Haakaa silicone breast pump

Have you ever heard of a Haakaa silicone breast pump?  I work with new breastfeeding mama’s all the time that still do not know about one of the greatest breastfeeding inventions in a long time!  This blog post will break down all things Haakaa silicone breast pump!

What is a Haakaa?

It is a silicone breast pump, meaning that it suctions to your breast and removes milk, passively, during a letdown. 

What’s unique about our bodies is that during a letdown, our body doesn’t know if baby is on which boob.  Our body knows that there is nipple stimulation and milk needs to released.  So, typically, milk will drip from both breasts, even if a human isn’t on both breasts.

Instead of wasting those drops, even if it’s minimal, collect those in a haakaa.

How does the Haakaa silicone breast pump work?

It should be placed on the opposite breast that your baby is not feeding on at that moment.  It can be switched to the other breast once your baby is done feeding on the first side. You may or may not get milk out of the other side and that’s ok!

You squeeze the bulb of the Haakaa and place your nipple in the middle of the opening and suction the pump to your breast.   For extra suction, flip the edges before squeezing the bulb part then place your nipple in the middle of the opening, flip the edges of the haakaa onto your breast and let go of the bulb so it will suction to your breast.

When you flip the edges back, you get extra suction.  If you have an oversupply, I would NOT flip the edges back.   This could only increase your supply further because if you’ve heard me preach before, milk production is about supply and demand…the more you remove, the more you make!!!

Will my baby knock off my Haakaa? *PRO tip*

I had to include this section because when I first started using a Haakaa a few years ago, we struggled so much with this… baby kicks or knocks off the Haakaa!

To stop this from happening, I would rotate the Haakaa slightly outward and not straight down.  This should give you enough space for baby and device in the early days!

Make sure your Haakaa is properly suctioned onto your breast.  It can be easily knocked off if it is not suctioned properly.

If you are not dealing with oversupply, you can flip the edges back to get extra suction (see section above for a detailed description).

How long do I leave the Haakaa on?

It can fill up to a little over 3 ounces so I would suggest leaving it on until it’s full (but not overflowing full, otherwise it will spill) or until milk is no longer dripping out.

Keep in mind, you may have multiple let downs during one feeding session.  You can certainly leave it on to try to catch a couple of letdowns unless it becomes uncomfortable.

My Haakaa is full.  What do I do with the milk?

GREAT JOB MAMA!!! Those precious drops are not going to waste on your bra or nursing pad now.  Once you are done collecting milk or the Haakaa is full, make sure you have a stable surface to put it on, NOT near your elbow 😉

And when you are done breastfeeding your baby, follow the milk storage guidelines to store the milk properly for future use.

The milk collected from your Haakaa can be used to feed baby later, breastmilk baths, to make lotions or soaps, etc.

I repeat…. MILK FROM YOUR HAAKAA SILICONE PUMP IS SAFE FOR YOUR BABY!

Can I use the Haakaa in place of an electric or manual pump?

This question doesn’t have a clear-cut answer.  I’ll explain…

In the first few weeks, if breastfeeding is going well, you shouldn’t need to start pumping. 

The haakaa is simply meant to collect your letdown milk instead of it spraying everywhere and being ‘wasted.’

Pumping with an electric or manual pump provides more nipple stimulation and is more active removal than using the Haakaa.

Haakaa Accessories

While Haakaa is relatively new to the breastfeeding world compared to other things, they’ve created some pretty cool accessories to go along with the pump.

First is a suction base on the bottom of the pump.  This will come in handy and make it less likely to topple over if someone bumps it, saving those drops of milk!

Second is a lid.  When I first started using the Haakaa, they didn’t make lids.  I would’ve loved to have had this.  The lid can not only help with spills but will make it easy to store if you’re too exhausted to transfer the milk right away.

Haakaa also makes a flower stopper if you are into making things super cute 😉

Out of the accessories listed on their site, related to the silicone breast pump, these are the ones that, in my opinion, are worth the extra charge.

The Haakaa is also one of the tools that I believe every breastfeeding mom should have!  Click the link to see the rest of my tools!

How do you clean the Haakaa?

Once you are done using your Haakaa and your milk is stored, wash it with warm, soapy water to remove the residue.

PRO TIP:  I am pretty particular about clean baby products since I was a pediatric ICU nurse for a while.  I keep a separate sponge and dish soap for my baby products so I would clean the residue out with that sponge and soap once a day!

DOUBLE PRO TIP:  Your partner can have this job in the early days to help support you on your breastfeeding journey!

Where can you purchase the Haakaa?

All the major baby product retailer’s sale the silicone pump, including Amazon!  It’s easy to find and would be a GREAT gift for any new mom!

Questions?

If you are a pregnant or a breastfeeding mom and need some help, please reach out or check my schedule to see a lactation specialist.  I see clients for private sessions to see how we can get you and baby on the right track to meet your breastfeeding goals! Happy Milk Collection!