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

[AnnMumsnet]

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

[MarkingMyPlace9]

Q1. Please detail how would you describe the breast pump to friends/family if it came up in conversation?
A handy Breast Pump, that is very comfortable to use and very quiet

Q2. How comfortable did you find the breast pump to use?^^
Very comfortable. I'm guessing this is due to it being Manual, and you can go at your own pace in regards to the Pumping

Q3. How easy did you find the breast pump to use?^^
Very easy to use. I read through the Instructions quickly before I first used it and found it all pretty straight forward

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

Q5. Will you continue to use your Philips Avent Natural Manual Breast Pump? If so, why? If not, why not?
Yes I will for aslong as I need too. I also own a Electric Pump. But i would choose to use this one first

[Cherryberry1]

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

It is small and easy to use outside of the house. It fits easily into handbags and easy to use discreetly. It's a good quality product.

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

Very comfortable. I can use it whilst sitting in a comfortable position and I've also comfortably used it whilst standing.

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

Extremely easy to use. Easy enough to use whilst I'm feeding baby briefly and I can also continue pumping if I need to multi-task, e.g. stand up and do something quickly in a different room.

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

Yes I would.

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

Yes I will. It is very easy to use in my home and makes expressing so much easier and comfortable outside of my home too. It is an effective pump and makes expressing convenient when I am at work. I was quite impressed with the product.

[Ploy]

Thank you for the opportunity to try this pump.

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

worth paying a little extra for in comparison to the Tommie tippee. This breast pump is effective, with a good level of suction

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

pretty comfortable... Not quite as comfortable as Breastfeeding, but ouchiness only lasts first few seconds until letdown

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

easy and convenient

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

yes, although I am aware that these things are a personal thing, so I wouldn't assume that because it worked for me, it would work for anyone.

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

yes, i will. I am only expressing for occasions when i am away from the baby at the moment, and feel no need to investigate electric pumps.
The avent manual has 2 features which makes it a significant improvement on the Tommie tippee. The silicone thing that fits around the flange ensures good suction and no leakage. And the diaphragm puller being circular means you don't have to fit the pump together so accurately to carefully line up the puller. Unfortunately it did not come with a sterilizer box, so that would be an improvement. Also it would be great to have a spare valve, as that's the smallest part which tends to go missing.

[putthePuffindown]

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

A wee breastpump that's easy to use and doesn't hurt your back.

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

Very, when it's positioned correctly, but found had to take care to get that position in the first place

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

Very, but see above re: positioning

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

Yes, but I haven't used any pumps before so don't have anything to compare it with

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

Yes, it's allowed us to switch places for night feeds and gives my partner a chance to meet all her needs which he loves. It's given us a bit of freedom and flexibility which is great for everyone's sanity!

Further notes: I'm a first time mum and new to BF I was a bit nervous about trying expressing as BF is hard enough without messing with the system, but I'm so glad I've started, I've found it very liberating. I did struggle to get the right position for the pump the first 2 x and got quite despondent about lack of results, but then I tried while DD was feeding on the other side and that gave me the confidence I needed to proceed

[missp0603]

Q1. Please detail how would you describe the breast pump to friends/family if it came up in conversation?
It's a convenient way to express milk using a manual breast pump.
Q2. How comfortable did you find the breast pump to use?
Relatively comfortable. This is my second child, who is 5 months, so used to feeding.
Q3. How easy did you find the breast pump to use?
Easy to use and reposition. The padded flange feels. Importable against your skin. Slight finger cramp after a good 5/10 minutes.
Q4. If it came up in conversation, would you recommend Philips Avent Natural Manual Breast Pump to friends and/or family?
For occasional usage, yes. It is good if I was going out and needed to express whilst out. It is small enough to stash not a medium sized bag. For every day usage, no, as it is much easier to have an electric pump for speed and ease
Q5. Will you continue to use your Philips Avent Natural Manual Breast Pump? If so, why? If not, why not?
As I have an electric Medela pump, no as it's much quicker to use this.

[FindingNormal]

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

It looks great - compact and with a very soft looking suction cup. Unfortunately mine was faulty- a nobble which joins the handle to the pump snapped off after a couple of pumps so it was useless.

