Medela Sonata!!! **Review Post

Namastè.

I have missed you!

Life has had me by the horns. Alas, it forgot--when backed into a corner, Tayè bucks back. *wink*

Today I wanna give you the skinny on the Medela Sonata! I read every stitch of info I could find on this pump prior to getting it, but because it was so new (just released in January) most weren't very detailed. After spending a fair amount of time with it myself  I feel qualified to shed some light on this new innovation.

The Sonata is Medela's first-ever smart pump. Inspired by their hospital-grade Symphony, the Sonata delivers hospital-quality performance, portability, and functionality in a cute little 2.2-pound device.

Note: I was not compensated for this review, nor did I receive this device free. This post and all opinions stated herein are mine and mine alone.

One thing I love about Medela in general is that when you purchase a pump, it is ready to go straight out of the box. You get collection bottles, the pump kit (tubing, connectors, and valves), and the power source.

My Sonata included:

☆ Sonata pump with rechargeable battery
☆ Pump bag
☆ 2 connectors
☆ 2 valves
☆ silicone membranes
☆ 2 sets of breast shields (I call them horns)
☆ 4 5-ounce collection bottles
☆ cooler
☆ cooling element
☆ tubing
☆ power adaptor
☆ 2 bottle stands
☆ dust sleeve for pump bag

As pumps go, I've seen them all. (Of the Medela family, the only one I do not own is the Symphony...can we say dedication?!) With Medela, I expect a certain level of performance. They don't disappoint. I was super excited about the Sonata for that reason alone.

My first impression of the Sonata was how futuristic it looks. It actually resembles a dock for one of Hubby Namastè's gadgets! I immediately thought, "I can set this sucker up in the living room/office/craft room/etc. and never have to explain what it is!" My other pumps draw questions, which I'm not shy about at all, but if I can avoid an interrogation, more power to me!

The Sonata boasts a muted shade of Medela's signature sunshine yellow, and the control panel looks like frosted glass. The screen sits like a floating bezel in the dock. It is touch screen.

Beyond the sleek appearance, this thing has some serious functionality. It connects to your phone or tablet (both Android and iOS) via Bluetooth. The Sonata aligns with the MyMedela app and saves your session info. It automatically logs your settings (vacuum strength, etc.) also. The only thing you have to do manually is key in your ounces.

Brass tacks!

My First Sonata Sessions

The Sonata is feature-heavy, in the best way possible. Medela designed this one with the average mom in mind for sure, from its lightweight styling to the pump's ability to save session info and transfer it to the app.

Setting the Sonata up for use takes roughly two minutes. Everything snaps or twists together pretty easily. Just five pieces and the tubing! As I've become a quick study with pumps, I had no problem at all. Also, it's a heckuva lot easier to assemble than the Freestyle. (Freestyle is also easy...but if the connector and valve aren't snapped together just so, you would get zero suction.) Once assembled, I powered it on and chose my settings. I letdown on a 4 and pump on a 5 or 6, never higher because this thing has some power!

The Sonata does not feel like the PISA or the Freestyle. It doesn't feel like a baby actually nursing, but it doesn't have that mechanical milker feel. To me it's not nearly as uncomfortable as other pumps. Unless you set the vacuum too high, the Sonata is absolutely 100% NOT PAINFUL! There's no tugging. The suction is very strong (naturally a little less so when using the battery versus the power cord, but still quite formidable!), but it doesn't hurt and I find that the Sonata gets a little more milk than my PISA.

I have to point out here just how quiet the Sonata runs. It sounds like a heartbeat. After the letdown setting, it still sounds like a heartbeat but slowed. Kind of like in the movies when things go slow motion...

I like the backlight on the Sonata. It's a very gentle glow but certainly bright enough to take care of my night pumps without jarring Hubby Namastè. As I said, I find that the Sonata gets more milk than my PISA and Freestyle. It has hospital-level suction, as it is inspired by the Symphony.

Totally off-topic but only sorta, am I the only one who thinks Medela should rename the PISA, the Melody?! Then it'd fit in the name lineup better next to the Symphony, Harmony, and Sonata. *chuckle* The Lactina and the Swing could be the Concerto and the Waltz!

Cleaning Up

Although there are five pieces to the pump kit instead of four, the Sonata doesn't take much more time to clean up, in my humble milk-making opinion. I can break it down and clean it in less than ten minutes. Even less if I use my sterilizer. The tubing on the Sonata gathers less condensation than my PISA, an improvement worth noting for sure. As always, I wash the Sonata parts with either Medela soap or Seventh Gen lavender dish wash.

Traveling Tayè

I had to make several big drives with the Sonata in tow due to a death in the family and preparations for my little baby's birthday. This was where the pump bag absolutely shined, by the way--I could fit all my essentials in there: the pump and store bags, extra pads, plus pockets for the adaptor and tubing. The bag has plenty of room for the connectors, flanges, and a magazine or two. (I toss a couple granola bars in my bag also. A girl's got to snack, yes?) As the Sonata has a built-in rechargeable battery, there was no need for an additional adaptor.

My current mom-mobile is a rather large luxury SUV so I have plenty of room anyway, but the Sonata doesn't mess with my space. I simply put it in the console, on a folded towel  (so it doesn't do that buzzy thing phones do when they vibrate across the table) and pump when I need to, then use the Medela wipes to clean my parts for the next session.

