Customer Reviews

Medela Single Deluxe Pump

5 star:		(71)
4 star:		(55)
3 star:		(25)
2 star:		(24)
1 star:		(55)

 

 

This pump is rated for occaisional use. If you're a first-time mom who plans to breastfeed exclusively, but wants to have a little milk in the freezer just in case (as I did), that sounds perfect. Until you understand the mechanics of breastfeeding and pumping . . .

If you want to give your baby a bottle of expressed breastmilk once in a while, you should buy a double pump. Here's why:

1. The first time you pump, you will only get 1-2 ounces, or less, of milk. You need to pump every day, at the same time, for your body to know that it has to produce more milk. After 1-2 weeks, you will start to pump enough milk at one sitting for a bottle. Until then, you can freeze the little bit you get each day and combine it when you have enough.

2. No pump will match the effectiveness of your baby. You can pump yourself "dry" and then latch your baby on. You baby will get milk! So, if you buy a single pump, like this one, you will need to nurse on one side while pumping on the other, in order for you milk to letdown. This is VERY tricky at first, but if you use a Boppy and a footstool, you can get the hang of it eventually. You will need to switch sides 2 times during the pumping session.

3. This pump isn't as powerful as the more expensive, double pumps. It took me 15-30 minutes to pump 4-5 ounces, even after several weeks.

I learned the hard way that a $100 single pump isn't worth very much, unless you just want to relieve engorgement or you don't mind going through the acrobatics described above. I REALLY wish I had saved my money and bought a double pump. It would have been worth it. This pump just sits in my closet now, because it was too time consuming.

If you think you want to pump, buy the more expensive double pump. You won't be sorry!

When I first brought my daughter home I used a manual pump but that took too long to get just a few ounces. I bought this pump and could pump up to 6 oz. on one breast at a time. I used my pump to build up my stored breastmilk for when my daughter began eating solids. I pumped each morning and sometimes 1-2 times during the night for her first year of life. Once she started weening herself, then my milk supply naturally started to become less and less. However I used this pump each day and was able to have breastmilk stored for my daughter until she was 16 months old. I recommend this pump because of the small, portable size, price, and convenience of using it. Each pumping session took about total of 10 minutes (5 on each breast). Each time I used my pump I only used the plug. I never used the batteries and my motor did not start to go out until the time I stopped pumping. I attribute that to having used it daily for over a year.

I got this pump because I only needed to pump for an occasional short separation from my daughter. This was the pump that Medela recommended for my needs, however, the pump is so weak that it was a total waste of money (I used it once and now it's in the closet gathering dust). I ended up getting a Pump in Style, which is great. It was a little more, but hey, I'm saving a lot by breastfeeding, and it really has been a godsend - I can pump and go out knowing that my little one doesn't have to settle for formula. If you want to pump, don't bother with this one - manual expression of milk would be just as fast!

Please be aware when buying this pump. I'm a new Mom and stay at home so I need a pump for short outings/nights out...about 3x/week or so. So I pump at night and store the milk. This pump seemed to be the perfect pump for me. My first one lasted about a week before the motor started to die on me. The second one worked fabulously for about 3 months. It was doing the job wonderfully and then all of a sudden I wasn't getting enough suction. My third one lasted about 2 days...it had the same suction problem again. I've given up on this pump now. Fortunately, the people at Babies R Us have allowed me to exchange the defective pumps each time. From what I understand, they know that there's a problem with this pump. Bottom line, it's a great pump when it works -- it's quick, easy to use and painless (yes, it's noisy but that isn't an issue for me). I wish Medela would do something about the fact that they breakdown sooner or later. It's too expensive to be so unreliable. I've now gone to the Evenflo electric pump. It's not as easy to use because the suction is manual but it's not hard to do at all. I've only used it once so I can't really rate it yet but it worked just fine that one time. It is half the price of the Medela so even if it doesn't work out, I'm not out all that money. I plan on saving my pennies and getting a Pump in Style eventually, as I plan on having 2-3 more babies. It'll be worth it.

If you need a pump for returning to work, the single battery/electric is NOT the model for you. However, for 3-4X per week, this is the pump to buy. Returning-to-work moms will find it too noisy for discretion (ALL mini pumps are noisier than the 10 pound, well-insulated electric motor types) and not durable enough (ALL mini pumps are for occasional use only....

