Take it from this mama- pumping is literally a full-time job! When you’re picking the right pump for your lifestyle, it’s so important to understand what each pump can offer because you’re going to be spending a LOT of quality time with your pump.

Between pumping, cleaning pump parts, and prepping to pump I spend a good 4-5 hours a day exclusively pumping for my little guy. I use a combination of pumps to help me be successful and I’m sharing with you what I wish I had known before I made some significant investments, both time and money, in breast pumps.

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Elvie Wearable Breast Pump Overview

The Elvie Pump aims to be the smartest, quietest, and smallest wearable electric pump and it definitely delivers compared to its clunky, loud, and cumbersome wall pump competitors. This pump basically slips directly into your bra and can be controlled either on the pumping hub itself or via an app. Its design lets you pump easily and discreetly on the go.

You can purchase the single or double pump, depending on if you want one or two pumping hubs. The Elvie double pump comes with the following items in the box:

• 2 Hubs
• 4 BPA free 5 oz/150 ml bottles with storage lids (these are fridge and freezer friendly)
• 2 Breast Shield – 24mm
• 2 Breast Shield – 28mm
• 4 Valves
• 4 Spouts
• 4 Seals
• 4 Bra Adjusters
• 2 USB Charging Cables
• 2 Carry Bags

Hubs come with a 2-year warranty and washable components have a 90-day warranty. Although I have had no problems myself, from what I have seen on Elvie Facebook groups, the company has excellent customer service- just be sure to keep your receipts for proof of purchase.

Must Have Accessories

• Hands Free Pumping Bra– To pump comfortably, I recommend getting a supportive bra like this one to hold the pumps upright and close to your body. This makes a big difference when moving around and decreasing the chances of a leak.
• Dual Micro USB Charing Cord – Your Elvie will come with one cord for each pump you purchase, so you need two outlets when you want to charge both at the same time. I bought this split head charging cord so I can charge both pumps on the same cord at once! This is super convenient, especially when charging in the car or on a laptop.
• Maymom Flange Inserts – Be sure to accurately measure your nipples and splurge on a few sets of these! They can seriously increase your milk output and feel so much better than just the plastic flange alone. Elvie offers an amazing nipple measuring tool you can check out here.
• Wearable Breast Pump Bag with Cooler – This organized bag helps you bring your pumps with you and keep track of parts easily on the go. It is professional enough to bring every day to work and has a really convenient drying mat for cleaning your pump parts on the go.
• In order for your pump to continue working effectively, you need to regularly replace the green pump pieces that come with your Elvie. I usually keep one or two spare sets on hand.
  • Valve and Spout Kit
  • Breast Pump Seals

Pump Production Rating

Generally, wearable pumps are not meant to be your main pumps. Typical guidance is that you should use in combination with a hospital grade pump and/or direct nursing as wearables will not fully “empty” your breasts. Over time, this may cause your production to decrease as there is less demand for milk and, therefore, less supply is made. With this said, I often feel that I get just as much or sometimes more with my Elvies than with my Spectras and many women do successfully use their Elvies as their primary pumps.

If you’re noticing your pump output seems low or even that nothing is coming out, try taking the pump apart and putting it all back together again. It can really be as simple as a bent duck bill valve, or the plastic piece not lined up well. For the optimal output, it’s very important that the pump remain clean from breast milk residue and that all of the pieces are lined up properly to ensure the best suction strength.

It is also possible for the pumps to leak from time to time. To avoid this, make sure they are properly positioned on your nipples and stay generally upright while pumping (sorry, no hand stands!).

Noise Rating

The Elvie pump is built to be as discrete as possible and is one of the quietest pumps I have used. It is a wonderful option for working mamas out there or anyone who would like to be able to pump while grocery shopping, eating out, etc.

While it is certainly quiet, it is not “silent.” If anyone asks about a faint sound, you can simply say it’s a medical device you’re wearing. These are convenient for nurse or doctor moms who are in and out with patients, teachers in classrooms, work from home moms, and others with professions where it’s challenging to find a quiet place to pump during work hours.

I have pumped with others in the room and even with in laws in a car without the radio on. My mother-in-law has said I am like a pumping Ninja with these bad boys, and she can never tell! I recommend getting a bulky sweater to help muffle the sound if you plan on being in a silent room with others (like a meeting). Also, they are quite large in your shirt, so something baggy and un-form fitting is most discrete for me. A nursing cover like this one would be great as well.

You can hear the Elvie pump sound here:

Travel Rating

It goes without saying this pump is super travel friendly. I use very frequently when I am driving my car. I have a portable hospital grade pump as well (a Spectra S1), but I would never pump with it while driving because the tubes and big bottles hanging off of your chest would definitely get in the way and be unsafe. This is not the case with Elvies. In fact, I find pumping while driving to be amazing as a busy mom because it is kind of “wasted” time to me and when I get to my destination, pumping is one thing right off my plate already. Win win win!

The battery charges in about 2 hours and should last for 2.5 hours or 5-6 pumping sessions. You will get a low battery warning if you are using the app while pumping or a red light glows at the top to let you know to recharge soon.

These are very easy to pack up, light weight, and quiet pumps that you can really take anywhere.

Technology Rating

Technology is really where the Elvies shine! They have an awesome app that helps you keep track of your pumping. You can see my Insights and a few of my pumping session details in the pictures below. When you finish pumping the pumps actually measure how much milk they think you’ve produced, and you can change the measurement if inaccurate. At first, I did find the measurements to be off but the more I used and corrected the measurements they have become more and more accurate.

I’m in awe that I’ve spent six days of my life using my Elvies as my secondary pump. First of all, wow- moms are amazing, and second, come on right boob you can do it!

The pumps also have new “SmartRhythms” available on iOS that allow you use into one of the following rhythms:

• Multi Switch to maximize output – this is essentially similar to power pumping and switches the pump automatically between stimulation and pumping to get more milk
• Express and collect – for those with heavier let downs
• Slow and Gentle – great for more sensitive nipples. I was sick a few months ago and Elvies were the absolutely only thing I wanted anywhere near my boobs with because they are already more gentle!

If you have the dual pumps, each one can be on it’s own SmartRhythm. I appreciate that this pump manufacturer is learning from moms and improving their products and technology to better suit our needs. Power pumping is a very popular way to increase your supply, so automating this process and taking something off our plates was awesome. Thanks for hearing us, Elvie!

Overall Rating

I love how these pumps help me balance feeding my little one and still being able to have a life. These allow me to pump without being tied to a wall or finding somewhere private and to me, that’s absolutely priceless. I feel empowered using my Elvies to continue pumping when changes in my schedule, work issues, or really anything else could get in the way. It’s absolutely one of the best options for working moms.

They offer fantastic technology and help me stay aware of my body and motivated. I am grateful that the company keeps improving and sticking behind their product. I used my Elvies before my son was born to collect colostrum and will absolutely be using them to continue our breast-feeding journey.

Let me know if you’re curious about anything Elvie related. I am always happy to help!