Most Comprehensive Medela Swing Breast Pump Review

Welcome to our Medela Swing breast pump review article. If you are here, you are probably considering to buy Medela Swing breast pump.

There are different types of Medela breast pumps. The Swing model is one of the most popular ones chosen by new moms and moms-to-be.

Medela Swing Pump

There are two variants to Swing breast pumps:

Swing Single Electric Breast Pump

Swing Maxi Double Electric breast pump

If you are new to the world of breast pumps, you may want to check out our guide on How to choose the best breast pump. In that guide we explain what to look for in a breast pump and we guide you on which one you may need according to use.

Medela Swing Single Electric Pump

The Medela single electric pump has many attributes that make it an easy choice for new moms.

Quiet Breast Pump

The Swing multi-award winning design has a high end technology that promotes quiet and discrete expressing time for mom.

The benefit of having a quiet electric breast pump is that you can express milk fast and silently. This is important if you are pumping milk with your baby near by or even at work!

Portable Breast Pump

The Medela Swing Single breast pump has been designed for mothers on the go.

The design is compact and highly portable. It weighs around 2 pounds and can fit in your diaper bag or tot bag.

In fact, this is the smallest and lightest of Medela range of breast pumps.

Battery Breast Pump

Your Medela swing single electric breast pump can either powered by its AC power adapter or by using 4 lithium metal batteries. 

Battery life lasts up to 1 hour, so it is great for expressing anywhere you go, even if you have to do short trips.

Medela 2 phase expression

Medela has researched the sucking motion that babies do naturally and has patented its 2-phase design.

At first there is stimulation, with a short sucking motion that resembles the natural rhythm babies do. This is followed by a slower stage that gently helps milk flow.

That means you can get more milk expressed in less time. 

Single electric breast pump

This variant of the Swing model allows for single breast pumping at a time.

Quality breast pump

If you buy Medela Swing, you buy also the quality of a product made by a prestigious company. 

Medela is highly trusted by moms for its reliability, which is always reassuring.

Key Features

  • 2-Phase expression
  • Compact size
  • AC power or batteries

Pros

✓Lightweight
✓Quiet breast pump
✓Easy to use

Cons

✕Battery life is 1 hour only
✕Can express one breast at a time

Medela Swing Reviews

There are over 650 reviews from moms on Amazon.com, rating this breast pump 4 stars out of 5.

Moms seem to be mostly happy with this breast pump, which is ideal for occasional or at-work pumping.

Although milk can get into the tubing easier than expected there is a trick to prevent vapor from getting inside the tub (which indicates there is moisture in there).

All you need to do is purchase the Medela Symphony longer tubing, which solves the problem.

There were a few reports that the unit was making quite loud vibration sounds. The hack described above, could fix it!

Moms that express frequently may need a more powerful breast pump. However, for those who need to pump just a few times per week, this pump seems to works perfectly.

As a piece of advice, always make sure all parts of your breast pump are properly assembled to ensure you can express the most milk possible.

Medela Swing Maxi Electric Breast Pump

Unlike the Swing Single, the Medela Maxi pump allows for either single or double pumping.

The benefit of a double pump vs. a single one is that it allows you to express double the amount of milk in the same time. Whereas with a single electric or manual breast pump you can only do one breast at a time.

Like the Single, the Swing Maxi double electric breast pump has a simple, compact design and simple operation (with only four buttons).

It is lightweight and highly portable. Plus, it can be operated via an AC power adapter or using batteries.

Medela Swing Single & Maxi – Pack Components

Medal Swing Single

Medela Swing Maxi

1 x PersonalFit Breast Shield size M (24 mm)2 x PersonalFit Breast shields size M(24 mm)
1 x 2-component connector
(1 x valve head and 1 x valve membrane)
2 x Freestyle connectors
(2 x breast shield bases, 2 x membranes, 2x transparent caps)
1 x bottle2 x bottles
1 x bottle stand2 x bottles stands
1 x Calma Solitaire1 x Calma Solitaire
1 x Calma Multi lid2 x Calma Multi lid
1 x Swing tubbing1 x motor unit
1 x motor1 x Swing Maxi tubing
1 x Main adaptor1 x Main adaptor
1 x Swing storage bag 
1 x sling (to hang pump from neck) 

Spare parts and accessories are sold separately.

