Being able to pump and do pretty much whatever I wanted at the same time – clean the house, commute, even lie down – is something I only dreamed about when I was exclusively pumping. While it is possible to move around and do some things with a traditional hands-free bra, your range of motion is still limited, and you still have to deal with tubing. The Willow Pump, on the other hand, is an innovative pump that really frees you up to pump almost whenever you want.
Image credit: Willow. Used with permission.
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What is the Willow Pump?
The Willow breast pump is a completely different kind of pump, and a really inventive design that allows moms to pump hands-free. Essentially, it’s two breast pumps – one for each side – that you place inside your bra, position to “latch,” and turn on.
The milk goes into a bag or reusable container stored in the Willow pump rather than to bottles attached to the pump parts.
The pump will connect with an app on your phone, so you can see how long you’ve been pumping and how much milk you’ve gotten.
How is the Willow Pump different from other pumps?
This is a huge step up from the traditional pump. Not only are you always pumping hands-free (and you don’t need to get a separate bra to do it), but there is no tubing that you have to connect to a pump, and there are no bottles hanging off of the front of your chest. The pumps just go in your bra.
What are the advantages of the Willow Breast Pump?
Obviously, the biggest advantage is mobility – you can basically do anything while you pump. Make dinner, take care of your baby (no more grabbing tubes!), work, etc. Your range of motion is pretty much the same as when you aren’t pumping, and some users are even able to lie down without spilling when pumping into the bags.
Sharon, a Willow Pump user in our Facebook group, says “I can lay flat on my back! I’ve even laid on my side. I’m not sure if everyone could, but … I’ve never had a problem with it leaking.”
Also, there are only two parts that need to be cleaned – the flange and the flextube. (If you’re pumping into the reusable container, that will be a third piece.)
The app is also a nice feature – it will track for you how much you pump in a day, so that you don’t have to do that yourself, either on paper or manually in an app.
The Willow pump is also quieter than most pumps, though it’s not silent. Sharon says, “When it is just pumping, it’s pretty quiet and you could do it while you’re on the phone without an issue. However, when you have a letdown, the pump makes a louder noise when it readjusts, and that would certainly be heard over the phone.”
What are the disadvantages of the Willow Breast Pump?
The main disadvantages are the price – I understand why it is priced where it is (about $499), as it is an amazing product – it just might be cost-prohibitive for some women. However, if you have an FSA or HSA, you can use that to pay for the pump. You may also be able to get reimbursement through insurance if yours covers out-of-network pumps.
You also need to purchase either bags or a separate reusable container. The bags are spill-proof, but the reusable container will leak if you bend over. Because the cost of bags adds up, I would suggest buying the container, along with a few bags in case you want to lie down while pumping or are in a situation where you don’t want to deal with the container.
These can also be purchased with the FSA or HSA, so that can help defray the expense.
The bags and the container hold 4oz, so if you generally pump more milk than that per side, you’ll need to switch it out while you pump.
Will the Willow pump work for everyone?
My biggest concern with the Willow pump is flange sizing. There are three flange sizes that fit the Willow pump – 21mm, 24mm, and 27mm. If you don’t fit one of these sizes, the Willow pump won’t work for you.
(I confirmed with the company that size issues mean no returns; also, it’s not considered safe to share or resell.)
Since you can’t return the pump, I would make absolutely sure that it will fit you before you buy it. They offer a sizing guide, but I would be pretty nervous gambling almost $500 on that. Personally, I would pump with one of those flange sizes with a different pump (even just a manual one) before buying to make sure it was comfortable.
What’s the bottom line?
I think this is an awesome pump, and I would have loved to have one when I was an exclusive pumper. I think that, if you’ve never pumped before, my advice would be to have one “normal” pump – either that you get through insurance, have from one of your older children, or a manual pump.
After you confirm what your flange size is with it, and if you fit a 21mm, 24mm, or 27mm, try the Willow pump out if you’re interested in it! This way, you know the pump will fit you, and you get to live the dream of pumping wherever you want!
