Customer Reviews for Medela - Freestyle Hands-free Double Electric Breast Pump - Gray
Customer Rating
4
Perfect for multitasking moms
on February 20, 2023
Posted by: Jtmjna
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I received this product from stellar product testing panel in exchange for my review. Pros: I really like this pump. It has given me the ability to multitask with my other children, cook meals, wash dishes, do bookwork and I even gave my husband a neck massage while pumping! In the past I’ve been tied to the wall and hated pumping with a passion. This has given me a new light and is helping me transition our baby to bottles and using breastmilk vs formula as it’s easier/compatible with my lifestyle. The battery also lasted a long time! 3-4 pumping sessions! Cons: would have been nice for the the actual pump to have a small strap to go around your waist for true hands free. I usually had to shove it in my Jean pocket and that didn’t fit in there overly well. I also expected the suction to be a bit better. I find I had more milk when I was using your traditional corded to the wall pump. Because the suction wasn’t 100% I found the odd time if I bumped it a bit too much I would have to reattach the pump.
Response from medela.comBy *, Your Customer Solutions Team, May 17, 2023
Hi Jtmjna--- Thank you for sharing your honest feedback. If you ever have any questions or need help with your breast pump, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at 800-435-8316. We'd be happy to help!
I loved this thing, I was so excited to have a portable and wearable pump! It worked great for several weeks, then suddenly I saw a noticeable drop in my production. I figured it was "that time of the month" and kept my pumping regimen. However, I was at home and unable to nurse one day and used my Spectra pump and pumped twice as much in 5 minutes than it took in 15 minutes with the Freestyle. Also, I cannot find any replacement parts or extra cups (would be handy to have a set at home and a set at work).
Response from medela.comBy *, Your Customer Solutions Team, March 16, 2023
Hi toriafly--- We're sorry to hear about your experience. Please reach out to us directly at 800-435-8316 with reference number 458041 so we can help. We look forward to hearing from you!
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] The Freestyle Hands Free Double Electric Breast Pump is an incredibly easy and convenient breast pump. I was given this breast pump to try as part of the Stellar Product Testing Panel. As a mother of three who has always pumped and breastfed, I would rate this pump highly on my list of pumps for a few different reasons. Firstly, it offers and efficient and quick pump, with the flexibility to double or single pump depending on your personal situation, to that end, I have never been able to efficiently nurse and pump at the same time, this pump allowed me to do so, without worry that my baby would kick it out of place or shift the pump. I attribute this to the pumps sleek and discrete size. Additionally, I love how easy the pump is to use and clean, this is a time saver and makes for easy use when travelling away from home. Lastly, this pump allowed me to complete a few more activities than usual while pumping; folding laundry, doing dishes are some of the examples. One of the things I wish the product could have allowed was for bending motions so I could clean up, due to the spout at the top of the pumps, it is risky to do any task that involves bending because you then risk having the pumped milk spill. I also wish that the string on the pump motor itself was longer, this would allow for a true handsfree experience because you’d then be able to wear the pump motor around your neck, as opposed to carrying it to each location with you by hand. Lastly, as I was first learning to use the pump I was trying to make sure that it was place correctly on my nipples and due to the fogged colour and design it was a bit hard to see, I would suggest making the breast cups completely clear in colour. Overall, I am very satisfied with the pump, it’s long lasting battery and ease of use, I have been using it over my other pumps since I’ve received it.
Response from medela.comBy *, Your Customer Solutions Team, May 17, 2023
Hi Breezy--- We appreciate your honest feedback; this helps us to continuously improve upon our designs. We're wishing you all the best!
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] It was a privilege to be apart of the Stellar Product Testing Panel in regard to the Freestyle Hands Free Double Electric Breast Pump. This pump provides so much versatility. As my little one is more on the move these days, I am able to keep up with my child and stay on track with pumping schedule thanks to the hands free design. My family is always on the go and the compact, discrete design has made pumping anywhere a breeze - especially on play dates, driving in the car or flying to our next vacation destination. My favorite feature is the subtle vibration of the cups and the ergonomic design. Because of this, I am able to spend less time pumping but express more milk. As a mom, I am constantly multitasking and Medela has made it easier to do just that. If you're in the market for a breast pump or are looking for an upgrade, I highly recommend the Medela Freestyle Hands Free Double Electric Breast Pump.
Response from medela.comBy *, Your Customer Solutions Team, May 17, 2023
Hi Breastpump--- That's wonderful to hear, thank you for sharing your great feedback!
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I love how discrete and comfortable the Freestyle Hands Free Double Electric Breast Pump is. It fits right in my bra so I can pump on the go anytime, anywhere. With the pump I was able to do my hair, makeup, wash the dishes and clean up my little one’s toys. I had it on and my partner didn’t even notice! I don't think I would change anything about this pump, it is a game changer for me! It gives me the flexibility to multi-task and spend more time with the family. I’ve even been able to carry my toddler around because the milk collection cups are round and don’t dig into his body. It is easy to use, efficient at pumping milk, very easy to clean, and really hands-free. I think it is great that women now have access to a hands-free breast pump from a trustworthy brand like Medela. Thanks to the Stellar Product Testing Panel for sending me this product to test and review!
Response from medela.comBy *, Your Customer Solutions Team, May 17, 2023
Hi Yvon--- We’re thrilled that your experience was what you had hoped for. Wishing you the best!
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I received the Medela Freestyle Hands Free Double Electric Breast Pump through Stellar Product Testing Panel. I’ve tried a number of pumps between my two babies and definitely found this freestyle hands free double pump to be the best of all. It’s compact, lightweight, discrete and quiet. I love that I can easily take it with me anywhere in my purse. It’s fits comfortably and discreetly in all my nursing bras. It’s efficient in extracting milk within a short period of time. I found the suction settings to be strong enough and was able to store up a good freezer stash within a short period of time with the help of this pump. It’s easy to wash and it’s perfect for travels (taking it on trips & flights).
