Medela Freestyle Breast Pump
by Medela
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List Price: Our Price: $329.99 You Save: $50.00 (13%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Baby Product See more product details |
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Baby Products Reviews of Medela Freestyle Breast Pump
Customer Review: Buy Pump is Style Advanced Instead
Summary: 3 Stars
I own both a freestyle and pump in style advanced (PISA) and PISA is far superior. Freestyle does not result in as much milk and over a few days my milk supply decreased. Also the large rubber valves and rubber cone cause uneven suction, resulting in uneven rubbing on the nipple and chaffing. The rubber cone is prone top chaffing whereas the old fashion plastic cones get wet and slippery. The rubber catches on your skin and rubs your skin off over time and frequent use.
As a working mom a good pump is key to successful breastfeeding. The freestyle does have some advantages: 1. the digital face lets you know how long you have been pumping so you don't lose track of time and forget 2. It is super lightweight 3. It is tiny and cute. 4. You can tend to your crawling infant and wash dishes while pumping.
The bells and whistles for this pump are wonderful, but it does not deliver well for comfort and its actual purpose, to express milk and stimulate more milk production. Buy the PISA instead.
Medela would be wise to manufacture a PISA pump with a built in rechargeable battery. That would pretty much eliminate the need for the freestyle pump although the PISA is a bit heavier to tote around while washing dishes and tending to your crawling baby.
One last thing, I would not dream of using any breast pump without:
Easy Expression Hands Free Bustier Nursing Bra (Medium)
This is completely necessary item and I would not buy pump without buying this too.
Customer Review: Portable, easy to use, efficient
Summary: 5 Stars
I occasionally work 24hr shifts and this pump is great. I was worried it would be too hard to be working and pumping breastmilk for my little one, but this has made it possible. I wish my breaks to pump were more consistently timed for comfort's sake, but it is what it is.
Pros:
- Battery, lasts for at least three days worth of pumping, one of them a 24hr shift. I have never run out of charge and just plug it in on the weekend to recharge.
- Lightweight, doesn't dig a furrow in my shoulder when I transport it everyday.
- Memory, once you figure out how much suction works for you, it's simple to save your setting. Just press and hold the memory button and you are done.
- Efficient, unless it's been several hours since my last pumping session, I only need 10 minutes with the pump.
Cons:
- Soft-fit Breastshields. They may be good for most women but they were too large for me and the papers that came with the pump didn't talk about need for correctly sizing the shields. I bought the 21mm shields and what a difference. They are so much more comfortable and have increased the efficiency of my pumping sessions even more.
The hands-free straps are a little awkward to attach and don't fit all of my bras/tank tops but do work. So they are a combined pro/con in my book. As a note, the Corsierre top holds these on without the need for straps, making it my go-to-top for that 24 hour shift.
Overall, I am very happy with the pump and recommend it highly for those who need a powerful, easily portable pump for everyday use.
Customer Review: three and a half stars
Summary: 3 Stars
I hate giving bad reviews... and i actually love Medela because their customer service is amazing but this pump is just okay. I've had a lot of the same problems as these other ladies... my first pump worked great the first month but then started to have suction problems. Medela sent me out new parts two times and then they replaced the pump. The second pump works well, I will need more time with it. If the battery power is down even a little bit it starts to have suction problems again which is SO frustrating. There is also a problem with the chafing or your breasts sticking to the breastshields. Also the "hands free" doesnt work for me. I think you will need to have very small breast for it to work. I'm a 34DD but i cant imagine that it would work comfortably for anyone that is bigger then a B cup. I'm at four months pumping 3 times a day. Im considering calling Medela and asking them to switch pumps all together. I cant compare it to other pumps but from hearing other reviews I would recommend a different pump.
UPDATE: I now have my second breast pump for about two months and it works fine. I dont need to charge it immediately after pumping but need to make sure the battery doesnt get low. I still would recommend a different MEDELA pump instead of this one unless A) You have a small chest size (because the hands free seems to only works for your size) B) You want the convenience of a small pump to take to work, in car, etc. C) You dont care about the cost because you have plenty of money to spend on whatever you want.
Customer Review: Needs Improvement
Summary: 2 Stars
After using the Medela Symphony pump for a month after the birth of my daughter, I purchased the Medela Freestyle. The main reason for my choice had to do with portability. However, the Medela Freestyle is a disappointment for several reasons.
1.) The Freestyle has a strong vibration that the Symphony did not have. It is irritating to sensitive breast tissue, and quite frankly, sets my teeth on edge. In fact, it kind of gives me the creeps.
2.) The suction on my model decreased after less than one month of use. While there are nine levels of power, the suction only moderately increases for six of them - at which point, it just seems as if the vibration is getting stronger without the suction. This does nothing for improving production.
3.) Portability isn't all that is cracked up to be. The system weighs less than a pump in style. But, you aren't going to be up walking around with it.
4) As for being hands free, I still use a specialized bra instead of the freestyle equipment, which is a bit intimidating. This can be done with any model.
5) The pieces are a pain to clean. But, pieces on all of the pumps are a pain to clean.
For more than $300 for a simple piece of equipment, Medela pumps should be made with better quality. I am so sorry that I purchased this, although I don't know if any of the other models would be any better. At least they wouldn't have the creepy vibration which belongs more in an adult book store than on a breast pump.
Customer Review: Dissapointing
Summary: 1 Stars
I had read many reviews on this pump and was expecting a powerful and quiet pump.
Boy was I wrong. I actually cried the first time I used it. My hand-me-down pump-in-style is equally powerful (and I'm the SEVENTH mom who has used it!) and the 'shush-shush' sound of the pump in style is much more tolerable than the 'wha-u-ga, wha-u-ga' sound of the Freestyle.
I travel a lot for work and was looking forward to the portability of the freestyle. I read a review that said it was quiet enough to discreetly use under a nursing cover in the airport. No way, no how!! I'd have people calling security!!
Granted, on the lowest level, it is very quiet, but gets markedly louder as you increase the pump level. I had to use level 9 (the highest) to achieve the same level of suction as my older-than-dirt, seven-times-used pump in style. And at level 9, you wouldn't want anyone within 50 feet of you. I even tried burying it in my bag with towels and a scarf wrapped around it and I could still hear it thumping and vibrating away.
So in short, if you are using this pump in the privacy of your own home, and you're looking for portability and the battery option; get this pump. Otherwise, go for the pump-in-style. I'm so dissapointed that I spent over $300 on this pump that I now hope to sell on ebay.
Pros:
pump can be used in any bag
rechargeable battery
Cons:
NOISY!!!!
Weak suction (compared to others)
Expensive