Breast Pump Recommendation

Updated on February 26, 2009
N.K. asks from Nashville, TN
42 answers

Any recommendations for breast pump brands or styles? I am expecting my second in June and will be going back to work after six weeks. I need a breast pump I can use at the office that isn't too slow (like a handheld) but isn't too loud either. I rented one from the hospital with my last one and I swear you could hear that machine I used up and down my street! Any suggestions from you working moms? Thanks!!

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Thanks, ladies! All of your feedback was wonderful!

Featured Answers

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M.B.

answers from Lexington on

I agree with a lot of the other posters on the Medela pump in style advanced. My son is 7 weeks and was in the NICU so I had to start pumping. He is home and I still use it some so daddy can help with feedings. It works great and is not very loud.

M.

1 mom found this helpful
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K.O.

answers from Johnson City on

Nicole, I would recommend Medela's Breastpump it has double pumps so you can pump both breasts at the same time and it is pretty fast. They are a bit pricey though around 200.00 - 275.00. But they are well worth the money, I bought mine 10 years ago, I have 2 kids 9 & 7, but I have let 3 people(4 kids total)use it and it is still working. So I would suggest this one above all the rest, and no it is not all that noisy, and it is electric but also has a handheld pump to use also. K. O.

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K.S.

answers from Hickory on

I used the Medela Pump-in-Style and had a good experience with it. I never tried anything else, so I can't compare it with another type.

More Answers

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W.M.

answers from Louisville on

Hi Nicole.
I used the Avent Isis manuel hand held. I really liked it alot. Plenty of suction and made no noise. http://sharedreviews.com/review/review_view/25257-feeding... is a site to look at.
Good luck. I am cheering you on girl!!! I loved nursing, hard but worth it.
Bless you all!
W. from Indiana

1 mom found this helpful
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H.F.

answers from Chattanooga on

I had a medela pump w/my first baby that worked well, it was a double electric. It recently bit the dust because it got wet..... long story. So I replaced it with a medela pump in style since I am now nursing my second baby. It was over $200, however formula will cost you that in no time. It is very quiet and came with a bag, bottles and ice pack, & battery converter. I tink it's great. It has different modes to help pump fast and a let down phase. I got mine at target, but they are everywhere. Good Luck!

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A.P.

answers from Charlotte on

The ones you rent from the hospital are so much better now. I just returned mine recently. My new little one is 6 months old and my milk just gave out. The one I rented was so quiet and fast. I had to pump in a small office with thin walls when I was at work and you couldn't hear this one at all. It didn't make that loud thonk sound like the the one I had with my first daughter who is now 2. You can ask to use one while you are in the hospital to see if you like it and then you will already have the tubing etc and won't need to buy that. The unit is even more compact than the one I had two years ago.

Good Luck!!

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K.B.

answers from Asheville on

I bought a swing pump. It was a one breast at a time pump. I found that to be useful because it was hard doing 2 at once. It wasn't loud and it was very compact. I could do one and then do something else and go back and do the other. Good luck.

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K.D.

answers from Charlotte on

I'm another vote for the Medela Pump in Style Advanced. I went back to work when my son was 10 weeks old and I breastfed him until he was 11 months old. It works great. It's fast because it's dual sided. The cost is totally worth it if you think about how much you would spend on formula. It pays for itself in no time.

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G.S.

answers from Lexington on

I have the medela swing pump and it works so great. Never have any problems with it and its easy to pack around and carry.

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C.S.

answers from Charlotte on

Medela's pump n style is a wonderful double electric. I used it with both of my kids.

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A.C.

answers from Raleigh on

I love my medela pump in style pump. There are two bags it can come in one is a backpack style one is an over the shoulder bag but both are the same pumping mechanism. It comes with a cooler bag and ice pack for storing four bottles. It does make noise but I think all pumps are somewhat noisy. It is nice because it is a double pump with the option of using one side only. Good luck.

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V.E.

answers from Greensboro on

I used the Medula breast pump also - you can pump both breasts at the same time which saves on time. Good Luck - I pumped at work for 6 months!

