Motif Medical Luna Breast Pump Review & My Pumping Routine

This post is sponsored by Motif Medical. Thank you for supporting the brands that allow The Mama Notes to stay in business!

I’m excited to partner with Motif Medical on today’s post. They graciously sent me one of their new Luna pumps with a rechargeable battery to test out and share with my audience. The breast pumps I’ve regularly used in the past had to be plugged in with a cord and I’ve been really excited to use the Luna and have more freedom where I pump! I’m also going to answer all of the questions you’ve asked me on Instagram about my experience pumping. 

First – let’s talk about the Motif Medical Luna!

In short: it’s a lightweight and compact yet super powerful (and quiet) hospital grade pump that is really easy to use. And – it was actually designed to be covered by insurance! 

When I opened the box I was so impressed with the sleek design and size of the Luna, much more compact than the traditional pumps I’m used to. It’s also very lightweight (just  2lb). Mechanically, it’s very similar to pumps I’ve used in the past and there was no learning curve getting started. It’s battery powered which gives you more freedom and flexibility and the battery lasts over 2 hours between charges.

With the amount of time I’ve been pumping I actually haven’t even had to recharge it yet! I love that I can sit wherever I want to and not be tethered to the wall, which is really helpful now that I have 2 other young kids at home with me. 

The Luna is also QUIET – I noticed this with my first use. You can pump discreetly and not disturb any sleeping babies! 

And the most important function for me personally is that I find it to be very powerful! The average time I spend pumping is 5 minutes a session and it is comfortable even in the higher settings. There are two expression modes ‘massage’ and ‘expression’ that allow you to have full control over your pumping – they simulate let-down by mimicking your baby’s natural nursing pattern, providing more milk in less time!

My pumping schedule:

I pumped a little bit when my milk first came in to help with engorgement but then refrained from using my pump for the first 5 weeks. I did this to give my body, baby and milk supply the opportunity to get in sync and for my supply to become established. 

Right now I pump every morning right after my first feeding. Generally I save this milk for one day in the fridge in case we need a bottle at any point during the day (if Alice gets cranky and my supply is low) and then it gets frozen. My general rule of thumb is to pump whenever baby gets a bottle, when I’m out. However, I haven’t ever pumped outside of the home yet because we aren’t going out and about much in the world yet. 

I store my bags in the freezer in this handy device that compresses them for you and keeps them upright! 

Answering your questions: 

What level do you pump at and for how long? I usually pump at level 4 for 5 minutes every morning after my first feed. 

How do you decide how long to pump after you feed?I fully empty the breast, so I just stop pumping when the milk stops coming.

Do you only pump on the side that she feeds on in the morning? To start I did this but I’ve recently started pumping both sides. I try to get Alice to feed from both but she usually only will take one side at a time. Then I just pump both. 

How do you keep all of your pumping parts organized?It’s easy right now because I’m only pumping at home since we aren’t really going anywhere! I keep all of my parts along with my pump in this basket on our living room shelf. I love that I can just pick it up and pump wherever I need to go with the Luna. I run the parts through the dishwasher once a day to sterilize them.

Did you pump the first 6 weeks to build a stash? No, I just started really pumping on a schedule after the baby was 5 weeks old. However, I was able to create a freezer stash from pumping when engorged, I worked with a lactation consultant on this! 

Do you keep the fresh pumped milk in the fridge or to the freezer right away?It really depends on how much milk I get and the day. Generally I leave it in the fridge for that day after I pump in case we need it, and then put it in the freezer at night if we don’t. 

Does the morning pumping cause engorgement overnight?
Personally, I haven’t noticed a difference with this. I always wake up pretty full and it wasn’t any worse once I started pumping in the morning. I do NOT pump in the middle of the night. 

When did you introduce a bottle? We attempted to introduce the bottle right after 4 weeks and Alice didn’t take it at first. We kept trying and around 5 weeks she took one. She still prefers the breast and usually struggles with the bottle unless she’s very calm and the milk is very warm! 

Do you have one side that produces more than the other? Yep, the right side, always!