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Willow Vs Elvie: Tips To Choose The Best Wearable Breast Pump

Willow Vs Elvie

Wearable breast pumps or hands-free breast pumps can be a lifesaver for some nursing moms. Working mothers who breastfeed, moms who travel a lot, and busy mothers depend on an excellent wearable breast pump for pumping sessions when they can’t take the time to sit down and use a regular double pump that plugs in or demands the user be stationary.

The Willow breast pump and the Elvie pump are two of the most popular and well-reviewed wearable breast pumps on the market. If you need at least one pumping session a day that’s on the go, then knowing which of these two breast pumps is right for you could be a complete game changer.

In this article, we will dive into the Willow and Elvie pumps. We’ll discuss how much milk you can expect to extract from each pumping session with these breast pumps, the comfort of these two breast pumps, and more.

By the end of this article, you should be able to figure out between Willow vs Elvie will work better for you and how they are different from a traditional pump.

Why a wearable breast pump?

A hands-free pump means you don’t have to plug into the wall or stop what you are doing for a pumping session. These reusable milk containers can be placed directly inside a nursing bra and do the pumping for you while you move about freely.

These are great if you have multiple children of various ages to look after, if you work long hours (think nurses, doctors, and other twelve-hour-plus workers), or if you have a lot to do and can’t stop what you’re doing to pump breast milk every day.

Hands-free breast pumps don’t tie you down to the nearest power outlet. 

They have far fewer parts and don’t require you to undress to use them. 

Simply pop them into a nursing bra and carry on with your day.

Willow vs Elvie

The Willow wearable breast pump and the Elvie wearable pump are two of the most trusted options regarding hands-free breast pumps. Willow pumps are highly reviewed, as are Elvie pumps.

If you know that you are interested in a wearable breast pump but don’t know which hands-free breast pump may be right for you, that’s okay. 

The Elvie and the Willow are great wearable breast pumps, and the following Elvie vs. Willow review should make choosing a little easier.

Willow Vs Elvie

Willow pump review

The Willow pump is a wearable breast pump that is a wireless pump. 

A wireless pump means you do not have to plug it into anything to make it work. Instead, it can be charged and placed directly inside a nursing bra, which can pump from the breast and collect the breast milk.

With this pump, buying it as a single-cup unit is impossible. The price tag is high, but many nursing women will tell you it’s well worth the price.

You may want to consider the following important things when looking at the Willow hands-free breast pump.

1. Milk storage options

The Willow allows you to use milk storage bags or to pump directly into the reusable milk containers that are a part of the pump. The storage container capacity is four ounces.

The reusable milk container is also easy to clean, and each storage bag is easy to use. The disposable milk bags make transporting your pumped breast milk easy and easy to insert onto the wearable pumps.

It is important to note that the milk bags for this pump cannot be reused. They are disposable. 

You cannot rinse them out or clean them and reuse them. Doing so will not only compromise the strength of the bags and the ability of your pump to perform at its optimal power, but you’re also cross-contaminating and risking illness by reusing the bags.

2. Ease of use

The Willow pump can be used with the wearer in any position. You don’t have to worry about spills, gravity, or anything else. You can even lie down, and the pump will still work.

The pump parts are also dishwasher safe, so you won’t have to spend time between pumping sessions hand scrubbing the little cups. The milk bags are disposable, which makes it very simple.

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3. Discreet pumping

Unlike standard breast pumps, which tend to be loud and have lights on them to indicate that they are working, the Willow does not have any lights and is very quiet.

Not having lights may seem like no big deal, but when you’re wearing a pump inside a light-colored nursing bra and a thin scrub top in a hospital setting, you will appreciate this feature. 

In some settings, it is better for your stress level and the comfort of those around you not to be distracted by lights.

This means you can keep your milk supply up with pumping sessions at work, regardless of your industry. No one will know that you are using it.

4. Breast shield options

When using a traditional breast pump, you can purchase almost any set or size of breast shields. A hospital-grade pump has many different parts, and you can customize it here and there with options like shields.

Unlike traditional pumps, wearable breast pumps have few pump parts. Various breast shield sizes are a make-or-break option for some women.

The Willow has three options for breast shield sizes. 24 mm and 28 mm are included with these hands-free pumps, and if you need smaller ones, you can purchase a 21 mm size separately.

