by Heidi Green
December 01, 2009

I have a pretty uncomplicated history with breastfeeding and pumping, having managed it for various lengths of time for each of my three children. But I would never call pumping “easy.” So it’s a bold move for the makers of a hands-free pumping bra to brand their products “Easy Expression.” But after having tested it, I do believe that Medela’s Easy Expression products make it easier.

The Easy Expression Hands-free Pumping Bra first hit the market 10 years ago. Made of a close-fitting cotton/Lycra blend, the garment is available in two formats. The original halter version is designed to be pulled over the woman’s head. The newer, strapless bustier wraps around the mother’s chest and fastens with a front zipper. Both models have holes in the front through which the woman can insert her breast pump flanges.

The word “bra” is a bit of a misnomer here. Since the nipples are exposed by them, these garments are not stand-alone, wear-all-day nursing bras. Instead, they are best donned immediately prior to pumping, when they can replace the mother’s usual bra or be pulled on over a nursing bra.

How it works
The Easy Expression products are truly more “breast pump aids” or “flange holders” than they are bras. Therefore, the halter and bustier are appropriate only for those mothers who choose to express their milk via breast pump.

With that clarification made, it’s easy to fall in love with the Easy Expression bustier. ( I have not tested the halter model.) It is incredibly easy to put on and zip up. It is comfortable. And although it is easiest to use when worn by itself, it is also manageable with a nursing bra underneath.

It does exactly what it is intended to do: It holds the flanges in place during pumping, freeing the mother’s hands for other tasks. This is a huge boon to those of us who spend a great deal of our work time on the computer or doing similar, non-intensive tasks at our desks.

I cannot speak to the product’s usefulness during other, more physically demanding tasks. The brochure promises that a mother could “clean” while pumping and wearing the bustier. The accompanying picture shows a mother folding her baby’s laundry while wearing the bustier; however, I did not attempt to do so. In truth, pumping only takes 10–20 minutes. I’ve never met the basket of laundry that could not wait that long for my attention, and I had no interest in tangling the clothes in the breast pump’s tubing.

Customers will appreciate that the Easy Expressions products can be machine washed (cold) and dried (low). It can be used with any flange-based pump. I am a hard sell on breastfeeding aids, but I’m sold on this.

Does it work for you?
As covered previously on baby gooroo, a recent study recommended that women massage their breasts while pumping in order to maximize their milk production. In my experience, massage during pumping made for a more efficient pumping session; it took less time. This doesn’t mean that the Easy Expressions products should be foregone; breast massage itself would be easier with a garment to hold the flanges in place. It just means that it’s possible many of us shouldn’t be so focused on hands-free breast milk expression.

In addition, mothers should be aware that they will still be tethered to their pump while expressing milk. While these products enable us to pump hands-free, they don’t enable us to pump pump-free. We won’t be able to move freely about. It may be quite helpful to use such a garment while working at one’s desk or breastfeeding an infant on one side, but it does have its practical limitations.

Finally, mothers who choose to use the Easy Expressions products will know that they do not eliminate the need for any privacy. At the very least, they will probably prefer to close their office door or step into the bathroom to put their garment on.

The publicity materials explain that Easy Expressions president and founder Gretchen Penny developed the halter because she was discouraged by “how long the process [of expressing her breastmilk] would take” after her return to work as a project manager at American Airlines.

I continue to be dismayed that there must be so much concern about the limited time and meager space a woman needs to express her milk for her child. But with a 10 percent unemployment rate and a down economy, the situation is unlikely to change anytime soon. The workplace demands many face are both terrible and undeniable; hands-free devices that support breastfeeding do seem to be one answer for mothers who are pressed for time to pump at work.

The Easy Expressions products may not fit every mother’s budget. The halter is just $19 while the popular bustier is $34. Industrious, budget-conscious mothers may choose to purchase a couple of sports bras and use a pair of scissors to make their own, less sturdy models. Still for those who can afford these models or receive them as shower gifts, these products are sure to please.

Heidi Green has been researching and writing about women’s and children health since she moved to Pittsburgh more than 10 years ago. She is also a children’s book reviewer in her spare time. She is mom to Ben, Katie, Sam, and Max.