Electric breast pumps

Many mothers who plan to go back to work or school choose electric breast pumps over any other kind of pump. Yes, a mother could express milk with a battery-operated pump, a manual pump, or even by hand, but electric breast pumps are much more effective.

Electric breast pumps express milk quickly and efficiently – unlike most other methods of expressing milk, new models of electric breast pumps can best-mimic the stimulation that you would experience from your baby. They can mimic both types of sucking that a baby employs – regular nursing and “let-down.”

When shopping for electric breast pumps, keep these things in mind:

· Adjustability – adjustable speed settings and vacuum settings allow you to set up your breast pump at the level that is most comfortable for you. Also, look for pumps that come with or allow different sizes of breast shields – you want your pump to fit you well. And some electric breast pumps even have adjustable handles.
· Dual pump (double pump) – pumping two breasts at once is more effective and takes less time.
· Cycles – the more cycles per minute, the faster you will be able to pump your milk. A cycle is one suction and release sequence.
· Assembly – look for a pump that is easy to assemble, take apart, and clean. You want to be able to easily remove all parts that come in contact with your skin and/or milk during use – these are the parts that must be cleaned after each feeding.
· Weight – if you are having to drag your electric breast pump with you to work every day, you want to be sure that it is not too difficult to bring along. Look for a light-weight model that comes with a carrying case.
· Noise – in favor of being discreet, look for a quite model.
· Power – does it have back-up power options? Can it be plugged into your vehicle’s cigarette lighter? Can you use a battery pack?
· Additional features – some pumps have many additional features like an insulated bag for storing expressed milk, breast indicators (so a mother knows which breast she last expressed milk from), timers, date and time settings, retractable cords, and more. While these extra features can be very beneficial, if you do not need them, do not pay extra for them! Think about what you really need.
· Cost – for a decent model, you are likely going to have to pay well over $100. For a hospital grade electric breast pump, you could be paying over $700 (sometimes it is best to rent a hospital grade pump rather than buy one).

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