Best manual breast pumps for efficient and convenient pumping

Voted Best manual breast pump in the 2022 Best of Baby Center Awards, the Haakaa is a favorite among moms and lactation consultants alike because it's easy and effective. It uses simple suction to express milk, so you don't need to move a lever – just give it a squeeze, attach it to your breast, and watch the milk flow. Even if you favor electric breast pumps for regular use, Sparks says the Haakaa is great "for [relieving] engorgement, to try and get a little more milk while baby is feeding on the other side, or something along those lines."

"I had a lot of milk come in, so I used it on the other breast while [my daughter] breastfed,” Alexandra Bisonó, Senior Art Director for Everyday Health Group, says. “It was so easy!" Leah Rocketto, Associate Commerce Director for BabyCenter, used the Haakaa similarly noting that the suction on the pump was strong, so she didn't have to support it while also holding her daughter. “There were a few times she knocked it off my breast, but more often than not it stayed on,” Leah says. “I was usually able to collect 1 to 2 ounces of milk which added up to a pretty substantial stash."

Lisafé Carreon, Senior Product Manager at BabyCenter says the Haakaa was helpful when she would breastfeed her daughter in the middle of the night. “She used to only take one boob, so I’d pop this onto the other boob," Lisafe says, which gave her some relief without wasting milk.  

The Haakaa is made of a food-grade silicone that's safe for moms and babies, and easy to clean since it's just one piece. Leah points out that it's light and compact, which makes it great for travel: "There were a few instances where I was away from my daughter for several hours and I didn't want to lug my whole pump with me. I'd throw this in my cooler with a few bottles and be able to relieve any engorgement without losing any milk," she says.  

Heads up

The Haakaa has an open top, so you can't use it to transport your milk unless you buy an upgraded model that includes a lid or stopper. 

Moms say

"I love my Haakaa pump. I use it while nursing or immediately after, and it pretty much does everything itself just with the suction, though sometimes I have to manually pump it to get it going. It's super easy, and I love how little there is to wash."

"I got one for my second baby and it was a game-changer! I produced a lot of milk, so while my son was nursing on one side, I would suction the other side. The letdown would give me a few ounces, then I would nurse him on that side after. No engorgement, no waste, and no pain! Anyone I know who's pregnant and planning to breastfeed gets one as a gift from me."

"I love mine! It's definitely a must. We took some trips with my son last year that cut into his feeding time, but we didn't want to stop just before getting there. I'd attach the Haakaa in the car and get 5 ounces in 10 minutes."

"The Haakaa is magical. I have about 20 ounces just from today. I can quietly and discreetly pump at work with it."

Specs

• Material: Silicone

• Capacity: 4 ounces

Manual pumping shouldn't hurt your hands or wrists, and moms say the Lansinoh Manual Breast Pump is easier to use than competitors due to the design of its handle: It's curved, so your hand has a comfy place to rest while you pump. "I found it very easy to use, primarily because the handle is designed to be very easy to pull,” says Sarah Darby, BabyCenter Senior SEO Content Strategist. “Definitely a little more involved than an electric pump in terms of requiring manual labor, but nothing that bothered me or caused any pain." 

The Lansinoh Manual's flanges are more comfortable than those on other brands too, moms say, as the part that touches your skin is soft silicone. The pump comes with two flange sizes, so you can get a more comfortable fit. "When using a manual pump it’s especially important to make sure that the appropriate sized flanges are used," says Dr. Madden (see the end of this article for more information on choosing flanges). 

As for convenience, this pump is compatible with Lansinoh's milk storage bags and bottles, making it easy to store your expressed milk. And, most importantly, moms say it works very well to extract milk: "I honestly preferred it over my double electric much of the time," says Sarah. "I truly got more milk in less time with the Lansinoh manual."

Heads up

The flanges that come with this pump are 25 and 30.5 millimeters in diameter; Lansinoh sells compatible flanges in other sizes. 

Moms say

"The Lansinoh pump works very well. I use it if my baby sleeps through a night feeding and I feel engorged, since it's much quieter than an electric pump and I don't have to wake everyone up."

