Medela Breastmilk Labeling & Storage System Review & GIVEAWAY!

Medela has a new Breastmilk Labeling & Storage System that is designed to make the whole "what bag do I use?" part of pumping and breastfeeding less complicated. Here's what they have to say about it from http://medela.com:

A new Breastmilk Labeling and Storage System — one that helps parents and caregivers track, label and organize breastmilk bottles in the refrigerator or freezer — is now available from Medela.

The all-in-one system includes one organizer tray, two labeling lids and two 5-ounce breastmilk bottles. The organizer tray provides dedicated space to protect up to six breastmilk bottles or storage bags, and keeps them organized and upright in the refrigerator or freezer. It also features a convenient handle that allows parents and caregivers to easily move the tray around or remove it for cleaning.
To help parents identify the freshest breastmilk and avoid waste, clearly marked “in” and “out” arrows identify which breastmilk bottle is “next in line” for a feeding. Twist-and-lock labeling lids — also available separately in a pack of six — allow parents to select a day of the week and time of day (a.m., p.m. or midday) to track when milk was pumped, or a “feed by” day for other caregivers.

“For moms who are separated from baby and pump frequently, it can be difficult to properly store and keep track of breastmilk bottles to make sure baby is getting the freshest breastmilk,” said Brian Warren, new business development manager at Medela. “The Breastmilk Labeling and Storage System helps mom, dad or a caregiver keep breastmilk bottles in one place, with clear indicators of when breastmilk was pumped for more organized feedings later.”

The organizer tray and labeling lids are compatible with all Medela polypropylene breastmilk bottles (not for use with glass bottles). Like all Medela products that come into contact with breastmilk, the bottles and the tray are Bisphenol A-free. The organizer tray is also compatible with Medela’s Pump & Save breastmilk bags (sold separately). It is 100 percent reusable and dishwasher safe.

The Breastmilk Labeling and Storage System will be available in independent and mass retailers starting in January 2011 at a retail price of $15.99. Breastmilk labeling lids (a pack of six) are also available separately at a retail price of $9.49. To find Medela retail stores visit http://medela.findlocation.com/. 

My Thoughts...
I was pretty excited about this concept when I first heard about it. I always have the problem of my family not knowing which bag of frozen or fresh milk to start with, and something always ends up going bad before it gets used. :( Even if you date bags, people don't always have the time to read them before pulling one. The tray that Medela designed has an "in" and "out" section so that you will in theory just move the bottles around the ring from "in" to "out" as they get used and you put more in. This will always keep the oldest milk moving forward.

It would be a better system if the "in" section was raised slightly so that the milk actually slid down towards the "out" section and you didn't have to physically push the bottles around. Medela says you can also use this with the bags instead of bottles, but when I put frozen bags of my milk into the organizer tray (I use the Lansinoh brand, but they are the same size as the Medela pumping bags), it didn't actually function so well because the bags didn't fit too well. I thought about solving this problem by letting the milk freeze in the bag as it sits IN the tray instead of it laying flat in the freezer before I move it, but then you may still have a problem moving it around and taking it out since the shape would remain the same as when you first put the milk bag into the tray. So plan on using bottles. :)

The bottles themselves are pretty cool. I don't like that they're a soft plastic, but the lids are great in that you can snap up the top part and spin it around to designate which day of the week and what time of day you pumped that particular milk. No sharpies needed, and the bottles should screw on to any standard pump so you can pump right into them. They're also big enough to express into by hand, which is what I did last night since I was too lazy to hook my pump all up.

Overall, I think it's a good concept but still needs a little more work to make it worth the money. Maybe I should contact Medela about being an inventor for them...

Win it!
Medela and BSM Media are giving away one of these Breastmilk Labeling & Storage Systems to a reader. Here's how we're going to do it...the first person to comment here and email me her name and mailing address (lifemoresimply at yahoo.com) wins! Don't forget to do both steps: comment, email. If someone has already left a comment below, feel free to also do the same because you never know if that person really did complete the second step. Good luck!