My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

Here's where users test and review products and give their feedback. If you'd like to run a product test please email [email protected].

MNHQ have commented on this thread

Product tests

See what Mumsnetters think of Philips Avent Natural Manual Breast Pumps - £300 voucher prize draw for testers’ feedback! NOW CLOSED

154 replies

AnnMumsnet · 21/12/2015 08:19

This is the feedback thread for the 150 Mumsnetters who are trying the Philips Avent Natural Manual Breast Pump.

Here's what Philips AVENT say, "When you are comfortable and relaxed, your milk flows more easily. That's why we created our most comfortable breast pump yet: Sit comfortably with no need to lean forwards and let our soft massage cushion gently stimulate your milk flow. The breast pump has a unique design, so your milk flows directly from your breast into the bottle, even when you are sitting up straight. The breast pump has a compact design, which makes it easy to position. Its ergonomically-shaped handle offers a comfortable hold and full control when expressing milk. Being small and lightweight means it is easy to store and transport, making pumping on-the-go more discreet."

More info on the pump here

Testers, please answer the questions below but do feel free to add any other comments you may have.

Q1. Please detail how would you describe the breast pump to friends/family if it came up in conversation?

Q2. How comfortable did you find the breast pump to use?

Q3. How easy did you find the breast pump to use?

Q4. If it came up in conversation, would you recommend Philips Avent Natural Manual Breast Pump to friends and/or family?

Q5. Will you continue to use your Philips Avent Natural Manual Breast Pump? If so, why? If not, why not?

All testers who add their feedback to this thread, add a review on MN and complete the survey we sent you will be entered into a prize draw where one tester will win a £300 Love2Shop voucher!

Thanks
MNHQ

See what Mumsnetters think of Philips Avent Natural Manual Breast Pumps - £300 voucher prize draw for testers’ feedback! NOW CLOSED
OP posts:
Report
cranberryx · 22/12/2015 01:54

Q1. Please detail how would you describe the breast pump to friends/family if it came up in conversation?

My SIL is currently 31 weeks pregnant so am planning to pass this onto her when she gives birth (my DS is 4 weeks old) I found this a good way to combination feed as my baby has issues latching, definitely not as harsh as an electric pump and good way to express in the beginning. When my breasts are too full I have had issues expressing with the electric pump but not with this one.

Q2. How comfortable did you find the breast pump to use?

More comfortable than other pumps as I didn't have to lean forward, my lower back has stopped aching but that could be from natural healing after birth.

Q3. How easy did you find the breast pump to use?
Fairly simple to use and sterilise.

Q4. If it came up in conversation, would you recommend Philips Avent Natural Manual Breast Pump to friends and/or family?

I would in the beginning, however now that I am producing more milk I do find the compact bottle to be too small.

Q5. Will you continue to use your Philips Avent Natural Manual Breast Pump? If so, why? If not, why not?

I will continue to use the pump whilst I am still combination feeding as it allows me to get in a more comfortable position when I express and I don't have to lean forward or to one side. My other pump has leaked before but this one doesn't and the part that attaches to the breast feels more 'tailored' to a human breast.

Report
Thunderpantsarego · 22/12/2015 10:36

Q1. Please detail how would you describe the breast pump to friends/family if it came up in conversation?

A little gadget you use to express breastmilk. Pressing a handle simulates the sucking action of the baby and the milk is collected in a bottle to feed at a later time.

Q2. How comfortable did you find the breast pump to use?

Fairly comfortable. I found I have to readjust position several times in terms of where my nipple sits inside it in order to keep the milk flowing. A couple of times my nipple came out bright red!

Q3. How easy did you find the breast pump to use?

See above re readjustment but other than that I found it easy to use. I was disappointed that it leaked when I knocked it over mid pump one day and ended up with breastmilk all over my top!

Q4. If it came up in conversation, would you recommend Philips Avent Natural Manual Breast Pump to friends and/or family?

Yes I would. It's compact and easy to use. It's also less of an investment for people just starting expressing

Q5. Will you continue to use your Philips Avent Natural Manual Breast Pump? If so, why? If not, why not?

Yes I will.
I even bought an avent steriliser to use with it but was absolutely gutted that despite being 'compact' and made to 'fit most microwaves', I couldn't get it into mine! So annoying.

