Single or double breast pump?

Sligo1

There are a few threads regarding breast pumps but I wanted to start a more recent one for a quick question... Hope that's ok mods.

So my LO is 2 weeks old and for the past 3 days I've been expressing about 200 ml (takes about 45min) using my Medela Swing.

I've become aware that there is a new Medela Swing Maxi out which is pretty much the same as my Medela swing single pump (which I find really good) but is a double pump. My question to those with experience of pumping is if this would be worth purchasing? I've heard double pumps are a lot quicker which is a big factor for me as I have a 17 month old aswell and 45 min is actually time I'm not sure I will always have! But I'm wondering if the €260 for this new pump would be a bit silly as I do have a perfectly good pump which is only just over a year old and not used that much (and cost €150) and I only really express once every one or 2 days. Do you think this new double pump would be a good investment or a bit of a waste considering the above?

Any advise or input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

nikpmup

You could get a few quid back by selling the single one if you were to buy the double?

Millem

Sligo1 wrote: »

There are a few threads regarding breast pumps but I wanted to start a more recent one for a quick question... Hope that's ok mods.

So my LO is 2 weeks old and for the past 3 days I've been expressing about 200 ml (takes about 45min) using my Medela Swing.

I've become aware that there is a new Medela Swing Maxi out which is pretty much the same as my Medela swing single pump (which I find really good) but is a double pump. My question to those with experience of pumping is if this would be worth purchasing? I've heard double pumps are a lot quicker which is a big factor for me as I have a 17 month old aswell and 45 min is actually time I'm not sure I will always have! But I'm wondering if the €260 for this new pump would be a bit silly as I do have a perfectly good pump which is only just over a year old and not used that much (and cost €150) and I only really express once every one or 2 days. Do you think this new double pump would be a good investment or a bit of a waste considering the above?

Any advise or input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

I have only used a double pumps so I can't compare how much quicker they are! I used a normal avent double electric and found it very good but the hospital one is the business! It was a medela symphony and I think 2 months rental is probably the same if not cheaper than buying one a normal double. If you are not even pumping every day I wouldn't waste the money buying a new one. How long do you plan on pumping? If you want a double I would keep your pump and buy another swing but secondhand on adverts so say €60-€70. You can buy the collection kits brand new €18 from the pump rental place or you could just sterile the secondhand stuff!

Sligo1

nikpmup wrote: »

You could get a few quid back by selling the single one if you were to buy the double?

Yes I popped it up online to see if it would sell... But I'm really only going to get a fraction I what it's worth coz its a year old. Would be lucky to get half what I paid for it even when it wasnt used a massive amount.

Having said that if i got good feedback here and I thought the double would make a big difference and was worth it I'd probably just buy it.

Moonbeam

I didn't find a massive difference when I used the hospital double and single pumps,it is a bit quicker but I also never managed to express 200ml at once ever.

Millem

Moonbeam wrote: »

I didn't find a massive difference when I used the hospital double and single pumps,it is a bit quicker but I also never managed to express 200ml at once ever.

Does it not only take half the time as you are filling two bottles at once or does it change the flow? I found the hospital grade double much quicker than normal avent double one.

Millem

Sligo1 wrote: »

There are a few threads regarding breast pumps but I wanted to start a more recent one for a quick question... Hope that's ok mods.

So my LO is 2 weeks old and for the past 3 days I've been expressing about 200 ml (takes about 45min) using my Medela Swing.

I've become aware that there is a new Medela Swing Maxi out which is pretty much the same as my Medela swing single pump (which I find really good) but is a double pump. My question to those with experience of pumping is if this would be worth purchasing? I've heard double pumps are a lot quicker which is a big factor for me as I have a 17 month old aswell and 45 min is actually time I'm not sure I will always have! But I'm wondering if the €260 for this new pump would be a bit silly as I do have a perfectly good pump which is only just over a year old and not used that much (and cost €150) and I only really express once every one or 2 days. Do you think this new double pump would be a good investment or a bit of a waste considering the above?

Any advise or input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

I would be careful pumping for 45 mins as you could burn out the motor. The hospital place told me it is very easily done and normal pumps should only be used max twice a day for 20ish mins each time.

