Best Breast Pumps for Busy Moms

By: Elizabeth Donovan, M.A.

Nursing a newborn takes time, energy, and lots of sleepless nights. And though we simply adore our little bundles of joy, for many moms, there comes a time when it’s time to go back to work. Whether it’s by choice or out of necessity, going back to work is often a difficult choice for many mothers and even more of a challenge is deciding whether or not to continue to nurse your little girl.

Moms that decide to pump at work have the additional task of having to do so in a quiet, private, and ‘clean’ environment with a breast pump that enables them to pump quickly and efficiently. Thankfully, many employers now provide new moms with private rooms and additional time to pump, but new moms still can feel rushed and overwhelmed when trying to fit in pumping on their lunch or break time. New moms need breast pumps that are affordable, and most importantly, allow them to “get the job done” quickly with the least amount of fuss. A good breast pump may cost you a little, more, but it’s worth it. “A good high quality pump is so important and is the best investment you can make. It is worth the money and so important,” says Jamie Beck of Corona, CA.

Not sure where to start in your quest for the perfect pump? For best results, try one of these “mom” recommended breast pumps for easy pumping and a happy mom and baby!

Moms Choices for Best Breast Pumps:

Best Electric Pumps:

Electric pumps are the best choice for moms returning to work full-time who will need to pump several times a day and do so quickly and efficiently. These high-powered pumps usually include dual pumping (express milk from both breasts at once) and are touted as coming as close as possible to imitating your baby’s sucking pattern, which helps maintain milk supply. These savvy breast pumps have come with popular “extras” like car AC adapters, fancy travel cases, built-in milk coolers and hands-free kits. The downside? Price. Moms should expect to spend anywhere from 200-$300 to buy a good electric breast pump.

Medela Pump-in-Style

The ‘’standard” for working moms double electric pumps. Sure, it’s bit more expensive than most pumps, but moms on-the-go swear by it’s efficiency, ease-of-use, and quiet pump motor. Helen Montoya Henrichs, mom to a 9 month old daughter, found her Medela Pump-in-Style priceless.”The pump has been a life saver in helping me get rid of plugged ducts and of course keeping my daughter stocked up on breast milk,” she says. Henrichs also liked the specific features of the Pump-in-Style: “I like that it [Medela] is a double pump, which makes pumping quicker and easier,” she acknowledges. “It’s also nice that it has an adjustable pump pressure.”

Ameda Purely Yours

If Medela is a bit pricey for your budget, then try the Ameda Purely Yours. The Ameda Purely Yours is largely comparable to the Medela Pump-in-Style, but costs a bit less. And moms like Jamie Beck say it’s a total lifesaver. “The pump is easy to use, the only drawback is the noise but it is much quieter than other pumps on the market and it is easy to clean and portable and even works in the car.” Beck also found that the company was amazingly supportive when she accidentally broke her pump, something that moms often overlook when buying breast pumps. “Ameda sent me a brand new pump over night and when I dropped it a second time, they sent me another one. They were wonderful,” she says. “I could never have fed my daughter to help her through her allergies without the support of Ameda [and my husband],” says Beck.

Busy moms like Karen Tong also found Ameda to be accessible, convenient, and durable. “I liked that I was able to use it in
the car as I’d bought the car adapter,” says Tong. “After using it for 6 months, I never lost a part or had any pieces break.” Is there a downside to the Ameda Purely Yours? Tong warns that the only issue she had with it was that tote model didn’t fully close once she tried to get all of the parts back in it. But other than that, it got a thumbs up!

Hospital Grade Pump

Hospital-grade rental breast pumps are a great option for new mothers with NICU babies who are pumping to establish a milk supply. They are also a good option for moms who would like to “try out” breastfeeding before they commit to purchasing an electric pump. Breast pump rentals may run $30-$60 per month and offer moms a chance to shell out a smaller dose of cash to see if it works. Hospital grade pumps are the best on the market and provide moms with the maximum pumping advantage.

Best Manual Pumps:

Manual breast pumps are generally inexpensive (around $35-$45) and a good option for moms who pump once or twice a day at the most. Moms working part time or who chose to pump while staying home, find that manual pumps get the job done and are reliable without the high cost and mechanical parts to tinker with. Be forewarned though that they can be tiring, so if you plan to do lots of pumping, manual pumps may not be the best option for you.

Avent Isis

The Avent Isis manual pump is a good option for moms who do not need to pump many times a day. It allows pumping on only one side at a time, which takes a bit longer. “With my first three [babies] I used the Avent hand pump and it worked fine for the few times I had to use it,” says Angie Day of Platteville, WI. The Avent Isis has a soft silicone liner to help make suction comfortable and powerful for manual pump.

In addition, the Isis is small, discreet, and easy to use just about anywhere because it’s perhaps the quietest pump on the market and can easily fit underneath your shirt for one-hand pumping. Many moms swear they can pump just as much milk using Isis than an electric pump, though understandably, it takes a little longer to do so.

The cost is also a plus, at around $45, the Isis gives mom a less expensive option if they chose to pump occasionally. Angie Day cautions moms that there is a slight downside to this hand-held pump, “The little plug for it [the pump’ was easily lost,” she says. But Avent does offer replacement parts, so check their site (www.avent.com) for additional information.

Medela Harmony

The Medela Harmony manual breast pump is similar to the Avent in terms of comfort and storage accept it boasts a “two mode” system, a simulation mode and the expression mode. The simulation mode mimics your baby’s initial rapid sucking to start your milk flowing, while the expression mode simulates your baby’s slower, deeper suckling to express your milk gently yet efficiently the second simulates your baby’s slower, deeper suckling to express your milk gently yet efficiently. These modes work together to make pumping a quick and painless process.

Some moms prefer the Harmony over Isis because they do not use Avent bottles and find that the Harmony fits more types of bottles for easy pumping an milk storage. Another advantage with Medela Harmony is that it has fewer parts than Isis and is compatible with the Medela Pump in Style so moms can use the electric pump at work and interchange parts to use the manual Medela Harmony at home.

Remember to do your homework:

Regardless of what type of pump you chose, make sure it’s comfortable, practical, and suits your breastfeeding needs. Check to see if your retailer offers a “trial period” and has a good return policy. Also check to see what the replacement policy for getting additional parts to your pump. Some companies, like Avent, are great about offering additional parts for a minimal price or for free if you lose one. It’s always important to do your homework first to make sure you have the best ‘pumping’ experience for you and your breasts!

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