Willow Breast Pump Review
An honest review of the pros and cons of the hands-free Willow breast pump.*
I don’t usually do product reviews but when I shared that I recently received the new Willow, I had so many moms reach out asking for a Willow breast pump review.
For those who haven’t heard of Willow, this amazing new device is a breast pump that fits into your bra for convenient, hands-free pumping.
The wearable cups, which are shaped to resemble a natural breast, contain tiny, quiet motors that do their sucking magic while you sit back and relax or do the work you can’t get to when you’re sitting attached to a traditional pump.
I recently received the Willow breast pump and have been trying it out for the past few weeks. Many people had questions about it such as:
- How big are the pumps – can you tell that you’re wearing them?
- Is it noisy?
- Is it worth $500?
I decided I owed my mommy friends — who are desperate to maximize their time — an honest review of the pump!
Here are my thoughts…
Willow Breast Pump Pros:
1. The Willow breast pump is hands-free.
Sure, you can achieve a hands-free pump by buying a pumping bra, but you can’t do all that much with bottles and tubes sticking out of your chest. I got pretty savvy with my medical-grade Hygeia Encore Breast Pump (which I love) that I received for free through insurance and would whirl around the kitchen, making waffles with one hand and holding the pump with the other. But obviously, it’s not ideal!
With the Willow pump, you just pop the pumps in your bra and after the short stimulation phase (3-5 minutes), you’re up and on the go, doing whatever you like. I’ve used them while making dinner, putting on my makeup, and lounging in bed with my boys.
One thing I will note, however, is that I’d hoped a benefit would be the ability to hold my little guy while pumping. It is not as easy to do this as I would like. I certainly can hold him much better than when wearing my other pump, but the cups do prevent me from naturally holding him across my chest.
2. The pump is quiet.
As I noted above, many people wanted to know just how discreet the Willow breast pump is and you’ll be happy to know, it’s very quiet. I pumped next to my husband in bed while he slept and it didn’t wake him or the baby. Albeit, my husband could sleep through a zombie apocalypse. Caleb, however, wakes up every time I roll over.
3. It’s easy to assemble and transport.
I had the pump sitting in the corner of my living room for a couple of weeks before I finally took it out of the box, simply because I have such little time these days and I figured that the process of putting it together and learning to use it would be time-consuming. When I finally sat down to read the manual though, it took me a mere 10 minutes to download the app, put it together and practice using it. After I easily sanitized the parts, I was off and pumping in no time.
The pumps each come with a handy little carrying pouch so you can easily toss them in your bag when you’re on the go.
4. It’s efficient.
The pump works well. It takes me about 12 minutes to pump after a feeding session and I get a similar amount to what I get with my Hygeia pump. Although I spilled some milk the first time I used it, once I got a hang of the “flip to finish” system, I was pumping like a pro.
Note – sometimes you have to perform the flip to finish process twice to get all the milk out of the flange. There are easy to follow directions on how to do this in the manual.
5. Willow offers pumping support.
Willow is supported by an app that tells you how much milk you’re producing as it pumps. It’s pretty cool actually. Within the app, they also have many videos showing you how to properly use the pump and advice for troubleshooting.
Additionally, all customers receive a free coaching session via phone or video chat to help you get started and answer any questions you may have.
Like all great things though, there are some drawbacks.
Willow Breast Pump Cons:
1. It’s expensive.
The pump costs $479.99. However, if you’re exclusively pumping and need to get back to work, the time you save not having to take pump breaks may be worth it.
On their website, Willow states that some people have been able to get the pump covered by their insurance, but this is something you’ll need to look into yourself. Under the Affordable Care Act, all mothers are entitled to a pump to rent or keep, but the type of pump depends on your coverage. I got my Hygeia covered by my insurance.
Willow does offer a payment plan and you can also pay for it through an FSA or HSA.
2. The milk bags are not reusable.
When you pump, your milk is collected inside disposable milk bags. You must discard the bags each time. The bags are also a bit pricey — $11.99 for a 24 pack.
Additionally, the bags only collect 4 oz at a time. If you fill up the bags during a session, you can always switch them out for fresh bags and keep pumping. This is just something else to keep in mind, especially if you’re an overproducer.
3. It’s not as comfortable as my other pump.
I found that the pump stings a little — but that’s just me. It doesn’t hurt badly enough for me to discontinue using it, it’s just a bit uncomfortable. However, everyone has different pain thresholds and I may just be uber sensitive. I know plenty of other moms who said it feels perfectly fine to them.
Bottom Line:
The Willow is a very innovative pump with a lot of positives. If I worked a 9-5 and had to pump away from home on a regular basis, it would be a no-brainer – I’d buy this pump! Right now, I’m glad I have it along with my other traditional pump to trade off between. They both have their benefits and their drawbacks.
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Weigh in: Are you interested in the Willow breast pump? Did you find this review helpful? Are you planning on buying one?
*I received this product for free but all opinions are my own and were not influenced by receipt of the product.
Carlie says:
Second pumping session with my Willow and I’m amazed at how easy it is to use and that I’m not tethered to an outlet!
Maria says:
I read that they only have 24mm size and do not support smaller or larger size nipples. Is that correct?
Sara Fredrickson says:
They also have 27. But they do not have the smaller or larger ones.
