All Breast Pumps are NOT Created Equal

If you read my last blog post (which you can find here) you might remember that I said that all breast pump flanges are not created equal and unfortunately, the same is true for the actual pumps themselves.  Picking out and buying a breast pump (or requesting one through insurance) is one of the most difficult decisions that a new or expecting mom needs to make.

What makes picking out a breast pump so difficult?  Well, for starters, most new and expecting moms don’t know what to look for in a pump.  Unless you have done your own research (and even then, there’s no guarantee) education about pumps seems to be lacking.  Before my son was born, I personally took a childbirth preparation class and a breastfeeding class at the hospital and while they were helpful, neither class even touched on the topic of breast pumps – never mind explain what to look for when buying.  Unlike buying a stroller or a car seat where you can go to Babies R’ Us and ask questions to a “car seat expert,” touch, feel, even it test the seat in your car for fit, and extensively research in terms of safety standards – there is relatively little you can do to “try before you buy” when it comes to a breast pump.  Sure, you can go to Babies R’ Us or Target and they have a few pumps that they carry on display and you can touch them to an extent but you don’t get to hear how quiet the pump is when running, you can’t experience how it feels or how powerful its suction is, you can’t test how it’s flanges fit you, and if you make the wrong choice – you can’t return it!  Talk about making a decision blind!  Not only that, but not all pumps that are available to you are sold at big box stores – in particular the Spectra pumps.  The Spectra pumps are awesome but if you purchase one… you are truly buying “sight unseen” and that feels like a huge risk to many – especially if you tend to be indecisive like me!

I started researching breast pumps when I was about six months pregnant.  I was so overwhelmed and had no idea what I was looking for.  I even reached out to my local chapter of Breastfeeding USA on Facebook for advice on which pump to choose.  I was fortunate enough to have many options that were covered by my insurance (although I discovered that my options varied depending on what supplier I asked).

*Note: In addition to deciding which pump to get, you must also decide who to get it from!  Not all suppliers carry the same products and some provide accessories while others do not.  It is WELL worth your time to check at least a few different suppliers (or stores) to see what you would receive if you worked with them.  I personally have used The Breastfeeding Shop and Baby Pavilion and highly recommend them both.

In addition to asking the members of Breastfeeding USA for help, I also reached out to breastfeeding friends and googled pump reviews.  The majority of people seemed to recommend either the Medela Pump in Style or the Spectra S1 or S2.  I was able to see the Medela pump at Babies R Us and Target because Medela is a more mainstream brand but as I mentioned earlier I could not see the Spectra.  After going back and forth MANY times and agonizing over the decision (my husband thought I was nuts) I finally decided on the Medela Pump in Style.  Why?  Ultimately, the decision came down to what I perceived as portability. I ordered my pump though The Breastfeeding Shop and prior to ordering I found out that they were able to send me a Medela Pump In Style Pump, a pump carry tote, and a breast milk cooler as well as milk storage bags, storage bottles, and an extra set of pump tubing and membranes all covered by my insurance!  Other suppliers that I spoke to could only send me the pump itself.  The Breastfeeding Shop was also able to send me a Spectra pump but if I had chosen that pump, I would not have been able to receive the pump tote, or cooler.  I liked the idea of having a way to carry and store my pumped milk on the go so that was ultimately the deciding factor for me.  That said, I ended up not being a huge fan of the Pump in Style pump.

Don’t misunderstand me… there is nothing “wrong” with the Medela Pump in Style pump.  If you have one or have your mind made up to order one… that’s OK!  It is a functional pump and as long as you are using the correct flange size (see my previous post) you will be OK.  In fact, if I had never been given the opportunity to try a different pump, I likely never would have known any different.

When my son was around seven months old (AKA seven months into my pumping/nursing journey) I was visiting a friend and commiserating with her about my son’s “weight probation.”  We had both been struggling to get our sons to gain weight in a way that our pediatricians were happy with.  (Turns out my son is just tall and skinny and that’s OK!).  At the time, I was trying to pump after my son’s last feeding at night to build up a freezer stash of milk to have on hand for when we visited family who were uncomfortable with me breastfeeding in public.  My friend was a working mom who had been pumping regularly at work for several months and was actually in the process of weaning off her pump.  I had asked her for advice on how to get more milk and she asked me if I wanted to try her pump.  She had a Spectra S2 and said that it had worked much better for her than other pumps in the past (she was on her third baby).

I was hesitant to try someone else’s pump because I had read all sorts of things about the dangers of sharing a breast pump but I was also curious and she was a friend so I knew where the pump was coming from.  Before accepting her pump I ran it by my IBCLC who told me that Spectra pumps are a closed system!  That means that the pump has backflow protectors which prevent the milk from flowing into the pump’s motor or tubing by accident.  This feature means that it is actually safe to be used by multiple users similar to hospital grade pumps.

