Playtex Embrace Breast Pump

I will start out by stating that I'm a breastfeeding support person professionaly, and have extensive knowledge and training, and also have exclusively breastfed 3 children, extended breast feeding with all for at least 2.5 years each... I see many Mom's who are just starting out with BFing loose their supply within a week of relying on this pump in early stages of BF (first 6 weeks) and then no longer have supply to continue! However, with Mom's who have babys that are over 3 months old and use it here and there rather than several times a day, it works well. Choose cautiously, and know that as a general rule, playtex, evenflow pumps tend to work best for infrequent use after supply is well established! Even if they boast a "hospital grade motor" it's simply not the same degree of "hospital grade motor" that other brands use.

I have to say that I totally love this pump. it was hard to get used to dual pumping which this pump gives you the option of doing or not, but i love it. I have no issues and playtex is a great company to buy from. If you are considering a breast pump this is a great one. I went cheap at fist while i was still nursing then i had to start pumping full time because she would no longer take to nursing so i pump for her. Totally worth the money its a investment in your babies health.

I choose this pump based on I could pump directly into my bottles and the price was reasonable. I pumped everyday for the first 2 months. The pump was worked great. It was fast and very comfortable, however, very noisy. At the start of the 3rd month all of the sudden there was no suction. I'm now not able to pump at all. It's extremely frustating. I would not recommend this pump. Spend the extra money to get a quality pump. I wish I would have.

I purchased this pump before I returned to work after giving birth to my 1st son (now 2 1/2yrs). I used it up until I weened him at the age of 1. It has exceeded my expectations and lasted through a 2nd baby and another year of pumping. All the accessories it comes with makes it very easy to take it anywhere and use it anywhere.

I haven't compared longevity of breast pumps, and this one did do us all a big job in my family--first my sister used it, occasionally, then I did, then a friend of the family, and then when it was my turn again, the motor began to quit, making wratchety sounds and randomly decreasing the speed and suction.

But it is easy to use, comfortable, and compact.

My pump just started wearing down recently - halfway into pumping for my second baby, after I pumped for a year and my friend (the original owner) pumped for 6 months. So not too shabby, although I'm still bummed out. It now takes me longer to pump (about 30 minutes each time) since I'm pumping only on suction level 1 (still on speed 5, but I used to do 5 for both). The motor starting straining and making terrible noises and taking much too long to complete one pump on my normal levels. But if it weren't for it breaking down part-way into the third baby, then I'd give this 5 stars. If you are going to have just the one kid probably, then I highly recommend it. The cups are soooo much more comfortable than Medela's. I borrowed a couple friends' pumps and they both used Medela which pulls and distorts your nipples into udder-like tubes. It was ghastly. I maybe saved only 5 minutes of pumping time, and for the comfort of the Playtex, I'd gladly take it. The system has a two-part cup which keeps milk from ever flowing into the tubing, a problem with many other pumps. Just make sure you dry your cups completely. I have a feeling that me never drying them fully might have tampered with the pump by forcing water into it. You can pump both breasts at the same time, or just one (as I prefer) by using or not using the Y adaptor and extra tubing. The bag gets a little heavy, but it's great for carrying everything around. With my first boy I used this every weekday, 3 times a day, for 10 straight months. And I never had any trouble till now.

I have been using this pump for 9 months now and plan on continuing on doing so for a while yet. My baby is 10 months old now and I work 40 hours a week and use this pump while I'm at work.

First let me say, I've only tried this pump because I got at my baby shower all Playtex bottles and accessories. I do like this pump. It works well and does not hurt me. I find that I am pumping 4-9 oz per 15 min session every 2.5-3 hours, but every woman's body will be different. I like that you can adjust the speed and suction strength. I usually pump at full speed at first for letdown, then lower it to 4/5 and 4/5 after the milk starts flowing. I like that it is a closed system too. Plus, the bag it comes in is very discreet and organized.

The only problem I had was with the tubing--it cracked on one side and of course, lost suction. I called Playtex and their customer service is the best ever. They were so nice to me and replaced it for free and offered a free manual pump and lots of $3 off coupons. The replacement tubing is very nice and strong. I have absolutely no complaints.

With my 1st born I used formula and intended on formula with my 2nd (who is now 1) but when my milk came in she went balistic so I had to teach myself breastfeeding basics. For the first two months I didnt need a pump but I got a Medela Harmony at the recomendation of the hospital. It really wasnt working at all so I purchased this thru a relative for a great deal and she only used it for 2 months. I contemplated buying a more expensive one but because I didnt know how long I would do it for I went with Playtex-for the price. It did take a couple of times to get the suction and speed that worked for me, I wrote them down and never had any problems. I had to change both (settings) during pumping (b4 and after letdown). I thought I wasnt pumping enough but when my daughter started drinking from the bottle I realized that she just wasnt a big eater. She ended up preferring the bottle over the breast and I didnt want to pump all the time so we supplemented then went all formula. But it was great for me and I plan to use it again after Nov. when #3 arrives!

I am fortunate that I have a Medela pump that I use at home and the Playtex that I use at work. I actually seem to have better luck with the Playtex than the Medela. Pumping is not painful and I can actually talk on the phone and the other person can't hear what I am doing. I have been working and pumping for about a month now and see no decrease in my milk production. I would definitely recommend this pump to anyone looking for one.

This pump is a bargain! It works well and isn't as expensive as the other pumps of this grade. I personally did have trouble with the sheilds being to soft for me, so I switched them out with the Almeda ones they give you in the hospital and it worked great! Also, the system that goes with this pump is awesome, freezing and storing couldn't be any easier if you tried. One thing no one told me though as a new mom, don't expect this pump to be silent, as a matter of fact, don't expect any pump to be silent. They all make a little noise, but ladies, you have to get over it. Eventually everyone is going to know what you are sneaking away for every little while. I promise you get used to it. Also, the car adapter is such a great idea!! I thought I would never use it, but boy was it a life saver on trips! And the discrete carrying case makes it practical to take along with you to more public settings. Again though, if you are a working mom, eventually everyone will notice, it's ok. Now, I will say my pump did go out at one point and Playtex was a dream to deal with! They overnighted a new pump to me as soon as I called and when I received the new one, I just sent the old one back. The new one has worked ever since. If I had to do it all over again, I would buy the playtex again!

I had the hardest time finding a pump that worked for me. After spending several hundred dollars on other pumps...I picked up the Playtex Embrace. The pump and shields mimic a baby sucking. It's great. I highly recommend...totally worth the cost.