Comfortable, easy for occasional use, takes time to learn

This breast pump definitely takes some time to learn to use, but after you learn to use it, it's really easy to use and clean and it's reasonably comfortable to use.

I purchased this pump intending to go back to work part time, but I never did. My sons never took to using a bottle (they never needed to since I was always available to feed them directly). HOWEVER, I still think this was an EXCELLENT purchase because it helped me express milk when I was engorged -- I had too much milk in my breasts, which is QUITE painful, kind of like having to go to the bathroom REALLY REALLY badly, with no place to go.

Electric pumps are on the order of several hundred dollars (the best quality one for $220), so if you are not planning on going back to work full time, that may not be a necessary expense.

It takes more time to pump by hand, but you have FULL control over how fast to pump, which makes it more comfortable on your body.

1. ASSEMBLING AND CLEANING THE PUMP: There is nothing about ANY breast pump that is intuitive to the novice. There are lots of pieces to this pump, which can be confusing to the beginner. If it is not assembled correctly, it will not create the right suction to pump.

It takes several uses to learn how this pump goes together, but once you learn it, it's quite easy to assemble.

On a good note, because there are so many pieces to the pump, it means that it disassembles into a very easy-to-clean item -- no major wrenching of your fingers and such to get into all the nooks and crannies. This is essential because pumped breast milk is VERY important to keep sterile to prevent bacteria contaminating your baby's milk supply.

2. PUMPING: As with learning to breast-feed, learning to use the pump takes a little time and patience. I spent several sessions very frustrated and nearly gave up. If you are a new mom and are new to nursing, I recommend trying out this pump in a leisurely fashion first -- not with a screaming, hungry child, not while you are in pain, not when you are overly tired. Once you learn to listen to what your body is doing, the pumping procedure is much easier.

The silicone fittings are very comfortable on the breast, and conform to your shape.

3. FEEDING: This system is SOOO nice because you pump directly into the Avent bottles, which have nipples and storage caps made for it. There is no transfer of milk from one container to another, and it's REALLY easy to go from pump to baby -- couldn't be much easier. The bottles and caps are excellent quality and are very easy to put on and seal. It also makes it so there are no "intermediate" parts to use that aren't directly associated with either pumping or feeding, which means less to CLEAN.

The only drawback is that you have to use Avent bottles (unless, of course, you transfer the milk from the Avent bottle attached to the pump into another non-Avent bottle). However, they are really NICE bottles, so the only real drawback is the cost of the bottles.

4. BOTTLES: The Avent bottles are made from a hard plastic, similar to Nalgene water bottles. Some other baby bottles are made out of a cheaper flexible plastic, which makes them less expensive but also less durable, especially because you need to sterilize the bottles after each use. The mouth of the Avent bottle is also a little wider than some other bottles, which makes me feel more confident that water and soap can get up into it to thoroughly clean it.