Report
OrangeBlossom2 · 22/12/2015 10:51

I typed my feedback notes before seeing these questions in the form of positives vs negatives so I will copy and paste that anyway as I've written it, then answer these questions one at a time.

Avent pump review

Positives (compared with avent electric and medela manual)

The claim that you can sit back is true, you don't need to hunch over to stop milk from pouring out of the bottom all over your top. This is particularly handy if you want to pump one side while feeding on the other and is the major advantage of this pump.

There is a cap to cover the opening to the funnel. This stops drips pouring out when storing and making everything sticky and smelly. Really handy if, like me, you bring your pump to work in a cool bag. This isn't advertised on the box but is actually a really good feature.

Small bottle size (short and fat rather than tall and thin) is handy if you are pumping on one side with a baby on the other to keep it out of the way.

Negatives

For me personally I didn't get as much milk as I do with my other pumps. But people respond differently to different pumps. We are all individual.

Noisy pumping action compared to medela manual.

Handle too short for even my small hands. You can only use three fingers to pump and your little finger aches from keeping it out of the way.

More parts to wash and harder to put back together than my medela.
Storage disk doesn't attach. I prefer the medela lid so the bottle is secure in a cool bag on the way home from work. This would only be suitable for keeping upright in the fridge/freezer. Not a problem if you transfer straight to a storage bag.

The "petals" looks similar to the areola stimulator from ameda - this might be a positive for some, but I found it very uncomfortable as it caused suction in little sections all around the breast and areola, leaving the whole area tender. Massage would be better than suction here - as in the ameda lactaline attachment.

Not possible to change flange size. There is masses of space, it won't be too small, but my nipple was lost in the massive space and I'm not sure it was the most efficient because of this.

Comes with a newborn bottle. As the packaging admits (in tiny letters), babies should be cup fed, not bottle fed. This can cause nipple confusion and sabotage breastfeeding. I will not use the bottle section, but it is annoying to have to pay for this. I would rather it was sold separately for those who want to use a bottle and the cost of the pump reduced.

Information in the instruction booklet and on the box is inaccurate and could damage the breastfeeding relationship. Avent sell bottles and have an incentive to sell you a pump but encourage you to move to formula so you buy their bottles too, making money out of you twice. Even if you don't take this cynical point of view, understand that they are not breastfeeding experts and don't take advice from this booklet about pumping or breastfeeding.

Examples of inaccuracies and unhelpful language:

Instructions on sterilising and instructions only to use milk from a sterile pump and bottle. (An unnecessary difficult step. Sterilisation between uses is only needed with formula, not breast milk. You will only need this if (when?!) you switch to using formula in (their) bottles.

"do not continue pumping for more than 5 minutes if you do. Not succeed in expressing any milk". (Negative language. When trying to build a supply you might not get anything out, it is the stimulation that matters. Pumping output is not an indicator of supply. Many ibclcs recommend pumping for 10 minutes. Seek. Expert advice.)

Suggests not expressing until breastfeeding is established at 2-4 weeks. (This is far too early. lll recommend 6-8 weeks at least for milk supply to be established and to avoid pumping until then unless needed).

Incorrect storage instructions. Says milk can be stored in the fridge for 48 hours and freezer for 3 months. It is 6 days in fridge, 6 months in freezer.

Says on average pump for 10 minutes to get 60-125ml. (This obsession with numbers and measuring comes from the artificial feeding industry. This is not helpful for the breastfeeding mother.

Information about various avent bottles it is comparable with. Only one tiny font mention that bottles can be damaging and cup feeding is better. No mention of syringe, finger feeding, SNS.

Helping you breastfeed for longer is the tag line on the box. (Assuming you will soon stop, or that it is difficult to keep going, that you will need a pump and bottles to breastfeed. You don't).

All in all, I won't be switching to avent but it might be a useful back up in case mine breaks or if I want to sit back and pump for a little while while feeding my baby in the other side and am not too fussed about output. I would not advise anyone to get advice on breastfeeding from a bottle manufacturer. Have a look on kellymom or get in touch with LLL.

Report
Didiusfalco · 22/12/2015 10:52

Q1. A compact pump, that could be a good starting point for someone who had not breastfed before and didn't want anything too complicated.

