Medela Freestyle

Thread: "Breast Pumps, the good, the bad, and the ugly?"

Do not underestimate the power of a manual pump! I use a Medela Harmony. I bought an electric double pump on FB Marketplace for $100 (Medela Freestyle) but I MUCH prefer the manual. Reasons being: - I control the pace and pressure (with each pump) and can press on certain parts of my breasts to release more milk - I feel like I can get more milk in a shorter amount of time (by pressing down on the pump halfway for a longer expression, versus the short bursts of an electric) - it’s oddly satisfying to express the milk yourself, like popping a pimple (sorry if that analogy grosses you out) - it’s super portable and quiet so you can use it next to a sleeping baby - I find it really easy to “take a little off the top” if I overslept and my breasts are too engorged for my baby to latch - lastly, it makes me feel less like a factory-farmed cow (and more like a cow that is being lovingly milked by a farmer) Thanks for listening to my TED Talk

Thread: "Completely overwhelmed with which pump to choose..."

Spectra the blue portable one for in home or the medela freestyle for a portable option like pumping while out. I’ve literally tried every pump and have been pumping for the last two years. I’d say the most important thing is to make sure you’re sized correctly. My lactation consultant had me in a size 30 when I got correct sizing in a 21. She was going by my areola size 🥲the correct size makes a world of difference. Pumping is no longer painful and my output doubled.

Thread: "Completely overwhelmed with which pump to choose..."

Positively screaming about a 30 flange. Oh my god!! And wtf, nice to have a so called expert get it totally wrong, huh?

Thread: "Breast Pumps, the good, the bad, and the ugly?"

I second this! I have the spectra which is great and all but also a pain in the ass. In the middle of the night it’s much easier using my handheld lansiloh pump.

Thread: "Best Breast Pumps Available In Canada for First Time Mom [NL]"

I used the [Medela Freestyle ](https://www.amazon.ca/Medela-Freestyle-Hands-Free-Wearable-Connectivity/dp/B0BNW6Q1CY/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?adgrpid=65148397830&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.BI9qPMdKepkm-zTvYqU3Tznj_kOedTeXQwGKEH4PBvDIm0-YlJdHvFnUan67JH2mo48sasofNMkM463QU5V-7lMv2i49I0Qq7Iuf6JHCIDx5rnS36bCU74haa-NCl1CPldktBzPzSOUXLynpc-ADVZaNnCd2wfdTnf7yUpZ86nZMUUDNEWl4gSX1w0J9S9k8eTwi0WvJUuEk1OnLexcfhA.na5z-wB8CUJ9ZwAVTms5RIRxcjAg-TOhyvmJnbjhbgU&dib_tag=se&hvadid=666860033026&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=9001172&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=568398420237754096&hvtargid=kwd-336579825086&hydadcr=16194_13681116&keywords=medela+freestyle+hands+free&qid=1731375907&sr=8-3&ufe=INHOUSE_INSTALLMENTS%3ACA_IHI_5M_AUTOMATED) and I loved it. It's portable, easy to use and clean, never had an issue with it. I was a heavy producer and it handled it great. I highly recommend it!

Thread: "Best wearable pump 2024?"

I use my medela freestyle with wearable cups while holding my baby. It’s easiest if I have a breast feeding pillow and am sitting down because the pillow can support him. It’s not perfect, but definitely doable for me!

Thread: "Breast Pumps, the good, the bad, and the ugly?"

Bought both manual and electric too and ended up preferring the manual one. Works better, in less time and my time is precious with a baby. Do not waste your money or at least try it first. Listen to this ted talk, this is the way.

Thread: "Why did you choose your wearable pump, what do you like about, what would you change?"

I hate the momcozys I have the M9. So many parts to clean for little output. I personally like the Medela Freestyle. The freestyle has 3 parts to clean (and flanges if needed) SO EASY. Plus I usually get the same output like from my spectra, although I haven’t tried it for a morning session. Just my daily sessions. She will have to experiment and see what she likes.