"I used it on one side while having my electric pump on the other, and I was able to pump comfortably for 10 minutes without any issues or hand cramping at all. When I checked how much I pumped with the manual I saw that I got 1 ounce more than I did on the side with the electric pump. This little manual pump has helped increase my milk supply, and I recommend it!"

"The Lansinoh manual pump is my favorite – it's comfortable and I get the most milk from it. It's perfect for travel, or if my baby only nurses on one side I can pump on the other."

Specs

• Material: Plastic, silicone

• Capacity: 4 ounces

“In general, shorter, quicker sucks trigger a let down and longer, slower sucks help to pull the milk out better,” says Sparks. The Medela Harmony mimics these two styles of baby sucking with its unique pumping lever that allows you to adjust speed and suction. Pump the top part of the handle to make short, quick sucks in the "stimulation phase" to get your milk flowing, then use the longer bottom end of the handle to create a slower "expression phase" cycle to pump out the rest comfortably. 

In addition to simulating a more natural flow, the Medela Harmony allows you to pump directly into Medela bottles. That was a favorite feature for Jeanne Beacom, BabyCenter's Senior Campaign Reporting Manager: "I had a Medela as my primary pump so having relatively interchangeable parts was a big plus." Jeanne also appreciated that if she had clogged ducts, she could take her Harmony into the shower to express milk. 

Heads up

This pump only comes with one breast shield, so if you need a different size you'll need to buy it separately.

Moms say

"I really like the Medela Harmony. I use it as my first choice if I have to pump, rather than hooking up the electric one. The handle is easy on my hand, and I can pump quickly with one hand while focusing on something else. It's easy to clean, too."

"I have two of these, and while traveling I double pump with a pumping bra. This is great at airports without nursing stations or other venues where outlets aren't available. The Harmony works better than my electric pump."

"I feel like I get more milk, and faster than I'm used to, with the electric pump. Plus, it's more comfortable and doesn't make annoying noises."

"My favorite part about this manual pump is my ability to control the flow. After letdown, I pump very slowly and just let it flow!"

Specs

• Material: Plastic, silicone

• Capacity: 4 ounces

The accessories are what set Dr. Brown's pump apart from similar ones. It comes with a Dr. Brown's anti-colic baby bottle with both a storage cap and a nipple (most breast pumps don't include a bottle at all). So you can pump and transfer your milk into the Dr. Brown's bottle, then screw the storage cap on to pop the bottle into the fridge for later, or attach the nipple to feed your baby right away. This set also comes with a travel bag to keep the pump and accessories clean in between uses. 

Like the popular Haakaa, Dr. Brown's silicone pump is a suction-style pump and works the same way: You suction it onto one breast and it draws milk out without you having to do much of anything. Moms say it's easy to clean, easy to use, and works well to catch leaking breast milk, and to gently pump milk from full breasts. They also love that it's silent and inexpensive. 

Heads up

This set comes with a level 1 (newborn) nipple for Dr. Brown's but you can buy other nipples separately if the flow is too slow. 

Moms say

"This is essentially an all-in-one manual pump set. You can pump or collect letdown and immediately transfer it into an anti-colic baby bottle and begin feeding!"

Specs

• Material: Silicone

• Capacity: 4 ounces

The NatureBond pump is similar to other silicone pumps in that it’s lightweight and suction-based. But unlike these pumps, it comes with a strap that goes around the pump and over your shoulders to hold the pump on more securely. No curious baby’s going to kick your pump off! Moms say that they found the strap reassuring, as they feared the pump detaching and spilling collected milk. Instead, the support kept the pump on well, and moms were more confident about sitting up straight rather than hunching over protectively. 

The NatureBond also comes with an airtight silicone stopper so you can cover it before storing in the refrigerator, as well as a lid that allows you to move your milk without worrying about spills. Pump and accessories go in the included travel bag to keep everything together. 

Heads up

The NatureBond's lid doesn't snap on and will come off if the bottle is dropped. 

Moms say

“If you're breastfeeding, this manual suction pump is magical! You suction it to your other boob that you aren’t feeding on and it catches your letdown, I’ve collected over 600 ounces in a month.”

Specs

• Material: Silicone

• Capacity: 4 ounces