Customer Reviews

Medela Swing Breast Pump

5 star:		(106)
4 star:		(38)
3 star:		(13)
2 star:		(11)
1 star:		(22)

 

 

OK... so I've been told the Symphony is the Cadillac of breast pumps... but with a price tag of $[...] who can afford that?? Renting it cost $[...] a month if you can find a place to rent it.. I did and used it for a month.. I honestly was not totally impressed for the price. Then I read up on the swing this pump ALSO (like the symphony) includes the Medela 2-Phase Expression Technology - the new standard for unsurpassed naturalness, comfort and efficiency. AND after buying it.. I liked it BETTER then the symphony. Infact I think it works just about the exact same, which is crazy of Medela when the price is SO different. I have tried the Medela Pump in style as well as the Avant Isis and this one is the best.

I would highly reccommend this pump.
POSITIVES:
This pump is portable. Comes with a travel bag, runs on batteries OR you can plug it in. The pump itself is about the size of a Hardees Hamburger. The breast shield is soft and very effective, you can control the speed and it has the letdown mode as well that automatically turns on after a few minutes. The breast shield is soft and comfortable, the suction and speed is the same as the symphony, the pump is SIMPLE to use, FOUR buttons-you can't NOT figure it out easily! It is FAST and emptys your breast totally.

NEGATIVES: (I have to stretch on this one cause I love the pump) It's not quiet, I don't know why the other review says it is.. It's actually louder then I thought it should be.. but not louder then the Medela Pump in style or symphony. But just not "quiet" I don't want you thinking you are going to get something you can pump with at the front of a mini van and noone in the back is going to hear..
It's a Single Pump... I know.. DUH.. but it is a negative, if only they made a double with this size base, I'm almost tempted to buy another.

I highly reccommend this pump, as a mom of three, I've tried a lot of pumps.. I think Medela is selling this pump short saying it is like the pump in style, I think it is comparable to the symphony!

I was looking for a pump because I'm planning a long car trip which I don't want to make even longer by stopping every 2 hours to feed. Other than that I only plan to use it occasionally -- enough to keep my child taking a bottle. I have the Medela Manual Electric which the hospital gave to me. I used once it once and hated it. It was slow and actually hurt because the required pump action pushes against the breast. This experience made me leary to get the manual Medela Harmony (or similar). I also thought I'd feel weird using a manual pump while fairly visible in a car.

I'm trilled with the Swing.
* It's cute and the parts are small enough to carry large handbag. The pump itself is about the size of a jumbo bagel. The breastsheild and tubing don't take up much more room. If you choose to plug it in then the cord with its wall wort are almost a large as the pump itself.

* It's extremely easy to use as the use of the 4 buttons is intuitive.

* It's quiet. My baby is a noisy eater and she's louder than the pump.

* I guess the drawback is only one breast can be pumped at a time. I found I can get 70ml in about 15 minutes, ie about the same speed as my child. However, it only takes one hand to hold the bottle/breastshield so I can use the computer at the same time. (If I pumped at a table of the right height I might be able to prop up the bottle/breastshield and have 2 hands free.)

This pump is awesome for an occasional user. I'll speculate that it would be good for someone who doesn't drive a car to work and doesn't want to lug a Pump In Style, and yet has the flexibility to allow pumping to take a little longer.

My baby was small (4 pounds 14 ounces) when born and was not able to nurse well. I established my supply on a rental Symphony from the hospital. When it came time to return the Symphony I debated whether to continue renting it or to purchase my own pump. The purchase price of pumps really scared me off, but I considered the Swing because it is intended for daily use, which is what I needed, but was not as pricey as the Pump In Style. I LOVE THE SWING. THe Swing is as efficient, if not more, as the SYmphony. THe fact that it is a single pump does not bother me at all because it is so efficient I am done pumping in 20 minutes - both sides. It is so lightweight and portable that you can go anywhere. After a month of being tied to the huge Symphony every three hours, it was a wonderful and welcome change to be able to go places with the pump. I am a full time working mom and currently use the Swing every day. I fully recommend this!

I have had to pump exclusively with all 3 of my children due to many reason because I still wanted them to get breastmilk. With my first and second child I used the Avent Iris handpump and I liked it. But just so you know I had bought a Medela Pump In Style $300 pump and hated it first (felt like it sucked my nipples off, it actually hurt). By the time I had my 3 child (who is now 4 months old) my nipples were to big to fit the Avent Iris anymore. So I bought the Medela Harmony handpump since I could buy bigger breastshields to fit my breasts. I like it as well. I wanted an electric pump because I could do more at time. It takes me 30 minutes (that includes the whole process start to finish)to pump with the Harmony pump. And now that I have the Swing it takes 20 minutes. I know a lot about pumping since that is the only way all of my children have been fed breastmilk.

The Swing Pump is very nice since you can adjust the amount of suction to your liking. I does not hurt like all the Medical Grade ones I have tried and bought. It is not as noisy as some have suggested. I makes the same amount of noise that any electric pump makes. And the only reason that milk gets sucked up in the tubing is if the white membrane sticks and doesn't let the milk drop into the bottle (so you have to help it not stick by manually pulling the flap open a few times until the milk flows by itself). And that can be a reason why the suction is not as good as well (the membrane may be worn out and needs replaceing). I have had to talk with many lactation nurses and I use Olive Oil on my nipples before I pump so that it doesn't irretate my nipples when pumping (makes it smoother not as rough). I also massage my breasts as I pump. This is a MAJOR reason why some women can not produce as much when they pump. If you use the "C" method of holding your breast to massage them(or any method you find comfortable, it may require a few different ways)you will get a lot more milk in a lot less time. I produce more milk than many women who nurse exclusively. I know this is because of two reasons, I drink a ton of water and I massage my breasts while pumping. I pump about 40 ounces a day. As for the power cord falling out, I have not had this problem. The cord does come out of the bottom and gravity does exist so use tape to hold the cord in place if you have that problem. Also another quick note, I can pump and type on my computer at the same time even when I am massaging my breast. Get a tall bottle to pump into so you can prop it on your leg and use one hand to massage and the other is free to do whatever. Or use an old tube top, cut a small slit in it and it will hold the bottle in place will you pump.

