Playtex Nurser Double Electric Breast Pump Kit

Product Description:

"The Playtex® Petite Double Electric Breast Pump is a high-quality, discreetly-sized electric breast pump designed for ultimate comfort and efficiency. Three levels of fully adjustable suction let you control your own pumping experience. The unique, patented Soft Comfort® Breast Cups massage the breast while pumping and provide suction from the side, rather than pulling and tugging directly on the nipple as many other systems do, for ultimate comfort and fast let-down. The pump utilizes a unique closed system to protect breast milk against contamination. Can be used for single or double pumping.

Features

• Massaging motion and suction aids in milk expression
• Designed to comfortably stimulate the breast
• Closed system protects against contamination from bacteria and germs
• 3 Easy-twist suction settings

Kit Includes

• 1 pump motor unit
• 2 Soft Comfort® Breast Cups
• 2 Playtex® Drop-Ins™ System bottles (4 oz.) with nipples
• 10 Drop-Ins Pre-Formed Liners (4 oz.)
• 1 AC/DC adapter (12 volt)
• 1 set of tubing
• 2 liner rings,
• 2 extra nipple rings
• 2 sealing discs for milk storage
• 2 extra pump valves
• 1 instruction booklet"

REVIEW
I'm a new mom - my precious baby boy (Drexel) is just over two months old and growing like a little weed.  Seriously, this kid is in the 50th percentiles for weight and head circumference and 80th percentile for length, and he displays the motor skills of a 4 month old.  But before I brag on my boy too much, here is my review of the Playtex Breast Pump that I have been using for the past two months.

The Good
The product description above boasts about how easy the pump is to use, how discreet it is, how it helps milk let down, etc.  I have to say YES to all of the above.  Though the 6 parts that make up each pump assembly seem a little complicated to figure out at first, they easily go together once you have a little practice putting it all together.  The product does what it says it will do for milk let-down (at least for me).  Not only that, but for a pump it is relatively quiet.  I have been in a place where I could hear the pump a woman was using even though she was the equivalent of a couple doors down from where I was sitting, but with this Playtex pump, one does not know I am pumping unless they are in the same room or standing right outside the door.  Yes, it does make noise, but I pump sitting on the floor next to the contraption my child sleeps in and it does not wake him up nor disturb his sleep in any way that I have been able to tell.  No pump is going to be completely silent - not even directly breastfeeding a baby is completely silent.

I read reviews that said horrible things about how much milk this pump was actually able to express from several women - it seems the issue lies more in their ability to express milk than in this pumps ability to aid in the process.  For some women they simply need a child at their bosom to express milk for their milk will not let down for artificial devices.  It all depends.

By the way, I also really like that this pump is lightweight and small.  It is easily transportable and comes with a nifty/sturdy zip up bag that does not scream "HEY, THIS IS A PUMP" at all.  The bag is black, unmarked, and easy to carry.  I can bring my pump out in public and not garner funny looks or embarrassing questions from nosy people who want to know all about my pumping stories.

The Bugly (Bad/Ugly)
There are a few things about this pump, however, that are less than ideal:

• There are only three settings for suction strength - low, medium, high.  Some days I really wish it had at least 5 to accommodate how my milk let-down may vary from day to day.  
• If you do not position yourself properly in the suction cups, the cups may leak on you a bit when they are taken away from your breast because droplets of milk accumulate such that the can spill out.  
• The collection units can spill when tilted, even if the pump head is still screwed on.
• It can be hard to use with both collection heads attached as it does not express as much.  I tend to use one and just move it as necessary.

Overall
For the price of this pump, I am very happy with it.  In my opinion it fulfills its promises, is very easy to use, and gets the job done.  I have had few problems with it over the past two months, minus my nitpicks mentioned above, and would buy it again in a heart beat.

On a 1 to 10 rating scale, I give this product an 8.