Medela Freestyle Vs Pump In Style
Are you trying to decide between Medela Freestyle vs Pump In Style?
Then let us help you decide which is best for you and your baby: Medela Freestyle Flex vs Pump In Style!
If you are considering getting a breast pump, then you are probably already come across the popular Medela breast pump brand.
Medela is one of the leading brands when it comes to breast pumps and they have a lot of different models on sale – but what’s the difference between them and which one is best for your situation?
Here we are going to take a look at two of Medela’s most popular models of breast pump: the Freestyle Flex and Pump In Style.
The Freestyle Flex has been around for a while now and is still very popular with new mothers as it offers all the features that they need in a breast pump.
The Pump In Style was launched in 2016 and is a newer model than the Freestyle Flex, but it also offers everything that you would expect from a modern breast pump.
Both of these models offer excellent value for money and are great for new moms who want to get started straight away.
So, let’s find out more about each of these breast pumps and their features to see whether the Pump In Style or the Freestyle Flex is better for you.
And if you love this Medela in style vs Freestyle breast pump comparisons guide, make sure to check out our guides on Medela Freestyle vs Spectra S2, Motif Luna vs Medela Pump In Style, and Medela Pump In Style vs Spectra S2.
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Medela Freestyle Vs Pump In Style
Let’s dive in and take a look what is the difference between freestyle flex vs pump in style.
All About Medela Freestyle Flex
The Medela Freestyle Flex is a double sided, electric breast pump that came first on the market back in 2002.
It is designed to be portable and convenient for part-time pumpers or moms that are always on the go and need a breast pump that can allow them to pump at the most opportune time, no matter where they are.
It features a rechargeable ion battery which means that it is super easy to pump hands free. The built-in rechargeable battery that lasts for up to eight double-pumping sessions from a full charge, so you can rest assured when you’re out and about and have the sudden need to pump discreetly.
The Medela Freestyle Flex breast pump is also incredibly lightweight, weighing only 1lbs. This makes it super convenient to pop into your bag and travel around with.
This breast pump is for daily use for women who consistently pump throughout the day. This is made super easy thanks to its patented 2-Phase Expression Technology which produces more milk in less time.
The Medela Freestyle Flex breast pump includes 2 sizes of PersonalFit Flex breast shields with a super soft rim to make the pumping experience as comfortable as possible.
With a modern design and an easy to use digital display, The Freestyle Flex also features back lighting for when you’re pumping at night.
This pump conveniently connects to the free Medela Family app, which allows you to track your pumping progress.
A downside to this breast pump is that a few women claim that the suction begins to reduce after only a few months of use.
You can read more in our full Medela Freestyle Flex review.
All About Medela Pump In Style
The Medela Pump In Style is also a double-sided, electric breast pump.
It was first introduced in 2008 and since then it has quickly become one of the most widely used breast pumps on the market today.
The Medela Pump In Style is a larger, heavier breast pump that aims to be convenient and comfortable for moms who need to pump daily.
As the newer designed breast pump, it features all the recent upgrades and features that all new Medela breast pumps have like MaxFlow technology.
This means that the Medela Pump In Style is designed to pump more milk per minute to make each pumping session efficient.
The Medela Pump In Style is made up of four different parts: the breast shield, the milk collection bottle, the electric motor, and the milk storage bottle.
The breast shield is the part of the breast pump that sits on top of the breast and collects milk when you are expressing milk from the breasts.
The breast shield can be removed easily so that you can change the size of the nipple hole.
The milk collection bottle is where all the milk collected from the breast shield goes.
It is attached to the breast shield and holds approximately 1/3 of a cup of milk at a time.
The milk collection bottle is removable so that you can empty it whenever you want.
The electric motor is located underneath the milk collection bottle. It works together with the breast shield to help move the milk through the tubing.
The electric motor is powered by batteries which means that you have to charge the batteries before using the breast pump.
The last component of the Medela Pump In Style breast pump is the milk storage bottle.
This is where all the milk stored from the breast shield and the milk collection bottle goes.
The milk storage bottle is connected to the breast shield and the electric motor via tubes. The milk storage bottle can hold about 4 cups of milk.
Similarities Between Medela Pump In Style vs Freestyle Flex
Before we take a closer look at what separates the Pump In Style and Freestyle Flex from one another, let’s take a look at what they both have in common.
Both products offer a one-year warranty from Medela which means that both are equal when it comes to warranty.
This is great because warranties help protect you when your breast pump suddenly stops working and allows you to find a replacement with little fuss or delay.
Also, both pumps allow you to fill up to four bottles at a time and even include a cooler in the bundle.
This can help you fill up plenty of bottles to feed your little one and also keep them safe until the time comes to feed them.
Both the Pump In Style and Freestyle Flex are BPA (bisphenol A) free.
BPA is a harmful industrial chemical associated with many negative health effects including stunted brain development and increased risks related to obesity and asthma.
