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Pumps for breast feeding mothers come in a bewildering array of varieties and features. It is important that a woman know and weigh her choices carefully to try to choose the right pump the first time. A breast pump is a "personal use item" and cannot be returned to the store after it has been used.
A breast pump can be electric powered or manual powered by hand or even foot. The electric models fall into three categories by quality and price, and the manual ones are a category by themselves. More details are available at the links below.
The Best Personal Electric Breast Pump (details), $150+
The number one choice of mothers who go back to work full-time. The only disadvantage of these breast pumps may be the price, but one of these pumps can easily pay for itself when compared to the cost of formula at $100 a month.
- Medela Pump In Style Advanced Breast Pump
- Medela Pump In Style Original Breast Pump
- Ameda Purely Yours Breast Pump
- Avent Isis IQ Duo Breast Pump
- Playtex Embrace Breast Pump
The Economy Personal Electric Breast Pump (details), $75+
As a group these are the most incongruent breast pumps: there is a great variety in features, cost and design. Users either rave about them or hate them. Buyers should do their research carefully for these breast pumps.
- Medela Double Select Breast Pump
- Medela Swing (new in 2006) Breast Pump
- Bailey/Ameda Nurture III Breast Pump
- Avent Isis IQ Uno Breast Pump
The Hospital-Grade Breast Pump (details) $1000+
or $75+ monthly to rent
These breast pumps are the only serious choice for women establishing a milk supply for a newborn baby who cannot nurse immediately and frequently after birth. The major disadvantage is their weight and size makes them less portable.
- Medela Symphony Breast Pump
- Ameda Elite Breast Pump
- Medela Lactina Breast Pump
The Manual Breast Pump (details), under $75
The manual breast pump is recommended only for occasional use because most mothers do not get the same quantity of breast milk from a manual breast pump that they can get from an electric pump. They are small, quiet and quick to assemble. Some users like the "hands-on" control and say these breast pumps feel more natural. Others find their hands get tired.
- Medela Harmony Breast Pump
- Ameda One-Hand Breast Pump
- Avent Isis (manual) Breast Pump
- Medela PedalPump Breast Pump
The Cheap Breast Pump (article)
These models may be manual or electric and have in common the dissatisfaction of the majority of their consumer reviewers.
A breast pump allows a mother to save her breast milk in bottles or bags for her baby's later use. Breast milk can be fed to a baby in a bottle, cup, spoon or by other means. A lactation consultant is a breast feeding specialist that can assist a mother with problems she may be having in connection with her breast pump and other breast feeding issues. Many lactation consultants sell and rent breast pumps.
Precious in composition and quality, your breast milk contains all those benefits for your baby today that research has yet to discover in the years to come. Congratulations! You have made the decision to feed your baby the best-- your own breast milk.
Where to Read Unbiased Reviews of Breast Pumps
Breast Pumps Site Map
Where to Read Consumer Breast Pump Reviews
A list of websites that have the most useful volunteer opinions of breast pumps.
Why Medela, Ameda, Playtex and Avent Breast Pumps?
An explanation of why this website gives more emphasis to these breast pumps and other information pertaining to this website.
The New Trend In Breast Pumps: Massage
by Matia Bryson
An article about the difference between the new massaging breast pumps and the traditional suction-only pumps.
The Clandestine Acquisition Of A Breast Pump
by Barbara Fisher
The purchase of a breast pump for a new mother late on a Saturday night smacks of intrigue.
Breast Shield Fit: Every Body Is Different
by Matia Bryson
Discomfort, nipple soreness and low milk output could all be signs of too small a shield on one's breast pump.
Breast Pump Adverse Events Reported to the FDA
An extract of adverse event reports taken by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for 2001 through 2006.
Overview to Choosing A Breast Pump
Suggested articles to read to gain a basic understanding of breast pump technology and features.
Expressed Breast Milk Storage
It is important to know the guidelines for storing breast milk properly so that you always give your baby fresh milk Temperatures and times are given.
The Elusive Milk Ejection Response - Mind Over Matter
by Barbara Fisher
Barbara explains how she falls back on her experience with animals to bring on her milk ejection response while breast pumping.
Ten Things No One Told Me About Pumping
Countdown list of things author Aliza Sherman Risdahl never dreamed she would be doing because of her breast pump.
Breast Pump Forums and Message Boards
List of the best places to go on the internet to have mother-to-mother support with other pumping moms.
Dr. Brown's Natural Flow Breast Pump by Matia Bryson
A no-tug breast pump that has a one-way air flow and the comfortable massaging feature
Hygeia EnJoye Breast Pump by Matia Bryson
A breast pump that permits sharing between mothers with their own personal accessory kit and a button to record your baby's sounds.
Medela Breast Pumps
Grouped together on one page, twelve pumps by this industry leader
Ameda Breast Pumps
Grouped together on one page, another industry leader
Avent Breast Pumps
Grouped together on one page, the Duo, the Uno, and the manual
EBay Breast Pump Watch by Matia Bryson
What price would one expect to pay for a new breast pump on eBay and tips to get the lowest price possible.
