Lola & Lykke Breastfeeding Starter Kit review

As well as the Smart Electric Breast Pump, the kit also includes two baby bottles and for mums like myself who are struggling to get their babies to take expressed milk, the Lola&Lykke bottles have also been developed specifically to make this transition as smooth as possible. The nipple teats are breast-shaped to help promote a natural latch, and the bottles feature an anti-colic valve to help reduce any potential discomfort.

Tested by

Journalist and first-time mum Nicola has been testing the Lola&Lykke Breastfeeding Starter Kit to help feed her 3-month-old son, Louis, who recently started rejecting bottles.

What were your first impressions of the Lola&Lykke Breastfeeding Starter Kit?

On first impressions, the Lola&Lykke Breastfeeding Starter Kit is beautifully presented, with fellow MFM parent tester Demi also commenting that the “quality is amazing, from the packaging it comes in, to the individual products inside the box”. I was excited to see just how much the kit contained. While items like multiple sized breast shields and milk storage pouches were to an extent expected, I was pleasantly surprised to see the kit also came with two sets of bamboo nursing pads and a cooler bag, which is especially designed for packing the breast pump and milk storage bags to bring with you on a day out.

When I took the Smart Electric Breast Pump out of its box, being a first time mum with zero experience, I was a little overwhelmed as I wasn’t sure how I would put the pieces together. However, the pump fortunately came with very easy-to-follow instructions, so that feeling quickly passed.

How easy was the Lola&Lykke Smart Electric Breast Pump to set up?

The pump is incredibly easy to set up and there are seven parts that need to be put together in order to use the pump. The instructions are really easy to follow as it’s all self-explanatory, and in total, it took no more than a minute to put the pump together. MFM parent testers Katie and Charlotte also commented that it was “super easy” to set up, with the battery needing a good 2-hour charge before your first use.

Was the Lola&Lykke Smart Electric Breast Pump easy to use?

This breast pump could not be easier to use. Simply support your breast with one hand while using the other to place the breast shield over it. Next, turn the pump on and choose which setting you find most comfortable. After 2 minutes, the device automatically changes from stimulation to expression mode. Again, choose which setting is most comfortable. Then pump for as long as you wish, using the digital timer to track how long you’ve been expressing for. There are actually only three buttons on the device’s smart touch screen – on/off (power), up (to increase the setting) and down (to decrease the setting) – meaning it’s pretty much impossible to get confused.

Can you use the Lola&Lykke Smart Electric Pump to express directly into a bottle?

A huge pro for this product is that you have the option to express either directly into a milk storage bag or bottle. Once you’ve finished using the pump, you can express into a storage bag by simply unscrewing the pouch from the pump, popping the cap on and then storing it in the fridge or freezer. If you have expressed directly into the bottle and want to feed your baby straight away, just remove the bottle from the pump and attach the teat included in the kit. The only slight con I found was that the 5oz milk storage bags provided in the kit are slightly on the smaller size, so you may need extra if your baby is feeding more.

When in use, how comfortable is the Lola&Lykke Smart Electric Breast Pump?

The pump is very comfortable once you have found the best setting for you. I personally preferred to express on the highest setting as I felt it really stimulated my supply. However, I found that if I expressed at the highest setting as soon as I attached the pump, it hurt a little and the shield needed to be adjusted. So for me, starting off on a slightly lower setting before working my way up was most comfortable. Once I figured out which settings were right for me, pumping felt very similar to feeding my baby. Natural Baby Shower reviewers also complimented how comfortable the pump is to use, adding that it comes complete “with a great variety of settings to suit your personal needs”.

How effectively did the Lola&Lykke Smart Electric Breast Pump express?

For me, this is the pump’s biggest selling point. It is excellent for expressing. After turning the device on, my milk started to flow within seconds during stimulation mode. When I first started using the pump, I was expressing around 2/3oz of milk per session. After 10 days of daily use, I was expressing almost 6oz of milk per 20-minute session. This has never happened to me before, with MFM parent tester Katie also stating how the pump did a “fantastic job”, adding: “In just a few minutes, I was able to express a decent amount of milk”.

