Medela Pump In Style Advanced Review: Buy or Skip?

The Medela Pump In Style is one of the most popular on the market. But compared to so many other pumps, it can be hard to know if it’s right for you.

We’ve done the research so you don’t have to. This review will give you a clear picture of what this breast pump can and can’t do so you won’t have any surprises when you use it.

Keep reading to find out all the details of the Medela Pump In Style. Reading through this will save you from ordering the wrong pump and going through the hassle of sending it back.

Product Overview

The Medela Pump In Style has the ability to make long pumping sessions a thing of the past. No mom wants to spend 30 minutes out of her day attached to an inconvenient breast pump.

The Pump In Style can express your precious breast milk in just a few minutes each session, which is a great time saver for pumping moms.

This kit comes with everything you’ll need including:

• One microfiber bag.
• Four 5oz breast milk bottles & lids.
• One cooler bag and ice pack.
• One double pumping kit with 24mm breast shields.
• One 9-Volt AC adapter.
• One battery pack.

Key Features and Benefits

• The Medela Pump In Style is fastened into the inside of the bag with Velcro strips, but it can easily be removed if you want to use the pump outside of the bag.
• It has a two-phase expression technology that includes a one-touch let-down button.
  This feature is supposed to mimic a real baby feeding. The pump will begin a pumping session with a fast, lighter pull on your nipple that signals your milk needs to begin flowing. After that, the pump begins with the full-on pumping to remove your milk.
• The pump kit comes with several accessories.
  For instance, it comes with a cooler bag and ice packs, as well as four bottles.
  The cooler bag and ice packs make it easy to keep the milk cool until it is properly stored. This is a nice feature for moms who pump during their lunch breaks at work. They can be assured their hard work won’t go to waste since they’ll be able to safely and discreetly store the milk until they get home.
• This pump is portable.
  Unless you remove it from its compartment in its carrying bag, it will be ready to grab and go whenever you have to head out the door.
• If you plan on almost exclusively pumping, this pump will be able to handle that kind of repeated action.
  Some pumps are better suited to a lighter pumping schedule, but if you plan for your baby to take most of her breast milk from bottles rather than straight from the breast, this pump should be able to do the job with ease.

Build Quality

• This pump’s motor definitely does the job, but it is one of the louder ones on the market.
  If you are at home when you are pumping, that might not bother you. If you are at a friend’s house or at work, the noise might be annoying.

Ease of Use

• At 6.7 pounds, this kit may weigh about the same as your newborn baby did.
  While the weight of this unit might not bother you if you are just going from room to room in your house, it can become a real issue carting it around for longer stretches of time outside the house.
  If you take your breast pump with you a lot outside of the house, you may want to consider a lighter option.

• You won’t be scratching your head, trying to solve the riddle of how to operate this pump.
  It’s easy to understand, which is good news for moms who aren’t mechanically inclined. Go into this relaxed and ready, since it’s not confusing to use.

• Moisture and condensation can build up in this tubing easily, unless you run the pump for a few minutes after you’ve finished pumping your milk.
  While moms don’t need one more hoop to jump through simply to breastfeed their babies, you have to take this step to protect your baby from contaminated milk at your next pumping session.

• You can pump both breasts at once with the Medela pump or you can do one breast at a time.
  This machine makes pumping both breasts at once an easy process, unlike some other pumps which make it difficult to do with only two hands.

• Moms should be careful when they set the collection bottles down after they have been filled.
  The lightweight material of these bottles makes them easy to tip over and spill.

How Do They Compare?

Spectra S2

Moms who don’t want to bulk up just from lifting their breast pump may want to go for the much lighter Spectra S2, which weighs 3.3 pounds – around three pounds lighter than the Pump In Style.

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Spectra S2 vs Medela Pump in Style: What's the Best Choice for Moms?

The First Years Quiet Expressions

Moms who want to have a double electric breast pump, but plan to do more nursing than pumping may want to cut corners on the cost by getting The First Years Quiet Expressions, a much cheaper breast pump.

Medela Freestyle

The Freestyle might be a good choice for busy women who don’t mind paying extra money for a hands-free pump. If they are strapped for time, the extra money might be well spent on a pump like this that allows them to multitask while expressing.

Ameda Purely Yours

Moms who are concerned with the possibility of their milk being contaminated by an open system may want to consider the Ameda Purely Yours pump, which is a closed system. The milk never touches the tubing of the Purely Yours Pump.

Who Should Buy This Pump?

The Pump In Style appeals to moms who want to quickly express their breast milk so they don’t feel like they’ve spent the better part of their day hooked up to a pump.

It will also appeal to moms who like the idea of having one tote that will hold their pump and all the breast pump accessories they need.

Things to Know Before You Buy

You’re going to be parting with your hard-earned money to buy a device that you know will make you uncomfortable. If you are going to be breastfeeding instead of giving your baby formula, you’ll need a pump for when you can’t be with your baby but you still want your baby to have the health benefits of drinking breast milk. Pumping ahead of time will let you have milk in the refrigerator or freezer so your baby’s nutritional needs will be covered.

Pumping breast milk isn’t fun, but it’s a necessary evil. You need to give your baby the best start you can, and breast milk will do that. And while pumping will never be your idea of a good time, there are breast pump features that can make the experience more tolerable ⁽¹⁾.

Here are some tips to help you choose the right breast pump:

• Don’t be tempted by the cheap pumps on the market. They’re inexpensive for a reason – they don’t do the job well, they can be loud and can hurt your already sore nipples.
• See if the brand offers a variety of breast shield sizes for different fits. When you’re looking for your correct size and fit, keep in mind the fit isn’t about the size of your breast – it’s about the size of your nipple. Your nipple will be pulled into the shield’s opening, which is why a precise fit with the correct size of breast shields matters so much.
• Don’t use a previously owned pump. You should purchase your own because there are health issues with using someone else’s pump ⁽²⁾.
• Decide if you will need a pump for occasional use or everyday use. Breast pumps can either be electric or battery-powered or hand-operated.