Thread: "I’m a first time momma looking for a wearable breast pump what’s the best one?"

I have the medela freestyle and like it! It has a little more oomph than a straight wearable

Thread: "Why did you choose your wearable pump, what do you like about, what would you change?"

Is the cleaning/output issue with the M9s the only con for you? I have the momcozy M5 and I really like it, but I have to admit I don't have much to compare it to yet. I find it's comparable output wise to what I get with the medela pump in style. I do 30mins with the M5s and 15-20mins with the medela, and I get a total of 4.5-8oz per pump session (usually like 6-7oz). It sounds like both of these pumps have more parts to wash than the freestyle though based on what you stated. I am curious what output looks like for you with the M9 & freestyle & spectra if you dont mind me asking?? For OP in case they are considering these options... I think my biggest complaints with the M5 & pump in style are: 1. The M5 has a tiny piece I have to be extra careful not to drop into the sink & down the drain (literally happened the first time I washed them 🤦‍♀️ thankfully the set comes with extras of that piece). 2. It sounds these have less customizable settings than others like the spectra everyone recommends online? For me this is ideal right now because I would get overwhelmed if there were even more buttons and settings to configure. The M5 and pump in style do have some flexibility, but I'm more of a "press start and leave it alone" kind of person. 3. The medela pump in style has a battery pack, so I could choose to walk around with it, but it's less convenient since the whole thing hangs outside of my bra... easy to bump into and knock off. Plus the tubing would be annoying. So I just use that one plugged into the wall, and use the M5s when I want to walk around, use the bathroom, cook, etc. The M5 was recommended like crazy to me on tiktok and by friends and family. It's been super convenient, auto shuts off at 30min mark, will remember your previous settings and use those by default, and I think it's pretty easy to measure, pour, wash, and assemble. If you/your partner wanted a wearable pump to use alongside a nonwearable one, I could see the M5s being a good option to do some more research on.

Thread: "Best breast pump for work"

Hard to beat the Spectra S1. I have acquired some Medela pumps as well, including the wearable freestyle and get more with the Spectra. When you’re trying to match what baby takes milk wise at daycare, you want a reliable pump like the spectra. Also, make sure to get a nipple sizing tool and measure yourself after birth since most of the flanges are way too large for comfort. This makes a huge difference.

Thread: "Best Breast Pumps Available In Canada for First Time Mom [NL]"

Same! Definitely get this one - the freestyle hands-free (as opposed to the freestyle flex) because it’s ability to be worn while on-the-go / multitasking can’t be beat. I get great output with it. Hope you do too!

Thread: "Best Breast Pumps Available In Canada for First Time Mom [NL]"

FTM and also super happy with the Freestyle

Thread: "Breast Pumps, the good, the bad, and the ugly?"

Agreed, and through this process, I learned to hand express, which is now my only method.

Thread: "Anyone who has an under supply or just enough had success with a wearable pump ? "

I use the Medela Freestyle with the cups and it’s been working out well for me. I feel I get as close to I would with my wall pump (maybe a tiny bit less). Every morning I use it for my first pump of the day and I still get the biggest pump of the day from it. It has decent suction when turned up and it’s super easy to wash being it’s only 3 parts. I’m an under supplier. I make on average 1 oz on a normal pump and 2-3 on an amazing pump (combine). The wearable has allowed me to stick to it and continue to stick to it even tho my supply is dismal.

Thread: "[bc] breast pump- spectra vs medela"

Having had both (Medela freestyle and Spectra), as an exclusive pumper, spectra wins no question. Was night and day.

Thread: "Exclusive pumping - what’s the best pump?"

