[breast4success]

I've been experimenting with different dome placement during the daytime to try to figure out a set up I might be able to get through a whole night with! My problem sounds a lot like Blue792's, with pain in my sternum, armpits, and ribs preventing me from keeping it on for more than a few hours. This didn't occur to me at first, but I think some of my issues might be because I have pectus excavatum, so I have rib flare and a depressed sternum. Maybe that results in unusual pressure points on my body? I've tried some of the tips that breast4success shared as well as some random experiments and I've found the most comfortable placement to be without the bra, with the domes very high up on my chest so that the bottom of the domes are just beneath my breast crease, and with the domes rotated inward towards one another so that the tops of the domes are touching and the bottoms of the domes are more wide apart. Rotating the domes helps take the pressure off my armpits and helps me to get a more comfortable placement on my ribs. Last night I decided to give sleeping with the domes another go!

However, terrible news! My pump just died! First, it was sputtering as it tried to create a vacuum, and then overnight it would just click repeatedly without evacuating any air. I replaced the batteries, reconnected all the tubing and made sure there were no leaks, and restarted the pump multiple times. Nothing! I haven't dropped it or damaged it in any way, so I'm so confused why this has happened. I noticed there is a clear chamber where liquid collects (sweat, I assume) that I figured was to protect the pump from being damaged by the moisture. It looked like I should be able to open that chamber up and pour out the liquid but I haven't found a way to do so, so I just let it be. There is never very much liquid in there, but I wonder if that might have contributed to the death of my pump? I can't believe it's only been 9 days and the pump has stopped working!

I'm sorry you're experiencing so many issues with this thing. I've had to change my dome placement with the current size because it was beginning to hurt a bit when it didn't when I used the smaller domes - probably because it's wider and longer. I have 1 dome about 1-1.5 inches higher than the other now and closer to the middle. I only use the bra to try to keep it in place with just 1 or 2 hooks engaged. I hope your new placement works once you get the pump working again.

Did you replace the old batteries with brand new batteries? I think I remember reading that the old Brava pump would only work for about 7-10 days before you needed new batteries - which is why I got rechargeable ones. I've dropped my Evebra pump at least 2-3 times on my kitchen tile floor with the batteries and metal plate falling out but it still works as well as the first day I got it. When I do use this pump, I have a backup pair of rechargeable batteries available and change them out every day after the old ones finish charging. I don't see much liquid in the reservoir although I do notice a lot of sweat after pumping. I know you can remove the chamber by clicking the gray button on top (did that by accident) but it looks like you would need to replace that entire piece if it is full of liquid. If there's nothing in there, it shouldn't affect the pump. 

Now I'm really thinking you may have a defective pump if new batteries won't turn it on (I'm assuming you didn't put them in backwards by mistake).

Forgot to mention: I also am strategically placing the petroleum jelly in certain places because it can make the domes slide out of position and into my arm pits, then air escapes w/o me moving.

Likewise, if the rim skirts have to overlap on the sternum, the rim skirt that rests on top of the other rim skirt edge shouldn't have jelly on it either or air tends to escape.

[ShelaVenna]

B4S, I think it’s possible you got the 7-10 day battery life from something I wrote at some point. Maybe not, but it seems very possible because I’m one of the few people who bought a Smartbox without the charging station that was designed to come with it. The original Smartbox was designed to use power from the disposable batteries only in an “emergency” when it ran out of charge. The batteries were only intended to be a stopgap. I was originally using “Amazon Basics” batteries that would die in an extremely short amount of time. I thought the smartbox was just a battery hog, but it turns out that the batteries I was using were just extremely poor quality. I switched to decent Duracell batteries and they last about 4 times as long. Of course, I don’t know how this new Smartbox differs from the original, aside from the fact that it runs on disposable batteries exclusively. If it’s anything like the original it should have a fairly decent battery life as long as you use good quality batteries, and maintain a good seal on the domes so it doesn’t have to turn on as often.

