Expressing breast milk has never been easy for me. When Dex was hospitalised with Strep B at 6 weeks I remember vividly a nurse wheeling in the Mother of all electric breast pumps (an old school Medela from what might have well as been the 17th century) and my stomach literally lurched. It looked worn, colossal and downright scary. Although I tried desperately to picture myself relaxing at home with Dexter, I just couldn’t mentally transport myself away from the cold and sterile hospital environment. Throw in a giant pinch of anxiety at seeing Dexter covered in tubes and wires, and my milk just wouldn’t come.
This isn’t my only experience of pumping. I’ve tried various manual and electric pumps but have never got to grips with them. Without wanting you to picture me bra-less, my boobs are large and difficult to handle, and it follows that my nipples are too. I find most pumps pinch me and make me sore within minutes, and I only ever manage the most pathetic of dribbles.
However, given I’m currently combination feeding with Heidi, expressing simply HAD to work if I wanted to try and win back some of her formula feeds, and have Craig assist me as much as possible. Therefore when Difrax got in touch, I fell over myself to get involved and get my mitts on their BtoB Breast Pump. I’d seen pictures and read previous reviews of the pump and loved that it looked so radically different from all the others I’d tried. In fact, if I regress back to the school playground for a moment, it looked a little like a naughty toy. But this is actually what makes it so special.
Let’s get the negatives out the way quickly (as it’s actually an AMAZING product)
Price-wise, it’s right up there with the best of them, and there are MUCH cheaper alternatives if you’re an old pro at expressing. At £149.99, if I compare it to breast pumps that have won the affections of mums time and time again (e.g. Ameda Lactaline Double Electric Breast Pump RRP £149.99, or the Medela Swing RRP £134.99) the Difrax BtoB had some mighty big shoes to fill to warrant the price tag. Whilst I’m on the subject, I have to raise my eyebrows at any breast pump worth this price. If the goal is to get every new mother embracing the Breast is Best slogan then surely any product that helps them achieve this should be affordable.
I was also a bit put out by the fact it didn’t come with a S-baby bottle or storage cup. Luckily their bottles are exceptional (more on these later) or I’d have probably kicked up more of a fuss about this. When you’re forking out the best part of £150 you’d expect the pump to arrive through the post ready-to-go. The Difrax BtoB breast pump connector including breast milk storage container costs £3.99 and is available on the website - this might be cheap but it really should come with the pump and a S-baby bottle.
Now to tell you why you NEED one of these…
It’s the ONLY pump I’ve used that has worked for me. That makes it invaluable for me and worth five times its price if you consider I’m able to reduce formula feeds, give Craig back some vital bonding time with Heidi and make feeding a far less stressful and time-consuming experience for Heidi and I.
But its my job to tell you why it’s so good, and why it might bring you the same results where other pumps haven’t.
First up - it’s hands-free. Without going into the intricacies, you slip the breast shield (of which there are three sizes to choose from) inside your bra and pop the unit somewhere lower than your breast e.g. on the floor, on a coffee table, beside your bed etc. The unit will control the speed, pause, and control the transition from initiating to ‘let-down’. You can simply lay back and try to relax. The milk will travel from the shield, through the tube, into the valve and into your bottle.
Why is this so great? Because it allows you to totally relax. I’m convinced that 99% of the problems women face when expressing is down the fact that the pump feels unnatural. Not so with the Difrax, in terms of comfort, I’m happy to report that it’s amazing. I can easily forget it’s on and have Craig ‘bottle-watch’ and tell me how we’re progressing. This is vital if you’re like me and find it hard to relax. Given expressing is all about re-creating a feeding environment and simulating what your baby should be doing - comfort is the only factor most new mums should consider when making a pump purchase (and this is coming from someone who really ought to know!).
The pump comes with three different sized breast shields: S, M, and L. This is brilliant given most women won’t know what size will suit them until they start expressing. By supplying all three sizes you can select the best fit for you and produce the most effective seal possible to catch the milk. The instructions are also superb - really well explained and with plenty of tips and advice for mums who are new to expressing.
What’s more, the Difrax can be battery operated to allow you freedom to express away from a wall socket. This is ideal if you are studying, watching the telly or driving. The pump comes with a little pouch for ease of carrying around the unit if you should choose to do so.
It also claims to be silent. I’d actually be inclined to argue with this. If you pop the unit on a hard surface, it definitely isn’t! But pop it on the carpet and it whirs away silently. Given noise isn’t something that would ever put me off an electrical item, I don’t feel the need to elaborate more on this.
Cleaning is a faff - but then every pump is a faff to clean. But given we’re talking small tubes with the Difrax, it really is bit of a mission. I recommend buying a few new tubes before you get started so you’re not constantly sterilising, and have a few in reserve.
My only other slight criticism is that the tubes that come with the pump are a little short. If you’re sat on the sofa they unit will only just reach the floor. I’d have preferred a much longer tube to offer more flexibility, or perhaps a few tubes of various lengths.
As I mentioned the S-baby bottle earlier, now seems an ideal time to introduce you to them. They’re pretty impressive:
Aesthetically: Excellent. The s-shape and numerous colourways look great on your kitchen shelf.
Ergonomically: Again, excellent. They’re incredibly easy-to-hold thanks to the fact they’re long and thin.
Practically: Easy-peasy to clean with a bottle brush, measurements are well delineated, and a cinch to put together even when bleary-eyed of a morning. I haven’t experienced any leaks either. The bottle also has an unscrewable base which can be cleaned easily and filled with ice cubes of breast milk.
Anti-colic: As always I feel pretty crap advising any new mummy to ‘take my word for it’ on this - Heidi has an extreme case of colic that is yet to be solved with any bottle, medication or position.
Price: Not great. At £7.49 a bottle, we’re talking pricey. However I can say they’re pretty durable and I’d be happy to pay for the quality.
So that’s it! As always, I’ve been brutally honest, but I’m really keen to impress that this pump has revolutionised feeding times for this family. I’m desperate to see this product work in a UK market and hope they’ll be many more ‘Difrax mummies’ this time next year.
Thanks for reading my Difrax BtoB Breast Pump review, as always if you have any specific questions do leave me a comment. For more information or to buy, head on over to their Difrax’s UK website, or if you can speak Dutch, why not see what everyone else is saying over on Facebook, Twitter or G+.
