I bought and started using this pump when I was 4 weeks pp. Before then, I would only hand-express as I didn’t own an electric or manual pump, but my short maternity leave is ending and my milk supply is not yet enough. I needed a pump that I could bring to the office and would help me increase my supply, hence the Milkbar double electric pump.
I use this pump for a daily power-pumping session and occasionally to make up for a missed feed due to caring for our toddler while my husband bottle feeds. What I like about the pump:
1. It is comfortable on my breast due to the all-in-one silicone insert that comes with it.
2. My only other experience with an electric pump was with a Medela Symphony that I rented from the hospital with our first baby. The Milkbar pump is less cumbersome to clean, assemble, and disassemble. The size and portability also makes it convenient to carry around.
3. Both points above means there isn’t much barrier to actually begin pumping: less admin, less faffing around with parts, less mental convincing for lazy people like me.
What I don’t like about the pump:
1. You have to know what flange size to order right off the bat if you don’t want to waste money. I know they made a printable guide online but I didn’t have a printer and took a chance after measuring myself. On the plus side, less waste than if they included every sizing with each order
2. A bit nitpicky, but I wish the display’s light was a warm yellow rather than the blue one.
Did it accomplish what I expected of it? With portability, absolutely. It would fit nicely in the large insulated lunch bag that I bought. Did it help me increase my supply? We still have to mix feed but I am noticing that baby finishes less on the bottle after breastfeeding, which hopefully indicates that she’s getting more from me now (she used to consistently finish 100ml after feeding on both breast; now she’ll finish around 50-60ml of formula milk after 1 breast). Sometimes a power pumping session would yield 50ml total, but regular 20minute pumping sessions would give me on average 15-20ml total. This may not seem much but using this pump has given me confidence with pumping. I used to dread pumping when I had the rented one with my first baby. This time around, thanks to the Milkbar pump, not only do I feel positive about pumping, I even look forward to it!