[ShelaVenna]

B4S, or any other Evebra user that’s reading this, do you think it’s physically possible to maintain a seal on the domes while lying on your side? There’s no way to pump on my side with my current setup. They just lose suction and pop off. I’ve said before that I find it extremely difficult to sleep on my back for more than a few hours at a time because of back pain. I’m also not willing to pump during the day time, except maybe on a very lazy weekend when I can stay in bed awake for a few extra hours. It’s been hard to accept, but if I never find a way to either comfortably sleep on my back, or a way to pump while lying on my side, I’m never going to be able to get in enough hours of pumping to make progress. I’m willing to invest $2000 into the Evebra, but only if it makes it possible for me to sleep on my side while pumping. I doubt it can do that, but I figured I’d at least ask since I’m grasping at straws at this point.

[breast4success]

Actually, the old Brava manual says the sportbox batteries typically last two weeks. Here's a link where it can be downloaded in case anyone wants to review it. Some of the things in there can apply to evebra. https://archive.org/details/manualzilla-...0/mode/2up

As for whether you can sleep on your side, I think it just depends on how good of a seal you get and how wide your chest is. I'm not a side sleeper, but when I sleep upright sometimes I turn slightly to the side to relieve pressure off my back and the domes don't move. However, if I lie like that too long while the pump is running, it will start sucking the surrounding skin into the domes and shift them a bit. 

If you use a pillow to either support yourself on your back so that much of the weight is on your back but you are still on your side - or use a pillow underneath so you aren't completely on your side, it might work. It really depends on if the domes stick out a bit on your side when they are centered on your chest. With these size 4 domes, they do stick out a little on the side. I'm sure if I put all my weight on them they would probably leak a bit and maybe come off after awhile. I doubt it'd be instant though. Once you get a seal, they pretty much stay put and it takes a lot to move them unless you release the air a bit.

[ShelaVenna]

Actually, the old Brava manual says the sportbox batteries typically last two weeks. Here's a link where it can be downloaded in case anyone wants to review it. Some of the things in there can apply to evebra. https://archive.org/details/manualzilla-...0/mode/2up

As for whether you can sleep on your side, I think it just depends on how good of a seal you get and how wide your chest is. I'm not a side sleeper, but when I sleep upright sometimes I turn slightly to the side to relieve pressure off my back and the domes don't move. However, if I lie like that too long while the pump is running, it will start sucking the surrounding skin into the domes and shift them a bit. 

If you use a pillow to either support yourself on your back so that much of the weight is on your back but you are still on your side - or use a pillow underneath so you aren't completely on your side, it might work. It really depends on if the domes stick out a bit on your side when they are centered on your chest. With these size 4 domes, they do stick out a little on the side. I'm sure if I put all my weight on them they would probably leak a bit and maybe come off after awhile. I doubt it'd be instant though. Once you get a seal, they pretty much stay put and it takes a lot to move them unless you release the air a bit.

Thanks. I’m surprised by that. Like I said I used it without the charger, so in theory, my batteries should have drained a whole lot quicker than they’re supposed to. Maybe I’m completely off base and the thing that I thought was a charger is really just used to connect the box to a computer to upload your hours. I don’t think so, but it doesn’t really matter either way.

Domes of any kind do stick way far out to the side on me. What I think I need is a mattress topper with a hole that’s level with my boobs so that the domes can poke down into it. In a fit of insanity I googled something like “mattress topper with boob hole” thinking that nothing would come up, but it turns out that they do exist. They’re intended for front sleepers with large breasts. So far I haven’t seen any that seem like they would work. A boob hole also wouldn’t do anything to stop me from leaning against my own arm in my sleep, and popping them off that way. I’ve already accumulated an embarrassing amount of sleep positioners, none of which have helped, and I feel a little stupid for even considering buying another one, but if I find one that works, and buy it, I guess I’ll let everyone know.

Edit: I ordered this weird contraption: http://www.comfybreasts.net/kcuplarger.htm I wish it extended far enough to support my head. I hate that all mattress toppers with boobie holes stop below the head. TBF I could have asked for a custom pillow, and maybe I should have. What I like about these is that they come in a wide number of widths and hole sizes, lol. You can get a very deep, very wide hole, and a wider overall pillow width as well, which I think is probably necessary for a side sleeper wearing huge torpedo domes.

