for both of my girls and it worked great, a few of my cousins used this one too and we were all very happy w/the results. It is pretty pricy but like I said I used it w/both of my girls. I probably pumped for about a year w/both. I know my one cousin did the same w/both of her kids.

Good Luck!!

S.

The Medela Pump In Style is a great product. See about buying one through the lactation center at the hospital where you plan to deliver. I found the prices comparable and if I have a problem (I haven't yet and I'm on kid #2), I can go through the hospital for service.

I used a Medela Pump in style and LOVED it!!! I would recommend it to anyone! I used mine for all 4 of my kids, and a friend used it for 2 of hers. It did start to lose suction near the end, but it lasted for 8 years of children! (I would have bought a new one for my last 2 if I would have realized that the motor was not working right, I just thought it took me a long time to let down.)

Hi!
I planned on breastfeeding our son but when it took almost 7 days for my milk to come in I had to rely on the breast pump to feed. I chose the Medala electric dual pump! I bought it at Target for around 130 and it was worth every penny! I pumped for 5 months before switching over to formula. I highly recommend this pump. It has different control levels for power. I also received the Avent manual pump and hated it. Milk kept leaking out the sides and the suction did not work at all. Even if you are only going to use the pump at work I still recommend the electric pump.

Hi J.,
Congratulations!! My daughter will be ONE in April, and I am fortunate enough to be a stay home mom. I breast fed the first year (and until next month, I'm still going!!! YEAH!). I didn't have to pump much, but when I had to/wanted to/ needed to, - I would first use the manual - especially in the beginning just to relieve the engorgement/fullness. The Doylestown hospital gave it to me...FREE...it is the Medela Harmony Breastoump - it works GREAT, I could get 1-2 oz in minutes - definitely a must to have - especially at the hospital once your milk comes in, you'll most likely need it. Then once I was home, I used the Medela Pump In Style - I know it's pricey, but you get what you pay for in this world, and this is the BEST! Good luck, enjoy it!

I went through this a 5 years ago and really liked the Medula dual pump in style it works great I just had my 3rd and it is still wonderful. Good luck