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As a new mom running a freelance copywriting business in addition to contributing to publications like this one several times a month, I knew my breastfeeding tour of duty would be short-lived if I had to pump several times a day plugged into a wall. I did that with my hospital-issued Spectra pump exactly twice before researching wearable pumps.
When Willow reached out and offered to send me the new Willow 360 Wearable Breast Pump (previously called Willow 3.0, but with some upgrades), I jumped at the chance. This high-tech solution is not only wearable, it’s also spill-proof, connects to an app that measures your ounce output as you’re pumping, and so much more. I put it to the test the past four months and here’s my unfiltered review.
The Willow came in a luxe cardboard box within a regular, unbranded cardboard box for shipping, which is good, because who needs my neighbors knowing my breast pumping business? I unboxed the pumps, which came with a lot of other items. The packaging is definitely high-end—think the Apple of breast pump paraphernalia.
Willow sends you all of the following items, carefully packaged. It was a little intimidating, but well organized. Be warned, there are quite a few parts to wash regularly, so if you’re looking for less maintenance in that area, another wearable pump might be the way to go. Of course, this is the only one you can wear in any position and the app calculates your milk output in ounces for you. Here’s what the box contains:
The biggest difference between the Willow 360 and the Willow 3.0 is that 360 customers are supported by 360 Care. This is a virtual services program providing moms with concierge-level pump support and feeding education, as well as access to a Willow Mom Coach for personalized onboarding and sizing guidance.
Through a partnership with SimpliFed, the program also provides direct access to international board-certified lactation consultants (IBCLC), which provides lactation consulting support to new mothers. This was huge for me. I found breastfeeding and pumping complicated and overwhelming to learn on no sleep and taking care of a newborn.
The Willow 360 costs $494.99 on Amazon and $499.99 on Willow’s website, which includes access to Willow 360 care, a one-on-one virtual consultation, and sizing support. The price is steep, but for the convenience it provides, it was well worth it. If you’re planning on pumping for at least six months, or using it for multiple children, the fact that you can use it hands-free without anyone knowing is beyond useful.
Most insurance plans cover breast pumps. If for some reason yours doesn’t cover it completely, you can likely buy it using your HSA or FSA.
The Willow 360 allows for freedom to do what you need to do while you pump, whether that’s work, cleaning, or driving. It’s super comfortable and super convenient.
Its compact, in-bra design lets you pump hands-free in any position — you can even bend over to pick something up, or sit down. It has no cords or tubes to restrict movement, so you can multitask and enjoy your day while expressing milk for your baby. With its hospital-grade suction and app control for personalized settings, the Willow 360 helps you reclaim those hours throughout your day.
Willow’s design allows for a continuous, leak-proof seal, in addition to smart sensors that send milk volume data to the brand’s app in real time. It also has Smart Suction technology created to detect letdown and automatically switch from stimulation mode to expression mode. It’s compatible with both self-sealing milk bags or reusable containers.
Willow offers several additional accessories for purchase, including the following:
Portable milk containers ($49.99 for a set of 2) replace the disposable milk bags. They snap directly onto the breast milk storage containers to optimize your comfort and your milk expression.
The small, convenient Pump Anywhere Bag ($179.99) can be worn as a backpack, crossbody, or shoulder bag with a removable cooler.
Available in three colorways, the Portable Breast Milk Cooler ($59.99) stores 16 ounces of milk and keeps it cool for up to 24 hours.
You need two of these spill-proof milk bags ($29.99 for a 48-pack) for each session if you don’t buy the Portable Milk Container Set.
These Soothing Silver Nursing Cups ($39.99 for a set of 2) are designed to help reduce nipple pain. They’re antimicrobial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory.
I tested the Willow 360 Wearable Breast Pump by using it at least twice a day for four months. I used it for 20 to 30 minutes each session and initially tested it out with the milk bags, but found them too irritating to deal with.
Instead, I purchased the Portable Milk Container Set, which was much easier to deal with. I used the set with the app to keep track of my milk output and how often I pumped. It was helpful to see which breast and pump I’d last used (left or right) when I would only use one while breastfeeding my baby.
I assembled the parts of the Willow per the instructions, and noticed when you turn it on, it makes a funny noise. The reason? It's trying to find your nipple and latch to it. It needs a really good seal to get continuous suction throughout your pumping session. Willow offers a one-on-one consultation with one of its specialists to walk you through the set up, which I highly recommend.
To get a good seal, you’ll want to measure your nipples with the included sizer. In my one-on-one consultation with my mom coach, Cat at Willow, my specialist told me nipples may actually be different sizes, and that was true in my case. They noted that sometimes they’re “sisters, not twins.”
