Here's a question for other nursing/working moms. I have a Medela 'Pump n style' backpack pump. Thus far it has served me well. I'm on baby number 2, he's 3 months, and recently the pump has started making funny noises and is not producing as much suction. Consequently, I'm not getting as much in the bottles. Is there some sort of maintenance or cleaning I need to do? I used it for 7-8 months with my first child in 2007. I expected it to last for my second child given how expensive and reputable Medelas are. Any suggestions? Similar experiences? I'll call Medela customer service as well although I know it is well past any warrenty. Help! I don't want to have to shell out for another expensive pump!
Ah ladies, you really came through for me on this one. Turns out all i had to do to fix my pump was to replace those little white membrane pieces. I had no idea the solution could be so simple! Thanks for your feedback. T A.
The same thing happened to me. I called Medela and they walked me through several things I could do to try to fix it. When none of those worked, they ended up sending me (free of charge) a new face plate which fixed the problem. They were super helpful.
The only new suggestion I have is to check that the front cover plate is securely locked in place. I had the same problem once and pressing that face plate in securely until I heard it click fixed it. Good luck!
The membranes need to be replaced regularly and if they are not closing properly, your suction won't be much. A thorough cleaning also helps.
Otherwise, failing that, call Medela. In warranty or out, they support their pumps because people pay so much for them.
My PISA is almost done pumping for baby #2, so yes they hold up.
DO NOT GO BUY ANOTHER PUMP! you need a new membrane... the tiny flexible white piece, about the size of a dime. they get a bit born out after a while... i usually buy a few of them and keep them on hand. you can order them through medella or go to any pharmacy with a home healthcare section, if they don't have them they can order than for you. babies r us, or anywhere that sells medella pump parts may carry them as well. you might even be able to call medella and have them ship you one for free, since this is the first time you've needed one... worth a shot! good luck, and let me know if you have any other questions.
You probably need to swap out the hoses and the membranes. Then the pump should work fine.
Mine was doing the same thing and I noticed the yellow valve was warped. Once I replaced it the pump worked fine. Don't know if you have already tried this or not but Babies R Us and Target have a lot of parts available for the medela pump and you might want to start by buying new parts and see if that is your problem. It sounds like their is a leak or faulty part somewhere. Hope this helps and you don't have to buy a new pump...they are quite expensive!
Try replacing the membrane. That worked for me.
It sounds like it may be something as simple as new tubing. If your tubing has even the slightest cut or hole in it it could be causing a suction problem. I think your pump is probably fine as I also used a Medela pump in style for almost 2 years and it was still pumping fine. I would invest in new tubing and maybe just take the cover off of the pump to look at that part and then hopefully it will be fine.
Like the others suggested, try replacing that one piece. If that doesn't work, call Medela. I had a pump that died on me after 7 wks because I got an occasional use one and used it too much so I burned up the motor. I called them and they gave me a credit for the price of it - I didn't have to return it or anything - and I simply paid the difference to upgrade to one that better suited my needs.
I used my Medela extensively as well. I had this problem too and after looking everything over, realized that it was the tubing. I was able to replace the tubes for less than $10. The store I found it in was over in the Hagerstown area but it has been years since this happened and I don't remember what it was called. You can google Medela replacement parts and see if anything local comes up. Good luck!
K.
I really suggest that you give the Avent Isis manual pump a try. I much prefer manual pumps. I nursed my first for 2 1/2 years (through military shift work and everything) and my second is past 2 and still nursing. I've never had a single problem with manual pumps and I believe they're more efficient since you can control the suction very finely on your own and mimmick your own baby's nursing patterns. The newer ones are comfortable to use too. In one 12-hour shift I used to be able to pump 8-10 4oz. bags of milk. The Isis is only about $60 and worth every penny. It'll last years....literally, even with heavy use. And no electrical parts to break down.
I had this problem too. It eneded up being my tubes. I purchase all my parts at HackleyHealthcare.com. They are about 20% less expensive than Babies R Us and Target for parts. Good luck!
The same thing happened to me on my second child! My Medela Pump in Style basically stopped working around month 6. I took apart everything amd washed the parts thoroughly and reassembled, but nothing helped. It seemed like the cover was loose making me thing the suction at the pump end was bad - not the cups that attach to the breast. Sorry I can't help with a solution, I basically gave up and just nursed as I was a mostly SAHM with my second child. But I did call my lactation consultant and they suggested I bring it in and they would see if they could help since they sell the pumps and parts. I'll be curious to see what advice you get since I was pretty annoyed over the whole thing. Good luck!
If you do have to purchase again, the Avent purely yours is every bit as good as the Medela and a lot cheaper (especilly on the internet). It served me very well for 6 months of 8X a day use.
