Simplisse Double Electric Breastfeeding Companion
Written by: Theresa February 27 2011 “Comfort” was never a […]
“Comfort” was never a word I associated with pumping breast milk.
While my sweet baby boy spent days in the NICU, I used a standard double electric breast pump from the hospital in order to share the benefits of my liquid gold with him. It was my first experience with nursing and breast pumps and—having read the books—I wasn't expecting an overwhelmingly enjoyable experience. Those 20-minute pumping periods were bearable and yielded a sufficient supply of milk, but as expected, were nothing to write home about.
So when I prepared to return to work and began pumping with my own pump (instead of the one from the hospital) I was pleasantly surprised. In fact, the first time I used my Simplisse Double Electric Breastfeeding Companion, I thought I had hooked it up incorrectly. It didn't “suck and release” like the hospital-grade pump did. It didn't feel like someone was taking a vacuum to my breast. It mimicked my baby's suckling with a gentle compression—and it was quick.
The Simplisse Breastfeeding Companion was created to make milk expression a better experience for moms. I must say that I believe Simplisse hit the nail on the head. The BabyFace Flexible Breastcups function with compression rather than suction, to closely mimic to your nursing baby, making the process gentler to say the least.
But don't read “gentle” and think it means less milk in the same period of time. Simplisse didn't sacrifice efficiency. I found I was able to express a sufficient supply with this pump in the same amount of time as the pump I used in the hospital. Yes, that's right. I said it is gentler and works just as well. Need I say more? Probably not. But I will.
If you're pumping during lunch and are looking to maximize your lunch hour the Simplisse Breastfeeding Companion can be used as a double breast pump. However, if you're only looking to express from one breast, it can also be used as a single breast pump. Simply slide the switch located on the center of the motor.
It also has separate speed and flow settings you can adjust to maximize your comfort and expressing efficiency. Unlike some other pumps on the market, these settings are numbered. Once I found what worked for me, I wrote down the setting numbers so I can always return to them quickly. However, if I am in a time crunch, I speed up the process by turning the knobs to a higher setting. Or if I am in a sore nipple situation, I slow down the process by turning the knobs to a lower setting. Being able to change the settings from feeding to feeding based on my ever-changing needs is a definite plus in my book.
Another wonderful aspect of the Simplisse is the convenient black tote bag stocked with extra milk storage containers, travel cooler, wet bag, gel packs and instructional DVD. It provides an easy, inconspicuous way to transport and store everything I need to pump at work. There is plenty of room in the bag for all pumping accessories, and I can store my pumped milk in the travel cooler. But best of all, there is still room in the tote for my cell phone, lip balm and other purse essentials.
As a working mom, I’ve come to rely heavily on the comfortable, quick, easy pumping experience of the Simplisse Double Electric Breastfeeding Companion and would wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone looking for a pleasant pumping experience.
Price: $300
Buy it: diapers.com