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

In the few pumps I managed it felt OK - but given I didn't manage to use it for any length of time then j can't really compare to other pumps I've used

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

East to set up, handle perhaps slightly small but ok.

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

I can't - it broke to quickly it ended up in the recycling bin

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

Nope- it's in the bin I'm afraid.

[Ploy]

Hi, does anyone know in what way the comfort natural differs from the discontinued isis? They seem almost identical (as far as I can remember...)

[macmissy]

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

Compact & easy to use, really easy to clean & extremely effective. A perfect compact pump (you could easily take it out with you if need be)

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

Very comfortable, I have used the Tommee Tippee & found the Avent much more comfortable - I think this was the cushioned pillow section. It has a good suction also.

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

Extremely easy, pumping was simple with an excellent suction - the parts were easily distinguishable (the other model I have used was difficult to take apart & wasn't easy to establish how to remove - I had to Google!) so I was able to take apart with ease to clean.

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

I already have! I really liked this pump, it is easy to use & yields a good amount.

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

Definitely, small - compact & simple to use. A definite winner for me!

[happytocomply]

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

A really good manual breast pump. Ideal if you want to pump and useful for a variety of pumping scenarios.

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

Very comfortable, definitely more so than the manual Medela mostly because it was great to be able to lean back while pumping rather than hunched forward. I haven't ever found the action of pumping itself to be partially uncomfortable but the silicon 'petals' feature was definitely an improvement and was very soft and comfortable.

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

Very easy. Simple to assemble and clean. I was able to pump easily and quickly without spillage and got a good volume compared to my Medela pump. I didn't mind the small bottle as I only pump a few oz at a time and I liked that this made the pump as small and portable as possible. Instructions were mostly simple and clear. There is no need to specify pumping volumes or times in the instruction manual, it's misleading as will vary for each woman dependent on so many factors.

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

Yes. I think if breastfeeding women want to pump this would be an ideal purchase as its effective and reasonably priced. I would probably recommend it over my Medela pump as although it's slightly pricier I think it is more comfortable to use.

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

Yes. This pump has already replaced my previous pump for when I need to express. At the moment I'm only expressing milk occasionally when I plan to go out without baby but I will be returning to work in a few months and anticipate needing to pump at least once while at work. I was considering purchasing an electric pump but I think that this pump might actually be perfect for the task as its quiet, portable and efficient.

[FionaSx]

Q1. Small portable breastpump with small bottle, very affordable and quick to use.

Q2. The flange wasn't the most comfortable, although most likely varies from person to person. It would be good to easily access different sizes! I have a larger one that I had to buy separately when I purchased the Philips electric pump which makes it much better for me. Very comfortable to hold.

Q3. Very easy to use with larger flange without even using instructions. Great lid for storage and nice to try the free breast pads.

Q4. I would recommend although I would inform others of the flange size! Ideal for putting in the handbag and for the price.

Q5. Yes, when out and about with the bigger flange size. I would prefer a slightly bigger bottle when expressing larger amounts but thankfully already have one.

Thanks for the free trial :)

[SaborDeSoledad]

Q1. A simple, manual breastpump that would particularly suit new mothers and women returning to work, thanks to the lid that attaches to the pump allowing you to store it when out of use and compact design.

Q2. I didn't experience any discomfort using the pump. The pump was gentle on the breast and using the handle was easy and didn't generate any strain or fatigue. I wouldn't say that it was more comfortable than other pumps, however.

Q3. Very easy once assembled, but I found attaching the handle to the pump a little fiddly. It took a while to work out how to get the handle in the right position. Pumping was absolutely fine.

Q4. Yes. The lid or top for the pump was a handy feature for travelling or storage and there were no unnecessary add-ons. It's a no frills pump.

I felt that the amount of breast milk produced was decent for a manual pump and I didn't feel that I had to work too hard to get it!

Q5. Yes. It packs down nicely and is less complicated than my current hand pump. Again, I was also happy with the amount of milk produced in a relatively short amount of time.

[SaborDeSoledad]

Ooh, forgot about the free breastpads! They were a nice touch.

I have to agree with previous posters that the bottle supplied was too small for bigger babies.

