Medela Swing Breast Pump
by Art.com
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Our Price: $149.99 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $148.00 (click here) Category: Baby Product See more product details |
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Baby Products Reviews of Medela Swing Breast Pump
Customer Review: great pump!
Summary: 4 Stars
This pump is great! It does the job really well. I initially got it prior to giving birth to my son with the intention of using it scarcely, hence deciding on what I deduced from reviews was the best pump out there, and only needing a single pump. It was the best bang for the buck for my needs. As it turns out I've been pumping daily pretty much since the first month. I've had problems since the begining with my left breast/nipple while breastfeeding and I had to pump it pretty much daily. Now I actually pump daily both breasts before going to bed and store the milk for the next day. I wish I had a double pump, as it would cut my time pumping in half, but the single Swing pump works fine. It takes about 40 min to pump both breasts, and it can get pretty loud the higher you pump up the suction mode. Amazon had the best price anywhere for it, and with the $25 coupon they had sent us it was an even greater deal! I hate that the double breast pumps are so expensive, but I'm glad I can live with the single version.
On another note... I've been using the pump now for 4 mths, and the SoftFit breast shield that came with it has morphed into a "stretched-out looking" shape. I don't think it's suctioning power is as great as when I first started using it (though it still does the job fine) and I'm assuming it needs to be replaced. I know they sell them individually, so I plan to get a new one to replace it.
Customer Review: Easy to use!
Summary: 5 Stars
The Medela Swing has been a really excellent pump for me. I use it about once a day (although I have used it three times in one day before). (It's not a pump meant for heavy heavy use.) We got this pump so that I could go back to school and my baby could still have breastmilk. Here are the pros and cons for me:
Pros:
-Small size. (It's about the size of a grapefruit.)
-Two-phase expression technology (pumps light and fast at beginning to stimulate let-down, then pumps slower and harder to get the milk out--simulating a baby's natural sucking)
-Portable and really works with two AA batteries!
-Comfortable
-Adjustable suction-strength
-Easy to use
-Easy to clean parts (clean most things in dishwasher; everything can be cleaned in the Medela quick steam microwave bags)
-Is a single pump so that I can have one hand free (I usually browse the internet.)
-I also used a hospital rental for two weeks and the Medela really seems to work just as well!
Cons:
-It is a single pump and sometimes I just want to get it done faster! (But I hate having both my hands occupied, so I am very happy with the single pump.)
-It's a single user pump
So there it is! Some people have said that the power-cord falls out easily. I haven't had this problem. The power cord has never fallen out for me.
Customer Review: Great Pump!
Summary: 5 Stars
When I first had my baby, I had the Medela Harmony manual pump. It worked okay for an occasional bottle, and was very easy to use. However, after I had appendicitis at 3 months pospartum and had to be in the hospital for several days, my milk supply went down due to the sickness, and my baby wouldn't nurse, so I had to start pumping and supplementing with formula. I now pump 3 times a day, and I love how I can do something with one hand, like check my email or feed the baby, while I hold the pump with the other hand. I am sure that a double pump would be more efficient, but I get really bad plugged ducts so I have to massage while pumping anyway, so a double pump wouldn't work for me.
The Swing pump is a really high quality pump, and so easy to use. I love how it is portable. Because I had the Medela Harmony manual pump already, I found that the pump parts for this pump and the Harmony are identical, so I have two sets of pump parts that I can sterilize and have on hand. It is fantastic! I never use the manual pump handle anymore, but because they are interchangeable, I didn't waste my money on the manual pump. I use the Gerber standard size Clear View or Fashion tints bottles that I got on sale for $1 each (they are made of polypropylene just like the medela bottles, so no BPA risk) if I need extra bottles to pump into.
Customer Review: Ours lasted only 3 Months and the replacement only 3 months
Summary: 1 Stars
Our baby is now six months old. She has been feed exclusively on expressed breast milk. And she is lovely.
The first Swing lasted 3 month and was replace under warranty. The motor unit of the Swing is very fragile with paper thin seals that require a new motor unit to replace. Don't drop a Swing.
We have just returned the second Swing unit for a full refund. The second unit was sucking hard but not producing milk.
When the first unit broke we purchased a Avent Isis IQ as a stop gap. Initially my wife didn't like it as it did not seem to suck as well as the Swing. We got a new Swing under warranty. My wife decided to use both pumps to save time. She preferred the Swing as it seemed to suck harder. It took a while for it to become apparent although the Avent was gentler it was producing more milk.
The design of the Avent is much more robust than the Swing and the materials seem to last longer. Because of the cup design the Avent is more comfortable to use. With the Swing it is possible to get milk inside the motor unit.
Having said that the day after we bought a second Avent Isis to speed up the process our original Avent machine's motor burnt out. This was replaced under warranty but it lasted no longer than the Swing. I wonder what the pigeon pumps are like.
Customer Review: Don't buy used!--you risk HIV and Hep-B
Summary: 4 Stars
I own the Medela Swing; it's review is below. But first, please read about used breast pumps.
I purchased the Pump in Style used. I opened up the pump to clean the diaphragm and found it covered in mold! Then I did my research; google "FDA breast pump" and you'll find the FDA's website. It turns out all consumer breast pumps are open systems. The milk actually aspirates and travels through the tubing to the pump. According to the FDA, HIV and Hepatitis can be transmitted from one breastpump user to the next! Thankfully, I found out about this before using my pump. However, you CAN buy used pumps if they are hospital grade (e.g., Medela Lactina or Symphony). They are closed systems and perfectly safe for multiple users. I bought a Lactina off Craig's List and I love it. Good luck, and don't give up on breastfeeding! It's worth it for your baby!
The Swing is a great little pump, but expression from it is slow for me. I love that I can take it on trips, in the car, etc. I used it exclusively for the first four months. Now that I have a Lactina, I really wish that I had bought the Lactina first (the expression is so much quicker: 3-4 ounces in 15 min as compared to 45 min to 1 hour with the Swing). However, I think I would have bought the Swing, too, because it is so portable.