Ameda One-Hand Manual Breast Pump Review

I received this product free for review. All opinions and breast milk remain my own!

Since giving birth to Little Miss Cub, I don’t have enough hands. Hold the baby, cuddle the preschooler, read him a story, play “rescue gadgets,” check my iMessages, answer the phone, get some food, change a diaper… two hands just aren’t enough!

Because I produced so much milk when I was nursing big brother Cub, of which he drank pretty much none, I decided this time around to become a milk donor for the Calgary Mothers’ Milk Bank. Thanks to my Ameda One-Hand Manual Breast Pump, I’ve got about 32 oz. of liquid gold saved up for babies in need, and I only started pumping a week ago!

The pump is extremely easy to assemble, easy to clean and easy to use. Inside the box, you’ll find:

The pump with extra valves (because those valves are easy to lose!);
Two storage bottles with lids;
Sample Store’N Pour bags and nursing pads;
A tote bag for pumping on the go.

I’m so awesome (or the pump is so simple) that I didn’t even need to read the manual to get started! With one free hand, I can pump while I use my iPhone, read a book to Cub, eat a snack, cuddle the baby, drink my tea… the list goes on. I can even pump one side while she nurses on the other!

While the manual pump I used the first time around required a hand to hold the bottle and a hand to operate the pump (my efforts to prop the bottle up on the kitchen table and just use one hand to pump always led to spillage… and yes, nursing moms do cry over spilled milk), the Ameda pump truly does work with just one hand. Plus, once done pumping, it can stand up on its own without toppling over. With our previous pump, if I didn’t get up right away to store the milk, the pump didn’t stand very safely on its own and would inevitably topple over and spill. (Tears.)

Like any manual pump, the Ameda would not be sufficient for a Mom who needs to pump full time, but if you’re looking to have a small supply for your baby, or to donate, the Ameda One-Hand Manual Pump is a very convenient and user-friendly option.

What I love about my Ameda One-Hand Manual Pump:

It operates easily and effectively with one hand;
It stands on its own;
It has very few parts so it’s easy to assemble and clean;
Spare parts are easily purchased online (for example, at Well.ca);
Standard baby bottles fit onto the pump to collect the milk.

What I love less about my Ameda One-Hand Manual Pump:

I’d love to see pumps being sold with glass or stainless steel bottles for milk storage;
The pump doesn’t come with a soft silicone shield: the plastic of the pump goes directly against the breast, so you may find it less comfortable than other models;
The plastic pump handle itself doesn’t seem that sturdy to me, so I’m afraid I’ll eventually break it. To date, no damage has been done, so I’ll check in again after a good couple months of pumping and let you know!