March 2023 Moms
miss_lynn9
member
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Product Spotlight: Breast Pumps and Accessories
miss_lynn9
member
Each week we'll spotlight a new category of product. Feel free to comment on threads like these throughout your time at the board, not just when they're in their week in the spotlight, if you discover something new OR are new to the board. This week it's.... Breast Pumps and Accessories!
FTMs are encouraged to ask questions & STM/+s encouraged to share their knowledge based on experience. You can use any or all the prompts relevant to you below to share info in an easy-to-read format. Pictures/screen grabs, if put in spoilers, are welcome!
For all:
· Brand
· Pros/cons
· Battery powered or outlet?
· Open or closed system?
· Accessories?
· Compatible bottles?
· Tips on dealing with insurance
· Pumping bras?
Next up: Diapering!!
Next up: Diapering!!
Re: Product Spotlight: Breast Pumps and Accessories
I struggled with breast feeding with my daughter from the very beginning. She wasn't getting enough so within 3 days I started supplementing with formula. I was doing a feed on both sides for 15 minutes each, top her up with formula while I pumped on 15 minutes each side. This lasted a couple of weeks and I gave up. My supply was gone in 2 days. I had no idea if I would be successful at BF so I only bought a single hand pump. I realized that when I sanitized it I lost the O ring so it didn't really work. My SIL lent me her double electric pump which worked a lot better.
Manual Pump
- Brand: Medela harmony single hand pump.
- Pros/Cons: This would be great for if you just need some quick relief while travelling or at home. Definitely not a long term, daily thing since your using your hands to pump, it's not very quick and your hand gets fatigued quickly.
- Battery powered or outlet: No power, manual hand pump
- Open or closed system: goes right into the bottle, no tubing
- Accessories: Nothing that I used
- Compatible bottles: I didn't try with a bottles
Electric Pump- Brand: I'm pretty sure it was Medela I don't know what model. It had a big bag that was the battery/pump
- Pros/Cons: Pros: It had a lot of settings so you could get what you needed. Cons: It's bulky, and you're attached to a wall.
- Battery or Outlet: Outlet
- Open or Closed System: I don't remember and I can't find the model I was using
- Accessories: I didn't use anything
- Compatible bottles: I didn't try any bottles with it other than the ones that came with it
Tips on dealing with insurance - I'm in Canada so we don't have insurance coverage for pumps.Pumping bras: I didn't use any
I highly recommend that everyone who is planning on breast feeding get a Haakaa pump. It works on suction, so you just put it on the breast that you're not feeding on and it catches the letdown.
Haakaa USA | Haakaa Generation 2 Silicone Breast Pump with Suction Base 5 oz 1pk
Dandelion - October 2018
Angel "Aurora" - July 2020
Angel "Sawyer" - May 2021
Angel "Maxine" - January 2022
Angel "Violet" - March 2022
Baby Dove due March 2023
Looks like there are more pumping bras on the market too. I got some by Rumina on Amazon that worked great for pumping and nursing and fit nice at work. I plan to get something similar so I don’t have to change out bras every time I pump at work.
Triple nipple ointment from a compounding pharmacy>plain lanolin and has antifungal in it to prevent yeast. 1000% recommend.
Old Reliable: Spectra S1+.
Pros: Hospital grade, had a battery that lasted all day at work and then I charged it over night. Can be used with the freemie cups to make it hands free-ish.
Cons: bulky, heavy to carry around. I did have one die on me, but I EP'd for 10 months, so expected. It was my day-to-day go to. I still have 2 in the garage from when my pumping journey ended and they will def be making a reappearance this time around.
Junk: Freemie Liberty
Pros: cheap, portable, designed to work with freemie cups
Cons: I had 2(!) of them die on me in just weeks. They are not designed to stand up to heavy use or long pumping sessions. Not hospital grade and don't have as many settings.
The Best At Milk Extraction: Medela Freestyle
Pros: I got the most milk from this, it had the best settings.
Cons: Cannot be used with freemie cups. Not hands-free; requires specialized pumping bra. Because of that, I found it difficult to travel with all the parts (also must be plugged into outlet) so this was my middle-of-the-night pump which is also when you make the most milk so win-win for milk extraction.
Never found a use for it: Hakkaa
Pros: ??
Cons: I tried it on the other boob while BFing. I never got much milk out of it (maybe half an oz??) and it was super easy for baby to knock off and spill. Though I am interested in trying their new ladybug design this time around.
