What It Is:
A wearable electric breast pump designed to allow you to pump hands-free discreetly. The Elvie Stride allows you to pump breast milk into 5-ounce containers with only a thin tube that needs to attach to an externally worn motor. The flanges can be completely covered with the exception of the tube that provides suction strength. The pump controls can be controlled solely through the buttons on the motor but may also be controlled by the Elvie phone application that is available for iPhones (iOS11 or later) and Androids (8 or later). Single or double pumping option.
The difference between the Elvie Stride and the Elvie Stride Plus is that the Elvie Stride Plus includes extra accessories and an extra breast shield size.
Available Here: Elvie Stride and Elvie Stride Plus
Price: $269.99* (Elvie Stride) $319.99* (Elvie Stride Plus) *from the Elvie website
What It Includes
1 Hub (the motor)
2 Cup Fronts
2 Cup Seals
2 Breast Shields (24mm)
2 Caps
1 Tube Splitter
2 Short Tubes (for the Cups)
1 Long Tube (for the Hub)
1 Clip
1 Cover
2 Valves
2 Diaphragms
1 Charging Cable
Instructions for Use
2-year warranty on the Hub and a 90-day warranty on all other components and accessories (see the Elvie website for more detail)
Extras the Elvie Stride Plus includes:
23-in-1 Carry Bag: includes an external carry bag, a wet bag (for mess-free travel), and a cool bag with ice pack
1 Neck Strap (so you can wear the motor rather than clipping it to you)
2 Breast Shields (21mm)
2 Extra Valves
Flange Sizes Available:
21mm, 24mm, 28mm
Only 24mm breast shields are included in the Elvie Stride; however, purchase of the Elvie Stride Plus includes both the 24mm and 21mm breast shields. Additional breast shields can be purchased for $29.99, but only one more size is offered—28mm. If Elvie does not offer your size, do not despair! I personally felt the flanges were forgiving and that I was able to use a larger size without discomfort—more on this below in the EP&Me Take. However, this feels like a good place to mention that using the right sized flange is very important and will prevent discomfort and promote efficient milk removal.
Other Expenses:
Just like with any pump, the parts need to be replaced every so often. Per the Elvie Stride manual, the expected operating life of the “replaceble, washable components is six months.”
Insurance:
Some insurance companies cover all or part of the cost of the Elvie Stride, so it’s worth checking into! Even if your insurance company doesn’t, you may still be able to purchase it using your FSA or HSA.
Noise Level:
The noise the Elvie Stride makes is noticeable, but I thought it was more discreet than the Spectra, Medela Symphony, or Ameda Mya. I also think it is more discreet sounding than the Willow (the intermittent slurping sound of the Willow seems louder than the constant hum of the Elvie Stride).
Visibility:
You are meant to pump with the Elvie Stride in your bra, which means you can pump as covered as you like! The Elvie Stride added some bulk to my bust (not as much as the Willow); however, unlike the Willow where the motors are housed in each pump, the Elvie Stride motor is external and has tubes running to each flange. The motor is small enough that if it being visible bothers you, a bulky sweater should be able to cover it. Although you can adjust the settings of the pump on the motor, the Elvie app also allows you to adjust settings (including toggling between expression and stimulation and selecting an intensity setting), so you do not need access to the motor during your pump session.
Suction/Efficiency at Milk Removal:
The suction felt strong to me and similar to other pumps I’ve tried, like the Spectra, which surprised me considering the small (but apparently mighty!) motor. If you are having trouble letting-down while using the Elvie Stride, consider reading about my post onon switching pumps.
Comfort Level/Ease of Use:
If you are using the right-sized flange and positioning the flanges as directed, I found that pumping with the Elvie Stride was just as comfortable as pumping using the Spectra (which is my favorite workhorse pump) and actually, I think the Elvie Stride flanges were a bit more comfortable. The flanges seem smoother on the nipple area.
The Elvie Stride battery takes two hours to fully charge and at full charge the battery should last for approximately five 30-minute pumping sessions, or 150 minutes. You cannot use the pump while it’s charging, and a red light means the battery is low and needs to be charged soon!
