Best Hands-Free Breast Pumps

When you’re shopping for a breast pump, you might search for something covered by your insurance or one that’ll express milk most efficiently. But whether you're going back to work or simply emerging from the newborn haze, you might realize you need a pump that’s a little more mobile. Enter: hands-free breast pumps. 

“There are many parents who attribute their continued breastfeeding to the fact that they use a hands-free pump,” says Chrisie Rosenthal, an international board-certified lactation consultant and consultant relations manager with The Lactation Network. 

If you’re on the hunt for a hands-free option that can come with you wherever you go, here’s what to consider, as well as some stand-out picks. (And if you want to see more options besides just hands-free options, check out our complete list of the best breast pumps.)

What are hands-free breast pumps? 

Breast pumps are fairly simple machines, consisting of a pump engine, tubing and flanges connected to collection containers. Many standard breast pumps plug into the wall for power, which usually requires setting up in a chair near a power outlet for a pumping session. You also often have to hold the flanges and collection containers in place, or use a pumping bra to support them.  

“Almost any pump can be ‘hands-free’ if you use a pumping bra,” notes Suzanne Juel, a Houston-based international board-certified lactation consultant. Traditional breast pumps include a bottle to collect breast milk that’s attached to a flange, and when you use a pumping bra, you can tuck those flanges into special holes in the bra and secure it against your breast, which keeps everything in place. The downside? It still protrudes outside your bra.

Fortunately, wearable pumps can help. These pumps fit entirely inside your bra — no tubes, no external attachments. That means you can pump not only hands-free, but also more discreetly. 

Benefits of a hands-free breast pump

Do you really need a hands-free pump? Not necessarily, Rosenthal says. “They are not necessary for every parent,” she explains. “Most pumping parents do great with a traditional high-quality double electric breast pump.” That said, there are many benefits of having a hands-free option available. 

These types of pumps are great because they’re portable and allow you to multitask or pump on-the-go, says Jacqueline Kincer, an international board-certified lactation consultant and founder of Holistic Lactation. “For the mother who truly needs to be multitasking, a wireless pump will allow her to continue to produce milk for her baby where this otherwise wouldn’t have been possible.”

Considering that a typical pumping session takes about 20 minutes, sitting near a power source for that much time can feel frustrating (plus a little boring and lonely) when you have so many other things to do. If you like to multitask, a hands-free pump can be just what the doctor ordered. “Parents who find these pumps most helpful are parents who have multiple children, and parents who have jobs that make taking scheduled pump breaks difficult,” Rosenthal says. 

Other benefits of wearable pumps include:

• They’re more discreet: Wearable pumps and in-bra collection cups make pumping easier when it’s less obvious. For instance, you can feel less worried about someone walking in on you pumping with these devices, Juel says, or even wear them while you commute.
• They may feel more comfortable: You might find yourself hunched over a lot when you’re pumping. In some cases, this can cause back pain, so some parents find that a hands-free pump can actually make pumping less painful. 

The downside of hands-free or wearable pumps is that some moms find the suction not as strong — or that leakage and other issues can crop up if you’re moving around. That’s why many experts still recommend using a standard breast pump in addition to a hands-free option.

What to consider when buying a hands-free breast pump

There are more wireless and wearable pumps on the market than ever, but that means there are a few factors to consider before purchasing one, experts say. Start with these key questions:

• How much does it cost? Wireless pumps tend to be more expensive than plug-into-the-wall units, notes Kincer. “Most of these pumps also have custom milk storage bags that are more expensive than the other ones on the market, so your upfront and long-term costs will also be higher than other pumps." Consider your budget before investing.
• Is the pump hands-free, wearable or wireless? Remember that there are multiple ways to go “hands-free.” When shopping, be sure to look at all the features and understand how the pump works so you can make sure that it aligns with your expectations. If you really want a wearable pump, you won’t want to purchase one that is simply wireless.
• Do I need to pump both breasts at the same time? “Double wireless pumps are significantly more expensive,” says Julie Cunningham, M.P.H., R.D., an international board-certified lactation consultant. If you don't think you’ll need to pump both breasts at once, you can buy a single wireless pump to save on costs — although, this means you will have to add more time to your session to express milk from both breasts.
• Will I be able to express milk while doing other things? “Just because the technology will allow a mom to pump while clothed and without much noise doesn't mean that mom's body will cooperate,” notes Cunningham. “Many moms find that they need to take a minute or two to relax, look at a picture of their baby or smell a piece of their baby's clothing before they are able to get their milk to ‘let down.’” Since wireless pumps can be pricier, consider whether or not you think you’ll be able — or want — to successfully pump while multitasking before buying.
• What is the suction level? The suction level of newer-age, wireless pumps isn’t always the same as a traditional, hospital-grade pump, says Kincer, so if you’re trying to increase your milk production, or just had a baby and are trying to get your milk to come in, wireless pumps may not be right for you. Make sure to confirm the pressure on the company’s website or product label before purchasing.

How we chose the best hands-free breast pumps

There are quite a few hands-free pumps on the market. To find the best pick, we first considered the features that four international board-certified lactation consultants — Cunningham, Juel, Kincer and Rosenthal — shared, from costs to suction level. Because breast pumps work differently from mom to mom, we then turned to the millions of parents in the What to Expect community to see which wireless, hands-free pumps worked best for the majority of moms. We also turned to the moms on our editorial team who’ve tested some of these pumps with their little ones.

Below, check out our list of the best hands-free breast pumps. We included both totally wearable picks and pumps that are hands-free with the help of a pumping bra. Remember: when in doubt, you can always consult a lactation consultant to help you choose the right breast pump for you.