If this is your first baby and you are trying to decide which breastpump to get, you are not alone! There are so many on the market today it is confusing to know which one to select. Luckily, there is also a lot more information about pumps and lot more research than ever before.

Different types of breastpumps

The type of pump you are probably looking for is called a personal pump that you can generally get paid through your insurance company.  They  typically work well, can be used for an extended period of time and come with everything you need . It can be a very good idea to get your pump before you deliver as many of our patients use their pumps right after birth for a variety of reasons, but do know that if breastfeeding is going well at the beginning, there is no need to pump right away. It is also a good idea to have all your parts sterilized before you deliver so if you need to use it right away, it is ready to go. 

How pumps work

All breastpumps work in similar fashion. They have vacuum button that mimics how strong your pump is and a rate button that mimics how fast or slow your pump cycles. Then there are variances that some of the new pumps have that allows you to use each side of your pump independently. In other words, you make the right side pump a little stronger and the left side pump and less strong. 

Should I get a Hand free breastpump?

You might have seen advertisements for the hands free pumps that require no tubing and can fit inside your bra. They certainly can give you the mobility to move around and get chores done, drive, and even hold your baby while you are pumping. I will say, unless you have an amazing milk supply, most the patients we work with here at New Mother New Baby, find the truly hands free pumps are not the best choice for your primary pump, but can truly be a game changer for a secondary pump.

What is a workhorse breastpump?

Most of the moms we see eventually have two breastpumps, a primary "workhorse pump" and a hands free pump to use when they are more on the go. Most moms will use their "workhorse" pump at work because they generally get more milk. Some of the popular workhorse pumps we see our patients  come in with in are the Spectra S1 and S2, the Baby Buddha, the Medela Pump in Style and the Medela Freestyle pump, the Lansinoh pump, the Pumpables pump, the Luna Motif, and the Spectra Synergy Gold. There are so many more and new pumps come out every week it seems. Ask some of your friends and colleagues what they are using and it can help to ask the lactation consultant in your area. It can also be helpful to join some Facebook groups for more information. I also have a short video you can watch here.  

Best Tip:

The best tip I can leave you with is in that the first week of baby's life, when you are tired and weary and just learning to be a new mom, is also the most critical time at establishing your milk supply. Schedule a lactation visit so you can make the most of this time by getting a baseline of how much milk you are making and a plan to make the most of your breastfeeding journey.