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Since learning you’re having a baby, you’ve been making decisions, decisions, decisions. You’ve had to decide on a car seat, crib, stroller, and changing table. You’ve had to choose doctors, make medical decisions, and figure out child care.
Many moms don’t need a breast pump, but if you find you need one, and it’s now time to decide on a breast pump, you might be feeling overwhelmed.
We get it! Decision-making can be stressful, especially in the final stretch of pregnancy. So to offer you a bit of a breather, we’ve compiled a list of 10 of the best breast pumps on the market (and descriptions of why they might be the right match for you).
What is a breast pump? A breast pump is considered a medical device, and the FDA defines it as a deviceTrusted Source that helps women maintain or increase their milk supply. They can be manual or electric, and they can be single expression (pumping one breast at a time) or double expression (pumping both breasts at the same time). They can also be deemed closed or open system.
Closed system vs. open system breast pumps As you shop for a breast pump, you’ll first want to consider whether you want a closed or open system. “Closed system” and “open system” aren’t formal medical terms, so brands may use them in different ways. It’s important to make sure you know what a particular brand means by the term if you see it in a product description.
A closed system breast pump is one that includes a barrier to prevent overflow milk from leaking into the pump system. This helps to keep the whole system hygienic. No system can be completely closed, as some air is needed to flow in and out for the vacuuming action of the pump. But a true closed system will come as close as possible.
An open system breast pump lacks this barrier.
It’s possible that you’ll encounter used breast pumps on the market. (After all, according to research, most U.S. mothersTrusted Source who breastfeed also pump.) While it can be tempting to go after a great bargain, there are some parts of a breast pump that can’t be well cleaned once they’ve been exposed to another woman’s breast milk. Because of the higher risk of someone else’s milk having reached the pump in an open system, many people avoid buying these types of pumps secondhand.
Best breast pumps
Best all-around breast pump: Spectra S1 Plus Electric Breast Pump
Best natural suction breast pump: Haakaa Silicone Manual Breast Pump
Best manual breast pump: Medela Harmony Manual Breast Pump
Best hidden/discreet breast pump: Willow Wearable Breast Pump
Most comfortable manual breast pump: Philips Avent Manual Breast Pump
Best portable breast pump: Medela Pump In Style Advanced On-the-Go Tote
Best hospital-grade breast pump: Medela Symphony Double Electric Breast Pump
Best breast pump for multitasking: Medela Freestyle Flex Double Electric Breast Pump
Best budget hospital-grade breast pump: Lansinoh Signature Pro Double Electric Breast Pump
Best budget electric breast pump: Bellababy Double Electric Breast Pump
Product Name | Price | Type | Closed Vs Open | Portable |
Spectra S1 Plus Electric Breast Pump | $$ | Electric | Closed | No |
Haakaa Silicone Manual Breast Pump | $ | Manual | N/A | Yes |
Medela Harmony Manual Breast Pump | $ | Manual | N/A | Yes |
Willow Wearable Breast Pump | $$$ | Electric | Closed | Yes |
Philips Avent Manual Breast Pump | $ | Manual | N/A | Yes |
Medela Pump In Style Advanced On-The-Go Tote | $$ | Electric | Closed | Yes |
Medela Symphony Double Electric Breast Pump | $$$$ | Electric | Closed | No |
Medela Freestyle Flex Double Electric Breast Pump | $$$ | Electric | Closed | Yes |
Lansinoh Signature Pro Double Electric Breast Pump | $ | Electric | Closed | No |
BelleBaby Double Electric Breast Pump | $ | Electric | Closed | Yes |
Cited
Crider, C., & Wilson, D. R. (2021, December 1). 10 best breast pumps for 2022 | Healthline Parenthood. Healthline. Retrieved December 2, 2021, from https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/best-breast-pump.
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