Motherhood as you know it is a profound and unique adventure. As nice or sweet as it may appear to be, it is an experience that could prove overwhelming and very frustrating. One of the numerous aspects of motherhood that could prove very harrowing, for mothers who plan to do it is breastfeeding.
This distress increases in cases of multiple births say twins or triplets. A breast pump is one device that can significantly reduce the challenges of breastfeeding as it allows lactating mothers to express their milk, which may then be stored and fed to the babies via bottles at a convenient time.
For mothers who plan to return to work immediately, it could be a game-changer for them as they can extract their milk at any time, leaving it to caregivers to bottle-feed the baby(s). They could also be used to stimulate lactation in mothers with low milk supply, relieve engorgement, and so on. Also in cases of multiple births, the children are more often than not born preterm resulting in one or both of them having weak suckling reflexes, thus constituting a challenge in feeding which you can overcome with breast pumps.
There are a plethora of breast pumps available in the market these days. Some are manually powered, while others are powered with electricity. Choosing the breast pump that is most suitable for you and your child is an important decision that should be made with care, and this list is here to help you with that. Below are our picks for the best breast pumps for twins.
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Best Breast Pump for Twins: Top Picks
1. Madela Pump in Style
Madela pump in style is a double electric breast pump from renowned breast pump manufacturer Madela. A major selling point of this pump is that it uses a 2-phase expression technology which includes the stimulation phase and milk expression phase. This significantly increases efficiency allowing mothers to express more milk in less time. Other features that make this pump a favorite amongst nursing mothers include an overflow protection system, discreet and durable backpacks that come in three different styles (on the go tote, backpack and metro bag), a cooler bag and ice pack, closed system of tubes and batteries to provide alternative power.
Pros
- High efficiency producing more milk in less time
- The alternative power source allows it to be used anywhere and anytime without restrain
- Carrying bags are quite portable
Con
- It is quite expensive, thus not pocket-friendly.
- It is quite loud
Customer sentiments
A lot of customers felt it is one of the best breast pumps for twins available in the market, but there were also a few complaints about the seams of the backpack getting undone easily and also about it being noisy.
2. Philips Avent Double Electric Breast Pumps
The Philips Avent Double Electric Breast Pump is one that was designed with the utmost comfort of nursing mothers in mind. The pump has an angled neck which allows milk flow naturally from breast to bottle without you having to lean forward making it one of the best designs of breast pumps ergonomically. It is compact, light and comes with three easy to use expression setting (low medium, and high). Other features are a soft massage cushion for greater comfort, petals within this cushion that mimic your baby’s suckling action which helps with milk letdown, and a quiet efficient pump for discreet expression, which makes it suitable for office and night time pumping.
Pros
- It is quiet, thus suitable for discreet expression
- Designed with good ergonomics, thus comfortable to use
Cons
- Comparatively faster wear and tear
Customer sentiments
Customers think it is an excellent choice for a breast pump as it is light, compact and pumps rather quietly, but there were a few complaints as regards weak suction power and assembly being hard and not so intuitive.
3. Spectra S1
The Spectra S1 is a rechargeable breast pump with amazing suction strength. It is essentially a hospital grade pump designed for personal use with a maximum suction strength of 250mmHg. This pump features a closed system which means it doesn’t require cleaning, backflow protection to keep breast milk from harmful bacteria, an inbuilt battery which lasts up to 1 hour on a full charge, and a very quiet pump that comes with a timer.
Pros
- It is extremely lightweight, portable and easy to use
- It is quiet making it suitable for discreet pumping
- It can operate hand-free
Cons
- The quality of the collection kit is somewhat poor
Customer sentiments
A lot of customers say it is easily one of the best pumps available in the market and strongly recommend it. It would be difficult to get any negative review on this pump
4. Madela Symphony
The Madela Symphony is arguably one of the best breast pumps in the market these days. It is a hospital-grade pump with great suctioning power (50-120 mmHg) and is the first breast pump to feature the 2-phase expression technology which is proven to achieve faster milk ejection and flow. Other features of this breast pump that make it a force to reckon with are a symphony 2.0 card that allows it to store all information about pumping sessions, very effective cycle rates ranging between 40 and 120 cycles per minute.
Pros
- It has high suctioning power
- Great efficiency to produce more milk in little time
- Very quiet
- Very suitable for long term daily use and suctioning large quantity of milk
Cons
- It is very expensive
- It is not very portable
Customer sentiments
The reviews on this pump suggest that it is easily a favorite for most mothers as it is highly regarded for its high suctioning power and durability.
