Which Breast Pump Is Best For You?

Choosing a breast pump can be daunting, especially as a first time mom. How are you supposed to know what you need if you've never done it before? Fortunately, we've helped thousands of moms find the right pump for them.

By asking yourself a few questions about your breastfeeding goals, the team at 1 Natural Way can help you select your best breast pump.

• How often will I pump?
• Will I pump outside the home?
• Will I pump regularly while traveling?
• Do I plan to exclusively pump?
• How important is portability and discretion to me?

Once you've addressed the topics above, here are some breast pump options:

Exclusively Pumping Mom

If you are exclusively pumping, your pump needs to go the distance. It needs to work well in every situation - at work, at home, traveling, etc. As long as your baby needs breast milk, it will be your constant companion.

For exclusively pumping moms, we often recommend The Spectra S1 Plus . Designed for moms who pump several times a day, the double electric S1 Plus is powerful but extremely quiet. Another advantage is, with many insurance carriers, the Spectra S1 Plus is very cost-effective.

Mom's love that:

• It is a hospital strength pump so it is extremely efficient.
• Its massage mode and adjustable suction levels make customization easy.
• It has a rechargeable battery so you can pump anywhere.
• It has a night light for those late night pumping session.
• It can be used as a single or a double pump.
• It has a timer.

The Medela Sonata is another great option for exclusive pumping. Compact and discreet, the Medela Sonata comes with all the accessories you need - breast pump bag, cooler, bottle stand and more. Additionally, it connects to the MyMedela app so you can track all of your pumping sessions.

Mom's love that:

• It is extremely quiet so you can discreetly pump anywhere.
• It is a powerful pump for efficient pumping.
• It has a rechargeable battery so you can pump anywhere.
• It connects with the MyMedela app, which has pumping tips and allows you to track every pumping session.
• It has a touch screen display and controls.

The Traveling Mom

If you are a mom who loves to travel or has to travel for work, your pumping needs will be unique. Discretion, portability, and the ability to pump anywhere and everywhere are all important factors to consider.

For traveling moms, we like the Medela Pump In Style with MaxFlow, specifically with the Medela Pump In Style with MaxFlow with tote option. The tote allows you to carry the pump, hands free, as well as having many other features perfect for traveling.

Mom's love that:

• The pump is easily portable and lightweight.
• The battery pack allows you to pump anywhere and everywhere.
• The set contains a cooler bag with contoured ice pack.
• Pump parts are readily available in stores, making them easy to find in the event of an emergency.

The Medela Pump In Style MaxFlow is a great value - an excellent breast pump that is covered 100% by most insurances (though the tote option can have some out-of-pocket cost).

The Working Outside The Home Mom

If you work outside the home and want to breastfeed your baby, discretion and portability will most likely be important to you when choosing a pump.

For moms who work outside the home, we often recommend the Medela Pump In Style Advanced. The Medela Freestyle is a double electric pump designed for moms who pump several times a day, who need to transport their pump or who want to have mobility while they pump.

Mom's love that:

• It is easily portable and lightweight.
• It has a timer so you can make the best use of your time.
• It has a great battery life and can last up to three hours when fully charged.
• You can take it out of the bag (it comes with a bag and other great accessories!) and store it anywhere (luggage, work bag, diaper bag, etc.).

We also really like the Spectra S1 Plus and S2 Plus for working moms because both are so quiet and discreet. With a handle on top, these pumps are very portable and easy to set up. Unlike the Medela Freestyle, they don't come with a bag - but for moms who want to choose their own cute breast pump bag, they're perfect!

The Prepared Mom

If you are a mom who loves being prepared for anything and everything, we like the Lansinoh Smartpump 3.0 Double Electric Breast Pump. It has all the bells and whistles, including bluetooth technology, which moms can use to connect to the Lansinoh Baby App. This allows you to track pumping sessions, in addition to baby activities, so establishing a schedule and routine is easy.

Mom's love that:

• It has a hygienic closed system so that breast milk will never back up in the tubing or the motor.
• It has three customizable pumping styles and eight adjustable suction levels to adjust to your comfort level.
• It has fewer parts than most breast pumps so cleaning and assembling are easy.
• It features a simple touch screen to track duration, date, and time of every pumping session.
• Working with the Lansinoh Baby App, you can track tons of useful data to share with doctors to make navigating breastfeeding challenges easier.

The above breast pumps are just a few of the available options at 1 Natural Way. To find out which breast pumps are covered by your insurance company, fill out this quick intake form . After that, our team will help you narrow down your options and get your breast pump shipped directly to you!

The above are general recommendations. 1 Natural Way always takes your specific needs into account when recommending a breast pump. Please call us and let's discuss the pump that's right for you, at 1-(888) 977-2229.

About the Author

Cindy Puppos is 1 Natural Way's Customer Service Manager, so she has a good idea of all the different and wonderful questions that moms have for her team. Thankfully, as the mother of two boys (who are now grown!) and a veteran of the company and breastfeeding, Cindy is always knowledgeable about breastfeeding, pumping and all the latest and greatest pumps!