Silicone Breast Pump – Haakaa Gen. 1 Manual Letdown Collector, 4 oz

Description

The Haakaa is a silicone breast pump, though "collector" is closer to what it does. You squeeze the base, place the flange over your nipple, and let go. The gentle suction holds it in place and draws out milk. Most people use it on the side the baby isn't feeding from, to catch the let-down that would otherwise end up in a nursing pad.

It's one piece of food-grade silicone with no valves, tubing or motor, and it holds 4 oz (100 ml). It's silent, fits in a diaper bag, and is one of the cheapest genuinely useful things in a breastfeeding kit.

Why women love it

• Catches milk you'd otherwise lose: the let-down from the other side while you nurse.
• Nothing to assemble or charge: one piece, no batteries.
• Adjustable suction: squeeze more air out for a firmer hold, less for a gentler one.
• Easy to clean: no joints or crevices, and it can be boiled.
• Relief when you're full: takes the edge off engorgement without a full pumping session.

Best for

• Nursing parents with an established supply who leak on the other side during feeds
• Building a small freezer stash without adding pumping sessions
• Taking the pressure off a full breast when the baby only feeds on one side
• Less suited to: the first two weeks, while supply is still settling, and anyone already dealing with oversupply or a forceful let-down. It also can't replace a real pump for regular or exclusive pumping.

How to use a Haakaa

1. Wash it, and sterilize it before the first use.
2. Fold the flange back.
3. Squeeze the base to push the air out. The harder you squeeze, the stronger the suction.
4. Center your nipple in the flange so it doesn't touch the silicone.
5. Unfold the flange onto your breast and slowly release the base.
6. To take it off, press the flange near your breast to break the seal instead of pulling.
7. Pour the milk into a storage bag or bottle. Our breast pumps and milk storage guide has the storage times.

What to know before you use it

It can raise your supply, and not always helpfully. Haakaa's own advice is that the more you take, the more your body makes, and it recommends the pump once supply is established, typically 2 to 3 weeks after birth. Used at every feed from the start, a Haakaa can tell your body the baby needs more milk than it does. That can lead to oversupply, engorgement and a let-down fast enough to make a baby cough or pull off.

It shouldn't hurt. Your nipple should sit in the middle of the flange without touching the silicone. If it's painful, release some suction or reposition it.

It tips over. The Gen. 1 has a rounded bottom, and a kicking baby can knock it off. Haakaa sells a Gen. 2 with a flat base for that reason.

Explore more

For cleaning, Haakaa says boiling for 2 to 3 minutes or any steam sterilizer works, but not UV sterilizers. If you're also pumping and washing a full kit every day, the Momcozy D8 bottle washer washes, steam-sterilizes and dries pump parts in one cycle. For the bigger pumping picture, see our breast pumps and milk storage guide, which covers flange sizing and how long milk keeps. And Mindy's list of breastfeeding must-haves covers the rest.

A note from Mindy

I like the Haakaa, with one caveat I give everyone. It isn't passive. Anything that removes milk tells your body to make more, and in the early weeks your supply is still working out how much your baby needs. Let it settle first.

If you start to notice engorgement that won't settle, a baby who gulps or chokes at the start of a feed, or a hard, painful area in your breast, stop using it for a few days and talk to your provider or a lactation consultant. A hard, red, painful area with a fever needs to be seen the same day.

Mindy, FNP-C

FAQs

Is a Haakaa a breast pump?

Not in the usual sense. It uses gentle, steady suction rather than the cycling suction of a manual or electric pump, and most people use it to catch let-down while nursing on the other side. It can replace a pump for occasional use, but not for regular or exclusive pumping.

When can I start using a Haakaa?

Haakaa recommends waiting until your supply is established, typically 2 to 3 weeks after birth. If your supply is low, or you're in the first week, talk to a lactation specialist first.

Can a Haakaa cause oversupply?

It can. Milk supply works on demand, so regularly removing extra milk tells your body to make more. Using it at every feed, especially early on, can lead to oversupply, engorgement and a fast let-down.

How do you use a Haakaa?

Fold the flange back, squeeze the base, and center the flange over your nipple so it doesn't touch the silicone. Release the base to create suction. More air squeezed out means a firmer hold. It shouldn't hurt.

How do you clean and sterilize a Haakaa?

Wash it after each use. Haakaa says you can sterilize it by boiling for 2 to 3 minutes or in any steam sterilizer, and that it can go in the dishwasher, but not in a UV sterilizer.