Medela Solo – Single Electric Breast Pump

I bought this to replace an electric pump from another brand and in comparison it is a much more basic product. It is effective and comfortable to use and therefore value for money for the much lower price than other electric pumps.However a few cons are:- The on/off button is very sensitive so slight knocks can cause it to turn on when not wanted which drains the battery.- There is no visible timer like other products so it is hard to know how long you’ve been expressing for. Not an essential feature but one I miss having used another brand.- there is no visible power bar to know when the pump is running low on battery - this has led to some discomfort when I’ve come to use it and it is unexpectedly dead meaning I’ve been unable to express

I've been using the Medela Solo at least daily for a week, having previously been using an old Medela Swing. We have the Medela bottles (and teets) and as a whole system it works well.Positive-> Easy to set up, intuitive, and pieces are less fiddly than the Swing> Chargeable (USB/mains plug) and portable> Stands up with bottle attached on it's own (a disadvantage of the Swing and has led to spillage for me in the past)> Quieter than the Swing - so can watch TV without turning volume up or hold conversation without having to speak louder! (though quite pronounced vibrations from the device could rumble other things, making sound!)> Effective - the suction mimics baby sucks with short fast suction for let down then slower longer suction to draw the milk ... MoreI've been using the Medela Solo at least daily for a week, having previously been using an old Medela Swing. We have the Medela bottles (and teets) and as a whole system it works well.Positive-> Easy to set up, intuitive, and pieces are less fiddly than the Swing> Chargeable (USB/mains plug) and portable> Stands up with bottle attached on it's own (a disadvantage of the Swing and has led to spillage for me in the past)> Quieter than the Swing - so can watch TV without turning volume up or hold conversation without having to speak louder! (though quite pronounced vibrations from the device could rumble other things, making sound!)> Effective - the suction mimics baby sucks with short fast suction for let down then slower longer suction to draw the milk out (though can't say I've noticed the reported big improvement on older pumps, but that is probably very individual)[I'm not fussed about appearance, but it is aesthetically pleasing!]Negative-> I can't see how much is coming out of nipple as the "neck" of the funnel is covered by the opaque join (The milk flows into the bottle itself in bursts so is not the same as seeing it directly from the breast). I find it quite useful to see this (can see with the Swing) to help guide if I massage the breast simultaneously.> The device keeps same setting after switching off for a short time. This may suit some people, but I don't like it - when I switch breasts I have to remember to change the settings otherwise the intensity remains high and will miss the stimulation needed for let down. Sudden high intensity feels painful to me if I forget (but it's fine if slowly built up!)Overall I am pleased with and would recommend this pump.

I think the SOLO is excellent. I’ve been a fan of Medela for years and used their pumps which breastfeeding two babies. The SOLO is a big step up from my last pump and all the little niggles about my old Medela have gone. This new pump is noticeably quieter. I can easily pump while watching TV and it doesn’t disturb you at all. It’s smaller and more portable. I’ve only had to charge it once so far and used it 4 times. Its very gentle on the breast (and more comfortable) and I did wonder if maybe it wouldn’t be as effective as it didn’t seem to have as much “suck” as my old one. I needn’t have worried as once the short sick sequence triggered the let down the longer slower sucks got much more milk than my old pump.I really like the new design. There are fewer ... MoreI think the SOLO is excellent. I’ve been a fan of Medela for years and used their pumps which breastfeeding two babies. The SOLO is a big step up from my last pump and all the little niggles about my old Medela have gone. This new pump is noticeably quieter. I can easily pump while watching TV and it doesn’t disturb you at all. It’s smaller and more portable. I’ve only had to charge it once so far and used it 4 times. Its very gentle on the breast (and more comfortable) and I did wonder if maybe it wouldn’t be as effective as it didn’t seem to have as much “suck” as my old one. I needn’t have worried as once the short sick sequence triggered the let down the longer slower sucks got much more milk than my old pump.I really like the new design. There are fewer pieces to wash and out together and the valve works better than before. The milk doesn’t get pulled into the tube.Overall the SOLO makes expressing milk much easier quicker for me. Love it!