Sara has twins, and reading around on message boards she's gotten the advice that a "hospital grade pump is NECESSARY" for an exclusive pumper in her situation. Here's what she asked our pumping moms:
I have been renting a Symphony for the past 3 months and I am about a week away from having to return it. My insurance only covers 3 months, which is a value of $160. I have purchased the Medela PISA from Target, but have not opened the box and broken the seal, so I *do* still have the option of returning it. I thought I had read enough good reviews about it to be confident in my purchase, but after reading this and other posts from twin moms, I am concerned that returning the Symphony is going to decrease my supply when I start with the PISA. I really don't have the money to be able to rent the Symphony for $50/month, but I also realize that I don't have that kind of money to buy formula if my supply drops and I have to go that route. The only reason I was able to get the PISA is because I saved all my Target giftcards from my baby shower.
So whats the deal? Is the PISA "designed for pumping only a few times a day, not around the clock"??? What would you do if you were in my shoes?
Thanks for your opinions! ~Sara
Here's what our Pumping Moms had to say -
Advice from Arvada -
Dear Sara, Congrats on your twins! I would think that using the PISA would be just fine. I started with the Symphony for about a week and then upon my discharge from the hospital, used my PISA. I never saw a difference in my supply. I have been using my PISA around the clock for nearly 14 months now. While my supply has changed over time, based on the need of my baby, it has never tanked because of a change in pumps.
I would also encourage you to try fenugreek if your supply does drastically change. I do think you might see a small change in your pumping volume with the switch but once your body becomes familiar with the new pump, you should see it come back up.
I would highly suggest that you do change out your membranes about every other month since they will wear out over time. You can get the little white membranes and most Targets and BRU's.
Also, make sure you familiarize yourself with the various parts of the PISA pump since it is vastly different than the Symphony. But you know you can always ask questions here on this blog and any one of us will gladly reply to your question.
Advice from Kristen:
I have a Medela PISA & I pumped 6- 8 times a day for an hour at a time for almost 6 months & now I pump 5 -6 X a day an hour at a time & I get 5 -7 ounces at a time. I love my PISA... Mine is almost 4 yrs old ( got it for my first son & only used for a month) and I have had no problems.
I would say that as long as you keep your nutrition good & your water intake up you should be fine. If you see a drop at beginning you can always add supplements to help (I use Mother's milk plus capsules).
Do you have a health flex plan? If so, you can use that $$ to buy pumping supplies & pumps. Good Luck!
Advice from Kylee:
Sara - I had a Medela PISA - used it for 6 months. The first 3 months I pumped 6-8 times a day, and then the other 3 months I pumped 4 times a day. I had no issues at all with my pump. I would use and will use my PISA again.
Advice from: Janna
First of all I would like to say, great job! I found it hard just to maintain a supply for one baby, so good job providing breast milk for twins by EPing!! As far as switching to a personal use pump, I did notice a slight decrease in my supply when I switched from the Symphony to the Medela Freestyle. However, I also returned to work and was away from my baby, so that may have been a contributing factor as well. I wouldn't give up on trying to get your insurance company to continue to cover the cost of the Symphony. I was able to get approval for an additional 3 months after my coverage ran out just by asking my physician to put in a referral. I that doesn't work, I would go to your babies' pediatrician to see if he/she can get approval; your pediatrician may be able to persuade the insurance company to cover the cost because of the numerous benefits of breast milk (including cost saving benefits to the insurance company due to less childhood illness). Additionally, starting January 1st, insurance companies will be required to cover the cost of breast pumps; your insurance company may be more willing to approve the pump because they will be required to cover it starting in 2012. If that doesn't work, I would check to see if you qualify for WIC. WIC provides loaner hospital grade breast pumps. They can also provide formula if you need supplement. If all these options fail, I would go ahead and use the PIS. I had a friend that was able to build her supply with this pump, so I know that it works well for some moms. I hope this helps! Good luck!!
Advice from: Jennifer
Hi Sara, I have to be honest with you and say that I completely regret returning my Symphony to the hospital. I rented it for the two months that my daughter was in the NICU. Insurance didn't cover a dime, so we paid for it completely out of pocket. I started using the Medela Freestyle and that in combination with starting my menstrual cycle again slashed my supply in half the next month. I'm not certain it is all due to the switch in pumps since my period also started that same month, but I will always wonder if I had kept the Symphony would my supply have stayed up. I even debated going back and re-renting the Symphony again. To me, it was a much more comfortable pump. I find the Freestyle slightly more awkward and not as smooth as the Symphony, as well. With the Symphony, I was able to pump only 4x/day and get more than enough milk for the day and to freeze the excess. With the Freestyle, I pump 6x/day and only freeze excess every few days.
Overall, we've made the transition and survived. Luckily, I had an oversupply so my reduction in milk hasn't been drastic enough that I need to supplement. I also have a massive freezer stash that I can break into on the rougher days. But, I do still miss that Symphony!! Best of luck!
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Do you have advice for Sara? Share it in the comments!
Have a question for our pumping moms? Send it to pumpingmomsblog@gmail.com
Showing posts with label equipment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label equipment. Show all posts
Monday, September 19, 2011
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
If I knew then...Shopping/Registry Changes - Jana
While it is becoming increasingly common to choose EPing before giving birth, most EPers "end up" pumping after other plans go awry. We asked our pumping moms to take a look back and consider how they would re-write their registry/pre-baby shopping list now that they've ended up EPing.
