Haakaa Silicone Breast Pumps review – EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
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Curious or confused by these new Silicone Breast Pumps? Wondering what a “Haakaa” is? Then this post is for you! Read my comprehensive guide to Haakaa Silicone Breast Pumps and find out why these two are my most recommended models! Plus… a short video to guide you too!
Easy way to pump breastmilk
Are you trying to exclusively breastfeed and looking for an easy way to pump breastmilk? I know I was! Let’s face it, pumping isn’t fun and it takes time and work! Luckily there’s a relatively new solution – the Haakaa Silicone breast pump!
Thanks to my “Haakaa”, I was able to easily pump over 100 ounces of breastmilk without ever having to plug in a pump or wash a million pump parts!
Each morning when I felt extra full, I would breastfeed my baby on one side and then attach my Haakaa on the other side. When my baby was done nursing, I’d remove the Haakaa and freeze the milk that was in it.
Before I knew it, I had a giant freezer stash with almost no extra effort! By the time I returned to work, I felt confident that I had enough milk in my freezer for my baby without stressing too much. I wish I had a Haakaa when I nursed my second son!
What is a Haakaa Silicone Breast Pump?
These new innovative pumps are made of just one or two pieces of silicone. They suction on to your breast and suck out the milk. Think of it like a hands-free non-eelctric pump.
There are no cords.
No need for electricity.
And no manual work (other than attaching and removing it.)
Once you have let down, the silicone pump will pull out the milk and collect it. That’s it!
I loved my Haakaa silicone breast pump so much that I reached out to the brand and asked them to sponsor this post. I was dying to work with them so that I could share my experience and get you the latest and greatest information.
So here’s my ultimate silicone breast pump guide and I’ll focus on my Haakaa since I love it so much!
Note: Most moms call their Haakaa Breast Pump just a “Haakaa”, so you will see me do the same here…
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Benefits of a Haakaa Breast Pump
Oh boy! Where do I start?
- These silicone breast pumps are 100% noise free!
- They are easy and quick to clean!
- They are made of only one or two pieces! (no tiny pieces to lose or forget!)
- They are small enough to easily store in your bag for emergencies
- They don’t use electricity (so they are great in a power outage)
- They are hands-free and don’t require a special hands-free bra
- They are CHEAP!
- There’s no setup! Just grab it, attach and you’re set!
I’m sure that there are more so I’ll add more soon!
Recommended Haakaa Models
If you search for “Haakaa” on Amazon.com or check out the Haakaa Amazone store, you will surely find lots of options and accessories! I remember the first time that I did, I didn’t know which to pick from. So, to make things easier for you here are my two recommendations!
Haakaa Silicone Breast Pump 3rd Generation
This breast pump is especially cool because it converts from a pump, to a breastfeeding-friendly bottle to a spoon! This means that you can pump and feed a bottle with the least mess and the least waste! Plus, this third generation has a much stronger suction than the previous ones.
And then of course there’s the wide bottom! It’s more stable so that you won’t tip it over by accident!
The only downside to this version is that it’s a bit pricier than the previous two generations AND it is made of multiple pieces vs. just one. I think that is easily outweighed by it’s increased features!
Buy yours here and have it in just two days!
Haakaa Silicone Breast Pump with Suction Base
This is the first Haakaa pump I tried and fell in love with! Even though I now have the 3rd generation pump, I still use this one occasionally.
Unlike the 3rd generation model, it doesn’t turn into a bottle or spoon/pouch which means less functionality BUT it’s also just one piece which makes it a bit easier to clean. It’s also lighter and smaller.
To get yours quickly, click here.
I love both and honestly find them useful for different things. Here’s a comparison:
Haakaa Origional vs. Haakaa 3rd Generation Comparison
| HAAKAA PUMP (SUCTION BOTTOM) | HAAKAA PUMP (3RD GENERATION) |
| 150 mL | 160 mL |
| $20.00 | $39.99 |
| Just one function – breast pump | Lots of functionality (pump, bottle, spoon) |
| Lighter than the 3rd generation | Heavier than previous version |
| One piece | Two pieces (at a time) |
| Easiest to clean | Still very easy to clean but more parts |
| More stable than other version but less stable than the 3rd generation | Most stable Haakaa pump with very wide base |
| Half the price of the 3rd generation version. Least expensive yet effective breast pump! | More expensive than other Haakaa pumps but cheaper than other pumps |
| Buy from Amazon! | Buy from Amazon! |
How to use a Haakaa Breast Pump
The first time I tried to use a Haakaa breast pump, I have to admit that I was thoroughly confused! I did some quick research, suctioned it on and almost immediately took it off! It hurt and I thought I was doing it wrong. The next day, I tried it again but this time it felt okay and I began to tinker and then got it right.
So how do you use it?
You squeeze the base, place it on your breast, and then release the base. This will cause it to suction on to your breast and begin “pulling” milk out.
If it hurts, remove it and try again. Only this time, don’t squeeze it so much. The more you squeeze it, the stronger the suction.
If your nipple isn’t centered once you let go, remove it, realign and try again.
The key is to get the suction and placement right. If you do that, you’ll be set and it won’t hurt!
For a demonstration and some more info, check out this video!
Haakaa Pump Tips
1. Make sure you have letdown before you attach the Haakaa breast pump. I’ve attached it before and a few minutes realized that nothing was coming out! While you might get letdown after attaching it (especially if you are nursing the baby at the same time), I found that getting it first made the process more fool proof!
2. If you have letdown but nothing is dripping into the Haakaa or it has stopped dripping, remove it and reattach it. Sometimes just doing that will help the milk flow again.
