pump review: Medela Pump in Style with MaxFlow

this is the first pump that i personally used during my postpartum experience with my first son in 2022. i purchased this pump through my own insurance, and this is not sponsored, but instead my own personal review based on my experience, and education as a Certified Lactation Counselor.


you might notice that this pump’s suction sound, no matter if you are on stimulation or on expression mode — is quite loud. it lets itself be known, and the feel of the suction is just the same. i describe the feel and rhythm of this pump as a “jackhammer”. it is not smooth via the suction on your nipples, but instead sporadic and almost sharp in nature.

the next thing that makes this pump so incredibly difficult to work with, is that there is no screen or understanding which frequency or vacuum setting you are on. or even to see how long you have been pumping for. it is incredibly important to understand which settings your body responds best to, in order to empty milk effectively and in a timely manner! if you are blind-sighted and have no idea what settings work best for you? you’re in the dark. and this is not going to serve you well in the long term of your breastfeeding journey!!!

it does take a little work to “hack” this pump and the collection bottles (which i suggest you do). because these are the only flange and collection bottles on the market that i can think of that are opaque. literally part of the success of how to know how your body is working inside your flange and bottle set-up — you have to physically see how your nipple is moving and functioning!!!

in the user manual of this pump, it states that it the battery life is good for three 15-minute pump sessions daily, up to a year. if you are exclusively pumping, especially right after birth, you are probably pumping 6-8x daily, and let me just be real with you — 15 minutes is not enough to support your full milk supply if you are only pumping 👀

and if you are dealing with more of an oversupply? again 15 minutes is going to hurt you more in the long run (think breast inflammation, clogged ducts, mastitis) if you are not emptying fully. so by the standards set from Medela itself, you are cutting how long this pump will last for you probably in half — you can probably guess this pump will last you 5-8 months maybe? and if you plan on breastfeeding for a longer period of time, this pump will not support you through that journey!!!

• want to learn more about how to use your equipment successfully and know how to have a more confident pumping journey? the basics to successful pumping course was created so you know what the hell you’re doing, and don’t have to guess anymore!!!!
• want my personal recommendations on two portable pumps that function as your primary pump? (aka you can be mobile, drive to work, do the work around the house that you’ve been neglecting) — check out this blog post: battle of the portable pumps: Pumpables Genie Advanced vs BabyBuddha 2.0

my final rating — ABSOLUTELY NOT.

if you are in the position to use your insurance (or even your own money) on a pump that will support you in the long run, no matter if you plan on using it to exclusively pump, or pump occasionally — this pump is seriously not it. Medela, if you’re reading this, i seriously need to know why it has not been pulled from the market yet — you can do so much better.

*** reminder that if this pump is currently working for you, continue to use it.

have you used this pump? what have been your thoughts?

xoxo, Bethany

Certified Lactation Counselor

Your Overproducing Exclusively Pumping Mama