If I knew that I would be EPing with my daughter I would have purchased a pump before she was born and also had a rental hospital pump ready to go. I also would have purchased more bottles. We only had a few because we didn't expect to use them. Even though I had received a nursing cover as a gift to use while nursing, I was able to use this as my pumping cover! With our next babe, I will definitely plan to have a hospital grade pump ready in the event that we need it. It was so stressful when nursing was just not working and we didn't have a plan in place. I would suggest any expecting mom to have a breast feeding plan and back-up plan. Have phone numbers of lactation consultants, La Leche League, or any other breastfeeding resources. Make a plan for if you need to express milk; this might include watching a video on how to hand express while you're waiting for your pump to arrive. I never expected to have problems with nursing and I know that we would have had a lot less stress had I created back-up plan prior to our daughter's birth.
If I knew that I would be EPing with my daughter I would have purchased a pump before she was born and also had a rental hospital pump ready to go. I also would have purchased more bottles. We only had a few because we didn't expect to use them. Even though I had received a nursing cover as a gift to use while nursing, I was able to use this as my pumping cover! With our next babe, I will definitely plan to have a hospital grade pump ready in the event that we need it. It was so stressful when nursing was just not working and we didn't have a plan in place. I would suggest any expecting mom to have a breast feeding plan and back-up plan. Have phone numbers of lactation consultants, La Leche League, or any other breastfeeding resources. Make a plan for if you need to express milk; this might include watching a video on how to hand express while you're waiting for your pump to arrive. I never expected to have problems with nursing and I know that we would have had a lot less stress had I created back-up plan prior to our daughter's birth.
Friday, August 26, 2011
Costs of EPing - Janna
We've asked several of our pumping moms to add up their expenses and explain how much they've spent EPing. You can read all of the cost breakdowns posted to date by searching the cost label. Here's Janna's breakdown:
Cost of EPing
1.) Hospital Grade Rental Pump - $8 per month
2.) Lactation Consultant Fees (included pump instruction) - $200 per visit x 2
3.) Medela Freestyle - ~$380
5.) Medela Symphony Kit - ~$20
6.) Bottles - ~$100
7.) Breast Milk Storage Bags - $30
8.) Time: 2-6 hours per day pumping - priceless!
9.) Hands Free Bra - ~$30
10.) Bottle Brush - $5
11.) Nursing Pads - ~$20
12.) Deep Freezer for breast milk storage (used) - $100
13.) Medela Spare Parts - $12
14.) Medela Membranes - $8
15.) Lanolin (several tubes) - ~$20
I think that's it!! I probably spent more than necessary, but again, we didn't expect to be EPing and had no plan so we just did everything trial by error which ended up being very expensive.
Cost of EPing
1.) Hospital Grade Rental Pump - $8 per month
2.) Lactation Consultant Fees (included pump instruction) - $200 per visit x 2
3.) Medela Freestyle - ~$380
5.) Medela Symphony Kit - ~$20
6.) Bottles - ~$100
7.) Breast Milk Storage Bags - $30
8.) Time: 2-6 hours per day pumping - priceless!
9.) Hands Free Bra - ~$30
10.) Bottle Brush - $5
11.) Nursing Pads - ~$20
12.) Deep Freezer for breast milk storage (used) - $100
13.) Medela Spare Parts - $12
14.) Medela Membranes - $8
15.) Lanolin (several tubes) - ~$20
I think that's it!! I probably spent more than necessary, but again, we didn't expect to be EPing and had no plan so we just did everything trial by error which ended up being very expensive.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Which bottles and nipples? - Janna
We went through a lot of different types of bottles before we found the right one. When I first started pumping, I was still trying to nurse, so we picked bottles that were supposed to be compatible with nursing. We first used the Medela bottles with the wide base nipples. We actually used the small 2.5 oz Medela storage tubes with the nipple attached at first. These worked great when our daughter was only eating ~2 oz per feeding and her stuck wasn't that strong. I always hoped that we would be able to transition to nursing, so we put up with these bottles for quite a while even as she started taking a lot more milk. While the bottles were convenient because I could pump directly into them, the nipple always collapsed and our daughter was having a lot of spit-up and gas.
Some other bottles that we tried in the mean time were The First Years Breastflow bottles and Adiri Natural Nurser. I did not like the Breastflow bottles because we seemed to lose a lot of milk in the nipple parts which was incredibly disappointing when I wasn't pumping very much in the beginning. Our daughter was never able to latch onto the Adiri Natural Nurser; I think it was too much like a breast and by the time we had tried this bottle she had developed a pretty severe aversion.
When my daughter was about 2 months old it was pretty evident that nursing was not going to work out and that I would be EPing to provide her with breast milk. At that point, we decided to switch to a bottle that we thought would minimize spit-up and gas regardless of whether it was "compatible with nursing" or not. We ended up purchasing Dr. Brown's bottles because our neighbor had used them and swore by them. Although there are a lot of part to wash, I have to admit that I really like these bottles. Our daughter was able to eat a whole extra ounce at each feeding immediately after switching to these bottles. I think it was because she wasn't filling up on air!! Additionally, she had a lot less spit-up, burping, and gas.
These bottles were also great because I could pump directly into them. I have head that the Advent bottles are good and a bit cheaper, but I was swayed by the ability to pump directly into the Dr. Browns bottles.
Some other bottles that we tried in the mean time were The First Years Breastflow bottles and Adiri Natural Nurser. I did not like the Breastflow bottles because we seemed to lose a lot of milk in the nipple parts which was incredibly disappointing when I wasn't pumping very much in the beginning. Our daughter was never able to latch onto the Adiri Natural Nurser; I think it was too much like a breast and by the time we had tried this bottle she had developed a pretty severe aversion.
