Medela Swing pump - any good?

[dorisbonkers]

I don't have all that much luck with expressing, but then I've only had an electric Avent one. Which broke today.

I wouldn't bother with more pumping but I have some events in London I can't take my 6-month old (I'm moving back from Singapore) to so will need to be able to get her to take a bottle. She will take EMB, but not formula.

Someone rec'd the Medela Swing. But it is expensive and wondered if I should bother if I wasn't all that successful with the Avent Isis.

Cheers (I hated expressing with the Avent...)

i'm getting on really well with my Swing (attached to it as i type!) but I haven't had any other electric one to compare it to, only an Avent manual which I found a bit painful. This Swing has pretty much saved my life this week and MW said it is the one she recommends to people. I'm sure somebody with more experience will be along to give you a more balanced opinion though :-)

I liked the Swing too. I had a Medela pump last time round and it was really noisy. The Swing is quiet, efficient and easy to put together and you can set it to a level that is comfortable for you.

cheers titmouse. Can I just ask how you're attached? I always had to hold the Avent to me, can you go two hands free? (stoopid question...)

i used the swing as well, but ds never took a bottle, despite my efforts. i never had any problems with it, but have nothing to compare it to!

I was typing with one hand lol

but, I do find the suction sufficient that if I am sat down I can attach to one boob and have two hands free, I haven't tried wandering around like it or anything though.

i also have a swing but to be honest i never managed to express much (max 100 ml). it is easy to use, though it never occurred to me to let go and have two hands free!

I found the Swing really good too. Well worth the price IMO.

I had an Avent electric which also broke - took it back to John Lewis as they're supposed to replace as under guarantee, but they gave me full refund as they didn't have anymore in stock.
Used money to buy Medela Swing and found it slightly better, especially after someone gave me a tip about expressing from one breast whilst baby fed from the other - managed to express loads this way.

hth

I loved the Swing; was able to pump loads, was reliable right up until the point it started smoking... Maybe due to overuse?

I loved the swing too and regularly expressed (daily for about 4 1/2 months). I was able to get about 250 ml at the end of that time. My only frustrations were:

• I didn't seem to be able to go handsfree with it (although this was useful for getting DH to bring me things .
• medela do make a 300ml bottle but I found it impossible to get hold of one as no-one (not even medela) seemed to have any. I heard that one of the large, narrow Dr Brown bottles does fit though.