This is the best pump for a working Mom, It is lightweight and easy to use and store at work.

SidneyN18

New Hampshire

The Medela Pump in Style Backpack is the pump I used for all four of my children. While in the home with the children, I chose to breastfeed direct from the source. Once I went back to work, I relied on the Medela pump to help maintain breastmilk production while I was away from my babies. The pump itself is easy to use with either an electrical outlet or battery pack. A knob on the machine can be dialed up or down to control the strength of the suction applied while expressing milk. The bottles and attachment pieces are machine washable, making clean up simple. I found that the machine itself would not detach from the backpack, so this piece could not be washed, nor could the tubes that connected directly to the machine (if water got inside the tubes, they never dried and could become moldy). As Medela is a popular brand, I had no difficulty finding additional attachments and bottles at local baby supply stores.

inboxdoll

Massachusetts

When I was pregnant I researched a lot of different pumps. I knew I would be going back to work rather quickly and I would be pumping a lot. After reading countless reviews I decided on this one. I'm so glad I did. It was easy to use and very efficient. When you need to take breaks at work about 3 times a day you need it to go as quickly as possible. The system worked very well and was easy to maintain. The backpack was great because it held everything together and I could take it anywhere very easily.

AngelaK16

Portland, OR

I was given this pump used when I had my twins 3 years ago. It was several years old then, but still going strong. I bought new tubes, flanges, bottles and everything, and it worked great for me. When my twins were born I had to pump to help bring my milk supply up, this worked great for that. As my two got older I started building a supply for whatever was needed. This lasted through 7 months of one pumping session a day that produced up to 18oz of milk each time. Comfort No worse then nursing. Ease of Cleaning I rinsed with hot water then sanitized with the bags in the microwave for my first kiddos. Now that I have a dishwasher, I just use that (My dishwasher sanitizes). The tubes are almost impossible to clean, a little moisture gets in there, and causes mold. I read a few things to try to prevent this, but nothing I tried worked well. My solution was just to buy new tubes about once a month. The good thing is that the moisture from the tubes is never going to end up contaminating your milk that you pump, so it is not a horrible problem. Durability I am not exactly sure how old my model is since it was given to me Versatility I have rarely had to use it, but you can do just one side. I was also given the adapter using a cigarette lighter in the car or battery pack. Ease of Use This was great for me.

VanPoppins

USA

When I was breastfeeding, I wanted some time to myself, and that was hard to have when my infant was nursing every two hours. I went to this breastpump so I could build a supply for bottles so my husband, and any other visitors could give my kids a bottle. This breastpump replaced my handheld, which was FANTASTIC, my hands were so sore from trying to pump manually. Best thing about this one, is that you could hook it up so you could pump both breasts simultaneously. Comfort With very large breasts comfort was a bit of an issue, the suction could be very strong if you were not prepared for it, which could cause some pain if the suction level was too high. Ease of Cleaning Cleaning the attachments was a snap, although there were issues with milk getting into the hoses, which were very hard to clean. If milk got in, it was much more efficient to just buy a replacement hose rather than worry about mold. Durability My youngest child is now 4 and the pump still functions, I am sure I could use it again if I have another child. Versatility You can single pump or double pump depending on your needs at the time. Ease of Use It takes some trial and error to learn how to use the pump efficiently. I ended up cutting up an old bra to give me a harness so I could go hands free and pump.

MelissaManjoney

USA

I loved using this pump! I didn't realize how good it was until I tried the Harmony during a hospital stay. The harmony is more quiet but the suction/pressure was not as good as the Pump In Style. I used the pump right after I gave birth to start storing up for when I returned to work. I had no problems with the pump at all including when my breasts were engorged. When I used it at work, it was also very easy. However, if you need to multi-task during pumping sessions, definitely get the medela pumping bra! The pump itself is noisy so hopefully you can pump in an enclosed area. But the backpack is very discreet and mos people don't know what it's for. Also the backpack is fairly roomy with zippered side pockets; great for storing tissue, antibacterial gel, and milk storage bags. It also has a water bottle holder in the side; perfect to help you keep hydrated during pumping sessions. There is also a zippered pouch on top and that is where I stuffed all my tubes, bottles, valves, and accessories. A very well-designed pump carrying case overall! Comfort As long as you are correctly fitted for the phalange/funnel-thing that goes over your nipple, the pump is great. The standard size that the pump comes with is medium and I had to get a size large for it to be properly fitted for me. Ease of Cleaning If you use the medela steam clean bags, cleaning is a 10! Just toss all the components into the bag and microwave for the appropriate time (listed on the bags themselves). Piece of cake! As for hand washing, it can be a pain especially if you are a full-time working mom who pumps at work. I bought several extra sets of the phalanges, valves, and even the tubes to make my life easier and it was definitely worth it! That way, if you dose utterly exhausted at night, you can use another set and wash the used one the next night. Plus, it's handy to keep an extra set at work in case you forget the components when you are sleep-deprived! Durability I've used the same pump for both children (I pumped for 13-14 months for a child) and they are 3 years apart. Even though it is discouraged by the company, my friend borrowed the same pump in the interim and my pump still worked great. I knew because I brought it to a local breast pump store where they clean it and double-check its pressure. The pump was still at its top/excellent settings. Ease of Use Very easy to use. Just plug the tubes in and set up the bottles. Plug it into the outlet or you can use the portable battery source (8 AA, I believe. If you pump more than twice at 10 minutes, the batteries are pretty much drained. So bring extra batteries!). Then pump away.

