Milkies Milk-Saver Breast Milk Collector Storage

I don't often love or hate something enough to bother writing a review, but this product is worth me taking the time to tell you how awesome it is! And I say this even though, as a new parent, my free time is rather limited! Put this handy gadget in your bra to collect milk that drips from the non-nursing side while you're nursing or pumping. When I remember to use the milk saver at several feedings per day, I easily collect enough milk for an extra feeding for my baby every day - about a half-ounce per feeding if I'm very full, less otherwise. I get a little over 2 oz total per day. I never realized how much milk was going to waste dripping into a nursing pad!(The other way to prevent milk going to waste would be to pump from one side while baby is nursing the other, but I always find doing so a bit precarious if baby starts flailing around. The milk saver is secure even with the baby moving around.)Tip: If you only remember to use it at a few feedings per day, make sure to use it at the feedings when you're most full - you get the most milk leakage from the non-nursing side that way. I get the most milk when I use it with morning feedings, a little less for afternoon feedings, and usually only a small amount (sometimes only a few drops) in the evening. I tend not to use the milk saver in the evening for this reason.I haven't really had any of the (minor) problems with this device mentioned in other reviews. As to the spillage problem, perhaps others are collecting more milk than I am, and that's why they're having the problem with milk spilling out if they lean over, but it hasn't been an issue for me. I can bend over far enough to put baby in his swing without the milk spilling, so as long as I remember to take out the milk-saver before I bend over enough, say, to pick anything up off the floor (in which case milk would definitely spill out!), I don't have the leaking problem.As to the fit problems mentioned in a previous review, it IS tight fit to put this device into my nursing bra, and it's a bit uncomfortable to have there if I pick up baby and lean him against that side to burp him, but it does fit into my nursing bras and tanks, and I'm not especially well-endowed. As to whether it shows under clothing, I'm sure it would, but it's not meant to be worn all day - just slipped into the bra when nursing.The only flaw I've found in the milkie is that it's hard to keep in place if I nurse while lying down - only the edge of the bra supports the device that way, so it's a bit precarious. It's doable, but it's much trickier than using the milk-saver while sitting up. Just to be safe, I often end up holding the milk-saver with my hand if I use it while lying down. In spite of this minor issue, however, this is great little product!UPDATE, 9/8/11: after I wrote my original review, I realized that I had failed to notice one useful feature of this device, one which allows you to securely use the milk saver even if you're lying down. The feature is the little square interior piece of the milk saver, which turns, making it easy to use this device even if you lie down next to the baby to nurse - just turn this piece 90 degrees before putting the milk saver in your bra, and then put the milk saver in your bra in the same orientation as always, with the full bra cup supporting it. Love this product even more now!UPDATE, 1/4/12: After a few months of nursing, my body started to become much more efficient, only letting down on the side where the baby was actually nursing. By 6 months, there was almost no leakage on the non-nursing side any more, which means the milk saver isn't of use to me any longer. My excellent rating of this product still stands - it was great while it worked, and allowed me to stockpile some milk during the first few months of nursing. I thought I should mention this development in case it's useful to anyone considering buying this product.

This product is one of the most simple innovative solutions for breastfeeding moms ever... I'm not gonna lie- when I first saw this in a magazine ad I laughed and had to look it up. (I thought it was something you wore at all times to catch milk at first). The point of it is that when you are feeding your child on one side you catch the milk that it let-down from the opposite side (instead of it soaking your breast pad). It is as simple as that and you have all of that extra milk (which we all know is like gold to breastfeeding moms) to save and use later or freeze.With my first son, when I went back to work and wasn't pumping as much as he ate and had to rely on the milk I had gotten from extra pumps at home or pumping more often at work so I could get him all of his bottles while at daycare... I tried everything- Drinking TONS of water, eating oatmeal, many calls to our lactation consultants and even taking Fenugreek to boost my supply and even with all that I only lasted about 7 months until I had to use some formula If I had known about this I would not have had to stress about it. This time around using the milk saver I have a supply of 54 extra frozen bottles right now (my son is four months) so even if my supply is going down and I have to use them for daycare I don't have to worry since I continue to catch more with my milk saver when I'm home with my baby!This really is one of my favorite baby products and I've already gotten it for two friends as baby gifts. I would recommend it to anyone! I was leery of the price at first and almost didn't buy it but I'm SO glad I did! I would pay $25 for it again in a heartbeat. All of my extra milk is worth SO much more to me than that- Especially if you have a low supply or are going back to work and your supply will decrease- Think of this as $25 you spend on being able to save your own breast milk for baby instead of supplementing with fomula.Pros--Great Idea-Easy to clean-Easy to use-No stressing about not making enough milk- this backs up your supply for when you go back to work, get sick, need a drink, get your period back- Anything!-You save money on breast pads since you don't need to change them as often (for me this has already paid for itself with the pads I have not had to buy)-It helps keep your supply up in general since it allows you to let down more than you would without it- therefore letting your body think the demand is higher and makes more.-Great gift ideaCons--I don't really see it as a con since it needs to be big to catch the milk (you can also attach a bag to it and drip right into that but I don't normally get THAT much) but it IS on the large side- I normally only use it at home anyway but if you have a nursing cover in public anyway I don't see why you couldn't conceal this as well.-I have spilled my milk out of it by leaning over to put my baby down when he was done and I forgot it was in. You need to take it out and set it down (it is rubbery so it doesn't slip if you put it down leaning on something but it DOES come with a stand/carrying case to set it in as well)-I should have thought of it!! (I used to hold an empty bottle on that side sometimes if I knew I was overfull and didn't want to get soaked)-They don't sell it at many retail stores- I bought it twice (1 for myself and 1 for a friend)on Amazon (which is great with free 2-day shipping on Amazon Mom) but it would be nice to be able to put on a Babies R Us registry since not everyone shops online.

This device is amazing: simple to use and highly effective. I had no idea how much milk was going to waste on the non-nursing side. Just a couple weeks of use has helped me stockpile 12-15 bottles worth of milk and avoid the messes and numerous shirt changes that come with the early days of nursing. It also cleans easily. I wish I'd had this with my older kids.Two downsides that are not deal breakers: the "stand" is actually the case and it takes up quite a bit of real estate at a time when you're trying to keep water, pacifiers, extra pads, snacks, etc. handy. There's no need for the case to be the stand. It's also not particularly secure as a stand; the lip is low so it would be easy to bump it and spill the contents. Second, as other reviews have noted, if you bend over even a little, it will leak out of the top. 95% of the time that's not an issue (just take it out when you're done) but that other 5% of the time, new-mom-brain forgets and when you lean over to put baby down, there's a major mess.All told, I'm happy to have this and think it should be in every nursing mom's tool kit. It built a safety net of reserve milk before pumping was an option, which is a major source of stress relief. It's much more comfortable than any pump I've used. Just don't forget to remove it when you're done nursing and you'll be glad to have it on hand, too!