2-Phase Expression

Breastfeeding is one of the most beautiful and natural experiences a mother can share with her baby.
It is a unique time when mother and baby feel intensely close and intimate.
Breastfeeding is also practical since the milk is always available at the right temperature, whenever the baby gets hungry. Moreover, breastfeeding benefits the health of both mother and baby in many different ways.

Nature made babies very efficient. They instinctively know how to get their mother's milk by changing the way they suckle at the breast during breastfeeding.
 

Studies have shown that babies naturally nurse in 2 phases

Initially they suckle fast and light

• To stimulate the milk ejection reflex (MER) and to start the milk flowing

Once the breast has been sufficiently stimulated, they switch to a slower and deeper suck for the actual feeding phase

• To get as much milk as quickly as possible

You can see this in action here:

Knowing that current breastpumps are based on a study by Einar Egnell dating back to the 1950s, Medela's goal was to provide new scientific evidence for modern breastpump design.
In the late 1990s, Medela's vision was to produce the most comfortable and efficient breastpump ever, imitating the baby's natural nursing rhythm.
For this reason, Medela initiated a study into the physiology of a baby's natural sucking behaviour and also began to evaluate current electric breastpump function.
With Professor Peter Hartmann and his team, an ideal partnership was formed to conduct this research project at the Biochemistry Department of the University of Western Australia in Perth, Australia.
Peter Hartmann is an internationally renowned specialist for his studies in the fields of breastfeeding and milk synthesis.
In the course of 2002, Professor Hartmann's breakthrough research findings resulted in the development of an exclusive pumping pattern called 2-Phase Expression which closely mimics a baby's natural nursing rhythm.
The revolutionary 2-Phase Expression technology consists of:

• Stimulation mode (for rapid stimulation of the milk ejection reflex)
• Expression mode (for gentle and efficient expression)

With the introduction of 2-Phase Expression, Medela took a bold step towards modern breastpump technology and introduced the Symphony breastpump in 2002.
Knowing that current breastpumps are based on a study by Einar Egnell dating back to the 1950s, Medela's goal was to provide new scientific evidence for modern breastpump design.
 

Similar to a nursing baby, 2-Phase breastpumps mimic a baby's natural sucking behaviour.

First, a fast pumping rhythm to stimulate the milk ejection reflex and to start the milk flowing

This phase is named STIMULATION

Then, a slower pumping rhythm to express milk gently and efficiently

This phase is named EXPRESSION

Through intensive and pioneering work, Medela has converted the baby's intuitive knowledge into technological know-how.
The result is 2-Phase Expression - the new standard for unsurpassed naturalness, comfort and efficiency in breastpumps.
The first section of this graph illustrates the Stimulation phase with a fast pumping rhythm of 120 cycles per minute.
The second part of this graph illustrates the Expression phase with a slower pumping rhythm at 45 to 78 cycles per minute (depending on mother's individual needs).
The Stimulation phase is double the speed of the Expression phase.
 

2-Phase Expression is:

• Proven to feel most like a baby
• Proven to get more milk in less time
• Proven to achieve faster milk ejection and faster milk flow

Proven to feel most like a baby

> High frequency patterns have been rated by mothers as feeling most like a baby (minimum 100 cycles per minute/similar to a baby's non-nutritive sucking of about 2 sucks per second) ^2,4

Proven to get more milk in less time*
* when pumping at Maximum Comfort Vacuum in the Expression Phase

• 5 minutes with the Symphony Expression Phase can remove as much milk as an average 16 minute breastfeed ³
• When used at Maximum Comfort Vacuum, 80% of expressed milk is removed in the first 7 minutes ⁵

Proven to achieve faster milk ejection and faster milk flow

• Time to reach milk ejection
• Baby approx. 1 minute ¹
• High frequency pattern (Symphony) 1 ½ minutes ⁶
• Low frequency pattern (Classic) approx. 2 ½ minutes ²

Maximum Comfort vacuum
The highest vacuum a mother can tolerate and still be comfortable.

How can Maximum Comfort Vacuum be achieved?
Mother can determine their own Maximum Comfort Vacuum by increasing the vacuum until pumping feels slightly uncomfortable (not painful), then decreasing slightly

• This final vacuum is the mother's Maximum Comfort Vacuum