Q2. Pump was very comfortable, but I have been feeding for 6 months and have breastfed before, so suspect that it would have to be fairly harsh to feel uncomfortable.

Q3. Pump assembly was fairly easy and was not to problematic to clean. I would have liked a larger bottle so that I did not need to stop pumping to decant the contents before carrying on.

Q4. I think I would recommend as a first purchase if someone wanted a pump prior to trying breastfeeding, because it is not too large to store and definitely less harsh than the tommee tippee electric pump I had. It could also be a good pump if you were travelling/on holiday as reasonably compact.

Q5. I think I will continue to use it as it is not causing me any problems and I am finding it easy to use. Obviously pumping with any breast pump is time consuming and this is no exception, and might be the only reason I would use it less.

Report
Drglf · 22/12/2015 10:54

Q1. Please detail how would you describe the breast pump to friends/family if it came up in conversation?
Simple, easy to use and requires man power only! No need to be tethered to the mains or a battery unit so you can use the pump discreetly anywhere.

Q2. How comfortable did you find the breast pump to use?
Very comfortable, the level of suction isn't uncomfortable and you can control the speed. You can sit back in a comfortable position on the sofa with no leaking.
The petals on the boob part did leave small marks on my breast immediately after expressing but these faded quickly and were not painful.

Q3. How easy did you find the breast pump to use?
Easy to sterilise and assemble. This uses the same parts as my other avent bottles and electric pump. Easy to use anytime, anywhere.
It's easier to do with two hands as I found that the bottle sometimes started to unscrew if holding the bottle and pumping with the same hand.

Q4. If it came up in conversation, would you recommend Philips Avent Natural Manual Breast Pump to friends and/or family?
Yes but only for infrequent use. I have an avent electric pump as well and it's far easier to get the milk out as requires no effort from me. Yield is slightly higher with electric pump. I was still impressed with the yield from the manual. I would reccomend for occasional use, travel, on a day/night out.

Q5. Will you continue to use your Philips Avent Natural Manual Breast Pump? If so, why? If not, why not?
I will happily use this on holidays and to pop in my handbag on a day or night out. It's far more discreet to use in the loo than the noisy electric pump. Also takes up less space in your handbag.
For day to day use I will stick to my electric avent pump.
It's great to have the same brand pump in manual and electric as the bottles and some parts of the pump are interchangeable.

Report
elpth · 22/12/2015 10:58

Q1. Please detail how would you describe the breast pump to friends/family if it came up in conversation?
I've never used any sort of breast pump before (despite breastfeeding DD until she was 20 months and now DS who is 6 months) and was a bit sceptical about the whole being milked thing. But you seemed keen for testers, I was just starting to wean DS and had hand expressed milk for porridge for DD so thought it was worth a try. I didn't have a great start with it but now I've used it a few times have just surprised myself by writing it on the list to take away at Christmas! I would describe it as a bit like milking a cow but then I have no experience of any other pumps as suspect they're all like that.

Q2. How comfortable did you find the breast pump to use?
Initially not at all. It was stretching my poor nipple massively with no milk to show. I then tried just after waking up and feeding DS when the second breast was already dripping it was so full. I managed to get some milk that time (and not just from the drips) but it was still not exactly comfy, especially compared to an actual baby. Since then I've tried a few more times and got more used to it and found it comfier. It's certainly better comfort wise and more efficient than hand expressing. I still can't get anything unless I basically get DS to cause the let down. Also my hand got fed up pumping and I'm only pumping tiny amounts to make porridge. There's no way I'd want to do a whole bottle!

Q3. How easy did you find the breast pump to use?
See above. I've got better. It is very easy to take apart and clean and reassemble.

Q4. If it came up in conversation, would you recommend Philips Avent Natural Manual Breast Pump to friends and/or family?
Yes depending on what they wanted a pump for. Generally I'd refrain from giving advice on pumps as I have v limited experience! I am going to pass this pump onto my friend who's due in May as I won't be using it by then.

Q5. Will you continue to use your Philips Avent Natural Manual Breast Pump? If so, why? If not, why not?
Yes to express milk for porridge as it's easier and quicker than hand expressing.
Thank you for letting me test this. It's been a good experience and I've been pleasantly surprised overall.

