Choosing The Right Breast Pump: Manual vs Electric

I'll be returning to work on the last week of September but I refuse to give my baby milk formula. I am sticking to breastfeeding because that's what I really want from the very start of my pregnancy.

Good thing science has invented the breast pump. A long time ago, it might be difficult for working moms to breastfeed their babies because of several reasons and I can't blame them. I mean, it's hard to hand express breast milk (trust me, I tried).

Now, the million dollar question would be: what kind of breast pump should I buy? And, like a happy camper, I Googled it again.

I ended up buying Avent manual breast pump and look at my stash!

DIFFERENT TYPES OF BREAST PUMPS:

1. Hospital-grade electric breast pump If you're pumping constantly throughout the day — perhaps because you or your baby isn't able to breastfeed — you'll need the most efficient pump around: a heavy-duty hospital-grade model with a double collection kit. These pumps have a rapid suck-and-release cycle (referred to as the cycling time) that draws milk from your breasts at about the same rate as a nursing baby.Using a double collection kit means you can pump both breasts at once, which can cut pumping time by more than half and drain both breasts more effectively. Keep in mind that these pumps are usually heavy — weighing as much as 18 pounds — and bulky.
2. Top-end electric personal-use pumps
   Combining the efficiency of hospital-grade pumps and the convenience of more portable models, top-end electric pumps are a popular choice for moms who return to work full-time. These pumps are fully automatic, with quick cycling times, adjustable suction levels (to help you avoid nipple discomfort), and double-pumping capability. Some newer models are designed to mimic a baby's sucking patterns: They start with short, quick sucks to elicit the letdown response and then move into a slower, deeper sucking pattern. This feature can make pumping more comfortable, but it doesn't necessarily mean you'll produce more milk. Weighing in at 8 pounds or less, these pumps can come in attractive carrying cases with accessories included — like storage bags, labels, clips, bottles, and nipple ointment. Most top-end pumps can run on a car's cigarette lighter with an adapter that's sold separately, and some even come with a built-in battery pack — both handy options if you're pumping on the go or in a room lacking an electrical outlet.
3. Mid-range electric or battery-operated pumps
   These pumps are best for short-term separations — for instance, moms who want to leave their baby with a sitter every now and then and don't want to supplement with formula. These pumps are more portable (most weigh less than 2 pounds) and more affordable than the high-end models. On the down side, they generally take a little longer and require a little more effort to use than the top-end electric pumps. If the pump is battery-operated, the batteries may need to be replaced frequently. Most mid-range pumps allow you to pump only one breast at a time — and slowly at that. While there are some double electric pumps in this category, the motors may not last as long as those in the more expensive models. Semiautomatic models tend toward long cycling times. (Some produce only about 12 sucks per minute, compared to 50 to 60 per minute for top-end and hospital-grade pumps.) The suction can often be too strong or too weak, although some have adjustable suction.
4. Nonelectric manual pumps
   Manual pumps require you to pump a piston or squeeze a lever to create the suction to empty your breast. These pumps empty only one breast at a time and may require two hands to operate, although a few are designed for one-handed use. While most moms who need to pump regularly opt for a more efficient electric model, some women rave about manual pumps' simplicity and convenient size. Many also say that some manual pumps feel more natural and more closely mimic a baby's sucking, and that they like being able to control the suction by hand. Hand pumps are generally more affordable, smaller, lighter, and quieter than electric pumps. And if you like to pump on one side while your baby is nursing on the other, he'll probably prefer the quiet of a manual to the noise of an electric. While some moms get the knack of effective manual pumping, others find these pumps maddeningly slow. (It depends to some degree on how quickly you can squeeze the pump handle — and this can get tiring for your hands.) Some moms have trouble getting any milk at all with hand pumps. Others say that hand pumps don't completely empty their breasts, which can lead to a lowered milk supply.

Basically, there are two types of breast pumps out in the market -- manual vs. electric. Now, I have gathered the pros and cons of both:

Manual pump pros:
* Much more cost effective
* More discreet than an electric pump
* Easy to use anywhere
* More comfortable to use

Manual pump cons:
* Takes manual labor
* Takes a bit more time than an electric pump
* Pumping is not as consistent since it is manual

Electric pump pros:
* Pumps milk very quickly automatically
* Pumps out more milk without too much effort

Electric pump cons:
* Machine and replacement parts can be expensive
* Needs electricity
* Tugs at nipples more than manual pump

Hmm, interesting. Now that I have been informed, let's see what's the BEST out there (according to Baby Center):

STAR BUYS (Manual)

ISIS Breast Pump from Avent
Price: £25
What type? Manual

Features: This manual breast pump is portable, discreet, quiet and comfortable to use. The silicone petal massage cushion stimulates the letdown reflex by mimicking the baby suckling at the breast and encourages the milk to flow. It's ideal for mothers returning to work. It comes with two 125ml bottles; two newborn teats and the newer models include a spare diaphragm and valve.