When my daughter was about 2 months old it was pretty evident that nursing was not going to work out and that I would be EPing to provide her with breast milk. At that point, we decided to switch to a bottle that we thought would minimize spit-up and gas regardless of whether it was "compatible with nursing" or not. We ended up purchasing Dr. Brown's bottles because our neighbor had used them and swore by them. Although there are a lot of part to wash, I have to admit that I really like these bottles. Our daughter was able to eat a whole extra ounce at each feeding immediately after switching to these bottles. I think it was because she wasn't filling up on air!! Additionally, she had a lot less spit-up, burping, and gas.
These bottles were also great because I could pump directly into them. I have head that the Advent bottles are good and a bit cheaper, but I was swayed by the ability to pump directly into the Dr. Browns bottles.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Costs of EPing - Kylee
We've asked several of our pumping moms to add up their expenses and explain how much they've spent EPing. You can read all of the cost breakdowns posted to date by searching the cost label. Here's Kylee's breakdown:
Medela PISA - $100 - I was lucky enough to score my pump from a friend that only used it for 1 week
Medela Accessory Kit - $25
Extra Bottles - $10 - Gerber First Essentials (1) 3-pack 5 oz, (2) 3-pack 9 oz
Extra Membranes $7
Milk Bags - $150 - I use an average of 1 box of qty 50 bags per week
Breast Pads - $25 - I use on average 1 box of qty 60 per month
Total: $317
How much did you spend on EPing? Submit your breakdown and explanation to pumpingmomsblog@gmail.com
Medela PISA - $100 - I was lucky enough to score my pump from a friend that only used it for 1 week
Medela Accessory Kit - $25
Extra Bottles - $10 - Gerber First Essentials (1) 3-pack 5 oz, (2) 3-pack 9 oz
Extra Membranes $7
Milk Bags - $150 - I use an average of 1 box of qty 50 bags per week
Breast Pads - $25 - I use on average 1 box of qty 60 per month
Total: $317
How much did you spend on EPing? Submit your breakdown and explanation to pumpingmomsblog@gmail.com
Monday, August 8, 2011
The Costs of EPing - Heather
It's pretty easy to calculate the costs of formula feeding, and there are very few costs that go into exclusively breast feeding. So where does pumping fall on the spectrum? We've asked several of our pumping moms to add up their expenses and explain - here's Heather's breakdown:
I'm not rich, but I spent pretty freely in order to make things easy on myself (second pump & bustier for work, lots of extra bottles & breastshields), and I never regretted it. Here's an estimate of what I spent for 6 months of EPing:
New PISA: $220 (used my target registry completer coupon (10%), $20 off coupon, & Redcard discount, and bought it on sale)
Starter kit of tubing, breastshields, valves, membranes, and bottles - free when they started me pumping in the hospital (I'm sure they charged my insurance, and at that point I had great insurance. Now...not so much). Since I used a Medela Symphony in the hospital, all the parts were compatible with my PISA when I got home.
Used PISA: $70 included lots of bottles and breastshields - bought at around 3 months for use at work
Extra set of membranes : $10
Replacement tubes for 2nd hand pump, plus extra set "just in case": $10
2X Simple Wishes bustier: $60
500 storage bags (started with medela, then went to lanisoh): $120
4x breast pump accessory kit - $100 (4 x 4 oz bottles + 2 sets of pump parts in each)
3X 12pk of 2.5 oz bottles (we still mainly use these) - $45
3X 3pkg of 8oz bottles (needed to pump into these when I was at my top production) - $60
2 pkgs of breast pads - $20
lanolin (I could have gotten by with just the samples from the hospital, oh well) - $10
I was gifted a nursing cover, and a Medela feeding accessory kit that had a couple sizes of bottles.
Total: $725
I could have definitely gotten away with much less, but it was worth it to not have to do dishes all the time or lug a 2nd pump back & forth to work. And I plan to keep all the bottles and parts if we have another kid. I still have an unopened set of tubes, an almost full lanolin, and a lot of breastpads too (though I'm using way more of them now that I'm weaning than when I was EPing). We're using the same bottles as we introduce formula.
If I had to do it over again, I would have bought off brand bottles for the bigger sizes. I love the 2.5 oz Medela "tubes", and they were the cornerstone of my breastmilk organizational system (I will hopefully post on that eventually), but for the 4 oz and 8 oz I hear the Gerber bottles attach to the Medela pumps just as well, and they are a fraction of the cost. Also, I was offered a second hand Medela while I was pregnant and turned my nose up at it, having read too many mommyblogs I think...while it is true that the PISA is not a closed system pump, I decided after watching my "new" pump closely for three months that the chances of milk getting into the motor in the first place were slim, the chances of that milk containing a virus or bacteria was slimmer, and the chance of it living outside the body then somehow getting back out into my milk was minute. Not everyone would agree, and I am NOT a scientist or giving you advice (DON'T SUE ME! I HAVE NOTHING OF VALUE ANYWAYS!)but I would be/was fine with a second hand pump in the end...and funny enough, it was my NEW pump that had a problem (though Medela overnighted me a replacement away, their customer service was WONDERFUL), but it was GREAT to have a back up in the meantime.
A savings you might not think about - formula & formula spit up stains, breast milk doesn't. In the couple weeks we've started moving to formula, we've already ruined 2 outfits for her, and who knows what else for us (I might be a bit behind on my own laundry...) So the longer you EP the longer you prevent that problem too :)
Items are hyperlinked for your convenience only, I receive no benefit from Amazon, Target, or the manufacturers of items listed above. I'm merely telling you what I used, and what I spent so you can make your own decisions.
