Guest post by Sujana Wilson
Most moms start pumping either with a manual pump or an electric pump! Depending on your lifestyle both can work.
If you think electric pumps make your life easier, hands-free pumps might make it even better! However, many moms and even me to a certain point kept asking whether hand-free pumps are really worth it. I tried to look at some of the good and annoying sides of hands-free pumps! And it should be enough to draw a conclusion.
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The Good Sides of Hands-Free Breast Pumps
1. Perfect for Managing Digital Life
As a work from home mom, it’s tough to manage pumping with a regular stationary pump. Especially, when your living depends on typing/writing and stuff. We all have a digital life to manage and a hands-free pump can really make a difference.
You can’t type with one hand and sometimes, the emails remain unanswered for hours. When I switched to hands-free pumping, I was able to completely focus on working and the pump did its own magic. Totally, stress-free breast milk without compromising work.
2. Multitasking at Home and Office
I know I know! You can do your work after pumping. But it’s not just one session you are looking at. For someone with a work-life balance to maintain, multitasking is crucial. You might be in a meeting in the office or on a Zoom conference. It’s not convenient to pump in those situations. However, going hands-free makes it easier to do those tasks and a lot of stuff altogether without keeping the baby hungry.
I can take a walk, answer the phone, open the door, and even feed the dog!
3. Make Time for Chores
The mundane tasks like cleaning and laundry become less important when you are pumping exclusively. In the first few months after pregnancy, I used to leave those tasks for my husband or the maid. But as days went by and the load of the chores increased, I had to take a stand. So, when I changed my breast pump to a hands-free version, I could get those tasks done! Well, not completely. But I was able to contribute at least twice than before.
4. Discreet Traveling
The best hands-free breast pumps are those that remain discreet when you wear them under your dress. It’s also one of the top reasons why moms buy such pumps! If your lifestyle is outdoor-oriented and you need to travel frequently or spend a long time traveling/commuting to work, you might want to make use of the time. A hands-free wearable pump remains discreet and you can easily pump in public without making a few eyebrows raise. In my days, I was able to add at least 2-3 extra sessions daily because of this.
5. Finally, You Can Cook
When you have just a single baby to take care of things get easy. In my case, with two other kids below 6 years, I had to find a way to feed them. Canned and restaurant foods were not the option. Kids of this age need healthy and homemade food. Pumping with one hand and cooking is pretty much impossible. I tried it and it failed. Just imagine, you are holding the pump in one hand, stirring noodles with another hand, and now you need to open the jar for spices. It’s a fact! You can cook with a hands-free breast pump without any issues.
6. More Time for Yourself
Besides cooking, chores, and taking care of the baby, you also need time for yourself. I used to love reading novels, 
stories, and books on just about everything. But after delivery, I just couldn’t make time for myself. Sometimes, I thought of watching the TV, taking a walk to my neighbors, and random things like that. It became a reality when I got the hands-free pump. And, suddenly my life became more spontaneous.
7. Freedom to Relax
Going hands-free might not give you the ultimate freedom. You still need to make sure that you are sitting properly or not leaning too much and stuff like that. But when you have your two hands unoccupied, I think that’s freedom! The list of things you can get done with just the hands is huge. I didn’t know until I had to breastfeed my baby. With some pumps, you can even lean back without any issues. So, you can rest your back and enjoy the time pumping.
The Annoying Stuff
1. Limited Discretion With Larger Breasts
One of the most annoying things about hands-free pumps is they aren’t much discreet when you have larger breasts. Well, I didn’t go through such issues, but a lot of mom does. The problem is when you have large breasts and on top of that a pump clinging on to them, it looks ugly and odd. For working moms, that’s something to consider if discretion is a necessity for you and you have big breasts to handle.
2. The Issues With Pumping Bra
A good pumping bra can sometimes become mandatory with a hands-free pump. That’s alright for a one-time investment. However, a woman’s body after pregnancy is unpredictable and the sizes of her breasts will keep changing. This can be frustrating and sometimes expensive as you will need to buy new pumping bras. The better option could be an adjustable bra with various sizing options. What’s more frustrating is some hands-free pumps require different sorts of bras and you will need to buy from the brand itself. So, your regular ones won’t fit with it.
The Final Verdict
It’s clear! The pros outnumber the cons when it comes to hands-free pumping. The issues with large breasts and pumping bras are minimal when it comes to the level of freedom you get with such pumps.
Yes, it’s definitely worth buying a hands-free pump! Without a doubt. All you have to do is pump like a pro now.
