Which Breast Pump Should I Choose?
When you are looking for a breast pump, it is hard to know which one is best for you, especially if you are buying to get around tender or sore nipples.
Keeping it simple and finding a breast pump that fits your requirements is essential to extending your breast milk or breastfeeding journey. Whichever type you choose, you can order your new Lansinoh breast pump here.
Should I choose a Manual or Electric Breast Pump?
The first decision you will make when buying your breast pump is whether to buy a manual breast pump (hand-operated) or an electric breast pump (mains - or battery-operated, sometimes called automatic breast pumps).
You will need to take into consideration how often you will be pumping, how long you will need to use the pump, and how much time you have for .
If you are sharing feeding responsibilities and will be away from your baby at work, making time to express during your working day is a must to prevent breast engorgement or mastitis.
Electric Breast Pumps
Electric pumps are the preferred option if you will be expressing regularly, if you have a baby in special care, or are returning to work. They are also extremely useful if you have very limited time, as they are quicker than manual ones.
Look for an electric breast pump that has separately adjustable suction and cycle levels, as this will enable you to choose settings that most closely resemble the way your baby suckles. Some electric pumps are now surprisingly light, so you may also want to take this into account.
Lansinoh electric breast pumps can also be used with batteries or a mains electrical supply, offering total flexibility for where and when you want to express.
Our pumps also offer compatibility between the pump bottles and breastmilk feeding bottles, meaning storing breastmilk is as simple as pump and store.
What’s the Best Electric Breast Pump
There are two types of electric breast pumps: single and double. A compact single electric breast pump is ideal if you tend to express and breastfeed at the same time. It is small enough to be popped into your handbag or changing bag when out and about too; not to mention that it can be powered by a micro-USB cable plugged into a power ban or mains adapter too.
However, all mums know how important time saving strategies are and a double electric pump could enable you to express milk in around half the time, as you can use it to express from both breasts at once.
A double pumping session can be achieved in as little as 10 minutes, compared with 20-30 minutes using a single pump. Expressing from both breasts simultaneously has also been found to stimulate prolactin levels and increase milk production more effectively than single pumping*.
You may also choose to use a pumping bra, which will free both your hands and enable you to use your phone or computer at the same time.
A double breast pump is also the obvious option if you have twins to breastfeed, if breastfeeding is delayed after birth or if you and your baby are regularly separated for long periods.
How to Use an Electric Breast Pump
Lansinoh’s electric breast pumps operate in two phases: one to stimulate the let-down of your milk, and then the second for efficient expressing of the milk. In this phase, you can select from three pumping styles that best fit your body’s needs – and within each pumping style there are various suction levels that put you in total control of your comfort.
Manual Breast Pumps
Hand-operated pumps are ideal if you express occasionally, for the odd night out or for short periods when you are away from your baby.
They tend to be very light and compact, so they are easy to carry around in your bag. What’s more, of course, is that you don’t need to worry about an electricity supply or any sound – our manual breast pumps are silent during usage.
Some women find that their wrists tire relatively quickly when using a manual breast pump, so be sure to choose one with an ergonomically designed handle like the Lansinoh one. You may find it takes some time to master the best rhythm for you, but, with a little practice, this will come.
READ: How to express milk with our breast pumping tips
What’s the Best Manual Breast Pump
Manual pumps are easier to use when your breasts are full than when they are soft. Look out for a manual breast pump with two phases – let-down and expression phases – to make each expression easier, quicker, and more effective.
All Lansinoh pumps are compatible with the pump bottles and breastmilk feeding bottles, which means you’ll have even fewer parts to clean.
The Breastmilk Collector is an alternative to a breast pump, which catches breastmilk that would otherwise soak into a breast pad. You can easily attach the Breastmilk Collector with a slight squeeze on the suction while feeding from the opposite breast, leaving your hands free to hold your baby comfortably.
How to Use a Manual Breast Pump
Lansinoh’s manual breast pumps that come with an ergonomic easy express handle also operate in two phases which simulate the baby’s natural sucking patterns: ‘let-down’ enabling a shallow, rapid pumping to initiate milk flow and ‘expression’ facilitating slower, deeper pumping for improved milk flow.
We hope this blog has helped you decide what breast pump is better suited to your lifestyle. For further advice, take a look through our breastfeeding and pumping blog sections.
