Elvie Stride Hands Free Electric Breast Pump Review For Moms, By a Mom
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As a new or expecting mother, navigating the world of breastfeeding can be both exciting and a little intimidating. Every detail, from latch techniques to nursing schedules, becomes like the center of your universe in ensuring your child gets all the nutrients they need. Yet, amid the whirlwind of new responsibilities, one essential factor often overlooked is the choice of breast pump. Believe it or not, selecting the right breast pump can significantly impact your breastfeeding journey. It’s not merely a tool; it’ll become your best friend who helps you ensure baby is getting fed. In this review, we’ll review the popular Elvie Stride Hands Free Electric Breast Pump, exploring its features, performance, and suitability for breastfeeding moms like yourself. Because when it comes to expressing milk efficiently and comfortably, the right breast pump can make all the difference.
This post may contain affiliate links from which I receive a commission if you click or make a purchase. In addition, the information on this site is NOT intended to be medical advice. Please seek professional medical care if needed. See my full policy for more information.
If you’re a mom who has breastfed before, you’re in luck! You’ve been there, done that once before, so you have some sort of idea about what goes into choosing the best breast pump. Hence, maybe you’re looking for a way to pump hands-free so that you can still run around with your toddler while having enough milk available for dad to do tonight’s midnight feed. Whatever the reason, this review will be helpful for you too.
What is the Elvie Stride Hands Free Electric Breast Pump
Elvie has become a well-known name in the breastfeeding world. In fact, the Elvie Stride Hands Free Electric Breast Pump is one of the most popular hands-free electric double pumps thanks to it’s lightweight, portable, and quiet design.
A double pump is great for all nursing and breastfeeding mothers, in fact, La Leche League says, “Double pumping also provides very strong stimulation to keep a good milk supply.” So, major points for this coming with 2 breastfeeding cups in the set.
As Elvie says, “Powerful, yet ultra-quiet” due to the small hospital-grade motor that was paired with noise reduction technology, wait, what? Yes — a powerful pump that you can barely hear. I mean, I don’t know about you, but if you’re a working mom who needs a discreet pump, it’s sounding pretty darn amazing.
Plus, you can use this pump with their mobile Pump with Elvie App, which gives you complete control over your breast pumping journey. Whether you’re trying to cook up a meal or change your baby’s diaper, breast pumping has never been easier.
How to Use This Quiet, Hands-Free Breast Pump
What makes this pump stand out to me is its smart pumping technology. Being able to control your Elvie pump at your fingertips whether through an app or on their hand-sized remote is some serious game-changing freedom for moms. I mean, gone are the days when you’re stuck pumping while being plugged into the wall. And, using the pump is just as simple as it looks.
It comes packaged nicely with a quick start guide right on top. Basically, you charge your pump & hub (controller), download the app and pair it — then you’re ready to go!
One thing I always suggest to moms when using a hands free breast pump is to wear it with a supportive nursing bra. So, a loose sleep bra wouldn’t be ideal, but a more supportive sports bra like this one would be an excellent choice to keep the cups in place. This will prevent things like spilled milk leaking out of the cups, or any discomfort from the cups yanking while expressing milk.
Elvie Stride Hands Free Electric Breast Pump Review
Design:
Out of all the portable double-electric breast pumps I’ve tried, the Elvie stood out most for it’s lightweight and overall total comfort. Now, I’m not a fan of the tubing of any pump, however, I have to hand it to Elvie for creating their tubing for being very flexible and easy to hide under a shirt or sweater so that it’s not snagging on things or getting in the way if you’re pumping on the go since you will have to clip the hub onto your pants or shirt. Plus, you have no dangling bottles since the cups can collect up to 5oz each — making them an excellent option for most moms.
The other part I like about the design is it’s discreet silhouette that blends in well with most outfits. The ONLY reason I had a struggle with it, is because I have a large bust size, so some shirts it was obvious I had the pump on. You can see the difference in the image above.