5. Suction pressure

Exclusively pumping moms know that suction is of the utmost importance when choosing the right breast pump. The Willow does not disappoint in this area.

It comes with seven levels of suction. This can be set up manually on the pump itself, or you can use the app to set it up on your mobile device. 

Having an app to use means you can set the pump up even when you are not using it, which is a great feature.

6. Battery life

It takes about two hours to fully charge the Willow unit, which will then get you about five pumping sessions worth of power. This is perfect for the pumping mom who works long shifts or has a long commute.

Elvie vs Willow

Elvie pump review

Both the Elvie and the Willow pumps are loved by moms who pump. And although you may think that wearable breast pumps must all be just about the same, the Elvie breast pump does have differences from the Willow and other portable breast pumps.

The Elvie electric pump also comes in a single pump option for around half the price, which is excellent for moms on a budget who may want a wearable breast pump as a secondary or backup means of extracting breast milk.

The following are some comparisons of the Elvie pump that you can make when considering both the Willow and the Elvie.

1. Milk storage options

The Elvie uses a milk container and does not provide the option for bags. The milk pumped by the wearable pump goes directly into the container. 

Unlike some other hands-free pumps, the Elvie has a reputation for being a bit hard to clean.

2. Ease of use

This cord-free pump is incredibly easy to use. It pops fully into your bra or nursing tank and can hold five ounces. The milk can be put into another container for feeding or stored in a bag or container for freezing.

The pump parts can be washed by hand or on the top rack of the dishwasher.

3. Discretion when pumping

While it is great to have the option to pump hands-free and cord-free, the Elvie is not exactly discreet. The lights on it are a bit bright, and you can’t turn them off. 

Like most other pumps, there is a hum to it (the pump motor), but most women complain about its lights.

Many women say that the Elvie pump is worth the investment even with the lights.

4. Breast shield options

The shield options are exactly the same for Elvie as with the Willow. The 24mm and 28 mm are included with the pump, and a 21 mm shield is available for separate purchase.

5. Suction

There’s no clear winner in the Willow vs Elvie contest regarding suction. The Elvie, just like the Willow, has seven suction settings. It can also be set up manually or on the app available for download on your mobile device.

Another great feature of this pump is its auto shut-off. When the cup reaches the full point (five ounces), it will shut itself off, so you will have to worry about overflow.

6. Battery life

Like the Willow, this pump takes about 2 hours to charge fully. The battery life gives you about the same time to use it.

While that may not seem very good, it only really sucks any power from the battery when the unit is turned on, meaning that you will most likely get as much use out of a single full charge as you would with the Willow.

Choosing the best hands-free breast pump for you

It is recommended that nursing mothers provide breastmilk for their babies until they reach the age of 12 months. 

When you’re comparing Elvie vs Willow and even other brands, you need to keep your situation, needs, and preferences in mind if you will stick with breastfeeding and being a pumping mom.

Keeping your milk production and supply up is very important for your success in your breastfeeding journey. So keep that journey, which is unique and individual, in mind when you consider the Elvie vs Willow debate.

Do you need something that you can lie down to use? Do you need something that has fewer parts? Do you plan to use the pump at home only so that lights or noise don’t matter much? Do you need to be able to connect to a bag for milk collection because you’ll be too busy to mess with emptying and cleaning out the containers?

When choosing the right pump for you, you must consider these and many more factors. For example, you can love the Elvie, but if you know that you will do better with a milk bag, the Willow may be the right pump.

On the other hand, if you love the fact that the Willow has no lights to bother you, but you can only afford a single cup pump and will be using the pump as a secondary unit at home, then the single option Elvie may be the right choice for you. 

Consider all of your needs and options when making the decision.

Elvie vs Willow: The verdict

The best hands-free breast pump for you will depend on many factors, such as your preference, needs, budget, and lifestyle. 

Some insurance companies and FHA and HSA plans will at least partially cover either one of these units, which is excellent news for those moms who would like the option of a wearable breast pump but may not have the financial means for it.

Hopefully, this article has armed you with the information necessary to decide which pump is right for you. You may also benefit from speaking with friends and family members who have tried one or the other and asking for their opinions.

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