opinions on pumps

I need your opinions on breast pumps. It seems a lot of you have the Avent Isis
manual pump and like that one. I'm NOT looking for something hospital grade (or
that expesive!) just a pump that will do the job. Is it worth getting one of
the less expensive electric/battery operated brands or would the Avent manual
work just as well. What about the 1st Years Breast Pump, any experience with
this particular one? Currently I use the medela manaul piston pump that I
received in the hospital. It works but is very tiring on my hands. Thanks in
advance.
~Tracy

All4meUC wrote:

I need your opinions on breast pumps. It seems a lot of you have the Avent
Isis manual pump and like that one. I'm NOT looking for something hospital
grade (or that expesive!) just a pump that will do the job.

What job do you need it to do? Pumping once a year, once a week, once a
day, at full time work, exclusive pumping? The answers are different for
each of these jobs.

Is it worth getting one of
the less expensive electric/battery operated brands or would the Avent manual
work just as well.

Possibly. It depends on your breasts and your hands. People react
differently to different pumps. There are few that are almost
universally bad, and some that are fairly consistently good. Look for
Avent, Medela, Ameda.

What about the 1st Years Breast Pump, any experience with
this particular one?

Appalling reputation, much like Gerber and Pigeon and Tommee Tippee and
other such stuff.

Currently I use the medela manaul piston pump that I
received in the hospital. It works but is very tiring on my hands. Thanks in
advance.

For manual pumps and occasional pumping, if you have a problem hand
expressing for some reason, go for Avent Isis (hampered by its
single-sized flange, but fine if you have "standard"-sized nipples) or
Medela Harmony (takes various PersonalFit and SoftFit flanges). If you
are planning to pump daily or more often, I strongly recommend a good
quality double electric.

Lara

It seems a lot of you have the Avent Isis
manual pump and like that one. I'm NOT looking for something hospital grade
(or
that expesive!) just a pump that will do the job. Is it worth getting one of
the less expensive electric/battery operated brands or would the Avent manual
work just as well. What about the 1st Years Breast Pump, any experience with
this particular one? Currently I use the medela manaul piston pump that I
received in the hospital. It works but is very tiring on my hands. Thanks in
advance.
~Tracy

If single-side manual pumping is sufficient for your needs, the Avent is what
you want.

There is no point in getting a battery operated pump as far as I can tell. The
Avent is not that much harder to use (you can do it with one hand, after a
little practice, and it's a lot more comfortable to hold than the Medela
manual) and works just as well or better.

First Years is NOT a good choice; it's in the same category as Evenflo and
Gerber and that schlock. If you really want an electric one but not an
expensive double pump, consider the Medela Mini Electric. But most likely
you're better off with the Avent.

(I used the Avent to pump daily at work for 7 months. Worked fine. Not *all*
WOH pumping moms need a double electric. But it depends on particulars, of
course.)

Holly
Mom to Camden, 2.5 yrs
EDD #2 6/8/04

HollyLewis wrote:

There is no point in getting a battery operated pump as far as I can tell.
The Avent is not that much harder to use (you can do it with one hand,
after a little practice, and it's a lot more comfortable to hold than the
Medela manual) and works just as well or better.

We should probably be clear here that you're talking about the Medela
piston, not the Harmony one-hand pump.

Lara

All4meUC wrote:

I need your opinions on breast pumps. It seems a lot of you have the Avent Isis
manual pump and like that one. I'm NOT looking for something hospital grade (or
that expesive!) just a pump that will do the job. Is it worth getting one of
the less expensive electric/battery operated brands or would the Avent manual
work just as well. What about the 1st Years Breast Pump, any experience with
this particular one? Currently I use the medela manaul piston pump that I
received in the hospital. It works but is very tiring on my hands. Thanks in
advance.
~Tracy

I have both the Medela mini-electric and Avent Isis. I will always use
the Avent Isis, it's SOOOO much quieter. I find the Avent doesn't hurt
and it seems like it's more efficient at pumping the milk. The Medela
mini-electric doesn't require you to do anything but hold the pump to
your breast, so obviously it's not tiring on your hands. Unfortunately,
the Medela mini-electric hurts my nipples a bit and it seems to take
longer to get less milk.

