Whatever your reasons for purchasing a breast pump, it's important you choose one that suits your needs. A good breast pump should be efficient, comfortable and easy to use while fitting effortlessly into your lifestyle.

There are many factors to take into consideration before your purchase such as how frequently you plan on using it and how portable it should be. Choosing your breast pump is a personal decision and one that shouldn't be hurried.


Breast pumps are available as manually operated or electric. Both have their own pros and cons which you'll need to weigh up before making your purchase. Generally you'll find a greater choice of electric pumps, but well known brands such as Medela and Philips Avent manufacture both.

Breast pumps work by mimicking the suckling action of your baby. The milk is collected through the suction cap and delivered straight into a sterilized bottle which you can then store for later or freeze. If you're fully breastfeeding your baby, it's best to wait until around 4-6 weeks after the birth before expressing as this gives your milk supply enough time to become fully established.

Reasons for using a breast pump

Many mothers choose to breast and bottle feed. Expressing allows you to store breast milk for later use, enabling someone else to bottle feed your baby in your absence. Sometimes, if mother or baby cannot manage the breast feeding process properly, expressing enables her baby to still benefit from her nutritious breast milk. Breast pumps are also useful to help relieve overfull breasts or for increasing the milk supply.

Manual pumps

Manual pumps are quiet, lightweight and easily portable, so will easily fit into your bag. Many women find them more comfortable to use than the electric alternative as they allow greater control of the suction speed. However, it can become tiring as you need to manually squeeze the pump. And if you're expressing from both breasts this could take up to half an hour and you may need to use both hands.

Most are sold with optional extras such as breast pads, different sized suction caps, extra storage bottles and a carry case. Manual pumps are the cheapest option and are the best choice for infrequent use. If you’re planning to express breast milk at work, you may feel more comfortable using the more discreet manual breast pump.

Mains and battery powered

Electric pumps are powerful and highly efficient, making light work of expressing your milk. They're the ideal option if you're planning to express frequently and even more so if you buy a double pump whereby you can express from both breasts simultaneously. A good electric breast pump should include extra features such as adjustable suction and speed levels.

Electric pumps cost more than manual pumps and are available as either battery operated or mains powered. Both are quite noisy so they're probably not the ideal choice if you're at all concerned about being overheard. Some women find the suction is too strong so if you're worried about this, choose one with an adjustable suction option. While the mains powered pumps aren't as portable since you need to be close to a power socket, the battery operated pumps can churn through the batteries at a fast rate, especially if you're using it every day.

The best way of buying a good breast pump is to ensure you buy one that meets your own individual needs and lifestyle. Manual pumps are quiet and easily portable while electric pumps cost more but provide greater efficiency at expressing milk.  If you're still unsure as to which type of breast pump is likely to suit you, many hospitals and other maternity centers hire them out. This gives you the chance of trying one first and could possibly help make your purchase decision a little easier.

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