Breastfeeding is one of the most beautifully natural things in the world. It’s also one of the most exhausting (yet rewarding for you and your baby) things a new mother has to do!
After all, breastfeeding means you always have to be available, a 24/7 milk supply. Whether feeding your baby directly from breast or pumping and stocking up whilst you’re at work.
So this is where you’re at: you’re getting up a multiple times a night, you’re barely sleeping, and you might even have cracked nipples. You’re not just exhausted – you’re uncomfortable as well.
Your partner can only do so much, and can usually only step in if you have a stock of your breast milk for them to prep and feed your baby in the night too. Unless of course you have part formula in the night, that may work better.
Breast pumps can help you.
They support your breastfeeding plans no matter what life throws at you and ensure your baby always gets what they need.
Check out our guide on finding a breast pump that works for you. And remember, a lot of these recommendations are on Amazon, so make sure to create your wishlist and add our recommended products to your wishlist!
The benefits of using a breast pump
Using a breast pump is great for multiple reasons:
- You get more control over your baby’s feeding schedule: Babies can be fickle when it comes to feeding. Early month feedings can be especially difficult to keep up with. With a breast pump, you can express milk ahead of time to ensure there’s always a bottle available.
- Expressing with pumps reduces breast milk supply issues: If you have a low supply and need as much breast milk as possible, using a pump while breastfeeding doubles the amount of milk you have available to feed your child.
- Your partner can help with feedings, so you can get more sleep: If there’s milk waiting in the fridge, night feeds become far less exhausting! Your partner can get up to feed your baby and allow you to sleep in until morning. This also allows your partner dedicated feeding time which can help with bonding.
- If you’re working, you don’t always need to be with your baby to feed them: Breastfeeding requires you be with your baby, but with a milk supply that can be expressed at your convenience and then refrigerated, you never have to worry about your baby going without.
- If you have a single cup pump, you can both express and feed your baby at the same time: You can put the pump on one breast and allow your baby to feed at the same time from the other. This makes expressing much more convenient and you don’t have to spend a lot of time using the pump around your child’s feeding schedule.
Benefits like these can make a real difference in breastfeeding success for both mothers and babies. Plus, you can start using a pump when your baby is newborn right up until you stop breastfeeding.
Let’s delve into the different kinds of pumps you can try out.
Manual vs electric breast pumps
This is the main thing to know about shopping for breast pumps – you’re going to see two different types: manual and electric.
Both have their pros and cons and depending on your needs, one type may be more suitable than the other.
We’ll list a load of helpful tips on finding the best breast pump for your needs a bit later on. In the meantime, here’s what makes these types different:
Manual breast pumps
- Operated by hand: With a manual pump you need to squeeze to express breast milk, which allows you to control both the speed and pressure of the suction.
- Usually single flange: Meaning they can only be used on one breast at a time, but you can use them at the same time you’re feeding your baby.
- Light and portable: Easily pop them in the changing bag to use them out and about.
- More affordable compared to electric pumps: Great for budgets!
Electric breast pumps
- Usually battery operated: This means pressure and suction levels can’t be manually controlled, but most pumps have different settings to try out.
- Can be bulky and some models are noisy: Some parents find this off putting, especially if they’re feeding their baby to help them sleep.
- Faster than manual pumps: This requires less time to use and can be great for parents who have little time in the mornings before work.
- Models can have two flanges: Allowing you to express from both breasts at once for maximum milk flow.
- More pricey than manual pumps: But can be super convenient!
Important note: Whatever style of pump you’re interested in, try to buy one that’s new and never been used before.
It’s tempting to try and save money on a breast pump by getting a second hand model, but these often come with worn out parts that make them hard to use or not as effective as they were from new.
Our top breast pump recommendations
If you want to buy a breast pump, we’ve done the research for you already. We’ve even isolated five different features that mean a breast pump is worth your time and money.
The best breast pumps are:
- Easy to use – you don’t want to be faffing around with a pump for ages trying to figure it out!
- Portable – babies are hungry everywhere, so the pump will be no good if you can only use it at home.
- Efficient – you don’t want to be expressing for an hour and only get an ounce or two.
- Packed with features – the more convenient the pump, the better!
- Affordable – the pump should be quality made, but it shouldn’t be so expensive you’re scared to actually use it.
Each of the recommended models below have been chosen based on these factors.
The best breast pumps and brands on the market
The Haakaa is one of our top picks, especially for first time parents.