3. Don’t clean your Haakaa with regular soap! It will make the silicone cloudy. I like to use the Medela breastmilk soap! (I actually accidentally put my first Haakaa breast pump in the dishwasher and learned this lesson the hard way!)
4. If your Haakaa starts to get full or heavy, remove it and pour the milk into a storage container and then reattach. (If it gets too heavy it could slip off and then you will spill the milk!)
5. Try to use your Haakaa pump at roughly the same time each day to ensure you get a good amount of milk. (You need to teach your body to make the extra milk for you to pump)
Haakaa Breast Pump frequently asked questions
Can I use a Haakaa Pump if I don’t leak?
Yes! See the next question 🙂
Does a Haakaa Breast Pump Just Collect Letdown Milk?
I get this question a lot! There seems to be a misconception that silicone pumps like Haakaa pumps just collect the milk that leaks out or that it just collects “foremilk” – that watery milk that your baby gets for the first few minutes when they nurse.
This is not the case. A Haakaa breast pump will collect hindmilk and foremilk and it doesn’t just collect the milk that leaks out.
There are a few reasons for this misconception…
1. People tend to use their Haakaa breast pump when they are engorged.
When you’re engorged, your breasts are full of mostly foremilk to begin with so that’s what your Haakaa will pull out and collect. It will take a while to get to hindmilk (that fatty milk).
2. Foremilk is much easier to pump.
Whether you are using an electric pump, manual pump, or silicone pump like a Haakaa breast pump, you will find that foremilk (that milk that first flows when you have letdown) is thinnest and easiest to pump.
Once you pump all your foremilk, you will get to hindmilk which is much thicker and harder to pull out. Since it’s thicker, it flows much slower and is harder to pull out. Read more about too much foremilk and why it is problematic, read this article from Verywell Family.
3. Foremilk comes out faster.
When moms attach their Haakaa they will often find that the milk comes out relatively quickly for the first few minutes.
Then once they get to hindmilk, the milk will flow much slower (little drops versus a stream or big globs) and moms will assume that they have emptied their breast. They will then remove the Haakaa before they can pump much hindmilk.
When can I start using a Silicone Breast Pump like Haakaa?
Generally, moms should hold off pumping until 6 weeks postpartum because pumping, in addition to exclusively breastfeeding, can cause oversupply. Source “When to Start Pumping” by Healthline for Parents.
While an oversupply might sound like a blessing, it’s actually very uncomfortable for the mom and the baby (but that’s a topic for a different post!).
That said, when I nursed my second and third baby, I had to pump a few times prior to 6 weeks for various reasons. So with that said…
You could use your Haakaa breast pump immediately after birth if you had to. It technically works right away. The one thing to keep in mind though is that you will only make colostrum for the first few days after birth. Colostrum is extremely thick and you only make a few drops of it every few hours.
While you can definitely start using your Haakaa immediately, you are unlikely to collect much in your Haakaa until your milk fully comes in (after a few days postpartum). Even then, your supply will be all over the place and you may find that one day you can collect a few ounces and the next day you don’t collect anything.
Once your supply regulates (around 7 weeks) you will find it to be more consistent and you will have better “luck” using your Haakaa silicone breast pump.
Read this detailed comparison of the most popular and newest pumps!
Will using a Haakaa Breast Pump Increase my Supply?
To answer that, I have to explain how supply works. Have you heard of the concept of “supply and demand”? It’s the idea that the supply of something is based on how much demand there is for it. That’s how supply works!
Your body makes milk, then your baby or the pump drain it, and that signals your body to make more. Once your body regulates, you will make only as much as your baby or pump have been using/expressing.
So… let’s say you use your Haakaa breast pump to express an extra 3 ounces of milk every day (in addition to what your baby is drinking) then you will increase your supply by approximately 3 ounces! Anything that expresses milk can be used to increase your supply including a Haakaa silicone pump!
If you want to use it for this purpose, be sure that you are draining your breast with it as much as you can. You will only trigger your body to make more milk if you empty your breast as much as possible.
Will my Baby have enough milk to drink if I use a Haakaa?
Unless you are struggling with a medical case of undersupply, you will be able to feed your baby AND use a Haakaa pump at the same time. The first or second time you use it, it’s possible that you won’t get much in your Haakaa breast pump.
This is because a silicone breast pump, or any breast pump really, isn’t as efficient as your baby. So your baby will get what he or she needs and your pump will likely only get what’s left.
For the next feeding after you use a silicone pump like a Haakaa pump, you may find that your baby feeds for a bit longer than usual, but they will in fact have enough food. Your body will create food on demand based on your babies cues.
Over time, if you consistently use the pump at the same time, your body will know ahead of time to make the extra milk and will produce it faster so your baby won’t have to nurse for as long. So long story short – Yes! You will have enough milk. Just be prepared for a bit of extra fussiness the first couple of times until your body adjusts.
Conclusion
I LOVE my Haakaa pumps and I hope you will give one a try too! Head over to their Haakaa breast pump or click on one of the two I recommend below and give it a shot!
Still have a question about how these work or how to use them? Comment below and I’ll answer your right away! If I don’t know the answer, I’ll find it out for you!
Best of luck on your breastfeeding journey! I hope this has been useful!
For more breastfeeding tips and advice, read my other posts by clicking here!
Other related Breastfeeding and Breast Pump Articles and Reviews:
- Preparing to Pump At Work: Tips, Product Recommendations and more!(Opens in a new browser tab)
- 26 Breastfeeding Facts No One Will Tell You
- Breastfeeding Tips, Advice, and Reviews Part 1
- Breastfeeding Tips, Advice, and Reviews Part 2
