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Is the Willow Pump Worth It? (Pros & Cons of the $500 Pump)

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You may be wondering if the Willow pump is worth its $500 price tag. It is a steep price to pay, but the convenience definitely outweighs the cost of this pump. 

The freedom to pump anywhere and anytime is life changing if you are used to pumping with a traditional pump. Many moms (myself included) feel like they would have given up on their breastfeeding and pumping journey without this pump.

Using the Willow to help provide breast milk to your baby is priceless. There are so many good things about breast milk that cannot be replaced with formula. 

Some that come to mind easily are the antibodies in breastmilk and the bonding time with your baby. Another big bonus is when you pump breastmilk, you do not have to spend money on expensive formula.

To help with the cost of the pump, Willow will sometimes run promotions. For the best deal on the Willow, check out the current promotions by clicking here.

Pros Of The Willow Pump

There are so many benefits to the Willow, here are a few of the top ones.

  1. Willow Allows You To Pump Anywhere

Willow has a convenient cordless design. You can slip the pump into your bra and pump almost anywhere. 

You can easily pump while at work, doing housework, doing yoga, or while playing with your other children.

When you use the milk bags, the Willow is leak-proof. This is a huge benefit if you have an active job, like if you are a nurse. This can also be a big benefit if you have small children because you are moving around all the time.

  1. You May Breastfeed or Pump Longer, Saving Money on Formula

Another big benefit is that this freedom while pumping can help you to continue breastfeeding or pumping for a longer period of time. 

When you use a cordless pump like the Willow, you can pretty much go about your normal day. You just need a few short breaks to latch the pumps and to un-latch and store the milk.

Breastfeeding or pumping for a longer time period can also save you money. If you continue breastfeeding and pumping for a year, then you will not have to spend money on formula which can be very pricey.

  1. You Can Pump While Laying Back or Sleeping With Willow

One of the unique features of the Willow is that you can lay back or even shut your eyes while pumping. It is so nice to be able to rest and take a quick 20 minute nap while pumping. 

If you are pumping during the night to increase your milk supply, you can even latch the pumps and lay back in bed. You don’t need to worry about leaking if you are using the milk bags.

This is a big contrast to a traditional pump where you have bottles and flanges and you worry about spilling. I had back pain from pumping when I used a traditional pump because I tended to hunch over. 

Here are the step by step instructions on how to pump with Willow while laying down or sleeping.

  1. Willow Offers Reusable Containers To Save Money

Another pro to the Willow is they have the option of reusable containers with the 3rd generation pump. 

If you do not want to use milk bags for each pumping session, you can pump into reusable containers. These containers can then be washed and dried for your next pumping session.

This will help you to save money because you will not need to buy milk bags for every pumping session.

You can check out the reusable containers by clicking this link to the Willow site.

Cons Of The Willow Pump

There are also a few drawbacks to the Willow pump. The biggest one is the price tag. 

On the other hand, providing breast milk to your little one is like giving them liquid gold. It is priceless. This pump is a big reason why I was able to provide milk for my daughter for a year.

  1. The Price Tag

The biggest drawback to the Willow is the expensive price tag of the pump plus accessories. 

However, they do run promotions frequently to help with the price of the pump or accessories like containers, milk bags, or chargers. You can check out the current deals on the Willow site here.

  1. Learning Curve To Align The Pump Properly

Another con is the Willow can require a bit of a learning curve to align yourself properly in the cup. This is because the cups are not clear, so you can latch the pump but you will not be able to see how the pump is working. 

You can try a few different things to get the best output from the Willow. You may need to use inserts like these (on Amazon). You may also need to go down a size from your normal pumping flange size in order to get the best output.

One tip I can offer to help with alignment is to try using the pump with the buttons towards your armpits. Sometimes this can work to get a better alignment than facing the buttons to the top.

Willow also offers great customer support. They have a team who can help you with any troubleshooting you may need with the pump.

  1. Need to Re-Charge the Pump Daily

The next drawback to the Willow is that you need to remember to re-charge the pump. The box only includes one charger, so only one pump can be charging at a time. 

My best tip to resolve this is to either purchase a second charger or get in the habit of charging one pump at noon and the other pump in the evening. 

The charge should last for about 5 pumping sessions of 20 minutes each. This should be enough for most moms who are breastfeeding and pumping to only need to charge each pump once per day.

At the end of the day, none of these cons are really a huge deal. To me, the benefits of the Willow more than outweighed these few drawbacks.

Summary of Pros and Cons Of The Willow Pump

Here are the top pros and cons of the Willow pump.

ProsCons
Freedom to pump anywhereExpensive price tag 
Pump while laying down or sleepingLearning curve to learn alignment
Convenient cordless designOnly one charging device included
Milk bags offer leak-proof optionNeed to continually purchase milk bags
Option for containersContainers are sold separately
Provide breastmilk to child longer
Save money by not buying formula

So, Is The Willow Pump Worth It?

In my experience, yes, the Willow pump is worth it. The convenience of being able to pump anywhere at any time is life changing. 

It can also extend your breastfeeding journey if you have grown tired of pumping and need to feel like you are getting your life back. Keeping your journey going for a year will save you money because you will not need to buy formula.

Plus, being able to provide breastmilk to your little one is priceless. It is so beneficial that even the World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding until the age of 2.

To see everything that is included when you buy the Willow, click here to check it out.

Another way you can save money is to fill out this quick form to see if your health insurance plan will cover a portion of the cost of the Willow pump. 

Must-Have Pumping Gear

Hear are a few of my favorite pumping items that made my life so much easier.

More Pumping Tips

Be sure to save this to your Baby or Breastfeeding board on Pinterest so you can find it later.

NEXT, Check Out

  1. Willow vs. Freemie (3 Top Tips)
  2. 5 EASY Tips and Hacks For the Willow Pump

Resources

https://www.who.int/health-topics/breastfeeding#tab=tab_1

https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/faq/index.htm

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