As you already know – having a baby is expensive. And it isn’t getting any cheaper. If you’re not on a comprehensive medical insurance policy, buying a double electric breast pump could set you back over $200! That’s a considerable chunk of change.
Related Articles
That’s why moms who are on a budget but are still looking for a reasonably powerful double electric breast pump may want to pay attention to this review of the NUK Expressive breast pump. It’s not a top-of-the-line pump, so it’s more in the financial reach of many women.
Let us help you find out if this unit is exactly what you have been looking for.
Product Overview
NUK Expressive stands out from the competition because it is a cheaper pump than many of the others on the market.
The parts that don’t use BPA include the pump, storage containers, nipples and breast cushion.
With the pump, you’ll get:
- (2X) breast shields.
- (2X) silicone cushions.
- (2X) five-ounce milk collection bottles with slow flow nipples.
- (2X) collars.
- caps and storage seal disks.
- (1X) AC adapter.
- Affordable.
- Fun designs on the milk collection bottles.
- Lightweight.
- Easy to clean.
- A little louder than some breast pumps.
- Can only use with an AC adaptor — can’t use with batteries.
Key Features and Benefits
✓ Adjustable Settings
The pump has 32 Settings in which you can adjust the speed and suction level. This helps mom find a setting that works for them. Each woman is different when it comes to the speed and suction she can tolerate and what gets the breast milk flowing.
Having these controls in the mom’s hand means she is more likely to find a setting that will help her with her desire to breastfeed.
✓ Made to imitate natural breastfeeding
Pumping with a mechanical unit attached to your body isn’t comfortable, and if a mom doesn’t feel relaxed her breast milk won’t flow as freely (source). If a pump imitates the sucking pattern of a baby, it helps the mom relax.
✓ Digital Display
The digital display has push buttons that show you what setting you are on. Sometimes dials are hard to operate in the dark. Having a button that clearly shows the setting is a perk.
✓ massaging breast cushion
The massaging breast cushion design helps stimulate letdown, and the contours of the cushion are shaped to fit well on breasts. Moms appreciate any massages they can get, even if it’s from a machine with a cushion.
✓ Easy to Clean
The pump doesn’t have many parts to it, which makes it easy to assemble and easy to take apart to clean. The parts can either be hand-washed or put in the top rack of the dishwasher. I’ve never heard a mom complain that she doesn’t have enough cleaning to do.
✓ Torch + Memory Feature
The pump has a touch-button memory feature that stores your favorite combination of speed and suction. If you need to stop feeding to go answer the door or check on your sleeping baby, your setting will be right there for you to resume when you get back. Finding the perfect setting and then getting pulled away from it can incite a serious case of rage in a tired and busy mom.
✓ Weighs under a pound
That means it’s easy to carry throughout your house or take on trips. While carrying a four or five-pound breast pump may not seem like an extraordinary feat, most moms don’t just carry a breast pump out the door — they also might be carrying a purse, a lunch, a car seat and possibly a diaper bag. We carry so much we feel like pack mules.
✓ Picture holder
The pump has a spot where you can store a picture of your baby. That way when you are pumping, you can focus on your baby’s picture to help stimulate your let-down reflex.
How Do They Compare?
1. Medela Freestyle
Working moms may like the Freestyle because it’s a quiet pump for the workplace. It even comes in its own carrying case for added convenience.
2. Spectra S1
The S1, a closed system, may appeal to moms who are worried about contamination of their breast milk from using open systems. With this pump, no breast milk will flow back into the tubing, which will also mean moms won’t need to spend as much time cleaning.
3. Freemie Freedom
Busy moms may appreciate the hands-free aspect of the Freemie Freedom pump. Pumping several times a day can suck up more than breast milk — it can eliminate all your spare time. This feature lets moms reclaim some of that time by doing tasks while pumping, like household chores or paying the bills.
4. Tomy The First Years Quiet Expressions
This pump might be the answer for moms who want a super light double pump to carry around in their purse or in a diaper bag. This unit weighs less than two pounds, which is lighter than most moms’ purses.
5. Ameda Purely Yours
Moms who don’t do well with any discomfort and pressure caused by breastfeeding might like the softer touch of the Ameda Purely Yours double electric breast pump. It offers softer suction than some other brands — even the higher end of the adjustable level doesn’t feel like too much.
Who Should Buy This Pump?
The NUK Expressive isn’t the perfect breast pump — it can’t be used with batteries and is a fairly loud pump. But, if you’re on a shoestring budget, it will get the job done for a fraction of what competing brands would cost you.
In addition to being cheap, it does have some great features geared toward making moms more comfortable, like the breast cushions with massaging rings on them. Plus, it scores high marks with me for its portability and easy-to-use design.
Although this pump won’t revolutionize breastfeeding, it is a solid performer for how much it costs, and I especially appreciate its little touches that set it apart, like the photo area so you can look at your baby even when you aren’t together.
The post NUK Expressive Review appeared first on Mom Loves Best.
This post first appeared on Mom Loves Best - Helping You Navigate Motherhood, please read the originial post: here