A manual breast pump that’s incredibly easy to use. All you need to do is squeeze the Haakaa, position it over your nipple and then slowly let go so the air makes the Haakaa stick/grip onto your breast.
This pressure then stimulates the nipple and starts to draw the milk out and drip into the bottom of the Haakaa.
Made out of silicone, this is a soft pump that feels comfortable against your skin. The silicone is food-grade standard, so you won’t have to worry about your baby consuming any chemicals off of it.
Thanks to its silent use, you can also easily use it on one breast whilst your baby nurses at the other. This is a feature we love to see in breast pumps!
Of course, when you first start out you may need to squeeze a few times to encourage expression, but you’ll get used to the feeling after that.
And the best part about Haakaa breast pumps? They’re super affordable. Prices start at £14 for the most basic model.
Take a look at these on Amazon.
Medela Harmony Manual Breast Pump
Medela Harmony Manual Breast Pump – Highly recommend!
We used this brand ‘Madela‘ quite a few times in hospital. It’s a trusted brand for sure.
A manual and portable breast pump, this is a good product for when you’re on the go constantly. If you’re planning to travel or you’ll need to return to work soon after your baby is born, this is a good pump option to have on hand.
Even though this pump is manual by nature, there’s more than one pumping style you can use. The handle has been designed with both a short and long side, for both fast and slow flows. It’s very comfortable to use!
This pump is also incredibly lightweight, so it won’t be hard to store in bags or a suitcase.
You also won’t need to break the bank to buy one of these pumps. You can get one for only £20.70 on Amazon.
Tommee Tippee Electric and Manual Breast Pumps
Tommee Tippee is a pretty well known brand in the baby world and their breast pumps do not disappoint.
You can get both manual and electric types and depending on how they feel, even transition from one to the other.
Their electric breast pump is super easy to use with a large display timer, meaning you don’t have to manually track how long you’ve been pumping for. This is good for middle of the night expressions when you’ve got tired and bleary eyes!
The battery also lasts for 60 minutes at a time without needing to be recharged, which is handy for use outside of the home.
The electric pumps are also very quiet, making them good for use in calm environments. If you’re sitting by your baby’s cot and rocking them to sleep, you’ll have no trouble using this pump at the same time.
The electric pump can be bought on Amazon for £107.85, but their manual pumps are much cheaper.
How to find the right breast pump for you
Finding the best breast pump for your needs will depend on quite a few things. Here’s what to think about when you’re shopping.
How often you need to express
Breast pumps are best used immediately after breastfeeding. Depending on the age of your baby, you may be using the pump multiple times a day and at least once at night.
This means the pump needs to be as comfortable as possible. You may also wish to invest in a higher price model to make sure you get a hardy pump that’s good for extended use.
How much time you have to express
On average, breast milk expression through a pump takes about 30 minutes. If you don’t have spare 30 minutes littered throughout your schedule, you may want to buy a pump that does most of the work for you.
Electric pumps tend to be faster and may be more suitable in this case. You can also get hands free versions that mean you can pump whilst going about your day.
If you need to express outside of your home
Just like breastfeeding in public, using a breast pump in public can be an intimidating thing. However, if you’re able to breastfeed outside, be sure to use your breast pump in the same manner as you would when at home.
Of course, if you’re outside your home and using a pump, you’re more likely to want a quiet and efficient pump.
Your budget
If you’re concerned about the cost of buying a breast pump, we recommend only looking at manual ranges. These tend to be more affordable.
If the pump will be comfortable
Each pump has its own flange size which is suitable in most cases.
However, if you’re concerned about your breast size and tenderness, take a measurement of your breasts and account for nipple expansion.
You can then use these measurements to buy a pump that’s truly comfortable for you.
Ask your health visitor for advice
If you want to use a breast pump but you’re not sure, let your health visitor know about your plans. They’ll be able to advise you on finding a good model and using it.
If you’d rather not wait until your next visit, Start4Life Breastfeeding Friend is an online service you can consult for off hand advice on using breast pumps.
Buying a breast pump: what to remember
- Takes the pressure off: Using a breast pump can take the pressure off of being available to breastfeed your baby.
- There are manual and electric breast pumps: Both work well for breastfeeding parents but you may find you have a preference for one over the other.
- To find the right breast pump for you: Think about your specific needs, including how often you need to express, where you’ll be when expressing, and your budget.
The pumps on this list come personally recommended by parents who have already used them: You can easily buy them through the links provided!