The Spectra pump has a much steeper learning curve than the Medela pump because it is more customizable but that said… in my experience, it is a much better pump.  It features separate controls for the speed and suction of the pump (whereas the Medela only has one combined control) and it has a much gentler suction.  In fact, the company’s tag line is “our pumps don’t suck, they suckle.”  It’s not just a straight suction but more of a suction and gentle vibration.  The result? More milk!  The downside to the Spectra for me was that it was harder to get the flange size that I needed but I ended up “hacking” the pump to be able to use my Medela parts to circumvent the problem.  It was easy and I didn’t experience any loss of suction.  Also worth noting, the Spectra is much quieter and has a small light on it so that you can pump easier in the dark.  The S1 has a built in battery but the S2 (which is the model covered by most insurance plans) runs only when plugged into an outlet.  However, I have used my Medela battery pack with the Spectra S2 without an issue.  The Spectra pumps are a bit heavier and less travel friendly but overall I think they are superior pumps.  I am very grateful to my friend that I had the chance to try one.

Although I only have extensive personal experience with the Medela Pump in Style and the Spectra S2, I have heard awesome things about the Evenflo pump and have personally tired the Evenflo single electric pump.  If you follow Shari Criso (you can find her here or on Facebook), you know that the Evenflo double electric is similar to the Spectra S2 but features silicone flange inserts for increased comfort and comes with free classes run by Shari to learn how to use the pump!  If you are in the market for a pump I definitely think it would be worth considering and doing some research on Evenflo but I don’t have any personal experience with the Evenflo double electric pump.  I have tried the Evenflo single electric thanks to a gift from another mom but I have only used it a couple of times.  The silicone flange insert is nice but the pump seems to be on the louder side and I didn’t feel as though the suction was awesome… it may have just been the day or the fact that it runs on regular batteries though!

I also want to share my two cents on manual hand pumps.  Some people actually respond better for manual pumps versus electric.  I personally like having one because it is super quiet and it’s easy to shove in my purse discreetly if I am going to be out without my son and I’m not sure how long I will be.  For me, the hand pump only works really well if I am very “full” but I know people who say they use them for every pumping session!  I have only used one manual pump and it happens to be the Medela Harmony – gifted to me by the same friend who gave me her Spectra S2! (I am VERY lucky.)   It disassembles to be pretty small and compact and can be used anywhere discreetly.  I’d highly recommend this as an emergency backup or if you want to be able to easily and discreetly have a pump with you when you are out and about.  Perfect for date night!

Overall, while all pumps are “functional” some are definitely better than others.  In my experience, the Spectra S2 was far superior to the Medela Pump in Style.  Below you will find a brief bulleted summary as to my pros and cons of each.  If you are in the market for a new pump, I hope this helps you in your decision making process.  My best advice is to seek the advice of an IBCLC or find a trusted breastfeeding resource and ask lots of questions. I also found it helpful to watch some YouTube reviews. Also, if need be keep in mind that if you hate your pump, while best to buy new, manual hand pumps that can be totally taken apart and boiled (sanitized) and closed system pumps (like the Spectra pumps) are safe to buy used.  Finding the perfect pump can be a life changer but it’s a tough decision to make. Happy shopping. Pump on mamas!

Bottom Line – How the Pumps Compare:

Pump Type:	Pros:	Cons:
Medela Pump In Style Image Courtesy of Acelleron.com	·        Easily portable ·        Sometimes comes with a carry bag and cooler! ·        Replacement parts are easy to find at local retail stores ·        Medela flanges are my personal favorite for fit (but this won’t be true for everyone) ·        Storage bottles have good caps and are easy to pump into and store	·        Speed and Suction controls are not separate ·        Suction is not as gentle when compared to the Spectra S2 ·        Pump is bit noisy ·        Not a closed system so is only safe to be used by one person and you need to be vigilant that no moisture gets into the motor
Spectra S2 Image Courtesy of Spectrababyusa.com	·        “Suckles” rather than sucks and is more gentle ·        Quiet ·        Has a built in light ·        Has a built in carry handle and a spot for a pump bottle to sit ·        Has separate speed and suction controls ·        Is a closed system pump! ·        Can be used with Maymom parts or “hacked” to use Medela parts ·        Ccompatible with Philips Avent wide mouth bottles! This means that you can direct pump into them!	·        Heavier than the Medela Pump in Style ·        Does not come with a pump bag and is more difficult to travel with ·        Replacement parts are more difficult to obtain ·        Pump bottles do not screw onto the flanges as tightly as the Medela ones ·        Bottle caps are not quite as user friendly as others (in my opinion)
Evenflo Single Electric Image Courtesy of Toysrus.com	·        Portable, small ·        Silicone flange insert ·        Comes with carry pouch ·        Runs on 3 regular AA batteries	·        Loud ·        Suction seems to be just OK ·        Heavy for a purse
Medela Harmony Manual Image Courtesy of Target.com	·        Almost silent ·        Lightweight and disassembles into small parts that are easy to put in a purse or small bag ·        Comes with a stand to hold bottle	·        Can be tiring to pump by hand for a long period of time ·        For some may not be as effective as an electric pump ·        Takes longer to express milk than an electric pump