[ShelaVenna]

I've been experimenting with different dome placement during the daytime to try to figure out a set up I might be able to get through a whole night with! My problem sounds a lot like Blue792's, with pain in my sternum, armpits, and ribs preventing me from keeping it on for more than a few hours. This didn't occur to me at first, but I think some of my issues might be because I have pectus excavatum, so I have rib flare and a depressed sternum. Maybe that results in unusual pressure points on my body? I've tried some of the tips that breast4success shared as well as some random experiments and I've found the most comfortable placement to be without the bra, with the domes very high up on my chest so that the bottom of the domes are just beneath my breast crease, and with the domes rotated inward towards one another so that the tops of the domes are touching and the bottoms of the domes are more wide apart. Rotating the domes helps take the pressure off my armpits and helps me to get a more comfortable placement on my ribs. Last night I decided to give sleeping with the domes another go!

However, terrible news! My pump just died! First, it was sputtering as it tried to create a vacuum, and then overnight it would just click repeatedly without evacuating any air. I replaced the batteries, reconnected all the tubing and made sure there were no leaks, and restarted the pump multiple times. Nothing! I haven't dropped it or damaged it in any way, so I'm so confused why this has happened. I noticed there is a clear chamber where liquid collects (sweat, I assume) that I figured was to protect the pump from being damaged by the moisture. It looked like I should be able to open that chamber up and pour out the liquid but I haven't found a way to do so, so I just let it be. There is never very much liquid in there, but I wonder if that might have contributed to the death of my pump? I can't believe it's only been 9 days and the pump has stopped working!

I think I might be posting on this thread a little too often, but I have to know, did you get in contact with them, and did they agree to replace the pump for free? Ideally they should be willing to replace the pump if it dies at any point before the first 6 months. If they’re not willing to do that, they’re not worth the money. Even if they agree to replace it once, will they be willing to replace it multiple times? I’m starting to think Stwics might not be such a bad deal after all, if the official system they’re imitating fits poorly and breaks easily anyway. They absolutely have to start offering narrower cup sizes, and start selling replacement parts or sending them out for free depending on the situation.

[here2learn]

ShelaVenna, I don't think you're posting too often! Actually, I feel so happy every time one of you posts and shares your experiences-- it makes me feel less alone and it is also so helpful as I try to figure this out! So, thank you to everyone for taking the time to help troubleshoot and share ideas.

The folks at EveBra take a long time to respond, but I did end up getting through to them and they sent me a new pump at no charge! But, to your point, I don't know how many free replacement pumps I can expect if it turns out they're just not durable. I think it was ruined by the moisture from sweat. And since this pump doesn't have a filter, I'm not sure how to avoid this going forward. Lining the domes with coffee filters? The EveBra employee I spoke with also said some customers had their pumps ruined when globs of the skin seal got into the tubing and lodged in the pump. I don't think this happened to me, but I wanted to warn everyone of the risk!

I am at a crossroads because I'm coming closer and closer to the end of the 30 day returns window. I'm not sure if I want to pay $2,000 for a system that I might not succeed with, or just cut my losses and loose only the restocking fee. I think the major innovation of EveBra is their unique silicone rims. They are sticky without any adhesives in the way silicone nipple covers like Cakes are. They are also ultra flexible and taper out to a paper thin edge, so I have absolutely no problems getting a seal, even with my very angular torso. However, they're too wide for me and I have some areas of increased pain/pressure that prevent me from keeping it on for an entire night. If EveBra sold a narrow version, I think that would be absolutely perfect. I know this is kind of far-fetched, but I wonder if I could craft some sort of mold and use liquid silicone to make my own silicone rims in the style of EveBra to use with a different system, like Noogleberry or even some cheap domes from Amazon. The EveBra rims keep such a good seal that I think I could get away with not having an electronic pump while I sleep with them on.

P.S. ShelaVenna, the boob mattress is amazing! I think I might get something similar if I find a pumping system that I can commit to.

