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You should always seek medical advice from a physician or other qualified health provider for any questions pertaining to breastfeeding and milk storage. Any information found in this post, on this blog, and shared on any resources created by Mom Wife and Everyday Life is based on my personal experience as a mom and should not be taken as professional advice. The contents of this website are for general informational purposes.
What is the Haakaa?
The Haakaa is a multi-use breastfeeding product. It is a silicone suction cup that can easily be attached to your breast to collect breast milk. This thing is revolutionary!
How to Use Your Haakaa
The Haakaa is ridiculously easy to use.
The Haakaa is a suction cup that has a bulb attached to collect your breastmilk.
To physically put on the Haakaa you invert the suction cup. (AKA flip it inside out)
Next, you will want to squeeze the bottom part, or as I called it the bulb-like part.
While squeezing the bulb, line the suction cup up to your nipple then flip the suction cup so it is now attached to your breast. This happens via the power of suction.
At this point let go. It should stay on you without needing to hold it.
Now you have it attached!
It is ok if the bulb is still squished a bit from where you squeezed it.
When to Use the Haakaa
Primarily it is designed to be used while you are nursing.
My system was to attach the Haakaa to one side then attach my baby to the other. I always breastfed next to a table that way I had a place to put everything. My baby girl H would chill in my lap while I attached the Haakaa, this takes about two seconds. After that, I would get her going on the other side.
Easy peasy!
My suggestion is to use the football hold for nursing your baby. This hold is where your baby gets tucked under your arm. So if you are sitting on a couch and your baby is nursing from your right side they are facing you. Their body is along your right side going under your right armpit. Where your back is hitting the couch their feet should be hitting the couch.
Make sense?
This breastfeeding position is great while using the Haakaa. It keeps your baby away from kicking or swatting at the Haakaa.
So while your baby is eating away you are collecting drips of milk from the opposite breast. I only fed from one side during a feeding then would alternate for the next feeding.
For example:
| Time: | Left Breast | Right Breast |
| 8 am | Nurse Baby | Haakaa |
| 11 am | Haakaa | Nurse Baby |
| 2 pm | Nurse Baby | Haakaa |
| 5 pm | Haakaa | Nurse Baby |
How to Remove the Haakaa
In the beginning, I typically caught one to three ounces of milk during a feeding. This could increase over time when your supply increases. (I only used it in the beginning couple of months because I realized I wasn’t using my freezer milk much #Covid and not going anywhere)
You may keep the Haakaa on for the entire feeding and then remove it. If the suction starts to bother you for any reason take it off early. It shouldn’t be painful at all. However, if I had it on for a long time the suction would start to bother me.
The Haakaa is easy to remove just pop up the edge of the cup to relieve the suction.
Be careful though! You don’t want to end up with spilled milk in your lap.
This is where having a table nearby is helpful.
A tip I read, and would love to give credit to, is the coffee mug trick. (I don’t know where I read about this tip) If you have a fear of the Haakaa falling over and spilling everywhere you can place it in an empty coffee mug.
My Haakaa did however come with a plug. I didn’t fully trust the plug though. There are also some versions of the Haakaa that have a suction cup base to attach the Haakaa to a table to prevent spills.
So you get the Haakaa off and baby off in whatever order you find works best for you. Get your baby burped and then get the milk labeled stored.
Please take time to research proper breastmilk storage rules and guidelines.
So there you have it. You now know how to use the Haakaa!
Why I Love the Haakaa!
This product is amazing!
Affordable
The first reason I love the Haakaa is that it is affordable. By no means does this baby item break the bank.
Compact
The Haakaa is so small you can easily take it with you in your diaper bag or on a trip. It has minimal parts to take with it. All you need is the Haakaa and milk bags for storage.
Simple
The structure and design are so simple. You hardy need directions to use it! There aren’t multiple speeds or settings. It’s basically a suction cup you put on your boob.
As a first-time mom breastfeeding is overwhelming. Pumps can be intimidating, but this product gives your mind a break with its ease of use.
Multipurpose
This product is very similar to milk savers. Essentially that’s what it is doing, but it has the suction added, verses milk savers just catch what you otherwise would lose. The suction gives you a boost in how much you collect.
The Haakaa can also be used as a manual breast pump. I never used it as an actual pump so I really can’t say how well it would work as a breast pump replacement.
Another great use for the Haakaa is to relieve engorgement. If you feel engorgement is coming, go ahead and attach the Haakaa to catch some milk and relieve the pressure.
This can be helpful if you are trying to feed your baby, but too much milk is coming at them too fast. You don’t want your baby to feel like they are drowning in milk. This is very common first thing in the morning!
