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 new no-tug breast pump that has a one-way air flow and the comfortable massaging feature
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.
Special Devices Used to Clean Medela Breast Pumps
Medela breast pumps can be easily cleaned through many Medela devices. These devices may be found as boilers, wipes or others forms.
Newborn Breast Feeding Tips
Breastfeeding mothers usually have breastfeeding problems like milk production difficulties. Even if they are applying the PDF feeding method, these problems can still occur. Having enough rest, eating a healthy diet and enjoying your life as you nurse your new infant is no guarantee that you will never experience milk production issues, because they can be caused by many different factors.
A Review of Medela Pump in Style Breast Pump
Medela has always produced the best breast pumps. We witnessed this fact by using their new model of breast pumps called Medela Pump In Style. I will show you through this article why it is so special.
How to Prepare Medela Breast Pumps For Usage
Breastfeeding is a very satisfying moment. Seeing your infant being fed by your own body gives you the most satisfaction of the world. But for certain reasons you have to purchase a breast pump sometimes so that you can suck the milk out of your body and store it for later use. There are a lot of breast pumps to choose but I would highly recommend you the Medela breast pumps because they're electronic, easy to use and very reliable. If you have already purchased one, you might feel unfamiliar with the whole system, but let me guide you through it.
Breast milk storage: Tips for storing breast milk
If you're breast-feeding your baby and going back to work or looking for more flexibility, you're probably considering using a breast pump. Once you start pumping, it's important to know how to safely and properly store your expressed breast milk. Consider these do's and don'ts for breast milk storage.
Breast Feeding Clothes For Comfort
Now that your bundle of joy has arrived there is little to do except take care of him/her and shower all your love. You child needs your love and care and one thing which ties an unseen bond between a child and the mother is your milk. Your child will need constant feeding and catering to his/her needs especially when you are out can be a question in any new mothers mind.
Tips on Breastfeeding in Public
Breast milk is said to be the perfect food for babies, because of all the nutrients and anti bacterial agents it contains and if you have chosen to give this to your baby, this is wonderful. However, this commitment also requires that you feed on demand and demand may be in the public arena.
Medela Breast Pump Accessories Make Mom's Life Easier
Since Medela is committed to helping mom's make breast feeding a success, it makes sense they would offer a wide array of accessories to make that possible. All the medela breast pump accessories are designed for comfort, convenience, efficiency, and safety, and all of the plastics are BPA-free.
Avent Breast Milk Storage Systems - Bags Vs Containers
Avent manufactures a wide assortment of breast milk storage options. Two of those are Avent's storage bags and storage containers. While both of these can be frozen for storage, each has its application depending on your specific needs. The price of each of these is comparable with the other and need not be a deciding factor in your decision.
Comparing the Medela and Lansinoh Breast Milk Storage Bags
With more mothers needing to go back to work almost right away after childbirth, whether they be single Moms using a daycare provider or a working Mom who has a house husband, there needs to be something to assist them in making sure their baby gets fed properly while they are at work. Breast milk storage bags and pumps have come into being to help with this by being able to be there when Mom isn't.
Breast Milk Storage For Working Mothers
Back in the day, formula was the preferred method for feeding babies, but with the movement toward more natural and healthy feeding, breast milk has moved back to the forefront. With most mothers having to go to work to make ends meet, breast milk storage is becoming more common place. Expressing the milk and storing it for later use is one solution to this issue.
Breast Milk Storage and Freezing - How Safe is It?
Simply put, breast milk storage and freezing is quite safe. There are a few precautions one needs to take before placing the container in the freezer, but overall it's a safe procedure. Breast milk, on the average, will only last 2 days in a normal refrigerator but will stay up to 3 months in a freezer and up to 6 months in a deep freeze.
How to Increase Breast Milk Supply - Part Two
If it is possible, one of the best things that a mother can do for her child is to breastfeed him/her. Some mothers choose to breastfeed for six months, while some will choose to do so for one year.
How to Increase Breast Milk Supply - Part One
More often than not, many mothers are concerned about their breast milk supply. They are worried that their bodies will stop producing milk before their child reaches the age of weaning (eating solid food). The concern is understandable because this can happen, but only in very rare cases. However, knowing this may not put a new mother's heart at rest. Therefore, here are a few ideas that can be helpful in keeping one's milk supply flowing.
Many Women Quit Breastfeeding Early by MedicineNet
Though a growing percentage of American moms start their infants on human milk, relatively few continue breastfeeding for the baby's first six months of life, let alone an entire year. Why not stick it out longer? Numerous obstacles can prove difficult for new moms, but California researchers say they found that returning to work soon after giving birth presents a major barrier to successful breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding May Protect a Woman's Heart
Although many women choose to breastfeed because of the numerous health benefits it offers their offspring, new research suggests that breastfeeding may also help the health of the mothers' hearts later in life. In a study of nearly 300 women, researchers found that those who had not breastfed were much more likely to have calcification or plaque in their coronary artery, aorta and carotid artery. When calcifications and plaque build up in the arteries, blood flow can be reduced, and, if enough of these deposits build up, they can cause a heart attack or stroke.