5. The First Years Breast flow Memory
If you’re out for a breast pump that is affordable and doesn’t sacrifice anything in comfort and quality of pumping, this pump is your best bet. It is an electric double breast pump also known for its quiet expression. It has a unique handle which makes double pumping easy with just one hand. Other features of this pump which make it one of the top breast pumps in the market include soft Flexi-fit breast shields that create a perfect fit, 8 suction level settings to enable you double pump at your required speed, a convenient tote bag to hold pumping kits and other personal essentials, rechargeable battery, and a digital touch screen interface that can store breast milk pumping data for up to 10 sessions.
Pros
- Rechargeable and portable for mothers who are always on the go
- Can store pumping data for up to 10 pumping sessions allowing mothers to keep track of time, speed and amount of milk pumped
Cons
- It is not durable
- It is an open system, thus there is a risk of breast milk contamination.
Customer sentiments
Most customers are very satisfied with the pump and think it was a great bargain for such a low price. Getting a negative review of this pump would not be easy.
6. Hygeia Enjoye Breast pumps
Hygeia Enjoye breast pump is a professional grade electric pump with batteries to provide backup power. Two distinguishing features that make this pump fantastic are its motor durability, thus built for frequent pumping and its exceptional lithium batteries that last up to 4 hours on a full charge. It has highly specialized filters that inhibit the growth of bacteria, a closed pump system that prevents the transfer of pathogen to the babies, and a high-quality duckbill valve to prevent backflow.
Pros
- Highly customizable settings to suit individual need perfectly
- Very Durable and comfortable for nursing mothers
- Battery life span is very long-lasting up to 4 hours on a full charge
Cons
- It is not very quiet
Customer sentiments
Most customers were impressed with the performance of this pump, but there were several complaints about it being noisy.
Breast Pumps for Twins Buying Guide
Breast pumps in the market as seen from the list above come in different shapes and capacities with varieties of features, thus making a selection of which one to buy an overwhelming task for some mothers.
The aforementioned list was put together following careful consideration and extensive research to help you make the best choice of a breast pump for you and your babies for you and your baby. Below is a list of some very important factors to consider when buying a breast pump to make the search less daunting.
- Your budget
- Safety of your babies: Safety of your babies is of paramount importance when selecting a baby pump. To this effect, a closed system pump is highly recommended as it doesn’t allow any moisture, molds, or microorganisms into the pump or its tubing. The open system pumps significantly increase the risk of transfer of pathogens to an infant via expressed milk
- Double pumping: A double pump allows you to pump both breasts simultaneously, essentially reducing the time spent pumping. For twins, it is only logical that you go for the double pump option as it enables you to effectively meet the demand for milk by the babies. Furthermore, dual pumping results in your breasts producing more hormones which further hastens the production of breast milk.
- Comfort and convenience: You should choose a breast pump that fits your breast correctly and is comfortable. Wrong flange size could lead to nasty side effects such as nipple soreness and irritation and even destruction of breast tissue or poor expression of milk. You might also want to consider a breast pump that is easy to use and carry around and just gives that all-round convenience.
- Alternative power source: Manual pumps in the market are generally less expensive to buy, but they could be more stressful to use. Electric pumps, on the other hand, are more expensive and thus less stressful as the pump does all the work for you. If you’re buying an electric pump, be sure to go for one which has an alternative power source such as adapters or batteries. This enables you to express milk at your utmost convenience, even in transit.
FAQs on Breast Pumps
Is there any side effect of using breast pumps?
Breast pumps could have some not so pleasant side effects. There have been reports of nipple and breast tissue damage from the incorrect use of the pumps, nipples becoming sore and irritated, even reduced milk production as the use of breast pumps is not as effective as direct suckling by the baby.
When can I start pumping my breast milk?
Under normal circumstances, you can wait a few weeks, say 3-4 weeks before you start pumping. Experts feel it is a good idea to wait to introduce your baby to bottle feeding as doing so too early might cause “nipple confusion” eventually resulting in the baby rejecting the mother’s breasts. In other conditions such as preterm births, you can begin pumping as early as one to six hours after delivery as the situation warrants.
For how long can I store expressed milk?
At room temperature, expressed milk can be kept for up to six hours (at around 25 degrees Celsius). It can be stored for up to 5 days in a refrigerator (temperature range of 0 to 4 degrees Celsius), and 6-12 months in a deep freezer (temperature less than -4 degrees Celsius always). Frozen milk once thawed should be used up within 24 hours.
Verdict
Buying a breast pump to relieve you from the stress of breastfeeding is quite an important decision, especially with twins. Care has to be taken to ensure that the right choice is made. The list above contains some of the best breast pumps for twins in the market, each with its unique features and properties.
Picking the best of these would prove a herculean task as they all have areas where they supersede others, but the Spectra S1 just about edges the others to be our number one pick. It has very high suction strength, rechargeable battery, a closed system with backflow protection and other amazing features, not to mention it is very portable and not so expensive