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R.M.

answers from Nashville on

I tried several with my son. I started out with a cheap one from my shower that died in a couple months and since I was intending to continue breastfeeding for a while I bought a Lansinoh Double Electric. It didn't give me the same output as the cheap one, so I tried a Medela Pump in Style. It was about the same as the Lansinoh. Then I was given a Playtex Embrace Deluxe Double Electric in a giveaway. They all worked about the same, as far as output. It turned out that your body learns your pump, just like it learns your baby. So whatever you do, start out with the one you intend to keep using the whole time. I thought I could put off the expense until the cheap one I had quit working, and that wasn't a good idea.

So being able to compare all three, I liked the playtex the best. It had soft cups which seemed to work the best for me, getting the most milk. That is probably because the cheap one I used had soft cups, and also the pump cycles on the playtex were similar to it. The Lansinoh and the Medela were very similar, but the Lansinoh was like a third of the cost. It doesn't come with a bag, which is nice to have. I did like the let-down feature on the Medela. And the Medela has other cups you can purchase if the standard size isn't right for you, including softcups, but those only come in one size. Noisiness seemed to be about the same for all of them, not very discreet if you are in a cubicle but not so loud you could hear it outside a closed office.

One thing I recommend is calling a lactation consultant for tips on how to successfully pump. Even better, bring it with you to the hospital and have the hospital LC help you. When I wasn't getting the same output with the more expensive ones, I called an LC whose number the hospital had given me, and she was able to explain how to pump much better than the manuals or websites. There were all kinds of things I was doing wrong. And I had been pumping for a while. Even a ten-minute call (which was free) helped me enormously. I tried calling the Medela hotline and they were no help whatsoever. They really didn't have a clue what they were talking about. The LC told me several things opposite of what they had told me, and what she told me actually worked.

Good luck!

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J.F.

answers from Nashville on

I use the pump n style medela breast pump. It works great and is very quiet. I purchased it at Summit hospital but you can get it at Target also.

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T.C.

answers from Nashville on

Medela is the best one and its quick too. They have a new one that isn't that loud.

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K.S.

answers from Charlotte on

Go to Milky Way (best prices in town) and get a Medela Pump In Style Advanced. I pumped for the entire first year of my daughter's life. This has the absolute best features and functionality. A friend is even using mine now and it is still like new. Good luck!

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K.S.

answers from Greensboro on

I used the Medela Pump in Style Advance at home and at work after I returned to work 12 weeks after having my daughter. I nursed until she was two, so I consistently used the pump at work everyday for a little over a year with no problems. To my knowledge the noise of the pump never caused a distraction...in fact I would often sneak in a nap while pumping :)

A Little about me: Full time worker, graduate student, and mother to a beautiful 3 year old daughter.

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M.C.

answers from Charlotte on

I have used several pumps - the Ameda, Lansinoh and Avent and my favorite by far is the Avent Isis Duo. It retails for like $279 and is worth every penny. I pumped ofr 15 months with baby #1 nad 16 months with baby #2 using this pump. It's fast and comfortable.
Good luck!

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A.B.

answers from Charlotte on

I would highly recommend the latest version of any Medela breast pump, they are probably the closest level of quality next to a hospital pump. Noise....well they do make a little noise, mine is 3 years olds so they probably have a newer version out now that may not be quite as noisy. But it's not very loud, as compared to a hospital pump. If you have Blue Cross Blue Shield then you may be able to contact them and get a great discount on a breast pump through a company that they used. You have to look around on their website, I just tried but you may have to enter your ID number or contact them. Good Luck!

A. B

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S.K.

answers from Fayetteville on

I cannot say enough about the Medela Pump N Style Advanced. Four years ago I had my first child. At first I was borrowing one that was 7+ years old and had been lent out a lot, but unfortunately I broke a piece off that attached the tubing. Then, while I waited for my OWN NEW PUMP N STYLE to come in, I borrowed 2 different ones from friends that were other styles (aveda I think and I don't remember the other one) BUT NEITHER WORKED AT ALL as well as the Medela. I even purchased the smaller travel medela to try, but it didn't work as well either. YOU CANNOT GO WRONG WITH THE PUMP N STYLE ADVANCED!!! You can even get replacement tubing with each child or each user - by order or my sister got a set from the hospital!!! My pump has been used by both of us and I am thinking about investing in another one with the next baby coming in April, so that I can have one at work and one at home!!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE the pump n style advanced!!!

