Which Breast Pump?

If you're breastfeeding, you probably want your baby to benefit from your milk even when you're not available. Whether you're getting ready to go back to work or you just want someone else to feed your child while you get some rest or go out, a breast pump can be a big help. If you are like me, you feel like you want the best while not spending a boat load of money…
There are many styles and models of breast pumps, but they fall into two main categories: electric/battery-powered and manual (which you operate by hand). While some women use both — one for the bulk of their pumping, the other for taking on short trips — most moms strongly prefer one or the other. Here's a look at your options:

Hospital-grade electric breast pump
style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/2516/2238/400/105537/images-3.jpg" border="0" alt="" />If you're pumping constantly throughout the day — perhaps because you or your baby isn't able to breastfeed — you'll need the most efficient pump around: a heavy-duty hospital-grade model with a double collection kit. These pumps have a rapid suck-and-release cycle (referred to as the cycling time) that draws milk from your breasts at about the same rate as a nursing baby.
Using a double collection kit means you can pump both breasts at once, which can cut pumping time by more than half and drain both breasts more effectively.
Weight: as much as 18 pounds.
Price: Over $1000!!!
Upside: Quick and effective.
Many hospitals, lactation consultants, and medical supply stores rent top-of-the-line breast pumps for $1 to $3 per day. But at $3 a day, if you plan on giving your baby breastmilk for more then a year, you may just want to go ahead and buy one. If your baby was born prematurely or with a condition that makes nursing difficult, some insurance companies will cover the cost of a breast pump with a doctor's prescription.
Downside: Bulky and heavy. This is not the sort of pump one wants to carry around. Keep in mind if you're renting a pump, you'll still need to purchase a collection kit, which includes breast flanges (the piece of the pump that goes on the breast itself), tubing, and collection bottles, for $50 to $60.
To find rental locations in your area, call Medela at (800) 835-5968 or search the company's Web site or try Ameda at (800) 323-4060 or search its Web site

Top-end electric personal-use pumps
Combining the efficiency of hospital-grade pumps and the convenience of more portable models, top-end electric pumps are a popular choice for moms who return to work full-time. These pumps are fully automatic, with quick cycling times, adjustable suction levels (to help you avoid nipple discomfort), and double-pumping capability.
Weight: around 8 pounds or less.
Price: $200 to $350 and most pumps come with a one-year warranty.
Upside: These pumps can come in attractive carrying cases with accessories included — like storage bags, labels, clips, bottles, and nipple ointment
Downside: These pumps are not designed for multiple users. Though it may be tempting to share or borrow a friend's personal-use breast pump, or buy one used, the FDA and breastfeeding experts caution against it. Breast milk can carry bacteria and viruses — including hepatitis, HIV, and cytomegalovirus — that can contaminate these pumps and pass an infection to you and your baby. Because droplets of milk can get into the internal parts of these pumps, using your own collection kit doesn't necessarily make them safe to use.
Pumps designed for multiple users, like rental pumps and hospital pumps, don't have this problem. They're designed to prevent breast milk from getting inside the pump. So as long as you use them with your own personal collection kit, they're safe.
If it's designated as a "single-user" pump, it should be used by only one person.
Examples of top-end pumps include Medela's Pump In Style and Ameda's Purely Yours.
You can also rent lightweight portable pumps — for example, Medela's Lactina or Symphony, and Ameda's Elite.

Mid-range electric or battery-operated pumps
These pumps are best for short-term separations — for instance, moms who want to leave their baby with a sitter every now and then and don't want to supplement with formula.
Weight: around 2 pounds
Cost: $50-$150.00
Downside: They generally take a little longer and require a little more effort to use than the top-end electric pumps. If the pump is battery-operated, the batteries may need to be replaced frequently.
Most mid-range pumps allow you to pump only one breast at a time — and slowly at that. While there are some double electric pumps in this category, the motors may not last as long as those in the more expensive models.
Examples of these pumps include Evenflo's Comfort Select, Medela's Single Deluxe, Bailey's Nurture III, and The First Years' Easy Comfort single or double electric/battery breast pumps.

Nonelectric manual pumps
Manual pumps require you to pump a piston or squeeze a lever to create the suction to empty your breast. These pumps empty only one breast at a time and may require two hands to operate, although a few are designed for one-handed use.
Weight: Under 2 pounds
Price: $30 to $60
Upside: Simple and convenient. More affordable, smaller, lighter, and quieter than electric pumps. Many also say that some manual pumps feel more natural and more closely mimic a baby's sucking, and that they like being able to control the suction by hand.
And if you like to pump on one side while your baby is nursing on the other, he'll probably prefer the quiet of a manual to the noise of an electric.
Downside: While some moms get the knack of effective manual pumping, others find these pumps maddeningly slow. (It depends to some degree on how quickly you can squeeze the pump handle — and this can get tiring for your hands.) This mamasnap was able to pump about 6 ounces in about 10 minutes.
. Examples include Avent's Isis and Medela's Harmony.

My personal choice is the $50 Avent Isis handpump...I actually NEVER used an electric pump because this pump was so awesome. I was able to get about an ounce in under 2 minutes or about 6 ounces in about 10 minutes. Doing it manually makes you take a time out and just zone...Plus my hand got some exercise..haha. All in all it is a very effective little contraption and very easy to travel with.
The only downside of the pump is you have to be really careful not to lose the little white disc inside it...that is basically not replaceable. I used my pump for both kids...and have never regretted not spending the money on an electric one.

-SBH