Editor’s note: For our guide to the best bottles and breast pumps of the year, click HERE!
Top Factors: According to Gina Cicatelli Ciagne, Vice President of Global Healthcare Relations at Lansinoh, the three top factors to consider when shopping for a pump are: Your pumping needs, finding a closed system, and speed and suction.
Your Pumping Needs: “If you’re pumping occasionally, a manual pump may do the trick,” Ciagne says. “If you’re pumping regularly—perhaps you’re returning to work—you will want a double electric breast pump.”
Manual vs. Electric: If you are an occasional pumper, manual pumps are great because they’re easy to use, lightweight, and very portable. But, according to Ciagne, for moms who pump frequently, it’s more efficient to use a double electric pump.
A Closed System: This refers to a safety feature found in multi-user pumps (commonly referred to as “hospital grade” pumps) and is available in only a handful of pumps found at retailers. “Closed systems feature a barrier that prevents milk from getting into the tubing and reduces the risk of contaminating the motor and tubing with mold and bacteria,” Ciagne says. “It also means fewer parts to clean!”
Speed & Suction: Ciagne recommends looking for a pump with adjustable styles and suction levels. “Because every woman’s body is different and every baby sucks differently, you will want to customize your settings so you can maximize comfort and milk production and, as closely as possible, mimic the way a baby feeds at the breast,” she explains.
Insurance Coverage: Through the Affordable Care Act, most insurance companies will cover personal-use breast pumps. “The breast pumps that are available through insurance have the same exact motor as a pump that you would buy at a retail store,” explains Amanda Cole, the founder and CEO of Yummy Mummy. “It really depends on the mother and her insurance plan… Some insurers will offer a mother a variety of breast pump options, and others will only offer one choice.” Cole also notes that the one thing to do before you start shopping is to contact your insurance provider to find out what you are entitled to through your insurance plan, then ask which DMEs are in their network. Additionally, Felina Rakowski-Gallagher, owner of the Upper Breast Side, recommends that expectant moms not be detered from seeking a hospital-grade pump even if there’s an initial lack of fulfillment from their insurance company. “Using these powerful pumps in the beginning is directly related to a better supply thereafter,” she explains.
Learning the Basics: Some retailers that carry breast pumps also offer support and training on using them. “One of [the Upper Breast Side’s] most outstanding offerings are the services at our ‘milk bar,’” Rakowski-Gallagher says. “There, moms physically use and learn proper pumping methods, and have their confusion, concerns, and questions addressed so that [pumping] at home or at work will proceed with confidence.”