I'm not rich, but I spent pretty freely in order to make things easy on myself (second pump & bustier for work, lots of extra bottles & breastshields), and I never regretted it. Here's an estimate of what I spent for 6 months of EPing:
New PISA: $220 (used my target registry completer coupon (10%), $20 off coupon, & Redcard discount, and bought it on sale)
Starter kit of tubing, breastshields, valves, membranes, and bottles - free when they started me pumping in the hospital (I'm sure they charged my insurance, and at that point I had great insurance. Now...not so much). Since I used a Medela Symphony in the hospital, all the parts were compatible with my PISA when I got home.
Used PISA: $70 included lots of bottles and breastshields - bought at around 3 months for use at work
Extra set of membranes : $10
Replacement tubes for 2nd hand pump, plus extra set "just in case": $10
2X Simple Wishes bustier: $60
500 storage bags (started with medela, then went to lanisoh): $120
4x breast pump accessory kit - $100 (4 x 4 oz bottles + 2 sets of pump parts in each)
3X 12pk of 2.5 oz bottles (we still mainly use these) - $45
3X 3pkg of 8oz bottles (needed to pump into these when I was at my top production) - $60
2 pkgs of breast pads - $20
lanolin (I could have gotten by with just the samples from the hospital, oh well) - $10
I was gifted a nursing cover, and a Medela feeding accessory kit that had a couple sizes of bottles.
Total: $725
I could have definitely gotten away with much less, but it was worth it to not have to do dishes all the time or lug a 2nd pump back & forth to work. And I plan to keep all the bottles and parts if we have another kid. I still have an unopened set of tubes, an almost full lanolin, and a lot of breastpads too (though I'm using way more of them now that I'm weaning than when I was EPing). We're using the same bottles as we introduce formula.
If I had to do it over again, I would have bought off brand bottles for the bigger sizes. I love the 2.5 oz Medela "tubes", and they were the cornerstone of my breastmilk organizational system (I will hopefully post on that eventually), but for the 4 oz and 8 oz I hear the Gerber bottles attach to the Medela pumps just as well, and they are a fraction of the cost. Also, I was offered a second hand Medela while I was pregnant and turned my nose up at it, having read too many mommyblogs I think...while it is true that the PISA is not a closed system pump, I decided after watching my "new" pump closely for three months that the chances of milk getting into the motor in the first place were slim, the chances of that milk containing a virus or bacteria was slimmer, and the chance of it living outside the body then somehow getting back out into my milk was minute. Not everyone would agree, and I am NOT a scientist or giving you advice (DON'T SUE ME! I HAVE NOTHING OF VALUE ANYWAYS!)but I would be/was fine with a second hand pump in the end...and funny enough, it was my NEW pump that had a problem (though Medela overnighted me a replacement away, their customer service was WONDERFUL), but it was GREAT to have a back up in the meantime.
A savings you might not think about - formula & formula spit up stains, breast milk doesn't. In the couple weeks we've started moving to formula, we've already ruined 2 outfits for her, and who knows what else for us (I might be a bit behind on my own laundry...) So the longer you EP the longer you prevent that problem too :)
Items are hyperlinked for your convenience only, I receive no benefit from Amazon, Target, or the manufacturers of items listed above. I'm merely telling you what I used, and what I spent so you can make your own decisions.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Tips: It's in the bag #2 - extension cord
If you ever pump on the go, adaptation is the name of the game. Sometimes you get lucky and people will bend over backwards to accomodate your situation - once after an eye appointment the clinic staff let me use an exam room for over half an hour, so I had a closed door, a nice chair, magazines to read (did I mention my daughter was with the babysitter?)...ahhhh, that was the life!
...And other times you end up in a bathroom stall, or your car, or a storage closet, or worse.
It's not always idea, but pumping moms perservere. Another tip to make it easier on yourself: carry an extension cord in your pump bag. Even a 6' cord could make the difference between sitting on the floor under a desk (i.e. my first time pumping at work) or reclining in a nice office chair (the rest of my days, after I threw a Dollar Store extension cord in my bag!).
I am too cheap to run on batteries when I don't need to, and I've always felt I got better suction plugged in (and almost too much with the car adaptor, but that's a different story). A short indoor extension cord doesn't take up much room or add much weight, and comes in very handy when pumping in new environments.
Read all of our "In the Bag" tips here - and feel free to share yours via pumpingmomsblog@gmail.com
...And other times you end up in a bathroom stall, or your car, or a storage closet, or worse.
It's not always idea, but pumping moms perservere. Another tip to make it easier on yourself: carry an extension cord in your pump bag. Even a 6' cord could make the difference between sitting on the floor under a desk (i.e. my first time pumping at work) or reclining in a nice office chair (the rest of my days, after I threw a Dollar Store extension cord in my bag!).
I am too cheap to run on batteries when I don't need to, and I've always felt I got better suction plugged in (and almost too much with the car adaptor, but that's a different story). A short indoor extension cord doesn't take up much room or add much weight, and comes in very handy when pumping in new environments.
Read all of our "In the Bag" tips here - and feel free to share yours via pumpingmomsblog@gmail.com
Monday, August 1, 2011
Tip - It's in the bag
Most EP moms get pretty used to schlepping around our pumps, be it to work or out on the town. But even the most practiced pumper among us has probably forgotten a part once or twice and cursed themselves when they realized - which was probably when we needed to or had already begun pumping!
One part that is often forgotten: bottle caps! I know I've done it at least twice...usually on Monday mornings.
