Using a breast pump at work used to require privacy. Not anymore.

Innovative designs provide women more freedom and more flexibility in their daily lives

By Sydney Page

March 18, 2024 at 6:40 a.m.

Laura Curtis sits in a Maine courtroom, her breast pump whirring quietly beneath her blouse.

The 39-year-old lawyer is back at work after giving birth to her second child. “It’s very convenient, which I think is what most women want,” Curtis said of her hands-free electric breast pump, which she tucks inside her bra and controls with her smartphone. Curtis wears it often — to church, to the grocery store, and in the car. “It’s super discreet,” she said.

When Curtis had her first child seven years ago, she used a comparatively clunky, plug-in pump she chose from a few available options. Now pumps are so diverse that many women feel overwhelmed. Curtis made a spreadsheet to compare the many models on the market, a few of which she decided to purchase and test out. She has since shared the spreadsheet with other women.

The global breast pump market — estimated at $2.94 billion in 2023 — is projected to reach $5.2 billion by 2030, according to a new report by market forecaster Grand View Research. Lactation experts say the industry’s growth is due to various factors, including technological advancements, improved legislation and support for mothers — such as the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the recently passed Pump Act — as well as cultural shifts.

“The market is crazy,” said Allison Tolman, a nurse and lactation consultant who helps working mothers with breast pumping. “New innovation can be a good thing, but it can also be a problematic thing.”

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