The final way to put the Haakaa to use is to help with clogged ducts and mastitis. Clogged ducts and mastitis can be extremely painful for momma. The Haakaa can be used to relieve pressure if needed.
You can put warm to hot water in the Haakaa with Epsom salt and attach it to your breast to help with both issues. (Just to be clear in this case any milk collected would have to be trashed due to the mixture of water and Epsom salt.)
I was a lucky one. I did not experience clogged ducts or mastitis as far as I know….and I think I would have noticed.
Doesn’t Affect your Supply
The basics of breastfeeding boil down to supply and demand.
Pumping is demanding more milk from your body which ideally your body will then supply. This is great right? More milk!
My only problem with this is the confusion your body can go through. If while you are at home on maternity leave with your baby, pumping and nursing, your body is getting used to producing a lot of milk.
Then if you slow down, maybe because you go back to work, you likely are not going to pump often enough to maintain what you were doing at home. So now you are telling your body you need less milk. This can be a slippery slope to losing your supply.
Pumping can mess with your supply.
The Haakaa shouldn’t mess with your supply.
The Haakaa is just collecting a little milk while you nurse or if you are engorged. I call them EASY ounces. This shouldn’t confuse your body and cause overproduction.
Overall the haakaa is a simple product. Breastfeeding can get over-complicated and stressful, check out my article The Unexpected Emotional Challenges of Breastfeeding: How to Find Balance and Joy.
Why the Haakaa Over a Breast Pump?
You can use both items! They each have a time and a place!
I am not anti-breast pump! I do believe however that they can make breastfeeding more complicated.
Here is how I recommend using the Haakaa and breast pump based on your lifestyle.
Working Mommas
The Haakaa is getting you ahead on a freezer stash before going back to work. Then when you go back to work I suggest pumping at work to replace feeding your baby. Meaning every time your baby would be eating you are pumping. This is how you keep up your supply.
The milk you pump can be used the next day. So basically while at work on Tuesday you pump and that milk should be used to feed your baby on Wednesday. And for the weekend you just use Friday’s pumped milk to feed your baby Monday while they are being cared for.
The Haakaa freezer milk gets you through that first day back at work and can be used as back up milk as needed. This system prevents you from needing a huge freezer stash.
You must keep up pumping at work though to make this work. Every time your baby is being fed by another caretaker you need to be pumping.
Stay at Home Mommas
If you are a stay at home momma, but use the occasional babysitter, milk from the Haakaa will come in handy for when you leave your baby. You have little need for a breast pump if you plan to primarily be with your baby.
The Haakaa gets your milk in the freezer without confusing your supply. If you are successfully breastfeeding and you are typically with your baby you don’t have a need for a giant freezer stash.
Other Tips:
Some may find it annoying to have bags of milk that are only an ounce or two. You can combine milk from two feedings in a row together then transfer the bag to the freezer.
Don’t be put off by a small amount though because sometimes you just need an ounce or two for the perfect sized bottle later on.
Another crazy use for the Haakaa is to prep your nipple for your baby. You can actually attach the Haakaa to the breast you plan to nurse from. The suction will get your nipple a little more ready for your baby, especially if your baby is struggling to find its latch.
Conclusion
I cannot express how much I love this product!
I have to wrap up this post by letting you know I am just a mom. I am not a breastfeeding expert. I am not a lactation consultant.
My experience includes breastfeeding one baby for over 12 months.
Update: when ended our breastfeeding journey just shy of 14 months
My baby did not have any lip or tongue ties.
I would like to also add that my breastfeeding journey was very different from most because I was able to take little H to work with me. I had access to her like a stay at home mom would, rather than a mother who works away from their baby.
All of these things make my journey unique as all journeys are.
During my experience breastfeeding, I quickly realized the value and usefulness of the Haakaa and am so thankful to be able to share it with you!
I realize this sounds like a complete sales pitch. This isn’t even a sponsored post…though I should look into that. I just truly think this product can be valuable to breastfeeding mommas.
Just a reminder, if you are a momma that wants to breastfeed give yourself grace and relax. It can be challenging at times, but it will be ok.
Click to check out the Haakaa for yourself on Amazon.
Check Out My Articles
The Top 16 Baby Products Every New Parent Needs: A Handpicked Selection
Smart Purchases for New Parents: My Top 11 Favorite Baby Products
How to Stop Breastfeeding and Gently Wean Your Baby
The Unexpected Emotional Challenges of Breastfeeding: How to Find Balance and Joy
The Top 17 Advantages of Direct Breastfeeding Over Bottle Feeding