[kierie]

1. Small, discreet pump, that's fairly easy to use and reasonably priced.
   
2. Reasonably comfortable on the breast. I found that I had to keep changing the positioning for it to empty the breast properly. I don't think I could use this pump in one session for as long as my current electric one, as it has quite a suck on it, so wouldn't be able to fully empty a very full breast.
   

Comfortable sitting position though!

1. Easy enough, although there were more parts to clean and assemble than my current pump. I'd have preferred a larger bottle with the pump and a universal teat. My LO is now using size 3 (she's 10 months and I've returned to work) so the size one year was useless to us and would have put me off of buying the pump, as I was looking for a complete set that would work for expressing at work.
   
2. I'd recommend it for someone who needs to express from time to time. I think for people expressing more than once a day, it would be too inefficient and hard in the boobs.
   
3. Now that I'm only expressing a few ounces once a day, it's a good option and better than transporting all the electric stuff about. It's also a lot quieter!

[Ploy]

Forgot to mention... my nuk bottles don't quite fit, which is a shame. The nuk teat are the best I've used, so I bought the nuk bottles.
A shame manufacturer can't agree standard sizes for these things.

[Pumble]

Thank you for letting me the the pump, it was good to try it.

1. A small, manual pump that is well priced and easy to use.

1. Initially I thought it was comfortable but after using a couple of times it really hurt and rubbed my Nipples to the extent it made feeding painful. I had to stop using it as j could not pump without wincing in pain.

1. It was easy to use although I struggled to put the handle initially.

1. I would struggle to recommend the pump due to the pain it chased me. I also found the bottle too small for the amount I express each time.

1. I won't keep using the pump as it was impacting on feeding my DS which is a shame as I really liked the compact design.

[Chelsea159]

Q1. Please detail how you would describe the pump to friends and family if it came up in conversation?
This is a small, simple, easy to assemble pump which is easy to use.

Q2. How comfortable did you find the breast pump to use?
Very comfortable to use, standing, sitting even on the go.

Q3. How easy did you find the breast pump to use?
Very easy both to express and put together.

Q4. If it came up in conversation, would you recommend Philips Advent Natural Manual Breast Pump to friends and family.
Yes, defiantly

Q5. Will you continue to use your Philips Advent Natural Manual Breast Pump? If so, why? If not, why so?
Yes I defiantly will continue to use, will be perfect for when I start to leave my baby at home with the hubby or family. Great little product, small and very easy to use.

[tinker78]

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

Easy to use, take apart, put back together and clean. Effective pumping and sturdy and stable.

Q2. How comfortable did you find the breast pump to use?
I found it very comfortable to use.

Q3. How easy did you find the breast pump to use?
I found it easy to use. I have broken the seal a couple of times by knocking the inside part of the funnel off with my thumb. It works better for me than my other manual pump.

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

Q5. Will you continue to use your Philips Avent Natural Manual Breast Pump? If so, why? If not, why not?
Definitely. It's better than the other manual pump I have. It's been good to take away when we went to a hotel after Christmas as the cover over the funnel keeps dust, dirt, fluff out of it in my case.

I pumped for my premature twins when they were in hospital using a hospital electric pump in hospital and a medela swing at home. For my singleton (now 13 months) I only used my electric pump a few times because it was easier to be mobile to keep the toddlers in check and look after the baby than be attached to the wall. This time round I understand do much more about the mechanics of breastfeeding, and find manual pumping easier and more comfortable. This pump is comfortable and works extremely well for me, although mine seems to have a bit of an irritating squeak.

[Roooster]

Q1. Please detail how would you describe the breast pump to friends/family if it came up in conversation
Easy to use, comfortable and lightweight. Very easy to pack into a bag if you have a few hours away from your baby. Also nice and discrete if you are staying away from home!

Q2. How comfortable did you find the breast pump to use?
Very comfortable to use, my hand didn't ache after expressing a full bottle.

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

Q4. If it came up in conversation, would you recommend Philips Avent Natural Manual Breast Pump to friends and/or family?
Definitely, i was really pleased with how it works and it is perfect for occasional use (nights out etc for comfort) or when baby decides to sleep for longer than normal! Much more discrete than an electric pump so no waking baby!

