As a working mom with two under two, I needed a good cordless pump to be able to chase my toddler around. My primary pump was the Medela Pump In Style that I got for free through insurance, but I used my wearable/cordless pump a lot. I enjoy talking about my exclusive pumping journey because i’m so proud of myself for making it an entire year. Exclusively pumping is not easy, and I applaud those mothers who tirelessly and selflessly give their child the benefits of breastmilk, no matter how long their journey. If you are just starting out, or looking to get more information on what pump to get, here is my honest review on why I like the WillowGo over the Gen 3.0.
Exclusive Pumper
Honest Review
Willow is known for this wearable, cordless pumps, but most women have a hard time picking which option to go with! I know I did.
I purchased the Willow Gen 3.0 in 2021 before the willow Go had been released. I liked that the Gen 3.0 was leak proof and had reusable container options in additional to the bags. I really like using the Willow app to see how much milk I pump and how long I had been pumping for.
Now here are the downsides to the Willow Gen 3.0. The app that shows you how much milk you have pumped durning your session knows this through a sensor on the pump. There were countless times that my pump would shut off because it thought that the bag/container was full. The container was indeed NOT FULL. So I would have to take off the pump, clean it and hope the sensor would be cleared.
The Gen 3.0 was also tricky to get get the milk out of. You had to push a button, then slowly flip it upside down to get all of the milk into the container. The amount of times I spilled milk because the lever wasn’t the right position makes me want to scream. I’m still traumatized over it and don’t get me wrong, it could just be user error but it was still so frustrating.
When the WillowGO came out, I decided to give it a try because it was brand new and a cheaper option. In my honest opinion, I prefer the WillowGO over the Gen 3.0 and here is why;
WillowGo is way more comfortable than the Gen 3.0. The suction level wasn’t as “intense” as the Gen 3.0 but I still felt like I was being emptied fully. The WillowGo is so much easier to put on, take off, pour the milk, and clean the parts.
The only negative for me would be that the WillowGo isn’t completely leak proof. There is a small pour hole at the top, so sometimes milk could leak out the top if you were leaning over too far.
Willow 3.0 offers complete, leak-free mobility when pumping with our Spill-Proof Milk Bags. With its gravity-defying continuous latch suction technology, you can pump in any position, from bending over to lying down. Willow Go doesn’t offer as full of a range of motion, but offers the same completely in-bra design and lets you pump totally hands-free and untethered. Willow Go’s “tug and release” suction technology is comparable to traditional pumps and other wearable pump brands.
Willow 3.0 offers more milk storage options. It’s compatible with Spill-Proof Milk Bags and reusable Containers, while Willow Go offers Containers only.
Both pumps are app connected, but Willow 3.0 offers smart pumping that tracks volume in real time and automatically records your session. Check out our comparison page for more, or take their pump quiz to decide which pump is right for you.
