Comparison BabyOno Shelly vs Philips Avent SCF332/01

The type determines the general principle of operation of the breast pump and its key features.

- Electric. Breast pumps equipped with built-in motors powered by mains or batteries (see "Power"). The main advantage of such devices over mechanical ones is simplicity and ease of use. There is no need to manually pump the lever, pull the piston or squeeze the pear: mom just needs to attach the nozzle to her chest and press the power button. Among the electric models, there are very advanced devices - for example, with attachments for both breasts, two-phase intensity, and even a remote control(see "Advanced"). Yes, and the impact of such breast pumps are more delicate. The main disadvantage of electric models is the high price. It is also worth considering that the motor is quite noisy, and you need to turn it on with caution so as not to disturb the baby.

- Mechanical. Breast pumps operated by hand. There are several varieties of such devices, they are described in detail below, in the "Type" section. Here we note that the main advantages of mechanical models over electric ones are simplicity, low cost, minimum noise and independence from sockets / batteries. On the other hand, the use of a mechanical breast pump can be quite tedious, in such models it is difficult to provide additional functions such as two-phase pumping (see "Additional"), and...some types of "mechanics" quite intensely affect the breast, which leads to discomfort and even cracks nipples. So it is worth paying attention to this variety first of all if the breast pump should be inexpensive and quiet. In turn, mechanical is divided into categories:

- Piston. A breast pump equipped with a piston and working on the principle of a syringe: to suck milk, you need to pull the piston, creating a vacuum inside. The main advantages of piston models are compactness, simplicity, low cost and ease of cleaning and sterilization. At the same time, the use of such a device is not very convenient: you need to hold the nozzle at the chest and at the same time pull the piston with force. The mother may simply “not have enough hands” for this, and effective pumping often requires the help of another person. On the other hand, by changing the speed of the piston, it is possible to change the suction intensity.

- With a pear. The breast pump having in a design an elastic pear. Also, such models are called "pump-action". During operation, the pear must often be squeezed by hand, creating the necessary vacuum inside the device. Such devices are somewhat more convenient than piston ones; a mother can easily handle such a breast pump on her own; and they are inexpensive. At the same time, such models can hardly be called comfortable: inflating a pear can be quite a tedious task, and the efficiency and speed of pumping often leave much to be desired. In addition, pump-action breast pumps are not distinguished by delicacy; frequent use of such a device is fraught with discomfort and even nipple cracks.

- Lever. The most advanced type of mechanical breast pumps. A distinctive feature of such devices is the lever, which, when used, must be pumped, pressing the nozzle to the chest. Some devices allow you to do all this with one hand. In addition, the articulated model can be made two-phase (see "Advanced"). In general, such breast pumps are quite comfortable, and less tiring than pump pumps. Due to all this, this variety is the most popular today.

And electric (sometimes mechanical) have a different number of phases for better pumping:

- Biphasic. Two-phase breast pump: first, the device stimulates the nipple to produce milk, then pumps out the secreted milk. This way of working is considered the most natural, closest to how a baby sucks milk. Most devices with this function are electrical, but there are also mechanical models. Also note that switching between modes usually needs to be done manually.

— Two-phase. Two-phase models imitate the baby’s natural behavior when sucking the breast: first, the device “pulls” often and lightly, stimulating lactation, then with less frequency, but more strongly, when the milk has already started flowing. Modes are switched manually - so mom can independently change the settings at the most appropriate moment.

— Three-phase. Such breast pumps are essentially similar to two-phase ones (see the corresponding paragraph), however, the stages of stimulation and expression in them are supplemented by a third phase - the so-called hardening. It turns on during the final stages of breastfeeding to help clean the nipple and increase lactation.

The type of supply provided in the electric breast pump (see "View").

There are two main power options — from the mains (from the outlet) and from batteries; each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages. So, when connected to a power outlet, the operating time is almost unlimited, but the electric wire limits mobility and can get confused, creating inconvenience. Batteries, in turn, allow you to work even in the complete absence of sockets and make it possible to easily transfer the device from place to place, but the operating time from such power is limited, dead batteries need to be changed or recharged.

