Customer Reviews

Medela Pump In Style Advanced Breast Pump w/ Backpack

5 star:		(128)
4 star:		(22)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

The Pump-in-Style Advanced Backpack is an absolutely wonderful breast pump combined with a sub-par milk storage system.

The pump gives you the option to pump either one breast at a time or both breasts at once. The pump starts off with a special two-minute "let down" cycle, which is supposed to mimic a baby's natural sucking action when she first latches on (faster, shorter sucks). After two minutes, this automatically changes over to the "expression" cycle (longer, slower sucks), but if your milk lets down sooner, you can manually change the cycles with the push of a button. You can also control the strength of the pump using a knob - a very nice feature because you can really customize the sucking strength to your exact needs and you can adjust it with the turn of a knob at any time during your session. The design of the pump is very simple - it takes almost no time to set up and break down. The Pump in Style comes with an A/C adaptor and a battery pack (batteries not included) that takes *TEN* AA batteries. If you're planning on using the pump in a car, you can purchase a car adaptor separately. One of the nicest features of the Advanced is that the pump is housed in its own little black case that comes completely out of the backpack (unlike the original Pump in Style, with a battery that couldn't come out of the bag); this allows you to leave the pump wherever you'll be using it (ex. at work) and only take the bottles or bags of expressed milk back and forth in the cooler. Since the majority of the weight of the Pump in Style is in the pump itself, this is a wonderful feature. Personally, I've found that I can empty both breasts (about 6-8oz combined) with the Pump in Style in about 20 minutes or less (double pumping) - setup and cleanup add about another 5 minutes each, so I'm done with pumping within a half hour. I use the micro-steam bags to sterilize all the parts, so that takes only 5 minutes in my very low-wattage microwave (it can take as little as 2 minutes in a high-powered microwave). All in all, I am completely satisfied with the pump portion of the Pump in Style.

What I'm not satisfied with is the Pump in Style's milk storage system. There's a small cooler bag with a form-fitted ice-pack insert. You freeze the ice pack and the storage bottles fit around it in the bag. This part is fine. However, the bottles themselves are awful. Two of the bottles have solid caps (for storage only) and the other two have two-piece caps that can be used with nipples as nursing bottles. However, no nipples are included with the set, and none of the literature included with the Pump in Style even mentions that nipples are available. I had to call the company and ask about it, and I was told that nipples need to be bought separately for $1 each. For the money I paid for this system, the least they could have done was include 2 nipples for the 2 bottles! The bottles themselves are absolutely nothing special - there are no features to try to reduce the amount of air a baby gets when nursing, etc. With the advances in bottle design, I would think Medela would have a great bottle to go along with their great pump, but no such luck - this is about as basic a bottle design as it gets. So, as far as I'm concerned, the 4 bottles are only good for milk storage, which means the milk needs to be transferred into another bottle for feeding purposes. Medela does make disposable storage bags and even includes some with the Pump in Style. However, the bags don't fit into a bottle as a drop-in; again, you have to transfer the milk from the bags into another bottle to feed. You're supposed to be able to tear off a small tab at the bottom of the bag to open a hole for pouring out the milk, but I've never been able to do this. I always have to snip the edge of the bag with a scissors to get it open (which, I'm sure, compromises the sterility of the inside of the bag). Also, the bags close with twist-ties at the top, which causes the bags to freeze with all sorts of ruffles and folds at the top. This makes it nearly impossible to re-open a frozen bag at the top to add more milk. What Medela should come up with is a storage system that uses disposable drop-in bottle liners. Right now, I'm using the Playtex Drop-Ins with a pump converter that allows me to pump directly into the Playtex liners; I then just drop them into a bottle when I want to use them. This is the kind of convenience that I was looking for in the Medela storage system, which unfortunately, they don't have.

