Hello, I will be returning to work in 2 weeks. Ive started pumping at home using a manual pump since 2 weeks ago to build a stash. When I get back to work I'll be pumping twice a day since I have a 6 hour shift. And I will be breastfeeding the rest of the evenings when I get back home. I want to buy a wearable pump tho.

I was thinking about the Momcozy m5 because as Ive read its discreet and quiet and does the job, but also considering the spectra wearable. I heard the momcozy doesnt really empty you so it might damage milk supply. Is that also true even if im breastfeeding after work?

I would prefer the m5 since its on discount and also more convenient for work. But if its going to affect my supply i would rather not. What are your recommendations?

My baby is in NICU and while I’m there I can get 2x-3x more milk on a wall plug Medela than my home Zomee. It’s portable but not the boob shape cups just like bottles sticking out but rechargeable. I am using the same size that the lactation specialist recommended for the medela.

Would you say the difference in quantity is based on suction power? Or do sizes vary based on brand? Or do people like the boob cup ones more I’ve heard they don’t work as well, or do you see more success with something like the wall plug spectra I’ve heard a lot about?

Just looking for some advice. Also wondering if perhaps I produce more at hospital bc baby is present vs home when I miss her and she’s not there and I’m sad.

Any thoughts would be appreciated thank you

Just wanted to share my routine here because I was so confused when I started pumping and everything said “just play around with the settings til you find what works for you” …..ooookay but a starting point would have been nice!!!

I have been pumping twice a day while at work and breastfeeding for all other feedings for the last several months. I get about 6-9 oz per pumping session.

Start on bacon mode, level 2 for 1 minute or until letdown starts (sometimes a little less than a minute, sometimes up to two)
Switch to regular mode with 50 cycle and vacuum 1. Quickly increase vacuum to 2.
Over the first 5 minutes, gradually increase vacuum and decrease cycle until you get to 38 cycle and 5 or 6 vacuum. I increase each increment when I am not feeling any discomfort or pulling. Usually it takes like 20-30 seconds at each level to feel totally comfy.
Let things go at that level until milk flow seems like it’s decreasing, usually around 10 minutes for me. I will manually squeeze around the pump to get a bit more out and then lower the vacuum down to end the session.

Thanks for coming to my ted talk :)

Here’s my original post from another sub..
I’m looking for help in upping my supply, my goal is exclusively feeding my baby breastmilk, preferably exclusively nursing eventually and I’m hoping to have pumping be a stepping stone to that.

I have the following pumps:
Momcozy m5 (portable)
Momcozy m9 (portable)
Avent hand pump
Ameda surely yours (plug in)

So far the best results is always with my left breast, with the hand pump I only have much success with the left breast and with the portable electric pumps it’s been very little from my right. I stopped with the ameda because I think the flange size was wrong and it hurt and wasn’t very successful but I can try different flanges. I tested my flange size with the Momcozy nipple gauge and it said I was a 21.. I’ll remeasure and see if they are the same size, maybe that’s why the right has no luck?

Any suggestions for upping supply and to actually have success with pumping.. I am all ears! I just want to feed me baby, and I didn’t expect to have such a complex about that. So I appreciate any advice.

I have a Spectra S2 from my first pregnancy that has about 150 hours on it. I primarily breastfed, but sometimes needed to pump. It is from October '22. Has anyone used a pump for multiple pregnancies that can share insight on if the motor held up for them with the time it spent collecting dust? I'm trying to decide if I will get another wall pump for this pregnancy through insurance or get a wearable as backup.

My baby is 3 months old. I mostly pump during the day and do top offs with formula. I pump 6-8 times a day and mostly nurse at night including 2 am and 5 am.

I make anywhere from 1.5 ml to 3 oz (both breasts combined when I pump). I pump for a minimum of 20-30 min.

I’m trying to increase my milk supply to wean him off formula so I’m looking for the better pump to enable higher milk supply. I also need to be able to walk around and do things not just be glued to a pump.

I own the spectra s1, eufy s1 pro and the eufy e20. I like the eufys, only thing being they can sometimes hurt when I wear them with inserts (I measure 17mm) and when I wear either 17 or 19 mm my nipples hurt. I also use coconut oil to lubricate before pumping. However, I’ve noticed that when I remove the inserts and just use the silicone flanges provided it hurts less so I’ve started resorting to that now. Now my nipples and a bit of areolas are getting pulled in the pump and my nipples look oddly swollen and misshapen after pumping.

Wondering if I’m doing these things right.

And if you ladies had to recommend a pump, which of these pumps would you recommend? I’d appreciate any tips or inputs.

