A few weeks ago, I shared on my Instagram page that I had managed to get my hands on the Elvie breast pump. I didn’t realise it would draw so much attention, but I had lots of people asking how I was getting on with it, so I thought I would pop a post on here summing up my first impressions. I have been using the pump for around 3 weeks now, so I would still class this as first impressions and I plan on doing an updated post once I have been using it for a few months.
Why did I buy the Elvie pump?
If you saw my Bellababy breast pump review you will know that I absolutely loved it and could not recommend it enough, however it doesn’t quite fit me very well and I have to hold the pump in place. When you have a newborn baby that wants to be held, a partner that works shifts and is gone for 14 hours a day – it just doesn’t work. I was struggling to pump and could only do it when I had someone else around to help. This is why I bought the Elvie pump opposed to any of the others on the market – it’s hands free. This was the biggest selling point for me and it’s the main reason I absolutely love it. I can be writing a blog post, changing Finley’s nappy, making dinner, doing the washing up and pumping at the same time! Time is precious when you have a baby and this is one way I can save a lot of time.
What do I love about the pump?
Other than the fact that it’s hands free I love that the pump connects to my phone. I can control the pump, change the settings, monitor how much milk I have expressed and check how much milk I have expressed previously.
The other great thing is that it has sensor to detect when the bottle is full, which then turns the pump off. It’s ideal for someone like me who gets carried away getting ready in the morning and forgets that I have it on. This is so easy to do as the pump is practically silent! This also makes it easy to use out in public if needed.
The pump also has 2 modes (stimulation and expressing) as well as 7 intensity settings. It’s so easy to put together and it has definitely made my life a lot easier. I used to find expressing such hard work and now it doesn’t bother me at all.
How much do I use the pump?
Just for reference I am not an exclusive pumper – Finley is breastfed every day and night (I wrote about my breastfeeding experience here) and I use the pump to express milk for when I am going out, and to keep a store in the freezer for emergencies. Now that he has started teething and the weather has been warmer, I have also used it for making breastmilk ice lollies. I will also be using it to mix with some of his food when we start weaning. However, I would say on average I use the pump around 5-6 times a week.
What I don’t like about the pump?
If I am completely honest, there isn’t really anything I don’t like about the pump. The price tag however is very daunting and I did a lot of research and took quite a while before making the decision to buy one. Personally, I would not buy one unless you know that you are going to be breastfeeding/expressing for a while. I feel like I use the pump a lot, it has made my life so much easier and I plan to continue breastfeeding/pumping for as long as possible, so I can justify the investment. I completely understand that the Elvie pump has a hefty price tag and may not be suitable for everyone’s budget, so if you are looking for something more reasonably priced or you are not sure if you will use a pump that often, I cannot recommend the Bellababy pump enough as a good alternative.
I suppose the only other downside compared to my other pump is that it is a single pump and I can’t pump on both sides. This hasn’t bothered me at all, but can be fixed buy buying a second pump (although this was definitely out of my price range).
What is included in the box?
Inside the box you will find the following:
- 1 Hub
- 2 Bottles (5oz/150ml, BPA free)
- 1 Breast Shield (24mm)
- 1 Breast Shield (28mm)
- 2 Valves
- 2 Spouts
- 2 Seals
- 2 Storage Lids
- 2 Bra Adjusters
- 1 USB Charging Cable
- 1 Carry Bag
I did run into a bit of a problem in that both shields that were included in the set were too big for me and I had to purchase an additional set of shields in the smallest size (21mm).
The pump comes with a 2 year warranty for the hub and 90 days for washable parts. These parts should also be replaced every 6 months.
If you are struggling with expressing in the sense that it is taking too much of your time, or is difficult with a baby around, I cannot recommend the Elvie breast pump enough. It has made my life so much easier and I haven’t looked back since I started using it. I can’t wait to see how I get on over the next few months.
Have you tried the Elvie breast pump before? If so, please let me know in the comments what you thought.