Product Review: The First Years MiPump Single Electric Breast Pump

If you're a breastfeeding mom, you know that it's important to have a reliable breast pump that you can use either on an occasional basis or several times each day. Personally, I've never liked the idea of breastfeeding my children in public. I find breastfeeding to be a very personal and private experience, and it's not one that I'd like to share with others. I'm also a very modest person and don't feel comfortable exposing myself in public. For those reasons, I chose to pump several times a day and will only breastfeed in the privacy of my own home. For breastfeeding in public, I feed my child expressed breast milk in a bottle. That way he gets all the nutrition, and I don't have the embarrassment of breastfeeding in public.

I've used several different breast pumps. I've tried hospital grade rented pumps, personal use electric pumps, and manual breast pumps. Overall, I'd have to say that The First Years miPump Single Electric Breast Pump is my favorite of the ones I've used. The pump itself is very small. It's about the size of a small wallet. It's very quiet and doesn't make funny or loud noises like other pumps I've used. I also like that it comes with a handy and adorable carrying bag that looks like a small purse. It's discreet enough that no one would know you're carrying a breast pump. That's great for when you're traveling and will need to pump away from home. It also has the convenience of running on either battery power or running on electricity by plugging it in with the included AC adapter.

Some breast pumps will express tons of milk from your breasts, but will cause you excruciating pain in the process. I'm happy to say that The First Years miPump Single Electric Breast Pump does not cause any pain, even on the highest speed setting. It has 8 speed settings and is easily adjusted from one speed to another with the push of a button.

The First Years miPump Single Electric Breast Pump is also very easy on your wallet. It's available from Amazon.com for around $59, which is about half the price of pumps from other manufacturers.

There are only a few things that I don't like about this pump, but they are only minor issues. First of all, I wish you could pump directly into the freezer storage bags, like you can with other breast pumps. The miPump doesn't adapt to the freezer bags, so you have to pump into their bottles and then pour into the storage bags. It's not a major issue, but it is a minor inconvenience, so it's worth mentioning. Also, this manufacturer offers a Double Deluxe version of this breast pump which I would recommend if it fits your budget. The Double Deluxe version sells for around $99 but it allows you to pump both breasts at the same time, which will save you time. It also comes with bottle adapters that allow you to pump into any bottle from any manufacturer. This is a great benefit that I wish the single version came with since my son doesn't like the bottles from The First Years.

Overall, I think the miPump Single Electric Breast Pump is a great buy. It works well; it's durable and efficient and saves you money. However, if your budget does allow for the extra spending, I would suggest purchasing the Double Deluxe version of this same pump. You will love the added features and they will save you time and trouble. If you'd like to purchase any pumps by The First Years, they are available at Amazon.com, Target, Babies R Us, and other fine retailers.