Breastfeed Longer With the Medela Freestyle Electric Breast Pump

I couldn’t be happier to announce that I recently completed my nursing degree and I did it while raising children too. In fact, just ten days after finishing my degree I welcomed my third beautiful baby girl into the world.

Needless to say, I am almost always doing two things at once.  And now that I am a nurse, eager to dive in and begin my new career, I need to balance that role with mothering my newborn.

Well as a devoted breastfeeding mother, I just have to say, “Thank goodness for the new Medela Freestyle breast pump!”

Like many mothers these days, breastfeeding my children is something I cherish for the many proven benefits it provides both my child and myself.

However, when work or school demands take the mother out of the home early in the baby’s life, breastfeeding can be difficult to continue.  I did the best I could with my other two daughters.  I tried other pumps in the past with little success and eventually resorted to some manual expression but it was a lot of work.

This time around I knew that I needed a better solution; I didn’t want my new career to interfere with my ability to provide my daughter with the most optimal nutrition.

To my absolute pleasure, Medela Canada came to my rescue by offering an opportunity to review their latest model electric breast pump, the Medela Freestyle!  The kit included the pump and tubing with two breast shields as well as a cooler pack with four bottles.

I usually shrink away from programming anything, but the pump was easy to figure out with just 5 straightforward buttons and an easy-to-use memory option.

It took me only a moment to get started and I was thrilled with the effectiveness of the Medela Freestyle.  All my unpleasant memories of trying to express or pump breast milk in the past were quickly swept away by this amazing new machine.  It is so effortless to use and gave me amazing results.

The very first time I tried it, only six days after my daughter’s birth, I was able to pump 40 ml in just 4 minutes! I knew at that moment that the Medela Freestyle Electric Breast Pump was going to be exactly what I needed to continue breastfeeding my daughter while beginning my career!

And with the sleek, portable size of the machine, I loved that I would have no problem bringing it with me to work to pump during my breaks too.

The rechargable battery provides up to three hours of breastpumping before recharging so I can easily use it throughout my work day without having to worry about the battery running out.

The system also includes a hands-free option which involves a number of straps allowing for hands-free double pumping.  Talk about being able to multitask!

Medela also kindly included an accessory pack filled with absorbent breast pads, a microwave sterilizer bag, and the company’s innovative new bottle nipple, the Calma.  The Calma is designed to create a feeding experience as similar as possible to feeding at the mother’s breast.  I was so excited to receive one to try!

Like any first-timer at an artificial nipple, my daughter struggled to accept it at first.  But after the adjustment period she has learned to accept the nipple when bottle feeding is necessary.  And I can feel confident that we are doing our best to reduce nipple confusion as the physical process of drawing milk from the Calma very closely approximates that of drawing milk from the breast.

One of my favorite extras included with this system is the simple yet stylish carrying bag that holds all the pieces.  The bag is a great size capable of holding everything included in the Medela Freestyle package as well as my snacks and meals; just what I need for pumping during my work day.

Thanks to this bag, I don’t feel inconvenienced by the need to carry a big extra bag around just for my pumping supplies.  I can fit everything I need for my day into one convenient sleek and discrete bag that’s smaller than the size of some purses these days!

Overall the Medela Freestyle pump and accessories have been a huge success for me.  I feel so relieved to have a system that works so well for my needs as a working mother.  I can confidently say that with its sleek design, ease of use and incredible effectiveness, this machine is a winner that I would eagerly recommend for any mother that wants to give her baby the benefits of breastfeeding even when she can’t be at home.

And if you’ve ever tried pumping in the past and haven’t been able to make it work, give this system a try and see for yourself the difference a high-quality pumping system makes. It’s a must-have for any woman determined to give her baby all the benefits of breastfeeding!