Why you don’t need a $700 breast pump

I thought long and hard about writing this blog post mostly because I don’t want to hear Tony’s all too familiar lecture consisting of “told you so.”

But I’m sharing because sharing is caring and if I can save some of you the $700 CAD that I clearly didn’t, then that’s a win in my books. Ok let’s get to it.

These are the 3 I own:

1. $20 Haakaa (silicone hand pump)

2. $200 Philips Avent (standard double electric pump)

3. $700 Willow (wireless “smart” pump)

I paid for them all with my own money so this post is not sponsored or gifted.

The one I use the most is the hakka pump. This is actually their newer version and I recommend getting this one over the older version. I know Amazon has both listed so look for the bottom suction thing. It is a lifesafer and will prevent milk spills! It also has a cute little flower lid that you can put on should it ever topple over.

I use the Hakka pump only when Xavi is nursing – so while he’s on one side I’ll put the pump on the other. This catches any leaks and offers gentle suction for collecting milk. Then I’ll switch Xavi and the pump. I do this only when nursing at home and whenever I know I’ll be going out or I’m running low on my stash of milk in the fridge.

I use the Philips for when Xavi is not drinking enough/is being fussy and my breasts hurt. I haven’t yet found a bra that will hold these pumps in place so I have to manually hold them. I don’t mind though – I put on a podcast and it’s done in like 10-20 minutes tops.

The willow – where do I start. I’ll start with the pros – because it has literally 2 parts per pump that you have to wash (so 4 parts total), it’s amazing for travel. Also, the milk pumps straight into its own milk bag that you can then pop in the fridge/freezer – so again, less to carry and wash. Other than that, it’s meh.

I have WIllow 2.0 and they claim you can see the milk flowing but with the bag folded inside, it’s really hard to see. The app doesn’t work in Canada (while Elvie’s does!) which is probably another reason I find it so meh. I bought the Willow thinking that it’ll be more comfortable vs a regular pump. More expensive pump means more comfort, right? Wrong! If anything, I find the philips FAR more comfortable. The funny thing is, I only bought the philips because i had a bleb situation and absolutely needed a pump (while still waiting for my willow to arrive) and the hakka wasn’t cutting it. So went to Walmart and bought the cheapest pump on the shelf. Turns out it’s pretty darn amazing.

This is just my experience with pumping so far and everyone’s experience will obviously be different! If you have any questions on the pumps I mentioned and my experience with them, feel free to comment below!

With Love,

Tia