When you are a breastfeeding mom, one of the things you’ll be looking for as part of your breastfeeding journey is a breast pump, especially if you are planning to have a stash of milk on standby. There are many breast pumps in the market, mainly divided into two categories: electric and manual. The former is a great option if you are pumping on a regular basis, while manual pumps on the other hand are great options if pumping is not really part of your routine.
Although electric breast pumps are very convenient and efficient in pumping milk, manual pumps also have their own share of advantages. For one, you won’t need electricity to use it. Manual pumps are smaller and more portable than their electric counterparts, making them more convenient to use. Most manual pumps are not hands-free – but there are a few in the market that are.
One of the best manual breast pumps in the market is the Haakaa breast pump. It is a breast pump recommended by nursing moms, doulas, and lactation consultants around the world. In this article, we will run through the specifics of the Haakaa breast pump and shed light on why you should consider getting one.
What is the Haakaa Breast Pump?
The Haakaa silicone breast pump uses natural suction to help you in expressing your breast milk. As a manual breast pump, you do not need to charge the Haakaa pump, you simply have to squeeze and attach it to your breast to express your breast milk out.
This amazing manual breast pump is perfect for moms who do not like to clean a lot of parts similar to that they’ll find in an electric breast pump. The silent expression of milk is also a plus if you would like to silently pump on your other breast while breastfeeding your baby to sleep on the opposite breast.
What makes Haakaa different?
Haakaa changes the landscape when it comes to breast pumps – and it’s easy to see why customers feel it’s worth the money! When you want to use the Haakaa pump to collect your breastmilk, you do not need to charge your pump, attach a lot of wires, or assemble breast pump parts like in electric pump.
What sets it apart from other manual pumps is that you can use it hands-free. All you have to do is squeeze your pump, position it to your breast, and release and then it will start expressing your breastmilk.
While your baby is feeding on one side of your breasts, instead of using a breast pad for the letdown on the opposite breast, which would waste so much breast milk, you can use your pump to collect the letdown. In this way, you get to avoid wasting milk and build up your stash at the same time.
Haakaa breast pump review: Product specifications
The Haakaa breast pump has three key features: it is easy to clean, easy to use, and easy to store. There are three generations of the Haakaa breast pump with different design features, milk capacity, suction strength, but all are very convenient to use whether you are at home, on the go, travelling, or at work. Let us explain more on why you should use the Haakaa breast pump in the sections below.
Design Features
One of the best features of the design of Haakaa breast pump, aside from being lightweight, is its one-size-fits-all Haakaa Breast Pump flange to accommodate all different sizes of mother’s breast, saving you the unnecessary hassle of returning your product if it does not fit. The three generations of the Haakaa pump mainly differ in size and base suction.
Both the first and second-generation versions are one-piece silicone and compact sized, however, the second generation is larger in size and has a flat surface suction.
The third-generation pump has about the same design as the first-generation pump without the base suction, but it is multipurpose, so you could use it as a pump and baby bottle by just removing the detachable flange and attaching the baby bottle top.
The silicone nipple that comes with the third-generation Haakaa pump is soft and naturally shaped, so that it mimics your breast during breastfeeding. It also has dual anti-colic vents for colic-free feeding.
Safety Features
All Haakaa breast pumps are made out of high-quality 100% food-grade silicone, making them very safe for your baby. They are also lead, BPA, PVC, and phthalate-free, making them the best choice for your baby’s health. The third-generation pump is microwave-, boiling water, and sterilizer-safe. What’s great is that they are all dishwasher-safe as well!
Convenience Features
The Haakaa silicone breast pump is very convenient to use especially when you want to silently pump your breastmilk or when you are in a hurry to clean and use or store the pump.
Cleaning
The Haakaa silicone breast pump is very easy to clean. Unlike the electric pump with multiple parts to clean, you only have to clean one piece of the Haakaa which is the pump itself. For sterilization, you only have to boil the whole body of the Haakaa pump in boiling water for 2-3 mins.
Storing
Haakaa breast pumps are very portable. With only one piece of this manual breast pump, it would not take up too much space in your bag. Although the third-generation pump comes with four pieces, it is still more portable than the electric pump since it is like a pump and milk bottle in one!