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E.A.

answers from Louisville on

I had great success with the Medela Pump-n-Style. My sister-in-law had the briefcase-style one and liked it. I had the backpack-style one and used it for two babies and was able to nurse and pump for both of them until they were both 15 months old. Very quiet and easy to clean and use. My kids are now 5 and 7 so I'm sure Medela has since made improvements on it but I was very pleased with it then. Good luck!

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H.R.

answers from Raleigh on

Hi Nicole,

I would highly recommend the Medela Pump in Style (Advanced breastpump), it is an electric dual action pump. I work full time and returned to work after 12 weeks of maternity leave. My daughter is almost 8 months and I am still able to breastfeed/pump for her b/c of the Medela pump. It comes in a stylish bag (no one would ever know it was a breast pump) and is not loud. My only issue (very minor) is that you will probably need to purchase a larger breastshield than what comes with the pump. The pump comes with size Medium, but I had to switch to a Large.

It is not a cheap pump (around $280), but it is worth the investment if you want to breastfeed long-term and are a working mom.

I'm not sure about buying one used. If you go this route, I would recommend buying all NEW parts!!!

Good luck!

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J.H.

answers from Knoxville on

I use the Medela pump in style. It isn't very loud at all, and it does the job well. It comes in handbag type carry on. I work part time and it works great for me. I got it at Target on sale for $250.00 well worth the $$. Good luck and happy pumping!

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A.H.

answers from Nashville on

I have two children and I have breastfed both. I used the Ameda Purely Yours breast pump and loved it. It is a little pricey but is great if you are working. It has an A/C plug in and is also battery operated if you can't get to a wall plug in. It comes with all the supplies needed to get you started and standard bottles fit the attachments. I used the bottles that came with it but if I pumped in the morning, I used larger bottles due to larger supply. It has various settings so you can set it to what is comfortable to you.
Congratulations on your pregnancy and good luck!

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D.J.

answers from Raleigh on

Get the Medela Pump in Style. If you google Hackley Healthcare, you can order in online from them, and it quite a bit cheaper than buying it in the store. That's where I purchased mine.

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S.D.

answers from Nashville on

I rented a pump from Le Le Che that worked really well.

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P.G.

answers from Raleigh on

Hi Nicole
Congrats on your 2nd! I liked the Medela pump in style. I don't know if it is called the pump in style anymore, but it is a Medela brand. They run around $250, but I thought it was worth it, especially if you'll be pumping for a while. I felt it was pretty quiet. You can purchase it as a tote or a backpack. It comes with all the storage stuff you'll need. It is all electric and it is dual, so it will pump both breasts at the same time. If you have any other questions feel free to email me.

P.

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J.S.

answers from Lexington on

Medela pump in style double electric breast pump worked very well for me. It comes in a shoulder bag or backpack and looks fairly discreet when you're lugging it around. No one really can tell it's a breast pump. It also has varying degrees of suction and speed so you can adjust it accordingly. Pretty quiet too. Congratulations on your new baby!

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J.P.

answers from Memphis on

Hi Nicole,
I used Madela with my second child. I worked at a bank at the time and I would just go into our boardroom 3 times a day...break, lunch, and last break...it worked great for me. I highly recommend them...it was used by me and just about everyone down the totem pole in my family and that was 7 yrs ago.

Jen

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T.B.

answers from Nashville on

Hi Nicole

I have the Medula Freestyle pump. I love it because it is just a one piece tiny unit about the size of a grapefuit. It is quiet, light and small which makes it very discret for transporting into the workplace.

Good luck
T.