Buying a Used Breast Pump? by Cindy Curtis, IBCLC
The practice of re-using certain breast pumps may be dangerous because some disease organisms are known to be present in the breast milk of infected women.
Basics of Effective Pumping by Ameda/Hollister
The key to expressing milk is not the strength of suction but the triggering of the let-down, or milk release.
Using Cues For a Faster Let-Down by Matia Bryson
If you can associate your let-down with an action you can control--a stimulus or a cue--you can reduce the time it takes for let-down to occur with or without your baby’s help.
Relaxation for More Milk When Breast Pumping
by Matia Bryson
Eliminate anxiety, discomfort or tension of any type to ward off the “fight or flight” hormones that inhibit your let-down.
Exclusively Pumping Breast Milk: Why Women Do It
by Stephanie Casemore.
Why some women provide their breast milk to their babies in a manner other than directly from the breast.
Hands-Free Breast Pumping with Rubber Band Trick
How to have one's hands free when using a double electric breast pump. Page has many images and can be slow to load.
Breast Pumping More Conveniently by Matia Bryson
Tips and timesavers to reduce some of the hassle of using a breast pump.
Breast Pump Glossary and Breastfeeding Terms
From areola to warranty, brush up on those definitions with which you may not be familiar.
Did You Mean Medela Breast Pump?
A brief history of the Medela company and a list of common misspellings for people having difficulty finding it in the search engines.
Did You Mean Avent Breast Pump?
A brief history of the Avent company and a correction page for the misspelling "Advent" for people having difficulty finding it in the search engines.
A Letter to the Handi-Craft Company
about the Dr. Brown's Electric Breast Pump
by Amanda Bormann. One mother's story and review of the electric Dr. Brown's as an open letter to the Handi-Craft Company.
Breast Pumps On The Web
Breastfeeding and Other Foods for BabyBreastmilk is the only food your baby needs until about 6 months of age. This article by Dr. Jack Newman discusses how to avoid inappropriate supplementation and when and how to appropriately introduce solid foods.
Modern Bonnets for Breastfeeding Babes
The idea? Design a hat just for the breastfeeding baby, with a tiny little head and great big brim that gives mom a little privacy and shields baby from distracting lights or noise. The fun? Super soft, all-natural fabrics, baby-friendly colours, and beautiful, humourous illustrations for the top of the head (visible when breastfeeding of course!) And, lift up the brim to see a little message from baby!
An Eleven-Pound, Twelve-Ounce Breastfed Baby
One mother tells her story about the success of exclusively breastfeeding her third child, going against her family's tradition of artificial milk feeding with bottles, and discovering the spiritual side to breastfeeding. The ruminations of breastfeeding blogger Rivster.
Breast Pump Forums or Message Boards
For mothers who use a breast pump, these forums are great places to get connected with others, banish the isolation, and gather helpful advice from other breastfeeding and pumping mothers.
Gentle Ways to Stop a Baby From Biting
A comment from a reader prompted Angela White of Breastfeeding 1-2-3 Blog to write this post about strategies to prevent a baby from biting while breastfeeding.
Handling a Nursing Strike
When a baby or child suddenly stops breastfeeding after weeks or months of enjoyable breastfeeding, or stops after a period of increasingly reluctant feeding, it is called a nursing strike. The possible causes and tips for ending a nursing strike are covered in this article by Diane Wiessinger, MS, IBCLC.
Breastfeeding Tips (Part 5)
Breastfeeding supportive characters, studies on intelligence and mental health, breast pump reviews, reverse cycling or night breastfeeding, a nursing room locator, baby biting, preparing a nursing area, and best breast pumps are the breastfeeding tips on this page.
HIV in Breastmilk Killed by Flash-Heating
A simple method of flash-heating breast milk infected with HIV successfully inactivated the free-floating virus, according to a new study led by researchers at the Berkeley and Davis campuses of the University of California.
Breastfeeding Book Reviews at Kellymom.com
Kelly Bonyata, IBCLC, reviews breastfeeding books with categories of reviews called featured books, parenting and sleep, children's books, and mini-book reviews. She marks each book with an icon for being recommended or not recommended.
Using Cues For A Faster Let-Down with Your Breast Pump
If you can associate your let-down with an action you can control such as a stimulus or a cue, you can reduce the time it takes for let-down to occur with or without your baby's help. Article by Matia Bryson.
Toxic Chemicals and Human Milk
Toxic flame retardants known as PBDEs and other harmful chemicals have been found in human milk with levels in the United States being more than twenty times higher than in Japan or Europe. The good news is that breastfeeding protects the health of babies and may reduce the harm from some chemicals. A PDF brochure, a survey, and useful links from the Breastfeeding Coalition of Washington.
The Family Bed Safety Checklist for Night Breastfeeding
To make co-sleeping safer, certain precautions should be taken. Co-sleeping has been proven to increase the duration and success of breast feeding.
