A very small silver lining to COVID-19 isolation is that I don’t have to worry about when and where to pump breast milk — which I have to do several times a day — but the process is still time-consuming and frustrating. When I first started using the Willow Generation 3 breast pump, I’d already worked with a bulkier mechanical pump, Spectra, which is decidedly not mobile and has limited battery before needing to be plugged into the wall. Though I'm pumping regularly and supplementing with formula, I envisioned that the benefits of hands-free pumping would be low, since I was already home and barely leaving the house. I was wrong.
I now pump with Willow often, and it’s boosted my faith in the whole process. For women who are able to breastfeed, the pros might not be quite as great as for women exclusively pumping, but it’s hard to overstate the benefits of mobility, ease, and access for a new mom.
The challenges with Willow are mostly on the front end. It’s not cheap, at $499 for two pumps, 24 plastic bags, and one set of basic parts, although I saw deals on the website and elsewhere. It may or may not be covered by your insurance (you can use your FSA/HSA to pay for it, too). Sizing correctly is critical, since the pump comes with different flange sizes. Getting the wrong size can mean pain and decreased milk production, and it costs either $20 or $30 to replace the relevant part. Willow has a detailed guide for measuring your nipple.
You'll need to wear a nursing bra or tank top to help hold the pump in place. The Willow team also offer suggestions on which bras work best; it should be as full-coverage as you can make it, allowing the pump to stay snug and in place against the breast. My favorite pumping and nursing bra by Motherhood Maternity worked brilliantly. But since YouTube reviews say using Willow can stretch out their bras, I alternate with a couple full-coverage pumping sports bras. The tighter the bra, the more you can do while pumping: you can even pick up and hold your baby when the pump is secure enough.
Don’t try to configure or empty the Willow for the first time when your newborn is screaming for milk — it’s tricky to get all the parts together and aligned against your breast. The device’s Flip to Finish maneuver, which transfers all your milk into the container when you’re done pumping, takes a couple times to master. I definitely spilled milk all over my kitchen counter the first time I tried it. But the pump comes with detailed written instructions, plus animations and how-to videos on the Willow app (iOS and Android). Should they want it, all customers have access to free one-on-one coaching with someone on the Willow coaching team.
The real benefit to Willow is once you have the pump on and sucking away — I felt a bit silly, like an Austin Powers fembot. But being able to walk around and do chores instead of being chained to the wall quickly became a feature I couldn’t live without — I’d get through a pumping session without even thinking about it. Previous iterations of the Willow could apparently cause nipple pain, but I played around with the levels on the Generation 3 and found one that suited me fine. The Willow starts in stimulation mode and moves to expression; some women get stuck in stimulation mode, but that’s often an alignment issue, so you might need to take the pump off, readjust, and try again.
Willow experts recommend that the device should be washed after every pumping session, instead of putting pumps in the fridge to delay cleaning the device but avoid bacterial growth. International board certified lactation consultant and Willow’s “Mom Experience Lead” Wendy Wright gave me tips on how to use the Willow properly. Especially in this time of COVID, she recommends washing everything, every time. So that can be a bit of a hassle, although there are only two to four parts. I found the pump functioned better when everything had dried, which can take a bit of time (you can also wash the Willow on the top rack of your dishwasher). You could also buy another set of parts, although that’s an added expense.
Another reason to wash every time? If the valve on the milk container gets milk or residue on it, it might malfunction, with the pump incorrectly reading as full and turning off. I started getting wild readings (like 14 ounces in a single session) and had to replace one of the milk containers. But, if something like this happens, contact customer service and you may be under warranty for a free replacement: 90 days for the plastic parts and a year for the pumps.
The mobile app is one of the best parts; since the pumps are pre-labeled left and right, I can measure output per breast (so long as I remember to put the correct pump on the correct side). I can also see how quickly I’m expressing, and over time I’ve figured out the pumping sessions and times that are most and least effective for me.
Even when everything’s working fine, there is sometimes a difference between the stated output on the app and how much I’ve actually pumped. Wright says there can be about a 0.5 oz difference between the amount that the app says you’ve pumped vs. the amount that goes into the bag. Sometimes the difference is due to air that gets into the bag, needing to tighten your bra, or ensuring there’s a proper latch to the flange. Wright recommends keeping your phone nearby and in range for the best Bluetooth connectivity; the Generation 3 has 30 feet of Bluetooth range. It helps to charge often for best accuracy (officially, you can pump five times between charges).
Willow’s main competitor, the Elvie, is smaller, lighter, and quieter, with USB cord chargers and the ability to buy a single pump instead of two. But the Willow allows you to pump into a plastic bag if you choose, which you can label with the date and time and store for later. It’s a nice feature for pumping away from home and preventing contamination—less useful for me since my supply is low, I don’t need to store anything, and I’m home a lot. I’m also trying not to use extra plastic where I can help it, and it’s worth noting, too, that buying more bags is an extra expense that we referenced in our original review of the product.
Instead, I use the Willow milk containers, which are a separate device and an add-on to the basic Willow package. The milk goes into the container, and I pour it directly from the device into a bottle. You get more mobility pumping with a bag, though—you can fully bend over and lie back, and some women even say they can do their nighttime pumping lying in bed.
For women who breastfeed, you can pop a Willow pump on one breast while your baby nurses on the other to save time and fully drain your breasts. Or, if you’re hoping to control feedings, it’s effective to pump a bottle of breastmilk. If you produce a lot, the 4 oz limit per pump might be a challenge (some women say they can get up to 5 with the bag, but the pump will stop once it reads as full). Wright explains that if compressing part of your breast will encourage letdown, you can actually tilt the Willow (if you’re pumping into a bag) to expose that part of your breast. Thus, you can compress it while you pump to encourage production.
With a hands-free pump especially, the amount you pump can vary depending on what you’re doing. Wright says that lower production might be due to your increased mobility—but the Willow should compare to any other personal-use pump after the body adjusts to the mechanics of the suction.
”In stressful situations, moms’ milk production can become lower, so if you’re performing heart surgery with your Willow on, you might get less milk. However, with Willow, we designed the pump to encourage mobility and to take the stress out of pumping. I’d recommend that moms use the pump in various situations to see which position they produced the most milk, and then use that as your standard position; from sleeping in the bed to doing yoga.”
This will probably be more relevant in a post-COVID world. Moms may reap the true benefits of the Willow once they head out of the house more often, pumping at their workplace or other semi-public place. I can see myself packing it for family gatherings and work meetings. It might be bulky to carry everything, but the battery life should get me through an entire day away from home—so long as I have access to a cooler or fridge for storage (or a bottle to feed my baby, if she’s with me).
Ultimately, it might seem like an unnecessary expense to get an extra pump if you already have a wall pump, or to exclusively select a hands-free device. But, like so many things, once you use it, it’s easy to get hooked to the benefits.
UPDATE: Jan. 19, 2021, 4:35 p.m. EST This story has been updated to correct that there is a 90-day warranty on plastic parts, not 30.