Report
OrangeBlossom2 · 22/12/2015 11:00

Q1. Please detail how would you describe the breast pump to friends/family if it came up in conversation?

A good back up if it is on sale very cheaply. Useful if you need to pump while feeding a baby due to sitting back position and small bottle size. Not as good as others I have tried. Don't take advice from the innacurate information leaflet and bin the newborn bottle.

Q2. How comfortable did you find the breast pump to use?

Sitting back was possible, that's more comfortable than hunching and the major advantage of this pump. The petals suctioning ovals of breast and areola tissue was uncomfortable. Not at all like the avent areola stimulator it looks a little bit like. The handle was too short so my little finger got very achey from being held out of the way. Overall not very comfortable.

Q3. How easy did you find the breast pump to use?

Easy to use but more difficult to put all the parts together than other pumps, and more difficult to operate the handle than longer handled medela. Easier to use while feeding a baby on the other side than other pumps.

Q4. If it came up in conversation, would you recommend Philips Avent Natural Manual Breast Pump to friends and/or family?

No.
Although I might advise that people get on with different pumps and lend them mine to try a few first.

Q5. Will you continue to use your Philips Avent Natural Manual Breast Pump? If so, why? If not, why not?
No. I prefer my medela. It is more comfortable, gets more milk out, is easier to clean.
I will keep it in case Mine breaks and I need it in an emergency or I need to pump a small amount at the same time as feeding a baby on the other side and don't care about how much I get out and can handle a bit of discomfort from the petals.

Report
Didiusfalco · 22/12/2015 11:04

Wow - Orange, as a second time breastfeeder I must say I pretty much ignored the blurb, but now I look you're absolutely right that the info needs some tweaking.

Report
orangeBlossom2 · 22/12/2015 11:09

My little product test helper. As you can see, the handle is designed for very very small people!

See what Mumsnetters think of Philips Avent Natural Manual Breast Pumps - £300 voucher prize draw for testers’ feedback! NOW CLOSED
Report
TomHaverford · 22/12/2015 11:49

I was really happy to have the chance to review the Advent pump as i was thinking of getting another manual pump. My DD is 5 months and has just started accepting a bottle for the first time (previously EBF) so i wanted to start expressing so i could leave her for short periods of time. I have previously owned a Tommee Tippee manual pump and have a Medela Swing electric pump.

Q1. The pump is essentially what you would imagine a manual breast pump to be, however there are some changes to it that make it much easier to use, for example the adapted head which means you don't have to lean forward- a huge plus!

Q2. The pump was comfortable, especially with the adapted head. Not having to lean forward to pump was amazing as I normally pump in the morning whilst giving DD her morning feed. This allowed us to lean back and relax.

I also quite liked the design of the flange with the inflatable rubber inner. I felt this put an even amount of pressure on my breast and felt nicer than the plain plastic of my other pumps.

Q3. I thought the pump was very easy to use- just sterilise, pump and go.
The huge attraction for me for a manual pump is that it is so much easier to use than an electric pump, although i am only using it for the occasional bottle. As i normally pump first thing as this is when i have most milk, it can be very tricky to navigate fiddling around with the plug and separate bits of and electric pump when also trying to latch on a very hungry baby! This manual pump took away the hassle.

Q4. Yes i would be happy to recommend this pump. The pumping action was efficient whilst not applying too much suction which i have found with an electric pump. I have also used a Nuby manual as well as a Tommee Tippee manual pump and have found this to be the best in terms of comfort.

Q5. I will happily continue to use the pump simply because i found i could express more than enough for a bottle (250mls) whereas when using my electric pump i could often get no more than 50mls if that. In addition to this it was comfortable and convenient to whip out and use quickly!

Report
Goldie2261 · 22/12/2015 11:54

Q1. Please detail how would you describe the breast pump to friends/family if it came up in conversation?

Small single hand pump, convenient for quick expressing without all the fuss of an electric pump.

Q2. How comfortable did you find the breast pump to use?

Once positioned correctly it was comfortable. I did sometimes struggle with getting my nipple in the right place which meant sometimes suction was lost half way through. Found I had to hold it against my breast for best results and maintain suction throughout.