When your baby is refusing the bottle, every drop you express really counts because so much can go to waste. Being able to produce so much milk really helped with easing my stress around this. If a bottle was wasted, it wasn’t the end of the world because it was so easy to produce more – which wasn't the case with my previous pump.

How well do the settings work on the Lola&Lykke Smart Electric Breast Pump?

There are two modes on this pump – stimulation, which has six settings, and expression, which has nine. I found that the higher the setting, the more intense the suction. Although some settings are clearly stronger than others, they are all created to imitate the natural suction of a baby. As Louis is a bigger baby with quite an appetite, I found the highest settings comfortable to use as it was very similar to his natural suction. When I noticed my milk flow started to slow down, I found that briefly switching back from expression to stimulation mode helped to give me a little boost. Overall, it was an incredibly straight-forward process.

How do you rate the features of the Lola&Lykke Smart Electric Breast Pump?

One feature I love about this pump is the timer – it allows you to monitor exactly how long you’ve been expressing for. Personally, I’m guilty of getting pretty bored and impatient while expressing, but having a timer on the pump motivates me to reach my goal of pumping for 20-minutes a session. Another feature I liked was the sturdy bottle base, which made the bottle feel more secure and harder to knock over. This makes a huge difference if you’re clumsy like me.

Is the Lola&Lykke Smart Electric Breast Pump portable?

This device is light and wireless so you can easily walk around while expressing, with MFM Awards home tester Charlotte noting that this was a huge plus “instead of being tethered to a wall socket or attached by a tube to a larger pump”. Despite this positive, you do need two hands to use it – one to support your breast, the other to hold the pump in place. I noticed that when I tried using my phone while expressing, my milk flow started to slow down. When I moved my hand away from my breast, the nipple would change position slightly, impacting suction. In the instruction manual, it is advised that the nipple is properly centred in the suction tunnel, so two hands are ideally needed while using this pump – especially if you have a larger bust like me. This means pumping on the go might not be the easiest thing to do.

When it comes to transporting the actual pump, the Breastfeeding Starter kit does come with a carry and cooler bag so it would be super easy to travel with the pump and keep all the components together.

How noisy is the Lola&Lykke Smart Electric Breast Pump?

The pump isn’t silent but it is far quieter than other models on the market. It makes the same level of noise as a phone vibrating on a hard surface. I was worried that the pump would be too noisy to use around Louis if he were sleeping. However, I decided to take the chance one evening and started expressing in bed as he slept in his Next2Me crib. Although he stirred ever so slightly when I turned the pump on, he didn’t wake and stayed asleep for the entire 20-minutes I was expressing. I was very pleasantly surprised! A review on the Natural Baby Shower also noted that it is “very silent, which helps a lot during the night”.

How long does the battery last?

This pump is a wireless device and is powered by a rechargeable battery, which according to the manufacturers, can last up to 2-hours when fully charged. To charge it, you need to connect the battery to the USB wire which is supplied.

It’s worth noting that a plug adapter isn’t included in the kit – just the USB cable – so make sure you have one of these before buying. I connected the supplied USB wire to my iPhone plug and this worked perfectly.

While using the pump, I noticed that the battery would drop to two bars after around four/five 20-minute sessions. Once it dropped to two bars, it would then fall to one pretty quickly. So I would advise putting the battery on charge as soon as it drops to two bars. You can use the pump while the battery is charging. However, the USB wire isn’t particularly long so I personally wouldn’t find this a practical, go-to option for me.

How easy is the Lola&Lykke Smart Electric Breast Pump clean?

After seeing online reviews stating that the pump was “super easy to take apart to clean and sterilise”, I had high hopes for the process. There are five parts that need to be cleaned and sterilised after every use. The instruction manual recommends soaking these parts in hot water with mild washing-up liquid before being rinsed thoroughly. They then need to be soaked in boiling water for ten minutes to sterilise. I found this to be a pretty straight-forward process and all the parts were sparkling clean afterwards with no staining or clouding. While this process can be a little time-consuming, Lola&Lykke is dishwasher safe but recommends boiling or sterilising– so I avoided and stuck to the advice recommended.

How does the Lola&Lykke Smart Electric Breast Pump compare with other breast pumps you’ve used?