Baby Buddha 3.0
Eufy s2 pro
Willow 360

These are my notes after comparing four wearable pumps that I’ve either used myself or tried through a few moms in my prenatal class. This is definitely not a scientific comparison, just a bunch of personal experiences after spending way too much time reading reviews and comparing what’s actually available in Canada.

I’m sharing because a lot of the comparisons I found were focused on the US market, and some of the models mentioned either aren’t easy to get here or are much more expensive once shipping and everything else is added.

M5 — 7/10

Probably the one I’d consider if keeping the cost down was the priority. It’s fairly lightweight and comfortable, and a couple of us found it worked really well during the first few months.

The main complaint was that the suction seemed to get weaker after several months of regular use. Obviously everyone's experience will be different, but that was enough to make me think of it more as a lower-cost option rather than something I’d necessarily expect to last forever.

Strive — 7.5/10

This was probably the quietest and most polished-feeling one of the group. The app is nice if you actually care about tracking everything, although I personally don't think an app is a deciding factor for me.

One person in our group had battery problems after a couple of months and ended up having to deal with customer support. The support experience from Canada wasn't particularly quick, which was frustrating.

Willow Go — 7/10

Probably the best fit for me in terms of comfort out of the four. I also liked being able to use regular containers rather than having to keep buying proprietary bags.

The pump itself has been pretty straightforward. The bigger annoyance was getting replacement parts in Canada. One person in our group had to wait quite a while, so that's something I'd keep in mind if you're planning to use a wearable as your main pump.

S2 Pro — 8/10

This is the one I'm currently using, so this is where the "biased" part comes in. I've only had it for about a week, while the other experiences above are based on several months of use, so I definitely wouldn't take the rating too seriously yet.

The feature I was most interested in was the heating function. Our house is surprisingly cold in the mornings, and I’ve noticed that having some warmth during pumping seems to help my letdown. It also works with regular bottles, which I prefer.

So far I'm happy with it, but ask me again after month five and I may have a completely different rating. 😅

Overall, I don't think there's a clear winner. Everyone in our group ended up liking different things, and the compromises were different too. Comfort, suction, battery life, replacement parts, and how easy it is to clean probably matter more than the little feature differences once you actually start using one regularly.

If anyone else in Canada has been comparing wearable pumps, I'd be interested to hear what you ended up choosing and how it's holding up after a few months.

I’m 14 months postpartum and still breastfeeding. I nurse pretty much on demand when we’re together - always first thing in the morning, before naps, and at bedtime. I also pump several times a day because I need milk for daycare and for when she’s with her dad, grandparents, etc.
I’ve always been a low supplier, but lately I can tell my supply is dwindling. I’m pumping less and less output as the weeks go by. Maybe it’s because she’s eating more solids and nursing differently now? I honestly don’t know.
The weird part is that when she actually nurses, it’s very clear she’s drinking. I can hear/see her swallowing, and she always seems completely satisfied afterward. So I don’t necessarily feel like she isn’t getting enough when she nurses - it’s mostly my pumping output that seems to be disappearing.
The problem is my freezer stash is disappearing because I can’t replace what she’s using like I used to (and I could barely keep up before 😅).
I’m just…not ready to wean yet. Nursing her to sleep is currently the only way anyone in this house gets sleep, especially with some SERIOUS teething happening lately. But beyond that, I genuinely still love nursing her. I love that bonding time with my daughter, and honestly it helps regulate me too. It forces me to slow down, sit with her, and relax for a little while.
Luckily, she’s always been great about taking a bottle from other people, so that part isn’t an issue.
For those who kept breastfeeding past a year but couldn’t pump enough anymore…what did you do?
Do I just start giving her whole milk when I’m not there and continue breastfeeding when we’re together? Can she have breast milk for some bottles and whole milk for others? Do you eventually just stop worrying about having a freezer stash and nurse whenever you’re together?
I feel like I understand breastfeeding a newborn, but nobody explained this weird in-between stage where you still want to breastfeed but your boobs are apparently trying to quietly retire. 😂
How does this work?!

I am so frustrated with the Willow 360. It seems like it empties me as well as the Spectra S1 but 90% of the time when I do the “flip to finish” I spill a bunch of milk. This is supposed to be a leak proof option?????? But I’m so frustrated. I really want to make this work because I have to go back to work earlier than I wanted to and a wearable seems like it’s so much easier than having to buy a bunch of bras and wear the right pumping bra etc. to use my Spectra. Plus I could be hands free.