My solution (besides throwing a couple of extra caps into my bag) is to always keep a pack of freezer bags in the side pocket of my pump bag. They don't take up much space, and they're a LOT cheaper than buying emergency bottles if you find yourself in a bind. They come in handy if you find yourself without caps, or if you end up needing to pump again into a single set of bottles they can be used for additional storage. And since there are many bags in a package, even if you forget a few times you're still covered :)
What's in your pump bag?
One part that is often forgotten: bottle caps! I know I've done it at least twice...usually on Monday mornings.
My solution (besides throwing a couple of extra caps into my bag) is to always keep a pack of freezer bags in the side pocket of my pump bag. They don't take up much space, and they're a LOT cheaper than buying emergency bottles if you find yourself in a bind. They come in handy if you find yourself without caps, or if you end up needing to pump again into a single set of bottles they can be used for additional storage. And since there are many bags in a package, even if you forget a few times you're still covered :)
What's in your pump bag?
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Schedule & Equipment - Janna
I have been exclusively pumping (EPing) since my daughter was 3 days old. You can read about how I came to that decision in my first post here. For the first three months I tried to pump at least 8-10 times per day. I didn’t worry about the spacing as much as making sure that I got the correct number of pumps in per day. I tried to space them as evenly as possible and not go more than 4 hours between pumps. I ended up dropping the middle of the night pump when my daughter was just over a month old because I just couldn’t do it anymore. I would stay up really late and pump around 11pm and wake up about 6am to pump. I would usually be really uncomfortable and engorged, but I felt like I needed this extra sleep to function as I was continuing to feed my daughter throughout the night as well. As long as I continued to maintain 8 pumps per day, I didn’t see any decrease in my milk output. When my daughter was just over two months old I started experimenting with dropping pumps. My goal was to get down to 4 pumps per day by the time I returned to work, so I needed to taper. I basically just dropped 1 pump per day each week and re-spaced my pumps as evenly as possible throughout the day. I was finally beginning to feel like exclusive pumping would be possible long term and amazingly, I did not experience any drop in my milk supply as I dropped pumps. In fact, my supply increased when I returned to work when my daughter was 3 months old!
When I initially started pumping at home I used a Madela Symphony to build my supply. From what I have read, a hospital pump is absolutely essential to building your milk supply if your baby is not nursing. When I first started pumping I was not making a lot of milk (about 12-16 ounces per day). I had to work really hard to build my supply. I found the most useful techniques were to pump for at least 30 minutes (if you baby is not nursing at all), using heat packs, and breast massage. Also a hands free bra is absolutely essential! Once I made these changes to my pumping regimen, I saw a drastic increase in the amount of milk I was able to pump. I bought a Madela Freestyle so that I could pump on the go (in the car!) and to use when I returned to work. The portable pump allowed me a lot of freedom that I didn’t have with the hospital pump.
On the days that I work, I pump at 5am, 10am and 3pm at work, and right before I go to bed (usually about 10pm). I like to sleep in on the weekends (if my daughter will let me!), so my first pump is usually about 7:30 am and then I pump again around 12pm, 5pm, and before bed. I started out with 30 minute pumping sessions, but recently I have gone down to 20-25 minutes. I did see a slight drop in my milk supply, but I’m still making plenty to meet my daughter’s needs. I also developed mastitis about 2 weeks ago which may have contributed to the decrease in my supply as well. As a side note, mastitis is extremely painful and takes quite a while to recover from. Take good care of your nipples if you are EPing! I had not been using lanolin on a regular basis and developed sores and cracks which I think may have been the cause of my mastitis. I now put lanolin on my nipples before I pump to help reduce the friction. I have heard that some moms use olive oil and that works well too.
If you aren’t able to pump enough milk to meet your baby’s needs, she is still going to benefit greatly from whatever amount you can provide. Feel good about what you are able to accomplish and try not to compare yourself to other moms. Take EPing as far as you want to go and try not to feel guilty if/when you decide to give it up. EPing is a lot of work and is a huge time commitment. Please know that you’re not alone. There are a lot of moms who end up in this same situation and choose to pump exclusively. It is one of the many options to feed your baby. If you can make it through the first 3 months it truly does get easier!!
Here are some of my favorite internet resources that I found to be instrumental to my pumping success.
http://newborns.stanford.edu/Breastfeeding/MaxProduction.html
http://newborns.stanford.edu/Breastfeeding/HandExpression.html
Monday, July 18, 2011
It's Membrane Monday!
If you haven't done so recently, make sure to switch out your breast shield membranes! You should do this about every 3 months or whenever you notice a decrease in suction.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Tips For EPing - AWBeth
I wrote this for a friend when I was EPing with my first DD.
-Number ONE ---- Store your pump parts in a plastic bag in the fridge in between pumping sessions. You DO NOT have to wash them after every pumping session. I would pump, put them in the fridge, and repeat all day. At the end of the day, I would wash them in hot soapy water or put them in the dishwasher.
-Make sure you have the right size flanges/horns!! This was huge! I needed to move up a size, and once I did, it felt SO much better.
-Try to make your pumping time as relaxing as possible. I usually grab a snack and fill up my water bottle and set up the pump by the computer. I read my email, favorite blogs, whatever.
-In the beginning when I was pumping more often, I would set DD up in the Bumbo or bouncy seat next to me, so I could feed her while I was pumping. When she got older, I used the Jumperoo to keep her entertained.
-I stopped pumping overnight when she started sleeping through the night (about 8 weeks). This isn’t a hard and fast rule, but it worked for me.
