Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature Electric Breast Pump

By Published On: September 28th, 2011

Written by: Ashley September 28 2011 I was excited to […]

Written by: Ashley

I was excited to try out Tommee Tippee’s Closer to Nature Electric Breast Pump—I have heard great things about their bottles and my mom peers seem to hold a lot of respect for the brand.

As it turns out, this single electric breast pump does have some great features and makes for a good pump for occasional expression.

Tommee Tippee touts the Closer to Nature Electric Breast Pump as allowing moms “to express, protect, prepare and feed in one easy system.” The Closer to Nature Electric Pump can be plugged in or battery operated and features four suction levels that are easily controlled for individual needs. The various levels are clearly labeled and easy to adjust during pumping.

The pump comes with some extra accessories for protecting, preparing and feeding. The package includes a 5-ounce Tommee Tippee bottle, which attaches directly to the pump for an easy transition from pumping to feeding. Milk collection storage pods also come with the pump to allow for convenient storage. Simply place the pods inside the bottle during pumping, then transfer the milk collected in the pod to the refrigerator or freezer. It’s worth noting that the pods are relatively small—holding just over two ounces of milk—which may be an issue for moms expressing larger quantities of milk in a single session.

My favorite “extra” that came with the pump is the quick microwave sterilization box. In between pumping sessions, the many (and there are quite a few) parts can be rinsed and tossed in the microwave sterilization box for quick cleaning. Re-assembling the pump does take some time, so factor in a few extra minutes as you plan your next pumping session.

The Closer to Nature Electric Pump is designed with a silicone cup that uses massaging ripples to mimic baby’s natural feeding action. For me though, the massaging ripples actually caused discomfort, even at the lowest suction level, and left my nipples sore after each pumping session. During pumping sessions, I often had to stop pumping in order to gauge how much milk I had pumped because of the opaque design of the pump parts. The tubing seemed a bit difficult to detach following a pumping session and left me worried I was going to pull too hard and break the tubing (although that’s yet to happen).

Although perhaps not the best option for working moms who need to pump quickly and frequently (the single electric pump does not include any carrying case and may prove be difficult to set up away from home), the Closer to Nature Electric Pump is a cost-friendly option with easy-to-operate suction levels and great extra features for moms who pump only occasionally to build up their stores or relieve engorgement.

Price: $150
To buy: babiesrus.com