All About Breast Pumps

 
I can't help but hear the distinct sound of my pump in the background as I type this post. Some of you know it well, the unmistakable sound of your electric pump milking you as you try to get something else done. We've gotten LOTS of emails/questions about pumps: What is the best brand? Do I really need an electric pump? What accessories do I need?

What makes me an expert? Well, I'm not. But I have spent hours, and I mean HOURS hooked up to my milk machine (see that story here) and feel as though I could answer some of your questions with more knowledge than your typical dairy farmer. Moo! 

First let's talk about why you may want (or need) a pump. A pump allows you to quickly express milk (quicker than you could doing this manually with your own two hands) and either bottle it immediately for your baby to eat, or store for later use. Pumping can also help you work out any pesky clogged ducts, increase your milk supply, or allow you to "pump and dump" if you are taking medication that may be harmful to baby (and let's be honest, if you couldn't resist a glass or two of wine).

There are two kinds of breast pumps- manual and electric:

Manual Pumps

A manual pump is great for someone that rarely needs to pump and just needs a few ounces at each session. These types of pumps are used by squeezing a trigger or lever to express milk into an attached bottle. Manual pumps are cheap, compact and can be used anywhere. They do take longer to express milk and may cause some major hand cramps (LOL).

The best manual pump according to Amazon.com reviews is the Lansinoh Manual Breast Pump for about $26. 

 

Electric Pumps

An electric pump is great for working Moms, exclusive pumpers or if you know you are trying to build a supply. They almost always plug into a normal wall outlet, some even come with battery packs so you can use them on the go. Basically you hook up your flanges (or "funnels" as I like to call them) to long tubes that create a nice little "vacuum" to express your milk into connected bottles. I'm cracking up at my use of the term vacuum but I'm sleep deprived and can not think of a better word! Electric pumps are more of an investment, take up a little more room and can't necessarily be used anywhere. They do tend to be much faster than manual pumps, express more milk and are more comfortable to use. 

One of the most popular choices for an electric pump is the Medela Pump in Style (around $270 on Amazon). 

Ash W and I both have a Medela Pump In Style and L.O.V.E. it. It has been durable enough to last through 9 months of exclusively pumping with baby #1 and is still alive and kickin' when I've needed it with baby #2. The battery pack was a life saver when I've traveled and the pump itself is lightweight but still has tons of storage for a cooler, bottles...etc. It is comfortable to use and gets the job done! I also love that I can connect my Dr. Brown's Bottles right to the pump so I don't have to dirty even more bottles.

Quick tip- think you want/need an electric pump but don't want to make the initial investment unless you are 100% sure? Contact your hospital or a local lactation consultant and see if there is a pump rental program in your area. You can try before you buy! 

No matter which pump you choose, there are a few accessories you should look into to make your pumping extravaganzas a little easier: 

 * Extra storage bottles, flanges (aka funnels) and attachments. Since I exclusively pumped first, I had about 10 large bottles and 5 small ones for storage. In terms of actual pump accessories- I liked having 2 sets so one was always clean. 

  

* A cooler that is comparable with your particular pump's bottles. Also make sure that you have an ice pack that will fit into the cooler and allow plenty of room for that precious milk. 

* Nipple cream...pumping can be hard on your poor sensitive boobs! I always used Lansinoh brand.

*  Cleaning wipes. I love Medela's pump cleaning wipes . I used these to clean my pump accessories when I worked and couldn't get to a sink to actually soak and wash things. Also great for traveling!

* Storage bags. Some brands claim that you can pump right into these bags...I was too chicken to try it (will cry over spilled milk). I typically would pump into a bottle, then use the bags to store excess milk in our freezer. I tried several different brands but found that Lansinoh's bags worked best for me. 

* Labels. This is especially important if you are going back to work and using a community/breakroom fridge to store your milk. Our friend Courtney at Milkitkit.com has made some ADORABLE products for working moms. Her kits come with a door sign, stickers/tags for coolers and labels for containers:

 

There you have it. Everything you've ever needed to know about pumps. Did I miss something? Still have questions? Do you have a pump you're in love with? We'd love to hear from you!