-Along those lines, in the beginning, I just pumped whenever she ate. So if she was eating every two hours, I was pumping every two hours. I started spacing them out, and around two months, I went to 4 times a day. (*This doesn’t work for everyone, but I did have an abundant supply)
-Pump in the car! This has saved me - kills two birds with one stone. Set it up before you leave and turn it on 20 minutes from your location (or however long you're pumping for). Just put a nursing cover over you while you pump, and no one will know.
-I always massage my breasts while I pump and have never had serious problems with clogged ducts. I also feel like it helps get all the milk out.
-Use the 9oz Gerber bottles for collecting milk. (they are $.99 each, I found them at Target.) They attach to the Medela PISA, and even if you don’t need the bigger size, they rest on your thighs while sitting, so your hands are free to use the computer.
-Speaking of hands free, there are several “hands free” bras you can buy. I recommend using this when driving. Some women have also cut holes in an old sports bra to make a hands free bra.
-Medela customer service is awesome! They sent me new tubing for free after I explained the condensation had caused mold to grow. (as a side note, allow the pump to run for several minutes after you’ve finished pumping to allow the condensation to get out)
-A BF baby’s intake will not continuously go up and up like a formula fed baby. When Edie was about 6 weeks, she started taking 6 ounces at each feeding. We’ve never increased that, although she only takes 3 bottles a day now. (so at one point, she was taking 6, 6oz bottles, and now she takes 3, 6oz bottles)
-I follow the rule of 8s for breastmilk storage: 8 hours at room temperature, 8 days in the fridge, and 8 months in the freezer. (and I’m generous with those numbers) **And I since read that it can be up to a year in a deep freezer.
-There are LOTS of things you can do to try to increase supply, but I just make sure I drink plenty of water and have added more oatmeal into my diet. If supply becomes an issue, there are other things you can use, including supplements and prescription medications.
-Number ONE ---- Store your pump parts in a plastic bag in the fridge in between pumping sessions. You DO NOT have to wash them after every pumping session. I would pump, put them in the fridge, and repeat all day. At the end of the day, I would wash them in hot soapy water or put them in the dishwasher.
-Make sure you have the right size flanges/horns!! This was huge! I needed to move up a size, and once I did, it felt SO much better.
-Try to make your pumping time as relaxing as possible. I usually grab a snack and fill up my water bottle and set up the pump by the computer. I read my email, favorite blogs, whatever.
-In the beginning when I was pumping more often, I would set DD up in the Bumbo or bouncy seat next to me, so I could feed her while I was pumping. When she got older, I used the Jumperoo to keep her entertained.
-I stopped pumping overnight when she started sleeping through the night (about 8 weeks). This isn’t a hard and fast rule, but it worked for me.
-Along those lines, in the beginning, I just pumped whenever she ate. So if she was eating every two hours, I was pumping every two hours. I started spacing them out, and around two months, I went to 4 times a day. (*This doesn’t work for everyone, but I did have an abundant supply)
-Pump in the car! This has saved me - kills two birds with one stone. Set it up before you leave and turn it on 20 minutes from your location (or however long you're pumping for). Just put a nursing cover over you while you pump, and no one will know.
-I always massage my breasts while I pump and have never had serious problems with clogged ducts. I also feel like it helps get all the milk out.
-Use the 9oz Gerber bottles for collecting milk. (they are $.99 each, I found them at Target.) They attach to the Medela PISA, and even if you don’t need the bigger size, they rest on your thighs while sitting, so your hands are free to use the computer.
-Speaking of hands free, there are several “hands free” bras you can buy. I recommend using this when driving. Some women have also cut holes in an old sports bra to make a hands free bra.
-Medela customer service is awesome! They sent me new tubing for free after I explained the condensation had caused mold to grow. (as a side note, allow the pump to run for several minutes after you’ve finished pumping to allow the condensation to get out)
-A BF baby’s intake will not continuously go up and up like a formula fed baby. When Edie was about 6 weeks, she started taking 6 ounces at each feeding. We’ve never increased that, although she only takes 3 bottles a day now. (so at one point, she was taking 6, 6oz bottles, and now she takes 3, 6oz bottles)
-I follow the rule of 8s for breastmilk storage: 8 hours at room temperature, 8 days in the fridge, and 8 months in the freezer. (and I’m generous with those numbers) **And I since read that it can be up to a year in a deep freezer.
-There are LOTS of things you can do to try to increase supply, but I just make sure I drink plenty of water and have added more oatmeal into my diet. If supply becomes an issue, there are other things you can use, including supplements and prescription medications.
~originally posted on TheBump.com breastfeeding boards, used with permission from AWBeth
Friday, June 24, 2011
Rachel, Hannah, and our Milk Machine: An Introduction
Hi, my name is Rachel. My daughter Hannah was born on April 5, 2011. Being an RN in labor and delivery, I knew that I wanted to breastfeed and I also was very familiar with the struggles that accompany breastfeeding. I always had a feeling that BFing wouldn't go well for us, but I really wanted to give it a try. We had latch issues from the very beginning. Hannah preferred her upper lip to my nipple, making it very difficult to get her to latch. With the help of an LC, we were eventually able to get her well latched and she did ok for about a day. However, my milk came in full force on day 3, and she would no longer latch. I tried to pump and was only able to get 1 ml. At her first pedi appointment her weight had dropped from 7 lb 12 oz to 6 lb 13 oz. We were told to continue to try BFing, but we were to give her 1-2 oz of formula every 3 hours.
