THE BEST BREASTFEEDING PUMPS FOR WORKING MOMS

There are a lot of gadgets out there when it comes to babies and it can be a little overwhelming trying to figure out which ones we need.  Indeed this also applies to breastfeeding pumps.

Deciding on the best breastfeeding pump for you can be quite unnerving as breast pumps come in all shapes and sizes with various different functions and features. Not to mention the varieties in pump performance, portability, and accessories. 

Choosing the best breast pump is one of the most crucial decision you will ever make, whether you are a working mother, exclusively pumping or a stay-at-home mom supplementing direct breastfeeding with pumping. 

You will be spending a lot of time attached to your pump so it is really important to pick the right pump to ensure that your pumping journey is a smooth one. 

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click on a link and purchase the item, I will receive a commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain my own. 

Investing in the right pump is an important purchase you want to get right.

In this post, you would find the top picks of breast pumps with their best features and drawbacks. Hopefully it helps you with your decision on the most suitable breast pump for your needs.  

In a hurry ? no worries …

These are the best picks .  Learn about their features below.

1. The Medela Free style 
2. Spectra S1 Plus
3. Spectra S2 Plus
4. Medela Pump In Style
5. Willow Breast Pump
6. Medela Sonata 

Factors To Be Considered in  Choosing  the Best Breastfeeding Pump

For this post, i will be focusing solely on double electric pumps on account of the fact that they are the best category for working moms because they empty milk in the quickest amount of time possible. Some other choices for breast pumps are manual pumps, smart pumps, single side pumps, hospital-grade pumps and lots more.  

So what are some factors to consider when looking for a breast pump? 

1. Pump and suction strength
2. Size and portability 
3. Cost
4. Accessories. 

• Pump and Suction Strength–You absolutely need a strong pump that is able to express enough breast milk in the shortest amount  time possible. It is therefore essential to have a pump with a high (yet comfortable) suction strength to be able to express breast milk efficiently and comfortably.
• Size and Portability – Working moms will need to carry their breast pumps around, hauling a massive pump around isn’t fun and can be very inconvenient.  It’s  a good idea to consider pumps that also work with  batteries just incase at any point you do not have access to a  wall outlet. 
• Cost– Cost is also a major factor to be considered especially if the pump of your choice is not covered by your insurance. No matter how awesome and functional a breast pump is, if it is above our budget it will be difficult to consider buying it.
• Accessories : Having  easy access to the right accessories to compliment your  pump can make your life a lot easier. 

Now lets get to the picks of the Best breastfeeding Pumps .

 1. Medela Freestyle

I personally used the medela free style for pumping and i absolutely love it.  Medela is a known brand and the freestyle has a lot of  key features.

Best Features :

• The medela free style has a strong pump suction
• It comes with a lot of accessories, including a pump bag  and cooler 
• It comes with hands free attachment
• Digital screen with backlighting ( This came in handy for  me during my late night pumping sessions)
• Features the medela two phase technology including Letdown mode 
• Rechargeable battery that lasts three hours 
• Lightweight : weighs less than 1 lbs.

This is totally a great pump for on -the- go pumping and would be perfect for a working mom. I love how small it is and i absolutely love the memory setting, I was able to program the pump to remember my pumping preferences.

2. Spectra S1 Plus

This is a pump that a lot of moms i know love and talk about endlessly. Moms say that the Spectra is really comfortable with gentle suction, and i quite agree with them.

The Spectra  S1 is a hospital-grade pump that comes with an internal rechargeable battery,  which is is great because you are not bound to one place while pumping. 

 It certainly isn’t  fun being  constrained by a power cord.

 The Spectra S1 Plus battery life lasts for 3 hours which is more than enough time to pump 3-4 times during a workday.

The major set back i would say this pump has is that it can be confusing to figure out initially as it has an assortment of modes and settings.

Best features:

• Multiple suction strength settings that can be customized to you
• Quiet motor
• Portable 
• Single or double pump capability
• More milk in a quicker amount of time( as time is literally money for moms !)
• Fancy LCD screen with a built-in night light

3.Spectra S2 Plus

The Spectra s2 is another awesome breastfeeding pump and it has almost all the features of the s1 but it is a less expensive version.  The only difference is that it doesn’t have a rechargeable battery. The Spectra s2 plus has almost all the features of the s1 but it is a less expensive version.  The only difference is that it doesn’t have a rechargeable battery.

