Haberman Lovi Electronic Breast Pump review

Following its success, Haberman went on to launch the award-winning Anywayupcup, the ‘world’s first totally non-spill cup’ which won the Tommy Award for the Most Parent Friendly Innovative product two consecutive years running.

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All of Haberman’s breastfeeding range, including its breast pumps, is hospital-endorsed.

When I took my 10-week-old baby boy Ellis to be weighed the health visitor suggested I top up each feed with some expressed milk as he wasn’t putting on as much weight as expected. As we’d planned a trip up to Manchester to visit my family I was hoping it wouldn’t be a hassle to take the lovi @ Haberman with me. Thankfully it wasn’t.

What I loved about this breast pump is that it’s easy to travel with. All the bits fit into a handy portable bag that you can take with you on the go. It also has a digital timer that’s really useful as it lets you see how long you’ve been pumping for in any one session.

It meant I didn’t have to keep checking my phone. There’s also an alarm you can set to remind you when it’s time to pump, helpful if you’ve got baby brain and need to express more than once a day.

The pump is sold on the 2-phase expression, the idea being it simulates your baby’s natural suckling. It has a memory setting you can programme to automatically remember your let-down phase, it goes straight into the deeper suction afterwards.

I didn’t bother to use this function as my let-down time seemed to change every time I expressed.

I’ve used the Avent Comfort electric breast pump before and I didn’t really find the 2-phase expression on the lovi @ Haberman to be any more effective. I produced similar amounts of milk with both.

Available to buy at Boots and other retailers.

How do the two-phase suction levels work?

The idea behind the lovi @ Haberman breast pump is that it imitates the two natural sucking phases of a baby.

The first is the let-down phase, the initial rapid sucking to stimulate milk flow. The second is the longer, deeper sucking of baby feeding. Both have adjustable levels of suction and I really liked that I was able to control them to suit my needs.

How much milk can you express with it

The bottle holds a maximum of around 150ml (5 fl oz), the same as the ARDO Calypso. Some days I’d express 150ml and others I could barely squeeze out 30ml. But this is more down to my milk production and how hungry Ellis was on a particular day than through any fault of the breast pump.

How long does it take to express milk for one feed

It usually takes me around 45 minutes to get a decent amount in any one session. The instructions suggest that you can express several times in any one day but it may not be an option if you’re pushed for time.

For more information about what breast pumps to buy take a look at our buyer's guide to breast pumps

Is it complicated to put together?

No. I’m not one for following instructions but assembling the breast pump was pretty easy. The only thing that threw me slightly was that some of the components had already been put together in the case.

It took me a while to work out the reason I couldn’t attach the let-down silicone cushion was because I was using the spare one — I was trying to fit it on top of one that was already there. Once I got past that stumbling block it only took me a couple of minutes to put it all together.

The manual says that there’s also a how-to video on Haberman’s website but I struggled to find it. The videos I did find wouldn’t open on my browser and asked me to download flash player — all the faffing was time consuming and in the end I couldn’t be bothered.

How comfortable is it to use?

Pretty comfy. My only issue was that because my boobs are so big I had to use two hands to work the electric pump – one to hold it and one to support my breast. But I found this to be the case when I used the Avent breast pump.

I also found that milk kept getting trapped in the funnel so I ended up using it without the silicone cushion. It helped a little but I did still have to keep tilting the pump, which was a bit awkward, to try and get the milk to go down.

Is it easy to travel with?

Yes. What I love about this breast pump is that it comes in a handy, portable case. It’s inconspicuous too as it looks more like a toiletry bag. It makes expressing while you’re away convenient — I took it with me on a trip to visit my family.

How does it compare to other breast pumps?

I’ve previously used the Avent Comfort electric breast pump and found it quite similar in terms of the amount of milk I was able to express.

Instead of two phases the Avent has four modes, one to stimulate milk production and the other three are different suction levels. I did find that the Haberman allows you more control as you can adjust the levels gradually to find the right suction level for you.

The Haberman also has extra features — the digital clock, alarm and memory settings. But for me it was a winner over the Aventi because it was so easy to travel with.

Do the batteries last?

The breast pump can be plugged in to the mains or it takes 4 AA batteries. I used rechargeable ones but I’ve used it a fair few times and haven’t had to recharge them yet.

Is it easy to clean?

Yes. It comes apart easily and I just popped the bits that come into contact with the milk into my microwave sterliser.

What’s in the box?

• Electric pump main unit
• Expressing collection combo kit – cap, diaphragm, cup, let-down silicone cushion, breastshield body, one-way valve, bottle adaptor, bottle
• Food storage kit
• AC adapter
• Parts for manual expressing
• Case
• Spare parts
• Disposable breast pads/10

What extra accessories can you buy?

• Nipple shields - £5.99
• Disposable breast pads/40 - £5.99

Is the product value for money?

The breast pump retails at around £124, which is quite a competitive price for a decent electric breast pump.

I’ve previously used the Avent Comfort and although it’s slightly cheaper at around £95 what makes this great value for money is that you get a manual breast pump included too, which retails at £34.99.

Made for Mums verdict:

A handy electric pump that’s ideal for busy mums on the go. It’s easy to use, looks stylish and there’s also the option to manually express.

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