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M.W.

answers from Huntington on

I love my Lloyd B breast pump. I got it 30 yrs ago for $30. it is still only $35. after all these yrs! It is faster, not to mention quieter and more portable than the hosp. electric pump. Much more effiecient than any of the other breast pumps I tried. I am a midwife with many clients, seven kids & 11 grandkids, so that original pump lasted 25 yrs, used by umpteen mothers, before the rubber stopper finally corroded, so, altho I no longer an breastfeeding myself, I continue to lend out my second Lloyd B, to all my children & clients that need a pump. It has been a very worthwhile investment!
The parts are all rubber and glass, so no worry about BHP's (or whatever the intials are of the compound in plastic that is supposed to leach out and be dangerous!)

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R.C.

answers from Raleigh on

Hi Nicole,
I have a 17 month old and a 12 day old son.

I loved my Medela Breastpump... (pump in style) however, they are on the pricey side... you may want to check with your insurance company... about 5 days after I bought my Medela I got a coupon for 40% off of Isis (which several of my friends really liked) which would have been a huge savings. I like Medela and it is all BPA-free. The only other disadvantage of Medela is that I had to buy bigger horns to accommodate my nipple size and the parts were about $15 each (I bought a few so I could have one in the dishwasher and one in use).

Also- not sure if you pumped for your first or not but something that saved me a huge amount of time at work was that I kept a big tupperware container in the fridge at work with my parts... this allowed me to not have to sterilize after each use- I would just take it home and sterilize at home each night. This saved me a ton of time at work in between each pumping- I did not find the sterilizing bags to save that much time and it always lined up that I would have to wait in line for the microwave which was very akward.

Another thing that really helped me was buying a handsfree pumping bra- it basically holds the horns in place so you can do some work... the downfall is that I could never pump as much with the hands-free as I did with hands-on but if you massage the tissue before you put the bra on it helps.

Best of luck to you. Feel free to e-mail me if you have any other questions.

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F.K.

answers from Charlotte on

I recommend the Medela Pump in Style Advanced. I have the backpack style which I love because it's easier to carry and it has a cooler bag in it for the pumped milk.

It also has a battery pack which I used when the power went out. You can also get an adapter for the car cigarette lighter which came in really handy on road trips because I could pump and bottle feed my son in his car seat and not have to stop to nurse.

I have had my pump for years (using it 5-6 times per day) and am currently using it for my second child. It still works wonderfully.

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T.R.

answers from Nashville on

Medela Pump in Style would be the only brand I recommend. I haven't found anyone so far who was not pleased with it. It is definelty worth every penny. You can buy them anywhere. I think I got mine from babies'r'us.

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A.L.

answers from Charlotte on

if you are interested in a used one, i am done with my Medela pump and style and would sell it cheap.
let me know, it is in excellent shape!
not too loud, I used it t work with my first.

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J.L.

answers from Charlotte on

Hi!
I used the Medela Swing pump. It was vey convienient for traveling to and from work & came in a descreet drawstring bag. It wasn't loud at all, and the Medela help line came in handy a couple of times. It's not the fastest pump out there, but it's pretty good for the money. Good luck!

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L.M.

answers from Charlotte on

I agree with the other moms whole heartedly- the Medela is the way to go.

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J.L.

answers from Louisville on

I used the Ameda Purely Yours - it worked great, was quick and didn't seem to be too loud. Here's a link for it: http://www.amedababy.com/product/6

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C.B.

answers from Jacksonville on

I use a Medella breast pump. It is also recommended by hospitals. You can use it as a dual or single pump. It is a little expensive though. I belelive I got mine for @ $279 or something close to that at Babies R Us. It does come with all the parts you need, and a purse or backpack as a carrying case.

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J.F.

answers from Louisville on

The medela pump in style brands rock! I pumped for a year because my first born wouldn't latch. It was easy, effective, and great to travel with (I had to travel for work). Their website is www.medelabreastfeedingus.com Hope this helps!

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T.G.

answers from Louisville on

I would agree too, the Medela works very well. I work part time outside my home and pumped at work. The Medela works fast. The noise was at a minimal so I didn't feel as if everyone in the office could hear me pumping. Good luck!

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K.P.

answers from Wilmington on

The Medela Pump In Style worked the best for me... it was 6 years ago so there may be something better now. It wasn't too noisy and I have noticed lately you can pick up parts at Target. I had to order mine online and wait for delivery.

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