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I’ve always intended to breastfeed my babies. But even when breastfeeding is successful, there’s almost always a need to pump and bottle feed. With my second baby, I ended up exclusively pumping at one point, and that takes a lot of time. Even if you aren’t pumping every day, it’s still a hassle. It’s not just pumping, it’s cleaning all the pieces and storing the milk and then storing all the pieces!
Now that I’m on my third baby, I’ve found a pretty good setup that saves the most amount of time.
My Breast Pump
My first breast pump was a Medela. It was the only one my insurance offered. It worked fine, but I was stuck to a wall while I pumped, which isn’t ideal.
My second breast pump was a Spectra S1 Rechargeable Pump, which was great. It still has a base, but it has a rechargeable battery and a convenient handle, so you have some of your mobility back, which is especially important when you have older kids that also need attention.
Pros:
- Portable with a rechargeable battery
- Hospital grade suction (LOTS of reviewers praising the suction quality)
- Quiet
- Night light
- Can use one or both sides at a time
Cons:
- You still have to carry it around.
- Requires a pumping bra to be truly hands free
Wearable Breast Pump
This time around, I chose a wearable breast pump, and it’s so worth it. I chose the Momcozy M9 Wearable Breast Pump initially because of the great reviews. Here’s my personal review:
Pros:
- Truly hands free and portable
- Surprisingly good battery life. I can get several pumps out of each charge, and the battery level is clearly visible on each pump.
- Quiet. Personally I think the noise is obvious but not obnoxious. However sometimes my husband doesn’t even notice they are on until it’s especially quiet in the room.
- Great suction. It is comparable to the Spectra in suction quality. If I’m full, I can pump out 6oz in 10 minutes from my good side. Lots of reviews confirming this.
- Large 6oz capacity. It’s plenty of room for 99% of the time. I’ve only overflowed once, but I was VERY full.
- Comes with 3 additional flange sizes and a nipple measurer to help find the best size for you.
- The app is okay, but optional. I only used it once. The main benefit I found is that you can sync the two units to keep the same settings between them. But it’s easier to just turn them on and adjust from the physical buttons. Apparently it has some special modes for “Milk Relief” and “Milk Boost”, but I haven’t used them. On the plus side, the app is pretty straightforward and easy to use.
- Comes with a hard carrying case that definitely keeps everything protected, although it is a bit bulky.
Cons:
- On the expensive end of breast pumps, but middle range for wearable pumps.
- They are large. This was my first complaint with them. But that’s pretty standard for wearable pumps. I think it’s super obvious, , but both my husband and sister-in-law were surprised when they found out I was wearing them. So I’m probably just overly self-conscious about it.
- Somewhat heavy. I generally like to wear more supportive bras while using these, like this Momcozy Nursing Sports Bra. (I really like this bra, especially for these pumps, but also just as a great nursing sports bra)
- Objectively there are a lot of parts to clean. On top of that, the milk collector containers are an odd shape with tight corners, which makes it harder to clean. However, I’ve found that after doing it multiple times, I can quickly rinse off some of the parts with soapy water, and then use a bottle scrubber for the milk collector and valve, which come into contact with the breastmilk the most. I can clean all the parts and store and label the milk in under 5 minutes.
- It was confusing to put together at first, but after watching a YouTube video, it was quick and easy.
- It’s not super easy to see the current level of milk. Since the milk collector is at the bottom, and the pump is opaque, you have to lift and tilt the pump in your bra to see how much milk you’ve collected. It’s a little awkward.
Overall I love the Momcozy M9. It just took a couple uses for me to get the hang of it. I still have my Spectra, but I’ve used the wearable pump exclusively since I received it.
Purchasing through Insurance
If you have health insurance, you may qualify for a free breast pump (per pregnancy). If that’s the case, I would use Amazon to read reviews, but look into the process your insurance provider uses for purchasing it. For example, I had to go through a specific website that works automatically with my insurance. The M9 was considered a premium pump, so I did have to pay an upgrade fee of around $90, but that’s way better than the original price.
My current insurance also covered milk storage bags and replacement parts! So keep an eye out for that as well.
Cleaning Essentials
1. Bottle Brush. You can’t really go wrong with any bottle brush, but I’ve been super impressed with this Munchkin Sponge Bottle Brush. I bought one for my second baby, and after 4 years it was in really good condition. (We only used it for bottles and water bottles though). I bought a new one for my next baby, just to be safe. The sponge on the end gets the weird corners of the M9 milk collector really easily, and a small scrubber comes out from the bottom of the brush to clean bottle nipples and rubber pump valves. 
