JUST brought your new baby home or already well in the swing of being a mum? If you’re breastfeeding your little one, a one of the best breast pumps can be a very handy bit of kit to help make feeding easier.
Each woman’s breastfeeding journey, baby and, well, boobs are different, so you might get on with the same pump as your best mate. But put simply – a breast extracts milk from your breasts so that you can feed it your baby with a bottle, or store it in the fridge or freezer to use at a later date.
As well as making how and when you feed your baby more flexible (for example, if you’re returning to work or would like another parent to help out with feeds), breast pumps are also useful for relieving engorgement and for establishing milk supply.
Breast pumps are either manual or electric, and electric pumps are either single-breast or double. Manual pumps are usually far cheaper and more lightweight than electric pumps, which are more expensive. Electric pumps used to be large, noisy and with inconvenient wires, but some of the posher designs on the market are now wire-free and hands-free so that pumping is as simple as possible. Double pumps cut down on the time it takes to pump as you can empty both boobs at once.
There’s a surprising range of breast pumps on the market and they can look intimidating to first time mums. But, whether you go for a simple manual design or a posher electric pump, we’ve tried and tested some great options and explained the world of nipple shields and in simple terms, so you can find the right design for you. We’ve chosen the best breast pumps on the market to suit mums of all shapes and sizes.
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You may or may not need a pump at all. It’s a good idea to wait until your baby has arrived before buying a breast pump, so you’re more familiar with how and when your baby feeds (or you may be combination feeding a mixture of breast milk and formula or simply have decided that breastfeeding isn’t for you) and whether you want or need to pump any extra milk.
Breast pumps are either manual or electric. Manual pumps are designed for occasional use (some guidelines recommend 2-3 times a day) so we would suggest buying a good electric pump if it’s a regular part of your routine. Both kinds of pump mimic the ‘let down’ of milk from your breasts that a baby would create.
Flanges or shields are the plastic pieces that you put over your breasts. The pump pulls the nipple into the flange to express the milk. It’s important that the flanges fit properly to avoid pain or abrasions that can lead to infection, and using any kind of pump should not hurt.
Milk can breed bacteria but it’s easy to sterilise your equipment. The NHS recommend sterilising all feed equipment used for babies under 12 months. Note that just popping bits through the dishwasher isn’t considered enough – you need to wash and rinse all parts of the pump using bottle brushes and then either boil in 100C water for 10 minutes or use a sterilising liquid or a kit that uses steam or UV to sanitise each part.
Pros: Great quality
Cons: Expensive
Elvie’s pumps are some of the most popular on the market, and for good reason. Elvie’s two offerings are the Elvie Pump (read our full review here:) and the Elvie Stride, both of which stood out on test for one key factor – how quiet they are compared to most pumps.
If you want to pump at work or when out and about, it’s nice to feel like your boobs aren’t making loud mechanical noises, and these pumps are as silent as they get. The Stride is the more affordable option and is hands-free, more discreet in your bra than most pumps and comfy to wear. There’s also a good app for tracking your milk flow.
Technology: electric Single or double: both available Shield sizes available: 15, 17, 19, 21, 24 and 28mm Wearable: yes
Pros: Easy to use, great quality, discreet
Cons: Expensive, not silent
Breast pumps are getting smaller, quieter and more efficient every year, and Medela are proving part of that trend with the Freestyle. As the name suggests, this lightweight pump sits in your bra and the double pumps express efficiently even while you’re working, doing the dishes or are just trapped under a sleeping baby.
There’s lots we liked on test: the cups are lightweight and stay in position well, you can recharge the pump with USB and you can pop the three pump parts in the dishwasher. Two nipple shields are included, which saves the fiddly task of trying to measure your nipple before you buy, and you it’s simple to swap from ‘stimulation’ to ‘expression’ on the pump. Not fully silent.
Technology: Electric Single or double: double Shield sizes available: 21mm and 24mm Wearable: Yes
Pros: Quiet, good price point, midwife advice available
Cons: Bulky, not super discreet
A good all-rounder if you’re after a wearable pump, Fraupow’s wearable design pops in your bra. It’s not slim enough to be discreet due to the chunky motor but is definitely wearable, and is also pleasingly quiet compared to some other wearable pumps.
You can move about with it on easily, so you can be playing with a toddler or working while pumping. It’s also generously sized, collecting up to 180ml per pump. We like the added bonus of three 30-minute calls with a midwife that are offered to every mum who buys this pump, which is a good way to get help if you find expressing a challenge.
While only one 24mm shield comes with the Fraupow, five other sizes can be ordered online.
