Let’s talk about silicone breast pumps. (aka Haakaa)
The Downfalls of Using a Silicone Breast Pump
While many think the silicone breast pump can be a valuable tool for collecting letdown milk and relieving engorgement, it has some serious downsides to consider before just popping it on:
Here are the standard reasons most IBCLC’s don’t like them…
1. Not appropriate for every person: Most silicone pumps that work with suction are not made for every woman and every situation. I see them handed out like candy by midwives, doulas and as shower gifts. Just because you have it and you are leaking a bit of milk, doesn’t mean you have to put it on. They don’t work on some breasts due to size of breast.
2. Positioning Challenges: Using the Haakaa effectively requires positioning and holding it in place, which could be cumbersome and tiring, especially for mothers who are already juggling breastfeeding or pumping sessions.
3. Not Ideal for Exclusive Pumping: While the Haakaa is great for collecting milk from the non-nursing breast during feedings, it's not designed for full pumping sessions, so it may not be suitable for exclusive pumpers or those needing to express larger volumes of milk.
4. Potential for Spillage: The open nature of the Haakaa means there's a risk of accidental spills if it gets knocked over or if the user changes position abruptly while wearing it.
OK…Now let’s get down to why I absolutely dislike the silicone pump (I’m not talking the “Lady Bug”, Trove, etc or milk “Catchers”). I am talking the “Grenade” type pump. Once again… These are MY opinions!
Your breasts are not meant to have constant suction on your nipples or breast tissue. Even the baby doesn’t SUCK milk out, they transfer milk that you release from your breasts from hormonal responses to the suckling and stimulation. Breast-pumps don’t continuously suck, either. The silicone pump suctions non-stop which can damage nipples, ducts, and I have seen clogged ducts MANY times near the areola due to the constant pressure and the fact that the Haakaa opening is WAY too big and pulls too much nipple and areola in.
Leaking from the breast is due to tiny little “sphincters” that are near the numerous holes in your nipple. When you are full, or having a let-down due to baby nursing on the opposite breast, or hearing a baby cry or even sex, you may leak milk. Over time, most women’s breasts will stop leaking if milk supply is managed properly and/or there is not an over-supply. Applying some pressure with your fingers or a burp rag will stop the leaking.
What about building my “freezer stash”??? I can hear it now!! That will be my next blog post! So, I have a pretty strong opinion about this from experience with working with mothers from the creation of these little grenade pumps. I have seen women collect their entire “stash” with the silicone pump before going back to work. A couple of mom’s have called after the 4 month well-baby visit (usually about a month after mom goes back to work) and say that their pediatrician has told them they have to supplement their baby because they have “fallen off the weight curve”. This was concerning to me so I asked a mom to put some defrosted “Haakaa milk” and some freshly pumped milk in the refrigerator for our visit. Guess what? The fat content in the Haakaa milk was about half of what the freshly pumped milk had. All was not lost…I had her defrost a bag of haakaa milk and add it to her freshly pumped milk for his bottle. This mother did not end up doing this for long, as she quickly realized her freshly pumped milk was plenty to keep up with her baby’s needs while she was gone at work.
When you put this on the opposite breast while feeding your baby, you are collecting the beginning of the feeding and usually the first let-down. Most babies get the majority of their feeding from that first let-down. What if the breast capacity of one breast isn’t enough for your baby? When babe goes to the other side, a good portion of their feeding is gone!! So, unfortunately, I see mama’s having to feed that back to their baby in a bottle because baby isn’t satiated. :(
Ok, OK... I will lay off the beloved Haakaa. Just think about this next time you want to throw it on. If you choose to use it, do me a favor, put it on the first breast you feed babe on when you go to the second breast, if there is extra milk in it, you can collect it and it’s usually nice and fatty. If you want to collect it, without doing that, mark the bag with an “H” for Haakaa milk and that way you can keep an eye on the fat content when you go back to work. If you choose to donate, you can tell the person, so they know that the milk may be a bit lower in fat content. (It’s still human milk, so not a huge concern to me). Also, keep an eye for clogged ducts around your areola and try not to squeeze it to full capacity!!
I hope this helps and brings some light to the reason your IBCLC may roll her eyes she sees the haakaa coming out at your consult… LOL! If you have questions or concerns… Book a Consult, I’m hear to help and I promise, I don’t judge you for using these things, I judge the marketing of some of these products that I feel are not well researched before they are implemented. Save your money!!
Love, Katie