I never did anything fancy like pump to bags. I got a bunch of Medela bottles 2nd hand and pumped to those with the freestyle or emptied the freemie cups into them for consistency of storage. Medela makes a little cooler with an ice pack specifically designed to fit 4 of their bottles which I found to be more than enough for work or day trips. When we had enough excess, I'd put one "serving" into the lansinoh storage bags. Lay flat to freeze and then store upright in an organizer.
If you are considering pumping exclusively (or just a lot during work), I highly recommend multiple sets of parts. I had 3 - a backup set that always lived in the car (learned this the hard way after missing a presentation at work because I forgot pump parts and had to go home to get them) and then 2 that I rotated through every other day so I didn't have to wash parts EVERY night. I also had a schedule of reminders on my phone for when to order new parts because different parts need to be replaced at different perodicities.
I also used the haakaa in the mornings and caught 1-2 oz a time. It was worth it for me. I used it further into my journey like 4 months+ when I had a hang of all the other things and was in a good routine.
Just another note: The hospital where I delivered has a great breastfeeding support group (run by IBCLCs) that pivoted nicely to Zoom during the early days of Covid. **You didn't have to be a patient of theirs to join the group and it was all free.** It was such a great support for me. They did weighed feedings so we could get a picture of what was happening and took a weekly weight of the babe so we could troubleshoot problems. I really credit it with helping me through by breastfeeding journey with my son.
I also had a Sarag Wells bag. I appreciated the fact that it fit the weird military uniform requirements so I could bring it to work, but I also found myself wishing it had more interior pockets and was slightly larger to fit all the other non-pumping stuff I had to bring to work.
July 4th
Mostly now I just use the Haakaa to collect let down, and just breastfeed.
pros: portable, small, quiet (according to my sister, it’s way quieter than her medela was).
I also used the Haaka, but honestly it is BULKY and easily knocked off if you're nursing at the same time. I liked the Elvie curve better for that purpose, but since we never really got the hang of nursing I didn't use it that much. The Haaka is great for when you have a clogged duct; add Epsom salt and warm water and apply and watch the magic happen. Definitely recommend for this.
I think I am going to try to get a Baby Buddha this time if I have to EP again. I've heard it is the best portable pump out there. This would be useful for EPing mamas when you want to go somewhere or when you want to do housework or something while pumping. I had a couple of friends try the Elvie and hated it; they all said that it damaged their nipples and required you to buy a bunch of extra stuff. I only had one friend with the Willow, and she didn't like it because she said she didn't get enough production using it.
I love Sarah Wells bags and coolers. The pumparoo bag and mat is also really great if you're going to be pumping at work.
I like the Kindred Bravely pumping/nursing bras; they worked the best for me. Super comfy, but do tend to pill a bit. I ordered new ones every 4-6 months, but my BF boobs were like a 38 J or something ridiculous. You'll have uniboob, but all the nursing bras I tried gave me uniboob anyway, so might as well be comfy and work well with the pump.
Also great for BF and pumping: IG accounts bemybreastfriend, legendairymilk, milkology, yourbreastie, pumpables, exclusivepumping
Loved: being able to do pretty much what I wanted while I pumped. It was amazing and I felt less like a cow.
Downside: I was fortunate enough to produce quite a bit. The cups always overfilled. I had the willow when only the bags were the option. I'm excited there are a few on the market that collect in the pour system container.
I also had huge let down while nursing. My favorite to use was the milkies milk saver on the breast I didn't have baby on. Was able to collect quite a bit with that.
ETA I forgot to mention that my hospital gives out a free hand pump after delivery if you ask for one. My milk comes in fast and I had to pump to relieve pressure. It never hurts to ask and can save you a couple bucks!
anyone ever use the spectra bottles to feed? The nipples aren’t marked so do they only come in one “flow?” The internet tells me most feed with avent bottles but those only hold 4 ounces and I’d prefer a 5 ounce bottle.
And I’ve only used Medela before. Do I have to wash the back flow protector along with everything else when washing parts? I feel so dumb. Can I sterilize the duck bills and back flow protectors along with the flanges before first use without warping them?
Question for @noxacanthus but really for anyone: I have FTM confusion about when you wrote "this was my middle-of-the-night pump"
How does night pumping work? Do you just pump one breast while baby feeds from the other? Do you set alarms and wake yourself up to pump even if baby doesn't need to eat? And if so, do you have to stay awake while pumping, or can you attach the pump and go back to sleep? (in bed or at least recliner) Not sure if the comfort level/sound/position/safety even makes this possible, but wanted to ask.
Did all of you pump at night? What determines if it's a must or optional?
@heytallmama Yes, I know I'll eventually, inevitably find my groove, but it's all a little overwhelming from this vantage point. It's so nice to have the camaraderie here with other FTMs in the same boat as me, as well as guidance from those who have done all this before.