Breastfeeding is challenging enough without having to add more logistical issues. Save yourself some added stress and work by investing in one or more of these Hygienikits if you breastfeed and must pump full-time.

What is a Hygienikit?
I believe all Ameda pumps (and at least 2 of them: the Purely Yours and the Manual Hand Pump) can use components of the Hygienikit. The Hygienikit is the milk collection system itself and includes everything you need except for the pump:

- 2 Horns (the Plastic apparatus that go directly over your breasts and screw onto the bottles/collection bags)
- 2 36" lengths of plastic tubing
- A tubing adapter (it controls the airflow from the motor into the tubing, which allows you to pump one side only or pump both sides)
- 2 Adapter caps that connect to the tubing and snap on the top of the Horns
- 2 Silicon Diaphragms that act as a barrier between the pump and the milk being pumped (the adapter caps snap onto the diaphragms)
- 4 white valves (the rubbery part that snaps onto the bottom of the horns and drips the milk into the bottle/collection bag)
- 2 plastic bottles with locking caps


My experience
Since I pumped until my daughter was 12 months old, I lugged my Ameda Purely Yours back and forth from work everyday (sometimes I pumped after she slept to ensure I had extra milk for daycare). Rather than lug a Hygienikit back and forth to work everyday, I bought an additional set. One set I kept at work and one set was at home. I eventually bought a third set because one of the horns cracked (which can happen from screwing too tightly day after day).

I consider this a worthwhile investment in my sanity. I was tired enough with working full-time, not sleeping well (my daughter did not sleep more than 4 hours in a row until 10 months), and cleaning and preparing her bottles for daycare. Saving myself 5 minutes every day by not packing up my Hygienikit to bring home and then bring back to work was a small luxury I felt I deserved. Plus, it meant I always had a kit at work and had one less thing to remember to bring in.

I strongly recommend all moms using Ameda pumps to invest in at least 1 additional Hygienikit to supplement the one included with your pump.

Recommended: Yes