Medela Breast Pump
Pump in Style Advanced Breastpump Shoulder Bag

When I opened my Medela breast pump, I was a little intimidated. There were so many pieces and parts that needed to be sterilized and hooked together that I didn't know if pumping was for me.

After a couple of weeks of putting it off, I pulled out the instructions and washed all of the parts. Did I say there were a lot of parts?

I thought I'd messed up when I finished cleaning the tubes and saw water drops that would not come out. I called the Medela hotline to ask about it and they gave me some tips for getting the tubes dry so that mold would not become a problem.

After getting that resolved, I followed the pictures and hooked up the pump. I had it functioning in no time, because it turned out that a lot of the parts were extras for storage and future pumping sessions.

Overall, I've found the pump to be a reliable machine. It is also gentle where it matters. In other words, it doesn't hurt the breasts. That is, as long as you have it turned to the right setting. If you turn the knob too far to the right it can feel as though the life is being sucked out of you. I can attest, that you will only let that happen once, though.

The pumping actually happens in two phases. The first phase is a rapid suckling to initiate the milk flow. This is similar to what happens when your baby starts feeding. The second phase is the slower, deeper suckling that becomes a soothing rhythm.

I generally used my Medela breast pump with a breastfeeding halter for hands-free pumping. As long as it's positioned correctly, you can check email or pay bills until you've pumped what you need or in some cases what you can. You may want to avoid, phone conversations, however, unless you are prepared to answer, "What is that noise?"

Another benefit of the pump is the shoulder bag. It is nice for storing all of the excess parts and indeed handy if you need to travel with it or take it to work. The set also comes with a lunch box type cooler for transporting the little storage bottles.

Also important is the fact that all of the parts that come in contact with the breast milk are Bisphenol-A (BPA) free.

My Recommendations:

Whether you plan to routinely be apart from your breastfed baby for work reasons or outings, the Medela Pump In Style Advanced Breast Pump with Metro Bag is a good investment. Providing breast milk while out on a date night or taking classes, helped provide me with the balance I needed as a new mom.

Just about everything you need, comes with the pump: storage bottles, instructions, tubing and a starter set of wipes for quick cleaning. I used my bottle sterilizer to sterilize the parts.

While this certainly isn't the only option for pumping, I valued the quick, convenient expression it afforded me when I had a lot on my plate. This pump has been a great asset and will continue to play a vital role as we have more children in the years to come.

Do you want to hear what other parents think about the Medela Breast Pump and other Medela products? Find out in our parent product review section.

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