Who is Marion

Marion has been Product Marketing Manager at Fizimed for 8 years. She has breastfed her two children for a combined total of 4 years and has received professional training in breastfeeding, giving her both personal experience and expertise to discuss the topic.

The Genesis of Emy Pump: A story about a breast pump that didn't work

The inspiration came from Emeline, founder of Fizimed, who was invited to a wedding in Sardinia as a witness shortly after the birth of her second child. She refused to go without being able to breastfeed, but a wired breast pump was too restrictive for the trip. She tested one of the first portable breast pumps on the market: it was tedious to assemble and not very effective. She realized that a reliable breast pump needed to be developed that would allow women to continue living their lives freely.

Three founders pregnant at the same time

A fortunate turn of events helped accelerate the development: three women from the Fizimed team were pregnant at the same time, and gave birth a week apart. They were able to test many models together when they returned to work, identify what worked and what didn't (small reservoirs that overflow, easily lost parts, unreliable connected breast pumps without network coverage), and build the specifications for Emy Pump based on these concrete experiences.

Ease of use: the primary criterion

After testing connected breast pumps deemed too complex (connection time, disconnection in case of network loss), the team prioritized a device quick to set up, use, and clean : few parts (just the flange and insert), simple disassembly. The idea: in postpartum, you don't have the energy to struggle with a complicated device.

Materials: silicone tested in an independent laboratory

The breast shields are made of soft silicone rather than classic plastic, which provides more comfort. All materials in contact with breast milk are tested by independent laboratories, because the milk can potentially be donated to a milk bank.

Breast shield size, the true number one criterion

Recommendations have evolved: we now measure the nipple itself, not the areola, preferably at the top, without adding millimeters contrary to previous recommendations. The average size is between 10 and 20 mm. Emy Pump offers 6 official breast shield sizes, without loss of power, unlike inserts from other brands that do not guarantee a proper seal.

Why France is lagging behind in breastfeeding duration

Returning to work remains one of the main reasons for stopping breastfeeding. French maternity leave (16 weeks) is closely correlated with the median breastfeeding duration. Mothers also lack reliable information: conflicting advice conflicting between maternity wards, pediatricians, and pharmacists.

Common misconceptions that hinder breastfeeding

Pain perceived as normal, inability to pump before six weeks, pumped milk being less nutritious: these are all misconceptions that prevent mothers from feeling confident. Another observation is that many mothers misuse their breast pump, increasing the intensity to the maximum, thinking they will get more milk, when in fact production responds to a supply and demand mechanism.

Safety: a real concern with uncertified breast pumps

The CE marking is a manufacturer's self-declaration, not a guarantee of actual verification. Associations are warning about mothers using uncertified breast pumps, particularly those purchased on certain online platforms, which pose a risk if milk is donated to a milk bank.

Double pumping, asymmetrical settings, and pricing

Double pumping allows you to express more milk in half the time. Approximately 75% of women have a different volume of milk expressed from each breast: Emy Pump allows you to adjust intensity and mode independently for each breast. Fizimed also offers the second breast pump at half price to facilitate double pumping.

Hospital-grade power, maintained for 30 minutes

The suction power has been tested to be equivalent to, or even superior to, certain commonly rented hospital-grade models, and most importantly maintained for 30 minutes without loss, a criterion that many breast pumps, both portable and hospital-grade, do not meet.

Human support, from professional loans to a 2-year warranty

Fizimed allows healthcare professionals to have their patients test the breast pump, works hand-in-hand with them to continuously improve the product (e.g., the recent addition of a pause function), offers customer service trained in breastfeeding, a directory of partner IBCLCs, individual phone appointments, and a two-year warranty.

If there's pain, something is wrong, even if you're told it's normal. You need to find the cause.