6 Best Breast Pumps For Your Lifestyle & Budget (Singapore 2025)

Reasons to buy breast pump before delivery

• Preparation and peace of mind: Having a pump ready eliminates the stress of shopping postpartum when you’re adjusting to a newborn. You may also need the pump to relieve engorgement in the first few days postpartum.
• Research & practise: You can take the time to research and play around with your pump for comfort and fit without postpartum urgency.

Reasons to buy breast pump after delivery

• Actual need assessment: Not all moms may need a pump due to various reasons - lack of breast milk, or if you end up breastfeeding exclusively.

My personal experience: I bought my breast pump before delivery as I like to be prepared. One thing I wished I could have done differently was to get my pump parts sterilized and ready for use before being discharged from the hospital. I was suffering from engorgement upon being discharged from the hospital, and needed to pump immediately upon reaching home. Before going to the hospital, I only managed to wash my parts but forgot to sterilize them, and it gave me a mini panic-attack. 

My personal experience: The hospital that I delivered in did not allow me to use my own breast pump if I wanted to feed my baby with the milk that I expressed. Even though I brought my own pump to the hospital, I ended up renting the hospital breast pump as I wanted my baby to drink the breastmilk that I expressed. It depends on which hospital you deliver in, so it is best to check beforehand.

Even if you plan to breastfeed directly, a breast pump can be an incredibly useful tool in various situations. Here's why you might need one:

Maintain or boost milk supply

Pumping helps stimulate milk production, especially in the early days when you're establishing supply. If your baby isn’t nursing effectively, a pump can ensure your supply doesn’t drop.

Relieve engorgement

Engorged breasts can be painful, and pumping can provide relief while ensuring milk isn’t wasted.

Support feeding flexibility

Pumping allows you to store milk for times when you’re not available to breastfeed, such as returning to work or running errands. It also gives your partner or other caregivers the opportunity to feed baby. 

Here are some key factors to consider before shortlisting your ideal breast pump:

Lifestyle needs: Hands-free vs tubed options

• Hands-free breast pumps: These are the most popular pumps in the market as you are not tied down to the pump, and can move around while pumping, allowing you to walk, work, or even do household chores while pumping milk.

• Traditional tubed breast pumps: These styles of breast pumps have been around since the start of modern electric breast pumps. They often offer higher suction strength but the trade-off is that they are bulky, loud, and you need to be seated to use it.

Back-to-work pumping plans: Ultra-silent & discrete vs somewhat-quiet but still audible

• Ultra-silent breast pumps: The Elvie Pump is the most discrete pump in the market, and is an absolutely game changer. It allows moms to pump anywhere, anytime, with ultimate discretion, at a meeting, in the movies, or even in a restaurant.

• Some-what quiet but still audible: Almost all other hands-free pumps are still audible when in use. This is good if you have a private space to pump, or are comfortable with the people around you knowing that you are pumping.

Suction power & comfort: Hospital-grade suction vs non-hospital grade suction

Hospital-grade pumps are often stronger and more efficient than those that are not, but whether they are "better" depends on your needs. It is a myth that the stronger the suction, the better your milk output. What matters more than suction strength is:

• Comfort: Too much suction can cause pain and damage nipples, leading to lower milk production.

• Optimal settings: A good pump mimics a baby's natural suckling pattern with a mix of fast (stimulation) and slow (expression) cycles.

• Proper flange size: A correct fit improves milk flow and prevents discomfort.

Product support & reliability: After-sale support & troubleshooting

Buying a first hand breast pump from a store with good after-sale support can make or break your pumping experience.

• Warranty & customer-support: Most breast pumps do not come with warranty, especially if you buy a 2nd hand one from Carousell (most warranties are non-transferrable), or if you purchase one from a non-authorized retailer on Shopee or Lazada. Buying first-hand from a reputable store ensures that if you have issues with suction, motor function, or parts, you will get the troubleshooting and replacement parts that you need.

• Peace of mind for busy moms: Breastfeeding is not an easy journey, and knowing that your pump is reliable and backed by good support gives you confidence, especially if you rely on it daily.