Parts to Clean:
Four parts per side—Cup Front, Breast Shield, Valve, and Diaphragm. Elvie’s website states that the Cup Seal (located on the Cup Front) only needs to be removed before first use, but it can stay in place during normal cleaning. I found the Oxo Tot Bottle Brush perfect for cleaning the inside of the breast shield. It may seem a little big, but it does the job!
You can hand wash the Elvie Stride pump parts or place them on the top shelf of your dishwasher. The parts can be sanitized in boiling water (5 minutes), microwave (more than 5 minutes not recommended), or steam sterilizer (more than five minutes not recommended).
After you have cleaned and sterilized the Elvie Stride before your first use, Elvie recommends cleaning the pump parts after every use and sanitizing them once a day. As always, do not assemble your pump until all components are dry.
The EP&Me Take:
Pros: I found this pump easy to put on and operate, and I appreciated the strong motor and the comfort of the pump itself. When I first began using this pump, it drained me very well. However, as my pumping journey continued and I experienced a downturn in my supply (unrelated to pumping—congested baby who was struggling to nurse for a few days), I turned to a non-wearable pump that would allow me to massage and compress to make sure I was expressing all the milk possible (so that my supply would increase more quickly). When I returned to using the Elvie again, it was as if my breasts had become used to the massage and compression assistance to release milk and I’ve been unable to pump as efficiently with the Elvie Stride since. I still use the Elvie Stride when I need to be more mobile, but it no longer is my main pump while at work. I also think the flanges are a bit more forgiving than most. I generally use a 15mm and a 17mm with my Spectra (yes—you can be different sizes!) however, the 21mm is very comfortable for me (and I also believe I have very elastic tissue).
Cons: The biggest on for me is something that is true of every wearable pump—you are not able to massage and compress while pumping, which can mean less milk output. The cost of the Elvie Stride is more expensive than a lot of the non-wearable pumps, but in-line with other wearable options. There are a number of pieces to clean as compared to other pumps and replacements parts that are not made from Elvie do not have the best reviews (at least as of the time of this post). While the Elvie Stride has ten “intensity” settings, each “setting” combines both the suction and speed into one, whereas other pumps allow you to choose the suction setting separately from the speed (cycling) setting. For the Elvie Stride, the higher the intensity, the more suction but slower pumping cycles; the lower the intensity, the less suction but faster pumping cycles. Remember, a higher intensity does not mean more milk removal—always play around with pump settings to see what settings are best for you!
Tips for Using: I recommend practicing pouring water from the Elvie Stride into another container a few times before you plan to pump with it. I have only lost a few splashes here and there (and usually only when the milk is at the max fill line) but every single time I pour there’s a little bit of fear still. There is something about the pour spout that makes it seem like I am about to spill it all every time! Additionally, once you have poured the milk out, turn the pump upright again and tap the bottom of the flange lightly a few times on a flat surface—I found I always had a bit more left in the diaphragm/valve area and this helped move the milk down into the breast shield so that I could pour it out. I have pumped more than five ounces into the breast shield a few times. This is not recommended and it does make pouring the milk out a little more nerve-wracking; however, it can be done, there is just less room for error! If you typically require a bigger container because of the volume of your pumped milk, don’t let the 5-ounce container dissuade you—the pump is so easy to put on and take off. You can easily pause the pump session, unhook the tube to the motor, pour the milk out, and put the pump back on in about thirty seconds.
Verdict: I really like this pump and it was my favorite to use before my supply took a dip and my body got used to needing massage and compression to express milk. I think my body is more unusual in that it gets very used to letting down and expressing milk in one way, and I don’t think the majority of users will have problems with not being able to massage and compress. I highly recommend this pump over other wearable options because of its strong motor, comfort pumping experience, and fair price point.
I also really loved the neck strap and the carry bags you receive when you purchase the Elvie Stride Plus, so if you can afford it, the Elvie Stride Plus is worth the extra money in my opinion (even more so if you need the 21mm flange!).
