Product Review: Philip Avent Breast Pump (Single Electric)

**Sponsored Product Review**

My breast feeding journey hadn’t been a really smooth one but i sort of persevered through it, reminding myself that breast is best. based on that one single notion, i pushed on no matter how tired i feel and how tough it is. those who have been around reading for a while would know that i had been unable to latch my kids – BOTH my kids. As much as i tried a lot harder with the 2nd kid, the situation and the circumstance just means it was not meant to be.

without being able to latch, the breast pump is really my best friend in the breast feeding scenario.

which brings me to a topic which most mothers-to-be (or breastfeeding mums) would like to know – which breast pump is better or which breast pump should i buy?

How do i buy a breast pump?

honestly, there is no one pump to fit the needs of everyone because everyone has different expectations or different requirements. Here’s a list of considerations that i thought would be a good list to start off while fretting over your breast pump purchase.

1. Manual Breast Pumps vs Electric Breast Pumps
I have used both and have personally preferred the electric ones on the basis that my arms doesnt have to work that hard. i think i have weak arms because my arms do ache quite a bit with all that exercise on pressing the handles on a manual pump, and in return i am less effective in the chore.

both are similar in achieving the goal though, the milk gets expressed so it is really up to an individual’s comfort level.

2. Ease of washing Pump parts
huh? you might ask. trust me. if you have to pump frequently up to 7 or 8 times a day and have to keep washing them all the time round the clock like i do, you’ll think about the washing bit. I do like pumps with as minimal parts as possible or easy-to-wash parts so that i can quickly finish the chore and bond with the baby.

3. Cost
the cost must fit your budget. breast pumps ranges from affordable ones to very expensive ones, and regardless the option that you go with, the cost would always be a consideration. Though some times, i feel its not the affordability bit, it’s more of the “would i use it often or enough to justify the cost to warrant paying?”.

these are the top 3 points of what i considered when buying a breast pump. sure, there are a lot more considerations involved like whether you are a ftwm (rushed for time at work) or a sahm (express only when engorged or to store excess milk) which makes a whole world of difference in your purchase decision.

and today, i’m gonna review the Philip Avent Comfort Breast Pump and the specific model that i am reviewing is the Philips Avent Single Electric model.

Unboxing the contents…

The package comes with:
– breast pump body (pump machine + bottle + funnel + tubing)
– 1 x natural bottle with an extra soft newborn flow teat
– 1 x sealing disc for the milk bottle (storage purpose)
– 1 x spare diaphragm
– 1 x power adaptor for electricity source

Using the single electric pump!I tried using it for a couple of weeks and here’s my views on the Philips Avent Breast Pump.

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THE BREAST PUMP:

Flower petal-like cushion on the breast pump. at first, it does look more like aesthetics to me but when the pump operates, the flower petals actually help massages the breast with the suction. Very interesting! one can also relax and lean back to express the milk and not risk spilling at all without having to lean forward.
white cap/cover over the funnel to keep the pump clean. This is a brilliant idea because i transport my pump around quite a bit and even though i keep them in ziplock bags after sterilization, i feel a lot more safe and at comfort that the pump sanitization is unlikely to be compromised with the cover over the funnel.

the pump can work on AA batteries. Having the option of running on batteries is somewhat a lifesaver. Imagine the days where you forget to bring along the power adaptor – just go to any convenience store and grab some batteries and your boobs are saved!

Ease of washing. There is minimal pump parts, but what i really like is that the pump parts are designed in such a way where cleaning is easy, which cuts down the amount of time i need to spend washing.

Lastly, lighted buttons are a cool feature to have. While not critical, it helps when i don’t have to switch on the light when i have to express in the dark in the middle of the night. it means no accidental waking of the baby or husband so they both getting better quality sleep!

Oh, and i’m not sure if many people realised it. You can get additional pump parts – avent diaphragm with stem and pump handle – and convert it into a manual pump!

WHAT I THOUGHT CAN BE IMPROVED:
1. Power source of the pump – This pump works on with either a power adaptor or AA batteries. I mostly use it on power adaptor for cost reasons and this irks me the most. Having to stay put at the same place, stuck with a cable in the wall is difficult with 2 kids. it renders me useless instantly, i cant do much else other than expressing. While there is the option of AA batteries which is totally convenient, i think rechargeable lithium batteries might be a better option especially since not all nursing rooms have a power source to plug the pump in. Of cos, the way to get around it is to use rechargeable AA batteries but they are also not cheap.

2. option of being handsfree. 2 kids, ftwm, and many chores/work to do is tough. i want to be able to do something else other than expressing milk at the same time. I want to be able to walk around the house, do light chores or type on the keyboard to reply emails. handsfree version could possibly do wonders to mothers who are time strapped and trying to do everything at the same time.

3. The strength of suction. the avent single electric pump offers 3 levels of suction. I find them a little too mild and takes me a longer time to express x amount of milk as compared to another pump that i am using. I often feel as if the breasts were not fully emptied.

and there. that’s my breast pump review and what i really think of the pump. at the price of about $300, i think it is a fairly well-worth value buy but like i said earlier, your objectives of using the pump will be a better case to evaluate the pump’s effectiveness.

just to share – I, for one, will go with a double pump because i am really time stretched due to my work schedules and having to manage the household and 2 kids. A single pump would mean double the amount of pumping time required which i cannot afford so i rather pay for a double pump which is twice the cost (ouch!). And oh, thought i’ll highlight that while i use the single pump, both breast let-down at the same time and errm, i do find it quite messy trying to “stop” one side while expressing the other. Is it just me or is that normal?

Hope you find this review helpful!

Disclaimer: I received a Philips Avent Breast Pump (Single Electric) from Philips AVENT for review purposes and this sponsored post is brought to you by Rise & Shine and all thoughts and opinions (and breast milk) are my own.