Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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1,692 of 1,698 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Comparison of the Original and the Advanced, September 28, 2004
I used the Medela pump in style original shoulder bag for the first 6 months, then purchased the pump in style advanced backpack to use at work. I continue to use both. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. Bottom line--the advanced gets the milk out a little bit faster (cuts 5-10 minutes off of pumping, but I still have to pump for at least 15 minutes), and the advanced occasionally gives me an ounce or two more milk than the original, but the original was perfectly adequate too. Which one you like better will depend on your let down cycle. I spoke with Medela and they confirmed that the advanced may be difficult to use for women who experience multiple letdowns or have a difficult time letting down.
The advanced sucks quickly for 2 minutes to trigger letdown, then switches to slow, deep suction to extract the fatty hindmilk.
The advanced assumes that you will let down within the first two minutes of rapid sucking, then the rest of your milk will be expressed in the phase 2 slow suction. However, if you have several letdowns with a little bit of milk coming out each time like me, then after each cycle of letdown (when your milk stops coming out), you have to turn the unit off and then on again to put it into the initial two minute let down phase to trigger another fast letdown. It's kind of a pain, but not that big of a deal and works ok. Just be warned that the 2 minute computer program is better suited for women who have 1 big letdown and can get all of the milk out in one cycle. The other alternative is to just let the machine run in the slow sucking phase and wait for several letdowns to occur, which is exactly what you would have to do with the pump in style original anyway.
It just speeds the process to have the advanced and switch the unit off and then on again, though I'm concerned that long term this would not be good for the motor. Note that Medela actually told me that many women are having to do this though, and didn't caution me that it might break it. Here's some additional info (I haven't covered certain things that I think are adequately covered in other reviews, but if you have questions let me know):
Pros of the Original shoulder tote:
1. Simple to use, you can separately control the speed and the suction with separate knobs.
2. It's not the fastest, but is perfectly adequate at getting out a decent amount of milk. It is totally reliable.
3. It is relatively quiet.
Cons of the Original shoulder tote:
1. Takes anywhere from 5-15 minutes longer than the advanced (but before I tried the advanced I never thought that the Original was too slow or anything like that. It was not a problem. I still use it twice a day and think it's fine).
2. Cooler isn't removable. Motor isn't removable.
Pros of the Advanced backpack:
1. Good storage pockets. More storage than the Original Traveler backpack, which I saw in the store.
2. Cooler and motor are removable.
3. Speeds up the pumping process by 5-15 minutes. Seems to give a bit more milk than the Original (but it doesn't double the amount of anything like that).
Cons of the Advanced backpack:
1. The microfiber bag on the advanced backpack and tote looks a little cheap. The Original traveler backpack looks better quality.
2. The unit is loud.
3. A bit more complicated to use, especially if you are just starting out pumping for the first time and don't know your letdown cycle too well. The instruction booklet stinks, so I would recommend calling Medela for tips about when to turn the unit off and then back on again to trigger letdown if you are having problems.
4. There is only one control for both speed and suction. The instruction book doesn't tell you this (at least not that I can recall seeing), but fyi the Medela rep told me to actually turn the knob "down" when you want to increase the suction on the advanced, because that means slower, harder sucking on the advanced (on the original you would turn the suction knob "up" to mean harder sucking).
A word about the manufacturer's defects: I researched this and spoke with Medela reps several times about it. There were 2 defects with the new model. First, the diaphragm faceplate on the early models pops off or is not snug, leading to weaker suction. Second, in the early model the rubber port plug that you need to keep plugged in when double pumping slips out, leading to weaker suction as well. In response, Medela did a subtle redesign of the faceplate which should cure the problem, and that's why you see people saying they've received replacement faceplates.
