After getting tired of manual pumping, I purchased the Philips Avent ISIS iQ Uno Electric Breast Pump based on its relatively low price compared to other electric pumps.
Philips Avent ISIS iQ Uno Electric Breast Pump
My observations:
- I get more milk production with this than a manual pump. Having said that, each woman’s production is unique. In my case, I got double the production in less time.
- The shields are very comfortable and the petals are designed perfectly with the female form in mind. It really helps to stimulate let down and gets every ounce out.
- Adjustable suction and speed settings, and an option to convert it to a manual pump if you want.
- Easy to clean and assemble. It runs on batteries too, although its power drains very quickly so I prefer to use the adapter instead of wasting a good set of batteries for just one or two pumps.
- Very portable and versatile. For road trips, I convert it into a manual pump. And when I get to the hotel, I can use it on its adapter. For emergency feeding time, I can just grab some batteries and pump in the ladies room. Great convenience!
- Very quiet. I could pump without waking my baby who was right next to me.
- Being an Avent, it goes with other Avent bottles, which makes purchasing accessories a lot easier.
Overall, this is an affordable electric pump from a reputable brand. Even if you’ve got the money to spend on a high-end hospital grade pump, try the Philips Avent ISIS iQ Uno Electric Breast Pump first. It could very well surpass your expectations, just like it did mine.
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The Philips Avent ISIS iQ Duo Twin Electric Breast Pump is pretty expensive for a breast pump, but it’s well worth the investment.
Philips Avent ISIS iQ Duo Twin Electric Breast Pump
Once you figure out the most comfortable setting of the pumping speed and pressure for you, the pump works perfectly. With the option of stopping to adjust the pump whenever you want, you get every ounce of milk out. I love that I have complete control of the Avent, taking long pulls if I wanted to.
The Philips Avent ISIS iQ Duo Twin Electric Breast Pump gives a natural breastfeeding feel, with massaging motions of the entire nipple and areola, instead of only the nipple. The IQ part of the Avent certainly makes life more convenient. It remembers your rhythm setting and uses that preference each time. It’s great that you can reset the rhythm and letdown anytime without needing to stop pumping to make changes.
It’s very quiet as well and I’ve been able to pump in the baby’s room while she was sleeping. It’s also very lightweight and easy to assemble. The amount of parts might seem overwhelming at first but it’s a lot easier than it looks. It’s pretty much common sense after looking at the shapes of each part.
There’s also an instructional DVD with it and a very serious looking bag to keep everything in. Cleaning is such a breeze since I put it all in the dishwasher. The tubes are stiff and don’t require cleaning because of its closed system. I also love that it goes with any Philips Avent bottles instead of an exclusive bottle for this model.
Highly recommend the Philips Avent ISIS iQ Duo Twin Electric Breast Pump. Even though it’s got a high price tag, its durability, comfort and efficiency will win you over.
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After using a hospital-grade electric double pump, I wanted something more natural and less ‘high-tech’. After all, I’m doing a natural job like breastfeeding so I didn’t feel too comfortable using electric equipment for it.
The Lansinoh Manual Breast Pump has made breast pumping a comfortable and natural experience. It costs a lot less than an electric pump and produces the same, if not better, results.
Lansinoh Manual Breast Pump
Pros:
1. Comfortable – the shield feels great and you have complete control over the suction level by simply squeezing the lever.
2. Efficient – I usually get 4oz in about 5 minutes, depending on how hard I pull the lever. It gets the flow going and gets the job done very quickly.
3. Simple – it’s so easy to assemble and use. You pretty much just plug and pump.
4. Convenient – I love how portable and small it is. I can use it anywhere. With an electric one, I’d need to look for sockets first and using it in the car is definitely out of the question. With this manual pump, I can use it on road trips with no hassle or mess.
Cons:
1. Squeaky – it starts off fairly quiet then starts to make a slight squeaking sound. It’s quite bearable, though I can imagine some mothers may find it annoying.
2. One breast at a time – obviously being a single pump, you can only do one side at a time. Mothers rushing for time might find this a con. Personally, it feels more natural than double pumping.
This is a wonderful product that’s durable, convenient and efficient. I would definitely recommend that you try the Lansinoh Manual Breast Pump first before taking the plunge on very expensive electric pumps.
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Shortly after giving birth to my daughter, I had to go back to work with very little down time. So I was looking for something that could pump my milk quickly and efficiently.
