FAQs
General
Every woman is different. We have a 30-day risk-free trial period on your first order. If you are having trouble with the cushion for any reason, please contact us at support@milkdroppumps.com. We would like to understand more and may have some tips that will help, but we will also arrange a return and refund, hassle-free, on your first order. Please return the cushion washed and the packaging intact.
If you’ve ordered and paid for the cushion but have changed your mind (before we've shipped it), please contact us at support@milkdroppumps.com to arrange a refund.
Our cushion is designed to last for up to 6 months, depending on how often you're pumping. It's not a single-use throwaway product. The cushion is 100% silicone and free from BPA, plastic, sulfate, palm oil, additives or lubricants. The packaging and instructions are recycled and recyclable cardboard, and the mailing bags are compostable. We use soy inks in printing.
Please don’t hesitate to contact our support team at support@milkdroppumps.com. We’d be grateful to hear from you to see how we can help.
Safety
The cushion is 100% medical-grade silicone. It is BPA and plastic-free. The silicone cushion is made with no lubricants or additives and is strictly tested for safety for you and for your baby.
Yes. The cushion is designed to be gentle on your skin, even with cracked nipples. It is made from 100% medical-grade silicone, is BPA and plastic-free and no lubricants or additives are used in manufacture.
We have a strict quality control program.
Yes. In addition to strict quality controls, the silicone is also tested to the FDA food safe standard and is appropriate for your baby to drink, even if milk comes into contact with the cushion.
Using the cushion
See this instruction video. Stretch the cushion onto your breast pump flange, hooking the lip of the cushion over the edge of the flange. Make sure it is nice and snug all the way around. You may need to remove existing inserts out of the head beforehand. Before you remove, make sure any milk that has collected in the ridges is tipped back into the bottle. Then, just peel the cushion back off the rim.
Wash before use in warm soapy water, rinse in drinking-quality water and air dry on a clean unused towel. You can also pop it in the dishwasher, sanitise in steam or boiling water. You can follow more detailed instructions from the FDA website on how to clean breast pumps. If you are using the cushion in a clinical setting, you can sterilise as part of your hospital or clinical systems. See here for more details.
Our cushions are designed to last for 4-6 months depending on how often you are pumping.
Keep it in a cool, dry location, away from sunlight.
The cushion is designed to last as long as you are using your pump (per baby). When you are ready to finally put the pump in cupboard (yay!), you can dispose of it - silicone is stable and won’t leach chemicals or break down and cause environmental issues like plastic. You can also gift to a friend if it is has had less than 4-6 months of use. Make sure you wash and disinfect by boiling or steaming first.
Troubleshooting
See this instruction video. Stretch the cushion onto your breast pump flange, hooking the lip of the cushion over the edge of the flange. Make sure it is nice and snug all the way around. You may need to remove existing inserts out of the head beforehand. Before you remove, make sure any milk that has collected in the ridges is tipped back into the bottle. Then, just peel the cushion back off the rim.
Every woman is different. You may notice that the hole in the cushion is far smaller than most pump heads. This is to protect your areola from being sucked into the pump shaft. The cushion should feel snug against your nipple, and might even press against the sides slightly, which is ok (as long as it’s not painful). If your nipple doesn’t fit at all, or if you’re having pain, please contact us as soon as you can at support@milkdroppumps.com. We may be able to help by trying a different style cushion, and if not, we will arrange a refund through our 30-day risk-free trial policy if it's your first order.
Because the cushion acts as a shield against the suck of the pump, you won’t feel the tugging and pulling you normally feel from the pump quite so intensely. Give yourself some time and try to relax. You may be surprised how much milk you do collect. If you’re still struggling to get a letdown at all, or finding that you’re collecting far less milk, then read through the next question, and contact us at support@milkdroppumps.com. We may be able to help by trying a different style cushion, and if not, we will arrange a refund through our 30-day risk-free trial policy if it is your first order.
Because the cushion acts as a shield against the suck of the pump, you won’t feel the tugging and pulling you normally feel from the pump quite so intensely. Give yourself some time and try to relax. You may be surprised how much milk you do collect. If you’re still struggling to get a letdown at all, or finding that you’re collecting far less milk, then read through the next question, and contact us at support@milkdroppumps.com. We may be able to help with a different size cushion, and if not, we will arrange a refund through our 30-day risk-free trial policy if it is your first order.
Yes. You may see some milk pooling in behind the cushion. This is ok, and part of the design. When you are finished, just tip the pump head slightly to drain the milk from the cushion before you peel it off. The cushion is made from 100% medical-grade silicone, is BPA and plastic-free and no lubricants or additives are used in manufacture, so any milk that comes in contact with the cushion is appropriate for your baby to drink.
Orders, shipping and payment
Of course, please contact us as soon as possible at support@milkdroppumps.com so that we can change your address before we ship.
Please contact us at support@milkdroppumps.com to check if your order was placed and its status.
You should receive notifications by email when your order has been packed, is on route, and has been delivered. Please contact us at support@milkdroppumps.com if you haven’t received any notifications on your order, or if you’d like to update or cancel.
Oh no! Please contact us at support@milkdroppumps.com
We accept Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Paypal and Afterpay.
Each pouch contains one (1) milkdrop cushion and instructions.
If you're based in Australia, you can add a stainless steel tin with silicone lid to keep your cushion in.
Partnerships
Of course! We are always eager to meet people with high quality products and brands who share our values for collaborations. Contact our team at hello@milkdroppumps.com. We’d love to hear from you!
Yes! Please contact us at hello@milkdroppumps.com
For Clinicians
Preliminary observations from our pilot indicate that lactating women perceive lower levels of pain, redness and swelling in the nipple, and higher levels of comfort when using the cushion on their existing pump. Most women perceive that they collect the same or more milk when using the cushion on their existing pump. We will release a detailed report on our pilot outcomes shortly, noting that the pilot observations have not yet been validated with a broader trial.
Firstly, the cushion is softer and more flexible than others. It measures 10A on the Shore Hardness scale, making it 3-4x softer than existing breast pump cushions and over 10x softer than existing breast pump heads. This softness allows it to be more flexible and mould to the shape of the nipple. Secondly, the cushion is designed with a series of ridges, which roll over when the pump is on, and allow the nipple and areola to move within the pump flange, rather than be pressed against it. This may be one reason for lower swelling and chafing that we had seen in our pilot.
We are available across Australia, NZ, and the USA. If you'd like to receive a sample, join our clinician program here.
We provide reusable, sterilisable cushions for use within your clinic or practice, and discount codes for patients ordering on your recommendation. Join our clinician program above! We'd love to hear from you.
Of course! If you would like us to provide a demonstration or education session, or would like any other information, please contact us at hello@milkdroppumps.com. We'd love to hear from you.