The Haakaa breast pump helps you collect both foremilk and rich hindmilk. Because it's only a piece of silicone, there's no electricity nor any cords required, making it so easy to integrate into your daily routine!
Your body is constantly producing milk, even while breastfeeding. Also, I have noticed that using the Haakaa actually increased my breastmilk supply because of supply and demand; it signaled my body to produce more breastmilk since more was being removed at each feeding.
Foremilk is the milk that flows out of your breasts at the beginning of a pumping session, while hindmilk is the milk from the end of a session.
You can use your Haakaa as much and as often as you wish. I used mine at least at the morning feed every morning because I tended to be very engorged and would leak often. If I was home, I generally always used it. No need to use it on the go.
Something we get asked about a lot is whether the Haakaa is JUST for catching let-down, or whether it can be used to exclusively pump on its own or with one on each side? So the answer is - yes, you CAN!
The Haakaa breast pump helps you collect both foremilk and rich hindmilk. Because it's only a piece of silicone, there's no electricity nor any cords required, making it so easy to integrate into your daily routine!
Q: Can I use the Haakaa even when I'm not breastfeeding bub on the opposite side? While the Haakaa is designed to be used in conjunction with feeding, it can absolutely be used on its own. This is thanks to the gentle suction which stimulates your breast to let down.
While it has the benefit of being very comfortable due to its gentle suction, that suction is very limited and may not be very helpful to some women. In particular, the suction level is far weaker compared to many other types of pumps. This may not be a problem for women who easily express a lot of milk.
Increasing milk supply
By offering the other breast when the first is finished, and repeating breast compressions if needed, your baby will get the correct balance of foremilk and hindmilk automatically. Using both breasts when needed (and sometimes three or four!) will drive up and maintain your supply.
Once this stage is over your milk may then drip out a little steadier. So the secret is to keep the Haakaa on your breast for at least 15 to 20 minutes to ensure you're getting a full feed.
Light green: Consistent green stools in a breastfed baby can indicate an imbalance of foremilk/hindmilk. Foremilk is the low-calorie milk that comes first in a feeding.
How long should a baby nurse to get hindmilk? After about 10 to 15 minutes of breastfeeding, the milk flow slows and transitions to the sweet and creamy hindmilk, which contains vitamins A and E, and has more fat and calories than foremilk.
Some babies take a full feed in five minutes while others take 40 minutes to get the same amount.
The amount of milk you collect with a haakaa varies from mom to mom. A lot of it depends on your milk supply, the last time you nursed or pumped, and how your breasts respond to the pump. I would, on average, collect about two ounces per feeding.
How often should I wash/sterilise my Haakaa? It really comes down to preference. In the first three months after baby is born, it is recommended to sterilise your pump and all baby bottles that are used after every use.
Haakaa Pumps can trigger an oversupply in some people, especially when used multiple times a day to encourage excess milk removal in the early days. Remember, your body doesn't know the difference between the baby and the Haakaa, all it knows is if the stimulus caused a let-down of milk.
This out-of-balance amount of foremilk causes a lactose overload for your baby. The undigested lactose has nowhere to go but the large intestine, where it gets fermented and creates a lot of gas. This gas is the root of your baby's foremilk/hindmilk imbalance symptoms.
If you see bright green and frothy poop in your baby's diaper that almost looks like algae, they're probably getting too much foremilk – the low-calorie milk that comes first in a feeding – and not enough hindmilk, the higher-fat, super-nutritious stuff that comes near the end.
Not Enough Hindmilk
If your baby does not breastfeed long enough at each feeding, they may not get enough breast milk, and they certainly won't get enough hindmilk. Another issue that can prevent your baby from getting enough hindmilk is overabundant milk supply.
Any breast pump will help increase your supply. The Haakaa pump is a great way to boost your supply without needing to worry about a power source, tubing, the cleanup, and sterilizing all those parts and tubing after every use, hauling a large pump around and the Haakaa pump is silent.
If you feel pain, the suction is too strong. Simply remove the Haakaa and when reapplying it, don't squeeze the sides quite as hard. This will create less suction. The oz markings on the side aren't accurate.
Hand expression can also be used as a technique during and after pumping to increase caloric content2 and remove more milk. It can be more reliable than a pump when electricity is scarce. It's quieter than a pump when privacy is needed. It's certainly less expensive than a pump.
However, sometimes women find that they get more output by staying in letdown/massage mode for the entire pumping session, and they wonder whether or not this is okay. This is totally fine – whatever removes the most milk from your breasts is the right way for YOU to pump.
If it is latched without enough suction, you won't get a lot of milk. Too much pressure is also no good, because it can be painful. Usually, once I latch my baby and Haakaa, I wait until my milk lets down and check if the milk drips in the Haakaa side.
If you do not feel your milk letting down, it doesn't necessarily mean that something is wrong. You may never notice it, or you may feel it in the first few weeks then less over time. As long as you can see the signs your baby is getting enough breast milk and growing well, you don't have to worry.