el-cheapo medela lactina replacement

thingiverse

A recent addition to our family led us to rent a breast pump temporarily, which proved invaluable (especially for my wife, allowing me to also feed the baby at night). However, after a month, we had to return it; purchasing one would have been costly. Fortunately, there's an affordable alternative for the expensive part of Medela Lactina and Lactina Select pumps. You only need to buy the piston set (the yellow plastic piece), which is relatively affordable. To create this DIY pump, you'll require a small gear motor (50-60 RPM) along with a speed regulator and an appropriate power supply. I used a 'PGM-37DC12/77' motor from pollin.de, a '919D2P' regulator from conrad.de, and a 12V power supply from an old device. The pump works well, and my wife claims it even performs better than the original Medela pump (though her critique of my work should be taken with a grain of salt). This DIY project could help others save hundreds of euros! However, a word of caution: unlike the original pump, this one can pinch your fingers if you're not careful. Assembling this project is straightforward, but follow the provided image as a guide. If the motor struggles to lift the pump plunger fully, attach weights to the lever-arm for even distribution. Lastly, I prefer using hot glue for fixings and insulation of electrical connections.