This Pump is well worth the money if you want an electric pump. If you get the hang of pumping it can be quick, easy and painless.

I have used the pump in style with my first baby. I didn't like how big and noisy it was and how many parts I needed to wash. I realized that I prefer to pump one side at the time, because pumping both simultaneously caused leaking from the other breast when nursing my baby. So I got rid of it, and now for my 2nd baby I have bought the swing. I like that it is tiny, you can strap it on you pants and be completely free to move. I use batteries so I can pump anywhere, on the couch reading a book for example. It is super quite, the noise is kind of soothing actually. Very few parts. Quick pumping, I can do 4oz in 5 minutes or so, being able to adjust the suction is a great plus. The soft breast-shield included is great. I didn't find the charger attachment to be a problem at all, it stays in place just fine. If you want a great, portable pump at a reasonable price you should get this one. I am returning to work full time soon and I am not dreading the time I will spend using this pump at all. One more thing: if you want to pump in glass bottles, the evenflo ones fit the pump.

I did a great deal of research before purchasing a pump and decided on this one as I am a stay at home mom and felt it would be perfect for my needs of occasional pumping. As another reviewer stated the ac adapter cord comes out of the pump very easily shutting the pump off. I have also only been able to pump 1 to 2 ounces from each breast and that is pumping for 20 minutes each breast. Obviously 3 ounces in 40 minutes is not a great total. I decided to rent a hospital grade pump (Medela Lactina) at one point when I was going to have to exclusively pump for awhile. With that pump I was able to get 5 ounces in 20 minutes which let me know that more production is definitely possible with a better pump. Of course to purchase the Lactina or even rent it for a long period of time is far more expensive than buying the Swing. Now however I am wanting to purchase a better quality double pump in an effort pump more in less time (even though I'm home I have found it is not often easy to find 40 minutes to pump and only get a few ounces). I wish I had gone ahead and paid more in the beginning and gotten a better quality pump as now I have basically thrown away about $270 in buying this one and renting the Lactina for a month.

I'm so happy that I splurged and bought this. I was using a manual pump, and getting sore wrists and it took forever to do. The Swing, though a little pricier, is totally worth it! The two-phase part really works well. I was pretty dubious at first, but it's been a great help to me as I return part-time to work.

I bought this pump because I wanted to increase my milk supply and the hand pump was difficult and painful to use. This was very easy to put together and it works amazingly, as long as you clean it properly EVERY TIME and leave the pump running after you've finished for about 2-3 minutes. After about a month, I started getting condensation in the tubing every time I pumped, and then a few weeks later I started getting some milk in the tubing. After I cleaned it as the instructions say, I started leaving the pump running with only the tubing attached for a few minutes after each pumping session, and have not had any problems since. I love that it is comfortable and you can adjust the suction as well as the fact that it can be plugged in or operate on batteries. WORTH EVERY PENNY!

I originally purchased the Avent Isis to use with DD because I was sure I would feel like a cow on the milk line if I used an electric pump, and I had read great reviews about the Isis. After the first two months though, I decided that the Isis was rather uncomfortable to use, and the massaging breast shield kept losing suction and leaking milk out the back, so I started researching pumps again.

I knew I wanted a Medela, but some of their pumps weigh in at 8 pounds, and I knew I didn't want anything that NEEDED to use the complimentary "stylish backpack". When I found the Swing, and read the reviews, I knew it was what I wanted. It is nearly as compact as hand pumps, but uses the same two stage action as the more expensive Medela pumps. It is comfortable to use, I've had no problems with leaking, it seems more efficient and in general I just really like this pump. You can use double A batteries to power it, which is great if you are traveling (Airport? Camping?) The best part though, came about five minute ago when I realized that the threads on the Swing match the threads on the skinny Airvent bottles that are the only ones we can get DD to use!! No more random bottles, and no more pumping in to one container and then pouring into another container to use!

To the Megan of three months ago:

I know that this pump is a lot cheaper than the Pump in Style Advanced and that you're not sure whether you'll even end up breastfeeding successfully. All the other baby stuff is so expensive, plus those nursing bras, bra pads, nipple cream, bottles, cleaners, sterilizers, etc. You think you should save the money here; after all, how bad can this pump be compared to the Pump in Style Advanced?

Please, please buy the Pump in Style Advanced. You'll save yourself three months of pain and suffering. You'll be able to pump your overproducing breasts even when your baby is full. You'll be able to stockpile some milk so you can sleep even though your baby needs to eat every two hours throughout the night. You'll be able to regulate your supply when your baby decides he's not as hungry as he used to be.

You won't be able to do any of that with the Swing because the Pump in Style Advanced on its lowest setting is stronger than the Swing on its highest. And the Pump in Style Advanced can pump both breasts at the same time. The Swing's pumping time for you will be 40 minutes per breast, the Pump in Style Advanced will take you 20 for both.

The Pump in Style Advanced will save you days of pain with horrible lumps that turn into mastitis by pulling those lumps out whereas the Swing will just tug at your nipples till they turn purple, its little motor wheezing like a smoker racing up a steep hill.

Sure the Swing is more mobile, if you buy it, I promise you that in three months you'll throw it out the window in favor of the Pump In Style Advanced. And that moment will be the happiest that you share with the Swing.

Love,
Future Megan.