breastpumps

Posted by: Nis on: January 1, 2009

• In: breastfeeding
• Comment!

i used to think it’s not worth investing in an expensive breastpump, just buy the cheapest in the market, it’s all the same…man, was i wrong! and i found out about it the hard way…my nipples were sore and only a small amount of breastmilk expressed using the cheap pump i bought…then i started researching on the net and i still bought the cheapest from the ‘best’ pumps available, still it does not work for me…i bought a manual pump on ebay and it works wonders…i just love it…the best part it was very cheap! so, it’s not the price that determines the quality of the pump, but investing in a good pump does pay

here’s a simple guideline on how to choose a breastpump:

• manual pump – invest in a good quality hand pump like medela harmony, lansinoh or avent isis. manual pumps still express a large volume of milk without hurting your nipples, but it does take more time than an electronic pump, and it is quite tiring for your hands. however, manual pumps are the most quiet kind of pump as it has no ‘motor’ sound.
• electronic pump – there are many types of electronic pump. personally i think all of them are almost the same. it does not really express milk faster than a manual pump, but it is easier on the hands, as the motor is doing all the work. but do keep in mind the motor does makes a lot of noise while working, and my choice is always the quiet ones. medela fails in this area…hehe…
• dual pump – this is just an electronic pump that allows you to pump both breasts at the same time, therefore it cuts your pumping time in half. the question is whether you really need it or not…

it’s important to choose a pump that’s easy to assemble and dissassemble, with less parts to clean and take apart. I’ve tried all kinds of pumps, and personally i still love my manual pump the most…it’s convenient (i don’t need to look for a power socket to plug in the pump), quiet (no whirring sound), easy to control the intensity of the suction (just use your fingers, no need to adjust any button), and very comfortable (virtually no pain at all)…hope you can share your experience on trying out breast pumps