Pumping Exclusively with Using Only the Haakaa

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Can you pump using the Haakaa only? Yes, you absolutely can! I breastfeed my twin babies, and when it comes to pumping breast milk, I use my both of my Haakaa manual pumps more than I use my Medela pump. It is a great way to catch that precious breast milk.

I have been using my Haakaas since I was in the hospital, shortly after giving birth to our twins. In my hospital room, I didn’t have access to boiling water or our baby bottle parts sterilizer. I was so grateful for the Haakaa, as it is just one part to clean and dry. The hospital did have a pump for me to use, and I did use it sometimes, but cleaning all the parts with two newborns and trying to heal on top of being exhausted was not ideal. Our insurance gave us a free Medela breast pump, so I use that every now and then too.

I decided to write this post because last night, I woke up around 3 am, and I could tell I was extremely full of breast milk. I put on both of my Haakaas and was able to quickly express EIGHT OUNCES of breast milk, put the milk in a bottle in the fridge, rinse the Haakaas, and go back to sleep. I was too tired to label the breastmilk and put it in mason jars, but I will soon to save for when I go back to work. To read more about how I store my breastmilk in mason jars read my article on breastmilk storage.

What is a Haakaa?

A Haakaa is a manual breast pump made from 100% food-grade silicone. Haakaa is a New Zealand product that is family-owned. Haakaa focuses on creating eco-friendly products that are safe for mamas and their babies.

How Does the Haakaa Work?

The Haakaa will catch let-down milk using suction. The Haakaa uses the power of gravity without any batteries or needing to plug in

Why Buy a Haakaa?

Inexpensive. Haakaa breast pumps are extremely affordable! They land around $12 for the first-generation pump. Electric breast pumps can be expensive, anywhere from $50 - $300!!
Silent. Silence is golden. No loud slurping noises, just quiet.
Compact. The Haakaa breast pump does not take up any room! This makes washing them in the dishwasher super easy.
Perfect for travel. These can be stored easily anywhere - in the diaper bag, purse, or suitcase. The Haakaa does not require batteries or an outlet - how convenient is that?
One part. It is so nice not having to disassemble so many little parts! The first-generation Haakaa is just one part.
Easy to wear. I have worn these in the shower, and discreetly under my shirt.
Comfortable. These are comfortable and do not hurt. When I am home alone (well just me and the babies) I can wear it and go about my chores and tasks until milk is collected.

Can You Exclusively Pump with Haakaa?

Yes you can! I have two Haakaa pumps that I use often to collect my breastmilk. I typically tandem feed my twins, so I rarely wear one while I am breastfeeding. I wear the Haakaas after I breastfeed my babies to keep stimulating my body to create more milk. As mentioned before, I do have a Medela electric pump that I use on occasion. It works great, only complaint is the time involved cleaning all the parts and having to stay put while pumping. One time I was wearing my Medela and pumping, but then one of the twins needed my help. I tried to help while still wearing the pump and when I bent over, the milk spilled out. Needless to say I was so frustrated. #thestruggle

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Can You Pump at Work with Haakaa?

Again, YES! I pump at work only using my Haakaas and I absolutely love it. It is so convenient - no washing and sanitizing multiple parts, no equipment weighing down my purse. I breastfeed my babies around 7 am before I leave for work. At 11 am, I pump anywhere from 6-12 ounces of breastmilk!!

milk expressed at work in the mother's room!

How Much Milk Can Be Collected?

The Haakaa can hold 4 oz. Whenever I pump using the Haakaa, I collect anywhere from 2 to 4 ounces per side. Earlier I mentioned I collected 8 ounces of breastmilk at 3 am from both sides - this is due to my breasts filling up since the babies' night feeding was at 10 pm. If I have recently fed the babies, I can collect around 2 ounces. It depends on when you last fed your baby.

Why Was Barely Any Milk Was Expressed?

Sometimes milk doesn’t flow right away when using a Haakaa. Try a warm compress either by using instant heat breast warmers, or letting warm water run down in the shower. Even if barely an ounce has been expressed, don’t lose hope! This has happened to me and if milk still hasn’t flowed after massage and a warm compress, I wait a little bit longer, say 15-20 minutes, and then milk starts to flow. If you have waited and still barely any milk was expressed, don’t give up! Just the act of stimulating your breasts will help signal your breasts to create more milk, so your efforts are not in vain.

How to Use the Haakaa:

It's as easy as 1-2-3!

Flip over the sides of the Haakaa and squeeze the base of the Haakaa so it becomes flat.
Place the pump over your nipple, ensuring it is centered.
The suction from the Haakaa will facilitate the flow of milk. Additionally, you can encourage milk expression by gently using your hand to push milk down from the top of the breast towards the nipple.

Check out my other blog posts on being a new mama!

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