Q5. Will you continue to use your Philips Avent Natural Manual Breast Pump? If so, why? If not, why not?
I will definitely continue to use, i have the electric version of this pump as well and was really pleased to see that the parts are virtually identical so i can switch easily between them.

[DoodleCat]

Q1 I'd describe it as a manual pump for expressing.
Q2 very comfortable on my breasts, more so than electric as you control precisely how quickly it pumps. My only trouble was my hands got tired and I had to use both to make it easier to pump. Meant I couldn't read my book! ;-) But the benefit of a manual pump was I could just stop when I wanted a sip of tea.
Q3 The instructions made me think it was going to be tricky to assemble but it wasn't at all. As mentioned above I did have to use two hands but I'm probably weak! I found I got milk quickly and more than with my electric pump.
Q4 yes! I already have. It's a good pump for on and off expressing and ideal for taking away (work/short holiday).
Q5 yes I will use it regularly. My baby won't take a bottle so this pump is perfect as I can express a little and put it in a cup to encourage her without too much effort (knowing that she'll waste it).

[mymummysworld]

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

A1. This is an ideal little pump for on the go use or use at work when returning after maternity. Its small and compact and would be easy enough to use alongside feeding baby from the other side. It's easy enough to keep in your bag and keep handy and also simple to clean. I did find the pump louder than expected with the suction (however this is the first pump I've used so no comparison).

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

A2. I found it very comfortable to use, given a bit of privacy if needing to pump when out I felt incredibly comfortable using this. Its very simple to set up and use even for beginners. Also with good seating positions for comfort I felt able to relax more (which I think helped me express more).

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

A3. I have never used a breast pump before this so it was a whole new territory for me. However with a quick scout through the manual for positioning tips it was simple enough to use. Much easier than I expected. Using the pump was comfortable too without my hand getting too tired from continuous pumping action.

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

A4. Most certainly yes. I think for an occasional pumper this would be a perfect buy - full time pumping may get tiring with it being manual but for say once a day use it would be perfect.

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

A5. I will certainly be continuing to use this pump. Its helped me along my breastfeeding journey and has been a useful piece of kit. Also as it's nice and discreet will be perfect for my return to work soon

[PurpleCrazyHorse]

The Isis is almost identical to this one except the Isis has more parts so is more fiddly to put together.

The breast pads were a nice touch especially the night time ones, they're great, very absorbent and ideal to curb nighttime wet patches!

[captaincloud]

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

Manual pump with that's easier to use than others.

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

Pretty comfy. I used a manual pump initially then tried an electric. This Phillips pump is better for me than either that I used before. It's definitely comfier than either especially as I don't have to learn forward.

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

It's quieter than the electric pump and a lot less faff to set up. Easy to put through the dishwasher as well.

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

Yes

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

Yes as it's the most straight forward one I've tried and I can carry it in my bag easily when I go back to work.

[Givemecoffeeplease]

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

A handy portable breast pump

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

Surprisingly comfy and better to use than my electric one which needs me to be upright

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

Easy to use and to sterilise

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

Yes, I'll also pass mine on when I'm done!

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

Yes, for as long as I continue to combination feed.

[Gobbolinothewitchscat]

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

It's a good single manual breast pump.

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

I found it fine. However, I usually use a double electric pump with a hands free bra so this takes a lot more input and I can't mumsnet whilst expressing!

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

Fairly easy but - as above - I usually use an electric double pump and I felt as though I was crouched over a bit trying to see what was coming out. Agree that the bottle is too small. Would be useful to have two - one for both sides. I had to stop to decant.

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

Yes. But if they were doing a lot if expressing like me, I would definitely recommend an electric double.

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

Yes. I will keep using it when I am out and can't use the electric one. It's easy to pack and to clean.

[paddlenorapaddle]

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

Comfy and easy to use one handed in bed or breast feeding

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

Very especially for someone like me with larger boobs and when engorged mine lose shape iyswim and it still fitted well.

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

Fairly easy and it stayed put and didn't leak while I pumped I also managed to get a good 4 ounces would prefer to have a bigger bottle.

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

Yes if you were an occasional pumper however if you were constantly pumping electric may be better

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

Yes its compliments our breast feeding pattern especially now we are considering weaning and lo will need a drink

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