I have been using this pump since I went back to work in March 2002, and I have no complaints. I got one the first week after I came home from hospital due to chronic engorgement, and although I had my doubts about the price, I'm glad I went ahead and bought this instead of a hand pump or other electric pump. I use it all the time; it's great for maintaining my milk supply; I can empty each breast in 7-10 minutes; it's provided many moments of relief. It's a very worthwhile purchase!

The only "breakdown" I've had is when the adapter cord twisted and no longer supplied power to the motor. At first it seemed like a breakdown, but when I was able to use the pump with batteries I just called our local Medela vendors (listings available on Medela's website) and found one vendor that could replace the adapter. I wouldn't even call this a breakdown, but to be expected if you use the adapter all the time for pumping at work. Just make sure to properly coil the cord each time you put it away.

I didn't order my pump here, but through the lactation clinic of our baby's birthing center. So, I didn't get any the "numerous attachments" to assist in pouring the breastmilk into bottles. I don't know if this feature mentioned here is misleading or what. But you really don't seem to need any attachments. I pump and then pour the milk into plain disposable nurser bags (like Gerber or Playtex brands) and tie off with a twist tie (ordered in bulk through shipping outlet website). This is much cheaper than ordering the bags that attach to the pump. I was tempted, but the added convenience seems infinitesimal to me when the plain bags freeze fine. I've had no problems with breakage, except in the first week when I didn't have the knack of how to fill and store them in my freezer.

I am only giving 4 stars because the noise is irritating, and one area of the breast part of the pump is hard to hand clean (I don't have a dishwasher). One part of the chamber just before the valve that empties the milk into the bottle is somehow orange-pink with some sort of detritus, but I can't reach it with a brush or flush it out with hot water. I assume if I had a dishwasher, this disturbing feature would be eliminated.

I was really concerned about buying a pump because I have always heard that most aren't worth the money unless you buy an expensive one. I didn't plan on pumping more than a couple of times per week so I didn't want to spend a fortune but at the same time, didn't want to waste even a little money on one that didn't work. I decided on this one because I had heard that Medela was a good brand and it was the lowest model I could get in the electric/battery operated level. I have been very happy with this pump and have had no problems with me personally or with the pump mechanically. It works great, I can get my 4 oz bottle in 10 minutes. The only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is because it is a little noisy and also the only pump I've ever used so I have nothing to compare it to. I love it and wouldn't change. A word of advice to those having trouble and only pump for occasional use, pump first thing in the morning. I have read that is when you have the most milk and it has worked best for me.

Overall, I have been very happy with this pump, it is the only one I have used but I have had no problems with it. True, it is noisy, but that that doesn't bother me because I'm not running it all the time. I pump about once a day. My son is 3 months so my milk is well established and I can pump about 6 oz in 8-10 minutes on the lowest setting. I think the amount of time it takes to pump depends more on your milk supply than the pump. When I was first pumping when my son was a few weeks old, it would take more like 15 minutes to pump 3 oz. I have never had any pain with the pump and find it easily to use and portable. I would not recommend this if you plan on pumping at work several times a day, more so because of the noise and a larger pump would most likely be faster, but for limited pumping it has been great. The only thing I would like to improve this pump would be if a nipple came along with it in the box that would fit on the bottle you pump into, that way the bottle could be used easily.

I never would have made it without this breast pump! It is amazing! I can't believe how easy it was to use, and it was really inexpensive. Don't waste your money on those pumps that are hundreds of dollars; this pump is all you need. I used it for nine months without a problem. It was especially useful when my milk first came in, and I was really engorged.

When I bought this pump I was a bit scared because I am a nervous person and my big fear was that this pump might hurt. Although it definitely did not feel as my baby's suction I found it very effective and quick, especially when I had a lot of milk. I had first tried the Avent manual pump and could only express 1 oz in 30 minutes of use!! With the Medela pump I got to express 4 oz in just 7 or 8 minutes on my first use. Although this pump has different levels of suction I never tried but the weaker and this worked fine for me.
I have given this pump 4 stars because while in use, I sometimes felt a little pain around the nipple area which made me feel a bit unconfortable, but aside from this, I was delighted with the speed and easy handling of the pump. The noise was not an issue for me because I always used it at home and if you are used to the noise of a hair dryer then you definitely can stand the noise of this pump!