The world of breast pumps can be a confusing one! There are a whole range of different products on the market and working out which one best suits your needs can be a little overwhelming! Let's take a look at the two primary categories; manual and electric breast pumps and see how they differ, the advantages and disadvantages of each and how to choose one that will best suit your lifestyle and needs.
When it comes to breast pumps, not all are created equal! Generally speaking, pumps fall into two categories; manual breast pumps and electric.
Both pumps can be very effective in drawing out milk for storing and/or bottle feeding. Your lifestyle, pumping schedule and budget will usually determine which is the best fit for your needs.Â
Electric breast pumps often offer stronger suction and faster pumping due to them having a power source. Hospitals will usually offer double, hospital grade electric breast pumps for mothers who need to pump after their baby is born. The majority of electric breast pumps will offer a variety of different pumping modes; like an expression and massage mode for example so that mums can customise their pumping experience.Â
An electric breast pump is the ideal choice for women who express regularly or exclusively as it is faster than a manual pump, allowing you to express and store more breastmilk in a shorter space of time. This is also perfect for mothers who need to express in the workplace and may only have limited time to do so.
For women who only express occasionally, an electric breast pump may not be necessary with a manual suiting their needs better.
An electric breast pump can be an essential tool for mums who need to express daily or more than once a week. Exclusive expressers or mums who have returned to work will find the right electric breast pump an invaluable tool in their breastfeeding journey.
Electric breast pumps are:
When choosing an electric breast pump, it's important to do your research and assess the following:
The Cimilre Motif Luna Breast Pump ticks all those boxes (and more) and is our pick for the best electric breast pump on the market. With powerful, hospital grade suction, a closed system (to keep the motor and tubing clean and prevent contamination) and multiple expression modes, including the option to save your favourite settings, the Luna promises more milk in less time. With the option to either use the inbuilt battery or plug in adaptor, and weighing in at a tiny 907g with a backlit LED screen and nightlight and super quiet motor, it ticks all the boxes.
The Cimilre Motif Luna Hospital Grade Electric Breast Pump will be coming to Milkbar in 2021.Â
Manual pumps are a great option for mums who pump occasionally and are not using expressed breastmilk as a primary source of nutrition for their baby. For regular expressers, a manual pump may not be the best fit as it can be time consuming and tiring on your wrists.
A manual breast pump is a fantastic choice if you need or want to pump occasionally to collect some milk to store. A manual breast pump can also be handy in collecting your letdown without causing any oversupply concerns.
Product Feature: The Original Haakaa Generation 2 Silicone Breast Pump
A manual breast pump can be a simple, effective and budget friendly option for mums who want to be able to pump occasionally without needing to hook themselves up to a machine (or outlay a huge amount of money!)
Manual breast pumps are:
While a manual pump will not be as big an investment as an electric pump, it's still important to consider the following before making a purchase:
The best selling Haakaa Silicone Breast Pump is our top pick when it comes to manual breast pumps. Made from super lightweight, 100% food grade silicone, the Haakaa works by creating gentle suction on your breast to draw out milk. It can be used hands-free and doesn't require the constant pumping action often required by other manual pumps.
For more information on our range of breast pumps and resources for pumping and breastfeeding, click here
While the majority of us have heard of (and donated!) blood, not as many of us will be familiar with breast milk donation. But, as shown by the latest statistics from The Red Cross Lifeblood, milk donation is increasingly becoming more common.Â
But how exactly does milk donation work and why is it so important? We spoke to Lifeblood and some mamas who have benefitted from informal milk sharing to get the lowdown.
When it comes to breast pumps, questions abound. From the best model to choose, to Manual versus electric pumps and even why we need a pump in the first place. We decided to go to the source, our Milkbar mums, to find out their thoughts on all things breast pumps. We surveyed 318 mums who responded to our various call outs for participants on our social media accounts and in our weekly newsletter.
We asked our mums a range of questions from what their favourite breast pump was, to why they decided to purchase a pump in the first place and the advice they’d give other mums new to pumping.
 If there is one product that we get asked about regularly here at Milkbar, it’s the game changing Haakaa Silicone Breast Pump. Here, we answer all your questions so that you can start using your Haakaa Silicone Breast Pump quickly and easily.