Product Review! Hygeia EnJoye Breast Pump: How Well Does It Work?

We’re so happy we can do this two-part review! Christie tried the Hygeia EnJoye pump, then mailed it to Melanie, which closed-system pumps like Hygeia safely allow since nothing Christie’s breastmilk touched then touches Melanie’s breastmilk, it’s HygeNIC (haha) as well. So special treat here, a two-for-one review!

Melanie: Best Pump in the Whole World!

Well, that’s my opinion anyway.

My boobs were made to breastfeed. I’m not trying to be smug or anything. They just were, it’s a fact. And with a little training, they have made me quite successful at pumping. A bad pumping session for me is when I get fewer than 4oz from one breast, and I’ve been known to get 16oz from one pumping session (and yes, of course I donate).

While I was pregnant with my third babe, Alaina, Christie asked me if I wanted to test this pump that she had been reviewing. Of course I wanted to! Any pump that can be shared in a sterile manner, and recycled after its life has ended is a pump that I want to get my hands on!

The Pump: Hygeia EnJoye Professional Grade Breast PumpIt was love at first suck. Looking at it, it’s a bit bulky, and the buttons for recording and playing back baby sounds (to help initiate letdown) are in an awkward place. My kids record random things, and love to push the “play” button to listen to it. Over and over and over. Once I started using it, that seemed to be the only downside. It’s pretty quiet, much more so than my other pump, which is a top seller and expensive, though now I’m not sure why, as the Hygeia is so much more comfortable to use. It doesn’t FEEL like I just pumped, which, if you’ve ever pumped, you know is a feeling that kind of sucks (no pun intended).

I’ve taken my Hygeia on road trips and planes,  and have received comments such as, “That’s a PUMP? Looks like a pretty heavy duty piece of machinery.” Well, it is. It’s very effective in mimicking the baby’s suck, as there are two knobs for speed and and strength. I have had the most success with a low speed and a high strength suck. The knobs give you a wide range of suck/speed to choose from, so your boobs are more likely to letdown and fill up those little 4oz bottles. Another thing to love is the battery. I’ve charged it one time, and have pumped out close to 500 oz on that single charge. That’s some awesome battery life, especially compared to other battery operated pumps that eat batteries like mad!

Have I mentioned that the EnJoye is a double pump if you want it to be? Using pieces of tubing that come in the sterile accessories pack, you can pump one side or both, for those of us that have a both-sides let down every time. No loss of suction when using it in double mode, either, which is a problem that my old pump had. I used to dread pumping and only did it when I was engorged, but now I get excited about taking time out of my day to pump. I appreciate Hygeia letting us try out this amazing pump; I’ve recommended it to everyone I know! Now off I go to pump.

Christie: Ethics, Earth Friendly and Adorable, Oh My!

The only pumps I’d ever owned were a battery powered tiny little pump, and a manual hand pump. Both I bought at grocery stores, the latter from a discount clearance cart (yes, seriously). I got decent success with the first, after I had my first child, though I only really pumped for about a month. But the handheld pump I bought after my daughter was born never did anything but hurt my breasts, and never even coated the bottom of the bottle.

When I received the Hygeia EnJoye, my first thought was shock. We received not only the pump itself, but the bag as well, which looked amazing, was sturdy, and came with a lot of pockets to help with organization, and even it’s own ice pack and pouch. The whole thing was very attractive. The pump itself is a big square, but pretty lightweight even still. I was a little intimidated, given my lack of experience with pumps of this type, but I plugged it in, and tried it out. NO pain. Granted, I didn’t pump any milk out, but that was okay, it’s not like I was used to pumping anyway. I was also trying to pump for a friend who is unable to breastfeed, so I started taking a lot of galactogogues to aid in it. Regardless, unlike Melanie, I just don’t pump well. However, that’s no knock against the Hygeia. My daughter was also already a toddler, and it’s my experience that pumping is easier when babies are still quite small. My kids loved recording things as well with the CARE button (Customized, Audio, Recording, Experience), whether by accident or not. (I hear they made it harder to accidentally push the button now.) Even my La Leche Leage Leader tried her hand at crying like a baby… but sorry Cammy, your cry is going to make me laugh, not stimulate letdown, which is the point of the recording feature.

Ethics are a big thing for me. The WHO Code has been mentioned here on Daily Momtra ad nauseum, and we’ve also talked a lot about the planet. Hygeia delivers, in both areas. They are completely compliant with the WHO’s Code, which already makes me love them. But additionally, closed pump systems of course mean they can safely be passed from mother to mother, and with the sturdy construction of the EnJoye, in addition to the incredibly active online Hygeia team who is always willing to help out, I firmly believe that these pumps will last quite awhile. But additionally, Hygeia pumps, if they do reach the end of their life, can be mailed back to Hygeia to be recycled. How awesome is that?

Needless to say, Hygeia is not only my most recommended pump, but is also just one of my favorite companies now. I’m really grateful they let us try out this pump, and that they’re out there, meeting needs of moms while staying ethical AND green in the process. Thanks, Hygeia!

(While we received the pump to review cost-free to us, our opinions are our own, are not paid, nor influenced by Hygeia or any other company or organization.)

Tags: breastfeeding, pumping, review, who code