I tried to breastfeed my first but between my crappy supply and her crappy latch, I wasnt able to. I'm not sure if I can use the EBF because I never pumped enough and had to supplement with formula from about day 3 but she did get mostly breast milk from bottles until about 6.5 months. 1. I used and loved the medela freestyle. Because it had a rechargeable battery and was so compact, I was able to hands free pump anywhere I needed to, including while driving, while preparing meals or vacuuming or folding laundry and on a flight with my than 5 month old sleeping in her moby wrap on my chest. I did find that the suction improved when I upgraded to new breast flanges (not sure of correct term but the plastic part that goes on the breast) which were more oval shaped than round and seemed to fit better. 2. I did not have my pump at the hospital. I hand expressed a few times to try to get things flowing and tried and failed to get her to latch. I definitely pumped colostrum when I returned home on day 2 post partum, so I'd guess you dont need a baby to get things going. 3. Once I recovered from the painful bleeding nipples of attempting to breast feed, I gave away 3 tubes of nipple cream and never looked back. I never used it to pump and never felt the need too. 4. To establish good supply, it is recommended you pump every 3-4 hours. So yes, for the first 6-8 weeks until your supply is established, it wouldn't hurt to get up through the night and pump. It would suck but it would be easier than breastfeeding, because you hook yourself up for 20 minutes, than toss everything in the fridge to deal with in the morning and can go back to bed without rocking a newborn to sleep. I found it to be life changing when I realized after a few months that the various pump parts dont have to be washed and sanitized with every pump. I would toss them in the fridge between pumps and clean then once at the end of the day. Amazing!

Thread: "Wearable Breast pumps"

I only pumped part time, but a friend of mine who was an exclusive pumper recommended the Medela Freestyle. Having a separate motor means better power than wearable pumps with motor built into the cups. I could also attach the cups to my spectra, which was super convenient for when I was pumping at work as I could be discreet with the wearable cups and could still keep doing stuff sat at my desk while I pumped while having the benefits of the spectra.

Thread: "Exclusive pumping: best pumps? [MB]"

Rent if you can to try first because it is definitely a commitment. My LO was early and I didnt have anything ready to offer at boob. She loves rubber nipples now haha. And using a nipple shield every time and her frustration at the boob just made it so unenjoyable. I would rather pump. Once you decide you like pumping, I would go on Amazon US and order the Spectra S1, the conversion right now hurt me but it is a great great pump. I used the Medela Symphony in the hospital and the suction was trash in comparison to Spectra for me. You will need to size your flange but that’s easily done. Thats my main pump when my husband is home and I can sit and focus on stimulation and pumping. When hes not home, I use the Medela Freestyle. I do the fridge method, hubby will sterilize in morning before he works and Ill fridge the parts and pump every time I feed my LO. And when hes home he will sterilize again for the night. I get 20-25 minutes in with diaper, feed, burp. Obviously she doesnt get fresh milk, but it is breastmilk. I will do the same at night, fridge the parts. Now, I wish I did get the momcozy or something completely hands free with no cords but I dont mind it. My goal is to pump every time she feeds which is 2-4 hours since were in the thick of 100% contact sleeping with my LO being 7 weeks. As she gets older, Ill be glad I have two different pumps.

Thread: "Overwhelmed by the pump choices out there. Medela freestyle vs Spectra S1 or 2"

Not sure about Spectra, but if you go for Madela you might want to take a look at the Swing Maxi. While it isn’t hands free, you can pair it with Madela’s pumping bra. Where e we live the both of them together cost less than the Freestyle and my wife is extremely satisfied with them

Thread: "Is the breast pump debate basically Medela vs Spectre?"

I used a Medela freestyle. It gets a bad rap, I know some people don't like it, but it worked great for me. I loved it, it was small, easy to lug to and from work, and efficient. Easy to find backup parts, too. I used it until my girls were 14 months. At my peak it helped me pump a LOT of milk.

Thread: "Do you need a hospital grade pump?"

I had a medela freestyle (owned) and rented a symphony from the hospital, and I actually preferred the freestyle! I returned the symphony after 2 months. The one nice thing was having 2 pumps, because if you only have one it’s scary to think that it could stop working and then you wouldn’t have any. But I just ended up buying a cheap manual as a backup once I returned the symphony.

