Pump n Grind
I’ve been pumping multiple times a day for almost 2 months now, and have had the opportunity to try four different pumps:
The Spectra S2, The Freemie independence, The Willow, and The Spectra 9 Plus
I didn’t know anything about pumping, and didn’t think I’d need to because I was planning on exclusively breastfeeding. Which, we all know hasn’t been our journey…yet.
Thankfully I went on a cleaning spree before baby and sterilized all my parts before boxing them back up: making our return home extremely late at night after a hard day of trying to get him out of the NICU slightly less stressful because I could just set it up without all the cleaning.
*So my first bit of advice is that whatever pump you get: sterilize it and read it’s instructions before having a baby. Better to have it ready, and know what you need to do, and how to use the pump than have to deal with it when you come home exhausted.
I also had NO idea how to use a pump. Even the lactation consultant that came in didn’t teach me how to use the pump. She basically said I had to keep the suction high to get the milk out even if it hurt.
NO! I said this on my breastfeeding post: there is a line between discomfort and extreme pain! DO NOT have such a high suction you’re in pain. My pump has damaged my breasts just like my son’s tongue tie!
Start at level 1 and slowly make your way up. The last thing you want to do is hurt your nipples: trust.
ALSO measure your nipples to get the correct flange size for your pump. I had to bump up to 28 because the 24 was causing pain. AND, order like 2 extra sets of flanges so you don’t have to constantly clean the same ones over and over. If you have to do the every 2 hour pump sessions like I have, it will save you some time and give you a little more sleep throughout the night.
The other thing I never knew is that there is a way to pump to give you optimal output!
I only found out about this stuff when my bestfriend added me to a private Facebook group for exclusively pumping moms. So I want to share what I’ve learned and what has helped me!
Basically you want the pump to mimic a baby, so it should start off with a good suction and fast speed, then slow the speed down and increase the suction. As you notice milk dwindle go back to the higher speed to trigger another let down, and repeat. Pump for more than 10 min. 15-20 if you can. But in the VERY beginning if you’re pumping without milk: you don’t need to do 10+ min because you’ll just stress your nipples out. Each pump has different settings- so that’s why I’m not giving you numbers. You can easily google your pump and “settings for output” and you’ll find information. Another great resource is Legendairy Milk’s Instagram (I also love their supplement Pump Princess).
NOW here is how I feel about all FOUR pumps:
The Spectra S2 is the one I got from my insurance.
Downside: It’s not mobile, obviously. Because of that, I always have to be sure my husband is available in case Luke gets upset/wakes up/ needs to eat. I HAVE, at times figured out how to hold him while pumping, but that takes like an hour because I have to pump each breast one at a time so there’s space for him (he moves his legs a lot and I can’t easily pump holding him because he’ll kick the bottles). Also, this pump sometimes doesn’t work right: part of the attachment will fall off while pumping or won’t be attached as well as it looks which is frustrating.
Pro: I can use the settings I need to mimic a baby. I start at 70 suction 1, then build up to 3 or 4 until the milk slows down. Then I go to 38 with suction 1 and build up to 3 or 4. Then back to 70. :) I do tis as long as I need for 15-20minutes. The only way my nips can handle suction 3+ is because of my La Vie warming massagers.
Freemie Independence is one I bought second hand. I had seen people talk about Freemie cups in mom groups, and another friend said her sister swore by them because you can attach them to any pump. So I actually ordered them first. Then I realized it wasn’t going to be as helpful unless I could move around so I found one for sale on Next-door.
Downside: I will say that sometimes it’s inconsistent in its strength, and if you bend down the milk will spill out as it is meant to be poured out from the top where the tubes are inserted. Also, there’s no timer so I have to keep track with my phone.
Pro: The Independence is great because you can alter the speed and suction rates (so just like my spectra S2 I can mimic a baby) AND I CAN MOVE! The motor attaches to your pants or wherever you need it to, so you aren’t stuck to a chair. I even was able to pump in the car on the drive home from my OB with my Freemie Cups and this motor! It does seem to pull the same amount of milk out more or less, as well!
Willow was leant to me by my best friend. She’s had 4 kids and found this pump to be the best and most convenient. It’s super popular, and crazy expensive.
Downside: You have to charge each cup separately which takes time. The cups have to do what is called “stimulation mode” first. If you do not latch your nipple in perfectly, and it stimulates for more than 5 minutes it means you have to unlatch, remove your breast and try again. A few times I ended up wasting over TEN minutes because of this. It was infuriating. Also, you cannot adjust the speed, just the suction…and even the lowest suction is INTENSE! I just couldn’t handle it no matter how many times I tried. And it’s complicated to take the bag out. I also never got as much with the Willow as I have with my other pumps.
Pros: It’s mobile AND cordless!
Spectra 9 Plus I only heard of when my coworker told me she got it though her insurance. I looked it up and immediately got jealous! But, the universe is amazing and my friend and I were texting weeks later only to have her out of the blue offer to send me her Spectra 9 Plus she isn’t using anymore!
Downside: The only downside is you cannot adjust the speed of the pump.
Pros: It’s mobile, it has a timer on it, AND it has a massage mode PLUS expression mode: so while you can’t go from 70 to 38 like I can with the S2, I still can do the “massage” mode which is NOT painful (like the willow) and then go to expression. I also like the suction more than the Independence. AND I can use it with the Freemie cups if I need to.
You won’t know what works for you until you try, and you won’t know what’s going to work for you until after you have your baby! I mean, right now: so many of us work from home that we don’t need these for work, but just to move around at home! I think it would be smart to have a stationary pump as well as a portable pump so you have both options for yourself. If I had to choose ONLY two, I’d choose my S2 and the S9 and get the Freemie Cups as well. While I LOVE that I can control both speed and suction with the Independence, the fact that often it hasn’t been consistent in its strength is frustrating.
And definitely check mom pages out on FB, check Next-door, ask friends: I know when I’m done having babies I’ll happily be gifting the motors and extra parts away to friends or mom’s in need! I NEVER would have purchased any of these: having them as hand me downs or buying second hand saved me during my pumping journey!