Medela Freestyle Hands Free Review

The Medela Freestyle wearable breast pump is the newer, upgraded version of the Medela Freestyle Flex. It’s lightweight, super easy to clean, and, you guessed it, hands free.

But is this popular Medela pump the best Medela pump for you? Check out my Medela Freestyle hands free review to find out!

• If you prefer to watch your reviews, there’s a video review right below. Then, you can skim the written review for more details.
• If you prefer to read your reviews, scroll past the video, and you’ll find my written review.

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My Medela Freestyle Hands Free Review

After testing a LOT of different breast pumps over the years, there is one thing I am certain of and that its that there is no ‘one size fits all’ scenario when it comes to breast pumps.

The best way to determine if a breast pump is right for you is to determine which features are a must, nice to have, or not needed.

So, in my Medela Freestyle hands free review, I will discuss the key features of the Medela Freestyle and highlight the pros and cons so you can easily determine if the Medela Freestyle hands free pump will be a good fit for you or not.

Photo credit: Pumping Milk

What I love About the Medela Freestyle

Hands down, my favorite thing about the Medela Freestyle hands free pump is its collection cups!

At just 76g per cup these cups are ultra-light weight, making them more comfortable to wear. They also come with a discreet, tear drop shape which I love as it looks more natural in appearance than the semi-circle shape on traditional wearable breast pumps.

And it gets better! There are only THREE components to the collection cups: the flange, cup shell, and membrane. This make the Medela Freestyle low maintenance as you only have the one membrane that needs regular maintenance and it’s very easy to clean. The parts are also dishwasher safe, which is a huge plus in my books.

The collection cups also have a flat bottom so they can stand up, which again is another great convenience factor.

Collection cups aside, the Medela Freestyle integrates with the Medela Family App which is a convenient way to track your pumping sessions, unlike other Medela pumps like the Medela Pump in Style.

You can learn more about how to set it up in my guide on how to use Medela Freestyle Hands Free pump.

That’s not all that is on offer though, so let’s look at some of the other key features of the Medela Freestyle hands free.

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Performance and Efficiency

I’ll be honest, in terms of performance, this is where I feel the Medela Freestyle falls behind, especially when you compare it to other Medela pumps such as the Medela Pump in Style vs Freestyle.

The Medela Freestyle comes with a suction force of 245mmHg and although this is certainly powerful enough for efficient pumping, it is on the lower side of modern wearable breast pumps that are up to 300mmHg.

There are also only 2 modes to the Medela Freestyle: stimulation and expression. These are the standard for any breast pump. I think it would be nice to see an additional third ‘mixed’ mode, but unfortunately that is not included.

The Medela Freestyle has 9 suction levels, and whilst this is again pretty standard, I do think it is more than enough to find a setting that works for you.

Photo credit: Pumping Milk

Design

In terms of design, the Medela Freestyle is a hands-free pump, but the collection cups and motor are separated, connected via tubing. For me, I do prefer and all in one design where it is a single unit, but the trade-off there is that the collection cups on all-in-one units are much heavier (due to the motor attached). Wearing a heavy breast pump on your chest can be uncomfortable and for those with back issues it can be a big negative, so there are definitely some advantages to having the separate pump motor.   

The Medela Freestyle pump controller weighs 273g and fits into your hand. It’s not the smallest but it is portable and can be attached to your wrist via the lanyard.

Now, I have already talked about my love for the collection cup design, so I won’t double up there, but I will add that the collection cups only have a capacity of 5oz. If you are an over-supplier than these cups will probably not be ideal for you, but for most pumping moms this should be adequate.

The good news is that the Medela Freestyle is a closed system pump, which is a must for hygiene and easy cleaning.

I should also note that this is a double electric breast pump, meaning you can pump both breasts at the same time. However, if you prefer to use it as a single pump, you can do that too!

Photo credit: Pumping Milk

Comfort

Comfort is another key factor whilst pumping!

For me when I talk about the comfort of a pump there are a few key factors I look for.

The weight of the pump, which I have already discussed. The suction levels so you can tailor your suction strength, again I have already mentioned there are 9 suction levels. And the flanges.

So, let’s chat about the Medela Freestyle flanges.

Firstly, they are made of a hard silicone that clips into the collection cup. The hard silicone is again pretty standard.

What I do like though, is that your Medela Freestyle kit comes with two flange choices: 21mm and 24mm. Unfortunately, there are no flange inserts included, so if you need a smaller flange size you will need to purchase these separately. The same goes for if you need a larger flange size. On the positive the Medela Freestyle has a 27mm flange available to purchase separately.