Online Buyer Guides
Although you do get instructions for use on the box of the Haakaa, you can also find video tutorials on how to use the Haakaa. On top of that, every product on their website comes with buyer reviews to guide you in your Haakaa purchase. All you have to do is search and you get all the information you need through their sites.
Milk Capacity
The three generations of the Haakaa pump have different milk capacities with the third-generation holding the most milk.
The first-generation pump can hold up to 100 ml or around 3 ounces of milk, the second-generation pump can hold up to 100-150 ml or around 3-5 ounces of milk, and generation three can hold up to 160-250 ml or around 5-8 ounces of milk.
Price Point
Unlike electric pumps that cost around $400-500 each, you can get the Haakaa 100% food-grade silicone pumps starting at $15.99 depending on what generation you get and the inclusions that you want. If you want to get the ones without any accessories or inclusions, the first, second, and third-generation cost $15.99, $15.99, and $43.99, each respectively.
Haakaa accessories or inclusions
When purchasing Haakaa, you might want to consider getting Haakaa accessories such as the silicone cover and stoppers both used to avoid any accidental spills.
The lid is a patented silicone cap that seals your Haakaa, avoiding spills. It can fit the flanges of all three generations of Haakaa pumps. You can get it alone at $9.98 or with the Gen 2 Haakaa at $36.99.
The flower stopper is a silicone stopper that sits at the neck of the Haakaa that aims to preserve breast milk benefits while avoiding spills. Like the lid, it can also fit all generations of Haakaa. You can get it alone at $8.40 or together with the gen-two Haakaa at $29.99.
How to use your Haakaa Silicone breast pump
Your Haakaa pump is best used when you feed your baby as it is when you get a lot of letdowns. Otherwise, you have to stimulate your letdown by massaging and placing a warm flannel on top of your breast.
First, make sure your pump is clean before using. To clean your pump, simply boil your pump in boiling water for 2-3 minutes or put it in a sterilizer and follow the sterilizer’s recommended sterilizing time. You can put it in the dishwasher instead if you prefer.
Position the pump over your nipple. Proper positioning avoids painful expression and encourages more letdowns so you can collect more milk.
Sometimes you may need to reposition the pump since incorrect positioning can create small suction and you may either drop your pump or stimulate a slow milk flow.
Once you positioned the pump securely and comfortably, squeeze the base of your pump to create suction. The suction should be able to stimulate and start the flow of milk, otherwise, you may have to reposition the pump until you are comfortable and the milk starts to flow. If it does, leave your pump alone and let it express, and collect enough milk to increase your milk supply or stash.
Once you collect enough milk, you can put it in a milk bag or bottle and store it in the freezer to build your milk supply. If you have the third-generation version, you can either store your breastmilk or just directly remove the detachable flange and attach the baby bottle top so you could start feeding your baby your milk right away.
Hakaa Pros and Cons
Haakaa is very convenient and easy to use especially if you are a first-time mom. It is easy to clean and store as well and an awesome help when you’d like to express milk while nursing your baby as it is quiet and it will not disturb your baby.
However, if the suction is not strong enough due to improper placement, you may have to adjust your Haakaa multiple times until the suction is good enough for hands-free pumping.
Which Generation Should I Get?
If you have decided to get the Haakaa, but are still unsure what generation you should get, the one that fits your needs. First- and second-generations are good for expressing milk at home while feeding your baby but second-generation might work best for you if you have toddlers running around at home and could spill your liquid gold without the base suction. If you are into travelling and wants to directly feed your baby or your other baby, if you have two or more, with freshly expressed milk after feeding, ‘gen three’ is a great choice.
About the company
Haakaa is a sustainable brand based in New Zealand, producing baby products that are safe, natural, non-toxic, and eco-friendly including breast pumps, baby bottles, and nipple guards using environmentally-friendly materials such as silicone, stainless steel, glass, bamboo, and natural rubber. The vision of creating something that protects the health of the planet and a child stems from the founder’s love for their daughter Courtney, who has autism.
Haakaa breast pump review: Overall recommendations
Haakaa is perfect for moms who are exclusively breastfeeding and would like to build their milk stash. While its passive design might not express enough for bottle-feeding moms, it can be a comfortable way to collect while breastfeeding your baby. We can definitely see why Haakaa has taken the breast pump world by storm!
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