The backpack itself is stylish - you really can't tell that it's anything but a fairly sophisticated-looking backpack. It's a bit crowded when carrying the pump, storage bag and all the parts - there's no room for anything else inside. If you remove the pump, you can fit a few things inside, but it's still not what I would call roomy. I guess this is the trade-off between function and style - a larger backpack would have been more practical for holding stuff other than the pump, but it would have looked clunky. So, if you need to carry more than a set of keys and a small wallet, plan on carrying a bag in addition to the backpack.

Despite the small drawbacks of the backpack and the large inconvenience of their storage system, the Medela pump itself is absolutely fabulous and definitely deserves five stars.

I got the Medela because I knew I would have to return to work and wanted the pump with the best reviews. Well, this was it, but 9 months into the pump-life I am not perfectly happy.

Pros:

1) Discreet, convenient
2) Pumping 2 at once and electric is really convenient. I purchased one of the handsfree kits (really just a tube top with holes around the nipples) and I can continue to work at my desk while pumping. (Door closed, of course).
3) Easy to purchase parts for. This is really important. I can go to my local Target and get parts for this. It is not so easy with some of the more obscure brands.

Cons:
1) Motor seemed to wear out some after about 6 months of daily use. It still pumps, but I have to turn the power higher to get the same amount of voltage. I don't feel that I could use this for a second child. It's not only a "one person" product as described in the manual, I think it's meant to be a "one baby" product as well.
2) Battery-operated feature doesn't work well at all. It requires 8 AA batteries, and loses power by the end of the first session. For pumping on the road I recommend the car charger (sold separately).

I ended up purchasing an Avent Isis hand pump to supplement this one. It is easier to use when I am home and I actually get just as much milk from one breast with the Avent as I do with this, in about the same amount of time. The difference is that I can strap the Medela on and keep working. If I didn't have the handsfree kit it would be very inconvenient to use the double pumping feature.

I am a stay-at-home-mom and am breastfeeding exclusively. I debated on which type of pump to get given that I wasn't planning on pumping often, just to have some extra milk for occasional bottle feeding and to freeze milk for future use.

I really didn't want to spend this much on a pump, but there were a couple things that swayed me to purchase this:
1. The Medela brand. I researched options over and over again and I kept coming back because of the positive reviews. Other pumps had good reviews, but a lot of bad ones also. This brand seemed to have the most consistent positive reviews.
2. I plan to have more children. I figured better to invest in a good pump that I can use for several kids than a cheaper pump that I would have to keep replacing.
3. I could either buy a cheaper single pump, or go with a more expensive double pump. The trade-off is time. I felt it was worth the time saving. If I was pumping a couple times a day for a year, imagine the time savings to be double-pumping. To me it was worth it.

Thank goodness I bought this, I developed thrush about a week after my baby was born and was unable to breastfeed. However, I was able to express and bottle feed until the infection cleared up. In doing this, between pumping and feeding it was taking up an incredible amount of time each day. But, imagine how much time it would have taken if I only had a single pump!

Get the advanced model--the two stage pumping process is really helpful. I have to go back and forth between the two stages several times in one pumping session. I'm not sure how well I could have pumped with another model without this feature.

A couple negatives...Medela removed several features from the 2008 model that the 2007 model had, I guess so they could lower the price and make it more affordable. This included the manual pump (which is really needed in case you ever go on vacation and don't want to take the full pump or are away from your pump for an extended period of time and need to relieve some pressure), the bottle stands, and the removable motor. If you can still get your hands on a 2007 model, I would suggest you do so because these features are good to have. I get really annoyed with not having the bottle stands, the top of the bottle with the horns is heavier than the bottle, so they tip over constantly unless they are really full of milk. Also, you have to press a button to go between the two phases of pumping, but when you are holding a bottle in each hand, unless you have a third arm and hand it is tricky. Eventually you get used to it, but I wish there were some way to make this easier.

Overall I'm really happy with the purchase!