2. Drying Rack. I don’t know how I didn’t have this for my first two babies. It’s the best. This OXO Tot Space-Saving Bottle Drying Rack is perfect for bottles and pumping parts. There are 9 pegs for hanging cups and bottles, plus a compartment at the top for all the small pump pieces. As a bonus, it’s vertical, which means it takes up less counter space. Feeding Essentials
The Bottle that Worked for Me
I have a 5 gallon zipper bag filled with all the bottles and nipples I’ve tried. You know, just in case any future babies would like them. But nope! Ever since I found Lansinoh’s NaturalWave Feeding Bottles, I haven’t used anything else.
I love the width, which isn’t too wide or too narrow, and supports a natural latch. The nipples are flexible and allow the baby to control the flow based on how hard they suck. The nipples have a simple venting system without extra parts to wash.
There are 4 different flow size nipples available, so the bottles can grow with your baby. Click here to see the options on Amazon.
I love that they come in both plastic and glass, in case you are trying to avoid plastics. I purchased glass for my first set, but sadly two of the three broke after being dropped (many times) on hard floors by my baby/toddler. So now I also have a set of plastic. The nipples are interchangeable, so you can mix and match. Bottle Warmer
You can always heat milk by running it under hot water, but honestly that takes forever and I’d only do that in an emergency. I’ve also used an electric kettle to heat water for a bottle or bag to sit in, but a bottle warmer is so much more convenient.
I have an older version of this Philips Avent Premium Fast Bottle Warmer. It’s a pretty no-frills bottle warmer that warms water quickly and evenly, but this newer version has an auto-shutoff that I wish mine had (I get distracted easily and I’ve overheated my share of milk). I like that it has an estimate of how long to run it based on the number of ounces, but that will of course vary depending on the bottle, or if you are warming from a disposable milk storage bag.
This newer model also has a light ring indicator that tells you the progress. It looks like it only has three states, so it’s not quite a count-down, but it at least gives you an idea of how much longer it needs.
If I were to buy a new bottle warmer, I would probably go with the Momcozy Bottle Warmer. This bottle warmer is really cool because:
- It intelligently heats based on the settings you give it. You select the current state of the milk (room temp, cold, or frozen), the type of container the milk is in (glass, plastic, or silica bottle or a bag), and the amount of milk in ounces, and it automatically heats to the right temperatures. That’s so cool!
- It maintains that temperature for 60 minutes, so you don’t have to worry about overheating or cooling off.
- It has a countdown in 1 minute increments.
- You can pause the timer, in case you want to take the bottle out for any reason.
- Water stays warm for 24 hours, making heat times even faster.
I’ve been really impressed with all the Momcozy products that I’ve tried, and reviews on this product are really good, so I wouldn’t hesitate to try this one.
Milk Storage Must-Haves
I’ve found the easiest way to store milk is by using the disposable milk storage bags. Especially if you have enough of a surplus that you’ll be freezing it.
I don’t really think you can go wrong with any disposable milk storage bags (as long as reviewers agree that they are leak-proof), but these Momcozy Temperature-Sensing Milk Storage Bags are pretty neat. They have a color-changing indicator to help identify if its the right temperature for feeding. I also like that it has an easy rip-line on the corner for pouring into a bottle. The bags are free-standing once you pour milk in, but they also lie flat for freezing. Great reviews. Highly recommended. Another option is to use storage bottles. Momcozy gets the win for this one too, because these 10oz Wide-Neck Breast Milk Containers are great. Larger than usual capacity, accurate measurements, leak-proof, and works seamlessly with other Momcozy products like the Portable Milk Cooler and Bottle Warmer.
Once frozen flat in the freezer, milk bags are easy to store. I just store them standing upright in my freezer door, but you could also get some Freezer/Fridge Organizer Bins to keep your freezer organized. These in particular might be too narrow for the Momcozy bags, but if you angle them, they should still fit.
Optional Nice-to Haves
Portable Cooler
Whether you’re pumping at work, or bringing milk from home, it’s helpful to have a cooler that’s simple and convenient. Any insulated lunch box with an ice pack will work.
