Unboxing And Setting Up The Medela Symphony Double Breast Pump

The Medela Symphony is a hospital grade double breast pump that is simple, efficient and quiet. Based on clinical research, the pump is specifically designed to support moms to initiate, boost and maintain their milk supply.

Ideal for long-term and regular pumping the Medela Symphony is a multi-user pump that is used in many hospitals across Canada. 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 closely mimic the sensation of breast-feeding a baby. The clever breast shield and suction features make pumping feel 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:

  • 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, minimizing 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 immediately after they are born and beyond. 

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.

Benefits Of Using A Breast Pump

Typically, moms choose to use a breast pump if they have been separated from their baby, if they are unable to breastfeed or the baby wont’ latch. There are lots of reasons why mamma may be separated from her baby. There may be pre-existing health issues or a difficult labour. Or perhaps the baby is in NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit). Or it may be that mamma simply chooses to pump instead of directly feeding. Whatever the circumstances, by renting the Medela Symphony breast pump, you can continue to produce enough nutrient rich breast milk for the baby from the comfort of home.

A lot of moms first experience with breast pumping while they are still in the hospital. The opportunity to continue using the same type of pump that they have become accustomed to is often appreciated. The list of hospitals in Canada that rely on the Medela Symphony double breast pump can be found at the bottom of this page. The Medela Symphony is a great choice for someone who is looking to express regularly and for prolonged periods. Most people rent it for about a year, but there is no time limit on the rental.

Follow Along With Maria As She Unboxes The Medela Symphony Breast Pump

Unboxing The Medela Symphony

When you open the boxed package, the first thing that you will see and remove is the grey case.

The Case: The case comes in an attractive grey color and is very sturdy. It is designed to be robust so that it can protect the pump when mom is on the move. To open the case, lay it on its front and pull the two black latches that are on the sides and lift open the cover.

Inside you will find just two items. The Pump: (In two tone yellow, the pump is compact and lightweight). The Bottle Holder: This has capacity to hold two bottles. (Remember that these need to be returned). There is also a Quick Start Guide: In Both English and French. (We can email the guide to you if you rent from us. Plus, our lactation specialist can be available to answer any questions).

Getting Around With The Medela Symphony Pump

The Medela Symphony pump and its case weigh 6.72 pounds or just a little over 3 kilos. The strap is adjustable for size and makes the Medela comfortable to carry over your shoulder to move around with. It is designed for travel. You can take it to work, on vacation or wherever else you need to go.

Turning On The Medela Symphony Breast Pump

When the Medela comes in its case, it will not be plugged in. This is because it will not fit into the case if it is. You need to turn the pump around, find the short little cable and insert it into the back. If the cable is not inserted then the pump will not function. Once this is done, the pump is ready for set up. When the time comes to pack up the pump, remember to remove the cable so that it can fit back into its case.

The Medela Symphony Breast Pump Initiation Kit

To use the Medela Symphony pump you need to purchase an accessories kit. This is because there are parts of the kit that come into contact with your body and/or your milk. To ensure that all moms and babies that use the pump are safe, the kits are sold separately. The pump is multi-user, but for hygiene purposes, the kit items are only to be used by you.

The kits include everything that you would need to single or double pump, store and preserve your milk so that it stays perfect.  (An important side note to consider is that Medela researchers found that double pumping produces 18% more milk on average than single pumping.)

The kit comes in a plastic bag and the items inside are already sterile and ready to use. There is no need for you to clean them before you use the pump for the first time.

 

What’s Included in The Medela Symphony Initiation Kit?

  • Two sets of PersonalFit PLUS breast Shields: A ground-breaking design, the shields come in 24mm and 27mm sizes to accommodate flexibility and comfort.
  • PersonalFit connectors that attach to the pump
  • Two sets of collection containers with lids: A 35ml colostrum container (colostrum is the very first milk that mom produces, it is highly concentrated and great for the baby) and an 80ml container. Both containers have a curved bottom to make them as steady as possible to protect mom’s precious milk.
  • Tubing with adapters
  • 2 Valves
  • 4 Membrane caps
  • Instructions for use document

Step-by-Step Guide To Connecting The Medela Pump To The Initiation Kit

Step 1: On the front of the Medela pump there is a little button that allows the handle to stand up.  Take the connectors that go into the pump under the handle, and connect them using the yellow caps onto the top of the pump. Each one is connected to the motor and this is what drives the pump to create suction. When they are properly in position you will hear each one click into place. It is important to hear these clicks so that you know that they are accurately connected.  Push the handle back into position. It may not sit flush against the pump, there is a small space left. This is normal and fine, but if you feel that the suction has decreased at any point, then double check that the yellow caps are properly in place under the handle.

Step 2: Take the apparatus that connects the pump to your breast. There are currently 2 types of breast shields on the market. There is the hard breast shield that is being phased out and there is the flexshield that contains a nice soft rim. The flexsheild is designed to give you a more flexible fit and to increase your output as you pump. To put them together, take the tube and slip it into the little hole at the back of the shield.

Step 3: Attach the valves and the membranes. These are really important parts of the pump because they are vital to the suction. Attach the membrane and the valve together by pressing them into the corresponding hole and then on the underside of the breast shield.  The bottle can be screwed on now. If you are using the Medela’s double pump action, (and most people do) then you need to repeat the process again with the other shield and bottle.

Step 4: Remember when you unboxed the package, there were 2 items in the box? Well, this is where the bottle holder comes in. The bottle holder can be placed on the back of the pump. This is an important feature because it secures the bottles and makes it very difficult to spill any of your precious fluid. If the milk that you have pumped is going to be used soon after being pumped then you can seal the bottles with the caps and pop them in the fridge.                             

The Medela Symphony double breast pump is used in the following hospitals:

  • Sunnybrook, Toronto 
  • Oakville Trafalgar
  • North York General
  • Guelph
  • Scarborough Health Network 
  • St Joseph's Hospital, Toronto
  • St Michael's Hospital, Toronto  

Pumping With The Medela Symphony Breast Pump: 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.

Having Problems Using the Medela Symphony Breast Pump? Watch Maria's expert guide for trouble shooting with the Medela Symphony.