I started out with the original pump and switched to the advanced. The original worked well for me, but I had to purchase a second pump when I went back to work, so I bought the advanced backpack to see if it was any better. I now have two advanced pumps (one backpack and one tote) and they both work great. I found two main difference between the original and the advanced is that the advanced pump has the "let down" phase which I absolutly love. 1) The original pump does not have this feature and it pulled hard on my breasts causing a bit of discomfort. Also, I personally have more than one let down (some people do, and some don't) so 1/2 way through my pumping I turn the machine off and back on,for the let down phase again, and I deffinalty think it's worth the extra 2-3 ounces I get at each session. 2) The original pump takes me about 15-20 minutes to pump and I get 6-8 ounces each time, and the advanced pump takes me about 10-15 minutes and I get 8 ounces consistantly. Both pumps are quiet, easy to assemble, they come with cooler packs that store four bottles easily, it has a battery pack for those times you don't have an outlet, or a lighter adapter (sold separatly) for long trips. The only con I cam across was that Medela only makes 5 oz bottles(that I can find), and my son is up to drinking 8 oz at each feeding, so I bought the Avent bottles to pour and store my milk in after I pump.

*Note: neither of the pumps are meant to "establish" your milk supply, only keep it going, so make sure you are breastfeeding to start with and then start pumping (I started pumping one bottle every other day when my son was 3 weeks old, he is now 6 months old, and I have a great supply)

When originally shopping for a breastpump, 6 months ago, I opted for the Ameda Purely Yours which worked fine up until last night when the motor died. For a full-time breastpumping mom...I needed a pump RIGHT AWAY. I went out and purchased the Medela and was satisfied from the very 1st moment I used it. I wish I would've stuck with my 1st choice and bought this one first. I am able to pump both breasts and get 8-9 oz in LESS THAN 10MINS., while with the Ameda it took about 20-25mins. I absolutely LOVE this pump! I plan on breastfeeding my son until he's 1 and will definitely be using this pump for our next child. I'd recommend this pump to all breastfeeding moms. I don't nurse my son at all...I pump 30-40 ounces per day...the Medela will make my job much easier and it's definitely quick. I love the knapsack too.

I used this pump 3 times a day from when my daughter was 6 weeks old until I quit pumping (but not breastfeeding) at 1 year old. It allowed me to pump quickly by doing both breasts at the same time and was easy to use and keep clean. I would recommend this to any mom out there who wants to continue to breastfeed after returning to work. It'd probably be overkill if you were a stay at home mom who just wanted a pump though. It's more geared toward the working or exclusively pumping mom.

A couple of tips - get an extra set of horns, tubes & valves (or more than one extra set) so you're not panicking if you don't have time to scrub them every night. I had enough that I could just rinse them out after and not have to do the dishes EVERY night and it was nice. Also, since I work in a mostly guy environment, instead of just putting bottles of breastmilk in the refrigerator, I would put them in the little cooler that came with it and store them in the fridge until it was time to take them home. That way the guys didn't have to deal with staring at the bottle of breastmilk sitting next to their sandwiches (you know how weird guys are sometimes!).

Oh, and the little, long, skinny brush that Dr. Browns makes to clean their bottles with makes an EXCELLENT brush for getting in the little crevices in the horns/connectors.

