A Working and Pumping Mom's review pt 1 - Breastpumps

When I was pregnant I was determined to breastfeed my baby. However, at that time I only knew that I had to buy a breast pump. In this entry, I will list down my reviews on the breastpumps I've used so far.

1. Avent Isis iQ Uno

I did ask some friends on which breastpump brands were good. They said either Medela or Avent. But my friends were using the Avent Isis so they recommended it to me. They suggested that if I have the money, get the Avent Isis iQ Uno which was an electric pump. I didn't do any research on the pumps so I just decided that I'll get the iQ Uno. This pump is good once you've mastered the technique to relax and get let down. It's not tiring as you only have to pump a few times to set the pumping rythm and then press the button which will automate the pumping. However, since the iQ Uno is a single pump, you need to express each breast one at a time and this can increase the time required to express milk. I've used it at the office and it takes me about 40 minutes to express 6-8 oz from both sides. I've even used it on a few occasions when I had to work out of office. On one of these occasions, I couldn't find a power outlet. The good thing about the iQ Uno is that it also comes with a battery pack and also attachments to make it a manual pump. Unfortunately my battery pack is not working properly so I had to resort to the manual operation.

2. Spectra 3

The difference between Spectra 3 and iQ Uno are:
- you can't control the rythm. With the Spectra 3 you can only control the strength of suction.
- there are no pack up if there is not electricity supply (i.e. no manual attachements or battery pack)
- with the extra breastshieled set you can double pump using the Spectra 3

I bought the Spectra 3 with the extra breastshield set at end of March. The main reason is because I wanted to double pump and shorten the time expressing milk at the office. Plus I've read that double pumping is good to maintain the prolactin enzyme production which is critical for maintaining long-term supply of breastmilk. Now that I've used it for a little over a month, I only need about 15-20 mins to get the same amount (6-8 oz) as the iQ Uno, sometimes even more. With the iQ Uno, I had to do some massages to stimulate let down, then pump and then repeat the process when the milk flow has almost stopped. But with the Spectra 3, I just place the breastshields and then carry on with my work (reading/replying emails, surfing the net etc.) and soon enough I will get let down. So not much effort is needed comapred to the iQ Uno. The suction to me is also not that strong and doesn't hurt as some reviews I read in SusuIbu.com.

My Recommendation:
The Spectra 3 is a value for money double pump (less than RM 450) and the if you need a manual pump for back up get the Avent Isis Manual. Both of this together will be almost the same price as the Avent Isis iQ Uno but with the advantage of double pumping. For speed and maintaining long term milk supply, go for double pumping.