I called my friend (an LC) and she came over to the house right after the appt to see what she could do. Hannah still wouldn't latch, so we tried the pump again. At this point I was too engorged for the pump to even effectively draw out the milk. She showed me how to hand express and I was able to get 1 oz out of just 1 side. We syringe fed her that and planned to continue to hand express/pump until my breasts would soften enough for her to latch again. I hand expressed every 3 hours for 2 days. It was the hardest thing I have ever done. I was exhausted, my boobs hurt, and my baby had lost too much weight. I realized very quickly that the syringe feeding was not something I could handle at that time and we started giving her the expressed milk in a bottle. Once the engorgement was under control, I began trying to put her back to the breast. I tried without a nipple shield, I tried with a nipple shield. Occasionally she would latch and suck, but mostly she just screamed. I have a very strong letdown and she just couldn't handle it. I knew that breastmilk was the best thing for her, but I also knew that her and I both crying every time I she tried to breastfeed wasn't good for anyone. It was then that I made the decision to EP. She was still going to get the good stuff, and her and I were going to be much happier.
Why it works for us:
A lot of people I have come across think pumping is the devil. To be honest, I have come to enjoy EPing. Not the pumping itself, but it really works in my life. At this point, I am only pumping 5 times a day. I am pumping 10-14 oz per session. While I somewhat have to schedule my life around pumping, it really hasn't been that difficult for me. I love that I can just pack a bottle for her and don't have to worry about feeding her on the go. The very best part has been the opportunity it has given my husband to bond with her. He feeds her whenever he is able to and it really makes him feel connected to her. I think he would have felt really disconnected in the beginning if he wouldn't have had that opportunity. This has also been a big key in me keeping my sanity. Someone else can feed her while I nap. Someone else can feed her so I can sleep through the night. (I am now able to go 7-8 hours at night without pumping.) I think my postpartum experience would have been a lot different if it were solely up to me to feed her.
When the time comes for baby #2, I will absolutely try breastfeeding again, but if it doesn't work out I know that EPing is an excellent option for my family.
My pumping must haves:
- I have a Hygeia Enjoye breastpump. I love it. It is small and easy to use. It is the only closed system pump on the market.
- Hands-free pumping bra. I have the Simple Wishes bra and it might just be my best friend
I called my friend (an LC) and she came over to the house right after the appt to see what she could do. Hannah still wouldn't latch, so we tried the pump again. At this point I was too engorged for the pump to even effectively draw out the milk. She showed me how to hand express and I was able to get 1 oz out of just 1 side. We syringe fed her that and planned to continue to hand express/pump until my breasts would soften enough for her to latch again. I hand expressed every 3 hours for 2 days. It was the hardest thing I have ever done. I was exhausted, my boobs hurt, and my baby had lost too much weight. I realized very quickly that the syringe feeding was not something I could handle at that time and we started giving her the expressed milk in a bottle. Once the engorgement was under control, I began trying to put her back to the breast. I tried without a nipple shield, I tried with a nipple shield. Occasionally she would latch and suck, but mostly she just screamed. I have a very strong letdown and she just couldn't handle it. I knew that breastmilk was the best thing for her, but I also knew that her and I both crying every time I she tried to breastfeed wasn't good for anyone. It was then that I made the decision to EP. She was still going to get the good stuff, and her and I were going to be much happier.
Why it works for us:
A lot of people I have come across think pumping is the devil. To be honest, I have come to enjoy EPing. Not the pumping itself, but it really works in my life. At this point, I am only pumping 5 times a day. I am pumping 10-14 oz per session. While I somewhat have to schedule my life around pumping, it really hasn't been that difficult for me. I love that I can just pack a bottle for her and don't have to worry about feeding her on the go. The very best part has been the opportunity it has given my husband to bond with her. He feeds her whenever he is able to and it really makes him feel connected to her. I think he would have felt really disconnected in the beginning if he wouldn't have had that opportunity. This has also been a big key in me keeping my sanity. Someone else can feed her while I nap. Someone else can feed her so I can sleep through the night. (I am now able to go 7-8 hours at night without pumping.) I think my postpartum experience would have been a lot different if it were solely up to me to feed her.
When the time comes for baby #2, I will absolutely try breastfeeding again, but if it doesn't work out I know that EPing is an excellent option for my family.
My pumping must haves:
- I have a Hygeia Enjoye breastpump. I love it. It is small and easy to use. It is the only closed system pump on the market.
- Hands-free pumping bra. I have the Simple Wishes bra and it might just be my best friend
Monday, June 20, 2011
Pumping Vocabulary & Acronyms - Medela PISA
If you've been searching the blogosphere for information on pumping, chances are you've come across a few terms or abbreviations that you may or may not have figured out. Here are a few frequently used words and phrases relating to the Medela PISA:
First, how about PISA:
Pump In Style Advanced - Medela's everyday use double electric pump. It is widely available and very popular. There are several varieties differentiated by the type of bag they come in - for example, this is the shoulder bag:
The little yellow cube in the lower right with the tubing coming out of it is the actual pump, it is built in to the bag (though removable, you wouldn't usually operate it outside of the bag).
The predecessor to the PISA was the Pump In Style (PIS) - pretty similar, but a little bulkier and heavier.
Membranes: these are the tiny white rubber circles that seem unimportant until you tear or bend one, then you realize they have a HUGE effect on the suction!
The membranes plug in to the
Valves: These are yellow hard plastic and generally come attached to connectors, so you may not even know they are removable (I had no idea)
If you have a sudden loss of suction, it's often because you've bent or torn one of these tiny membranes, or cracked the valves (or tucked your bra under the edge of the breast shield).
