Breastfeeding can be a great experience – but not when you’re constantly getting clogged ducts and mastitis, or if it takes you forever to pump. A lactation massager can help with both of these issues. Here’s a complete LaVie lactation massager review.
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What is the LaVie Lactation Massager?
The LaVie Lactation Massager is a tool that allows breastfeeding parents to use vibration on their breasts, which can help with getting milk to flow.
One way that vibration can be especially helpful is with clogged milk ducts.
How does the LaVie Lactation Massager work on clogged ducts?
If you find yourself dealing with a clogged duct, the advice you’ll get to resolve it can be overwhelming – everything from dangle nursing or pumping to using epsom salt in a Haakaa.
As noted above, vibration is another tool that can help many people clear blocked ducts quickly. For example, some people have tried putting an electric toothbrush (or whatever they have around the house that vibrates) on a clogged duct and have found that that helped work it out.
The LaVie massager is shaped in a way that allows you to use both vibration and compression to get plugged ducts out. The vibration helps loosen the milk and the shape makes it easy to push the milk out, while nursing or pumping help pull the milk out.
Additionally, it’s waterproof, so you can use it in the shower (where the warm water may also help get the milk moving and clear the blockage).
Here are some stories I did showing how to use the LaVie lactation massager in a little more detail:
By using the massager whenever you feel a blocked duct, you will hopefully be able to clear it before it becomes mastitis.
Other than clogged ducts, how can the Lactation Massager help breastfeeding parents?
Vibration can also help with letdown, which is when your milk ducts release milk and it starts to flow. Usually, this happens in the first few minutes of nursing or pumping.
If you’re not sure when your milk lets down, this diagram might help you understand what a letdown looks like while pumping:
However, instead of 1-2 minutes, some people experience a very slow letdown, where it can take up to 15 minutes for the milk to start flowing. This can make for very long pumping sessions.
Vibration seems to speed up the letdown process, both for first letdowns and for subsequent letdowns.
It can also help some people empty their breasts faster and more effectively. If it feels like pumping takes you forever, it may be worth trying vibration to see if that speeds up the flow.
Why is the massager shaped the way it is?
The shape of the massager was designed to help with different issues.
The wide side helps to stimulate milk flow and soften the breast, while the narrower scoop edge helps move fluid and express milk.
The tip helps bust clogs and empty ducts faster.
Who is a good candidate for a LaVie Lactation Massager?
The LaVie Lactation Massager is helpful for any breastfeeding parent, both those that are nursing and those that are pumping.
Even if you’ve never had a clogged duct, you never know when it might happen and you want to make sure you resolve it quickly before it becomes mastitis. Nothing is worth that pain!
Have you used this massager? Let us know your LaVie lactation massager review in the comments!
(*Note: LaVie makes two lactation massagers – a smaller one with just vibration and a warming massager that has heat AND vibration. They are both super helpful – use the code EPUMP on their website for 10% off!)
References- LaVie Lactation Massager. https://lactationmassager.com/
- Interview with Ella Weinberg, LaVie, conducted 4/11/18.
Comments & Chitchat
As a firefighter/paramedic who works 24 hour shifts I often notice that my pumping sessions are cut short, rushed, or are pushed off schedule. I never know when I’ll get a call or how long I’ll be gone. I think a massager would come in super handy for me.
I would love to win because I constantly had clogged ducts with my first two and with a busy work place a fast letdown is important and we all know that massage helps that
I’m a Lactation specialist and would love to be able to recommend this product to my patients!
Would love this! It takes forever for me to empty, and I’m certain this would help me get a letdown much quicker.
I ended up with tennis elbow and painful wrists and forearms after having my little guy. This would be so helpful instead of massaging while I pump to help release my milk faster. It takes forever to empty my breasts as it is, I would love to speed up the process and get back to doing other things and playing with baby Houston!
I am preparing for baby #2 and either nursing or exclusively pumping as I did for my son. Definitely want to avoid clogged ducts and it looks like this massager is a great way to do that! Other friends have raved about this product and I would love to review it!
I’m always getting clogged ducts and spend a lot of time trying to empty
I have a clogged duct now and it sucks!
Im an over producer and milk donor. This would help me get the milk out faster and make a everything easier.
My friend recommended this and I think it would be great to have from all the review I read especially since I’m a first time mom
I would love to try this! I’ve been having plugged ducts that are causing tumor looking lumps in my armpits, leading to mastitis. It’s difficult to recover with two under two! This would be a huge help!
THis would be the best item i can. I have a friend who uses it and she swears by it. I just haven’t had the money to buy one.
Currently battling a clogged duct, this looks like the perfect product that could help me!
In case of a clogged duct, this massager would be amazing!! I’d love help with an easier letdown too!
I want to win the LaVie Lactation Massager because I have experienced clog ducts. They are painful. I nursed my first daughter for two years. My second daughter for three years. Iam currently pregnant with my third baby boy due in a couple of weeks. I’m going to nurse him too. I want to be prepared with this amazing massager for clog ducts that I will be getting. Also I want to know how it helps as I get the clog duct. I will tell all my nursing moms in my local breastfeeding group.