This Jomaco Breastmilk Cooler Bag is great for milk bags, or one or two bottles, because its compact and can easily fit inside another bag. It can hold 6-8 bags of breast milk along with the 2 included ice packs.
For something a little bigger, the Mancro Breastmilk Cooler Bag has a hard ice pack that fits the shape of bottles. It fits 6 bottles. And as a bonus, you can use it as a regular drink cooler when you no longer need it for breastmilk.
If you really feel like splurging, this Momcozy 22oz Portable Breast Milk Cooler is amazing. It comes with two 11oz storage bottles that fit perfectly inside. There are two round ice pack components that you stick in the freezer overnight that will then keep the container cold all day. (That does mean you have to remember to put those pieces in the freezer at least 12 hours before you need it). But it stays cold for 24 hours because the ice pack completely surrounds the storage bottle. It’s a little heavy and bulky, but that’s because it’s good quality. It’s not cheap, but convenience and quality are worth the cost.
Instant Thermometer
This is completely optional, but I hated going by “feel” to get the right temperature when heating a bottle. I use my digital thermometer any time I’m heating in a bottle, as opposed to a bag. Then I just get the temperature to around 98º.
If you don’t already have one for cooking, take a look at this ThermoPro Digital Meat Thermometer. You don’t need anything crazy, but I like this one because it has good accuracy, a backlight, and a power button. I previously had one that required you to close and reopen the probe to turn it back on, which was a huge pain. This one is much better.
Electrolytes
There’s mixed opinions (facts?) on whether electrolytes are necessary for hydration. Do I absolutely need them? Probably not. Do I notice a huge difference when I drink them? Nope. But does it help me drink more water? Sure does!
I’ve tried a few of the highly rated ones, and 100% my favorite is Ultima. It doesn’t taste salty or syrupy. The flavors are good. It feels refreshing. It’s sugar free.
I really like the Tropical and Mocktini variety packs, which are single-serve stickpacks. The flavors in the original variety pack are okay, but nothing special. I then picked my favorite flavor (Cranberry Cosmo, from the Mocktini variety pack) and bought a 90 serving bulk container, which is much cheaper per serving. I mix with 32oz of water, because that’s my preference. I look forward to it every day. I still like to keep a variety pack around to mix up the flavors periodically. I love my 32oz Blender Bottle for my electrolytes and other drink mixes. Most drink powders recommend mixing with 16oz of water, but even filling a 20oz blender bottle, it’s a little sweet. And I love that I’m getting all that extra water. (That’s the point right?)
There’s also a 40oz version. It was too big for me. I use this Hydroflask when I want just 40oz of water.
Everyone’s breastfeeding and pumping journey is different, but these are the tools that work well for me.
Pumping is a lot of work no matter what equipment you have. I work full-time, but whether you’re a full-time mom, work from home or work in an office, every minute saved is important. So if you’re like me and are constantly looking for ways to save time (and sanity), start with these essentials, and then maybe add some not-so-essentials.
FAQ
Are breast pump flanges universal?
No, flanges are generally unique to the breast pump. Additionally, different size nipples require the right size flange to get the most effective suction to produce the most output. A flange that’s too large or too small can also be uncomfortable.
What’s great about the Momcozy Wearable breast pumps (at least the M9), is that it includes a measuring tool to measure your nipple size and choose the correct flange. The Momcozy M9 includes 4 different flange sizes: 24mm (the default without a flange insert), 21mm, 19mm, and 17mm.
Are the breast pump parts dishwasher safe?
No, Momcozy suggests handwashing all the pump parts. Fortunately, handwashing is a quick process.
To sanitize the pieces, which you should do regularly, let them soak in boiling water for 5 minutes. I use my electric kettle to boil water then pour it in a bowl with all the pieces.
The actual base of the pump (the electric portion) can be cleaned with an alcohol wipe.
Are breast pump parts FSA/HSA eligible?
Yes! Breast pumps and other accessories are 100% eligible through your Flexible Spending Account or Health Savings Account (but not a limited-purpose FSA or Dependent Care FSA).
So the breast pump itself is eligible, but also anything supporting breastfeeding:
- Replacement pump parts
- Flanges (to get the right fit)
- Milk storage bags and bottles
- Nursing pads
- Silver Nursing Cups (GET THESE THEY SAVED ME)
- Lactation Massager
- Milk Cooler
- Nipple Cream/Balm
- Sterilizer bags
- Hot/Cold Breast-pads for relief