Q3. How easy did you find the breast pump to use?

Very easy. Other than nipple placement as mentioned above, once it was on it was a no brainer. The bottle is small however I'm doing combination feeding so it was fine for me. If I was just expressing though the bottle size would be too small.

Q4. If it came up in conversation, would you recommend Philips Avent Natural Manual Breast Pump to friends and/or family?

Definitely. I have an electric pump which I've yet to take out of the box because this one is just so easy to use instead. It's also great for chucking in the changing bag and having on the go - oh almost forgot, it's SO much quieter than using an electric too!

Q5. Will you continue to use your Philips Avent Natural Manual Breast Pump? If so, why? If not, why not?

Yes definitely, for all the reasons above! :)

Report
Counttheshadows · 22/12/2015 15:54

Q1. Please detail how would you describe the breast pump to friends/family if it came up in conversation?

I'd describe it as an easy to use manual breast pump. Very good as an alternative to an electric one.

Q2. How comfortable did you find the breast pump to use?

I actually found it very comfortable. I have an electric Tomee Tippee and found this more comfortable. It didn't leak either, so I didn't need to have a muslin underneath like I do with my other one.

Q3. How easy did you find the breast pump to use?

Very easy. It did hurt my fingers and elbow after a while though. As I mentioned I have an electric pump, but this seems to get milk out quicker! It seemed to just have a very good suction.

Q4. If it came up in conversation, would you recommend Philips Avent Natural Manual Breast Pump to friends and/or family?

Yes. My only issue is that after two uses, it has started to squeak - so it's no longer very discreet!

Q5. Will you continue to use your Philips Avent Natural Manual Breast Pump? If so, why? If not, why not?

Possibly. I'd like to because I get more milk with it, but the squeaking is getting a bit annoying!!

Report
sizethree · 22/12/2015 16:21

Q1. Please detail how would you describe the breast pump to friends/family if it came up in conversation?

It's light weight, compact and easy to use. It's much quieter than using an electric pump and more portable.

Q2. How comfortable did you find the breast pump to use?

I found it really comfortable. I already have the Avent electric one so I'm familiar with the petals and scale of pump from using that.

Q3. How easy did you find the breast pump to use?

I found it really easy. It's easy to attach and I can feed my baby one one breast while I pump the other side.

Q4. If it came up in conversation, would you recommend Philips Avent Natural Manual Breast Pump to friends and/or family?

Definitely.

Q5. Will you continue to use your Philips Avent Natural Manual Breast Pump? If so, why? If not, why not?

Yes, I really like having the freedom to not be plugged in unlike an electric one. And it's gentle yet effective to use.

Report
WiIdfire · 22/12/2015 16:33

I've previously used a hospital grade electric pump, and and older version Avent electric pump, so I'm comparing this one to those.

Q1. Please detail how would you describe the breast pump to friends/family if it came up in conversation?

This is a manual, single sided breast pump that is very easy to use and clean. It's very portable and discreet, and is quite effective in collecting milk.

Q2. How comfortable did you find the breast pump to use?

I found it very comfortable - it has a good level of suction which I was pleased with, but not too much to make it painful. The technique is different to using an electric pump, but I didn't get any hand fatigue or cramps at all.

Q3. How easy did you find the breast pump to use?

Very simple to set up and take apart, takes seconds. Using it was much easier than I thought too, I was expecting it to be really hard on the hands. However, after a few tries, I got the hang of it, and this morning I was able to pump with one hand whilst I breastfed my baby on the other side. I have managed to get similar volumes as with the electric pump. Although I haven't timed them yet, it doesn't seem to take any longer. You do have to pay more attention when doing it manually though!

Q4. If it came up in conversation, would you recommend Philips Avent Natural Manual Breast Pump to friends and/or family?

Yes, I would, as I haven't found any significant problems with it and it works well.

Q5. Will you continue to use your Philips Avent Natural Manual Breast Pump? If so, why? If not, why not?

Yes. I was expecting to use it, review it, then go back to my electric pump, but I will actually keep it out. It's obviously quieter than an electric pump so I will use it when my baby's sleeping or when I need to be discreet. I will also take this one out with me and leave the electric one for at home.