This pump is incredibly effective at stimulating milk supply – far more so than other pumps I have used. I found the timer was also a fantastic feature for impatient mums, giving you that extra motivation to express. Another positive was the fact you can express directly into a bottle or milk storage bag. While it might not be as silent as other pumps on the market, notably the Elvie Electric Breast Pump, it is still far quieter than other models and can be used next to a sleeping baby, making it attractive for expressing at night time.

How does the Lola&Lykke Smart Electric Breast Pump compare to similar breast pumps?

What’s in the box?

• 1 x Smart Electric Breast Pump
• 1 x Breast Shield (24mm -comes with the pump)
• 2 x baby bottles (0M+)
• 1 x Nipple Teat 2-pack (3M+)
• 1 x Nipple Teat 2-pack (6M+)
• 1 x Breast Milk Storage bags 10pcs + adapter
• 1 x Breast milk storage bags 30pcs
• 1 x Silicone Spare Part Set
• 1 x Breast Pump Carry & Cooler Bag
• 1 x Curved Bamboo Nursing Pads (2 pairs)
• 24/7 Breastfeeding support

What are the additional accessories that you can buy?

This kit includes Lola&Lykke’s complete breastfeeding collection so no additional accessories are needed. However, you will eventually need to buy more milk storage bags, which are priced at £13.95 for 30pcs.

Now you’ve tested it, what would you have wanted to know before purchasing the Lola&Lykke Breastfeeding Starter Kit?

The Breastfeeding Starter Kit literally contains everything a nursing mum desires, so that is an attractive feature when it comes to wanting to purchase this product. As for the Smart Electric Breast Pump, it is advertised as “quiet” but that doesn’t mean silent. If Louis were a light sleeper or had difficulty sleeping, I would perhaps think twice about using this pump while he slept nearby in case the noise woke him.

Who would the Lola&Lykke Breastfeeding Starter Kit be most useful for?

The Lola&Lykke Breastfeeding Starter kit includes all the basics a new mum would need to start her nursing journey, whether it be with her first child, or first time breastfeeding. It has all bases covered to make it a positive experience, from its award-winning Smart Electric Breast Pump to its specially designed Nursing Pads for all-day comfort.

Thanks to its portability, 2-hour battery life and hassle free cleaning process, mums on the go would benefit from using the Smart Electric Breast Pump, as well as those who are concerned about their milk supply. When I first started using this product, I was able to express around 1/2oz per 20-minute session. However, after using the pump daily for 10 days, I found that I was expressing between 5/6oz per session. This gave me a huge confidence boost.

Is the Lola&Lykke Breastfeeding Starter Kit worth the money?

While there are other Breastfeeding Starter Kits around, notably the Tommee Tippee Complete Breastfeeding Kit which is around £100 cheaper and also includes their Made For Me electric pump, you really do get what you pay for with this luxury “all in” product from Lola&Lykke.

Priced at £242, everything is included, meaning you won’t have to stock up on things like milk storage bags, breast shields, bottles and teats from the get go. Editorial Judge and MFM contributing writer Gabrielle added that the kit “feels well-made, durable and is all very stylish” for its price tag. With the Smart Electric Breast Pump retailing at £134 alone, the kit also offers spare parts for the pump and a cool bag to transport and keep everything safe, meaning you are getting a lot for your money.

As for the Smart Electric Breast Pump itself, I personally found the product to be well worth every penny as while using the Lola&Lykke pump, the amount of milk I was able to express more than doubled after a 10-day period of daily use. I was surprised at how much milk I was able to stock up on while gradually trying to reintroduce Louis to the bottle.

Where can I buy the Lola&Lykke Breastfeeding Starter Kit from?

It is available from Lola&Lykke, Natural Baby Shower and Babasafe.

MadeForMums verdict:

Breastfeeding isn’t easy and can be hugely stressful. So having a high-quality hamper like the Lola&Lykke Breastfeeding Starter Kit that includes everything you need to kick start your breastfeeding journey just makes life so much easier. With its award-winning Smart Electric Breast Pump taking centre stage, it is a great option for mums on the move or those like myself, who want to stimulate and increase milk supply. With that in mind, I highly recommend this product as you’re getting an extremely effective breast pump with all the trimmings and for a reasonable price.