Top tips on troubleshooting a Medela Symphony double breast pump. Solve suction issues, improve efficiency and increase milk production.

The Medela Symphony is an electric, hospital grade, double breast pump that is reliable, efficient and quiet. Like any machine, the Medela Symphony may develop some issues, have problems with suction or stop working. Here is Maria’s step-by-step guide for troubleshooting the most common issues that affect the Medela Symphony. If your Medela Symphony is not working properly, follow along and discover top tips on how to fix minor issues, how to improve the pump’s suction and how to increase your milk supply.

Stress Free Breast Pumping For Increased Milk Supply

Stress is the number 1 inhibitor of breast milk production as it can reduce your levels of oxytocin. Oxytocin is what triggers the ‘let down’ and allows milk to flow freely. Stress and breastfeeding is a bad combination. Being stressed or anxious about breastfeeding or pumping will only add more pressure on top of already sleepless nights and new parent anxiety. Especially if you are exclusively pumping your milk and baby is getting hungry!

If your pump’s suction has reduced or it has stopped working, your stress levels are likely to increase. But don’t worry. There are a few simple steps that you can take to get your pump fully operational again. With the Medela Symphony you can rest assured that your baby is still receiving your precious and nutritious milk for the best start in life.

Rent The Medela Symphony Double Breast Pump. You can rent the Medela Symphony Grade Pump from our store. If you are in the Toronto & GTHA areas, we will pick it up and conveniently deliver it directly to your doorstep for free!  If you are outside of the GTA we can deliver it to you for as little as $20 each way.

Here Are The Most Common Issues That Affect The Medela Symphony Breast Pump:

• There is no power
• The suction has reduced over time and use
• The suction has stopped
• There is a blockage somewhere in the pump
• One side of the double breast pump is not working
• The tubing is blocked

Trouble Shooting The Medela Symphony Double Breast Pump

The Medela Symphony is a very popular pump to rent. This is because it is portable, efficient and easy to use. This does not mean that it is infallible. Maria is here to talk you through the most common issues and how to troubleshoot them. Usually, with a few simple tweaks, you can have your pump working perfectly again.

 Follow along with Maria here in our step-by-step video guide.  

Step 1: If there is no power: 

If there are no signs of life in your pump then you need to check if everything is connected correctly at the back of the pump. Turn the pump around and make sure that the small black cable is plugged into the relevant socket. If this cable is not plugged into the pump then there will be no power to it. The socket is sometimes fairly well hidden behind a slot (it is the same colour as the pump) that you need to slide up. Slide the socket cover up and push the connector cable into the slot. The black cable is usually unplugged because the pump cannot fit into its grey case if it is connected. (You can now leave this section connected until it is time to pack up the pump and return it to its case.)

Step 2: Check The Initiation Kit: 

This means dismantling the entire kit, washing it and putting it back together.

First, inspect the valves and the white membranes. Make sure that there are no tears or puckers or damage to them. They might look quite irrelevant and small but they are very important. When you are putting the pieces together, make sure that you snap them fully into place. You won’t be able to hear it because it is soft silicone, but you should feel it. The membrane and valve is then placed into the underside of the breast shield. When connected, they should sit level and flat. If they are not, then this means that they need to be replaced. Now screw in the bottle and the flex shield. (Each individual item can be replaced without the expense of replacing the whole kit.)  Click here to add membranes and valves to your cart. 

If all of this looks good and in working order, then it’s time to look at the tubing.

Step 3: Check the Tubing: 

The first thing you will check is the end of the tubing. Make sure that they are intact and that there are no cracks or breaks. Then check the cap end of the tubing. Make sure that these are fully pushed in together so that there is no loss of suction. This is a common area where loss of suction occurs, because as they are suctioning up and down they can draw in dust or animal hair or debris. It is a good idea to remove the caps and thoroughly inspect them. If there is any foreign object, get a lint-free cloth and wash them. Then thoroughly dry them with a micro fibre cloth. Replace the caps if there is any wear or tear. If not, reconnect the caps into the top of the pump and make sure that you hear them click into place.

What If there’s Condensation Or Milk In the Tubing? One way to dry out the pump is to turn it on (without attaching it) and letting it run for a few minutes. This should clear condensation. If by mistake some milk has gotten into the tubing, you can remove them from the pump and rinse them through with warm soapy water. You should then hang the tubing in a warm, dry area to remove the residue. If there is still a small amount of milk or residue after you have hung the tubing then you can take it outside and lasso it speed up the drying process. Then reconnect it to the pump and turn it on again. This should clear any milk residue. If none of this works then the tubing will need to be replaced as condensation and milk left inside could turn to mould.  

You can easily purchase replacements tubing for your initiation kit here on our online store.

Why Persevere With Breast Pumping?

More and more women across the world are choosing to pump their milk to feed their baby rather than nursing from the breast. In fact 85%of babies in the US who received breast milk were fed it from a bottle at least some of the time. There are a huge number of reasons for this.

• Many women find feeding from the breast painful
• The baby won’t/can’t latch
• Both parent want to bond with the baby and can do this during bottle feeding
• Milk supply is low and mom is pumping to increase it
• Mom has to go back to work but wants to continue milk production
• You want to donate your milk
• Pumping milk can help to raise inverted or flat nipples
• Pumping can help to clear mastitis
• Mom can see exactly how much milk the baby is getting with each feed
• There are multiple babies and mom only has two breasts
• You simply don’t want to feed from the breast

You are free to choose the approach that best suits the needs of you and your family. It is 100% up to you. When you encounter problems with your breast pump, it can be tempting to give up with expressing your milk earlier than you would otherwise have stopped. Before technical issues cause you to stop pumping, take a few minutes to follow Maria's troubleshooting guide. You may find that a few simple steps solve the problem.

Why Choose The Medela Symphony Double Breast Pump?

The Medela Symphony is a multi-user pump that is used in many hospitals across Canada. It is ideal for long-term and regular pumping. The Medela Symphony can also be rented at home so that mom can continue to conveniently express milk long after she has left the hospital. The Medela Symphony is designed to imitate the feeling of breast-feeding a baby so that it feels as natural and as close to a baby’s sucking motion as possible.  

Here are a few of the standout features of the Medela Symphony breast pump:

• Helps you to trigger your milk supply
• Designed to initiate the ‘let down’ faster than other pumps on the market
• Supports the build up and maintenance of your milk supply
• Protects sensitive breast tissue through the specifically engineered parts that are designed to be gentle
• Helps to heal mastitis and can relieve painful symptoms of engorgement 
• Works with inverted or flat nipples 
• Simple and intuitive to use
• Quiet operation, minimising noise disruption 

It is well documented that mom’s breast milk is the best source of vital nutrients, proteins, sugars, fats and vitamins for a baby. The Medela Symphony helps moms to ensure that their precious babies receive this nutrition from birth and for as long as mom chooses to continue. 

Check out Maria’s step-by-step guide for how to use the Medela Symphony Double Breast Pump. Learn how to get started, how to change the settings and discover how to get the most milk production from your pump. 

Pumping With The Medela Symphony Breast Pump: