Medela Pump & Save Breastmilk Bags - 50 pack
by Medela
|
List Price: Our Price: $11.35 You Save: $13.64 (55%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Baby Product See more product details |
|---|
Baby Products Reviews of Medela Pump & Save Breastmilk Bags - 50 pack
Customer Review: A great idea, but badly done.
Summary: 1 Stars
Let me start by saying that, after three kids, I'm a longtime and repeat Medela customer, and I generally sing their praises to the skies. But this is the worst product I think I've ever bought, and I won't be buying them again.
I use a Medela Freestyle pump, and the first thing I noted was that these bags don't fit the Freestyle all that well. The shorter neck of the Freestyle pump attachment sits higher than the zip seal of the bag, so you will wind up with some residual milk above the zip seal when you get done. OK, so not the end of the world, but you'd think Medela would have noticed that. Perhaps that's why various reviews I'd read said they weren't a terrific match for the Freestyle. For the record, the tape strap that holds the bag on does indeed fit just fine, so if you don't mind cleaning up your bag seal post-pumping, then it won't bother you too much.
The deal-breaker for me is the horrible ziplock-style seal itself. In short, don't count on it working. As a college-educated adult who has lots of experience with zip-type bags over the years, it ought to be a simple thing to seal a bag of milk. And yet.
Five times in two weeks I've had the seals on these bags fail. Once in my briefcase (thank God my laptop wasn't in it too), once in the freezer, once in the diaper bag, and twice (and please insert shocking profanity here) in my bed, all over my quilts and pillow-top mattress pad. Anyone can blame user error for a single leak-- but with this frequency? I don't think so.
Medela has clearly made these seals far too fussy. They have to realize that women are using these bags on the go, or in the dark in bed, in any number of locations. These zippers need to be idiot-proof. Either I'm an idiot, or these bags are rubbish.
A call to the Medela hotline to complain was interesting. The service rep told me to make sure to stand the bags upright in the freezer to make sure they don't spill. To me, this implies that Medela completely expects a certain number of seals not to work. And even if the bag is upright so as not to spill, don't they realize that a bad seal will freezer-burn the milk and ruin it? What's the point of freezing it if it's going to be unusable when thawed?
Any nursing mother will tell you that every ounce you can get is needed and important. Losing it because of a bad zip design is really enough to ruin your day. Particularly if it soaks your bed-- or your briefcase, diaper bag, freezer, car, etc-- in the process.
As a footnote, the bags only hold 5 oz, which isn't a lot. I routinely need multiple bags per side per session. Medela expects us to be putting out very small quantities, apparently.
Suggestion: purchase one of the other brands, with larger bags, thicker plastic, and sturdy double-zip closures. No, they're not made specifically to be pumped directly into like these ones, but I've found that a good quality masking tape to make the strap converts them nicely into the product Medela SHOULD have designed.
Great idea, lousy product. Very disappointing.
Customer Review: Operation Optimize
Summary: 3 Stars
So, I sampled these bags in a gift pack and my initial reaction was awful! But then I started pumping at work and I really need to make my time the most efficient. So, I went ahead and bought some more. Here is how I have optimized:
1. Inaccurate measurement - Because the bag changes shape and just because it is slightly inaccurate, the measurement on the side cannot be trusted. It says there is more in the bag then there actually is. I hold the top open so that the bag has a uniform shape to get the measurement as close as possible and then go down to the nearest 1/2 oz. So if its somewhere between 2.5 and 3 oz., then I would write 2.5 oz. So I know there is at least that much in the bag.
2. Milk splashes above the zip lock - Try to push the yellow part down into the bag below the zip lock.
3. The bag walls stick together so milk doesn't go to the bottom of the bag - I open the top and spread out the bottom of the bag so there is a uniform open space. Then I use the breastfeeding bra (I use halter type but one with zip seems to be more efficient) so that my hands are free to fix the bag if necessary. I could imagine that the bottom of this bag would have wire that could be adjusted to hold bag open (kinda like the twisty wire used for bread)
4. It never occurred to me to complain about the ziploc until I read other complaints, but it would be worth double or triple checking the ziploc by rubbing your fingers over it a couple of times and then again when u take the bag from fridge or freezer. Not guaranteed to prevent all leaks but seems like it could help.