Per Cat, it's also normal to have to size down throughout your pumping journey, as most moms’ nipples shrink over time — which was the case for me. So you might start with the 21 mm flange and wind up somewhere around 17 mm or less. When you’re measuring, do it before you've pumped or breastfed, or at least an hour after to let natural swelling go down, so you get the most accurate measurements.
Pumping is pretty straightforward once everything is set up. While it’s somewhat discreet, if you’re wearing the pumps with more form-fitting clothing, be prepared to channel Dolly Parton for a half hour. In other words, if you’re on a Zoom call or in a meeting, wear something loose or be on camera from the neck up.
Me wearing 1 pump only with loose top:
For me, it works best when I set it up so the flex tube is tilted on a diagonal toward my armpit. This position is a lot more comfortable for me (and Cat said it is for many moms as opposed to straight up and down).
Another tip is to dangle your breast into the flange from the top, rather than put it on using a horizontal motion. Make sure your nipple is centered in the flange, then turn the pump on, let it latch, and then adjust your bra strap as necessary. You want the flange to fit snugly against your breast tissue so it stays put even if you move around.
I like to put a tube top over my pumping bra for more compression. A tip from Cat: “If you have a great pumping session, your bra fit has a lot to do with it. Be mindful of what you’re wearing bra-wise.” This is great advice and I find these bras from Momcozy work especially well for me.
I have another pump I really like, but the fact is, I pump more with the Willow. The output with this one is larger, but there are more parts to clean than my other pump. It’s a trade-off and truth be told, I wind up using both.
Your breasts do become used to one pump though, so I always use one of each brand on each breast when I’m going between the two and I don’t tend to do it more often than once every couple of weeks or so. You have to train your body to learn to let down for a new suction type.
These are comfortable! The self-adjusting suction and inserts within the flanges makes this a nice experience, overall. It has a soft, flexible design and of course, no cords or tubes to restrict movement so I can pump while doing most anything.
Privacy when it comes to small babies is just not as much of a thing as we’d all like, right? While there will be some noise as the pump operates, the Willow 360 is significantly quieter than traditional breast pumps. The exact noise level can vary depending on the pumping mode (stimulation versus expression). I found it to be quiet enough that my friends didn’t typically ask what “that” noise was while I was using it when chatting on the phone.
Once you have your one-on-one virtual consultation, I’d say the Willow is user-friendly — but the learning curve is real. The most confusing thing for me at first was the flip-to-finish feature. It takes a little while to get the hang of it without it leaking.
The first thing you want to check when you do it is how far you’re turning the dial from the 1 to the 2 position. The reason for this: There’s a small air vent hole under the dial. When the dial is set in the 1 position for pumping, the air vent hole is uncovered, which allows air to release and not build pressure while you are pumping.
When you turn the dial to the 2 position, it covers that hole, creating a seal to prevent milk from spilling while doing the flip-to-finish technique. If the dial is pushed beyond the stopping point, milk can leak from this area. Willow recommends practicing this over a clean bowl to ensure you keep every drop of your breastmilk when flipping.
When you do flip-to-finish, you’ll want to note that once you tilt the pump, it will start to do its eight gulps. You have to wait two to three gulps before you flip the pump over. If you wait one gulp or more than three gulps, you'll wind up with a lap full of milk or milk stuck in your flex tube. Definitely avoid this!
The pump absolutely nails this. You can easily tote these along with their charger, anywhere and everywhere. While it doesn’t come with its own carrying case, it’s easy enough to toss them into your diaper bag for pumping on the go. The fact that it can do five full pump sessions on a single charge makes this pretty easy.
Because there are so many small parts, I’d say this is not Willow’s best feature. On the plus side, you can throw the pieces in the dishwasher. But there are a few of them to assemble or disassemble each time. If you have a bottle washer or sterilizer, this makes it a lot easier. I love the Momcozy KleanPal Pro Bottle Washer for this. I use it daily to wash teething toys, bottles, and pump parts.
I was given a sample from the brand, but Willow provides users with a one-on-one session with someone from the brand to walk you through how to set everything up and use the pump correctly. There is a bit of a learning curve with this one, so I found it super helpful to speak with Willow’s mom coach,Cat.
Sizing the flanges for this pump is so specific compared to other pumps — it’s important to get that right before proceeding. But once you do, you’ll feel like you’re pumping decades into the future. I like that all accessories, excluding the pumps themselves, are dishwasher-safe, but make sure to put them on the top rack only. If they’re not clean, you’ll get errors on your app.
All in all, while expensive, the one-on-one guidance, cutting-edge technology and high suction make this a worthy investment if you’re breastfeeding for several months or more.
To find other wearable breast pumps, read our guide.
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