Thread: "Which Momcozy wearable pump and why?"

I bought the momcozy m6 during my pregnancy based off the comments on this thread and others. Came back here one month postpartum to add my thoughts ☺️ I live in Europe and I’m on maternity leave indefinitely, so my main criteria for a wearable pump was just convenience and I was not too concerned about noise/appearance. I also read that the momcozy was better for bigger boobs so that was my deciding factor. I really struggled with breastfeeding due to a vacuum delivery and subsequent latching issues so have been mainly pumping with daily attempts at breastfeeding. I have really struggled with sore nipples, mainly from the breast feeding but also a lot of pain while pumping, in the hospital with their pump and also at home. With the momcozy it always takes me 30 minutes and I am getting 60-120 ml total depending on my stress and hydration levels. Today I borrowed the medela freestyle from my SIL and had 120 ml within 10 minutes and absolutely no pain while pumping for the first time ever. After this experience I probably won’t use the momcozy again. I know the medela is technically a hands free and not a wearable, but in case anyone lands on this thread and is in a similar situation to me I wanted to share my experience. Feel free to ask me any questions ☺️

Thread: "First Time Mom Choosing A Breast Pump!"

As someone who just returned to work and works from home more than half the time; the S1 is serving me well so far! It's easy to get extra sets of parts which is key..like, get more sets than you think you need. Personally I'm not comfortable with the "fridge hack" (google for more on that if you don't know / are interested) so I have 4 sets of parts. While wfh I rinse the parts I just used and toss them in a basin of soapy water, then run all through the dishwasher in the evening. As a secondary pump, I have the Medela freestyle wearable. Haven't used it much yet but the couple times I have, I like it. However it's definitely less customizable because speed/suction are tied together whereas with spectra you can control them separately. Would not want it as my primary.

Thread: "Best Breast Pumps Available In Canada for First Time Mom [NL]"

My friend had her first back in the spring. She got the momcozy because she liked that the motor was on the cups and therefore no wires or third pump piece to contend with. She was exclusively pumping and she still really recommends it 7 months later. Personally I'm torn between it and the Medela freestyle.

Thread: "Best breast pumps?"

My manual pump is way better than the electric Medela freestyle I used

Thread: "Best Breast Pumps Available In Canada for First Time Mom [NL]"

Amazing! That is one I was considering!

Thread: "Best Breast Pumps Available In Canada for First Time Mom [NL]"

I use the Medela freestyle and it's really good. It has good suction and is easy to clean and use.

Thread: "Why did you choose your wearable pump, what do you like about, what would you change?"

I have a few: I really like the medela freestyle, the cups are comfortable and the motor is small. It’s not the quietist but I can move around/cook/ do mild cleaning while pumping. There are tubes connecting to the cups but that helps them be really light weight. I also have Eufy S1 pro that I like, although I have an oversupply so the cups are a bit small for that. But it’s efficient and I do like the heating and the case is convenient for on the go. I wouldn’t recommend momcozy - the suction is good but you can’t rely on the motors to be working from pump to pump. - I had two sets of s9pros give out on me with my first son 2 years ago. The m5 I had with him also died, although I liked it enough I got another one this time but I reach for the eufy more. The S12pro isn’t bad but again I’m just waiting for it to stop working at this point.

Thread: "Completely overwhelmed with which pump to choose..."

Omg that is painful to hear about the LC! Mine didn’t know sh*t about pumping either

Thread: "Breast Pumps, the good, the bad, and the ugly?"

Thank you for your Ted Talk! Most informative!

Thread: "Breast Pumps, the good, the bad, and the ugly?"

That last dot point - haha yes! You should join the manual pump marketing team.

Thread: "Breast Pumps, the good, the bad, and the ugly?"

Agree to all of this for all the same reasons