So, I would strongly recommend the Avent manual over other pumps.

Jeanne

We should probably be clear here that you're talking about the Medela
piston, not the Harmony one-hand pump.

Lara

Is the Harmony the new one that looks like a copycat Avent?

Wasn't available yet when I was pumping, so I tend to forget that it exists.
:-) Have you actually used one?

Holly
Mom to Camden, 2.5 yrs
EDD #2 6/8/04

HollyLewis wrote:

Is the Harmony the new one that looks like a copycat Avent?

Wasn't available yet when I was pumping, so I tend to forget that it exists.
:-) Have you actually used one?

No, I can't find one in Australia. Reviews are generally very positive -
slightly less parts than the Avent, too. I like the idea of switching
out the flanges.

Lara

(Lara) writes:

expressing for some reason, go for Avent Isis (hampered by its
single-sized flange, but fine if you have "standard"-sized nipples) or
Medela Harmony (takes various PersonalFit and SoftFit flanges). If you
are planning to pump daily or more often, I strongly recommend a good
quality double electric.

Personally, I hated the noise from the Medela and I hated having
to rinse and sterilize all the many sterilizable Medela parts.

My daughter is 13 months old and I've now been using an Isis at work, in
my cubicle (with a sheet as a curtain) for about nine months. I can't
imagine using an electric pump in a cubicle.

Also: my hands get tired easily, but the Isis seems to be pretty easy on
my hands.

The main disadvantage of the Isis is that the first three I bought wore
out after about two or three months. That's probably partly because I wash
the parts with dishwashing soap, which goes against the Isis manual, but I
don't know how else to get the pump parts really clean.

So, from my point of view, the Isis is quieter, more relaxing and cheaper
than the Medela, and roughly as effective. But it's not cheaper, because
the Isis seems to break down more than the Medela. (On the other hand, my
new Isis is a little differently configured than my earlier Isises, and
maybe the new one will last longer.)

Also: I think the most important thing about using a pump to maintain
supply is pumping frequently. With an Isis, if you have even a little
privacy (i.e., a sheet across a cubicle entryway) you can poke the pump
through your shirt and start pumping. So, in theory, if you use the milk
the day you pump it or, in some cases, just pump and dump, you could pump
every half hour and keep your breasts really, really empty.

Another thought: Babies R Us now carries those miniature "six pack size"
refrigerators. I don't know whether they work or not, but, if they do,
that could make it possible to pump every half hour and actually get some
use out of the milk, because you could (if you are somewhat relaxed about
milk quality) pump for a few minutes, put the whole pump and bottle system
in the fridge, then take the system out every half hour for a little
pumping.

Freezing milk that you pumped that way would probably be dangerous, but if
you use it just a few hours after you pumped it, I don't think the quality
would be that terrible.

Thanks for all the input, it seems the Avevt Isis is the way I'll go. Now,
where to get one? We don't have a Baby's R Us around here, and I don't recall
seeing them at toys r us. I was thinking about looking on ebay, but would be
worried about getting worn out equipment.
~Tracy

Al Bell wrote:
(Lara) writes:


expressing for some reason, go for Avent Isis (hampered by its
single-sized flange, but fine if you have "standard"-sized nipples) or
Medela Harmony (takes various PersonalFit and SoftFit flanges). If you
are planning to pump daily or more often, I strongly recommend a good
quality double electric.


Personally, I hated the noise from the Medela and I hated having
to rinse and sterilize all the many sterilizable Medela parts.

I sterilized my medela parts before I used it the first time and once
before I passed it on to my sister. I used it for 10 months, every day,
washing the parts in soapy water or in the dishwasher.


My daughter is 13 months old and I've now been using an Isis at work, in
my cubicle (with a sheet as a curtain) for about nine months. I can't
imagine using an electric pump in a cubicle.

I have a friend who pumped for 10 months in a cube with a Purely Yours.
She said at first she was a little uncomfortable about it, but got over
that pretty quick.

I second the rec. for the Isis for occaisionally pumping. I actually
found the Isis very hard to use, it required too much concentration
which inhibited my letdown. That said, since I had a medela I didn't
need to use the Isis very often so I didn't get alot of practice. But
be warned, there might be some trial and error getting it to work but it
is a nice little pump.

Mary