I was also very price-conscious when searching around. I settled on The First Years miPump Double Electric Breast Pump after seeing some positive reviews online from working mothers.
The First Years miPump Double Electric Breast Pump
Pros:
1. Very comfortable and gentle on the breasts. The shields fit my breasts perfectly, although I doubt it would fit larger breasts in the DD range.
2. The pump does a great job in sucking the milk out at a quick and constant speed. It’s how breast pumps should be – mimicking a baby’s sucking instead of a vacuum cleaner.
3. Various suction strength, although the strongest was not as strong as I’d like.
4. It’s a hands-free job as long as you’ve got a table or solid surface to rest the bottles.
5. Very quiet device that gently stimulates milk production although it didn’t actually make me produce more.
6. Comes in a cute brown tote for you to bring the pump around discreetly.
Cons:
1. Would prefer if it had strong suction power so it could pump more milk at greater speeds. As a full-time working mother who relies exclusively on a breast pump, it’s vital that I get the most milk production when possible.
It’s a good product at a great price and provides enormous convenience. Although it could improve on its strongest suction power, I’d still recommend The First Years miPump Double Electric Breast Pump for moms who plan to use it occasionally when breastfeeding isn’t an option. Plus it comes in a cute stylish bag for easy portability.
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This First Years miPump Single Electric Breast Pump is a very affordable breast pump that does its duty for the price paid. By saying that, I suggest that moms have realistic expectations, given that this is one of the less expensive pumps out there.
First Years miPump Single Electric Breast Pump
Stay-at-home moms who don’t expect to use a breast pump very often can settled on the First Years miPump Single Electric Breast Pump, as it is very basic.
So far, it’s proven to be very convenient and portable. First Years miPump Single Electric Breast Pump is small and lightweight, and comes in a stylish tote for easy traveling.
It didn’t make me produce more milk, but it definitely pumped it out effortlessly. It would be nicer if it had more suction power, though, then perhaps it could pump more milk out and at a faster rate.
You can choose from 8 suction pressure levels, depending on your comfort level and milk needs. I found it to be quiet and discreet when in use, without any obvious suction noises. However, the 2 highest pressure levels make slightly more noise than the other levels, though not at an embarrassing frequency.
If this is your first breast pump, it might take a while to get used to it. Assembly is very easy and it feels comfortable on the breast. Although it’s electric, it also runs on 4 AA batteries for times when there isn’t a power point nearby.
Overall, I’d recommend this to moms who don’t plan to rely on it too often. You’ll get more milk production by doing it the natural way with baby, but this First Years miPump Single Electric Breast Pump will come in handy when you need to stock up on your milk in advance.
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During the days when I wasn’t willing to splurge on a Medela breast pump, I purchased the Lansinoh Double Electric Breast Pump instead. While I’m satisfied with the Lansinoh, I thought I’d upgrade to a Medela if given the chance (and cash).
Lansinoh Double Electric Breast Pump
What I liked:
1. It’s already assembled so it’s pretty much ready for use straight from the box. There’s also a DVD manual, which I prefer instead of going through instructional booklets and diagrams.
2. The adjustable suction and speed gives me more control over milk production and flow. I usually get 4oz each session.
3. Very sanitary thanks to a closed system that prevents milk from back flowing.
4. Small and lightweight enough to travel around with. Although it’s electric, it also runs on AA batteries.
5. Nice ‘beep’ as a reminder to replace batteries when it’s running low.
6. It’s very durable – I’ve dropped it a few times but it still works perfectly.
What could have been better with the Lansinoh Double Electric Breast Pump:
1. The higher the suction speed, the louder it gets. At first I was quite embarrassed when I used it in public restrooms, so I’d use it at lower speeds, which wound up taking much longer than usual.
2. Extra parts are only available online. Although I don’t mind shopping online, but I’d still prefer to shop in person and get a feel of quality. Plus the Lansinoh extra parts are quite pricey.
Overall, the Lansinoh Double Electric Breast Pump is a good device. I’m able to use it as a single pump as well. It may not perform as exceptionally as a Medela, but that’s also because it doesn’t cost nearly as much as one. It’s still a value-for-money product if you don’t mind others listening in on your pumping.
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This is one of those products that lure you in with a very attractive price tag, i.e. it’s cheap. With that in mind, I really wouldn’t expect too much from the Evenflo Comfort Breast Pump.
Evenflo Comfort Select Performance Single Electric Breast Pump
It’s quite noisy when used at the strongest setting so be prepared to let EVERYONE know what you’re up. I bought this as a contingency for days when I won’t be able to breastfeed.
