What are manual pumps?
Once you’ve got breastfeeding sorted, you can try expressing milk using manual or electric pumps.
Having bottles of your breast milk ready to go will enable you to go out for the evening or return to work. It can be prove helpful when feeding twins and invaluable if your baby needs to be in a special care unit for a while.
You can choose from two types of pumps – manual and electric (battery or mains powered), which offer various pros and cons.
A manual pump offers a few great benefits:
- great value for money
- small so it’s easy to store and transport
- quiet and discreet
- fewer parts to go wrong, so it’s pretty reliable
On the downside, it can be tiring to keep pumping and it takes quite a while.
Which manual pump is right for you?
It’s worth looking out for a few great features:
- easy, clear instructions
- easy assembly and dismantling fro cleaning
- a cushioned, comfortable funnel
- safe to use in a steriliser
Top tips for buying a manual pump?
It’s worth looking out for a few great features:
- if you have friends with pumps, ask for their advice, or ask to try theirs before you buy, not all feel or work the same
- manual breast pumps are often quieter than electric, so if you want to (or need to) pump discretely – at work for example – they might be your preferred choice
- electric breast pumps are (usually) faster at expressing your milk, particularly useful if you have more than one baby in the house.
How much will it cost?
Prices start around £12.
Ready to buy?
Take a look at some of the popular manual breast pumps below.
MAM Manual Breast Pump
RRP: £38 - Buy now
Carefully designed manual pump where you choose the strength setting and it’s easy to find a comfortable position.
- Selector dial so you can choose expression strength
- Has 4 parts so easy to assemble and clean
- Includes anti-colic bottle and 2 sealing discs and teats
- Funnel can be rotated 360 degrees for comfortable position
- 4 soft cushions for secure hold
Dimensions: H14.5cm x W13cm x D7cm
Weight: 0.147kg
Why we love the MAM Manual Breast Pump ....
- The fact that you can choose your ‘suction’ level is a great feature, especially for mums who are new to expressing and not sure what to expect.
- If you find it tricky to settle on a comfortable expressing position, you’ll like the way the funnel rotates all the way round.
- Mums love the caring customer service at MAM if you ever need to contact them.
- Funky, colourful design is more stylish than other pumps, although some mums say the handle is stiff and makes your hand ache until you’re used to it – and it makes a squeaking noise.