MEDELA FREESTYLE!!! **Review Post**

Namastè!

I'm extra stoked this evening and wishing you all double the typical copious amounts thereof.

As y'all know I'm a dedicated Medela mommy. I have exclusively breastfed Baby Namastè for 7 months strong, and the Medela product family has made this journey so much easier.

Tonight I wanna let y'all know all about the Freestyle pump. This little handheld device has made pumping a bit less tedious. If you know me, you know I hate being forced to sit still. Baby Namastè is actively scooting now, and we spend lots of time on the go. While I love my PISA (Pump In Style Advanced), I hate being tethered to that chair while the Kids Namastè are awake and moving.

*drumroll* *fanfare* *fairies sprinkling joy*

Enter the Medela Freestyle. I had read about it as I was selecting my very first breast pump. I was interested, but the PISA was more appealing at the time because I assumed bigger meant more powerful, and I knew I'd need a very good pump to ensure I could breastfeed and put away a stash for Baby Namastè to benefit from post-weaning. Hubby decided to reward my efforts at the 6 month mark with the Freestyle! I was so excited, because more portability meant I could literally take this thing anywhere. I hate missing pumps, and I hate hand expression, so imagine my delight.

Look!!!

The Freestyle looks, to me, like a music player. The ones kids have. It isn't heavy. It can clip onto your waistband, belt, or in a pouch. Its best features are the backlight...

...and memory button. 

The backlight comes in incredible handy when I'm pumping at night, both at home and in the car. (I have mastered the art of the passenger side stealth sessioms!) 

The memory button is genius!!! I usually use my pumps at low to mid settings, and I alternate strong suction and letdown suction to elicit more letdowns. Pressing the memory button at the beginning of a session actually saves that session's settings and you can press right at startup to repeat that same sequence. I use one particular pump pattern, so my Freestyle truly becomes handsfree.

Speaking of hands free! The Medela Easy Expression bustier is a godsend. (Not pictured--I am a lady and will not be uploading my brassiere! *chuckle*) Using the EEB, I am able to pump while doing whatever else I need my hands for, from cooking to building block towers with the Kiddies Namastè. I just throw on a button-down or my pumping kimono and go about my day.

The pros of this thing? It has equal suction (and at high settings, stronger suction than) the PISA, which was my first concern. I didn't want to trade power for portability. The Freestyle delivers on that front. As I mentioned previously, it isn't heavy. If you're like me and pump around the clock, thirty minutes with the Freestyle during the busiest parts for the day is a godsend versus being tethered to the chair. It also shines in the car, where it takes up a lot less lap space. I often park mine in the cup holder and read a magazine while I pump in traffic. The pump is solid and efficient, and after the 36-hour initial charge I've been able to use it for 2 or 3 days at a clip without recharging. It has a great battery life. It runs pretty quietly, no noisier than the PISA. Packing it up is a breeze; I cannot express enough how incredibly portable this thing is!!! I generally carry it in my PISA bag BUT it fits in my purse--pump, rubes, flanges, and connectors.

The cons. Oh, not many. It sounds a little bit whiny. At letdown suction it sounds like it's saying "bruh, bruhhhh" or "ma, maaaaa" & at regular suction it sounds like "man, mannnnn"! (I don't ever wear it on my waist because I dislike the vibration--I am weird about that; I don't even like when my phone vibes against my skin. Just NO.) I put it in my robe pocket. If you remove the battery, be prepared to charge for 24 to 48 hours. Also that's the initial charge time. (Mine was fully ready in 36!) It takes me about 5 to 10 minutes more per session, but that's because I use very low suction. (I cannot stand pumping at high settings; I always end up with cracked nipples. I'm convinced the coveted nipple callous is a mythical creature I'll never encounter.) You can't bend over while pumping of course...but with other pumps you cannot walk around so it's not a huge deal. ASSEMBLING THE VALVES--you have to get the membranes just right or you get no suction. That took me for a loop because the PISA is literally plug and play. Lastly, the parts for this pump aren't interchangeable except the flanges. They also cost a bit more.

The valves and membranes in this pump are a sight to behold. If not assembled correctly, NO SUCTION. From top to bottom: front cover, back cover,  membrane.

All in all, I like this little pump, gee golly I do! I have it with me all day, and I never leave home without it. It's compact, adorable, and powerful. I rate it 4 and a half stars. I would give it 5 if not for the valve assembly.

I recommend this pump for any mom, whether she's going back to work OR pumping at home. It's a little pricier than the PISA but it's well worth its sticker. 

I hope this helps make your pump choice a bit easier, and that I've provided good info! 

Namastè!

- Tayè K.