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Parenting
Breast pumps
mumma2b2020 · 27/12/2019 20:23
Hi all,
Can anyone recommend any breast pumps? Prefer it electric. I've seen a few brands but would be good to get first hand recommendations off any ladies that have used any before.
Thanks :)
babycatcher411 · 28/12/2019 11:27
Unfortunately breast pumps can be a really difficult one to recommend, as what suits one, may not suit another.
From my experience, different ones suit different people and at different points postnatally.
My two absolute recommendations would be a Hakaa (sp?) pump, which is a silicone pump that works through vacuum only. It’s great in the early days for catching let down, when you’re feeding from the other breast, and for easing some of the discomfort from engorged breasts. It’s only about £10/20 i think. I used mine quite a lot in the first few weeks/month or two, but once my supply settled down it became fairly redundant.
Secondly is breast shells, these go in your bra and catch leakages, any milk collect and refrigerated within 4 hours is safe to use.
In terms of electric pumps, I’ve had two. The tommee tippee express and go, which worked well in the early days when my supply was plentiful, but overall I would say is loud, and fairly ineffective at milk withdrawal. Plus, whilst the express and go system seems like a great idea from a convenience point of view, there is a massive amount of plastic wastage.
I subsequently bought, at 8months, the Elvie pump which hands down has changed my life! It’s so easy to use. Just pop it in your bra and carry on with normal day to day activity’s. It’s quiet and effective, easy to clean.
Only down side I would say is the battery life isn’t amazing, but the convenience of being wireless far far outweighs this.
That said, it’s a pretty penny, it took me a while to decide if I could justify the cost, but I don’t regret it for a minute!
mumma2b2020 · 28/12/2019 20:59
Thank you @babycatcher411 - I've heard great things about the Elvie so may opt for this, although slightly expensive I think the benefits outweigh this!
BICKLEGIRL · 28/12/2019 21:05
I've got the Elvie and it's great. I had a Tommee Tippee and didn't get on with it. I had to hold it together all the time so couldn't get anything done while pumping, even holding the baby was difficult.
With the elvie I can even walk around and change his nappy and do other things while pumping. I think I'd have given up on expressing by now if it wasn't for the elvie.
There's £25 off if you use this link - elvie.mention-me.com/m/ol/eb7re-vicki-sandison
Izzybuzzybuzzybees · 28/12/2019 21:08
I used a spectra 3 which my mum researched and bought for me. It’s hospital grade and we purchased the extra tubing and shield so I could use it as a double pump. It was awesome!
pjani · 28/12/2019 21:09
I also used the Spectra double pump (pumped a lot!) and thought it was good.
babycatcher411 · 28/12/2019 22:39
If you do decide on the Elvie, boots have good Advantage Card Points offers every so often, so I actually got £40 of points and also did cash back, so that was another fiver back.
gothefcktosleep · 30/12/2019 15:46
I had the Nuby pump. I couldn’t afford a medela and I don’t think Ellie was out yet (but no way I could afford that anyway!) I also had the tommy tippee hand pump as a backup. Been really happy with both.
Friends leant next their Avent and Laninsoh pumps but I couldn’t work them - not sure what I was doing wrong but didn’t get any suction from them at all!
TryingToBeBold · 31/12/2019 15:30
Mam electric pump for me (it's a 2 in 1 so switches to manual too!),
And a Haaka! (Catches your let down the other side and you can easily get a good few ounces sometimes that would have otherwise been wasted!)
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