Breast pump advice

[Wicket2016]

Hi, could anyone recommend a good breast pump? This is our first baby. There's so many to choose from and I don't really know where to start. I would like an electric one, my husband and I want to try to share feeding duties due to an excisting medical condition I have. Any advice on price range etc would be great. Also how to choose a range of bottles, do they vary much?

Tia

I found the medela swing to be excellent. I ended up expressing more than I thought I would as baby had a poor latch. If I had my time again I'd go for the double pump rather than the single one, as it would have meant less time expressing. I think it depends on how much you want to express tbh, if you're going to be exclusively expressing then definitely go for a double! If it's a mix then a single maybe absolutely fine.

I would definitely go for a double rather than a single, you can still use the double as a single but you’ll save loads of time with a double.

The medela swing duo was great for me but it’s quite an investment and you need to think ahead to what your needs will be. If there’s a chance of you going back to work and pumping there you may want to think about the medala that has a rechargeable battery. I wish I had because the room I used to express in at work had no power plug, I got through so many batteries!

There is also the option to hire a hospital grade pump. They are much bigger and more efficient. I’m not sure how much they cost in the UK but they were expensive in Hong Kong where I lived at the time. I used my rented pump at home before and after work and my little medela at work during the day.

In the early days while you’re still settling into breastfeeding you may want to use a manual pump because they’re gentler and can help take the edge off any engorgement without encouraging oversupply. I used the medela and it was good.

I’ve ordered a Hakka for my next baby. It’s a silicone bottle that suctions on to the breast that you’re not feeding from and catches the letdown. You may find that you get enough from this alone in the first weeks to let your husband help out. I’ve never used one myself though so I can’t vouch for it!

Also, get a pumping bra so you can express hands free!

I bought this one and found it brilliant pumpables.co/product/pumpables-milk-genie-breast-pump/

I had the Avent electric one - single pump and it was great. I don’t know how any one copes with a manual!

If I buy a breast pump and don't use it, would I be able to return it? I'm not sure what to do as I want to mix feed, I don't know if I will want to express although if I have trouble breastfeeding I would want to give expressing a try. But I'd want a double, electric breast pump for ease but they're so expensive and I'm wary of splashing out on one and then ending up never using it. Sorry to hijack the thread a bit .

We rented a Medela symphony double and it was fab.

Got a cheap electric one from mothercare for emergencies/travelling and it was useless by comparison.

Medela swing is very good. This seems to be the electric one that most people have. It is not cheap though.