(28-09-2024, 17:42)here2learn Wrote: Oh my gosh, here's hoping this is a solution for you! I gave up using electronic pumps entirely and at first just sucked out the air myself and tied it off with a hair tie. Now, I'm using a squeeze ball suction starter (like an aquarium hand pump) which makes things much easier. I keep it connected to the EveBra tubing at all times, like I would an electronic pump. I sleep with the squeeze ball in my pajamas pocket and if I wake up in the night as I roll over, I just reach to my pocket and give it a squeeze or two to make sure I maintain suction overnight. What it lacks in the convenience of an automatic pump it makes up for by being cheap and lightweight! You have full control over the pressure with a hand pump. Do you already have the Noogleberry hand pump? If you got connector piece to make the tubing diameters compatible between the two systems, you could just use that!
I personally don’t understand how anyone can sleep pump with a manual pump. You’re not the first person to manage to do it, but I just don’t get it. My manual pump has a gauge. Thanks to the gauge, I know that the pressure drops down almost to zero in around 15 or 20 minutes, at which point I have to pump again or I’ll lose suction completely. The noogleberry hand pump seems to “leak” pretty heavily though. I have owned air locks before, and the cups still fall off in an absolute maximum of 3 hours, and that’s only if I’m lucky and sleeping like a log. Not moving at all. If I’m unlucky, they can fall off after only a few minutes. I know some people have managed to sleep pump with nothing but their own mouth as a pump, and a plastic clip as an air lock, which is why I still recommend people try that out before spending lots of money on other things. Even so, I’m still flabbergasted and gobsmacked that that method actually works for some people.
BTW, I tried lying on my side with the Evebra, and it absolutely worked, although the pump was working overtime. The pump was kicking back on way more often than usual, which means the domes were “leaking” and then regaining suction over and over again. It still worked fine though. The only reason I’m not totally overjoyed is because it’s not really as comfortable as I imagined. I still have to lean back a bit while lying on my side. I’m sure you know what I mean by that, but I don’t know if it’ll make sense to other people reading this. I’m slightly in pain whenever my shoulders and hips aren’t perfectly stacked above one another while lying on my side. I could support myself with pillows like you do, but that would stop me from turning to my other side every few hours.
The ability to sleep on my side, even uncomfortably, is still an improvement though, so thanks for giving me the idea to try it again.
I know this must sound like a ridiculous princess and the pea situation to most people reading this, but all I need for a good nights sleep is to be able to sleep on my side, switch sides every few hours, and not be woken up more than twice a night. If you’re reading this and you think those things apply to you too, think twice about trying sleep pumping, and start off with a cheap setup.