Which Breast Pump is Best – What to Consider When Buying a Breast Pump

If you know that you need to go back to work or be away from your baby for extended periods while they are still young, you may choose to purchase a breast pump before your baby arrives.

Commonly, women decide to purchase a breast pump after their baby is born because they need to increase their supply or they would like to express so someone else can feed the baby while they rest. Sometimes, for medical reasons such as prematurity, trouble with feeding due to tongue ties, or if your baby appears to not be putting on weight it may be suggested you use a pump for a couple of weeks to help increase your supply, using the expressed milk to top up baby.

Common reasons woman choose to purchase a breast pump:

• To increase milk supply

• For various reasons if your baby is in NICU, or has been in hospital and you need to pump for your little one when there or when you return home (pumps are available for use at hospitals, but commonly you’ll need one when you leave).

• If you’re planning on continuing to breastfeed when you return to work

• So your partner can give a bottle of your expressed breastmilk overnight so you can get some rest

• So you can leave your baby with family during feed times

• If you choose not to breastfeed for any reason, but still want your baby to receive the benefits of breast milk.

• You experience latching issues, and baby won’t latch well in the beginning

It is important to note that having a breast pump isn't a necessary purchase to have before your baby arrives. So if you aren't sure if you'll be pumping or you are feeling overwhelmed but all the other baby geat you need, it is something you can purchase once your baby arrives.

If you’re finding your breasts engorged and you’re pumping for comfort, it's suggested that you try to get baby to take the milk off naturally and avoid using a pump unless you’re very careful as expressing can cause an oversupply which brings with it more problems. If you do need to express for comfort, only take off the amount needed so you feel relief and more comfortable, rather than emptying the breast completely. Emptying the breast completely will feed that supply and demand mechanism and cause you to produce even more milk!

There are several different stages that mother's may need to pump, for a variety of reasons. If you're needing to pump during the newborn stage, to establish supply (or medical or any other reasons) then a double pump with a powerful, hospital grade motor will be your best option. If however, you're looking to use a pump to simply maintain your supply or to express occassionally, for example when bubs is 6-12 months and you want to continue to feed whilst returning to work, then a single pump that doesn't have a hospital level performance would likely be adequate for your needs.

A single pump has only one breast shield and container so you can only pump from one side at a time. A double pump has two breast shields and containers and simultaneously draws milk from both breasts at the same time. A double pump can also be used as a single pump if you prefer to only express from one side.

An electric breast pump requires no effort once the shield is placed on your breast and the pump is started at the pace you choose. A manual pump however, requires a push and pull action to create the vacuum and express milk from your breast. These pumps require a lot of effort compared to the electric pumps which are much faster and more comfortable.

A manual breast pump is cheaper than electric models, but can be hard work (especially on your hand that is doing all the work) to use often and not as efficient as using an electric pump. Aside from budget, some people choose a manual pump because they like to be able to take it out with them, but a lot of modern electric pumps are designed to be compact and rechargeable, making them just as portable and easier to use – like the Crane rechargeable breast pump.

If you’re just looking to pump every now and then, then a manual pump could be the option for you. If however, you're going to be pumping 1-2 times a day, or on a frequent basis then an electric pump would be the best option for you. Look for a hospital grade pump for frequent, long-term use as these tend to be more effiecient and longer lasting.

Overall electric breast pumps are an easier option and much more efficient to use.

Hospital grade pumps are designed to be used frequently and are highly efficient. They are often used in hospitals by women who have small or premature babies who are not feeding at all, so they need to be very effective at removing milk from the breast. Hospital grade pumps can be used to help mums establish their milk supply or increase their supply.

A hospital grade pump has a super strong motor, designed to be used frequently (several times per day) and they tend to be more durable. They use a closed circuit for milk collection meaning milk and other liquids can't get back into the motor unit. In a hospital setting mother's will often share the motor and have their own milk collection kit.

If you're purchasing a breast pump that is ‘hospital grade’ or has 'hospital level performance' you can be confident that you are purchasing an excellent quality pump.

Yes, the newer and most popular breast pump models have very compact and portable designs, with built in rechargeable batteries, so you can pump while out and about. Check with the breast pump brand you're looking at to ensure it is rechargeable - this is a fabulous feature to look for in a pump, especially if you're wanting to pump at work.

When breastfeeding your baby you will often hear the term let down. Let-down happens at the start of a feed and triggers the milk to flow. It usually lasts around 2 minutes and can be stimulated by having your baby suck at the breast, by looking at your baby, when hearing your baby cry or if you're overdue for a feed.

The let-down setting on a breast pump is often called the 'stimulation' setting and is used at the start of a pumping session. Essentially it's a light, fast suction (just like a baby's) which stimulates the breasts and encourages the milk to flow. The 'expression' mode usually has stronger suction at a slower pace. The number of settings and strength of suction will vary from pump to pump and if preferred you can actually use the pump on the stimulation setting the whole time.

There's a number of ways to build your supply and encourage the most milk, but it can take a little trial and error depending on what works for you, your little one and your lifestyle. If you're pumping whilst you're away from baby, try looking at photo's or video's of your baby or smelling a piece of their clothing. You can also use a warm cloth or gently massage your breasts to help stimulate let-down and start pumping.

Some mother's will pump one side whilst baby feeds on the other. Other's will pump immediately after their feed to get the most milk. Milk supply tends to be best in the morning, so many women will pump in the morning straight after a feed. It's recommended to pump for no more than 15 minutes per side as volume expressed tends to decline after this point.