Although given all that needs to be done once i get through my 50 bags, I may just try using other bags with my pump with masking tape and see how that works.
Customer Review: Much better than the previous bags
Summary: 4 Stars
When I went back to work after having my baby, I needed to continue pumping to keep my supply up. I had a box of the old style bag with the paper strap that goes over the top of the breastshield and now use these newer ones with the hanger holes.
Pros:
- Hanging holes are way more secure than the strap and quick to put on and take off.
- Don't have to tear strap off anymore. I always risked spilled milk when trying to disconnect it from the breast shield.
- No more perforated parts to take off. The perforations on the other bags never went all the way through and I would end up tearing off parts of the section where you write the amount and date.
- Much neater. The adapters make the milk fall below the zipper line. A drop or two can still end up above it, but nothing the like the mess from the previous designs.
Cons:
- Need to be a little more careful when pouring milk out because you have to pour it from the sides since the front and back have the holes.
- Holes have ripped on the occasion when I tried to put it on the adapter too quickly. It didn't rip all the way through and was still usable.
These are two more cons that are common for both styles of bags:
- The volume gradations are still useless. It's the same scale they have on their bottles, which are solid, firm plastic.
- They don't come in more than 50 per box. I pump 3 times/day at work, which means that I use 6 bags/day or 30 bags/week. So I go through a box in less than two weeks. I would be nice if they came in at least a 100 pack.
Also, I don't mind washing the adapters. They are pretty easy to clean and since I'm washing other parts anyway, it doesn't add a lot.
Customer Review: Save your money, buy more bottles instead
Summary: 1 Stars
I'm going to echo everyone else with the following:
- The bags are too small, and (less importantly) the measurement isn't all that accurate (registers a little more than there is).
- The valve part of the pump sits higher than the zip line on the bag, so you end up with milk residue all over the top of the bag.
- The ziplock function is barely functional. I spend a minute on each bag sealing it over and over again and finally, slowly tipping them over to make sure it's completely sealed before storing.
- The Lansinoh bags are much bigger, are easier to handle (easier to get the air out before sealing), and have reliable seals. All they're missing is a piece of tape...
- It takes much longer to attach these bags to your pump and then seal and clean the bags afterwards than just using the screw on bottles. Plus, unless you're going to freeze the milk afterwards, you're going to pour it into a bottle anyway (which is not so easy with these bags).
- Each bag costs a .40 cents or more. If you pump three times a day like me,5 days a week, and use two bags each time, that's 30 bags a week. That's basically like buying three 5-ounce bottles a week and then throwing them away.
Bottom line - These are only good for pumping emergencies. I keep a few in my bag just in case I forget to pack my bottles one day. You're better off buying enough bottles to get you through the week (so you don't have to wash each night). The bottles are faster to use (speed is of the essence when you pump 2 or 3 times during a work day), and then all you have to do is screw on the nipple to feed (whoever is watching your child will thank you). And best part about the bottles?.. they NEVER leak!
Customer Review: Should've stuck with Lansinoh
Summary: 1 Stars
I've loved everything else I've bought from Medela, and the idea of pumping directly into a storage bag (and therefore saving time later by not having to wash bottles) seemed brilliant. Even though my much less expensive Lansinoh milk storage bags were working just fine while I was stockpiling milk during my maternity leave, I decided to splurge and get one 50-count box of these Medela bags. Bad idea.
Milk gets all over the ziplock portion of the bag while I'm pumping, so I have to wipe it off before I can seal it. When pumping into bottles, I can sit the bottle + pump part units down on the table while I disconnect the parts and clean up. With the bags, it's a juggling act to keep my precious milk from spilling out all over the place. Oh, and speaking of spilling--these bags don't seem to seal very well at all, so I worry constantly about them leaking, and I've only managed to pour milk from a bag into a feeding bottle once without dumping some of it onto the counter. While it wouldn't bother me too much if not for all these other issues, it's also annoying that I can never tear them neatly on the perforated line. The Lansinoh bags have double zippers that seem to work great, and the "pour spout" feature on them means I don't waste milk that could be going to feed my baby.
I'm experimenting with ways to pump directly into my Lansinoh bags, but for now, I'm perfectly willing to put up with extra bottle washing if it means I don't have to use Medela's junky pump & save bags. I avoid the remaining ones in my cabinet like the plague. Don't waste your money.