It’s just starting to dawn on me, now that I feel half normal again, that I need to start pumping. I pumped with my last child and one of my fondest memories is a trip I made to LA for work five months after giving birth and pulling out my pump in a diner bathroom because my boobs were literally aching. Pumping is not a very sexy activity in my humble opinion but for working mothers who are still breastfeeding and more importantly for a woman who just wants to leave the house without her baby for a few hours and do something else…it’s essential. I am not sure how many more times I can employ the services of dear friends to hold my baby while I get my hair and nails done!

I decided to do some research into different breast pumps. I have the old Medela Advanced Pump In Style which was extremely effective when I was working in an office every day, but it costs over a couple hundred dollars and you might be looking for something else. On a side note, I really do need to start pumping because they say if you leave it too long the baby may not accept the bottle. Now everything should always be taken with a pinch of salt ladies because you know… every baby is different, and it doesn’t help to stress about this stuff, but most importantly don’t be afraid to pump because literally, if breastfeeding matters to you, this is your key to a few hours of freedom.

So which pump to get… I went onto La Lecha Lega website and they made an important point about working mothers….time really is money it seems and you definitely want to get a pump that can work on both breasts simultaneously for speedy delivery plus by working both breasts mothers keep their prolactin (an important lactation hormone) level up, and they may be able to pump in 10-15 minutes rather than 20 to 30 minutes.

The La Lecha ladies write:

Some considerations when thinking about pumps are cost, portability, nipple suction adjustability, noise level, ease of use and efficiency. There are manual (hand operated) pumps ($14-$50) which often are helpful for those who want to pump on an occasional basis to leave milk for baby. Most are easy to operate, small, and easy to transport. Some require two hands and others operate with only one hand. The “bicycle horn” style manual pump is NOT recommended. There are also small electric pumps ($30-$150) available from different manufacturers. These use batteries or AC adapters to supply the power and are still quite small and portable. Some are quiet and some are not.

When pumping time is limited and larger milk volumes are needed, some women rely on full-size, automatic electric pumps, which have a suck-release cycle that is closer to the pattern of a baby than the continuous suction of the smaller pumps. Many women report they are quite efficient and quiet, although not quite as portable. These are usually rented (although the equipment that attaches the mother to the pump must be purchased) and cost varies. Prices range from $50 to $150. Examples of these pumps include Evenflo’s Comfort Select, Medela’s Single Deluxe, Bailey’s Nurture III, and The First Years’ Easy Comfort single or double electric/battery breast pumps.

The newer automatic electric pumps designed for mothers who need to regularly pump their milk represent another option. These are quiet to operate, cost over $200 and are listed as single-user pumps by the manufacturers. These come with an attractive carrying case and all the accessories needed to pump both breasts at the same time, and work well for mothers who work outside the home (this is what I have). Examples of top-end pumps include Medela’s Pump In Style and Ameda’s Purely Yours.

However, if a mother needs to pump to increase her milk supply, provide milk for a premature baby or other situations where the baby is not breastfeeding to provide stimulation for the mother’s breasts, the hospital-grade rental pumps are the preferred option. Hospital-grade pumps are by far the priciest — a new one costs more than $1,000. However, many hospitals, lactation consultants, and medical supply stores rent top-of-the-line breast pumps for $1 to $3 per day. To find rental locations in your area, call Medela at (800) 835-5968 or search the company’s Web site or try Ameda at (800) 323-4060 or search its Web site.

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March 15th, 2007 | Permalink