I like the newer design - the older Avent pools milk in the pump itself, where this one doesn't. I like that it balances when empty, some topple over if you need to put them down. The main issue I have with it is that it only comes with a small (125ml) bottle, so I have had to stop and decant it on occasion. It is, however, compatible with bigger Avent bottles, so this isn't a huge problem, but you would need to buy those bottles separately. (I realise this wouldn't be an issue for a lot of women, I know I have a lot of milk!) It would be nice if it came with a case for taking it out and about. I like the covers to keep it clean, but it was a shame it didnt come with a replacement valve like my last one did.

Overall I'm very pleased with it, and will continue to use it. I'll report back when I've used it some more.

Report
sharond101 · 22/12/2015 17:47
  1. Please detail how would you describe the breast pump to friends/family if it came up in conversation?

Simple, conventional hand pump, small and easy to use.

Q2. How comfortable did you find the breast pump to use? Very comfortable and a better design than the Avent one I'd been using. It seemed to be a better shape albeit only marginally different.

Q3. How easy did you find the breast pump to use? Very easy to use and identical to the Avent one I had been using.

Q4. If it came up in conversation, would you recommend Philips Avent Natural Manual Breast Pump to friends and/or family?
Yes, it's easy compact and comfortable although if expressing alot I'd suggest an electric as it's time consuming.

Q5. Will you continue to use your Philips Avent Natural Manual Breast Pump? If so, why? If not, why not? Yes I like it better than the Avent one I have and it is more sturdy and doesn't fall over when stood up.
Report
NoodieRoodie · 22/12/2015 19:56

Q1. Please detail how would you describe the breast pump to friends/family if it came up in conversation?

A small compact manual pump

Q2. How comfortable did you find the breast pump to use?

Very comfortable, occasionally found that I had to reposition my nipple a couple of times as out was catching on the sides.

Q3. How easy did you find the breast pump to use?

Very easy, it seemed far simpler to put together than an older Avent pump I've used before. I liked the fact that I could sit back while I was pumping and didn't end up with milk running down my front. And I could put it down without milk that had pooled in the funnel dripping out. The only issue is the size of the bottle although it means it's lovely and compact I have to stop and decant half way through. Also the squeak does get slightly annoying!!

Q4. If it came up in conversation, would you recommend Philips Avent Natural Manual Breast Pump to friends and/or family?

Yes, it's compact and discreet.

Q5. Will you continue to use your Philips Avent Natural Manual Breast Pump? If so, why? If not, why not?

Yes, I've finally got an ebf baby (number 3) who will accept a bottle so I'm expressing most days and giving a couple of bottles a week. I've tried an electric pump and it didn't work for me, with the Avent I can express 180ml in under half an hour so not at all time consuming.

Report
Sairelou · 22/12/2015 20:11

Q1.

It's the best manual pump that I have ever come across. You can sit back comfortably rather than having to lean forward, and you don't have to press the handle down fully to express milk. There are only a few parts to it which makes it quick to clean and sterilise. The silicone "petal" cover makes it comfortable to express.

Q2. Very comfortable. I particularly liked that I didn't have to sit forward to get the milk to flow into the pump and I liked that the petals gently stimulated the breast to encourage milk flow.

Q3. Very easy, though inevitably I did get a bit of hand ache! At the start of each expressing session I did have to pump quickly more than the 4-5 times suggested in the instructions to encourage let down but obviously this will be different for everyone.

Q4. Yes definitely. It is great for relieving engorgement or occasional expression.

Q5. Yes. But only if I need to relieve engorgement or pump if baby has only fed from one breast. If I needed to pump a whole feed specifically for a night out then I would use an electric pump.

Report
DulcetMoans · 22/12/2015 20:16

Just bookmarking this so I remember to come back and review.

Report
duckbilled · 22/12/2015 20:33

Q1. Please detail how would you describe the breast pump to friends/family if it came up in conversation?

It is compact and comfortable to use. Easy to clean and assemble.

Q2. How comfortable did you find the breast pump to use?

It was comfortable and I was able to sit back as described in the packaging. The handle was shaped well, so it was easy to pump.

Q3. How easy did you find the breast pump to use?

It was very easy to assemble and take apart for cleaning.

Q4. If it came up in conversation, would you recommend Philips Avent Natural Manual Breast Pump to friends and/or family?

