Breast pump

I have never thought that buying a breast pump can be so tiring.  In the end, there is no one breast pump that can satisfy all the moms out there.  

My requirement for a breast pump is very simple.  I just need it when I go back to work after 2 months maternity leave.  Our office is breastfeeding friendly and we have lactation rooms with fridge and all that prepared for working moms.  But I don't think it will go very well with my bosses if I take too long away from my desk, pumping away.

So what I need:

- A pump that is able to pump a lot of milk in a short time.
- A pump that is not noisy (in case I need to pump at my cubicle).
- A pump that is not too bulky and heavy.
- An economical pump.

Next, I read online and did massive reviews on breast pumps.  OMG!  When I did research for cloth diaper, it was much easier and fun to do than breast pump.  I don't know why but it's just too difficult to find the best breast pump that match my budget and requirements.


What I should do:

- Never buy a second-hand pump (according to specialist).  Not hygienic.  
- Buy a pump now before birth (because I may need one immediately after birth and may not be able to go out during confinement and can't depend on my husband's help)


Type of breast pumps:

- Manual : use hand to manually operate the pump
- Electric : auto pump, adjustable to your own comfort
- Solo electric : Only pump 1 breast at a time
- Double electric : Can pump both breasts at the same time
- Manual convertible to auto : Can convert your manual pump to electric
- Hospital grade pump : for heavy duty usage
- Battery operated or AC adapter operated or both


What I found:

- Medela is a famous brand and is quite popular among working moms.  It is also an older brand and well-known for many years due to its solid performance.  However, due to the rise in USD, this pump is truly an investment that you need to really think twice (because it is not made in Malaysia).  Price at around RM1,500 for a brand new pump (depends on what type you want), it's really not easy for some people's pocket.  While it's good in terms of performance, some moms said because of the open system, which is prone to leaking of milk, they would prefer other brands that has the closed system instead.  This brand is probably the most recommended one by word-of-mouth.  Some did say that Medela, though famous, did not further their research to improve their pump for the better.

- Spectra is becoming an uprising brand.  It's from Korea and many moms swore by it.  Spectra offers many choices and the price is also affordable.  They have hospital grade pump at higher prices with choices for only AC adapter or with in-built battery and AC adapter.  They also have for day-to-day usage but not heavy duty.  The sound is also soft and gentle.  Closed system and looks like it's the best choice.  

- Philips Avent is also a popular brand.  But nowadays, the name is not as good as Spectra is becoming more and more a favourite among moms.  Expensive and not that soft and bulky (some claimed).  While its performance is good, but some moms just doesn't agree with this pump and said it's uncomfortable and so on.

- Lacte brand is a Malaysian home grown brand.  It has many good reviews and that its performance is on par with Medela and Spectra.  However, because of the many parts to wash, some mothers find this to be cumbersome.  

There's also Ameda, Malish, Pigeon, Autumnz and many other brands out there.  But I only read up and research the above brands.


After much research and thought, I feel I need a pump which is double electric (so that it saves me some time), with battery operated and AC adapter (so that I can pump even if I don't have electric source or when blackout!), not necessary hospital grade (as I don't intend to pump for years and years to come) and reasonably price.

I narrow down to Spectra M1 and Lacte Duet.  Both are within my budget.  Both have closed system.  Both are portable.  Both are small.  Both have low noise.  Now I am going to list down the differences between the 2.

Spectra Pros
- Made in Korea (probably better for some who thinks local brand sucks)
- Lesser parts to wash

Spectra Cons
- Heard that the bottles doesn't match or the original ones are too filmsy.  I don't really know what it means.  I need to find out more.
- Breast shield made of plastic and some moms said it's painful for them.  
- Feel likes milking a cow due to its strong suction.

Lacte Pros
- Made in Malaysia (if you are a local brand supporter)
- Not battery operated but can attach a USB cable and use powerbank for power.
- Breast shield is made of silicon and soft, some moms said it's not painful and like baby suckle.  Suitable for sensitive nipples.
- 2 motors that can be operated on different levels for each breast.

Lacte Cons
- Too many parts to wash

The thing is, you can read a lot of reviews on Spectra, both internationally and locally, but for Lacte, you can only read local reviews and that's not many compared to Spectra.  I am not keen to wash so many parts after each pump but at the same time I think I have sensitive nipples that may not get use to plastic shields.  I will never know until I start breastfeeding right?

Sigh.  See, I still haven't decided which one to use.  Why can't someone just create a good breast pump that is suitable for many people so that we don't have to choose?  I guess not.

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