@enealexandru I loved it and used it for the first year when I had copious leaking and fast/powerful letdown. Better to be caught in the haakaa than shoot out all over the room or soak through multiple breast pads! I also used it to relieve pressure when the baby was away from me for a few hours, it did the job nicely with SO much less faff than messing about with the electric pump. Also did the epsom salt trick for clogged ducts. My only regret is I didn't get one until about 3 months in!
Haakaa breast pump
- Thread starter enealexandru
- Start date
@enealexandru I found it super useful for when I was nursing to catch the leaks from the other side without getting in the way. Otherwise, I really only used it in emergencies. There definitely is a rhythm to using it, but I found other hand pumps more efficient for draining when I couldn't use my electric one (like in the car).
@enealexandru I never got much use out of mine. I had very little leakage, only in the first few months, and it was mostly at night. I was not coordinated enough to handle catching extra letdown at 2am, not to mention I wasn't about to get out of bed just to go put milk in the fridge. There were a couple of times when I was away from home without baby for ~6 hours, and I took it with me just to relieve the pressure, so it did come in handy then.
@enealexandru I only found it effective to attach to one side, while breastfeeding the other. Otherwise I’d get nothing noticeable. And even then once my supply regulated after a few months, again it wasn’t removing all that much.
@enealexandru I used the off brand haakaa with my first and I found it took a bit of adjustment to get the suction level right for me. I mostly used it to catch the extra leakage from the side I wasn't nursing on and only really used it for 2 months or so until I found I wasn't leaking. Electric pumps definitely get more milk out and quickly too as they try to mimic a baby nursing. I ended up using those when I wanted to get a good amount of milk for my husband to use for a feed.
samanddad3201
New member
@enealexandru I made a 100oz freezer stash with mine. But I have oversupply. I liked it more than pumps because it didn't stimulate an increase in supply, it mostly collects leakage.
I would put it on during the first feed of the morning, on the non-feeding side. I always got 2-3oz and sometimes up to 5, if little dude slept longer than usual.
I also had a Milkies, but that is good for /only/ catching leaks, and you have to remember to not bend over or you'll spill it.
I would put it on during the first feed of the morning, on the non-feeding side. I always got 2-3oz and sometimes up to 5, if little dude slept longer than usual.
I also had a Milkies, but that is good for /only/ catching leaks, and you have to remember to not bend over or you'll spill it.
@enealexandru I couldn't like the Hakkaa either. It was great for the first few months. In the middle of the night I'd stick it on and it would really help with the engorgement. But I'd have to hold it on because it would either lose suction and fall off or it would hurt. I love my Spectra! I got the one that doesn't need to be plugged in during use, the blue one. I've had an oversupply so I've had to pump a ton. I like that you can really customize it to your body and needs. I've thing to keep in mind if you get it though is the directions they give you guys some reason are inaccurate on how to use that pump. When you first turn it on you have to hit the bacon button to get to letdown mode. After 1-3 minutes when you have your letdown established hit the bacon button again and it changes it back to regular mode. Then you can play with the settings on each mode. If you want fast or slow deep pull. Youtube is a great resource for learning how to properly use it.
katrina2017
New member
@enealexandru Elvie just released their version of the Haakaa but it sits right inside your bra. I didn't love the Haakaa either but I might try this one. elvie curve
@enealexandru I got one, and I want to love it, too, but I hated it. I have very large boobs (K cup when I was breastfeeding). If I got it suctioned on well enough so it didn’t fall off at the slightest movement, it was super painful. I never got much using it, maybe 5 mL, and inevitably I would spill every drop of it onto myself and baby when I accidentally knocked it off my boob. Or I would knock it over when I set it somewhere “safe” and since it is just an open top, everything would be wasted.
It seemed like such a good idea and seemed to work for plenty of women, but I hated it.
It seemed like such a good idea and seemed to work for plenty of women, but I hated it.
@enealexandru Nah, this thing is super useful for “other boob” letdown for like the first 4 weeks. After that, it’s useless as a pump, lol. There’s a reason that bicycle horn/Hakka style pumps are no longer used, they’re more likely to cause breast tissue damage.
If you like the portability of a non-electric pump there are lots of more conventional ones to choose from that can get a good yield, sometimes faster than an electric because you can hold pressure until the stream stops, totally custom to you.
If you like the portability of a non-electric pump there are lots of more conventional ones to choose from that can get a good yield, sometimes faster than an electric because you can hold pressure until the stream stops, totally custom to you.
mythicangel516
New member
@enealexandru I have one from Lansinoh after trying an electric pump and a hand pump. neither worked for me - the electric pump was huge and the hands pump hurt my attrition hands way too much. the Lansinoh silicone pump worked just fine removing several ounces at a time, but I don't know if you would have success with it if exclusively pumping. you have to remember how a pump/baby works, you don't just latch on and stay under constant suction. you have to pump the silicone one too, to stimulate a letdown, and pump continuously to express 
just suctioning it on and leaving it there only works to catch letdown/leaking
just suctioning it on and leaving it there only works to catch letdown/leaking@enealexandru I wish people wouldn’t call it a pump. That’s sort of false advertising. For me it was just a spill catcher for the boob I wasn’t currently using. Nothing fancy. If you’re using it to “pump” it sounds like a way worse version of hand expression. Maybe some people like it for that but it would not work for me.
rhdetweiler
New member
@enealexandru It didn't work for me. It was uncomfortable, bordering on painful.
But my milk never really came in
But my milk never really came in
@enealexandru It was helpful for catching leaky letdown for the first 4-8 weeks but then my supply regulated and my breasts stopped leaking. I’d get between 0.5-3oz each feed. I nevertheless had a tiny stash built up in the freezer from the haakaa, which was helpful to have to offer something to start introducing a bottle with (supply was still regulating at 4 weeks so didn’t want to start pumping too since I didn’t really need to). Interestingly, when I compare the frozen milk from the haakaa to the frozen milk that I pumped using a double electric pump, the haakaa is way more transparent/watery/less yellow more white. When I offer it in a bottle I mix it with pumped milk, otherwise baby gets hungry like an hour later.