Hygeia Pump Reviews – Hygeia Q

Best Place to Buy: Amazon

What You Get:

Hygeia Pump

Personal Accessory Set:

(2) Medium (25mm-27mm) Flanges

(2) 40″ Tubing

(2) Mother’s Milk Storage Containers 4 oz.

(2) Duckbill Valves

(2) Storage Container Caps/Feeder Cups

(2) Rings

(2) Narrow-Neck Container Adapters

(2) Ring Covers

Container Holder

Bacteriostatic Filter

Hand Pump

AC Adapter

Tote

My Overall Rating: 8 out of 10

---

Who is Hygeia

If you have not heard of Hygeia, you may not be alone. It is one of the lesser known breast pumps on the market but it is fast gaining a strong foothold in a very competitive market.

The company has a commitment to providing “green” pumps to moms and keeping those pumps out of landfills. Their “No Pumps in Dumps” slogan says it all. Per the Hygeia website, here is an explanation of what they are doing to help moms go green:

No Pumps in Dumps

Hygeia’s motto is No Pumps in Dumps™. We’re committed to keeping breast pumps out of landfills. When a Hygeia consumer no longer needs her breast pump, it can be re-used by a friend or family member when each mother has her own personal accessory set (PAS). Or, the pump can be sent to us to be recycled or reused. This means fewer pumps in the landfills.

Reusable breast pumps are not new to hospitals, which use expensive durable medical breast pumps that few consumers can afford to buy or want to carry around. The breakthrough is Hygeia’s adaptation of this leading hospital technology into a consumer retail product that’s portable, economical and safe for reuse between mothers. All the parts that touch a mother or her milk are part of her personal accessory set.

In addition to fewer pumps in the dumps, the Hygeia EnJoye™ breast pump features an optional reusable lithium ion battery. This rechargeable battery will last for up to four hours of use with each charge, and is another green feature. Competitive breast pumps typically use multiple AA batteries that end up in landfills after use.

Hygeia is committed to the environment and making the earth a cleaner place for new parents and babies.

Knowing that you can recycle or sell this pump without it being a health issue is something to consider. You spend a lot of money on a breast pump and the thought of throwing it away when it is still working is unsettling!

Hygeia has also tried to stand out in other ways. They remain one of the few WHO Code compliant pump companies. They are endorsed by LLLI. They provide support to breastfeeding mothers and are committed to helping moms achieve their breastfeeding goals.

As listed on their website, here is what makes Hygeia standout among other pump companies:

What Makes Hygeia Different

La Leche League International — We are proud to be the only breast pump company endorsed by LLLI and every one of our pumps comes with a free annual Supporting Membership to LLLI.
Hospital-Grade Performance – Unlike other manufacturers, all our personal-use electric breast pumps have the performance and hygienic features found in hospitals.
Ecological – Because our pumps are closed system, they can be rented and shared between mothers who use their own pumping sets. Our commitment to the environment makes our pumps one of the “greenest” on the market. You can share your breast-pump with another mom when you’re done or return it to Hygeia for recycling or reuse.
WHO Code – Hygeia is one of the very few WHO Code compliant pump companies. That means that we support the World Health Organization’s International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes. Simply, we believe that breast milk is the normal way to feed human babies and choose to market our products without undermining breastfeeding in any way.
Support – Hygeia provides options for moms to obtain local support from a lactation consultant. Hygeia provides qualified referrals with trusted experts in local areas who can provide personal support. Your pump also comes with a LLLI membership that provides mother-to-mother support.
Value – Hygeia makes hospital-grade performance pumps that can moms can purchase or rent. Our pumps cost less upfront and are designed to be used for more than one baby.
BPA and DEHP Free – All pump parts that come in touch with breast milk are BPA- and DEHP- free – offering peace of mind for breastfeeding moms worried about chemicals.

Features of the Hygeia Q

The Hygeia Q is not a hospital grade pump. Hygeia does, however, say the pump has “hospital-grade performance” meaning it has similar hygienic features and performance of a pump found in hospitals but they are careful not to call it Hospital Grade.

The other pump model that Hygeia offers is the Enjoye (they make two different versions of the Enjoye- one has a rechargeable battery).

Internally the Enjoye and the Q are identical. They have the same motor and suction apparatus but the Q does not have a carrying handle or a “Care Module.” The “Care Module” are green and black buttons that allow you to play recording such as your baby’s voice to assist you with your milk letting down. The Q also does not have a rechargeable battery but there is an option to purchase an external battery pack.