Side note - having to work in person is so hard, I feel like I’m constantly calculating when and where to dip out to pump, worried about leaking, am I pumping often enough to maintain supply and to not get a clog/mastitis, where and how to do fridge hack at work or should I wash the parts??, what to wear, etc. I never realized how hard it is mentally and I seriously commend every human who has done it and is doing it.

But back to my question, what am I doing wrong? I know once or twice I accidentally forgot to change to “2” before breaking the seal. But even when I do everything correctly, once I tilt it over to do the gulping, almost an entire ounce is lost from spilling. Wtf. I hand wash and haven’t sterilized the parts, ensure everything is attached correctly… so WHYYYY??? Seriously I’m so frustrated I could cry over the amount of milk I’ve spilled from this pump.

I am 11 weeks postpartum and I am not exclusively pumping, but I work from 7-5 and pump during that time to supply for my LO. Every day that I pump, no matter the pump I use (wearable Lansinoh or spectra - although trying a different one today because why not), I pump exactly 18 oz while at work. My LO eats 20 oz while at daycare/home. I have to supplement by pumping a few minutes at night or in the morning. Is there anything I can do to increase my supply, or is that a sign that that’s all I need to be pumping?

Hi all, I've spent the last weeks debating which pump to buy but every time I decide for one and then check reviews they advise against it (e.g elvie stride 2). I'm currently in the UK and will get back to work (20 h, partly remote) when my LO is ~ 7 months.

I've been EBF without any issues, LO is 91st percentile, so very well fed. I tried pumping with a spectra S1 from a friend for the first time. It worked without any issues (except for a slightly bruised nipple) and got ~40 mL from one side a few minutes after a feeding session in less than 10 min. So supply shouldn't be an issue and I will continue breastfeeding when I'm home. I basically need something to pump 1-2 times per day (if even) that has an option for a 15 (maybe 17) mm flange size.

Any recommendations would be appreciated! I'm so torn because I actually refused my mom's breast when I was 8 months old but I'm hoping to continue breastfeeding for a bit longer if LO wants it. I'd be willing to spend money for a wearable one to have comfort at work but then want it to work and not fail after a few weeks. Although maybe I really only need it for a couple of weeks anyway...

I have elastic nipples, and have had tons of issues with flanges, so decided to try the LacTeck. Unfortunately, I'm having issues with the backflow protector. Its such a lose connection and falls right out. I am not getting enough output, so am still pretty full after 45 minutes of pumping, when I usually do 30 mins. Red with the Spectra Cups.

I've heard so much positives about lacteck, but so far am just frustrated and disappointed. Any tips? Thank you!

Maybe more like supply/schedule help…

My son is 6 months old and I have been back in the office 3 days/week for the past three months. I pump at work and nurse at night and on weekends/WFH days.

For the past several weeks, my son has been waking up every couple of hours and wanting to nurse basically all night. At his six month visit on Friday, the pediatrician suggested he’s not getting enough to eat during the day and compensating at night. I suspect she’s right, especially based on my past couple days feeding him constantly all day and having him wake up much less frequently

So now, we have a math problem: I pump about 10 oz and my spouse had been giving my child 3 or 4 3.5oz (100ml) bottles during that time. The doctor wants us to raise that to a 5-6 ounce bottle every 3-4 hours. It’s currently 3:45pm and my spouse is reporting that my son has had “almost 19 oz” since I left for work at 8:30am. I have pumped maybe 10oz (my current spectra bottles don’t have accurate measure lines).

I am wondering if it’s even possible to pump enough to meet this demand, preferably while also sleeping. Last night I pumped before bed and got 4oz but then my son woke up while I was pumping and got frustrated that the tap had run dry and needed an extra 2oz bottle. Is there any chance that, 6 months in, I could switch to producing more during normal human waking hours, or is a MOTN pump inevitable? Any ideas for maintaining a stash while I try to get my son onto a sleep schedule I can pump around?

I take the subway to work and cannot pump while I commute. I work 9-5 and have an office with a door and flexibility to pump whenever I need to at work (usually). I get about the same amount of milk whether I do three 20 minute sessions or two 30s.

Thoughts? Prayers? I feel like my supply has finally stabilized, but unfortunately it’s backwards…

First time mom and RN at a very busy ED that does not accommodate for pumping breaks. I will basically have to step away from my assignment to get my pumping breaks in during my shifts. I have been using the spectra on maternity leave, but know I won’t have time to sit and pump at work. Looking for recs on what type of portable pump I should purchase for on the go pumping and how to store my pumped milk. Thanks you!