Lilu Massage Bra & My breastfeeding journey ~ letter to breastfeeding mums
Dear Breastfeeding Mothers,
My name is M, I am currently based in Singapore.
I am writing this letter to those of you who are trying very hard everyday to breastfeed.
I have a six month old baby now and after four months of maternity leave, I am back to full-time work but my pumping days haven’t stopped. I have to pump three times a day during office hours.
Pumping is tiring work isn’t it?! It takes so much time and I feel exhausted after my pump sessions, I am always looking for ways to pump efficiently and quickly as possible.
I have been using the Lilu bra, the world’s hand-free massage bra and I would like to share with you how it feels and what I like about it. I hope my experience in this letter helps you during your pumping journey.
Do you feel like all you do is write emails, attend meetings and pump?
As I mentioned, I pump three times a day - and each time takes around 30 minutes which means that every day I am pumping for one hour and thirty minutes. That’s ten hours a week.
To be even more specific, it can take up to 10-15 minutes for each breast as I hold a bottle with one hand and use the other hand to massage the breast as it is being pumped. That’s a lot of time gone.
If you are wondering why I massage while pumping - because if I didn’t, my milk flow would be weak and after a while the breast becomes painful, engorged and mastitis would form.
After I gave birth and before the breastfeeding journey began, my breasts became sore and swollen because my baby didn’t drink enough. I was taught by a lactation therapist that it was good to help the milk flow by massaging it during breastfeeding.
If I could make pumping easier for me - I would. I would check my email, drink tea, the list would be endless.
About Lilu - Key Features
Lilu is the world's first hands-free pumping bra that has a gentle massage function.
The best part is that it massages your breasts, mimicking the movements of a professional breast massage!
Studies have shown that massaging while breastfeeding can increase milk production by as much as 50%, and the bra does the massaging for you while you pump. It is also a hands-free bra, so you can pump with both your hands free!
With Lilu, it seems you can expect to pump more milk in a shorter time and in a more relaxed feeling.
For more information about Lilu, please visit the page here
Lilu - My experience and honest feedback
The Lilu hands-free massage bra seems to have a lot of useful features for mothers who need to pump milk every day, but you may be wondering a few questions
- Does it really increase the amount of milk?
- Can you pump properly without the milk spilling everywhere?
- What kind of massage is it?
One lactation massage I had was incredibly painful, it brought me to tears and I definitely do not want a bra that gives the same painful massage every time!
<Sizing>
My bra size is 65C or D. After childbirth, both my chest and cup sizes went up by one size, so I wasn't sure whether to go for a S or M, but I had no problem with the S size.
Both the underbust and shoulder straps can be adjusted with Velcro. They are quite strong and stretchy, so I was able to get a perfect fit.
<Comfort Level>
My first impression when I held the bra was that it was relatively heavy. I was worried that if I wore this heavy bra and also placed the milk bottles, my shoulders would be stiff. However, when I actually put it on, I didn't feel the weight so much as the wide strap and tight fit.
Other brand’s hands-free bra I used to use is stiff and my skin hurts when I tighten them to hold the bottle in place, but with the Lilu it was perfectly fine. The texture is soft and comfortable.
<Massage Function>
You can choose between two massage intensities: strong and weak. I thought the massage was very gentle and not painful at all even at "strong" intensity.
Maybe because I got used to the strong massage by therapists…. But I personally think it could be stronger.
I didn't really see the big change in my milk supply volume probably because I’ve been massaging myself to begin with.
At first I thought this was disappointing, but when I think about it again, it's amazing that I can produce the same amount of milk as when I massage myself.
The disadvantage of the massage function is the noise of the motor that I felt a bit loud.
The electric pump machine also has a motor sound, so I was surprised by the noise that doubled. However, as I got used to using Lilu and started to do other things while pumping, it didn't bother me anymore.
If you are using it in an office, there is no problem if you have a nursing room, but if you have to pump in the bathroom, it may be a concern.
<Hands-free function>
It fits very comfortably and holds the bottle securely. I actually pumped a few times and not once did it leak!
Even with about 100ml of milk in each bottle, I did not feel any pain or heaviness, so I was able to work by putting my both hands on the PC while pumping. Thus, each pumping session was halved to about 15 minutes because I could pump both breasts at once.
Thanks to Lilu, I can pump completely hands-free and I can do what I want without feeling I am wasting time. The hands-free feature was everything I hoped it would be!
<I recommend Lilu for the following people>
- Recommended to people -
- Who want to pump hands-free while multitasking
- Who want to pump faster with double pump (both breast at the same time)
- Who want to improve milk production with massage
- I’m sure Lilu would help people, too
- Who are just after childbirth and breastfeeding hasn’t got on track
- Who are prone to pain and lumps due to the accumulation of breast milk
In my case, using Lilu has reduced my pumping time, plus it frees up my hands to do other things. The stress and fatigue during pumping has been greatly reduced.
I tired Lilu for the first time when I was 6 months postpartum, but if I had been able to use it during the most painful and troublesome period right after birth until breastfeeding took off, I might have been able to start breastfeeding smoothly without suffering from severe pain from clogged milk ducts or having lactation massage.
I hope that using femtech products like Lilu will make your hard pumping work a little easier and help you have a HAPPY parenting life.
Have a great day!
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