I have a friend who is expecting her first in just a few weeks. (yay!) I have tried to give her some advice, but I well know that nothing can truly prepare anyone for the “shock and awe” of first time motherhood.

Anyway, as she is preparing to make the transition from baby machine to milk cow, she is trying to decide which kind of breast pump to buy. She has received the following advice:

Mommy A swears by the industrial strength pumps that you rent. (I too, love these, 5 minutes, and you’re done. No sweat. This is my choice. But, simply put, I am a milk cow when I have my babies and have to stop pumping, not when the milk stops coming, but when the bottles are full. And I am talking 11 ounce bottles here. MOO MOO)

Mommy B says those are overkill, and all you need is a simple small battery powered one. (I can get behind this one, I had one of those with my third, and it worked fine, although not as efficiently as the bigger ones.)

Mommy C says to hand express. (I believe Mommy C is crazy and should be institutionalized. I simply can not support hand expressing except in cases of emergency. Why? Why would you? There’s a reason we live in the 21st century, “we have the technology.”)

Mommy D says to get a hand pump. (Only slightly better than hand expressing. The only benefit I can see here is if you have to pump while you’re out. They’re the most portable.)

Anyway, the whole debate is stressing her out, and since I know she reads the blog, I thought I’d take the debate to a larger audience. Which choice did you go with, or do you wish you had gone with? Cast your vote! A,B,C,D, or E - none of the above. If you choose E, however, please give another option.

(Oh, and she is not planning on working outside the home once she has the little niblet, so that might change your thinking. I understand it is not practical to transport a large pump if you need to pump at work).