I own this pump and the Medela Pump in Style Advanced. There are pros and cons to each. I will share my thoughts on both so that hopefully you can make an educated decision about which one to choose. The Playtex pump breast shields are made from soft silicone, so they imitate the nursing baby more closely. The Playtex silicone shield gently presses the areola while drawing the nipple out and expressing milk. The Medela pump comes with hard plastic shields, so they do not press the areola while drawing the nipple out. As you may know, the gentle pressure on the areola is what stimulates both milk production and letdown. This feature of the Playtex pump was important to me because I pump exclusively (5-6 times a day) and it is vital that I keep my supply up. Using the Playtex pump seemed to increase/stabilize my supply. Also, because both pumps come with clear breast shields, I am able to see exactly how many nipple openings are releasing milk. Hands down, more openings are engaged with the Playtex pump. Another advantage of the Playtex over the Medela is that it comes with a car charger and several organization bags, as well as an ice pack for about the same price as the Medela or cheaper. One of the cons of the Playtex pump is that the breast shields themselves are larger than the Medela, and have more parts to assemble (4 parts make up one breast shield). I found that if I have not assembled the shields just right, it interferes with the suction. The Medela shields are smaller (easier to hold, especially for those with small hands), and only require two parts to assemble them. This also helps out when traveling. An advantage of the Medela pump is that it comes with a battery pack....ideal for use on a plane or somewhere where you may not have access to a car charger. This came in handy for me when I was traveling cross-country and had to pump in the airport bathroom! The Medela also comes with a manual breast pump attachment (good if the power goes out!) Lastly, I have had to contact both manufacturers for help with my products. When I contacted Playtex, they overnighted me the equipment I needed (I called at about 2pm one afternoon and got it at 8am the next morning...WOW!!! Great service). When I contacted Medela, they sent my items via Priority Mail, so it took 3 days for me to receive what I needed. Both pumps are excellent, but if I had to choose, I would choose the Playtex over the Medela simply because the soft silicone breast shield allows me to maintain my supply more easily.

This is no doubt an excellent product. I have recommended it to many of my friends. I am writing this review to warn others about the Babies R Us return policy on this product. When my Mom and Sister bought this product at our local Babies R Us store they were told that once the seal on the box was broken there is no way to return it to the store even if it has a mechanical problem. Now I understand that it would not be right to return it to the store for reasons such as just not liking it or deciding not to breast feed after you've used it. But how can they expect you to spend $300 + on an item that you have no guarantee will work when you take it out of the box? The only thing they offered was a $40 warranty that was good for only 1 year. They also said you could return it to the manufacturer yourself but it takes a long time to get your money back or exchange that way. I plan to take this item back with the seal still intact and go and purchase it down the road at USA Baby where they will stand behind there products without you spending an extra $40. USA Baby said they would allow you to bring the item back as long as it was a mechanical problem and would gladly exchange it. I think Babies R Us should stand behind their products. If the item works fine but has been used then NO they shouldn't allow it to be returned! But if the item breaks or has mechanical problems then OF COURSE they should allow you to return it!! BUYER BEWARE!!!!

I love the pump, however, the backpack case is horrible. The cooler bag that came with it is a tight fit with little wiggle room. I find that getting the breast shields and tubing back in to be a pain. I have contacted a Medela dealer who contacted Medela and asked if I could purchase the shoulder bag and was informed that it could not be purchased. I recommend the shoulder bag over the back pack. There is more space with that bag - and once it is purchased - it's final.

I have been using this pump for about 6 months and overall have been extremely pleased. Medela's customer service is wonderful. They have answered many questions for me, regarding both the pump itself and breastfeeding/pumping in general. I had to request a new motor faceplate (mine kept losing suction during pumping d/t the yellow plug used for 1 vs. 2 sided pumping), and Medela shipped it to me quickly at no cost. This pump is very efficient--when my daughter was younger (3-5 months) and required more milk, I was easily pumping anywhere from 10-16oz. per 15-20 minute double-pumping session. And that included set up and tear down time! The bottles supplied with the pump are not the greatest; I definitely would not recommend using them for feeding. Standard Evenflo bottles fit into the assembly, and you can buy rings and caps to seal the bottles for storage. And they are cheap! I also highly recommend the Easy Expressions hands-free pumping bra (www.easyexpressionproducts.com). It allows me to have a snack or read a magazine while I pump at work. I like the backpack, but it would be nicer if it could be just a tad bigger. With all the parts inside, it's tough to zip shut--in fact, my bag ripped where the zipper meets the fabric. All in all, this pump has been fantastic. I highly recommend it to anyone who needs to pump several times daily and who is committed to continuing to breastfeed after returning to work. One final note--be sure to shop around for the best deal!