How NOT to Destroy Your Wearable Pumps
Wearable pumps are really popular for helping reduce the demands of pumping and providing more freedom, but freedom always comes with a price tag, and it’s not just the actual dollars being spent. Wearable pumps are fragile, finicky and easy to destroy. Even if you are careful, accidents can happen, but there are steps you can take to help keep your pumps safe and in good order!
Keep them in a protective case in your pump bag
Pump hubs are delicate. They weren’t designed to fall out of your pocket onto a concrete bathroom floor repeatedly and not crack, and there certainly aren’t mall kiosks called iPhix Breast Pump Cracks. We’re also fairly confident there aren’t any military grade pump protectors on the market right now. There are some fantastic protective cases on the market, it’s just a matter of finding the one that works for your pump, your bag, and your lifestyle. There is a case for everyone, and before you think tossing them in the diaper bag counts as protected…this can go wrong so quickly!
Keep them dry, dry, and more dry
Unlike the pool towels in a pre-teen summer camp bunk house, breast pumps cannot function properly when they are wet or stored wet. Breastfeeding naturally comes with moisture, and if you have ever pumped you know how easily milk can end up where it doesn’t belong. Don’t store the hubs even in your bag where they could get wet.
Suction and seals are impacted by wet parts, so just do the little extra and thoroughly dry your financial investment. Also, plan for the fact that silicone parts don’t dry quickly to make sure your pumping day goes smoothly.
Keep them climate controlled
Especially in extreme temperatures - either hot or cold, breast pumps weren’t designed to withstand large swings in temperature. Much like your cell phone if it sits in the sun too long, it won’t function properly until it has cooled down.
Also, remember that most of these pumps are plastic in nature - plastic expands and contracts when it gets cold and hot, which means that the hubs or unit are more likely to wear down and crack or warp in certain circumstances.
Avoid keeping or placing them in high risk places where a pet, child, husband, or mother-in-law might find them
No one is perfect, and we certainly all have housemates that don’t always treat objects that matter to us with great care, but sometimes disasters are from our own making, and if you had just returned your pump to its protective pump case and bag (see Item 1 above), you wouldn't have risky Item 4 happening. More than one very sad pumping parent has had a well-intentioned family member help them out by washing the hubs, which don’t appear unlike a regular washable part, much to their dismay. And, more than one pump has met its fate in the jaws of the family pup.
Don’t overcharge or use the wrong charger
With the onslaught of rapidly available charge cords of varying expense from everyone’s favorite 2-day shipping company, it may be really tempting to use something you purchased that isn’t specific to the pump you own.
However, many pumps use their own charge cord or proprietary charger, and have warranties that terminate if you use another brand. These pumps are delicate, and frying them is really easy to do.
Overcharging is when you continue to charge something after it is fully charged - some products have a mechanism to stop once the item has reached 100%, but many do not, and pumps can actually overheat.
Don’t leave them with a dead battery for extended amounts of time either! These are sensitive electronics and need to be maintained, even when storing between babies.
Size your flanges
An improperly sized flange is making your pump work harder than it needs to while decreasing the longevity of your pump.
Our website has free nipple sizing rulers, small fee self-sizing calculators, a free Flange Sizing Basics course, and even professional IBCLC sizing. There is really no excuse to not get sized.
40% of pumping parents seem to struggle to self-size, and this can destroy their experience and success with their wearable pump.
Clean them properly
Pumps, parts, and milk all need to be stored properly to keep mom and baby from unnecessary illness, but so many parents DO NOT CLEAN THEIR PUMP PARTS PROPERLY AND THAT IS A PROBLEM!
Use a bottle brush, pumps wipes, a good milk fat eliminating soap like Dapple, and hand-wash in hot water. Breast milk fat has the staying power of cockroaches in a nuclear blast. You have to work the wash routine that is right for your pump (and your water) or it won’t go. It will just stay bound in a haze of fat deposits and minerals causing issues with anything silicone.
“But I want to use my dishwasher.”
First, let’s talk dishwasher residue. It’s a thing. And it destroys pump parts.
Second, many dishwashers do not actually reach a temperature that sanitizes the parts. So this isn’t a benefit.
Third, some dishwashers actually reach TOO HIGH of a temperature and can melt and warp your parts (again with the climate control thing).
Replace parts on schedule
Think of breast pump parts like contact lenses - some brands of contacts allow you to wear them for 30 days around the clock. Some brands need you to replace them daily. Some brands you can wear while your sleep. If you don’t follow these guidelines, you are hurting your eyes, and there is nothing worse than trying to peel a daily use contact off your eyeball if you’ve worn it too long. Breast pump parts are the same way.
Depending on your pumping usage, the brand, and even the environment in which you pump, pump parts have to be replaced rather frequently to maintain the proper suction and function you need to feed your baby.
Luckily, we created a breast pump parts replacement calculator that works for all Willow and Elvie pumps (more pumps coming soon). This allows you to determine how often which parts need replacing and gives you the opportunity to put those dates in your calendar as reminders to order more when time is getting close.
But all these rules make wearables sound awful?!
I get it! We buy wearable pumps to make our lives easier with pumping, right? So, how does something that requires such careful attention to keep it running benefit you?
I actually think a lot of people think wearable pumps are the ONLY solution, when they aren’t! There are solutions that may meet your needs to reduce the burden of pumping more successfully. Portable pumps, wearable cups, battery packs, bags to carry the pumps - these are all non-wearable pump options that may help. And, it’s okay to say currently what you need is not a pump that needs to be babied. If a wearable is the solution that is going to work for you, the babying of the pump won’t seem bad. If it’s not, it may sound torturous. Don’t fall for good marketing and buy a random solution, book with an IBCLC who is an expert in pumps, and let us help you find the right fit for your pumping needs.
If you have more questions, concerns, or want to schedule a consult, don’t hesitate! I am happy to help.
