Deciding whether to hire or buy a breast pump can be a difficult decision, especially if this is your first baby and you feel uncertain about how breastfeeding might go. It can be made even more confusing by the sheer volume of breast pumps on the market and the different types of pumps available.
Things to consider when hiring a pump
When you’re looking to rent a pump, the first thing to keep in mind is you should only be hiring pumps with a closed motor system. That means there is a protective barrier between the pump motor and your milk, making it safe and hygienic for multiple users. These are known as ‘hospital grade pumps’, although the term is commonly used to refer to the strength of the motor having hospital grade strength. Examples of hospital grade pumps include: Spectra S1, Spectra S2, Youha The One, Medela Symphony, Ardo Carum or Calypso, Ameda Platinum or Elite. You should also be purchasing a new pump kit (all the pump parts that touch your breastmilk) for hygiene reasons.
The other thing to consider is who you are hiring it from. Research has shown that receiving no instructions or inadequate instructions on how to use a breast pump increases the risk of experiencing problems (including pain, injury or low milk output), whereas learning to use a pump from someone who can give ongoing support lowers the risk.¹ Pharmacies, hospitals and general baby hire shops will usually just provide you with the pump and pump kit and won’t provide personalised support or information. They also usually only stock one or two flange sizes (24mm, 27mm or if you’re lucky 21mm) meaning you’re at risk of using a size that isn’t right for you. Did you know most women need a size 15 – 19mm flange (aka breast shield) and using a size that’s too big can cause nipple trauma and low milk output?
Hiring from us or a lactation consultant provides you with the ability to seek personalised support via a thorough consultation process, which includes pumping instructions, measuring you for your flange size and supporting you throughout your hire period.
The main reasons people rent a pump
We have helped over 100 families with their pumping needs, meaning we’ve been exposed to a whole heap of reasons why people decide to rent a pump. These are the most common:
- Needing a breast pump straight after birth because of feeding difficulties
- To help increase milk supply
- To try before they buy: hospital grade pumps can be a big investment, people want to be sure it works well for them before spending the money
- Their baby is in special care or NICU
- They are already using a breast pump that isn’t working well for them and want to try a stronger pump
- To receive extra support around their pump use and get fitted properly for their breast shield size
- Returning to work
- Going away on holiday without bub and needing to maintain supply
Pros and cons of hiring a breast pump
Pros:
- Buying a good quality, hospital grade, breast pump is expensive. If you’re unsure whether you’ll need to pump for long, hiring will be more affordable without comprising on the quality of the pump.
- Smaller electric pumps, wearables and manual pumps aren’t suitable for establishing or increasing milk supply. If you have supply or feeding issues, a prem baby or a condition that requires the efficiency of a hospital grade pump and you haven’t bought one, hiring will get you through the initial stages until you decide if you’ll need to continue longer term.
- If you’re unsure which pump to get, or you’re not happy with your current pump, hiring gives you a chance to try a breast pump before you commit to the purchase.
- Hiring from someone who provides tailored support will allow you to get the most out of your pump, increases the chance of optimising your milk output and decreases the risk of experiencing pain.
- Hiring is more sustainable and better for the environment.
Cons
- If you know you’ll be pumping with a hospital grade pump long term, buying it outright from the start will be more cost effective.
- You’re using a pump that has been used by other people. However, we only hire pumps with a closed motor system meaning they are suitable and safe for use between multiple users.
Pros and cons of buying a breast pump
Pros
- Your breast pump is new and hasn’t been used by anyone else.
- It may be more cost effective in the long run if you intend to pump longer term or for multiple babies.
- If you’re the type of person who likes to have everything organised and ready during pregnancy, having a pump on hand may give you peace of mind.
Cons
- It’s a larger upfront cost.
- You may buy a pump that doesn’t work well for you and there is no option to return the pump after you’ve purchased it.
- Purchasing a pump doesn’t come with tailored or ongoing support, leaving you to figure it out on your own. However, if you have purchased your own pump, you can still see us for pumping support and a personalised flange fitting without needing to hire from us.
- It can be risky buying a pump when pregnant as you don’t know whether you’ll end up breastfeeding/pumping.
- Less environmentally friendly than hiring as you’re contributing to more waste.
Can I hire a wearable breast pump?
Wearable pumps are completely hands free and sit inside your bra. As wearable pumps do not have a closed motor system, they are not suitable for multiple users and should not be hired. Due to the way many women handle their wearables (e.g. pouring milk out of the wearable cup with the motor still attached), there is an increased risk that breastmilk can flow into the motor and harbour bacteria and mould.
We understand the benefit of wanting to try a wearable pump before you buy one. They are costly (often between $300 – $500+ for reputable, good quality wearable pumps) and they don’t necessarily perform as well for some people.
This is why we offer an in person trial of wearable pumps for Melbourne based mums, where we control the entire handling, cleaning and sanitisation process to ensure the motors are kept free of any back flow of breastmilk. Some women choose not to use the milk they pump during the trial process and some choose to keep theirs – it’s personal choice but the main benefit is getting a chance to see how well the pump works for you, how comfy it is and whether it’s worth the investment.
The wearable pumps we have available for trial include: Lacevo S70, Youha Embody, Youha The Ins and Bubka Move. The trial includes assisting you with your flange sizing and showing you how to use the pumps. Contact us to enquire about trialling a wearable pump.
If you’re interested in buying a wearable, we have discount codes with Lacevo (code: nurturingflow for 10% off) and Bubka (code: nurturingflow for 15% off). These are affiliate codes which mean we do receive a small commission if you use them, thank you for supporting us.
References
- Youlin Qi, Cunlin Wang, Yuanting Zhang, ‘Maternal and Breast Pump Factors Associated with Breast Pump Problems and Injuries’, Journal of Human Lactation – October 2013.