If traveling a long stretch, I use an actual cooler and ice. Gotta keep that liquid gold cold. The little cooler bag is perfect for the average outing though, as it holds four five-ounce bottles plus the cooling element.

I found the Sonata very portable. Even carrying the bag was not a hassle, as the pump is very lightweight and the bag has padded shoulders. It looks very sleek and doesn't necessarily scream "Hey buckos, I'm a breast pump bag!" I wouldn't bat an eye if it did, but I need the name of fashion Medela gets high marks for the bag design.

That App, Tho...

I have used the MyMedela app since Baby Namastè was a newborn, actually. I needed a good app to track his feedings, weight, and my early pump sessions. This app does all that and more. It tracks breastfeeding, pump sessions, weight, sleep, and diapers.

It also offers articles and links to helpful websites as well as the Medela store site. (I don't use aftermarket parts on my pumps, except my Lactalite, so this was helpful when I needed to get new membranes or connectors or whatever. Scoot on over to Instagram to find out all about this Lactalite though, that cute little clip on!) There is even a breastfeeding confidence quiz and a "contact an LC" feature that allows you to email a lactation consultant directly.

The Sonata connects to this app via Bluetooth, to transmit pump session information. (The pump's onboard memory can store up to 20 session logs, also!) The app shows your battery percentage as well as reminders for missed sessions or missing info. While the pump sends session info like vacuum strength and the length of time you pumped, it does not record how many ounces you made, so you do have to key that in. That's easy though and leaves less room for error.

The app, to me, is an extra bonus. I'm much more likely to keep a routine if I am actively tracking said routine. I've kept up with my nursing and pump sessions for a year now, and as long as I'm still breastfeeding I'll also still be using the MyMedela app to stay on track. I no longer track his diapers or sleep, but since I still keep up with his weight I was able to see immediately that he had lost weight when he fell ill a short while ago. He lost a total of five pounds and three ounces. Because I had the information stored in MyMedela, there was no guesswork and we were immediately able to make a plan and develop a course of action to regain that weight. We worked in another bottle of expressed milk during the day and all is well now. While the tracking can be tedious, there are definitely benefits to having those records!

Any Cons?

Yeah...though they be but small ones. The valves can create a vacuum effect (where the milk collects in the flange) and if you happen to move--as I always do--the milk may very well spill. I only noticed this at my highest setting. I tried it at a 7 and that was more than I want to encounter. Dialed back to a 6 and no further issues. If you prefer higher settings, be forewarned. To rectify it, just lean forward and gently break the seal, i.e. pause pumping (because you do NOT want self-inflicted nip'lash) and take off the horns, then lightly tap the assembly until the milk has flowed down into the bottle. 

Also, the horn assembly is a skee bit heavy for handsfree'ing. I actually find the Medela bustier uncomfortable, so the fact that I use a modified (read: Tayè made it so) Victoria's Secret sports bra might have something to do with that part. It doesn't slip at all with the Medela bustier, definitely a point worth noting.

All in all...

I believe the Sonata might be the best pump available besides the hospital-grade Symphony. I own and have used several different pumps in my ENTIRE SOLID YEAR OF BREASTFEEDING, WOO WOO!!! so I'm fairly well-versed in the various makes and models. The Sonata is my favorite. It works incredibly well for home and travel. It's neat-looking. The bag is pretty sweet looking too, considering it's not some hundred-dollar bag. (I first figured I'd be carrying my Sonata in my Coach diaper bag but the bag Medela created for it is absolutely fine. Cute, even!)

I was afraid that in exchange for the Bluetooth and other bells and whistles, we'd be losing strength and durability, but NOPE. Medela delivers on all fronts. The Sonata not only looks good, but it works well, travels well, and its bells and whistles make pumping (which, let's face it, is a legit labor of love!) much more comfortable. The soft backlight is perfect for late night sessions (or when, like me, you're night pumping in the car while on a road trip). The pump is quiet and reliable. I got an extra two to three ounces of milk out of my slowest sessions. In the afternoon I never get more than two or three ounces total--with the Sonata I have been consistently getting four to six ounces.

Note: I make NO claim that the Sonata will increase supply. The pump is very strong, and that leads to better b'reservoir emptying, but this is not an instant magic fix to low supply. You'll still have to get into a good nursing and/or pumping routine, eat a solid diet, and stay as stress-free as possible. Supply and demand, ALWAYS.

As far as the price, while it is fairly expensive (it costs $399, and is not yet covered by insurance as of March 2, 2017), the Sonata is decidedly worth the investment. It includes everything you need, even the bottles and cooler, and it's really a solid pump. You can get them at select retailers like Target, Walmart, BuyBuy Baby, and Babies R'Us. If those don't pan out in your area, you can always go to THE source, the Medela site. Right now you will receive a free accessory set, a $50 value, when you purchase a Sonata Deluxe Breastpump.

I think it's pretty posh and I love fancy things, even more so when they are fancy and functional.

I'll be spending a lot of time with my Sonata, as I'm still going to pump for Baby Namastè as well as donate milk. I want to make it to the 50K Ounce mark, and I know I will as long as I stick to a solid routine.

I know this one ran a wee bit long. I didn't find very many detailed reviews about this pump when I was researching it for myself, so I wanted to be thorough.

Namastè!

-- Tayè K ♡