Different pumps serve different needs. Just as most people wear certain shoes to fit the occasion, a certain type of breast pump can be the right tool for a certain situation. These are the main types—and what they can do best.

<p>You might use this powerful pump in the hospital. If so, keep all the kit&rsquo;s parts&mdash;tubing, valves, piston&mdash;in case they're compatible with what you use at home. (If left at the hospital, they will be thrown out.)</p>
<p><strong>Best for:</strong> establishing milk supply when you can&rsquo;t directly breastfeed</p>

Hospital-grade pumps

<div data-testid="dnd-block">
<div collection="docs" editor="[object Object]" path="0,0" singlelineref="[object Object]">
<div>
<div collection="docs" elementtype="p" path="0,0" data-testid="dnd-container">
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div data-editor-type="scrte" data-slate-node="element">
<p data-testid="p"><span data-slate-string="true">Wearable, in-bra pumps </span><span data-slate-inline="true" data-slate-node="element"><a href="https://onewillow.com/" data-testid="hyperlink_a"><span data-slate-string="true">like Willow&rsquo;s</span></a></span><span data-slate-string="true"> express milk from both breasts simultaneously. They provide mobility flexibility.</span></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<span contenteditable="false"></span><span contenteditable="false"></span></div>
<div data-slate-fragment="JTVCJTdCJTIydHlwZSUyMiUzQSUyMmRvY3MlMjIlMkMlMjJjaGlsZHJlbiUyMiUzQSU1QiU3QiUyMnR5cGUlMjIlM0ElMjJwJTIyJTJDJTIyYXR0cnMlMjIlM0ElN0IlN0QlMkMlMjJ1aWQlMjIlM0ElMjIyNDhmODhjYWZiYzY0ODk1OTdlZDQ3Mzc0MzdmMTYzZCUyMiUyQyUyMmNoaWxkcmVuJTIyJTNBJTVCJTdCJTIydHlwZSUyMiUzQSUyMnNwYW4lMjIlMkMlMjJhdHRycyUyMiUzQSU3QiUyMnN0eWxlJTIyJTNBJTdCJTIyZm9udC1zaXplJTIyJTNBJTIyMTFwdCUyMiU3RCUyQyUyMnJlZGFjdG9yLWF0dHJpYnV0ZXMlMjIlM0ElN0IlMjJzdHlsZSUyMiUzQSUyMmZvbnQtc2l6ZSUzQSUyMDExcHQlM0IlMjIlN0QlN0QlMkMlMjJ1aWQlMjIlM0ElMjI2MTUyNWE4NmQyMDA0MGZkYmM3MGE1OWZiYzgzOTg2ZiUyMiUyQyUyMmNoaWxkcmVuJTIyJTNBJTVCJTdCJTIydGV4dCUyMiUzQSUyMldlYXJhYmxlJTJDJTIwaW4tYnJhJTIwcHVtcHMlMjAlMjIlN0QlNUQlN0QlMkMlN0IlMjJ0eXBlJTIyJTNBJTIyYSUyMiUyQyUyMmF0dHJzJTIyJTNBJTdCJTIydXJsJTIyJTNBJTIyaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZvbmV3aWxsb3cuY29tJTJGJTIyJTJDJTIydGFyZ2V0JTIyJTNBbnVsbCUyQyUyMnJlZGFjdG9yLWF0dHJpYnV0ZXMlMjIlM0ElN0IlMjJocmVmJTIyJTNBJTIyaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZvbmV3aWxsb3cuY29tJTJGJTIyJTdEJTJDJTIyaXNCbG9jayUyMiUzQWZhbHNlJTdEJTJDJTIydWlkJTIyJTNBJTIyYmMzYmEyNDZmM2JjNDNlZmE1OGU2ZTU0NDI0YmU3NzclMjIlMkMlMjJjaGlsZHJlbiUyMiUzQSU1QiU3QiUyMnR5cGUlMjIlM0ElMjJzcGFuJTIyJTJDJTIyYXR0cnMlMjIlM0ElN0IlMjJzdHlsZSUyMiUzQSU3QiUyMmZvbnQtc2l6ZSUyMiUzQSUyMjExcHQlMjIlN0QlMkMlMjJyZWRhY3Rvci1hdHRyaWJ1dGVzJTIyJTNBJTdCJTIyc3R5bGUlMjIlM0ElMjJmb250LXNpemUlM0ElMjAxMXB0JTNCJTIyJTdEJTdEJTJDJTIydWlkJTIyJTNBJTIyYjQ1MzQ2NmJlZjlhNDJiYmE2Y2U0YjllODI0MmU5NWMlMjIlMkMlMjJjaGlsZHJlbiUyMiUzQSU1QiU3QiUyMnRleHQlMjIlM0ElMjJsaWtlJTIwV2lsbG93JUUyJTgwJTk5cyUyMiU3RCU1RCU3RCU1RCU3RCUyQyU3QiUyMnR5cGUlMjIlM0ElMjJzcGFuJTIyJTJDJTIyYXR0cnMlMjIlM0ElN0IlMjJzdHlsZSUyMiUzQSU3QiUyMmZvbnQtc2l6ZSUyMiUzQSUyMjExcHQlMjIlN0QlMkMlMjJyZWRhY3Rvci1hdHRyaWJ1dGVzJTIyJTNBJTdCJTIyc3R5bGUlMjIlM0ElMjJmb250LXNpemUlM0ElMjAxMXB0JTNCJTIyJTdEJTdEJTJDJTIydWlkJTIyJTNBJTIyMmU3OGU4Y2JkY2EzNDJlMDk5MzhkOWMyYzY5NmE3NWQlMjIlMkMlMjJjaGlsZHJlbiUyMiUzQSU1QiU3QiUyMnRleHQlMjIlM0ElMjIlMjBleHByZXNzJTIwbWlsayUyMGZyb20lMjBib3RoJTIwYnJlYXN0cyUyMHNpbXVsdGFuZW91c2x5LiUyMFRoZXklMjBwcm92aWRlJTIwbW9iaWxpdHklMjBmbGV4aWJpbGl0eS4lMjIlN0QlNUQlN0QlNUQlN0QlMkMlN0IlMjJ0eXBlJTIyJTNBJTIycCUyMiUyQyUyMmF0dHJzJTIyJTNBJTdCJTdEJTJDJTIydWlkJTIyJTNBJTIyZDQxY2YyNmQ0YTE3NDExZThmMTQyM2FiMDU2NjUzODIlMjIlMkMlMjJjaGlsZHJlbiUyMiUzQSU1QiU3QiUyMnR5cGUlMjIlM0ElMjJzcGFuJTIyJTJDJTIyYXR0cnMlMjIlM0ElN0IlMjJzdHlsZSUyMiUzQSU3QiUyMmZvbnQtc2l6ZSUyMiUzQSUyMjExcHQlMjIlN0QlMkMlMjJyZWRhY3Rvci1hdHRyaWJ1dGVzJTIyJTNBJTdCJTIyc3R5bGUlMjIlM0ElMjJmb250LXNpemUlM0ElMjAxMXB0JTNCJTIyJTdEJTdEJTJDJTIydWlkJTIyJTNBJTIyNjZlNGRiOGE2YmFlNDNjNjgwZGZlN2JkZjE1YTkyYjElMjIlMkMlMjJjaGlsZHJlbiUyMiUzQSU1QiU3QiUyMnRleHQlMjIlM0ElMjJCZXN0JTIwZm9yJTNBJTIwb24tdGhlLWdvJTIwdXNlJTJDJTIwYmVjYXVzZSUyMHRoZXklRTIlODAlOTlyZSUyMHF1aWV0JTIwYW5kJTIweW91JUUyJTgwJTk5cmUlMjBub3QlMjB0ZXRoZXJlZCUyMHRvJTIwYW4lMjBvdXRsZXQuJTIwVGhleSdyZSUyMGFsc28lMjBoYW5keSUyMHdoZW4lMjB0aGUlMjBwb3dlciUyMGlzJTIwb3V0ISUyMiU3RCU1RCU3RCU1RCU3RCU1RCU3RCU1RA==" data-testid="dnd-block">
<div collection="docs" editor="[object Object]" path="0,1" singlelineref="[object Object]">
<div>
<div collection="docs" elementtype="p" path="0,1" data-testid="dnd-container"><span data-testid="dnd-icon"></span>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div data-editor-type="scrte" data-slate-node="element">
<p data-testid="p"><span data-slate-string="true"><strong>Best for: </strong>on-the-go use, because they&rsquo;re quiet and you&rsquo;re not tethered to an outlet. They're also handy when the power is out!</span></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>