Yes I would. It is perfect for occasional use to supplement breast feeding.

Q5. Will you continue to use your Philips Avent Natural Manual Breast Pump? If so, why? If not, why not?

Yes it is great for the times that I need to leave my baby with family. It is compact so it is easy to store.

Report
DrSausagedog · 22/12/2015 21:32

Q1. Please detail how would you describe the breast pump to friends/family if it came up in conversation?
Small, simple to use pump that can daily be used at home or out.

Q2. How comfortable did you find the breast pump to use?
Very comfortable, the suction level is effective (and can be altered). Small marks around nipples only lasted a minute or so and no pain at all.

Q3. How easy did you find the breast pump to use?
Fairly easy. Best to use 2 hands to hold it in place. It is easy to take apart and sterilise.

Q4. If it came up in conversation, would you recommend Philips Avent Natural Manual Breast Pump to friends and/or family?
Yes, as long as not for frequent use e.g. if exclusively expressing. Because you can't do anything else at the same time as you can with an electric pump.

Q5. Will you continue to use your Philips Avent Natural Manual Breast Pump? If so, why? If not, why not?
I am likely to use it when out and about as it is small and convenient for that. If at home I may prefer to use the dual electric pump as I can easily read or do something else at the same time.

Report
Ahardmanisgoodtofind · 23/12/2015 12:06

Q1. Please detail how would you describe the breast pump to friends/family if it came up in conversation?
Brilliant, good size for easy storage or taking it out and about. Comfortable to use. Very quick and easy to clean and reassemble.

Q2. How comfortable did you find the breast pump to use?
very, from the first use i felt No discomfort at all,I found it easy to position too so I could be comfortable while using. Although I wish the handle had some sort of grip on it,smooth plastic gets uncomfortable after a while
Q3. How easy did you find the breast pump to use?
Very easy, I used a different brand of manual pump five years ago with my ds and couldn't get it to work. This one worked immediately for me.

Q4. If it came up in conversation, would you recommend Philips Avent Natural Manual Breast Pump to friends and/or family?
Definitely

Q5. Will you continue to use your Philips Avent Natural Manual Breast Pump? If so, why? If not, why not
Yes I will be using it for as long as possible, it's small enough to travel with and very easy to use.

Report
adognamedboo · 23/12/2015 12:47

Q1. Please detail how would you describe the breast pump to friends/family if it came up in conversation?
The pump is easy to assemble, easy to use and a nice size for carrying around.

Q2. How comfortable did you find the breast pump to use?
I found is comfortable and not harsh like a lot of pumps. I could use it one handed whilst sitting (or standing) without getting back ache.

Q3. How easy did you find the breast pump to use?
Really easy to use, not too many parts and not fiddly to take apart.

Q4. If it came up in conversation, would you recommend Philips Avent Natural Manual Breast Pump to friends and/or family?
Yes, its a fab pump for occassional use and travelling.

Q5. Will you continue to use your Philips Avent Natural Manual Breast Pump? If so, why? If not, why not?
Yes i will definately continue to use it. I use mine to express at work and love the fact its so quiet and discreet, and compact.

Report

Don’t want to miss threads like this?

Weekly

Sign up to our weekly round up and get all the best threads sent straight to your inbox!

Log in to update your newsletter preferences.

You've subscribed!

Dani240 · 23/12/2015 13:11

Q1. Please detail how would you describe the breast pump to friends/family if it came up in conversation?

It's a very comfortable manual breast pump which would be ideal for a new or sporadic pumper.

Q2. How comfortable did you find the breast pump to use?

It was very comfortable - much more comfortable than my Medela Mini Electric, and a little more comfortable than my Tommee Tippee Manual. However I have never really found breastfeeding to be particularly uncomfortable, so I think that I would trade some of the comfort for a higher yield. I removed the cushion to see if it would speed up the process, but it didn't, and it pinched my nipple without it! However this may be because I am breastfeeding my nearly five month old twins, so as high a yield as possible in as short a time as possible is maybe more important to me than it is to most people!

I really liked that you could sit in a more relaxed pose (easier on the back) and didn't have to worry too much about spillage, because spilling breast milk is absolutely heartbreaking!

