Medela Freestyle Breast Pump Reviews: Is It Worth Buying?

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I frequently heard about Medela Freestyle breast pump from my friends  who works full time. They rave a lot about it.

They talk about it all the time as if they cannot live without it.

It seems to me, Medela Freestyle is kind of the gold-standard when it comes to ‘what breast pump to buy for a working mom’.

But, is that really true?

Recently I got an opportunity to pump with Medela Freestyle and interviewed one of my best friend who has used it for at least two years.

What did I find?

Is Medela Freestyle truly the best breast pump for working moms?

In the detailed review, I will uncover everything related to Medela Freestyle performance, the love and hate, the detailed pros and cons.

So, if you plan to buy this pump, read further to learn more about FreeStyle.

(this post contains affiliate links)

Product Overview

• Breast pump type: electric breast pump
• Single/double: double
• Suction adjustment: yes, 9 different levels
• Speed adjustment: together with suction adjustment, not separately adjustable
• Breast flange size: it comes with the standard size 24 mm, plus extra flange of 27-mm. Other flange sizes are available separately: 21 mm, 30 mm, 32 mm.W
• eight: 360 gr
• Dimension: 12 x 9 x 5.5 cm
• Available at: Amazon (price is very low right now, check it out)

What You Get Out Of The Box

This breast pump comes as a set with tote bag and Medela cooler bag (including contoured ice pack and 4 Medela breast milk bottles). These are what you will get:

1. Pump motor (1x)
2. Freestyle tubing (1x)
3. AC power adaptor (1x)
4. Freestyle milk collection kit
5. 24-mm PersonaFit breast shields (x2)
6. 27-mm PersonaFit breast shields (x2)
7. Freestyle hands-free straps
8. Black tote bag
9. Medela cooler bag + contoured ice pack + 4 Medela breast milk storage bottles

Top Highlights

1.Super portable

Medela Freestyle is ultra-portable. It fits in the palm and weight less than 370 gr, making it easy to tote around. 

Since the pump motor is not attached inside the bag (unlike Medela PISA), you can put Medela Freestyle in any bag that you prefer (not necessary the default Medela tote bag), such as this stylish Sarah Well’s pump bag.

This breast pump also comes with a belt clip, so you can clip it on your belt while doing something else.

2.Great suction

Medela Freestyle has a great suction.

Let me tell you.

I always thought that Medela PISA is the best among Medela product lines in terms of strongest suction. But boy, I was wrong.

After trying both of them, I should admit that Freestyle’s highest suction is stronger than Medela PISA’s highest suction.

So, if you are a fan of strong suction, you will definitely love this.

3.Separation membrane between milk collection chamber and tubing

This design prevents the milk to go inside the tubings.

A quick note:

I thought Medela Freestyle is a closed-system pump.

Well, at least, a lot of reviews and comments in motherhood forum said so. But, no. Medela Freestyle is still an open-system breast pump, but with a better separation between milk collection chamber and tubings.

Unlike Medela PISA, it is less likely to get milk into the tubings, provided that you assemble the pump correctly.

That makes for easier cleaning (no need to run the pump to dry out the tubings).

Having said that, Medela Freestyle is not suitable for multiple-user sharing and is meant for only one-person use.

If you are looking for a good breast pump which is on-par with Freestyle, but suitable for multiple-users, I recommend you to check out Spectra S1 (here’s my detailed review).

4.Heavy duty

If you are wondering whether you can use Medela Freestyle for heavy-duty job such as exclusive pumping, the answer is Yes.

My friend has been doing exclusive pumping with Freestyle for about 17 months, without any significant problem.

5.Rechargeable battery

This is another plus for Freesytle. it comes with built-in rechargeable battery that last for up to 3 hour.

This is especially great if you are pumping in the car or nursing room with no access to power outlet.

With a typical 3-5 pumping daily, I would predict that you will only need to charge it every other day.

Other cool features:

1.Two phase expressions with adjustable suction levels

The adjustable suction works for both let-down mode and expression mode (9 levels each).

Most of Medela breast pumps come with 2-phase expression, including Freestyle.

The pump starts in let-down mode, and automatically switches to expression mode after two minutes. You can always skip the let-down mode by pressing the expression button.

2.LED display 

Medela Freestyle is the only Medela breast pump that has LED display. It shows you which suction level you are currently at, battery indicator, and a timer.

The display comes with a back light which is a nice feature if you pump at night (wee hours).

Additionally, this breast pump has a memory feature which memorizes your pump setting. It’s not automatic though. You need to press the memory button to do that.

3.Can be used for single or double pumping
As with any double electric breast pump, it is easy to switch from dual pumping to single pumping, by plugging in the unused tubing into the T-connector.

Are you pumping at work?

You know that every minute counts.

Stop wasting too much time and streamline your pumping routine with these pumping essentials.

The Cons:

1.Hands-free straps that come with the pump is difficult to use.

To be honest. this kind of design is obsolete. Nowadays, if you want to do hands-free pumping, it is easier to purchase hands-free pumping bra, such as Simple Wishes or PumpEase. Period.

2.Loud

Ok, this is not the loudest breast pump in the market, but it definitely is not quiet.

Even comparing my 2-year old Medela Swing with this, Freestyle is still much louder.

3.Expensive.

This breast pump is pretty costly.

Yeah, I know it comes with a tote bag and all the freebies. But still, it is one of the most expensive breast pumps in the market.

Additionally, some of the spare parts are unique to Freestyle (for example, the tubing and the breast shield connector kit) and cost much more compared to the usual Medela spare parts.

4.Meticulous cleaning and assembly required.

The breast shield connector kit requires meticulous assembly.

If you don’t assemble it properly, the suction will be weaker.

Also, note that you should not steam-sterilize this connector kit for exactly the same reason (loose of suction).

Who is this breast pump for

This breast pump is suitable for working moms who want to have a super portable pump to tote around.

Since it comes with the tote bag and Medela cooler bag, it is even more suitable for first-time mom who does not have any pump bag/cooler bag yet.

I won’t recommend this for moms who only pumps occasionally due to its price.

My final thought

Medela Freestyle is a great breast pump which offers ultra-portability with its light-weight and compact design plus rechargeable built-in battery.

These features make it a perfect choice for working moms.

> Click here to read other moms think about Medela Freestyle <<

PS: If price matters a lot to you, Spectra has several breast pump models that are on par with Freestyle:

1. Spectra S1: the heavy duty model, full control of speed and suction, but it is bulky. Read more about Spectra S1 here.
2. Spectra 9+: the portable model, has LED display and very slim (smaller and lighter than Freestyle), but not so heavy duty. Learn more about Spectra 9+ here.

I hope this review helps you to learn more about the features, pros, and cons of Medela Freestyle.

If you have any question, please ask. I’ll be glad to help.