Claire says: "This pump is easy to operate and the instructions are easy to follow. It also feels comfortable. The pump is quiet and fairly efficient at expressing milk. It comes with two storage bottles, which are useful as you could use one to express into and another to store milk in. It's a good value-for-money breast pump."
Claire's rating: 8/10

Sarah says: "The instructions are easy to follow and Avent even send you instructions on how to succeed with expressing. It's so easy to operate, you just squeeze the pump and you have full control. The pump is very comfortable and comes with a soft massage cushion, which is very comfortable on your skin. It's very efficient and only takes a few minutes to express 1oz milk. It's very quiet and discreet and there aren't lots of fiddly extra bits to lose. It comes with lots of extras, which makes it great value. I would definitely buy it."
Sarah's rating: 10/10

Harmony™ Manual Breast Pump from Medela
Price: £25
What type? Manual

Features: This manual breast pump features advanced 2-phase Expression™ pumping. This mimics the baby's nursing rhythms, enabling faster letdown, increased milk flow and reduced pumping time.

Claire says: "This is a good hand-held pump. It's easy to assemble and comes with a stand for when not in use. It expresses milk very quietly, efficiently and quickly, and is comfortable to use. It's a good pump - I would definitely buy it."
Claire's rating: 9/10

Sarah says: "This is very easy to use with clear diagrams. The handle can be used two ways - one to stimulate and the other to express flow, which is clever. The SoftFit massage cushion breast shield is very comfortable and the handle is ergonomic and easy on the hand. It works efficiently - I expressed 1oz milk in under five minutes. It's very quiet, too. There's just a quiet clicking of the handle. It's easy to assemble too, and great value for money. I would buy it."
Sarah's rating: 8/10

STAR BUYS (Electric)

ISIS IQ UNO handheld electronic breast pump from Avent
Price: £85
What type? Mains and battery

Features: The ISIS IQ UNO electronic breast pump comes with a let-down massage cushion and fingertip control that aim to make the pump's action feel natural and comfortable, like a baby suckling, with the addition of an iQ: an electronic brain. Mums have variable fingertip control on the breast when they need it and the technology allows mums to personalize their pumping rhythm.

As you depress the control handle, electronic signals are sent to the microprocessor that memorises the suction, speed, and the interval you have chosen between each depression of the handle and how long you maintain the vacuum during that depression. This is known as the dwell factor. When you press the control button, iQ takes over until you tell it to change. It also comes with an ISIS Breast Pump, the iQ UNO Control Handle, manual breast pump parts, one 125ml/4oz and one 260ml/9oz breastmilk storage container, two extra-soft, wide anti-colic teats, battery pack, and a mains power lead.

Emma says: "This is a straightforward pump to use. It's just a matter of attaching the control handle to the pump to turn it into an electric pump. It's also extremely comfortable to use. This pump combines the best of both worlds: it's an electric pump which feels as comfortable as a hand held one. The let-down cushion makes expressing easy because it stimulates the let-down reflex and feels like my baby feeding. The adjustable control handle means that you can choose the speed at which the machine pumps and change it at any time, making it very efficient. It only took a few minutes to express 1oz, for example.

The only thing lacking is a bag or a box to keep the pump and all its accessories in. This is a really good breast pump for someone who needs to express milk every day, but not every feed. This is certainly my favourite of all the electric breast pumps I have been testing and the one I would buy."
Emma's rating: 10/10

ISIS IQ DUO electronic breast pump from Avent
Price: £250
What type? Mains

Features:The ISIS IQ DUO electric breast pump comes with a soft petal massager and fingertip sensitive control that makes it feel natural and comfortable, like your baby suckling. Press the button on the handle and it will continue your exact pumping rhythm. Express from both breasts at once, and if there is any discomfort, press the button again to revert to manual until the ISIS IQ DUO has learnt your new pumping rhythm.

It comes with a small dome-shaped motor with inbuilt iQ microprocessor, which drives the two breast pumps, one of which includes the iQ control handle. It includes four Avent Breastmilk Containers with cool packs inside two Thinsulate® Carriers to keep expressed milk cool for up to six hours. It also includes manual breast pump parts in case you need to use the ISIS iQ DUO as a manual pump when power isn't available, a microfibre Travel Bag, a CD of Sublime Sounds for Serene Mothers and a five minute Get Started DVD.


