Is The Elvie Pump Worth It? A Traveling Mom’s Honest Review (2022)
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Is a wearable pump definitely worth the fiscal financial commitment? Guaranteed, the freedom sounds great, but with blended testimonials and the incapacity to return the pump if it does not function for you, is it genuinely truly worth the danger of purchasing just one?
In small, though imperfect, wearable pumps have been existence-changing for me.
The initial pump I purchased was the Elvie. Let us dive into the superior, the negative, and the unsightly of utilizing it:
The Great of the Elvie:
As a chaotic, traveling mom who completely pumps, I started off to resent how pumping with my healthcare facility quality and Spectra felt like time out every single time, and questioned how I could preserve up when we started off traveling as a household.
I understood early on that I experienced to make a transform in get to make pumping it sustainable, so enter the Elvie!
The independence:
There are a good deal of days the place it’s just me and my small a person and during the 15 to 20 minutes that I may be pumping, odds are great he will have to have anything, or most likely I will require one thing. Getting ready to set meals together and try to eat, drink, pee, do laundry, wash dishes, no matter what, is too vital, and remaining hooked up to a wall is prohibitive of executing any of these things.
Then there are the times we have been traveling all day, or are on a road journey.
My lifestyle modified when I entered the entire world of wearable pumps. I was no for a longer time in time out. I acquired hrs of just about every day back. To me that is priceless.
Terrific output:
One of my hesitations with finding a wearable pump was the warning that I could possibly not get as a lot output as with other pumps. That has not been my expertise at all. I essentially get additional output with the Elvie than I do with my Spectra.
It is all about building positive you have the correct flange (the 24 and 28 that it arrives with are as well significant for me, so I ordered a 21), and are placing it on effectively, which they have tutorials for. I didn’t have significantly concern figuring it out.
Easy to thoroughly clean:
Just about every pump involves cleansing and each pump has several components. I discover the Elvie to be just as easy to clear as any of my other pumps. It has all-around the very same total of parts and they can be thrown in the dishwasher. In addition, the refillable bottles come with caps so you can very easily retail store them in the fridge right after you pump.
I also respect that the Elvie comes with 4 milk storage containers, slicing down on the washing frequency needed.
You can actually pump any where
Picture this, you are traveling on a practice, plane, or in a car for get the job done. Your engorged AF and you are not with your tiny a single, so breast-feeding is out (or probably you are in exclusively pumping mother and it’s time to get a bottle stuffed.) With a plug-in pump, where are you going cope with this, specially on a extensive flight? Even with a hand pump, are you likely to sit in the rest room for 30 minutes? With the Elvie I can just go into the lavatory, insert it, occur again to my seat, and go back again in when it’s time to eliminate it. Or if I’m emotion specially daring I can just do it all in my seat.
The app
The app that goes along with the Elvie is fantastic. I really like that I can open up it up and see precisely what my output was for my previous couple of pumps, keep track of it back to every pump I have ever finished, and that I can see when I final pumped. I have tricky-core mom mind. I cannot be expected to remember on my individual, so this function is genuinely good. Regrettably the Willow Go app is pretty bare-bones and does not involve any of this, Which will make 1 surprise what the stage is.
I will say that the application ordinarily more than-estimates my output, as it tries to measure how a great deal you are pumping in authentic time. I nearly usually have to regulate it for much less than it is estimating. I experienced a supply dip situation and this messed with me mentally a little bit at the time, but the estimate is crucial so that you do not overfill the container and leak.
Even though I like it, It is not ideal.
The Negative of the Elvie
No pump has managed to tick all my boxes, and there are some typical difficulties that people run into with the Elvie.
Leakage
This was one particular of my major hesitations in getting this pump, due to the fact I browse testimonials wherever men and women stated leakage and as any mother is aware, you absolutely cry about spilled milk when it is your own. In contrast to the Willow 3., you can not lay down or shift in any position you want with this pump. This only operates with the Willow mainly because it fills disposable luggage (The Willow Go has a container, and you can obtain a different container for the willow 3., on the other hand it also indicates you really do not have as substantially mobility), but I truly didn’t want that much of an ecological footprint, so I risked it with the Elvie.
I have leaked a couple of periods and uncovered you truly can’t lean above. I’ve also leaked when I didn’t set the pump alongside one another correctly. Despite the fact that it’s user mistake, you just can’t see that you’re leaking until you feel it due to the fact the pump is tucked into your bra.
The bottle fills up
The pump will possibly tap out all-around 110 to 120 ml at which issue you’ll have to vacant it in order to hold going. This is not a large deal to me, but if you’re pumping for twins or are an above-producer you may perhaps obtain on your own pausing to vacant regularly.
Not as discreet as a person would hope
Despite the fact that these are a preferred pump for nurses and other pros who are doing work on their toes, you have to be cautious with your outfit selections.
It will make you look like you have nuts massive boobs. This arrives as a surprise to some men and women, although it makes feeling to me that a pump is likely to have to include some extra girth in purchase to have the motor, in good shape your boob, and of system suit the milk.
I come across that layers, scarves, or anything which is not formfitting offers a tiny little bit a lot more discretion if I’m out pumping in the wild.
And although the pump is delightfully silent, It’s not totally silent.
Some other prevalent grievances I’ve seen are battery life, which I haven’t experienced an difficulty with. I can generally go 6 or so pumps with out possessing to recharge. I have also witnessed complaints that the pumps have other mechanical problems all of which I’d rectify specifically with the corporation as they have a 2-yr guarantee.
The Unappealing of the Elvie
Clearly the cost issue at $550 is higher for the Elvie pump (check out if they have a sale, as they often do!). You likely currently know about that and are weighing if it’s really worth it.
Even with the slight difficulties, it is nonetheless my most loved pump. The output and the ability to have mobility nonetheless it far more than really worth it for me. I probably would have supplied up by now if I didn’t have entry to a wearable pump, so it is saved breastfeeding for me.
It is not ideal, but it is as shut as I have in my repertoire.
Strategies for Creating it Work for You:
Sizing
When it will come to sizing, you could have to order further flanges, as I experienced to, as the common 24 mm and 28 mm are usually as well massive for many females. They do, nonetheless, have a 21 mm flange, and if you need to have any smaller you can get additional inserts that will suit into the 24mm flange.
Bras
The good factor about a wearable pump is you won’t want a specific pumping bra. I’m equipped to just use this in my nursing bra, which carries on to make my lifetime less complicated. Continuously owning to disrobe and change into my pumping bra to use any of my other pumps just adds time and can make them far more cumbersome.
Suction
The suction on the Elvie goes from amount one particular to 7. I get great output just pumping on a degree one particular or two. I just can’t say the exact same for my other pumps, where by I get noticeably much less except if I switch it up. I’m very sensitive, so that could be why I prefer the Elvie so significantly. I nevertheless get wonderful output even on the cheapest degree. If you’re not emotion any suction, it’s due to the fact some part of the pump is not dry more than enough or the duckbill valve is tucked.
Even though it’s imperfect, the Elvie is my preferred pump for the freedom it has provided me. In numerous means it has saved my pumping journey. Invest in yours right here.
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