Technology: electric Single or double: single Shield sizes available: 24mm (five sizes available to order) Wearable: Yes
Pros: Feed baby directly from the pump, good accompanying app
Cons: Heavier than some pumps
A few of the pumps we’ve received have apps you can use to control your pumping schedule but we found Tommee Tippee’s the easiest to get on with; it allows you to track milk output and even to control the pump remotely from your phone. You can also feed your baby directly from the pump bottle (Tommee Tippee’s bottles are often highly rated by mums too, so if you want to stick with one brand this is a good place to shop) which saves time.
While this is a wearable pump we did find it bulkier and heavier than some other designs to pop in a nursing bra due to the built-in pump. This pump is quiet enough to use in public, and you can order a range of shield sizes (17-28mm) for free.
Technology: electric Single or double: single, double also available Shield sizes available: 17mm, 19mm, 20mm, 24mm, 28mm Wearable: Yes
Pros: Comfortable and soft, affordable, can be used manually
Cons: Bulky, not wearable, lots of parts
Planning to mostly pump at home? You won’t need a discreet design, and if comfort is top of your shopping list, Vital Baby’s Nurture may suit you very well.
The brand says that their ‘soft silicone breast cup and flexcone provides gentle cushioning around your breast’.
We say it’s one of the comfiest pumps we tested, a lovely choice if your boobs are feeling a bit sensitive. You can also use this pump manually if you prefer. The downside is that this pump isn’t really wearable, so you’re stuck holding it for the duration. There are also a lot of parts to clean.
Technology: electric Single or double: single Shield sizes available: One size Wearable: No
Pros: Great price point, discreet, wearable
Cons: Fiddly to clean
Electric pumps can be painfully expensive, which adds pressure if you aren’t sure if they’re for you. Not so Pippeta’s LED single pump, which costs well under £100 but still works reliably well. You can recharge it via USB and four suction modes make it easy to encourage letdown. It fits nicely in nursing bras and is small and discreet and not too loud to use in public.
Any downsides? There are quite a few parts to this pump, so washing and sterilising is fiddly, but for a great pump at a great price we think it’s well worth it. The LED pump looks nice too, which might not be the most important selling point but will make you feel less like a milk machine.
Technology: electric Single or double: single Shield sizes available: 19mm and 21mm Wearable: Yes
Pros: Switch from manual to electric, comfortable
Cons: Not wearable, single size shield
Mam’s efficient pump works as both a manual and an electric pump, so if you aren’t sure how frequently you’ll need to express this is a good all-rounder (and you can also just buy the manual pump for £48 and then order the electric pump down the line before splashing out unnecessarily).
It’s not wearable (or very subtle, as it’s pretty bulky) but it is very comfortable, and feels soft against the breast. Mam reckon the included shield fits all but some women report that they needed bigger or smaller options. Comes with two bottles.
Technology: electric Single or double: single (double also available) Shield sizes available: One size Wearable: No
Pros: Easy to use, quick to clean, affordable
Cons: Large shield, basic manual pump
If you only want to express occasionally, there’s no need to buy a bells-and-whistles electric pump; a simple and affordable manual device will work just fine.
We found most manual pumps performed similarly on test, so we would recommend the fuss-free and very affordable Nuby model, which costs under £15. It’s so affordable that you might as well have it to hand in case you want to try pumping or for pumping before a night out.
Simply squeeze to help express milk, then store or feed to baby. This fuss-free design is easy and quick to clean. The shield is on the larger side, so it may not suit all women. A bottle is also included.
Technology: manual Single or double: single Shield sizes available: One size Wearable: no
Pros: Soft and comfy, discreet, affordable
Cons: Not a pump
When is a breast pump not a breast pump? When it’s this simple but very useful milk collector.
If you’re breastfeeding or pumping on one boob you may find that you leak from your other breast. This rather cute ladybird contraption is made from soft silicone and is designed to sit snugly in your bra and catch any milk so that it isn’t wasted.
It works through light suction rather than actual pumping, so you won’t even feel it collecting, and when you’re finished you can add it to a bottle. For under £20, the Ladybug is well worth having handy.
Capacity: 75ml Technology: milk collector Single or double: single Shield sizes available: One size Wearable: Yes
Pros: Affordable double pump, good wearability, good smartscreen
Cons: Lots of parts to clean
Double electric pumps are great if you’re expressing regularly, cutting pumping time in half and even being proven to produce more milk overall.
They’re also the most expensive option on the market – unless you go for Momcozy’s affordable set of two pumps. These sit nicely in a nursing bra and are surprisingly comfortable.
Stimulation and expression modes make getting your milk flowing easy, and there’s a smartscreen showing how much you’ve expressed. A 24mm shield comes as standard but other sizes are available to order.
Multiple small pieces make these pumps time-consuming to clean and sterilise.
Technology: electric Single or double: double Shield sizes available: 24mm (17mm, 19mm, 21mm and 27mm available to buy) Wearable: Yes
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