If you need to pump on a regular basis or everyday, I’d suggest investing in a much better pump, as the suction strength on this Evenflo Comfort Breast Pump will surely frustrate you. There are probably worse pumps out there with even weaker suction, so like I said before, don’t expect too much from it.
The strongest level still feels weak. And the weakest level is practically nonexistent. So far I’ve used it less than a dozen times and on two occasions, it’s died on me in the middle of a pump.
To get the most out of the suction, I use it with silicone liners. I’ve also found that there’s a slight increase in suction strength when I use the adapter instead of AA batteries. I think this is to prevent using too much power when it’s running on batteries.
There aren’t a lot of parts that come with it so cleaning is very simple and convenient. Instructions aren’t very helpful so you’ll need to figure out the Evenflo Comfort Breast Pump yourself, but it’s not that difficult so I’m guessing it won’t be an issue.
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This is a great supplementary pump to my electric one. I bought this Avent Isis Manual Breast Pump because I was too lazy to pack my electric pump on a vacation. Set-up is incredibly easy – there aren’t any cords or tubes to assemble; you just hook it up with a bottle and you’re ready to go.
Avent Isis Manual Breast Pump
It gets a very good amount of milk out. I usually get AT LEAST 4 oz in less than 10 minutes. That’s as much as I’d get from an electric pump. And once the milk starts flowing, most of the time I don’t even have to pump it. I simply massage the breast to ease the flow.
At first, it took me a while to get enough suction. I realized that the valve needed to be completely pushed in for it to secure properly onto the breast. So if you think you’re not getting enough milk out with this pump, check to see that the valve is securely in place.
Cleaning up is very easy since there are just a few parts. Avent Isis Manual Breast Pump is compatible with any Avent bottles, which is great. I also purchased extra sealing discs since I have half a dozen bottles.
I love how discreet this pump is. It feels so comfortable and I’ve been able to use it in the car, under a shawl, without any embarrassing suckling noises.
Since getting the Avent Isis Manual Breast Pump, I’ve actually used my electric pump less. It’s a lot quicker to set up and get the job done.
The only pro that my electric pump has over this is that it can pump both breasts at once. Aside from that, Avent Isis Manual Breast Pump is definitely on par with any electric pump, and at only a fraction of the price.
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Cleaning Breast Pumps
As you pump, some of the fat or cream of the milk will stick to the pumps and may find its way into the many cracks and crevices of the breast pumps. So, cleaning your breast pump is very important to keep the pump working at top notch and for the safety of your baby.
After each pumping session
Clean the following with hot water and anti-bacterial soap:
- Both breasts shields
- Both valves
- Both membranes
Each day, sterilize:
- Both breast shields
- Both valves
- Both membranes
- Tubes
Every few days:
- Take the diaphragm apart
- Gently wipe the diaphragm with a wet towel
- Wipe the whole case inside out
What to do if you find a mold?
- Clean the infected parts with hot water and soap as well as you can, then wipe well with a wet cloth
- Sterilize the parts in boiling water
- Run diluted bleach, ½ bleach and ½ water, through the tubing, and also rinse the remaining parts with the diluted bleach;
- To remove the harsh chemicals, rinse the parts well with hot water for several minutes.
- Dry the parts as well as possible.
If these methods are not feasible, you can resort to the last alternative which is to throw it away and purchase a new pump. Most of the time, by following the above cleaning precautions, you can prevent any mold from accumulating in your breast shields where your tubing connects. Thus, always inspect this area closely whenever you clean the parts.
- Don’t rush to get the most milk in the shortest period of time. Mothers might make this mistake and keep the pressure going on those pumps.
- It is advisable to use an automatic cycling method if you are prone to maintaining a high pressure for a long time.
- If you do not have the automatic pump, hum a rhythm in your mind like suck-2-3-4-5; rest 2-3; suck 2-3-4-5; rest 2-3- and so on. Bear in mind that the release doesn’t have to be as long as the sucking.
- If you are still continuing to get blisters on your nipples or feel sore while pumping, feel free to return the pump to the place where you purchased it.
- You could also contact a board-certified lactation consultant (IBCLC) in your area and find out what else could be causing the problem. Sometimes it could be due to the tightness of the flange due to the inappropriate size.
- Avoid ‘bicycle horn’ pumps that require you to squeeze a rubber bulb; they can damage sensitive breast tissue.
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