Transiting from Symphony to Freestyle

Hi there,

I have been using the Medela Symphony for full time use for the past 5 months (on hire) and feel really confident in the pump and what I'm doing. I just bought the Freestyle as I'm going back to work and I need something which I can take with me and I'm sick of paying a hire fee. I had a couple of queries which I"m not sure if there is something wrong with the pump or if I'm just having adjustment problems. Medela is going to check it out for me but I might be making something out of nothing and might just need some reassurance. So if you have used both please comment and let me know your experience.

1) Suction level - I can have the Freestyle on the highest suction level and I still feel really comfortable a bit like something buzzing on my nipple. My nipple is still drawn into the funnel and I get milk. When I use the Symphony I can only have the machine turned on about 1/3 of the possible strength and I'm only just comfortable. I'm in pain if I turn it up higher. I feel a definite tugging of the nipple rather than a buzzing sensation. One of the issues which has led me to express full time was significant pain when BF so I"m surprised that i can turn the Freestyle onto maximum and not feel anything more than a buzzing sensation.

2) Noise level - the Freestyle sounds like it is going to take off. I have to turn the t.v. up and it would be highly audible if I was on the phone. Does this sound right?

Thanks for your assistance - do I have an issue with the pump or an issue with adjusting?

Okay, I think I'm beginning to answer some of my own query. I tried turning the Freestyle double pump into the single by plugging the middle portal with the tube not being used. Those who use the Freestyle will understand what I mean. All of a sudden I got a really strong pump! I do need it to work as a double and I did pay a bit for it. So, I think there is definitely something not quite right. I'm going into Medela on Monday to see the technician so will discuss it more with them then. Thank goodness I haven't send the Symphony back to the place of hire just yet or I would been left in the lurch.

It sounds as though the pump isn't going out of "stimulate letdown" mode into "full suck" mode when you are double pumping. Are you letting it change itself, or do you push the button to change it into full suck (the button with the milk drops on it)

I only have the swing but don't they switch over automatically after a said amount of time anyway? Or you can manually do it on the swing as well, so presume you could do it on the more expensive models as well. Mmmm noise wise i don't think that sounds right, again i only have the swing.

Yes something isn't right with it. I manually change the pump phase but it would change automatically anyway. When I put it in single pump mode even the first phase was stronger on each individual side. The problem seems to occur when I change the tubing to the double pump mode. Now I've discovered this I know the problem is with the pump and not me.

Hey Lisa (i'm not stalking you, i promise!), how did you go with the pump? have you got it sorted? I have the freestyle but i only single pump normally (aversion to double pumping). but i did double pump with it earlier and don't remember having any problems. if i notice it not pumping properly i check: that my bra/top isn't under the shield at all; that the three little clips are all on properly; that the tube is pushed in all the way; and sometimes take the valve/cover apart and put back together. at times i've thought the pump seemed like it was fine but just not quite right, and tweaking one of those things brought it back to full strength.

Hey Teesmum,

Yes I think it is sorted. I had the pump checked and all was fine. I think it was probably my anxiety over the change of pump and being ultra sensitive to the different feeling of the pump. I think the freestyle isn't as strong but have discovered that I don't need the power of the symphony to get the same volume of milk. I had a couple of burst veins when using the symphony so perhaps it was too strong for me and a gentler pump might be better for me.

One other thing that the Medela people said to me was to make sure I dry the valve parts each time I wash them. I had been using them with some water drops on them as I never dried the symphony valve parts. This might also be making a difference.

Thanks for asking, hun.