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With so many breast pump options on the market, it can be tough to decide what pump to invest in.  Let’s look at a few tips and things to consider before buying. 

A Deeper Look:

The amount of breast pumps mamas have to choose from these days is wonderful.  There is bound to be a way to make a pump nearly perfect for you.  Sometimes the pump may be great right out of the box.  Other times it may need customization through the use of cushions, flanges from another brand, different bottles, and other products.  So let’s get started.

Choosing a Breast Pump

For me, the most important considerations were whether the breast pump had good, adjustable suction and whether it was portable.  So think about what is important to you: Are you going to be running around after your little ones or in Zoom meetings all day? Will you be pumping for a few months or a year or more?

Here Are a Few Things to Consider:

  • If you have health insurance, does your health insurance cover the cost of a breast pump? Are you given choices or an allowance?  (See more on this below under “Insurance”)
  • Is the portability of your pump important?
    • Does the pump need to allow your breasts to stay covered with clothing? If so, a wearable pump may be the right pump for you (See “Wearable Pumps” below)
    • Do you need to be able to move around the house or pump somewhere without access to an outlet? If so, then a rechargeable battery operated pump may be right for you OR you may be able to customize your pump by buying a battery pack separately and attaching it to your pump with velcro
  • Is the price of the pump a factor? If cost is a consideration, you may consider purchasing from a lesser known pump brand 
  • Do reviews indicate the pump is easy assemble and it stays together well while pumping?
  • Is the cost and availability of replacement parts a consideration? For more information on what to expect with regards to replacing pump parts, click here.
  • Are there ongoing costs and are you comfortable with them long-term? For example, the Willow 3.0 requires bags to be fully leak-proof and the reoccurring cost of those bags should be a consideration up front (of course you can always purchase the reusable containers instead)
  • How many parts of the pump need to be cleaned and does that work for your lifestyle?
  • Is the pump easy to travel with (consider its size and weight)
  • If you plan to pump for an extended period of time (months/years) the durability of the motor may be important to look into (see more on this under “Determining the Right Pump Motor for You” below)
  • Does the noise level of the pump matter?
  • Is hygiene a concern for you because your baby is medically fragile? If so, a closed system pump may be the better choice; however, it appears open system pumps are increasingly becoming less common and it generally appears that the most common open pump systems are the older Medela pumps.
  • Have users reviewed the pump as comfortable and effective?
  • Consider the size of your nipple with the range of flange sizes offered and have a plan to adjust the size with inserts or cushions if necessary
  • What do users say about the suction strength and the type of suction?

Insurance

Many insurance plans cover the cost of a breast pump, so it’s worth checking your plan to see what is offered.  Some plans provide their insured with a specific dollar amount to be spent on a pump, others provide specific pumps to choose from.  Even if you do not like the options offered—the kind and quality of offered breast pumps can vary greatly— it’s worth the hassle of getting a pump through your insurance to have as a backup. If you end up not using the pump at all, consider donating it!  Often you need a note from your doctor or a prescription to get a breast pump through insurance.

If you have the option to purchase a pump either through your insurance or using an allowance from your insurance, I recommend waiting until closer to your due date.  Many of the websites that source and ultimately ship your selected breast pump do so immediately after you purchase it.  This sounds great until you realize that you only have 30-60 days to address any issues with the pump’s functions.  If you are only five months along when you order the pump, you may learn too late that your pump is defective.

Although calling your insurance company to determine eligibility for a breast pump is probably the best course of action, if your company is anything like mine, it’s a pain to call in.  So I initially used this website to determine my insurance eligibility.  I thought it was quick and clear.  Although my particular insurance plan ultimately required me to go through a different channel, this website was a good starting point.

Also worth noting: Often breast pumps are FSA/HSA eligible, so that is worth checking into if you have one of those accounts.

Determining the Right Pump Motor for You

By “pump motor” I mean two things: the durability of the motor (meaning how long it lasts before requiring you to purchase a new pump) and the suction strength the motor is capable of providing. Obviously if you are intending on exclusively pumping, you are likely to use your pump often. Which means you will want to pick a pump that is durable and will likely last the amount of time you intend to pump for. One sign that a pump may be durable enough to last through you pumping for a year or more is whether the company offers at least a one-year warranty. Another way to determine whether the motor is sufficient for your use is whether the breast pump company has stated the amount of pumping hours the motor is expected to last.