Some packages offer different accessories such as a tote bag, ice coolers, and replacement parts.

Some key features of the Hygeia Q are:

• Double electric breast pump
• Independent speed and suction controls allow you to mimic baby’s unique suckling pattern
• Ideal for daily pumping, working moms, and exclusive pumping
• Personal Accessory Set is included
• Pump only weight is approximately 2.04 pounds
• BPA/DEHP free.
• Closed System pump

One nice feature is that you can independently control the cycle rate and suction strength. There are two dials that you simply turn up or down for each.

Every mother is going to have different needs in terms of how their pump works. The idea is to mimic how your baby nurses. The fast suckling with lower suction acts like a hungry baby just put to the breast. This helps trigger your milk let down. Once your milk lets down, a baby’s suckling will be deeper, slower. So slower speed and more suction.

The ability to control this helps each mom find their sweet spot and get the most out of their pumping session.

The one complaint I have about this feature is that Hygeia does not have the ability to save your pump pattern so that the pump can follow your preferred settings automatically. The Spectra pumps, for example, allow you to control your own settings then save them. This is a time saver and can be annoying to have to do it manually each time.

Medela pumps do this pattern automatically with their 2-phase technology.

While it is nice to be able to manually control it, it would be even more nice to be able to save it. Something to consider with the Hygeia.

Another thing to consider with the Hygeia pumps is that the connector from the flange is quite wide, so it will not work with standard neck bottles. If you need extra, you will have to order the Hygeia bottles. 

It is also said to be a so-so fit with the popular feeding system, the Kiinde Twist. So that might be an option to use their connectors to pump directly into the Kiinde bags.

Click here to read about the Kiinde Twist

See the Hygeia Q in Action

Videos are always something I look for when reviewing a product. I want to be able to see it in action. Here are two helpful videos. They are a little “formal” for my taste in that they are scripted and produced by Hygeia but they, at least, give you an idea how to connect all the parts and give you a little walk-through of the pump itself.

This video shows you how to assemble the accessories and set the pump up:

 This video shows you how to use the pump once it is assembled:

Hygeia Pump Reviews

Reviews of the Hygeia Q are relatively positive. Most users love this pump and say that it is very effective at pulling down a lot of milk in a short period of time.

Another feature that users like is the fact that the Hygeia is a Closed System Pump. BUT I am not sure I am in love with how they went about making it a closed system pump and from the review, it appears others don’t love it either.

The pump is equipped with a filter (a small piece that fits on the motor and connects to the pump tubes). That means the milk is still free to get into the tubes. Other closed system pumps like the Spectra S1 and Ameda Purely Yours have the barrier at the flanges so no milk can enter the tubing. Much better design in my opinion.

The issue with the way the Hygeia is designed is that that the milk backflows into the tubing. Users say it actually flows into them. They have to position themselves and the pump a certain way to help minimize the backflow.

The Medela pumps are open system so the tubing does have the potential for milk to get into them but they get typically just get a buildup of condensation rather than milk freely flowing into the tubes.

The Hygeia pump tubes would need to be cleaned and sanitized regularly and replaced on occasion to keep mold from growing. So no time saved there with washing even though this is a closed system pump.

Click here to read more about Closed System pumps and if it’s a big deal.

Here more of what moms had to say about the Hygeia Q:

As you can see the milk flowing into the tubes was mentioned again and again. That is something to consider when deciding if the Hygeia is the pump for you.

Pros and Cons of the Hygeia Q

Pros:

• Strong pump with good results in pulling milk down
• Independent controls for pump speed and suction
• WHO complainant
• Closed system pump
• Can be used by more than one person (resellable)
• Affordable
• Light-weight

Cons:

• Milk backflows into tubing
• Parts not dishwasher safe and recommended not to boil. Hand Wash only.
• Filter needs replacement often
• Parts are not easy to find
• Not portable unless you buy the optional battery pack

Bottomline

The Hygeia is a solid pump at a reasonable price. Its performance seems to be unquestioned by users and that leads me to believe that it is a great pump and very efficient.

It does have some drawbacks that I don’t love. I don’t like that you need to buy the battery pack as an add-on. You are limited on where you can pump without it. And the backflow of milk into the tubing is concerning. 

Overall, I think the Hygeia is a great pump that has some room for improvement. But at the price, it is a reasonable option for moms who will be pumping often. 

Have you used the Hygeia Q? Leave a comment and tell us how you like it!

---

Click here to read more about the Hygeia Q!

---

Related Articles