Medela PISA vs Freestyle

[txbikegrrl]

Does anyone have the Freestyle pump?

I know MANY people who are happy with the PISA so I'm leaning toward just ordering that model. I used a hospital grade with DS but hopefully won't need it this time. The Freestyle seems perfect for me as I'll have to take it up and down stairs at least once a day then possibly to another location and in or out of the house before/after work. So just the lightness factor is big. Then if the rechargable battery really works it would make pumping in the car, when necessary -- possibly once a week, a much easier endeavor.

(I cross posted this in the FYT section to get local input also... )

I'm due in a week and have really procrastinated on this decision. Partially because I hate ordering things off the internet and partially because I can not decide which model to purchase... TIA for ANY and all input!!!

[anj_rn]

I have the pump in style backpack with the car adapter as well as the plug. I take it all over. I frequently have an ice pack, bottles of pumped milk, a drink, and other accessories, and I think it is still pretty light weight. No experience with the freestyle.

[zeedoos]

i love my freestyle. very light weight. it has been extremely useful since i have stairs in my home as well. if dd needs something while i'm pumping i can easily attend to her. i believe it will also come in handy for being back at work - less to carry between baby, diaper bag, laptop, purse, lunch for me. I've had some friends over who also nursed and pumped and used the PISA. they were very impressed with the freestyle, said it was quieter than the PISA and they wanted to get one for their next baby.

Also, i had dd 5 weeks early due to help syndrome, so I couldn't bf in the beginning - she was too small and i was too sick. i started pumping with the hospital pump on day three and went home with my freestyle the end of day four. she was exclusively on pumped milk from that point on. we didn't start nursing until 2 weeks. i had no problem with my supply - pumping about 40 oz a day - way more tha she needed.

my only issue was the flexible shield it comes with - this was to small for me and caused a ring of irritation around my areola. i switched to the regular had shields that the hospital sent me home with and that helped. but i just got the 27mm large shields and they are better for me... i have lare nipples and areolas.

for freezing and storing, they say the 5oz storage bags don't work with the feestyle, but i found a way to tape the bag on so i could pump directly into it. usually, i still just pump into the bottle and pour it into the bag.

it's a more expensive pump but i love it. got it on sale at babies r us and got a $50 reimbursement from my ins co for purchase of a breast pump through their baby blue prints program.

[UberMama]

How often do you plan on pumping? For an occasional pump, where you are not EPing, I think the Freestyle is great. But I've heard it doesn't have the suction that the PISA does. So if you are EPing or close too it, you will need the PISA most likely.

I am EPing after this one is born. I will have the PISA at home, and use the Freestyle while out and about during the day.