Making the decision to breastfeed is a huge one for any mother and their family. However, it’s a decision that needs to be considered and made.
Many parents decide that they would like to breastfeed while still allowing dad to be a part of the process by expressing milk that can be given to the baby at a later time.
If this combination feeding is something you’re considering, you’ll most definitely need a breast pump of some sort. We have compared three manual breast pumps that are available.
These manual pumps are a great option if you decide you don’t want to use an electric pump or if they are too expensive. Or if you just want a pump that you can throw in your bag and take anywhere with you.
Manual pumps do require a little bit of muscle power where the electric ones do not but they’re well worth that little bit of exercise.
In this article
What Are Manual Breast Pumps
Manual breast pumps require you to use some personal effort in order for them to work unlike battery-powered or electric options. The biggest advantage of manual pumps is that they’re discreet.
You can pump milk anytime you want almost anywhere. Due to their discreet nature, they can be used when you get engorged and can also be used to help stimulate your milk supply.
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Main Features – Similarities And Differences
Here are some of the main differences and similarities between our three manual breast pumps.
Price
As the three pumps are all manual, they’re similarly priced and are very affordable. Manual breast pumps are considerably more affordable than electric pumps.
Portability
All the manual pumps that we looked at are super portable but there are a few things that you would need to consider first.
The Haakaa Manual Breast Pump does not cover with a cover or a carry bag of any kind, so you would need to be careful how you transported it.
Both the Nature bond and the Bumblebee Breast pump come with a cover and also a neat little bag to pop everything into.
Included Accessories
Most manual breast pumps don’t contain any accessories and simply come with the single unit pump. The Haakaa pump is like this. Although, you can buy a lid for it separately.
However, both the Nature Bond and the Bumblebee come with dust cover lids, pump stopper, and carry bag.
Ease of Use
Pumping is something that you’re going to need to do often so the pump you choose needs to be comfortable and easy to use. Manual breast pumps are simple enough to operate and usually require little to no assembly.
If it’s a single unit like the ones in our comparison, there are no individual connections required. All you need to do is position the pump and away you go.
If you’re new to pumping, it may take a few tries to get the correct position. This is completely normal, so don’t lose heart.
Efficiency
Breast pumps, whether they be manual or electric, are designed to mimic the suckling action of your baby. It’s this massaging motion that helps to stimulate milk production.
With this in mind, if you’re deciding to opt for a manual pump, you may want to make sure that whichever you choose allows you to pump while you are feeding.
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This will help you to maximize the amount of milk that you collect by catching the let down from the side that your baby is not feeding on.
Discreet
Even in this day and age where breastfeeding is very normal, feeding mothers shouldn’t deal with any backlash from feeding in public.
Many mothers are uncomfortable with the thought of drawing attention to themselves while they are feeding or pumping. Manual breast pumps tend to be more discreet than the electric pumps as they are far quieter.
The pumps we have looked at are also small enough to remain discreet, giving you the choice to be able to sue them anywhere.
Which Breast Pump is Best?
1. Haakaa Manual Breast Pump
Why You Should Consider It
This breast pump is made from 100% food-grade silicone and weighs just 1.6 ounces.
The Haakaa Breast Pump is a great place to begin your pumping journey. It’s a single unit which means you do one breast at a time. It is operated manually so no need for batteries or a power supply.
The best part is that there’s no assembly required. It’s easy to use. You just simply squeeze to remove the air press to your breast and let the pump do the work for you.
It will draw your milk out using natural suction. It can hold up to 100 ml of expressed milk during a single pumping session.
When you have finished pumping, just pour the milk into a bottle. This is made easier as the unit is shaped a little bit like a jug. This pump is lightweight and great for travel as it is portable and doesn’t have lots of different pieces.
Pros
- Lightweight
- Portable
- No assembly required
- It’s a single unit
- It is phthalate, BPA, and PVC free
- It is shaped like a small jug for easy pouring
Cons
- It does not come with any accessories such as a pump cover
2. Nature Bond Breast Pump
Why You Should Consider It
This breast pump is made from 100% food-grade silicone and weighs 8.8 ounces.
The Nature Bond breast pump is tested against USA FDA regulations and is certified free of BPA, PVC, phthalate, and lead. It’s a single unit and is compact enough that you could pop it in your bag without it taking up too much room.
It is small enough that it could be used discreetly even while you are around people. It is quiet which means it is discreet. Due to its unique design, you could use this while you are breastfeeding.
During letdown, you can pop the Nature Bond on the other breast and collect the milk. As it does not need to be held in place, you can still concentrate 100% on your little one while still expressing.
The pumping action will not only help you pump milk with little effort but it will also help to stimulate your milk supply. The pump section comes with a Smart Pressure feature.
This provides varied pump suction levels depending on how strong you would like it. The bottom creates gentle suction, the middle creates medium suction, and the top of the pump creates the strongest suction.
This pump comes complete with a nature bond silicone pump, velvet pouch, pump stopper, safety pump strap, dust cover lid, and sterile vacuum sealed packaging.
Pros
- It can be used handsfree
- PVC, Phthalate, Lead, and BPA free
- Comes as a complete package with cover
- Various suction levels
Cons
- Loss of suction after a few weeks of use
3. Bumblebee Breast Pump
Why You Should Consider It
This breast pump is made from 100% food-grade silicone and weighs 4.2 ounces.
If you’re after a really reasonably priced pump that comes with some accessories that are really useful, the Bumblebee Breast Pump would be a great choice.
It comes with a great manual to help you get started, making it great for those that have never used a pump before. It is a single unit and requires no assembly.
The pump also comes with suction variation depending on how much you need. Press the bottom for medium suction, the top for gentle suction, and the center for strong suction.
Included in the pack are your single unit breast pump, a breast stopper, a breast pump lid, and a green carry bag.
Pros
- Easy to clean and sterilize
- No assembly required
- It can be operated hands-free
Cons
- Keeps falling off
- Poor suction
- Leaks
Our Final Thoughts
The three breast pumps that we have looked at are very similar. So I would think about what is essential to you and let that influence your decision. It may be the brand, the accessories, the reviews, or even the price.
If I had to recommend one personally, I would go with the Nature Bond Silicone Breast Pump. Because of its size and ease of use, it also comes with some great accessories making it completely portable.
