I am always amazed at all the myths that still circulate about breastfeeding. At first glance they seem like an annoyance, but in reality they actually ruin breastfeeding relationships. When we do not have the correct information about what’s going on with our bodies and our babies we cannot possibly reach our breastfeeding goals!
By Jenny Manos
17 more days.
17 more days until I reach my goal of nursing my second child for an entire year.
13 more days of pumping at work.
I pumped because I couldn’t afford to stay home the whole time I was nursing. [Read more…]
I’ve seen a lot of products in this blogger job over the years. You badasses have grown this community to a pretty nice size and companies are eager to show you their stuff. I put the kibosh on much of it because it’s useless, expensive or doesn’t fill a real need.
I have noticed something pretty remarkable; the best products are created by the people who have experienced a gap firsthand. A lot of us can identify a gap, but a special few can envision a way to fill it. A couple of those people are Helen and Tobi. [Read more…]
Did you know that the breast shield flange of a breast pump comes in different sizes? It’s actually a very important detail to your pumping success! We all know that every woman’s breast is a unique size and shape, but this is also true of her nipple. In order to pump the most milk possible and not experience pain while you do it you need to have a correctly fitted breast shield.
I was recently talking with a group of moms and heard many of them say that they didn’t know that breast shields come in different sizes. They thought it was “one size fits all.” It’s so easy to miss this type of information when we have never done this before and we are busy taking care of a newborn baby! If you are experiencing pain or discoloration of your nipple while you pump, little to no milk output, a pulling or rubbing sensation while pumping or cracked/blistered nipples you may have a flange that is not the correct size.
But how do you know what size you are? How do you know if you are currently using an incorrect size? The gang at Pumpables has done something truly unique. You don’t have to wonder anymore and you are no longer on your own to figure it out. When I first heard that breast shields come in various sizes I held a few up to my breast, shrugged and took my best guess. But this is not the best way to get the correct size!
Check out Pumpables’ new Fitting Room. You can take a short video of your breast in the breast shield while pumping and upload it to their website. Then fill out a questionnaire and a representative will get back to you with feedback about how your breast shield is fitting. Your video is kept absolutely confidential and is immediately deleted. Your video is not shared with anyone so you can rest assured no one besides the consultant will see it.
You can upload your video right to their website as you fill out the questionnaire.
Many women claim that they do not pump much milk. It’s true that women respond differently to pumping, but sometimes it’s simply a matter of a breast shield that doesn’t fit right. You know your breasts will change size and shape over your breastfeeding and pumping journey, but your nipples will as well. It’s possible that your correct fit will change over time, multiple times! So be sure to monitor how your nipples feel and how much milk you are pumping as changes could indicate that you need to make a breast shield size adjustment.
If you are a working mom or spend long periods of time away from your baby you have probably experienced concerns about being able to “keep up” with your baby. Meaning that you fear your baby will drink more milk than you can pump. Sometimes a few minor tweaks to your pumping routine such as using Hands On Pumping or breast massages while pumping can help increase milk output. It’s also very common for child care providers to overfeed babies. You can work with your child care provider to avoid overfeeding. And make sure to upload a video to Pumpables’ Fitting Room to assure that you are using the correct sized breast shield.
Our names are Susan and Elizabeth and we have children whose ages are similar to the Badass Breastfeeder. We’ve watched her spread her messages for breastfeeding advocacy, which we’ve loved to support because we’ve had a parallel path – to revolutionize breastfeeding for new mothers through new technologies.
Over the past 6 years, we have worked hard with a dedicated team to develop new breastfeeding technologies that will help mothers achieve their personal feeding goals more effectively. Our new compression and vibration technology is rooted in scientific understanding of breast physiology, clinical data supporting the importance of hands on pumping and vibration as well as hundreds of hours of testing for a diverse group of volunteer testers. Our first product, U Boost, helps to increase your milk output. [Read more…]
Nothing is really ever free, is it? Even when advertised as free it usually comes with a price somewhere down the line. Like a free magazine subscription, only to discover the first issue was free, but not the rest! They send them anyway because now they’ve got you. And the bill comes in the mail with not much you can do because you’ve already read the magazine. And, oh boy, try calling customer service. It’s really just an 800 number to some people who are trying to sell you more things. [Read more…]
If you ever travel with your breast pump you need a bag. But not all bags are created equal. If you travel outside with your pump often (to work or simply get outside!) then your transport bag is just as important as the pump itself. Too bold of a statement? I don’t think so. If you use a standard bag that your pump comes with then you know that they make those just so that the pump and its parts fit inside. What about all of your work stuff? Your laptop, purse, lunch, diapers? Not mention trying to carry your baby… [Read more…]
You know who has the perfect body? You do. Your body is yours, it is completely unique and no matter how you feel about it, it is the perfect vessel through which you are experiencing this life with right now. [Read more…]
By Nancy Mohrbacher, IBCLC, FILCA
Fan Question:
“I’m trying to establish a pumping routine to have a milk stash. My daughter is a month old and I have only pumped a few times. Every time I do, she drinks my pumped milk sometime that day because I’m low after I pump. Every time I think about pumping I worry that she will need the milk, so I don’t and then I leak lol. Need some advice as to how to establish a good pumping routine and have a good stash….thanks” [Read more…]
By Guest Blogger Tara
I found out I was pregnant on thanksgiving day of 2012. My Fiancé and I were so excited! I always knew that I wanted to breastfeed and did my research on it throughout the pregnancy. I also knew I wanted a natural birth, mostly because I already have a high pain tolerance and I’m very sensitive to medications. EVERYONE I knew (family, coworkers, strangers, etc.) told me breastfeeding was painful, awkward, difficult, etc. they also told me once I was in labor I’d be begging for pain medicine like they all were. Their lack of confidence in my decisions only made me more determined to stick to my plans! [Read more…]