Illness and Breastfeeding
Very few maternal illnesses require the mother to stop breastfeeding. Breastfeeding protects the baby against infection, and the mother should continue breastfeeding, in order to protect the baby. Breastfeeding rarely needs to be discontinued for infant illness. Through breastfeeding, the mother is able to comfort the sick child, and, by breastfeeding, the child is able to comfort the mother. Article by Dr. Jack Newman.
Breastfeeding and the Older Mother
Women who give birth over the age of 35 may have particular concerns in breastfeeding. This article by Janice M. Batzdorff on the La Leche League website addresses those common concerns and features anecdotes from older nursing mothers.
A Breastfeeding Baby with Down Syndrome
One mother's story of her struggles and successes in providing her daughter with breast milk. A blog post from Tanya at the Motherwear Blog, from an email by a reader, Rachel.
Breastfeeding Benefits And Its Effect On Your Baby's Health
Breastfeeding is one of the best things a mother can do for her child. It not only provides your baby with nutrition, but it also helps in building a bond between you and your baby. Research shows that breast milk is best for a baby's health and is perfectly suited to protect the baby from illnesses.
Exclusively Pumping Breast Milk: Why Women Do It
Most women who exclusively pump fully intended to breast feed, but when confronted with situations that make breast feeding impossible, these women turn to the use of a breast pump. Exclusively pumping is a viable alternative to formula feeding, to ensure their babies receive breast milk. Article by Stephanie Casemore.
Breastfeeding Reduces Incidence of Type 1 Diabetes
Two studies showed that children who were breastfed exclusively for longer periods of time may have natural protection against developing diabetes. It was particularly true in children who were breastfed exclusively for longer than five months. Post from The Diabetes Blog.
Interviews About the Breastfeeding Experience
This website provides audio-video interviews of 51 individuals and their experiences with breastfeeding on topics such as deciding to breastfeed, getting started and managing breastfeeding, special circumstances, weaning, and reflections on breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding Tips (Part 4)
Breastfeeding nicknames, babies' motor skills, family support for breastfeeding, the healing power of breast milk, paced bottle feeding, breastfeeding on cue, sharing used breast pumps, and a breastfeeding picture book for children, are comprised in this webpage of breastfeeding tips.
Ten Essential Traits of Breastfeeding Mothers
As a tribute to breastfeeding mothers on Mothers Day, Angela White of the Breastfeeding 1-2-3 Blog composed this list of traits with supporting links to a breastfeeding story or post about each trait.
Survey Reveals Workplace Barriers to Breastfeeding
A new survey by the not-for-profit National Women's Health Resource Center (NWHRC) and Medela, Inc. reveals 32 percent of new mothers give up breastfeeding less than seven weeks after returning to work because of significant barriers. This is particularly true of women in retail settings, younger moms and those with lower paying jobs.
The New Trend in Breast Pumps is Massage
What is the difference between the traditional tug-and pull breast pump and the massaging breast pump? Medela, Avent, Ameda, Playtex, Gerber, Dr. Brown's and Whittlestone brands are compared.
Breastfeeding and Good Fats Help Postpartum Depression
Breastfeeding and the good fats in Omega-3 fatty acids help new moms fight depression, according to a new article published in the most recent issue of the International Breastfeeding Journal by a University of New Hampshire researcher.
Breastfeeding and West Nile Virus
The current recommendation from the US Centers for Disease Control is that a mother should not interrupt breastfeeding if she contracts West Nile Virus, since the risk to the baby from weaning to infant formula is greater than the risk posed by the potential WNV infection. Article by Kelly Bonyata, IBCLC.
Breastfeeding in NYC in 1914
This document from the New York City Department of Health reminds us of the day when there was no mincing of words to tell the truth. For example, "Mother's milk is the only safe food." Photograph posted by Scott Greider of Scott's Simple Story blog.
Drugs and Breastfeeding
The decision about continuing breastfeeding when the mother takes a drug, is far more involved than determining whether the baby will get any drug in the milk. It also involves taking into consideration the risks of not breastfeeding. Article by Jack Newman, MD, FRCPC.
Advantages of Lying-Down for Breastfeeding
Recent research has found that breast feeding newborns in a lying down posture may reduce feeding problems and improve babies' natural reflexes. When mothers were lying flat or semi-reclined, babies could find the breast easier and in many cases attach themselves and feed whilst asleep.
A Breastfeeding Slide Show
This online slide show by Roni M. Chastain, RN, FACCE, is uplifting and encouraging and celebrates breastfeeding mothers including those mothers who nurse toddlers, twins, and triplets.
The Best Personal Electric Breast Pumps for Breastfeeding Mothers
These are the ideal double electric breast pumps for the mother who wants to buy a serious breast pump for going back to work full-time. These pumps by Medela, Ameda, Avent and Playtex have been rated at least at 4 out of 5 stars by volunteer reviewers.
How Much does Breastfeeding Reduce the Risk of Disease?
Or to put it another way, how much does artificial milk feeding increase the risk of disease? A recent meta-analysis of 9000 studies was completed by the US Department of Health and Human Services. A post by Tanya of the Motherwear blog.
