I was excited to be given the opportunity to test and review the new Medela Swing Maxi Flex Electric double breast pump.
I am a first-time mum and about to head back to full time shift work, so I really need a pump that is quick and efficient while I’m on shift. I also need a breast pump that is going to keep up my supply as my son has only ever been breastfed.The Medela Swing Maxi Flex seemed perfect for me!
First look?
The Medela Swing Maxi Flexi comes with everything you need to start expressing!
The breast pump unit is light and compact, and easy to store in my work bag without it taking up too much space.
Ease of use
I’m not one to read a detailed instruction manual however, the quick card guide was easy to read and made set up of the pumping system a breeze.
The quick card also showed how to clean and sterilise the bottles, providing a crash course on how everything works.
Useful features
The flexible breast shields that come with Medela Swing Maxi Flex have been a game changer! Being a larger breasted woman, I have previously struggled with stock standard plastic shields. The silicone shields mould well to my breast shape and size and are able to be manoeuvred into any comfortable position.
I love how portable the breast pump becomes which is an extremely useful feature. It can be connected to a belt or a t-shirt while pumping, and it is light, so you don’t notice that you’re carrying it on you.
Another great feature is that the connecting tubes which provide a closed system, so milk wont overflow into the motor and tubing. There won’t be any crying over spilt milk!
Effectiveness
With the 2-phase expression system it mimics how a baby feeds, including the initial stimulation and then the letdown. The great thing about the Medela Swing Maxi Flex Electric Breast Pump is that is has an automatic function for this, or you can manually control the pressure of the stimulation and letdown stages, if you wish.
When I was using my previous pump, it would take me about half an hour to do both sides and I was producing under 100mls. As I used the double pump, I gradually increased my supply to 150 mls. I also managed to halve the time while using it, from 30 mins to 15 mins. This is great for busy mums.
Recommendations
To make it easier to have both bottles attached at once, without having to hold them, I would recommend also getting the Medela bustier .
Also, for the pump to be portable, you will need 6 AAA batteries. It would be great if the battery was rechargeable.
The other downside is the Swing Maxi Flex is quite loud, making it hard to pump discretely.
However, I would highly recommend the Medela Swing Maxi Flex Electric Breast Pump to mums that are on the go, and are looking to go back to work or have multiple children.
By Aimee Tanimu 
