Philips Avent Breastfeeding Solutions Set SCD281/00

Functional and easy to use – All in all this got me out of a tight spot, or engorged breasts shall we say. I had heaps of trouble using it to start off with, but this is not so much a criticism as I also had trouble using my own breasts to start off with too :) After some help from a lactation consultant (amazing people) who recommended ditching the soft nipple shield thing that was preventing me getting any suction - I was away and happily used it for well over a year. Great kit with everything you need for full on expressing everyday, or just expressing and storing/freezing for work days like I did. Easy to use once you get the swing of it expensive; nipple shield thing was no good for me

Avent Single Electric pump- A Godsend! – I was advised by a work colleague to get the Avent Electric breast pump even before bub was born. It is one of the best purchases I have ever made. All the Avent feeding equipent fit onr another it's fantastic! The storage cups and the feeding bottle and the pump all are interchangeable depending on what I'm expressing for: to store, to feed, to discard. Therefore minimal handling of milk involved, hence more hygienic, less chance of bacterial contamination.

This pump also has 3 in one functional capacity: single electric, battery operated and manual. One pump to suit all! very versatile, feeding bottle and storage cups and pump all fit each other and are interchangeable

Easy to Use - Manual Breast Pump – I have had 6 children and have done a lot of expressing in my time. Personally, I find hand expressing (no pump) to be the most effective for me. But I have also used the Avent Manual Breast Pump on many occasions, simply because it is more discreet than hanging my breast over the edge of an ice-cream container (not a good look when you are expressing in your office at work)?!

The Avent Manual Breast Pump works extremely well. As another reviewer said, you do not need to pump and pump and pump on the handle to get the milk out - one press on the handle creates enough suction for the milk to flow for several seconds before needing to release the handle and press it again. (Provided your let-down reflex has kicked in - if you are having trouble with your let-down reflex then refer to the Australian Breastfeeding Association website for more info).

It is also very handy that the bottles screw straight in to the bottom of the pump. This makes expressing with the Avent pretty much mess-free. I like the short fat bottles too. My babies have found the teats on these bottles easier to use than other teats. (Also, the short fat bottles are wide enough at the neck for me to hand-express straight in there if I need to - good aiming)!!!!

The Avent is very easy to clean. And no need to go through all that complicated sterilisation business with boiling or chemicals, either. Simply wash all of the components in hot soapy water, rinse in hot water, and then air-dry on a clean paper towel. I have used this sterilisation method for 6 babies now and have never had an issue with bacteria / germs / milk contamination. The Avent pump comes apart in several pieces which makes it easy to clean inside every nook and cranny. And you don't need an engineering degree to put it back together (although ironically I am actually an engineer?!) - after you have reassembled the pump once or twice it becomes second nature.

I think this pump is a great alternative to the more expensive electric pumps that are on the market. However, I would stress that it is more of an "occasional use" pump rather than a 24/7 pump. For example, it is great for expressing some milk for the babysitter, or for expressing a bottle whilst at part-time work, or for expressing to help clear a blocked duct. If you are planning on returning to work full-time and wanting to express several feeds a day for your baby, which means pumping several times a day at home and also at work, then I would recommend a "higher frequency use" pump, such as the electric "Swing" pump made by Medela. Very simple to use, works well, easy to carry around.

100% useful baby/mother product – This is really all you need when it comes to expressing, feeding and storing milk. If you think you'll have to sit there and get RSI pumping away you're wrong. You just pump for a bit and your milk just gets a flow on and then you pump every now and then. It's seriously easy to use and clean, I just chuck it in the dish washer. Don't waste your money on a expressing machine, this set up would cost way less and then you'd still have to buy extra bottles etc. The only thing I've had to replace is the small rubber thingys and they are easy to find at any chemist. Fairly inexpensive, easy to pull apart/put back together

Practical and comfortable to use – My girlfriend from work has one of these and loves it, often using it during our lunch break to express surplus milk to relieve heavy tight sore breasts. She was told by hospital staff that she is probably producing enough milk to feed twins or even triplets. The set includes a few bottles, good quality and they head without leeching chemicals from the bottles Excellent equipment