Similarly, the suction strength is important depending on what your goals are. For breast pumps, the power of suction is usually described in terms of the maximum millimeters of mercury, or mmHG, the standard unit of measuring vacuum pressure. It’s worth noting however, that some pumps have a high suction level only when single pumping and that the suction strength decreases if you are double pumping. If you are intending to use the pump to establish or increase your supply or as your sole pump, you likely want to consider a pump with higher suction capability to ensure you are being fully emptied efficiently, which will signal your body to increase milk (but as always, only pump at a suction level that is comfortable to you; you should not be pumping in pain). If you are seeking to supplement your current heavy duty pump with something more convenient for a few of your middle of the day pumps or if you are a few months in to EPing and your supply is well-established, a pump with less suction capability may be fine. There are four sort-of unofficial categories of breast pumps:

  • Wearable Pumps: These generally have the lowest suction levels, ranging from approximately 220-245 mmHg.
    • Examples include the Elvie Double Pump and the Willow 3.0 pumps
  • Portable or Wireless Pumps: These are pumps that allow you to walk around with the motor clipped to you but which are not housed completely within your bra, and they often have a similar suction range to wearable pumps ranging from approximately 220-280 mmHg.
    • Examples include the Medela Freestyle Flex, Elvie Stride, BabyBuddha Portable Breast Pump, Medela Swing Maxi, and the Ameda Mya Joy
  • Personal Pumps: These pumps have a larger motor that may be recharged but are bulkier to carry around. They have suction levels generally ranging from 250-280 mmHg. This category generally offers more cycle and vacuum strength options.
    • Examples include the Spectra S1 and S2, Motif Luna, the Medela Pump in Style Advanced.
  • Hospital Grade, Multi-User Pumps: these pumps offer the highest suction levels, ranging from 250-300 mmHGg
    • Examples include the Medela Symphony and the Spectra S3

It should also be noted that while a lesser strength pump may not prompt your let-down as easily (or bring in your milk if you are a new mama!), your body may just need time to get used to the new feel of the new pump. You can usually train your body to let-down to a lesser strength suction over time. See here for more on issues switching breast pumps.

A note about cycling rates: you generally want a pump that can cycle between 40 and 60 times a minute, and most brands do, but it’s still worth checking before making an investment!

Wearable Pumps

Wearable pumps allow you to pump while completely covered in your normal clothes.  Examples include: Willow 3.0, Willow Go, Elvie, Elvie Stride.  If having the pump motor visible is not a concern for you, Babyation The Pump, may be a good option.  Wearable pumps do not provide for much customization.  You can work on getting a better flange fit through the use of cushions or inserts, but you are locked into the container or bag the wearable pump is designed to work with.  Fortunately, wearable pumps are by their nature portable, easy to travel with, more quiet, and contain fewer pieces to wash.  The downside is that wearable pumps are often more expensive up front and can have significant reoccurring expenses.  For example, the Willow is only completely leak-proof if you use the bags and The Pump requires you to replace the tubing every 24 hours.

Customizing Your Pump

Do you already have a pump motor that you like but wish it had different features? Let’s take a look at what sort of products you can buy to help make your pump perfect for you.  First, let’s think about what you don’t like about your current pump. As a reminder, you should always doublecheck the description of a product to ensure it works with your specific pump. Additionally, it’s always worth having backups of pump parts and essentials like bags to ensure that you are always able to use your pump! 

If you hate that your breast pump has to be plugged into an outlet for use, try attaching an external battery pack (check that the voltage is compatible with your pump) via Velcro Heavy Duty Fasteners (though some users find 3M command strips work well too):

If you hate that your flanges and bottles stick out and get in the way of answering the door or just generally moving around try milk collection cups, which are completely housed within your bra, like the wearable pumps are (though you will still have tubing that snakes out of your shirt!):

If you hate pumping into a bottle that your baby does not like to drink from because it’s what fits your pump, buy adaptors for your bottle (double check product description for compatibility!):

If you struggle to remove the duckbill from your flange, try:

If you are tired of washing pump parts, would it help to pump straight into bags and skip washing a bottle? If so, consider the following:

If you have sensitive or elastic nipples and are seeking a more comfortable flange or a flange with a longer tunnel (and are not using a wearable breast pump), try one of these options:

  • Pumpin’ Pals
  • LacTek Baby Motion Flanges
  • Nenesupply Flanges
  • Legendairy Milk Silicone Collection Cups
  • Pumpables Liquid Kit (breast shield and silicone insert combination)

If you need a smaller flange size but have already invested in flanges or a smaller flange size is not offered, try an insert or cushion in your current flange (usually designed to fit into a 24mm flange):

If you just want to try flanges from another brand on your non-wearable pump:

If you switched pumps but want to use your old flanges, look into using adaptor pieces:

  • To pump with a Spectra using Medela Flanges, use these

If you want to move around your house while pumping but your protruding flanges and bottles are a bit unstable, try a bottle bracer!