The PersonalFit Breast Shield is the section that will be in contact with your breast to express milk.

Medela offers breast shields in the following sizes: S (21 mm), L (27 mm), XL (30 mm) and XXL (36 mm).

Make sure you use the right shield size so that suction power is not compromised and to avoid discomfort while expressing.

For your convenience we have compiled 2 diagrams using the Swing instructions from Medela.com comparing parts from Swing Single and Double.

You can also download it for free by clicking this link: Medela Swing Single & Maxi Diagram

Highlights of Medela Swing Single and Maxi:

Gentle on breasts

Medela Swing is popular thanks to the fact that it is very gentle on the breasts, and efficient at the same time.

For mothers with very sensitive nipples, it is recommended not to use any breast pump at is highest power level.

As soon as you feel discomfort, you should turn down your pump speed of suction, to prevent any injuries.

Medela Swing 2 phase breast pump

The Medela Swing electric 2 phase breast pump mimics the sucking behavior of a baby.

It starts with a gentle short but fast cycle to stimulate milk let down.

After 2 minutes the pump switches automatically to expressing mode, which consists of a slower, longer cycle.

The cycle can also be operated manually just by pushing the letdown button.

Easy breast pump use

The Medela Swing pump has only 4 buttons:

  • on/off
  • 2-phase cycle
  • Up and Down (for power of expression)

Having only 4 buttons makes it easy to understand and operate.

Besides, as the Medela electric pump comes with a small number of components it is quick to assemble and clean.

Pump and Go breast pump

The pump is very compact in size and light in weight (2 lbs or 900 gr), so it is easy to carry around.

It also offers the option of being a battery operated double breast pump, so you can pump on the go.

Medela Maxi vs. Single Swing Breast Pump – Differences between the 2

Being a double breast pump, Medela Swing Maxi will express double the amount of milk in the same amount of time as the Swing Single.

Because its motor is more powerful, the Medela Maxi Swing breast pump can express up to 18% more milk than the Medela Swing Single. 

The reason the Medela Swing Maxi double pump is more powerful is because it is designed to express from both breasts simultaneously, using the same motor.

Although you can choose to express only from one breast using this pump just by inserting the short tubing into the tub holder.

Quiet expressions double breast pump

Being an electric appliance, there will be some level of noise coming from the operation of either the double or the single Medela Swing.

One tip to reduce noise whilst expressing with this pump or any other, is to place it under a cushion, which should minimize the noise a few levels.

You can also purchase a longer cable from Medela Symphony, which is compatible with the Swing model. In some cases this has helped some Amazon customers make their breast pump a few tones quieter.

Is this breast pump for me?

Your decision to purchase a breast pump should be driven by asking yourself how often you will need to express milk.

Check out our guide on how to choose the best breast pump for you, here; for a thorough guideline to help you on your decision.

If you will only be expressing milk occasionally, we would highly recommend the Medela Swing Single Pump as a good option. 

The Swing Single and Maxi are considered 2 of the best breast pump for working moms, and moms on the go.

This is also a model recommended for stay at home moms who want to build a milk supply to separate from their baby for short periods of time.

For mothers who are pumping very frequently, it is important to consider a double breast pump, to save time.

If you are expressing 10 to 15 minutes from each breast, you will be saving that amount of time using the double variant every time you express.

Drawbacks of Medela Swing Single and Maxi

We have compiled a list of the top complaints from Medela Swing users. In an effort to add value, we’ve also compiled some possible solutions that could help troubleshoot your pump.

Medela swing breast pump not suctioning

A common issue seems to be the loss of suction power.

