MAM have just launched their new 2 in 1 electric and manual breast pump which means you have the choice of either depending on your needs, whether at home or away - with an additional option of mains power or battery power (rechargeable!!) to make life even easier.
We were recently given the opportunity to review this product ahead of the launch and here is what we thought of it....
MAM 2 in 1 Single Breast Pump Review:
(Alternative USA link here)
Electric Breast Pump:
The first thing that I noticed about this breast pump is how small and compact the pump unit is. It has a very simple and easy to use digital display which allows you to switch between stimulation mode to encourage the initial let down, and expression mode once the milk is flowing. The + and - buttons allow you to easily increase and decrease the suction strength to 9 different levels, and the timer in the middle tells you how long you have been pumping for. Healthcare professionals do advise that you should pump 15 minutes per breast and so the device switches off automatically after 30 mins - you can resume pumping by switching the power button on again.
The rechargeable battery option is great for taking out and about or if you need to pump at work on location or in your car for example.
The pump unit when in operation wasn't too loud and intrusive and soon became background noise
The product was easy to put together for electric use with the help of a product description and diagram in the manual. I did struggle at first to work out which membrane to use for each so I found the diagram invaluable for this.
The electric pump worked really well at helping with the initial let down during the stimulation mode - I do find this can take a little longer with a breast pump compared to a baby so I liked the fact that this was available for as long a needed before manually switching to expression mode.
Manual Breast Pump:
The manual breast pump uses the same funnel adapter, bottle, valve and silicone cushion as the electric breast pump - you just remove the membrane, membrane cap and tubing from the electric breast pump and put on the manual pump membrane, cap stopper, handle holder and handle to switch to a manual breast pump. Again, I found the diagram invaluable in helping me to fit this together.
In contrast to MAM's current manual breast pump this manual version doesn't have a suction controller switch to adjust the suction level. However, I found that only squeezing the handle a far as was comfortable helped to make sure the suction level was appropriate. The manual recommends that you press and release the handle to operate the pump at an approximate speed of 60 times per minute - so, every second.
I have to be honest here and say that I found the initial let down for me was impossible with a manual pump, simply because I can't relax whilst also manually pumping. It takes such a long time that my hand quickly became tired. The manual pump worked for me whilst feeding my baby on the other side when let down had already been triggered. I expect it would also have been much easier to establish a let down in the earlier days of breastfeeding when my supply was much higher and let down happened much more regularly. Obviously this is a very personal experience ad many mothers cope absolutely fine using just a manual pump - however, I am always honest in my product reviews.
The best bits about the MAM 2 in 1 single breast pump:
Personally, I love the versatility of this product - it offers the best of both worlds depending on you preference and needs. It is compact and easy to store and travel with and is easy to use once it has been put together.
The bottles included are anti - colic and have a self - sterilising function using the bottle lid to measure the right amount of water, pouring the water into the bottom of the bottle and microwaving for the recommended time.
The breast pump funnel also comes with a funnel cover which is perfect for storage and travelling to help keep the funnel clean and keep it from getting damaged. This is something I haven't come across when using breast pumps in the past.
Any drawbacks of the MAM 2 in 1 single breast pump?
Again, this is a very personal opinion as is often the case with reviews of course! I found the the funnel shape and size was a little too wide/large for my smaller chest and so I really had to push the funnel into my breast to create a good seal and suction. This was the case whether I tried it with or without the silicone cushion. Of course, everybody is different and we come in all shapes an sizes so this design would probably be a perfect fit for many women. At present, MAM do not offer the option of different funnel sizes, but who knows - perhaps this may change in the future!
You can find more information and order the on the MAM 2 in 1single breast pump on the website here.
Disclosure: We were gifted this breast pump in return for an honest review. All words and opinions are my own.
Sarah x
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