The 6 BEST Haakaa Hacks for New Moms

Now that we’ve taught you in previous posts what the Haakaa Silicone Breast Pump is and how to use it. We felt it was the appropriate time to hit you with some tips and tricks to create an even more seamless Haakaa experience for you! Here are the top eight best haakaa hacks to try out!

The Haakaa Breast pump is one of the most popular products for breastfeeding mothers.

While there is certainly such thing as “too much of a good thing” when it comes to the haakaa, it can be a really helpful tool.

As a lactation professional, it’s pretty rare for me to work with a mom who isn’t using a haakaa in some capacity or another. Because of this, I’ve picked up some helpful tips and tricks on how to best use it!

Haakaa Tips and Tricks

Tip #1 Use a Coffee Mug to Avoid Spills

There are few things more frustrating than creating a supply of milk in your Haakaa only to have it tip over and spill out before making it to a storage container. This can be a particularly relevant issue if you have one of the older more basic Haakaa pumps that do not include a suctioned bottom or a lid.

In order to prevent spilling your liquid gold, I recommend you keep a mug or cup nearby while you’re feeding so that you can place your Haakaa inside of it to provide stability. This will give you a little grace period before you head to the kitchen to store that precious milk.

Tip #2 Unclog Milk Ducts

I’ve written an entire post dedicated to unclogging a milk duct with the Haakaa Silicone Breast pump, but it’s one of the most popular uses for a Haakaa.

1. Fill your Haakaa with warm water and Epsom salt
2. Suction it to your breast with the clogged duct
3. Allow the suction and heat to draw out the clog.

It’s important to keep in mind that the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine advised against this in their recent protocol on treating mastitis. Some IBCLCs that I know say they don’t really love recommending this. However, I have seen a lot of moms claim nothing else helped, so it’s something to consider.

Can’t shake the stubborn clogs? Pick up your copy of our SUPER popular guide – The Clogged Duct Cure – to banish those pesky clogs once and for all!

Tip #3 Soothe Your Irritated Nipples

While I hope no one is dealing with irritated, sore, or cracked nipples, (Check out our online breastfeeding course to get advice to make breastfeeding as painless on your body as possible) I know that it’s something that many women face.

Try filling your Haakaa with warm saline water and attach the Haakaa to your breast with the water touching your nipple. This should help soothe and heal your nipple to alleviate pain while you’re breastfeeding.

Tip #4 Hands-Free Haakaa

If your baby is getting to the age where they don’t lay nicely while feeding, or if you just have a wiggly little babe- this hack is for you!

Try using a pumping bra to hold your Haakaa in place while you’re breastfeeding your baby. The last thing you want is for the pump to get kicked off and to spill all of your reserved milk.

Here is a list of some of our favorite hands-free pumping bras that might do the trick for you!

Tip #5: Lanyard

This is a tip we learned from a friend on Instagram – attach your Haakaa to a lanyard to help prevent spillage and from baby knocking it off your breast as easily, and if you move the wrong way, it may help prevent milk from spilling out. I have seen some different brands of silicone suction pumps that have lanyards that are included!

Tip #6: Haakaa Hair Tie Trick

Here is another hands free tip – loop a hair tie around your Haakaa and then attach part of the hair tie to your nursing bra clasp – and viola, hands-free! (if you need a new nursing bra, make sure you check out our favorites at Kindred Bravely! Get 20% off with the code 20TBM.

Is a Haakaa still a breast pump?

The Haakaa IS still a breast pump, and it stimulates extra milk – not just your drip milk! A lot of moms don’t realize that it does stimulate the breast still – albeit, less than a traditional electric pump.

What type of Haakaa should I get?

If you don’t have a Haakaa or other silicone breast pump, here are a few options we recommend. There are a lot of different ones on the market right now, so you can grab the one that’s best for you.

• 5.4 ounce Haakaa
• 4 ounce Haakaa
• Nature Bond Silicone Breast Milk Saver Pump
• Bumblebee Silicone Pump
• Lansinoh Silicone Breast Milk Collector

We understand why the Haakaa has such a huge following, it’s convenience and small-size makes it perfect for most moms. Now with these tips we hope you can use your Haakaa to it’s fullest potential!

Other Posts You May Enjoy:

• Willow versus Elvie: Which Hands-Free Pump is Best?
• The Five Best Hands-Free Pumping Bras (For All Budgets!)
• DIY Pumping Bra – Hands-Free and Cheap!