Response from medela.comBy *, Your Customer Solutions Team, May 17, 2023
Hi Jlee--- Thank you for your positive feedback! We're so happy to hear that you found it to be one of the best. Wishing you the best!
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Breastfeeding is a wonder experience but let’s face it, it can be stressful sometimes and the last thing you really want to be thinking about is whether or not your pump is going to be up to your standards.
Thanks to the Stellar Product Testing Panel for providing me with this breast pump, now let’s get down to the nitty gritty of this Medela freestyle breast pump.
Pros: Handsfree option – this pump is completely handsfree and not to mention, you don’t need to have a fancy pumping bra on either for this to work. The pump is fairly easy to put on in the correct position, comfortable to wear and not overly heavy. Additionally, when the pump is full it isn’t overly heavy or slip-off either. But the most obvious would be the fact that you do not to be tied down to get your pumping session complete, you can accomplish your other tasks on your mounting mom task list.
Suction – this pump offers 9, yes nine levels of suction and two different modes. Compared to my other handsfree pump, the Medela most certainly has more suction power for a more powerful pump and rest assured you can ensure that the pump is effectively draining each breast.
Cleaning – with only 3 parts to clean, cleaning out your pump after or between uses isn’t going to be the massive chore that can be the case with some of those other pumps. After cleaning, it’s also easily put back together, no guessing which parts go where. Just quick and easy because who has time to be fooling around with tedious pump parts while being a busy mom.
Cons: Noise Level – while the hands-free pump is discreet in the sense that it can go into your bra and not be seen, someone would definitely know that you’re pumping from the sound and while it’s not overly loud, it isn’t silent either. A trade off for the power behind the pump I suppose but either way, a pump has got to do what a pumps got to do.
Tube – one more slight small con to this pump is the motor for the pump is external and not on the actual breast piece itself like some other pumps and therefore; some tubing is required to connect the two pumps (or one) to the motor itself. This “y” shape hook-up isn’t overly cumbersome, yet it does take a little getting used to. While the pump is marketed as “hands-free” this fine print feature isn’t a deal breaker in my books, especially when you take into consideration the power that you’re getting with the added hands-free function.
Response from medela.comBy *, Your Customer Solutions Team, May 17, 2023
Hi MamaStriker--- We appreciate your honest feedback! Best wishes!
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I was given this breast pump to try as part of the Stellar Product Testing Panel, and I was very excited as I had always wanted to try a wearable pump! I currently use a different electric pump that I like but don’t love, and was eager to try something new. I generally pump 2-3 times a day, but when my son was first born I was pumping about 8 times a day and could have really benefitted from a product like this at the time, as I felt like I was always hooked up and unable to move about freely.
I’ll start by listing the things I loved and thought were great about this pump: - My favourite thing about it is how extremely easy it is to assemble, disassemble, and clean. It comes with very few pieces, which is really great if you pump on the go. It’s also very easy to pour the milk out when you’re done pumping. - It is very comfortable on the breasts. There were times I hardly even noticed it was there, especially since it just sits in your bra. I would say it’s also fairly quiet. - The pump unit is very compact and light, and the touchscreen is very sleek and modern. I love how it tells you how long you’ve been pumping for and what suction level you’re at. - I would say it’s very effective at expressing milk for a wearable pump, and produced almost as much milk as my electric pump in the same amount of time. - It includes an extra flange size (21mm and 24mm) instead of having to order one separately, which is nice. - It does make it easier to do some things, such as walking around the house, cleaning the kitchen, cooking, or anything that doesn’t require much bending over.
However, there were a few things I didn’t love as much: - The biggest con for me about this pump is the capacity of the collection cup. I am an overproducer, so a 5oz cup was just not enough for me. I tried to empty the cups halfway through my pumping session, but this caused milk to flood the membranes and I felt it didn’t work as well after that (and it made some strange sounds). This could be a user error, or maybe this particular pump just isn’t the best for someone with an oversupply. - I also noticed that I still had to sit up straight while pumping (couldn’t really lean forward or back), since leaning too much also caused milk to flood the membranes. - It is not the easiest to see how much milk you’ve collected and if your nipples are positioned correctly unless you dig into your bra, as you can’t really see much from the top. - To me, the pump wasn’t quite as discreet as I thought it would be. I would say it’s quite obvious that I’m wearing it, as it does noticeably stick out of my bra (this may also be due to having large breasts to begin with). However, this isn’t a big deal to me at all since I only pump at home and never really around other people, but it might be worth considering if you pump on the go a lot. I was also hoping that I would be able to hold my baby while using this pump, but unfortunately it was too bulky for that (and the fact that it still has tubing meant he could grab at it easily which was not ideal).
I wanted to love this pump so bad. It seemed perfect for my needs, but unfortunately it didn’t really work out for me. It is certainly compact and did make it easier to walk around freely while pumping, but having to empty it halfway through, rinse it out and dry it, and hook it back up again really defeated the purpose of using it for convenience.
Overall, I do think that the size, portability, and convenience (for someone with a regular supply) does not mean that the product compromises on quality. It still works quickly, produces milk very effectively, and frees up your hands which is great for a busy mom. I would definitely recommend it for someone who does not have an oversupply; I would use it all the time if a 5oz capacity was sufficient for me.
Response from medela.comBy *, Your Customer Solutions Team, March 23, 2023
Hi Jenna--- Thank you for taking the time to leave such a great review! We appreciate your honest feedback and have routed it to our team in charge of continuous improvement. Please never hesitate to reach out to us directly at 800-435-8316 with any questions or concerns. We'd be happy to help!