Electric or manual breast pump? Any advice?!

[spalex]

Hi,
Any recommendations on which type of breast pump is the easiest and most comfortable to use? I'm just looking at buying one in preparation for baby number 2, and I'm not quite as bothered about cost over comfort this time round!
I breastfed for about 2 months last time and didn't express any milk, just fed on demand. As a result I was so knackered she ended up going on the bottle sooner than I would have wanted really. So this time I've decided a breast pump is the way forward, then dp can do his share too! Thanks

electric... if your planning to really use it alot. Not sure what one, as I was given mine

oh, and double is good

medela lactaline electric pump

Found the Avent Isis manual was fine.

Also collected and stored milk by using shells - used to collect apprx 2-3oz a day - and were comfortable to wear.

Sally - that costs £850 Is that the big blue one?

I had an avent isis, was great! But I found beyond 3 or 4 oz, it was very tireing. But, it is really handy

I was just thinking about this the other day too! I used an Avent Isis last time, but as SaintQuotiePie has said, it got tiring to use for any length of time. I've seen people out and about using a Medela Mini electric one which looks very easy and does the pumping for you (costs about £40 I think). I'd be really interested in anyone with personal experience though.

Hi

hope you dont mind me butting in, but ask you mw she may know where you can hire electric ones saves some money initially then if you find it suits you, you can buy one yourself

Helen

I've tried at least 6 different ones, two manual and four electric, and the Avent Isis gets my vote.

Medela Mini Electric £40.
Brilliant.
Totally fab.

Ameda Lactaline gets my vote. Double pump, quiet (which the Medela Mini Electric certainly isn't!) and fantastic customer service. Cost around £80 - and I used it approx 7x a day for my dd's first year as expressed exclusively. For us, it definitely worked out cheaper than hiring.
Also had a Avent handpump for when I was out & about - for those car parks, motorway traffic jams!!

i use an ameda lactaline (a double pump) to pump at work. it is quiet, cost effective double pump. had an electrical short with it and the service was impeccable from the suppliers. it cost £85 and resells on ebay for about £50.

spalex, knowing what i know now (expressing for a toddler - yes, some of us are mad, mad, mad.)can i say that expressing is another job for an already busy mummy, especially if you have another child to deal with.

speaking for myself, the way to cope with sleep deprivation was to co-sleep. i didn't start to do it most the night long till she was 8 months and now i wish i had done so from the very start.
also, if i were to do this again, i would get a sling and learn to use it to bf.

i would go to a bf support group now. speak to real mums who are feeding a baby and coping with toddlers. they will be able to support you face to face with dealing with the daily stresses.

lots of threads are in the archives about how to cope with a baby and an older child too.

i don't want to put you off expressing but i think that it isn't the most effective way to get over the knackeredness.

After injuring myself by over exertion with a manual pump I don't like them much! I am told that electric ones are really good - may be get some advice from NCT about borrowing one if you wanted to save costs.

Thanks for all the tips - I had looked at the Medela mini electric one on ebay, it seemed quite good value for money. the main thing that had put me off the manual pumps was that a couple of friends had said they found them quite tiring and not as efficient. I'm surprised Avent don't do and electric one yet - or maybe they do and I just haven't seen it! I will also look into the lactaline double pump now. Lots to think about...
I don't expect this to be a cure all for the inevitable sleepless nights and tiredness, but I guess it's a start - and I was hoping it might help me to bf for a bit longer this time round Will also look into a local bf support group as well - good idea.

Avent do now sell an electric version of the Isis pump. I've got one and it's been great. Would agree though that expressing takes time and effort and so may not solve your problem as you hope. Co-sleeping works though, and remember second time round you already know how to breastfeed so it's a bit esier than with your first.

here

humm, £85 for a single pump, i would go for the Lactaline at the same price. its a double pump so pumping time is halved and you are taking full advantage of the firs letdown from both breasts. i have used the avent and pump and the lactaline has the same silicone cushions that the avent hand pump does. the effect is the same.

Another vote for the electric Avent Isis Q. About £85 new, but well worth it. This is my first baby, and I have been expressing since 3 weeks (15 weeks now). Takes about 15 mins in the morning to get 6-8ozs whilst feeding dd on the other boob....then dh gives her the bottle in the evening when he gets in, and either do some exercise or watch America's Next Top Model...fantastic!! She is now sleeping through, but earlier DH would be 'on duty' one night a week and do the night feed while I slept in a different room with earplugs in; it made me feel like a new woman the next day..although generally had to get up for 10 mins in night to express because of huge boobs!

My advice is:
a. Get one.
b. Take some time before the baby arrives to familirise yourself with it, because putting together the first few times is like the Krypton Factor.

TK maxx has electric and manual medela breast pumps really cheap at the moment.

Just on an update to this...it's v. early days for me, as not due until May but just want to get informed.

Where is the best place to hire breast pumps?

Would you recommend this as opposed to just buying one in readiness?

bump - any advise?