For nursing mothers who don’t wish to be tied down to a bulky, non-portable breast pump, there are already wearable versions that can be slipped discreetly under a bra. Women’s tech company Elvie is taking things a step further, by announcing what it claims is the world’s first silent wearable breast pump.
Known as the Elvie Pump, the Bluetooth-equipped device is designed to fit inside a standard nursing bra, where it reportedly draws milk out completely soundlessly. Users can move around and go about their daily routine during the process, using an iOS/Android smartphone app to check how much milk the pump has collected, track the pumping history of each breast, and stop and restart the pump if necessary.
That said, the device will automatically cease pumping when it detects that its detachable 5-oz (150-ml) bottle is full.
The pump additionally features a choice of seven intensity settings, has a USB-rechargeable battery, and works in both stimulation and expression modes – stimulation simulates a baby’s initial frantic sucking that gets the milk going, while expression simulates the slower sucking pattern that subsequently keeps it coming.
Plans call for the Elvie Pump to be available in stores and online later this year, pending FDA approval. It will be priced at US$479 for a package containing one pump, two bottles and the associated hardware.