References- Willow. https://www.willowpump.com/
- Heathcare.gov. “Using a Flexible Spending Account (FSA).” https://www.healthcare.gov/have-job-based-coverage/flexible-spending-accounts/
- HSA Center. “What is an HSA?” https://www.hsacenter.com/what-is-an-hsa/
- Interview with Sharon T., Willow Pump user, conducted 5/1/18.
Hi!! Are there any parts of the willow that need to be regularly replaced, like the membranes on the medela o duck valves on the spectra?
I didn’t understand the Flange size issue, I understand there’s not many options on sizes, but to they run small? Am I understanding this correctly?
I just ordered one and read this and I’m somewhat nervous… it’s a huge investment, but I think it will be key for me to continue the exclusive pumper for longer.
Hi Anamari! That’s a good question. So the two pieces that might need to be replaced are the flange and the flextube. I would imagine that the flange would probably be okay for most of your pumping “career,” most pumps recommend replacing every 6 months or so. The flextube I’m not sure about. It’s possible that that might need to be replaced more often, but Willow does not mention this on its website. I will try reaching out to them.
The flange size issue is just that some women need a 19mm or 30mm+ size. If you fit one of the options, you should be all good!
Let me know how you like it!!!
Awesome, thank you for your reply. Actually I later found on their store that each items says when they should be replaced. I will let you know how it goes with the flange sizing and the freemie adapter.
I have a willow and I exclusively pump. I love it! As stated in the article, I have a main pump and use my Willow as a back up and on-the-go pump. My work involves a lot of travel but the willow allows me to keep up my supply between appointments. It is easy to clean but the bags are proprietary and only hold 4 oz. I have also noticed that even though my flange sizes are the same for both pumps, my “lazy boob” on the willow is my biggest producer with my other pump. So strange!!
Unfortunately, I don’t think it will work to go up a size as far as I understand. Maybe someone else might know more than I do??
Thanks for this, I’ve been waiting for an article on the Willow!
Also, regarding flange size- the Freemie Fitmie inserts fit perfectly into the willow and will make it fit as small as 15mm!
https://freemie.com/products/fitmie-inserts-for-freemie-funnels
That is awesome to hear – thank you for that info!
Will this hack work to go up a size? I currently use a 28mm on the spectra and have been scared to invest in the Willow.
You know this from experience or is this what you’ve heard? I’m a 21mm and would hate to buy it and it not work.
Did you actually try this personally and was it successful??? Or was this just a hypothetical suggestion?
Hey have you actually tried this? I want to buy the willow but I’m a 17mm. What size fitmie did you put in which size flange?
Just a question- I saw this on a YouTube video (that the freemie fit me inserts allow the Willow to fit more sizes like 15mm, 17mm, 19mm, etc) but does this insert work with the milk container (which would make you a 21mm)? The fact that the bags for Willow are 0.50$ are a big deal breaker for me, and also I used a 17mm/19mm last baby with Spectra, so assume I would need that size again. Once I saw that the freemie fit me inserts helped bring the flange size for Willow down to my size, I was super happy! But would only take the $500 plunge if I knew I could use BOTH the freemie fit me inserts AND the reusable milk container.
Anyone know/can confirm?
Thanks! BT
So for those of you asking- I actually tried this and IT WORKS! (at least it works for me!). I purchased the pump funnels/ inserts pretty cheap on amazon for like $12 (‘Maymom Flange Inserts for Freemie Flanges’- and they have nearly size imaginable) in my size 21, since the Willow sizing doesn’t go that low for pumping into bags (just the reusable containers). This hack has definitely been helpful to me as I have a love/hate relationship with my Willow pump….definitely more hate than love. I find the pump to be really unreliable, inconsistent and I always have to have a backup pump around because the reusable container especially only work like 1/8 times I try to use it…which is, as you can imagine – so frustrating (yes, I’ve spoken with Willow customer service like 20 times). I’m super excited about this hack because I never seem to have a problem pumping into the bags, just into the reusable containers- the pump doesn’t seem to be very compatible with them and always tells me there is an error. Hope this helps someone!