Most modern breast pumps use both types of feed. This makes it possible to choose the most convenient option in a given situation: for example, at home you can easily connect the device to a power outlet, and when traveling, batteries can come in handy. However, there are also models powered only by mains or only by batteries. You should pay attention to such devices if the disadvantages of one or another option are not critical for you (for example, if you plan to use the breast pump only at home where there are sockets).

The capacity of the battery installed in the breast pump allows you to roughly estimate the operating time of the device.

Theoretically, the higher the capacity, the longer the device can operate on a single battery charge. However, in practice, everything is far from so simple. The battery life of a breast pump also depends on the power consumption of the device, which depends on the modes and settings used. In addition, the actual capacity of a battery is determined not only by milliamp-hours (mAh), but also by its rated voltage. Comparisons based on this indicator involve models with the same battery voltage and similar performance characteristics. A more indicative parameter is the operating time of the breast pump (see the corresponding paragraph).

Operating time of a self-powered breast pump on one battery charge or set of batteries. Note that this indicator is quite approximate, since different manufacturers may indicate it for different operating modes (at maximum intensity of exposure, at medium load, etc.), in addition, the actual energy consumption in different situations also varies. In general, data on operating time allows you to reliably assess the autonomy of the device.

Note that for battery models, indicating the operating time is almost mandatory, but in the case of battery power, this information is provided in isolated cases. This is due to the fact that the operating time also depends on the quality of the specific brand of batteries, and it can vary significantly.

The volume of the milk jar that the breast pump is equipped with.

In fact, this is the amount of milk that can be expressed “in one go” without pouring it into a bottle or other third-party container. Milk rarely has to be expressed in large quantities, and yes, it’s usually not difficult to “unload” a jar. Therefore, even in the most capacious models, the capacity usually does not exceed 300 ml.

- Intensity adjustment. The ability to adjust the intensity of exposure provided by the breast pump; roughly speaking - to change the force with which the device acts on the nipple. Such an adjustment will allow you to adjust the mode of operation to your personal characteristics: for example, if the nipples are very sensitive, the intensity can be reduced for the first time until the breast gets used to the effect.

- Display. The presence of its own display in the design of the breast pump. Only electric models have this function (see "View"). The display provides additional convenience in use, various information can be displayed on it: the exposure intensity set, the elapsed time, the fullness of the jar, the battery charge level, etc. However, these features are important mainly for advanced models with an abundance of functions; therefore, the presence of a display, as a rule, indicates a high class of the device.

- On two breasts. A breast pump with two nozzles that allows you to express milk from both breasts at once. This allows you to noticeably speed up the process: in fact, such a device takes half the time than a similar device for one breast. However, keep in mind that the nozzles, most likely, will have to be pressed with both hands, while many models for one breast allow you to leave one hand free. Note that this feature is indicated only if both nozzles are initia...lly included in the delivery set. Models are available that allow use on both breasts, but are equipped with only one pad - they are not included in this category.

- Remote control. Remote control that allows you to control the breast pump from a distance. This function is found only in electric models (see "View"). Most often, such a "remote" is a separate unit, which contains both the control panel and the motor to create a vacuum; this block is connected by a hose to the working nozzle. Thanks to this design, when expressing milk, you do not have to hold the entire device in your hands, but only a working nozzle with a jar - this is much easier. Yes, and changing the settings on the external remote control is more convenient than on the working nozzle itself.

The number of levels of the rhythm of pumping milk from the breast with varying intensities. Fine-tuning pumping allows nursing mothers to choose the optimal breast pump settings according to their comfort and needs.

A number of stimulation levels can be adjusted to help mimic the natural process of pumping and stimulate milk production in a nursing mother. The more there are, the more finely you can customize the operation of the device to the individual preferences of the user.