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How do I decide what type of breast pump to get? There are so many options, like manual or electric, or even ones you can wear while walking around. Is there a better one for establishing a good supply? Should I get one now or wait until I see how breastfeeding goes? The options are overwhelming!
—Kayla
This is a question I really empathize with. When my first child was born, I had not yet purchased a breast pump and, somehow, on night two home from the hospital, I decided we needed a hospital-grade pump. I do not remember why, but I do remember that I sent my husband driving an hour away to rent one. It turned out we could have gotten one from the hospital 10 minutes from us; he has still not fully recovered from this.
My point is: good for you for thinking about it in advance, and I agree this is all very overwhelming. The short answer is that the right pump depends on your use case.
A simple manual pump can be good to have for emergencies (your milk is overflowing, and you’re trapped without electricity), but if you are planning to pump any meaningful amount, you will also need an electric pump.
There are two primary differences across pumps. First, how powerful the motor is, and second, how portable the pump is. Generally, there is a trade-off here. The portable in-bra pumps are really convenient, but they aren’t as efficient at getting the milk out as a heavy, awkward, hospital-grade pump. There are also pricing differences; you pay more for both efficiency (hospital-grade pumps are more expensive than home pumps, although they can often be rented) and convenience. Pumps that can run on batteries, or which fit in your bra, tend to be more expensive.
The question to ask yourself is: what are you planning to do with the pump? If you are planning to primarily pump at home, to supplement nursing, you can easily get away with a mid-range pump. If you are planning to pump at work regularly, the in-bra option can be great, especially if you are worried about having private space (yes, I know employers are required to provide this, but also, it’s not always ideal). And if you’re planning to exclusively pump, you want to invest more, since this is going to be a lot of your time.
If you do not know yet how you plan to use this, it may make sense to wait to purchase, but I’d get a simple hand pump, just in case.
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Insurance will often pay for a pump! Make sure to check that.