Ameda Vs Medela

[Rayray24]

Is there anyone who has tried either one of these and can help me decided which one is best. I have read the Medela is awsome but kind of huge to carry around. I cant find any reviews on the Ameda, but the book and the internet makes it sound better. I will be needing it for the first three months just once a day to store back up milk but I will need something when I go back to work thats quick (sometimes get less then a 15 min break a day), dosn't make to much sound and dosn't take a lot of clean up time.
I am so confused and they are both rather expensive so I dont want to buy one to find it dosent meet my needs and have to buy the other.
Thanks

[wendibird22]

I have the Medela PISA (backpack style) and LOVE it. I have been pumping 3x's a day since mid-October. M-F I leave the backpack at work in my office and just transport the removable insulated bag to/from work with a cold pack and bottles. That way I am only carrying the entire bag (with heavy pump) to work on Monday and home on Friday (in case I need it on the weekend). If you didn't think you'd ever need it over the weekend you could just leave it at work and not have to worry about lugging it around. But, IMO, it's not that heavy anyway.

I am able to express 4-8oz total in a 10-15 min session and find it is pretty quiet. I clean the parts with soap/water after each use. If I'm running short on time I fill the sink with hot soapy water and soak the parts until I have time to clean them at the end of the day (I have a sink in my private office). If you didn't have a sink you could do that with, you could always fill a plastic container (with lid) with soapy water and stick it under your desk. Or, if you have a microwave at work and wanted to sterilize you could buy the sterilizer bags. That way you'd never have to bring the parts home either. Just the cooler bag.

[happy2bamom]

When I purchased my Ameda, it was from a lactation consultant. She said that the Ameda and the Medela use the same "engine" and therefore express milk pretty comparably. I bought the Ameda b/c it was about $100 less. I do think that it is loud, but I've not heard a Medela in action (other than the commercial grade that they had in the hospital). HTH

[mmsmom]

I used the Ameda Purely Yours and loved it. When I was making a decision between the two I read the Ameda was easier to clean than the Medela. I work in sales so used the cigarette lighter adapter to pump in the car 3x/day. I used the Medela cleaning wipes you can get at Target or Babies R Us to clean the "horns" between uses, so clean up was fast & easy.

[MMEand1]

Another vote for the Ameda!! I am active duty and have been sent on trips without my children when they were still nursing. I never used a Medella because when I bought my pump 1)the Ameda was much cheaper and 2) the Medella was on back-order. I was able to use my Ameda when I had to go away to school (without nursing DD) for 4 months when my daughter was 6 months old and I was able to pump enough milk to freeze and ship back home. My daughter NEVER had a bottle of formula! I am very pleased with my Ameda and rec. it to anyone that asks. If we have more babies, I will get another Ameda in a heartbeat! Please feel free to ask me any questions (PM or e-mail is best as I do not check the forums often). Good luck!
Mariah P.

[vludmilla]

I used the Medela PISA backpack and loved it as much as anyone can love a pump when they pump 8-9 times a day. I worked M-F and had graduate school classes two nights a week so I used my pump A LOT. It was great and never broke after over a year of heavy duty use. (DD was a premie and never figured out the nursing thing so I pumped exclusively)

[ShanaMama]

Another vote for the Medela. I really can't compare the two, but for pumping during quick breaks at work the Medela is great. I like the let-down feature but that may be something all pumps have. (After a set amount of time the pumping rhythm changes to accomodate let-down. You can also adjust it manually.)
BTW you should find out if your health insurance covers it. Mine did- No hassle. I called from the hospital, they directed me to their vendor & it was delivered to my door. 2 phone calls, no bill. The one good thing about my health insurance!
Just wanted to add that when I was really pressed for time at work I'd just rinse the pieces in the sink & put them away in paper towels. Then I'd clean them in soapy water at night. Not sure how sanitary that is... but I also sterilized them in the microwave bag regularly.