Sligo1

Thanks for the replies so far. Millem i had thought about renting but as u said id r able to buy the swing maxi for only 2 months rent and I'd hope to be pumping the odd bottle and bf a good bit longer (but who knows). The medela swing says you can use it 1-4 times per day. But I didnt know you could only use it 20min a time... My boobs wouldn't even be half empty then! Lol.

Moonbeam I thought the double takes half the time of a single which Is why I was considering it... Perhaps I'm mistaken tho. I think I have a big supply of milk which is why I'm able to pump that much. I think normal is about 2oz pumping but I can get 8oz no bother.

Millem

Sligo1 wrote: »

Thanks for the replies so far. Millem i had thought about renting but as u said id r able to buy the swing maxi for only 2 months rent and I'd hope to be pumping the odd bottle and bf a good bit longer (but who knows). The medela swing says you can use it 1-4 times per day. But I didnt know you could only use it 20min a time... My boobs wouldn't even be half empty then! Lol.

Moonbeam I thought the double takes half the time of a single which Is why I was considering it... Perhaps I'm mistaken tho. I think I have a big supply of milk which is why I'm able to pump that much. I think normal is about 2oz pumping but I can get 8oz no bother.

That's just what Medicare told me because I was petrified that I would buy out motor of the avent one as I borrowed it! You have a great milk supply so there is a cheaper rental one you could use http://www.medicare.ie/medela-lactina-breast-pump-1-month-rental.html I thought a double would be quicker as you are emptying bought at the same time! I exclusively pumped and dear lord it was hard going! So I would be going for easiest option! In work I find that small handheld appliances burn out so easily e.g. Hand blender and hand mixer as some days we might use them twice or three times.

Madisson

What I do for quick pumping, I feed on my right for all night feeds so when I wake in the morning my left is full and I get 5oz in a few mins. Its not ideal while baby is small as they wake so much but once sleeping a bit better it worked a treat.

wmpdd3

It well get easier to empty the boob a they get older. After the next leap you'll be really full after about 3 hours so you will be able to empty a boob in about 10 mins including hind milk.

I had a bad supply buy always found that one boob emptied better than the other so even though the double would be better, one boob would be finished and the other would still be going.

I expressed for 3 Weeks on my first, she never latched and out was hell, totally double the work, I would have def gotten a double.

Millem

wmpdd3 wrote: »

It well get easier to empty the boob a they get older. After the next leap you'll be really full after about 3 hours so you will be able to empty a boob in about 10 mins including hind milk.

I had a bad supply buy always found that one boob emptied better than the other so even though the double would be better, one boob would be finished and the other would still be going.

I expressed for 3 Weeks on my first, she never latched and out was hell, totally double the work, I would have def gotten a double.

Wmpdd3 I was exactly the same I don't think I could of coped with a single!

Sligo1

Millem wrote: »

Wmpdd3 I was exactly the same I don't think I could of coped with a single!

My thing is tho... I'm only expressing once a day at the minute... Would it be an awful waste to get a double taking this into consideration?

Millem

Sligo1 wrote: »

My thing is tho... I'm only expressing once a day at the minute... Would it be an awful waste to get a double taking this into consideration?

If only once I day I wouldn't bother buying a new double!

xalot

Would you considering renting the hospital grade double for a month and stocking up on milk to freeze? I had a section and my milk took ages to come in after and the medela swing was getting nothing for me so I rented the double to establish my supply. I found it great and once my supply was established the single pump worked fine for me.

Sligo1

xalot wrote: »

Would you considering renting the hospital grade double for a month and stocking up on milk to freeze? I had a section and my milk took ages to come in after and the medela swing was getting nothing for me so I rented the double to establish my supply. I found it great and once my supply was established the single pump worked fine for me.

Thanks for reply... But I don't think I need a hospital grade as I have a HUGE supply of milk already . I'm able to pump 200ml in a single sitting from the medela swing. And that's after a breast feed. I just thought a double night take less time. Thanks again for reply.

I'm thinking I might just stick with my single for now as I'm currently only pumping once a day.