Wearable Pumps

Why choose a wearable?

Wearable breast pumps offer convenience and flexibility. The ability to multitask is a common requirement for mothers, the tubeless and cordless design of wearables allow free movement while expressing milk.

Read on to learn which wearables we suggest.

The Willow Go

The good:

• It has a long tunnel, longest on the market in fact, at an impressive 40mm. This means it will work with pretty much every flange insert.

• A wide range of settings, allows users to customize the suction to their specific needs

• The hard plastic flange provides firm consistent nipple pressure for better nerve stimulation

• Choose between 5 or 7oz collection cups

The bad:

• Opaque flange - difficult to tell if your nipple is centered

• Pricy, about $460cad when not on sale, replacement valves and diaphragms are about $25cad per set, which adds up if you are replacing them every 3 months (per manufacturer recommendations)

• Open pour spout at the top of the cup spills when too full, or if bending forward when pumping

Eufy S1 & Eufy S1 Pro

The Good:

• Warming element in the flange encourages more milk flow

• Relaxes tissue, theoretically reduces incidence of vasospasms for mothers who struggle with Raynaud's Syndrome

• Eufy claims their users have reported a 30% increase in milk production when using the warming feature

• Plastic flange, with a very thin silicone layer, provides consistent nipple support and nerve stimulation

• Comes with 17, 19, and 21mm flange inserts

The Bad:

• Short tunnel length limits options for folks who need smaller inserts

• You need to use the Bluetooth connected app to navigate between the various settings/modes

• Duckbill valves wear out quickly, some users find they need to replace every 3 weeks to maintain consistent suction

That's it, that's all. We have tried quite a few pumps with our clients over the years and these two are the only ones that consistently give good results time and time again. I'm not the biggest fan of most wearables, they make a lot of promises that simply don't pan out in practice. The only time I have seen moms pump 10+oz with a wearable is when there is an over supply, or if they are exclusively breastfeeding with a healthy supply and have a very easily stimulable letdown reflex. Pumping with a wearable is absolutely better than skipping a pump all together, but it simply isn't a replacement for a strong primary pump in most cases.