Wearable pumps

<div data-testid="dnd-block">
<div collection="docs" editor="[object Object]" path="0,0" singlelineref="[object Object]">
<div>
<div collection="docs" elementtype="p" path="0,0" data-testid="dnd-container">
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div data-editor-type="scrte" data-slate-node="element">
<p data-testid="p"><span data-slate-string="true">Electric pumps work on both breasts at the same time and alternate between suction and release. Most are powered by an outlet or need to be charged.</span></p>
<p data-testid="p"><span data-slate-string="true"><strong>Best for: </strong>pumping in place.</span></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>

Double electric pumps

<div data-testid="dnd-block">
<div collection="docs" editor="[object Object]" path="0,0" singlelineref="[object Object]">
<div>
<div collection="docs" elementtype="p" path="0,0" data-testid="dnd-container">
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div data-editor-type="scrte" data-slate-node="element">
<p data-testid="p"><span data-slate-string="true">How can you relieve engorgement when you can&rsquo;t breastfeed or pump? With your hands! Once you find your sweet spot to get the milk to flow with your hands, you always have a backup pump, no extra gear required.</span></p>
<p data-testid="p"><span data-slate-string="true"><strong>Best for:</strong> relieving engorgement, especially in the&nbsp;</span><span data-slate-inline="true" data-slate-node="element"><a href="https://firstdroplets.com/" data-testid="hyperlink_a"><span data-slate-string="true">early days of breastfeeding</span></a></span><span data-slate-string="true">, or anytime you don't have your pump or a power source.</span></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>

Your hands

<p>Manual pumps are small but mighty. They're not the most useful type for establishing supply, but they are a handy backup when you need to travel light. Hospitals typically keep hand pump kits in stock, so ask for one, and they'll bill your insurance provider.</p>
<p><strong>Best for:</strong> managing engorgement and working without a power source.</p>

Manual pumps

<div data-testid="dnd-block">
<div collection="docs" editor="[object Object]" path="0,0" singlelineref="[object Object]">
<div>
<div collection="docs" elementtype="p" path="0,0" data-testid="dnd-container">
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div data-editor-type="scrte" data-slate-node="element">
<p data-testid="p"><span data-slate-string="true">Passive milk catchers (like the Haakaa) can be another great tool to collect your milk. They fit over your breast and catch any milk that would&rsquo;ve been wasted by dripping into your nursing pad or sheets while your baby is feeding on the other breast.</span></p>
<p data-testid="p"><span data-slate-string="true"><strong>Best for: </strong>catching leaks while your baby nurses from the other nipple and working without a power source.</span></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>

Milk catchers

There’s more to pumping than following a manual. Our expert tips can help demystify and optimize your experience.

Pumping 101

Pumping can be a game changer! Learn how to store your milk, introduce a bottle, manage your supply, and more.

Types of breast pumps