This is an announcement for all nursing and pumping mamas out there! You NEED a Haakaa! Here is my review on the Haakaa breast pump and why (in my opinion) ALL nursing and pumping moms need one!
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. I may earn a percentage (at no extra cost to you) if you make a purchase through a link that I have shared. I am an Amazon Affiliate.
They were so many times during my pumping and nursing journey that I wanted to throw in the towel, but I kept working on it and it got better. I learned a lot along the way both about myself and about producing breastmilk. Nursing and pumping are hard work and I want to help out as many moms as possible! The Haakaa is an inexpensive way to help out all breastfeeding moms!
I didn’t discover the Haakaa until just before I had my 3rd baby… let me tell you, it was a total GAME CHANGER! I can’t believe I didn’t know about it before my 3rd child.
If you have read any of my other posts, such as How to quickly increase your breast milk supply, you have heard me talk about the Haakaa and how amazing I think it is, but I haven’t gone into a lot of detail about it before. I wanted to write a post to go into more detail about the Haakaa and how to use it. So, here it is!
You might be wondering, what is a Haakaa and why do I need it? Let me tell you all about it!
What is a Haakaa?
It’s technically a manual breast pump, but it’s not what I imagined a manual breast pump to be.
Before getting a Haakaa, I had only used a mechanical breast pump. I imagined a manual breast pump something that I would have to keep manually pumping to get milk out, but with the Haakaa, I didn’t have to manually pump.
I usually just suction it onto my breast and leave it be. Occasionally, I would have to squeeze it once to increase the suction, but that rarely happened.
How does a Haakaa Work?
It’s so simple… if you order it off of Amazon, they give you a great picture guide for how to use it.
Basically, you fold back the flange, squeeze the base slightly, put your nipple in the middle, and then release the flange and the base.
If you want more suction, you just gently squeeze the base and it applies more suction.
You leave it on for your desired length of time and then break the suction to remove it.
You can wear it on the opposite side you are nursing to collect milk you are leaking. It can also be worn while doing household tasks to help increase your milk supply and build a freezer stash. You can use it to relieve pressure from engorged breasts if you aren’t quite ready to nurse or pump.
Here is why you NEED a Haakaa:
- It’s very inexpensive.
The “standard” model is $12.94 on Amazon!
I would recommend that you “upgrade”. They now make a Haakaa with a base and a lid. It is still only $26 (at the time of this post anyways). I had the standard model and I did spill milk more than once. The Haakaa with a base and lid will help prevent spilling.
- It is VERY versatile and VERY easy to use.
- It’s also easy to clean, store, and transport.
- You can use it to catch milk that you are leaking while nursing.
I used it on the opposite side I was nursing every time I nursed during the day. I didn’t use it in the middle of the night mostly because I didn’t want to have to walk down to the kitchen to clean it between uses at night. They also have a Haakaa with a milk collecting shell. I did not have this version, but I can see why it would be helpful and be slightly easier than having the standard Haakaa suctioned on while nursing.
While you are nursing, you just apply it to the opposite side. I usually just had very light suction (enough to just hold it on my breast) while I was nursing. I wanted to catch extra milk without creating an oversupply of milk.
Usually, I could get anywhere from 1/2 ounce to 2 ounces during a nursing session. Occasionally I was able to get a little more than that. Every drop of milk adds up over time!
- You can use it to relieve pressure from engorged breasts.
Engorged breasts can be so painful! It hurts to even put your arms by your side when this happens. When I experienced breast engorgement, I would wear the Haakaa on each side to relieve some pressure. I put quite a bit of pressure when I was applying the suction and I would usually leave it on for 5-10 minutes per side.
When I was trying to relieve pressure from breast engorgement, I left it on long enough to relieve some pressure until the baby was ready to eat again.
I usually did laundry, dishes, or other household task while wearing it to relieve some pressure. Then I wasn’t wasting time sitting by my mechanical pump and I didn’t have to worry about cleaning all of my pump parts from my mechanical pump. I do not like cleaning pump parts!
- You can use it to increase milk supply.
I struggled with low milk supply more than once during my breastfeeding journey. Here are some tips to quickly and easily increase your milk supply if you are struggling like I was.
When trying to increase my milk supply, I would wear it on the opposite side I was nursing with moderate suction. I also would wear it for 5-10 minutes on either side about an hour after each feeding session. Then I could get a little more milk but not empty my breasts before the baby’s next feeding session. The more you stimulate your breasts, the more your body produces.
I think the Haakaa was the key to increasing my milk supply! I struggled with low milk supply with all 3 of my kids, but I only used the Haakaa with my 3rd baby and I was able to increase my milk supply much more quickly and easily with my 3rd baby. The Haakaa was the only thing I did differently to increase my milk supply with him.
Long story short, the Haakaa is great and you should get one! It’s so inexpensive, easy to use, and easy to clean! As a mom, those are all wins in my book!
Here are some other great breastfeeding tips and tricks for first-time moms!
I hope my review on the Haakaa breast pump was helpful for you!
Have you tried the Haakaa? If so, what did you think?
If you enjoyed this post, check out my post on money-saving tips for moms.