Emma says: "The instructions for this breast pump are easy to follow, but they are very long! The pump kit includes a full instruction booklet, plus a DVD demo disc showin you how to set up the pump, and a one-page leaflet showing you how to assemble the pump. To assemble and use the pump, you definitely need to read the booklet in full and follow the diagrams and instructions. Once the pump is set up though, which does take a while, it's very easy to operate. It's even easy to use pumps on both breasts at the same time because you can adjust the controls on the handle and not the pump motor, so you don't need an extra pair of hands.

It's very comfortable to use and very natural. If at any time the pumping process began to feel uncomfortable, it was easy to adjust by pressing on the control handle on the pump. There are lots of pieces in this pump, which does mean that there are plenty of pieces to lose. If you use the pump as a dual pump, that is, both breasts at once, all the pieces you need do tend to fill up your steriliser.

There are tons of extras with this one as you would expect from a product that costs £250. The pump is contained in a smart black briefcase-type bag, which houses the pump itself, plus four milk containers and two insulated bags with ice packs. You also get several packs of breast pads, the instructions, plus a demo disc, and even a CD of classical music to get the milk flowing.
However, I don't think that I would buy it, not just because £250 is a lot of money, but because I am lucky in that I work part-time and don't plan to return to work until my baby is weaned onto solids, so I do not need to express milk for every feed. But if I were a full-time working mother and were serious about not giving my baby anything but breastmilk, it might be worth the expenditure."
Emma's rating: 9/10

Swing 2 phase electric pump from Medela
Price: £89
What type? Mains and battery

Features: The Swing electric pump features Medela's 2-Phase Expression which feels like real breastfeeding and is more gentle than traditional breast pumps. Medela's 2-Phase Expression offers an initial rapid rhythm to promote the milk ejection and then a slower, deeper rhythm for efficient milk removal. The aims of this unique system are to reduce pumping time thanks to a faster let-down and maximum milk flow. It comes with a gently massaging SoftFit breast shield, which is soft and flexible and massages the breast and areola.

Emma says, "The instructions are straightforward and the breast pump is easy to operate. It's a two-phase pump, which means that it offers two different means of expressing milk: a simulation phase, which aims to stimulate your let-down reflex and get the milk flowing fast, and then an expression phase, which is slower, once your milk has started to flow.

It's quite comfortable: the two-phase method of the pump does help to stimulate the let-down reflex: but doesn't feel as comfortable as the two Avent pumps I have been testing. It does work efficiently, it only takes two or three minutes to express 1oz. But although it works well, I find that after a few minutes the milk stops flowing and I have to keep switching breasts. It's quiet and it comes with a drawstring bag to keep all your bits and pieces in, which is handy. It's a good price too, but I'm not sure I'd buy it, because I preferred the ISIS IQ UNO pump which is a similar price"
Emma's rating: 8/10

Pump in Style® Advanced from Medela
Price: £199.99
What type? Mains and battery

Features: The Pump in Style Advanced features Medela's 2-Phase Expression, which is designed to feel like breastfeeding and is gentle and efficient. Medela's 2-Phase Expression offers initial rapid rhythm to promote the milk ejection and then a slower, deeper rhythm for efficient milk removal. It reduces pumping time and increases comfort thanks to a faster letdown and maximum milk flow. Designed for single or double pumping, the pump comes with a rucksack and removable cooler carrier, which you can use to cool, store, and transport your breastmilk.

Emma says, "The instructions are easy to follow and it's quite easy to use, but I find it difficult to adjust the controls on the pump whilst dual pumping. It is quite comfortable to use, but I need an extra pair of hands! Like the Swing 2 pump, it's a dual phase pump with a simulation phase which stimulates the let-down reflex, plus an expression phase to use once the milk has started to flow. It's very efficient: pumping from both breasts at the same time does cut expressing time in half.

As this pump costs nearly £200, it does come with quite a few extras. Some of the extras include four milk containers in an insulated cool pack to keep the milk cool for several hours if you don't have access to a fridge. The pump itself is stored in a handy small black rucksack.

I think it is very expensive, but you get what you pay for: a double pump which allows you to express from both breasts at the same time, cutting expressing time in half. I do think that it is worth the cost if you need to be away from your baby at long periods in time, say if you were returning to work full time while your baby is young. The only think that lets it down is trying to control the pump whilst dual pumping."
Emma's rating: 9/10

It seems to be a battle between Avent and Medela. Now that I'm armed with the knowledge, time to brainstorm with my husband and see which one we'll choose.