Q3. How easy did you find the breast pump to use?

Assembly was very easy and it fit into my steriliser nicely.

The pumping action was very comfortable. My hand didn't get particularly tired.

The bottle that came with it is too small. I'm used to a 150ml or 180ml bottle to express into. It means that you have to stop before you want to, or pour milk into another sterilised container before you carry on. My Medela has three bottles that come with it so that you can just unscrew one when it's full and attach another.

Q4. If it came up in conversation, would you recommend Philips Avent Natural Manual Breast Pump to friends and/or family?

Yes. I think it is a very good manual pump, so if I had a friend who was new to pumping I would suggest getting a manual pump to try out before committing to the cost of an electric one. Manual pumps are also gentler for someone just starting out.

Q5. Will you continue to use your Philips Avent Natural Manual Breast Pump? If so, why? If not, why not?

Yes, definitely. I will still use my electric pump day to day, but this Avent pump is definitely a great replacement for my manual Tommee Tippee (which has sadly broken). There are times when an electric pump is inappropriate to use, and a manual one is absolutely necessary. I was in a German airport a few months ago and the mother and baby room didn't have a lock - I had to use a toilet cubicle with my electric pump and I was cringing because it sounded like a drill! I would have killed for a more discreet manual pump! I will use this pump any time I am travelling away from home and when I want to pump but the electric pump is unavailable or unsterilised.

Report
lizziefield1982 · 23/12/2015 14:55

Q1
It's a handy little pump, would be great if you were pumping at work or wanted to have one to take out with you if you were going to have to express in a night out for example. Small enough to use whilst breastfeeding on the other side too, although perhaps a little noisy so could be a bit distracting if you have an inquisitive baby (like mine at the moment!)
Q2
It's very comfortable to use, I have large boobs and the flange was of a good size still for me to not feel like it was about to fall out or off. Also liked that I didn't feel like I needed to hunch over it, lots of pumps say this but it isn't always true! Left a few red marks on my breast so not sure if this would be a bit of a risk for blocked ducts in the long run if you pumped all the time, but I only do so once a day at most so probably fine for the occasional pumper!
Q3
It was easy to assemble and take apart, also easy to pour the milk out of if moving into bags for the freezer, have lost a lot of the precious stuff with my current model for some reason this seemed easier, possibly the shorter bottle? Also seemed to have more success with the volume I could express, normally dry up after two ounces max, I got three both times with this one. So from that perspective awesome!
Q4
Yes would definitely recommend, think it has some good features which make it worth the extra few pounds than the Tommy Tippee I use now. I think unless you are exclusively pumping it would be a great bit of kit for someone like me who only expresses for time away and a freezer stash. Also the simplicity of it would be great for a new mum working it all out for the first time.
Q5
Yes definitely will use, probably in combination with the other pump I already have, just because I have them both open now. Useful perhaps to have one at my mother in laws where I spend some time?

Report
scatterbrainedlass · 23/12/2015 15:57

Q1. Please detail how would you describe the breast pump to friends/family if it came up in conversation?

It's a handy little device that gently pumps milk out of your breast! One of the leading brands out there, it's so easy to use, easy to clean, and is efficient without needing any kind of power source.

Q2. How comfortable did you find the breast pump to use?

Really comfortable, the cup is nice and soft, and you can sit in most positions without it leaking. A huge plus is that you don't need to sit near a plug socket and make sure the wire is long enough! Working the handle is also comfortable, I have not had any issues with sore hands/fingers.

Q3. How easy did you find the breast pump to use?

Really easy, it doesn't take long at all to let down with this pump, and it is so easy to see and hear the milk filling the reservoir and then pouring into the bottle. I already had Avent bottles so it's great that I can use any size bottle and just attach it to the pump.

Q4. If it came up in conversation, would you recommend Philips Avent Natural Manual Breast Pump to friends and/or family?

Definitely, it is simple, comfortable and compared to many out there, good value for money. This is much cheaper than many electric pumps, but at least half the price!

Q5. Will you continue to use your Philips Avent Natural Manual Breast Pump? If so, why? If not, why not?

Yes, I like it, and I am expressing so that my husband can feed the baby at bedtime, and so that I will be able to go out and know that my baby can still be fed breast milk.

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.