Looking for a good breat pump?

Question

My baby is due in August, and I plan on breast feeding exclusively. I am wondering what breast pump would be best for a mother working full time. I would also like to know what kind of storage works best for you and why? I've seen hard plastic containers, storage bags, and a way to store it in the drop-in containers for bottles.

Answer 1

Medela is the best breast pump in the market, it's very easy to use great for on the go and moms that are returning to work, most stores have a larger selection of Medela breast pump accessories. The difference between Medela and the other brands (Avent, Dr. Brown, Gerber and The First Years) is that Medela has a natural cycle (suctioning) and it resembles/mimics the same movements that a baby will do when he/she latches on.
Here's a few hints on how to store your milk:
* If you pump and place milk in plastic bottles using the ring
and disks system your milk is only good for 18 hours and
if you wrap those bottles with aluminum foil you will extend
its life for a total of 36 to 40 hours.
* Medela has special bags called CF freezer storage bags
and those are the only bags in the market that serves that
purpose (but I warn you this bags are very hard to find.)

On another note: Please buy your own breast pump don't rent it because you or your baby can contract the Hepatitis virus. be safe, be wise.

Answer 2

I am the mom to two kids, one 2-year old and a 1-month old. For the 2-year old, I was able to feed him breastmilk for a year. I went back to work full-time when he was 3-months old and I used to pump at work. The breast pump that I used was Avent Isis (manual pump). It costs about $49 or so. I worked in a small organization, so I needed my pumping to be kind of quiet and discreet. Not that I was embarrassed or anything--I just didn't want everybody to know my business. II considered the Medela and also the Ameda electric pumps but they were too big and noisy for my taste.

The Avent Isis pump was effective and I was able to keep my milk-supply up in order for my son to nurse for a year. I plan on doing the same for my new daughter--only she doesn't really take to bottles that well.

With the Avent Isis, I used to express the milk directly into the bottles and store the milk in the refrigerator. Basically, whatever I pumped on one day would be consumed the next day. If I had extra, I'd pour it into breastmilk storage bags and freeze it so I'd have an emergency stash. But here's something to think about--freezing the breastmilk changes the taste and some babies don't like that (my son didn't), so whatever I froze was pretty much useless. Might be better to just store the milk in the fridge--it keeps pretty long--between 3 and 8 days depending on whose advice you follow.

Hope this helps...good luck with your plan to breastfeed exclusively. It can be done!

Answer 3

I'm doing the same thing, and I recommend the Medela Lactina Select. It's a hospital grade pump that is multi-user, meaning that you never come in contact with germs from another user. It's better for working moms because it's so powerful. You can purchase one on Ebay (and then resell, recouping all of your money) or rent one from a drugstore, like Walgreens, for about $50 a month. It's wonderful. It actually builds your supply. I've used it exclusively for the past 4 months, as my son will no longer nurse, and while it is easier if your baby will breastfeed, it has helped me tremendously. Good luck! By the way, I've used plastic containers. Companies say they're disposable, but I've used the same dozen all year.

Answer 4

An electric pump is the way to go - you can do both breasts at once. Check with your insurance - some will PAY for an electric pump if you get a prescription from your OB saying 'lactating mother' or something to that effect.

My size did not allow me to do both breasts at once and for discretion I found Advent hand pump worked wonders. BUT this did not give me enough to give breast milk exclusively. I liked the advent containers since the nipples fit right on the container, but if you don't have enough you will run out.

Congratulations!

Answer 5

First find out if your company has a lactation program, you may be able to get a great deal on a pump. ALso look on ebay or sales for the good medela ones. All you really need to replace is the attachments, tubes. Its perfectly sanitary to use the mechanical part (the pump) and thats where the money is. Although its suprising how much they even charge for the plastic attachements.

Answer 6

I can recommend the avent Isis IQ, its an electric pump which is good if you need to pump frequently. It is comfortable and you set your own pace as it copies how you do it mannually. I have been using the disposable milk storage bags from boots. They are convenient because they don't need to be sterilized. I have also used the avent via cups, but i find they don't hold enough milk because now I've gone back to work pump i have a lot of milk to be expressed each time. Good luck.

Answer 7

i have a medela breastpumpthat my sister in law bought off a family member of hers for $100 over $200 brand new and i bought from her for $50 it works excelent. the disposable bags are very convenient to use. the platex bottles that you can either use the drop ins or the original liners in. there the better bottle to use for a baby. i had asked my dr when i was pregnant and that is the bottle he had told me to use. they put less pressure on the babys ears and cause less ear infections.a friend of mine used the hard plastic bottles for her baby and he constanly had ear infections so i told her to switch bottles and he had no more ear infections.

Answer 8

MEDELA!!! One of the best brands out there!!! Storage bags because they are disposable. I tried the reusable cups from avent and sometimes you don't even have time to be washing them over and over!! Oh and try to avoid the drop ins. Not worth the hassle! Best botttle to use in Playtex Ventaire natural shape. I swear by them!!

Answer 9

ANY BREAST PUMP WILL B GOOD CUZ THEY ALL DO THE SAME THING, ITS JUS MORE PAINFUL. BUT WHEN UR BREAST START FILLING UP ITS LIKE LABOR IN UR BREAST.