I am not a first-time pumper, but with the arrival of my third baby this year, Ibegan my first stint as a full-time working, full-time breastfeeding mom. Iknew that this go-around, I would need a pump that could get the job done, and was also easy to tote back and forth from home to work with minimal fuss. The Medela Pump In Style double electric breast pump fit that bill and more.
First, let's talk about what comes in the pump package. When you purchase your Pump In Style, in addition to the pump machinery itself (which is housed in a go-tote) you receive:
• tubing to connect breastshields/connectors/collection bottles to the pump
• Two PersonalFit breastshields and connectors (two separate pieces that fit together)
• Two valves and 2 membranes (these attach to each other and then to the end of the connectors to drip the milk into the collection bottles)
• Four 5 oz BPA-free breastmilk collection bottles
• Slow flow wide base nipple and “collar” (the plastic part that screws the nipple onto the bottle)
• Bottle cap
• Four solid container lids
• 9-volt Pump In Style transformer (to plug the pump into an outlet)*
• 8-count battery pack (for on-the-go pumping)*
• Ice pack with cooler
• Diaphragm cap assembly (to plug up one side of suction for pumping on one side only)
*not shown in above image
I admit that unpacking all of that gear can be intimidating, especially if you've never used a pump before. But after one careful read of the instructions and an attempt at assembling the apparatus, it becomes common sense. (And after that, you'll do it so many times you won't even have to look at what you're doing!) New to me in this pump is the fact that the pump machinery is built in to the bag. At first I wasn't sure if I liked that—I thought Imight want it to be removeable, but after many many uses, I can say that hasn't been the case. In fact, being able to simply flip down the magnetic flap on the side to reveal the portals for the tubing and power connection as well as the controls is part of what makes the pump so convenient to use. When you're pumping four or even five times a day, every second you can save counts.
Also new to me was the “let-down”button. This is a really cool feature, because it mimics a baby's natural sucking rhythm to help encourage a mom's letdown reflex. You turn the pump's suction on with the dial at the top, and set it to your desired intensity, and the suction moves at a quick frequency until you feel your milk let down, at which point you simply push the let-down button. This signals the pump to slow to match a baby's sucking rhythm once they are getting more milk—long, slow draws. The combo of this fast/slow suction helps maximize the amount of milk you get at each session, and again, helps make the pumping sessions go more quickly.
Ireally love that the ice pack is custom-shaped to fit the bottles upright in the cooler as well. It may seem like a small thing, but it just goes to show that Medela has thought of everything.
All in all, a stellar pump that gets this mama's seal of approval.
Price: $270
To buy: babiesrus.com
