How to choose the best breast pump

Most breastfeeding mums will express breastmilk at some point - either because they’re back to work, or they want to share feedings with their partner, or because they want to prevent engorged breasts. There are many different types of breast pumps out there and the best way to get it right is to find one that best fits your lifestyle.

What are the different types of breast pumps?

1. Silicone breast pumps

Also known as Milk Saver Pump, it is designed to collect breast milk that might be released from one breast while the other is being used for breastfeeding or expressing to ensure no waste of milk. It can also be used as a manual pump to assist in milk let down and/or express milk. Although the suction isn’t so strong, it’s recommended for mums who have a lot of breastmilk and don't want to waste any drop.

2. Manual breast pumps

A manual breast pump is hand operated, which requires the mum to squeeze the handle repeatedly in order to create suction and express milk. The positive side is that it’s quiet, compact, and you can pump at your own pace, the negative side is that it takes longer than an electric pump and you would be doing a lot of the work yourself.

The Pigeon Manual Breast Pump is easy to use and requires minimal effort on the act of pressing thanks to the ergonomic handle that reduces hand fatigue and makes pumping comfortable.

3. Electric breast pumps

An electric breast pump will do all the work for you - you just need to choose the pumping mode of your preference. The electric pump has a suction much stronger than the manual pump, which allows you to express milk much faster.

An electric breast pump can be single, where you can only express from one breast at a time, or double, where you can express from both breasts at the same time, allowing you to get more milk in less time.

Our GoMini Double Electric Breast Pump has one stimulation level and 5 different levels in the expressing mode so you can adjust the pressure as best for you. It is compact and light, making it easy to carry and store, and is perfect for mums whether at home, at work or on the go. It can be used as a single pump by simply disconnecting the second pump from the motor.

How to choose the right breast pump? 

Some questions that are worth asking yourself before buying a breast pump are: How often do I need to express milk? How much milk do I need to express? How much time do I have to express? What is my budget?

- A silicone breast pump will be enough if you don’t want to pump but don’t want to waste any milk let down.
- If you just want to offer a bottle occasionally (like if you’re having a night out), a manual pump will do the job.
- For mums who are back to work and will need to pump more often, the electric pump is the best option.
- The choice between the single and the double pump will depend mostly on how much milk you need to express and how much time you have to pump.

Whatever breast pump is right for you, you can find Pigeon's range of breast pumps online. 

There will always be many opinions and recommendations when it comes to parenthood, and just like everything else, what is best for some, might not be the best for you. What is most important about buying a breast pump is choosing the one that will work best for you and your lifestyle.