My Medela House Experience

Hello all!

I stopped by the Medela House in New Manila yesterday to get my breastpump cleaned. I made an appointment for 1pm, but because of a doctor's appointment that ran long, I didn't get there until 2. However, Mommy Maricel of Medela Moms was kind enough to accommodate my schedule. For those of you who don't know, Medela House entertains moms on an appointment basis because they really want to give each mommy the time and attention they need to discuss their concerns. Case in point, when I got to Medela House yesterday, Maricel and her husband were the ones who were manning the fort. Her husband personally attended to receiving my pump and explaining what they would be doing to it, while Maricel attended to another mommy who was there for a demo.

Here's the diagnosis on my Medela Pump-In-Style Advanced (PISA):

• They checked the suction power on my pump, and we found out that it was operating at below optimal level because of the adapter I was using. They recommended buying the Medela adapter, but it was a bit too pricey and I left it in the capable hands of my electrical genius, a.k.a. Quakerdaddy, to find a solution for the problem. 
• My pump had experienced some milk backflow, which accounted for the uber-gross spots on my tubing. Ew. It was recommended that I purchase a new set of tubing before using the pump again because it can get moldy.
• Otherwise, my pump was in good condition!  As a Medela Moms member, the diagnosis for the pump was free of charge, but because I didn't purchase the pump from them, it wasn't covered under the Medela House warranty. However, I found the labor charge for the cleaning reasonable.

I was also able to chat with Maricel after she finished with the other mommy and she gave me some nice tips on using my PISA.

• To prevent backflow, you can do the following things: (1) When you're pumping, make sure the membrane (the white rubber thingie) is facing left or right, but not towards you. (2) Sit up straight. Don't slouch and don't lean backwards. (3) When the outward squirt of milk is too forceful, don't max out the pump, because the milk could splash into the hole connecting to the tubing instead of the hole into the bottle.
• She recommended that I purchase the Calma teat (shown in the picture), instead of using the teat that came with the breastpump. Since it's designed to make babies work their mouths in the same way they would if they directly fed from their moms, this will help me and Little C avoid the problem of nipple confusion if I should need to give him a bottle instead of letting him latch. 

I was also planning on checking the fit of my breastshields, but Maricel adamantly said no. To do that, we'd have to actually use the pump, which could cause contractions and result in premature labor. She recommended that I wait until after my 37th week. I really appreciated this, because it made me feel that the people at the Medela House genuinely care for my well-being and my baby's well-being.

Before I left, Maricel invited me to join them this Saturday (March 31) for the Yaya seminars. From 8am-12nn, it's Basic First Aid/Crime Prevention/Safety Concerns and from 1pm-3pm it's Toddler Care. Unfortunately, I can't make it, but for interested mommies, you can contact the Medela House through 0917-5614366. Please text your name and email address for registration instructions.

And now, my little one is finally up and it's time to start our day! Good morning, mommies!