Wearable Pumps - A Love/Hate Relationship

I am a busy mother and the day could not possibly have enough hours. I have also been pregnant for what feels like 10 consecutive years and when I am not expecting, I am usually nursing. When I had my first baby, pump options were very limited. I got a hand-me-down Medela Pump in Style from another Soldier and received zero instructions on how to use this contraption. Needless to say, I knew nothing about open and closed pump systems, pump hygiene, flange sizing and expression versus letdown mode. I sort of winged in and I was not very successful. After a few weeks I began supplementing with formula because my baby lost weight and I was back at work full-time from 6am to 6pm. I can’t even blame the Army for my miserably failed breastfeeding journey, I simply did not have access to resources and did not do my own research. One thing that was not a problem is the fact that back then, pumping meant to sit down in one place for 30 minutes.

Breast Pumps have evolved so much in the last 10 years! Working as a pump consultant, I have a hard time keeping up with the changes in the market. It is fascinating how fast technology progresses and pumps change. There is no way I would expect a new mother to be familiar with the different pump options, their benefits and disadvantages and which pump best fits their lifestyle. In the recent years, pumps have become much smaller, portable and most recently - wearable. And that is where my love/hate relationship begins.

Elvie Double Breast Pump

“The ultimate multitasker, lets you pump on your own terms”

When the Willow and Elvie hit the market, the hype was incredible. There was now a pump that was not only portable - these pumps are wearable and are inserted in your bra! Women all over the world rejoiced, especially new mothers that were soon returning to work, or were chasing busy toddlers while taking care of their newborns. I am most familiar with the Elvie, which impresses with Bluetooth technology, sleek design and the fact that it is virtually silent. When these pumps first became popular, I was a mother of 6 and had used Medela and Spectra models. The only time I used a make-shift pumping bra was while on the job as a doula. I honestly had never missed the option to have a wearable pump and was intrigued by these new pumps. The Willow and Elvie came with many benefits but also with quite a few issues - spilled and leaking milk, problems with suction and output, pumps not holding charge, limitations to flange sizes… the list goes on. There are women who absolutely swear by these wearable pumps and then there are women who absolutely hate them. Clearly, research is key when it comes to selecting a pump and the Willow/ Elvie or other wearable options are not for everyone.

Now that we have addressed some benefits and common issues (and I am happy to go over these pumps with you during a consultation), I feel we need to talk about why I don’t like wearable pumps. I promise, I have a valid reason.

When women are nursing their babies, we would normally sit down and take a break from the many tasks we complete on an average day. It is a time for us to bond with our baby, a time to decompress, time for a cup of tea or a glass of water. Our bodies are not meant to work while feeding a baby. I understand that our goal in life is to be superhuman, display our magic powers and earn praise for the fact that we are hard workers and “dedicated” to our work. Trust me, I am that woman. I do the most at all times, except for when I am nursing or pumping. This is the one time I am focusing on one thing only. Stress is counterproductive for milk production and it is probably the biggest reason my own breastfeeding journey failed with my older kids.

I strongly feel that many women do too much. Somehow, when we fought for emancipation, we did not only earn the right to education and careers, but at the same time, we are still expected to cook, clean, do laundry, chauffeur the kids, support homework, and be present for school functions and sports events. Oh, and then we should also go to the gym, get hair and nails done and practice some self care. It seems natural that we feel that we need to multi-task - we really do. This is why wearable pumps are so popular and many women feel they are necessary. My problem is the expectation that we should multitask while feeding our babies. As if the task in itself is not enough of a challenge, we are expected to work/clean/drive/cook while pumping milk. It’s too much. Our bodies literally cannot get a break. Not even while we are making food for a tiny human.

So, while I can see the benefit of a wearable pump for mothers that need to be able to “discreetly” pump milk (I would use the term discreet with caution, because there is no way I could hide a wearable pump in my bra without someone being astonished at my sudden increase up top), I also have a huge problem with the expectation that pumping should be a secondary activity. Even the US Army has changed its regulations to accommodate nursing mothers, by providing them lactation rooms and breaks to pump. I would hope that other, civilian employers are doing the same (I know the state agency I work for does). A wearable pump should not be necessary so we can pile some more on our already full plate. I like to see these as secondary pumps for those occasions when we are on the go. A more traditional “workhorse” pump like the Spectra S1 or Motif would still be the pump I would trust if I had to choose between wearable vs dependable.

If you would like more information on breast pumps, feel free to reach out to me or leave a comment below. If you are a Tricare beneficiary, consultations are free and included in the services I provide through Military Mommies.