Fasue

USA

I used my Medela Pump in Style Advance Breast Pump for one year with my daughter. I used it two times a day for the first six months and one time a day for the last six months. It made pumping very easy and smooth for me especially since it was my first time. The double pump made it much more efficient for time and I felt I was able to get a good amount of milk in a short amount of time. The bag helps keep it very discreet and I felt comfortable carrying it in to work everyday. Clean up was easy too. Comfort I was comfortable while using this to pump and have no complaints. Ease of Cleaning It was easy to clean all the parts. I have used the Medela wipes sometimes to clean the parts. Durability It lasted me a whole year without a problem and I used it daily so it is very durable. Never had a problem. Ease of Use The directions were very clear and once I got the hang of it, pumping was very easy. The ability to double pump made it much easier for me.

ErinM34

USA

My third baby is 9 months old and I exclusively breast feed her. I had her in April and I was able to spend the first four months of her life at home with her but then I had to go back to teaching. I wasn't sure how pumping at work would go and I'd I would be able to make enough milk and have time at work to pump. But we are now five months later and my baby has never had any formula! I use the pump twice a day at work. The pump has many features that make it very easy to pump in a shortened time period. It had a double pump so I can pump both breasts at the same time. It also has has different speeds that you can adjust. The pump is extremely easy to clean. A nice feature is the case the pump comes in it looks just like any other bag. Also the accessories as far as the bottles and storage freezer is extremely nice. If you would ever need to purchase additional accessories for the pump it is very easy to find at all stores that carry baby items.

RachelLandisBugay

USA

The only down side to this pump (any pump for that matter) is cleaning. It is comfortable (well, as comfortable as attaching two suction cups to your boobs would be) and easy to use. It does the job and is super convenient to store, use and carry. I found it to be efficient as well as convenient. It didn't take me that much longer to pump than it did to feed (except the cleaning part). Comfort Pretty comfortable and attaches without much fuss. Easy to readjust to your own body and move around to make sure you get all those glands! Ease of Cleaning Difficult to clean if you follow all the directions. I found if I was going to pump only an hour later I would just rinse in really hot water and air dry. Other wise, I washed everything in a basket on the top shelf of my dishwasher and air dried on the counter. Trying to clean the tubes is near impossible - but I did it occasionally and then would use the pump itself to blow out the lines to dry them. Durability Used this for two kids three years apart and worked great. Versatility Easy to bring with you everywhere. Ease of Use Very easy to use and figure out, but you do need two hands free so if you have one of those babies that needs you to be touching them at all times, you might want to invest in a hands free product like a bra or something to go with this.

DesireeElizabeth

USA

Both of my twins had a lot of problems with breastfeeding when they were born. To save my sanity and my breasts from engorgement, I bought a cheap pump from Wal-Mart to help me keep my supply up while trying to convince my babies to latch. It was slow, loud, and painful. I hated using it, so when I decided to stop breastfeeding and exclusively pump, I bought the Medela Pump In Style. I chose the backpack version so when we go somewhere where I will need to pump I can easily carry it and my diaper bag without having a ton of bags hanging of my shoulders. This pump is so much quieter, I can pump at night while the twins are feeding without worrying about waking them. This pump is much more comfortable, it does not cause my any pain while pumping, and it drains my breasts much faster than the old pump and I'm producing more milk now than I was then. All the parts are very easy to clean and assemble, I truly couldn't be happier with this pump. It's expensive but so worth it. I recommend this to anyone who exclusively pumps or pumps several times a day.

red5

USA