Evenflo Comfort Select Auto-Cycling Breast Pump Review

When our first child was born I picked up an Ameda one-handed manual breast pump for about $30 to help me with her feedings.  Using it caused extremely sore nipples and severe cramps in my hands, but it was all we could afford at the time.  I stuck with it for the entire year she was nursed but vowed never to use that manual pump again. When our second child was born, we were living in my hometown and the hospital gave us a breast pump attachment kit that worked with the electric Symphony breast pump unit available in the nursing room.  It worked like a dream and I was able to express milk so easily that I filled two 6 ounce bottles in half an hour without the problems I experienced with the manual pump.  We looked into purchasing the same brand, but was very discouraged by the $1000+ price tag.  Even renting the pump unit from a local company wasn't an option because that alone cost about 60 dollars per month.  So we started looking around and stumbled across the Comfort Select® Auto-Cycling Breast Pump available at Walmart for $39.55.

The kit comes with a breast pump with stand, soft nipple adapter, AC adapter, breastfeeding guide, instruction manual, carrying case and a 4 ounce collection bottle with nipple, cap ring, sealing disc and hood.  It works great with or without batteries although I normally just use the ac adapter.  The nipple adapter inserts into the horn and is supposed to provide a customized comfortable fit, but I never used it.  The auto-cycling simulates the suckling of a baby which helps me express milk easier and the dial allows you to adjust the level of suction.  The case was of course handy because it made it easy to take along on trips and kept me from losing parts.  Although even if you do lose parts, you can order replacements from the Evenflo web site. 

It is advertised as a discreet pump because it's supposed to be quiet.  Maybe I just have a really sharp sense of hearing, but when turned on the pump made a distinct humming sound.  Every now and then I would also notice a subtle tick-tock noise when I increased the vacuum level of suction.  This honestly didn't bother me because I never used this out in public.

If you are considering this purchase, I do have some suggestions.  Do wash and dry all parts after every use as mentioned in the manual.  Wipe off the pump unit with a cloth and hand wash the smaller parts. The washable parts are top-rack dishwasher safe so tossing them in once a week is good for hygienic purposes. Do not try to express milk while engorged. I found it best to use the pump after expressing a few drops by massaging my breast first.  Basically just keep trying until you find what works best for you.

Plain and simple: this product works when properly used and it's a great price.  It's lasted two years for me now and I plan to keep it just in case we ever decide to have more kids.