RK says:
I was tempted to use my extra FSA money to purchase these, but that was before I knew how much they collected. Thankfully, I’m a good (or over-) producer, and even the standard 6oz bottles are often problematic (too small). (I use 10 oz bottles regularly.) If I don’t pay attention, they can overflow in as little as 5 minutes. (I know that sounds like an exaggeration, but it’s totally true.) I love my Spectra, and it has a timer on it – not that I can set it to stop, but it does help me see how quickly I’m filling the bottles. (I usually set a timer on the computer to remind me to check the bottles.) I could especially see this being advantageous for driving, though! The other drawbacks are the bags (no buying off-brands, at least yet!) and the lack of interchangeable sizes.
Even without having used it, though, and despite the fact that it simply wouldn’t be a good match for me, if someone can afford it (or has extra FSA money – bags are covered, too!), and it fits them, and the collection size is sufficient, I would definitely say it’s worth the price to be so free. (Freemie tried, but there’s still tubing and an external machine.)
Kindahl says:
Does it automatically stop when you’ve pumped 4 oz or can it overflow? Did you have to wear a particular type of bra or get a bigger bra?
Mary says:
I love my Willow – but unfortunately they came out with a version 2.0 with a different set of flanges – meaning only version 1.0 flanges will fit the pump I bought 7 months ago. I bought this pump with the plan to use it for my next child…and I am not confident they will still be selling the version 1.0 flanges in 1-2 years. Whats worse is that the only real change was making the opaque plastic clear and ?making it easier to assemble….but it wasn’t had to assemble. They basically made their first product obsolete to make the plastic clear
Moonbeba says:
I am a small producer and it’s costly that the bags are not reusable. I also lose milk in the transfer which means I end up with much less than the app estimates. Also, I struggle getting into expression phase despite laying completely back and using the clear flange for alignment. One pump stopped working in the middle of the night after using it only one day! I am contacting customer support to see if I can get a replacement. The cups really do make me look unnaturally huge so I don’t feel comfortable wearing in public and it’shard to hold baby, but it’s great to be mobile at home and for use while driving to work appointments. Maybe I just need to get used to it. The concept is great but the application has been difficult for me.
Rya says:
My experience with Willow has been horrific. I depended on this pump as my travel pump but have had numerous problems. 1) The flip to finish mechanism is a disaster. There is always milk left in the flange which just means it gets everywhere. Even after watching the video and talking to them about it, it was impossible to master. 2) The pump is SO sensitive that exposure to the slightest amount of liquid can make it malfunction. Note that they DO NOT make this clear to users despite the faulty design mentioned above that is hard to master. They mention it only on page 36 of their manual (which I’ve now learned). 3) Their repair and customer service function when a pump malfunctions is among the worst I’ve ever seen. If you’re pump malfunctions they have no recourse except to buy a new one. I, as I’m sure have many others, have spilled liquids on electronics before and they’re either fine or there is a good repair option. Given that moms depend on pumps to nourish their babies, this seems to me like something the company would prioritize. Horrific.
I’m now stuck with a single faultily-designed single pump or I have to buy a $200 replacement when I’ve already spent $500.
My other complaints are that the bag design is so wasteful and expensive. The bags aren’t big enough to do a full pumping and only actually ever hold max 3.7oz. Much prefer the Elvie model here. Finally, their support around insurance reimbursement was also awful.
NOT WORTH IT.
RK says:
I’m happy to see honest reviews. Not saying others haven’t had good experiences, but it’s hard to really get a good picture until you can see what moms encounter as difficulties. I’m not currently pumping, but assuming we have more children, I’m seriously considering the Elvie. I love my Spectra, but the freedom of wireless is really tempting. The Willow just doesn’t seem worth it in terms of the price (including the non-reusable bags), limited capacity, and difficulty for user functionality.
Renata says:
Thank you for this comment ! I think many blogs are hyping it up and moms get stuck with a pump that is trying to exploit our need for independence while sustaining our little ones. The bags are a rip off and their privacy policy is sketchy. I was seriously considering buying it but the trouble and the cost of using and keeping the product is not worth it.
Yoadys says:
I was very exited about the willow pump but it is very very painful. I have changed my bra, the suction level is on minimum, my nipple is aligned and still it feels like I am being tortured. I have been using my Medela pump for almost 4 months now, and it doesn’t compare in terms of the pain.. I really wanted to work but I cannot tolerate the pain.
Christiana Moreno says:
This is the same for me. I used the Medellin pump for my other two children and I was so excited to use this hands free one. However I receive the stinging pain through my boob and an extreme tightness in my chest area. I know my pain tolerance is high, but pumping for 20 mins during this uncomfortable feeling is tough. I’m hoping my body will get used to it eventually.
Sherie says:
I have been using my 2.0 pumps for two weeks now and I am almost ready to sell them. After watching the videos countless times I never seem to get into expression mode. I do the adjustments- i have no pain but it takes forever. Once in expression mode it hurts. The video says to use at highest level you can but i find that it is uncomfortable and at times painful. I have even lubricated my flange and it still hurts. The are not as quiet as they advertise to be, especially when stimulating. I got more milk with my Medela and my lansinoh with way less pain and milk loss.
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