The Medela pump has made breastfeeding easy and stress-free for nursing mothers hindered by one way or another to be with their babies all the time. It is a great development that makes you worry less about your baby while you go about your daily activities and try to make ends meet. However, when the Medela pump is making a weird noise, you might think there’s a problem with the machine that can delay the pumping process and this can cause unnecessary stress.
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How does the Medela pump work?
A Medela pump is a machine with tubes, valves, and bottles that make the pumping process easy for you. It is also used for babies with the special condition that finds it hard to suckle their mother and can’t breastfeed. This pump is an instrument that makes special babies get the full benefits of breast milk without breastfeeding, that is, they can get access to breast milk without suckling.
Despite the advantages of the Medela pump, no mother will want to use a machine that is a source of worry and will make breast pumping look difficult. When your Medela pump is making a weird noise, I’m sure it is a cause of concern for you, but you don’t have to worry as this article will show you what you need to know about the weird noises.
There’s no doubt most nursing mothers use the pump in different locations and the milking action is awkward even without the noise, now imagine pumping milk at your office or in a tight closet and the breast pump sound can be heard from outside, sure this will definitely attract onlookers and you might be embarrassed.
Moreover, it is absolutely normal for any machine to fail, but having the solution and remedy will aid you in the continual usage of the breast pump.
There are various reasons your Medela pump makes weird noises, it’s really nothing serious, just keep reading and you’ll find the reasons and what to do to stop the noises.
Reasons Why Medela Pump Is Making Weird Noises And What To About It.
1. The membrane not sitting well
As it is known that the Medela pump has various parts like breast shield, connectors, valves, and membrane. These parts are crucial as they’re what makes up the machine pump.
The medela breast pump membrane is used to create suction when pumping. Whenever the medela pump membrane part is not sitting well, the pump makes weird noises and you might even get low suction to create a breast pump.
The way to solve this is to take the medela breast pump membranes apart and adjust them very well, and this action will reduce the noise. But note, to enjoy using the Medela pump, it is advisable you change the membrane within 2-8 weeks as it can lose its elasticity easily.
2. Presence of build up in the valves
Another reason why your Medela pump is making weird noises is the build-up in your valves. The function of the medela breast pump valve is more like that of the membrane, which is to create suction for your breast pump. Moreover, when there is a build-up of milk dirt in your valve, it might give rise to weird noises.
The solution to this is to clean the valves and membranes. The cleaning routine is easy, just drop the parts into hot water for about 10 minutes, allow the water to cool down, and remove the parts. Sanitize to get rid of germs and towel dry.
3. Wet parts of the Medela pump
The cleaning routine of the Medela pump depends on how often you pump milk. On average, it is advisable to clean immediately after use. This will help to get rid of dirt easily and even eliminate the influx of germs. However, it is important to dry each and every part of the breast pump after cleaning, as this can be the source that makes the pump to make weird noises.
Thus, whenever any part of the breast pump is wet, it makes noises. You should run the pump alone without any parts attached for about 3 minutes and this will allow it to dry out.
4. The milking sound
Sometimes, you might think the weird noise from the Medela pump is due to some fault in the machine system. Well, it may just be the sound of your milk squirting into the bottles. This can happen and you mistake it for irregularities in the pump. Your milk squirting sound is normal and this shouldn’t be a cause for worry.
It is important you observe your pumping process to know if it’s just your milking sounds or it’s noises from the pump parts.
5. A normal and deliberate sound
Medela pump was built to provide comfort to nursing mothers that have to be at work or those that won’t be around their babies 24/7.
Sometimes, the weird noise heard from Medela pumps is an intentional and normal one, that is, it was added during the building of the machine. The reason for this addition is known to the developers of the machine only.
So, nursing mothers, you really don’t have anything to fear whenever you hear sounds from the machine. It is part of the way it works.
Other Medela breast pump sounds
Other medela breast pump sounds includes
1. Medela pump in style air leaking sound
The Medela pump in style air leaking sound or like air escaping could be as a result of two things – It could be a small tear in the Medela breast pump membrane or the membrane is not position correctly. To correct this, try and reposition the membrane and if it doesn’t work, then change it. Second, check and ensure there is no condensation in the air tubing.
2. Breast pump making hissing sound
The Medela breast pump hissing sound is actually part of the design for the vacuum. However, if the sound becomes unbearable, ensure there is no water in the tubing. Make sure it is dry. Second, the hissing sound could be the sound of your milk quirting out with the suction, which is normal. Third, Check and be sure that the yellow plug is in between the two hoses securely.
3. Medela pump making popping noise
If your medela pump is making a popping noise, it means you need to replace or readjust your breast pump valves. You could also try to use a double pumping bra because it holds them well.
How to make breast pump quieter
If you have a breast pump like Medela that makes noise, is there a way to make it quieter? Yes, there are tips and tricks you can use to make your breast pump quieter. Find them listed below:
- Put it in a travel bag to conceal the noise
- Close the lead to keep down the breast pump noise
- Throw a hand towel or baby blanket over it to keep down the breast pump sound
- Put it in a drawer or cabinet
- Put a pillow over it to reduce the breast pump noise
Final Thoughts
A Medela pump is an incredible machine that saves a lot of nursing mothers a lot of time and energy. However, the machine getting issues shouldn’t be a reason you will abandon it as there is always a solution.
The above tips are important for you to reduce weird noises and to have a relaxed pumping session. Worrying when your Medela pump is making weird noises is normal. You just have to be calm and try to figure out what the main problem is. The tips listed above will guide you to find a solution to the reason your Medela pump is making noises and you will know what to do to limit the noise.
Learn how to pump like a pro and make lots of Milk.