This could be due to different causes. It is always best to go through a checklist to ensure you are using your breast pump properly to get the best result:

  • Always check that the breast pump is properly assembled and everything fits into place
  • Check power points and batteries (we can all get that wrong from time to time!)
  • Medela swing membrane. The membrane is a silicon piece that opens to let the milk go into the bottle when you express. If this membrane is damaged or worn out in any way, it may prevent the vacuum from working at 100%, and it may seem that your breast pump has lost power.
    If your membrane is not in good condition, replace it immediately. Medela sells medela swing pump parts on Amazon
  • Medela Swing Shield. Is the size of the shield right for you? That may be impacting on suction. If the shield does not fit well, that may cause a problem with the vacuum. Always check that the shield is right for you. Medela sells shields of different sizes online.

Discomfort while expressing

If this is your case, we have 2 recommendations to make:

  • Check if you are using the right shield size
  • Make sure you do not use the breast pump at the highest power level

These are some ideas on what may be going wrong with the Medela Swing but by no means are the only possible causes.

There may be other reasons why you are in discomfort, so if pain persists it may be a good idea to contact your lactation consultant as you shouldn’t be in pain whilst expressing milk.

Swing has no LED display

Although this has nothing to do with how the unit functions, for some moms it is hard to tell what level of suction they are at, as there is not LED display or screen.

The Medela Freestyle has an LED display which includes a timer and memory for your favourite pumping program.

Unfortunately that feature is not part of the Swing model (neither Single nor Maxi).

Medela Swing Milk in Tube 

It seems to be quite common to get some level of vapor or moisture inside the Medela Swing tube.

If you have owned your Medela Swing for a number of months our are using if frequently, it would be normal in the long run for some moisture or milk to enter the tube.

Moisture inside the tube should be prevented because it can cause mold in breast pump motor.

Apart from that, moisture or milk in the tubing can affect suction power and your pump may malfunction.

Open system breast pump

The reason moisture can enter the tub and pump is because the Medela Swing is an open system breast pump and not a closed system one.

In an open system pump there is no barrier between pump motor, tubing and milk bottle (they are all connected).

In a closed system breast pump, there is no risk of milk entering the pump and tube, as a barrier does exists.

Most pumps for everyday domestic use are open system. For this reason it is not recommended that breast pumps are shared or borrowed among users, as it cannot be guaranteed that germs and bacteria aren’t growing in the pump or tube.

What is a closed system breast pump?

Closed system breast pumps are used in hospitals, such as the Medela Symphony breast pump. This pump is designed to be shared among users and there is no risk of milk or moisture entering the tube and pump.

Closed system pumps are designed to pump during most part of the day, that’s why they have a powerful motor, are heavy duty and more expensive than open system breast pumps.

After doing some research we’ve complied a set of trouble shooting tips from Medela.com which could help sort this issue.

Medela Breast Pump Tubing and moisture

The best way to get moisture or milk out of your tube and pump is to flush out your breast pump:

1.Take off back of the pump and remove the batteries

2.Take out the black sponge that is placed at the side. Check if it is moist or wet with milk. If it is, wash it in warm water, rinse it and leave it to dry

 

3.Attach tubbing to pump and plug into power

 

4.Fill your sink with warm water and soap and place the end of the tubbing inside the sink

 

5.Turn the breast pump on. You will see that water will start going into the pump. This warm water will wash out any milk residue in your pump. Water will also come out of the pump. Let the water wash your breast pump for approx. 10 minutes

 

6. Then turn the breast pump off and repeat the process with clean water, to wash out any soap from inside your tube and pump (do this for approx. 5 minutes)

 

7.Remove the tube from the water and run the pump for 10 more minutes with no water, to help the pump and tube dry out. Don’t worry if your breast pump makes noises (check out the video to hear noise)

 

8.If after 10 minutes there is still condensation in the tubbing, take it out of the pump and spin it around and the centrifugal force will help remove any remains of moisture. Make sure nobody is around to avoid injuries.

 

Once all moisture is out of the tube, try your Medela pump again and it should work as per normal, at full vacuum power

If this troubleshooting doesn’t work, it is recommended you return your breast pump to the store where you bought it with your receipt.

You may want to check out Medela’s full video here, as it is very instructive!

We hope you enjoyed this review on the Medela Swing Single and Maxi. If you are ready to make a purchase, click on the links below to go to amazon.com

Don’t forget to leave us a comment!

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