Once you’re done pumping, you’ll want to clean your pump parts which is also easy. When disassembled, you should have 4-5 parts to clean (you only have to wash the cup seal before the first use). Simply scrub your parts (the flange, diaphragm, breast shield, and front cup) and let them air dry or sanitize and dry before putting them back together for your next session.
Overall, it’s a comfortable and discreet design that gives you the freedom to have complete control of your hands while pumping.
Performance/Suction:
This pump has a strong suction for not being a traditional, plug-in-the-wall breast pump. Now, when I tested this pump, I was NOT breastfeeding, so I can only comment on the pressure I felt, but I did ask a very close mom friend of mine to test it out and here is what she said, “the Elvie stride has a high level of suction compared to my Medela. On average I pump around 2-4 ounces total, with the Elvie I emptied around 3-5 ounces during each pump session over the last week“.
Considering I’m not currently breastfeeding, I was ready for this pump to tug and feel uncomfortable, but it didn’t! It was a strong, but comfortable suction the entire time, in both intensity settings (expression mode and let down mode)
Comfort:
Elvie makes finding your breast shield sizes incredibly easy, which means you’ll find maximum comfort while using this pump. You might be between sizes or perfectly in one size, so be sure to use their online size guide to help. They have 21, 24, and 28 mm breast shields available, plus 15, 17, and 19 mm nipple cushions you can insert into the breast shield. The Elvie nipple cushions are made of ultra-soft, flexible silicone for optimal comfort and they fit in all of Elvie’s electric breast pumps.
I found that I fit perfectly in the 24 mm breast shield, however, my friend needed to use a 17 mm nipple cushion and she said it was very easy to use while remaining very comfortable.
Sound:
I know you’re wondering if this pump is actually quiet or not, and I’m happy to report that it is one of the quieter pumps I’ve tried! It’s by no means silent, but it is pretty quiet considering this pump is on the same level as hospital-grade breast pumps (because most hospital-grade pumps are very loud).
Technology:
Now, this is where things get exciting. The technology that the Elvie Stride uses is incredible. First, lets talk about their app. Their free app allows you to have complete control over your pumping experience. In the app, you can:
- Personalize your pumping settings and save your default preferences
- Track all your pumping sessions (including when you last pumped)
- Record your milk production amounts
- Adjust intensity settings while pumping
Now, I know there are even more features you can use that pair with the Elvie Pump, but these were the main ones that worked with the Elvie Stride.
Now, let’s dive into what you can control on the main Elvie Stride Hub (or controller):
- Power On/Off
- Adjust between expression mode and stimulation mode
- Adjust intensity level
Lastly, it’s built-in rechargeable battery charges easily in just 2 hours for a full charge that lasts about 150 minutes or 5 x 30 minute pumping sessions.
Is the Elvie Stride Double Electric Breast Pump Right For You?
If you need a breast pump that’s comfortable, and quiet, but also strong — The Elvie Stride is worth a try! Plus, Elvie partners with a lot of medical suppliers that may work with your insurer to provide a free or low-cost Elvie Stride. You can also purchase any of Elvie’s pumps using your FSA/HSA debit card.
If you purchase an Elvie and have a change of heart, keep in mind that once the tamper seal is broken, you will not be able to return it due to hygienic purposes. However, Elvie does offer a 2-year warranty on their hub and 90-day warranty for all other parts of the Elvie Stride should any defects or issues related to its workmanship arise.
Elvie also makes other breast pumps that you might find more ideal for your pumping needs, like the Elvie Pump and the Elvie Stride Plus (which is the same pump as the Stride, but comes with a 3-in-1 bag for moms who travel or are constantly on the go).
As a new mom once myself, the Elvie Stride would have given me peace of mind knowing I had a breast pump that offered me an ideal fit with the pumping power of an expensive hospital-grade pump. Still, now I can only imagine how it could’ve transformed my breastfeeding experience. Will you be adding the Elvie Stride to your wishlist?