[ShelaVenna]

ShelaVenna, I don't think you're posting too often! Actually, I feel so happy every time one of you posts and shares your experiences-- it makes me feel less alone and it is also so helpful as I try to figure this out! So, thank you to everyone for taking the time to help troubleshoot and share ideas.

The folks at EveBra take a long time to respond, but I did end up getting through to them and they sent me a new pump at no charge! But, to your point, I don't know how many free replacement pumps I can expect if it turns out they're just not durable. I think it was ruined by the moisture from sweat. And since this pump doesn't have a filter, I'm not sure how to avoid this going forward. Lining the domes with coffee filters? The EveBra employee I spoke with also said some customers had their pumps ruined when globs of the skin seal got into the tubing and lodged in the pump. I don't think this happened to me, but I wanted to warn everyone of the risk!

I am at a crossroads because I'm coming closer and closer to the end of the 30 day returns window. I'm not sure if I want to pay $2,000 for a system that I might not succeed with, or just cut my losses and loose only the restocking fee. I think the major innovation of EveBra is their unique silicone rims. They are sticky without any adhesives in the way silicone nipple covers like Cakes are. They are also ultra flexible and taper out to a paper thin edge, so I have absolutely no problems getting a seal, even with my very angular torso. However, they're too wide for me and I have some areas of increased pain/pressure that prevent me from keeping it on for an entire night. If EveBra sold a narrow version, I think that would be absolutely perfect. I know this is kind of far-fetched, but I wonder if I could craft some sort of mold and use liquid silicone to make my own silicone rims in the style of EveBra to use with a different system, like Noogleberry or even some cheap domes from Amazon. The EveBra rims keep such a good seal that I think I could get away with not having an electronic pump while I sleep with them on.

P.S. ShelaVenna, the boob mattress is amazing! I think I might get something similar if I find a pumping system that I can commit to.

These filters are similar to what the brava used: Sterile Syringe Filters PVDF 25 mm Diameter 0.22 um Pore Size Individually Packaged 10/pk by Biomed Scientific https://a.co/d/a15lt3R It’s just a disk of filtration material with a short tube poking out either end to connect to the tubing. If you can find the right sizes of tubing to attach to both side of these filters, you can use basically the same filters that the original brava used. I’ve used them. They seem to be doing their job. I have never bothered to search up the original Brava instructions so I could see them
again, but I personally change the filters out weekly, because I think I remember that’s what the instructions said to do.

[breast4success]

@here2learn

Glad to know evebra gave you a new pump for free. I'm surprised they didn't say they'd extend the 30 day period since you couldn't pump through no fault of your own. I'd call them and ask for an extension esp. if you're still on the fence on whether you want to keep it or not.

Thanks for the tip. I'll watch the tubes closer from now on. Funnily enough, I did clear a clump of jelly that was near the entrance of one of the dome tubes last week. Didn't think much of it. 

From reading some of the old Brava posts here, some users only used the pump to get the seal then used air locks to maintain the vacuum w/o being hooked up to the pump all the time. Push come to shove, you could try that if you're afraid of using the pump all the time. Some even sucked a little more air out of the domes through the tubes to increase the pressure a bit. 

I started clamping my tubes after reaching the right pressure since some posters said it helped them get past a plateau in their swelling. For a couple weeks, I wasn't (visually) swelling more when I had been swelling by about half an additional inch a week. It seems to work so far (I've only been doing it for a week) although technically I'm still not at the 8 week mark where real tissue growth begins. Still if I'm supposed to keep swelling more and more throughout this early period then I want it to happen to increase my chances of success.

I didn't know boob pillows existed, lol. I have acid reflux so I'm not even going to try to sleep on my stomach - even if it might result in less pressure on my chest.

[Skyyking]

Am now using the #2 cups. If the alarm sounds frequently, it is an indication that the batteries are low. The rubber bands that are used to secure the silicone rims to the plastic cups are important to maintaining a seal. They include an extra pair in the box as they loosen and lose their tension.
As a past Brava user, I find this system more comfortable.