Is The Elvie Pump Worth It? A Traveling Mom’s Honest Review (2022)

Is a wearable pump truly truly worth the fiscal expenditure? Guaranteed, the independence seems pleasant, but with blended opinions and the incapability to return the pump if it does not function for you, is it seriously worthy of the danger of purchasing 1?

In limited, though imperfect, wearable pumps have been lifestyle-switching for me.

The initially pump I bought was the Elvie. Let us dive into the great, the lousy, and the ugly of applying it:

The Superior of the Elvie:

As a busy, traveling mother who solely pumps, I started out to resent how pumping with my healthcare facility quality and Spectra felt like time out every time, and questioned how I could continue to keep up at the time we started off touring as a loved ones.

I realized early on that I experienced to make a modify in purchase to make pumping it sustainable, so enter the Elvie!

The flexibility:

There are a good deal of days exactly where it’s just me and my minor one particular and throughout the 15 to 20 minutes that I may possibly be pumping, chances are great he will need some thing, or potentially I will require a little something. Getting ready to set meals with each other and consume, drink, pee, do laundry, wash dishes, what ever, is too vital, and staying hooked up to a wall is prohibitive of accomplishing any of these factors.

Then there are the occasions we’ve been traveling all day, or are on a road journey.

My lifetime altered when I entered the world of wearable pumps. I was no for a longer period in time out. I obtained hours of each working day back. To me which is invaluable.

Good output:

A single of my hesitations with obtaining a wearable pump was the warning that I might not get as considerably output as with other pumps. That has not been my encounter at all. I basically get much more output with the Elvie than I do with my Spectra.

It is all about creating confident you have the correct flange (the 24 and 28 that it arrives with are too significant for me, so I ordered a 21), and are putting it on effectively, which they have tutorials for. I did not have substantially issue figuring it out.

Quick to cleanse:

Every pump requires cleansing and just about every pump has a number of sections. I discover the Elvie to be just as easy to clean up as any of my other pumps. It has around the same sum of pieces and they can be thrown in the dishwasher. In addition, the refillable bottles come with caps so you can effortlessly retail outlet them in the fridge following you pump.

I also appreciate that the Elvie will come with 4 milk storage containers, chopping down on the washing frequency demanded.

You can certainly pump any place

Picture this, you’re touring on a prepare, plane, or in a automobile for get the job done. Your engorged AF and you’re not with your tiny 1, so breast-feeding is out (or possibly you are in solely pumping mom and it’s time to get a bottle crammed.) With a plug-in pump, in which are you likely take care of this, especially on a prolonged flight? Even with a hand pump, are you likely to sit in the bathroom for 30 minutes? With the Elvie I can just go into the rest room, insert it, arrive back again to my seat, and go again in when it’s time to eliminate it. Or if I’m emotion specifically bold 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 exactly what my output was for my final handful of pumps, keep track of it back to each individual pump I’ve ever completed, and that I can see when I past pumped. I have hard-core mother mind. I just cannot be predicted to recall on my personal, so this function is truly good. Unfortunately the Willow Go app is pretty bare-bones and does not involve any of this, Which would make one surprise what the level is.

I will say that the app normally more than-estimates my output, as it attempts to evaluate how much you’re pumping in serious time. I almost usually have to regulate it for a lot less than it is estimating. I experienced a supply dip challenge and this messed with me mentally a little bit at the time, but the estimate is significant so that you never overfill the container and leak.

Whilst I appreciate it, It’s not fantastic.

The Bad of the Elvie

No pump has managed to tick all my containers, and there are some popular concerns that persons operate into with the Elvie.

Leakage

This was one particular of my largest hesitations in obtaining this pump, since I study evaluations where individuals pointed out leakage and as any mom is familiar with, you definitely cry around spilled milk when it’s your have. Compared with the Willow 3., you just cannot lay down or shift in any situation you want with this pump. This only works with the Willow because it fills disposable baggage (The Willow Go has a container, and you can invest in a separate container for the willow 3., on the other hand it also suggests you really don’t have as substantially mobility), but I really did not want that much of an ecological footprint, so I risked it with the Elvie.

I have leaked a several instances and acquired you seriously cannot lean around. I’ve also leaked when I didn’t put the pump collectively properly. While it’s user error, you simply cannot see that you’re leaking until you feel it since the pump is tucked into your bra.

The bottle fills up

The pump will in all probability faucet out about 110 to 120 ml at which level you are going to have to vacant it in get to continue to keep heading. This isn’t a substantial offer to me, but if you’re pumping for twins or are an around-producer you could uncover oneself pausing to empty usually.

Not as discreet as one would hope

While these are a favored pump for nurses and other professionals who are performing on their toes, you have to be cautious with your outfit selections.

It will make you search like you have ridiculous enormous boobs. This will come as a shock to some men and women, even though it can make feeling to me that a pump is heading to have to add some further girth in purchase to have the motor, match your boob, and of program match the milk.

I discover that layers, scarves, or everything that’s not formfitting presents a little bit extra discretion if I’m out pumping in the wild.

And while the pump is delightfully peaceful, It is not fully silent.

Some other widespread complaints I have seen are battery daily life, which I have not had an situation with. I can ordinarily go 6 or so pumps without the need of acquiring to recharge. I have also witnessed problems that the pumps have other mechanical problems all of which I’d rectify specifically with the firm as they have a 2-year guarantee.

The Unsightly of the Elvie

Obviously the cost position at $550 is high for the Elvie pump (check if they have a sale, as they from time to time do!). You in all probability now know about that and are weighing if it’s truly worth it.

In spite of the small difficulties, it is continue to my most loved pump. The output and the potential to have mobility nonetheless it extra than really worth it for me. I in all probability would have supplied up by now if I didn’t have entry to a wearable pump, so it is saved breastfeeding for me.

It’s not fantastic, but it’s as shut as I have in my repertoire.

Guidelines for Building it Do the job for You:

Sizing

When it arrives to sizing, you may possibly have to order added flanges, as I experienced to, as the common 24 mm and 28 mm are typically far too large for quite a few women. They do, having said that, have a 21 mm flange, and if you require any scaled-down you can get extra inserts that will healthy into the 24mm flange.

Bras

The pleasant point about a wearable pump is you will not have to have a specific pumping bra. I’m able to just use this in my nursing bra, which continues to make my existence less complicated. Frequently getting to disrobe and improve into my pumping bra to use any of my other pumps just provides time and tends to make them more cumbersome.

Suction

The suction on the Elvie goes from degree a single to seven. I get terrific output just pumping on a amount one particular or two. I just can’t say the identical for my other pumps, where I get drastically fewer except if I flip it up. I’m rather delicate, so that could be why I choose the Elvie so considerably. I continue to get good output even on the most affordable level. If you’re not feeling any suction, it is because some component of the pump is not dry more than enough or the duckbill valve is tucked.

Nevertheless it is imperfect, the Elvie is my favourite pump for the independence it has offered me. In quite a few methods it has saved my pumping journey. Purchase yours below.

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