However, You will  be getting the rest of the features, functionality, and specs as the S1 apart from the rechargeable battery. 

Best Features: 

4.Medela Pump In Style

The Medela Pump in Style has been around for a long time for this reason, it is  the most popular option.

Without a doubt, it is a great breastfeeding pump that comes in a convenient shoulder bag or messenger bag styles, equipped with a cooler and icepack which is convenient for on the go use. 

It weighs 4.5 pounds and has power options of AC Adaptor or battery pack. 

It has a simple design with 2-Phase Expression Technology which makes it intuitive and easy to use. Medela also has a reputation for outstanding customer service.  I had an issue with my pump and contacted medela, after an unsuccessful session  of trying to fix the problem, they sent me a new pump to replace the bad one. ‘Awesome customer service’.

Best Features:

• Easy to use
• Tried and tested by millions of moms
• Automatic let-down
• Single or double pump capability
• Parts and accessories are readily available in stores and online
• Older, established breast pump company with a great reputation and fantastic customer service

The pump does have a few drawbacks; it has a loud motor , certainly not a quiet pump and moisture can build up in the tubing .

Apart from these, the medela pump in style is certainly a dependable, efficient and comfortable pump.

5. Willow Breast Pump

The willow breast pump is an all-in-one breast pump that fits in your bra and goes where you go. It weighs ~2 pounds (each pump is ~1 lb.) and has power options for a rechargeable battery (only one pump can be charged at a time). It also provides a 1 year Warranty.

The Willow breast pump  is relatively new (2018). It is a cord-free wearable breast pump.  Everything works inside the pump and inside your bra with no external tubes, cords of dangling bottles.

The Willow breast pump has two pumps that fit directly into your bra (each pump looks like a computer mouse) and rest against your breast.  Breast milk is pumped through round flanges and goes directly into bags that are tucked away inside each pump.

Another pioneering feature of the Willow pump is the accompanying app that tracks the amount of milk you pumped, how long you pumped, and troubleshooting tips.

Bid farewell to manually entering in the amount you pumped into a notepad or a pump tracking app.  The Willow breast pump is also quieter than traditional pumps which is a major bonus for moms who spend a large part of their work days on the phone.

The box comes with , two pumps; one  for each breast, two 24mm or 27 mm flanges , two flex tubes, 24 4 oz milk bags , 2 cleaning brushes and a charger .

As awesome as all its features sound, there is a learning curve when trying to figure out how to use the pump.

Additionally, each milk storage bag only holds 4 ounces.  If you have an oversupply and pump more than 8 ounces in one session, the Willow may not work for you.  Another hitch this pump might have is it’s expensive and the suction level may be too strong for some moms. Check out the willow pump here.

Best features :

• Wearable and cord free allows for free movement
• Quiet motor
• One year warranty from first use
• Seven suction levels
• Rechargeable battery lasts for 5 sessions
• Only two parts that need to be washed and it is dishwasher safe

6.Medela Sonata 

Another awesome breastfeeding pump is the  Medela Sonata  .

The medela sonata is a serious upgrade by medela from their hospital-grade symphony pump. It has some amazing features which made it a part of this list.  Unquestionably everything you need and then some more.

It offers a  2 phase expression technology that mimics how your body nurses and its responsive pump technology detects and responds to your body to ensure consistent pressure.

Best features:

• It is super quiet
• lightweight ( 2.2lbs)
• Built-in rechargeable battery
• 2 phase technology
• Bluetooth enabled; to connect to the media app
• Hospital performance
• Backlit pump face
• Closed system

The only drawback ill says i have with this pump is that compared to the spectra s1 the battery life is not as good.  Nevertheless, it will be able to give 3-4 pumping sessions which is fine if you are not relying on the battery alone all day.

Overall i would say the pump is very efficient when it comes to pumping milk as i was able to get slightly more milk from pumping with it compared to pumping with my spectra S1.

This pump is without a doubt great for working moms, moms who pump on the go and exclusively pumping moms.

Have you tried any of these breastfeeding pumps? what are your thoughts on them? let me know in the comments below.