Because of this, it’s important to ensure all products you use are BPA free, and thankfully, Medela is devoted to ensuring their products are BPA free.
This means that both the Pump In Style and Freestyle Flex are perfectly safe for you to use!
Also, both the Pump In Style and Freestyle Flex are double electric pumps that come with an AC adapter, although both can be used using some form of battery (we will get into the details later).
However, if you want a car adapter, then you must buy this separately for both pumps.
This is where the similarities end, so now let’s compare the differences between the Pump In Style and Freestyle Flex to see which one is best suited to you.
Differences Between Pump In Style vs Freestyle Flex
There are a few important differences between the Medela Pump In Style and Freestyle Flex but these differences completely change how they can be used.
This means that one pump could be much better suited to you, so let’s start!
While both the Pump In Style and Freestyle Flex are electric breast pumps, the Freestyle Flex was designed to specifically be used as a portable breast pump.
Due to this, it was designed with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery built into the unit’s bodywork and can be recharged through a USB connection.
This means that not only can you recharge the Freestyle Flex again and again for hands-free pumping, but you can recharge it using lots of different sources: outlets, computers, from your phone, anywhere you can get a quick jump to pump.
Another feature that makes the Freestyle Flex very portable and convenient is its weight. It only weighs ten ounces (around 0.6 pounds) which makes it super light and easy to carry around with ease.
It’s also super compact and fits easily into your hand. The Pump In Style, on the other hand, weighs much more at 1.18 pounds and it is much bigger and clunkier than the Freestyle Flex.
The Pump In Style, however, can be portable and does function with batteries but it requires 8 AA batteries which are not included when you purchase your Pump In Style.
Therefore, it is not designed to be a portable, on-the-go breast pump like the Freestyle Flex is.
Its weight and the fact it requires single-use batteries proves that it is not meant to be carried around and used for free hand pumping.
However, the Pump In Style makes up for this in suction strength. It is far more powerful than the Freestyle Flex, meaning that it is more efficient when it comes to how much milk it pumps per minute.
The suction strength of a Pump In Style is 270 mmHg while the suction strength of the Freestyle Flex is only 250 mmHg. This means that the Pump In Style is the more efficient of the two breast pumps.
Medela Freestyle Flex vs Pump In Style: Which Pump Is Best?
Basically, the Pump In Style and Freestyle Flex are both very good breast pumps but they are designed to be more suited for different kinds of moms.
They each have certain advantages that are more beneficial for some moms over others.
Here, we are going to cover what each breast pump does best and which moms would benefit the most from each pump.
Who Should Buy The Freestyle Flex?
The Freestyle Flex is a great portable breast pump. It’s lightweight, compact and very convenient thanks to its rechargeable battery and USB port.
However, it’s not very powerful due to its lower suction strength, which means that each pumping session will probably take a while until you fill a bottle.
However, this shouldn’t make you dismiss the Freestyle Flex breast pump.
It’s a great choice for moms who are always on the go, who have to go back to work early and need to pump throughout the day, as it’s very easy to carry and store the Freestyle Flex in your bag.
It’s also great for part-time pumpers who only need to occasionally use a breast pump.
This is because the lower suction strength makes it more gentle and comfortable to use, so part-time pumpers who are in no rush can happily use the Freestyle Flex to fill up the odd bottle here and there.
Freestyle Flex is also great for those who struggle using more powerful breast pumps because they find it painful.
Breastfeeding and pumping is not for everyone but for some moms, switching to a more gentle breast pump can make the process more comfortable and allow them to feed their baby breast milk without having to actually breastfeed.
So if you are a busy, working mom, a part-time user of a breast pump, or you just want a more gentle breast pump, the Freestyle Flex could be the one for you.
Who Should Buy The Pump In Style?
Pump In Style is a breast pump that is definitely designed for daily use.
It’s much larger and more powerful than the Freestyle Flex, plus its weight and reliance on an AC adapter means that it’s not best suited for hand free pumping although it can do that if you want to.
It is basically a very good, everyday breast pump that you can use in the comfort of your own home for quick and efficient pumping sessions to keep your milk bottles full at all times for your baby.
So, if you are just looking for a good breast pump to use at home, the Pump In Style is the one for you to purchase.
Final Thoughts on Freestyle Flex vs Pump In Style
Both the Pump In Style and the Freestyle Flex are excellent breast pumps that are suitable for different types of moms.
The Freestyle Flex is perfect for moms who are constantly on the move, who have to pump during the day and who don’t mind carrying around a small breast pump with them wherever they go.
On the other hand, the Pump In Style has a lot more power and is better suited to moms who are at home and need to pump every day.
Despite their differences, both pumps work great and are a good choice whichever one you choose to buy. Take a look at what makes each pump unique and decide on which one is better suited for you.
And if you’re looking for more great guides, make sure to check out these guides on Medela Freestyle Flex vs Swing Maxi, best electric breast pumps, how often should I be pumping?, and best breastmilk storage bags.