Now, if you’re not sold on the convenience or comfort of the collection cups that come with your Medela Freestyle, you do have the option to swap to the Medela PersonalFit Flex pumping set.

Medela PersonalFit Flex pumping set lets you convert your hands-free Medela pump into a classic pump to bottle for enhanced control over the breast shield position and fit, personalizing your pumping experience. 

With the Flex technology you can easily adjust the flange position, latch, and fit to maximize your comfort and milk flow.

The flange has also been upgraded to include a soft silicone rim for additional comfort as well as a 105-degree flange tunnel (vs. 90-degree) which is designed to mimic the position of a baby’s mouth during breastfeeding, leading to improved milk flow.

That said, the Medela PersonalFit Flex kit does need to be purchased separately and it is a pump to bottle, which can be very convenient for breast milk storage, does take away your discretion.

Ideally, I would use the Medela PersonalFit Flex kit for home use and the hands-free collection cups for work or pumping on the go.  

Noise Levels

Unfortunately, I don’t have good news to report here! The Medela Freestyle hands free is one of the loudest breast pumps I have tested. It’s not an obtrusive noise, but you will hear it over background noise.

I have seen a few moms who have been trying to find ways to make the Medela Freestyle quieter recommend keeping it in a small breast pump bag during pumping which I think could be a good solution.

Photo credit: Pumping Milk

User-Friendliness

Time for some good news! The Medela Freestyle hands free has user friendliness in spades.

Firstly, it comes with a large, easy to read LED screen that is operated via a touch screen. There are just four buttons needed to operate your pump, again very simple. I love that it comes with an in-built timer as well as a pause option.

But, where the Medela Freestyle hands free shines is with its Bluetooth integration with the Medela Family App. Within the app you can see your pumping data such as mode, level, timer, and battery usage in real time. You can also record your volume expressed (for each breast) as well as add notes. You cannot control the pump remotely via the Medela Family App, but that said, I do think the advanced feature of a tracking app is a big plus.

Portability

Being hands free, the Medela Freestyle breast pump has been made with portability in mind.

It comes with 120 minutes of battery use off a single charge and can be fully recharged in just 2 hours.

I love that the Medela Freestyle also uses a USB-C fast charging port, which makes it easy to find compatible charging cables and adapters, adding to the pump’s portability and convenience.                

Value For Money

The Medela Freestyle retails around $350. For me this is on the higher side of a wearable breast pump with its features.

Yes, you get the app connectivity which adds a lot of value, but in terms of a pump it is I feel it is very standard. Other than the convenience of the collection cups, which are still the highlight of this pump in my opinion.

When you purchase a Medela Freestyle hands free breast pump, included in your box is:

• Pump Motor * 1
• Milk Collector (5oz) * 2
• Tubing * 1
• Silicone Membranes * 2
• Silicone Flange 21 mm * 2
• Silicone Flange 24 mm * 2
• Power adapter * 1
• USB-C Charging cable *1
• Instructions for use * 1

Photo credit: Pumping Milk

What I Wish Was Different

I feel like I have already covered off the main downsides of the Medela Freestyle hands free pump, but to recap here are the things I wish were different.

• Suction Strength: The pump’s suction force is 245mmHg, which in my opinion is on the lower side given that other wearable pumps that can offer up to 300mmHg.
• Noise Levels: The Medela Freestyle is one of the louder breast pumps I’ve tested. It would be great for Medela to work on a noise reduction solution, especially considering that most moms purchase a hands free pump for discretion.
• Price: Priced around $350, I consider this pump relatively expensive for its features, especially since its performance is seen as fairly standard compared to other pumps in the same price range.
• Limited Accessories: Other than the two flange sizes (21mm and 24mm) there are no additional accessories included in your kit. That means smaller or larger sizes must be purchased separately as no flange inserts are included. I think for the high cost of the pump, they could have at least added flange inserts, especially given they would be inexpensive to produce. You also don’t get some of the extras that come with other pumps like nipple rulers, carry cases, spare parts, and more.

The Verdict

If you value convenience over price, and can move past the higher noise level, then I think the Medela Freestyle hand free pump is worthy of consideration.

Although I think the lower suction strength and two basic modes limit its value, the collection cups certainly shine with their simplistic, light weight design. I really do love that there are only three parts to the collection cups, and the fact that they are dishwasher safe, which means less cleaning and maintenance.

The Medela Family App connectivity is also a big convenience factor that I love.

I also really love that you have the option to purchase the Medela PersonalFit Flex kit for increased comfort and output.

So, what do you think? Is the Medela Freestyle hands free breast pump the right pump for you?