Problem is, there is no way to tell if you are purchasing old stock or new stock, even from a big retailer like buy buy baby, so you won't know if you are getting one with the new model faceplate or not until it's too late. Just try to get the retailer to confirm that it's stock recently came from Medela. Once you buy it, check out the plug and faceplate, if it seems to be coming off or slipping out, call Medela and they should send you the replacement for free. Also, fyi, www.momsmaternity.com has the advanced shoulder tote and backpack for only $236. I just got it and it was brand new and works fine, plus they were very nice. This is not a plug for that website, since there are other internet sites that have it for as low as $204, I just wanted to share my good experience with that website fyi.
In summary, the Original is perfectly adequate, but the Advanced is good if you want to save a few minutes, as long as you understand letdown cycles enough to be able to know when to turn it off and back on again if necessary. The Original is good because it's stood the test of time and is totally reliable and simple to use. I wouldn't purchase the advanced over the Original unless you think saving 5-10 minutes each time is important and getting 1 ounce or so more milk is worth the extra cost. It may work better for you than that, but I wouldn't expect it necessarily. I bought the advanced thinking it was going to double the amount that I pump out and cut pumping down from 20 to 5 minutes, and that hasn't happened(although it may work that way for you, just no guarantee), though I do appreciate the few minutes it saves each day.
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334 of 341 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Worth the Extra Money!!!, June 20, 2004
I registered for and received the Avent Isis Back-To-Work Breast Pump Set as a shower gift. I had read several wonderful reviews and decided I didn't need an expensive pump if a less pricey one could do the same job. I really enjoyed it while I was at home the first seven weeks after my baby was born; however, when I returned to work and needed to pump four times a day, five days a week, I found it didn't meet my expectations. I needed a pump that could express my milk in a minimal amount of time due to limited break times at my job.After some more research I began to look into the Medela Pump in Style and the Traveler Pump in Style. I figured that even though both were quite pricey, it would be worth it to me in the long run since I plan to breastfeed for at least a year and want to stay away from formula. I was planning on purchasing the Traveler Pump in Style when the Pump in Style Advanced came out. It was more than I planned to spend, but I decided to try it due to reviews claiming it cut down on time spent pumping. I haven't been disappointed. I can pump 5-6 oz. in five minutes and up to 10 oz. in 10-15 minutes. I used to only get a maximum of 4 oz. from my Avent Isis Pump after at least twenty minutes of pumping. The Pump in Style Advanced is also comfortable to use, easy to assemble and disassemble, and the bag is stylish and discreet with plenty of storage room. Of course clean up can take a few minutes, but that is true with any pump. I would highly recommend the Pump in Style Advanced for the working mom who wants to continue breastfeeding (or using only breastmilk) for any extended length of time. I have never had to use formula and feel wonderful knowing my baby is getting the best nutrition he needs even when it comes from a bottle. Definitely worth the extra money!
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59 of 60 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
A Good Pump, But Defect Issues, October 22, 2004
I have a 35 week old preemie baby, and breastfeeding for me was the only way to go to establish and bild up his immunity. However, he was in the NICU for a week, and I needed to pump to get milk to him - I could not be there around the clock breastfeeding. Now, that he is home, I am exclusively pumping and feeding him expressed breast milk.
In the hospital, I tried their hospital grade pump, but it did not compare to this pump's efficiency. The PISA works well - when it works. There is known faceplate issues with the Advance model - something Medela is well aware of - but the batches of defective pumps are still being sold on the market and in BRU stores. I purchased my pump on October 11, 2004, with a manufacture date (it can be found on the pump itself if you remove it from the bag) of 8/2004. And within 1 day the faceplate continually detaches from the unit - causing loss of suction and a disrupted pumping session. This happens at speeds above medium on the dial - if I use the pump on a low-medium speed the faceplate will stay on.
When the pump does work - I produce more milk than my baby needs - with a 12 day old baby I already have a freezer full of stored milk - thanks to the PISA. I just wish that Medela would have recalled their bad bacthes rather than keeping them on the market. For more reviews about the faceplate issues - babycenter.com has tons of reviews about this same issue.
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