Breast shield: AKA funnels or cones. The PISA kit comes with 2 piece breast shields that are the funnel and the connector (and the valve & membrane are in the connector), but when you buy replacement pieces they often sell them as a single piece like this:
Breast shields come in multiple sizes. The 24mm is the most common, and the PISA kits come with that & the larger 27mm. They also make 21mm shields. For the 2 piece shields, any size will fit on the connectors, and the funnel part can actually be used as a funnel if you are filling freezer bags - remove the connector, put the spout end into the bag, and pour into the wide end.
What other pumping terms & acronyms are you running across?
All photos from Medela
First, how about PISA:
Pump In Style Advanced - Medela's everyday use double electric pump. It is widely available and very popular. There are several varieties differentiated by the type of bag they come in - for example, this is the shoulder bag:
The little yellow cube in the lower right with the tubing coming out of it is the actual pump, it is built in to the bag (though removable, you wouldn't usually operate it outside of the bag).
The predecessor to the PISA was the Pump In Style (PIS) - pretty similar, but a little bulkier and heavier.
Membranes: these are the tiny white rubber circles that seem unimportant until you tear or bend one, then you realize they have a HUGE effect on the suction!
The membranes plug in to the
Valves: These are yellow hard plastic and generally come attached to connectors, so you may not even know they are removable (I had no idea)
If you have a sudden loss of suction, it's often because you've bent or torn one of these tiny membranes, or cracked the valves (or tucked your bra under the edge of the breast shield).
Breast shield: AKA funnels or cones. The PISA kit comes with 2 piece breast shields that are the funnel and the connector (and the valve & membrane are in the connector), but when you buy replacement pieces they often sell them as a single piece like this:
Breast shields come in multiple sizes. The 24mm is the most common, and the PISA kits come with that & the larger 27mm. They also make 21mm shields. For the 2 piece shields, any size will fit on the connectors, and the funnel part can actually be used as a funnel if you are filling freezer bags - remove the connector, put the spout end into the bag, and pour into the wide end.
What other pumping terms & acronyms are you running across?
All photos from Medela
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Ixelle and Thumper...an Introduction
I'm the mom (Ixelle) of an almost 4 month old baby boy (Thumper), and after much pain and tears I made the decision to pump exclusively to supply milk for him. I always expected to breastfeed my baby, especially being a stay at home mom I never intended to have to pump except to relieve engorgement. When my baby was born, he wouldn't latch at all and had no interest in the breast. When we would try to encourage him to latch with the help of nurses and LCs, he hated it and would scream and scream. It was urgent that he be able to eat since he was jaundiced enough to keep him in the hospital a few extra days but not quite enough for them to admit him to the nicu. Since he was not nursing, I started pumping the day after he was born. The LC in postpartum worked with us extensively during our hospital stay and finally got baby to take the nipple shield, which he would do only after at least 20 minutes of hysterical screaming. We also had to set up a Supplemental Nursing System (SNS) and mixed what little I could pump out with formula and he would rarely take more than 2 ml at a feeding. The LC arranged for us to rent a hospital-grade pump after we went home.
After we were finally discharged, we had to bring him back to the hospital the next 3 days for appointments (and blood draws) to check on his bilirubin levels. At the first appointment, we met with another LC who was shocked at how he just would not take the breast, even when she was pouring milk into his mouth next to the nipple shield. She advised us to get rid of the SNS since it was causing us so much stress, and to give baby a bottle as long as we weren't opposed to it. I had no problems, I just wanted to be able to feed my baby. He took the bottle like a champ and was finally getting some milk into his system (at this point my milk had already come in and I was making enough for him). We bottle-fed him while trying to offer the breast whenever we could and doing a ton of skin to skin (kangaroo care).
It was 2 weeks of LC visits before baby would take the nipple shield without screaming, and another week before he would do it consistently at home. It was going well, and baby even nursed without the shield three times! Then we got thrush. Between baby squirming and fighting me at the breast and the shooting pain in my nipple when he nursed, breastfeeding was a miserable experience but I couldn't imagine quitting. On top of that, a tenant and my brother are living with us, so between trying to nurse and pumping I felt like a prisoner in the dungeon of my baby's room. As time passed I was less and less motivated to nurse and eventually stopped offering him the breast altogether and was purely bottle-feeding him breast milk.
Right before he was 3 months old I decided to give nursing another try, I had been getting slightly more sleep and was more accustomed to taking care of a baby daily and thought that I would be in a good state of mind to try again. I decided to try nursing him on the nipple shield at least one feeding per day and see where that led me. I did that for 2 days and was immediately frustrated again with nursing a squirming, kicking baby. I thought about it and realized that I wasn't trying to nurse for the benefit of my baby, it was just for my convenience and appearance. Baby was already getting the best nutrition he could have, he was just getting it from a bottle. After another few days of praying and contemplating I officially made the decision to exclusively pump. It was so heart breaking to 'give up' after all the time, effort, tears I put into trying to get my baby to nurse. Once I made the decision, I was able to move on with my life. I bought a hands-free pumping bra and switched baby back to regular bottles (we had been using Breastflow bottles in an effort to get him to nurse without a nipple shield, and they were hard to wash). At this point pumping became downright enjoyable. I played games on my phone or called up friends while I pumped and it gave me time to sit and relax a few times a day. I was able to prop baby up on my Boppy and feed him or change his diaper while pumping.
I wasn't passionate about EPing until I looked online for resources and realized how slim the pickings are yet how many women actually EP. Let's face it, it takes a real woman to pump exclusively to feed her baby! I'm hoping to continue through one year. If my story can in any way help or encourage someone else who wants the best for their baby and is willing to spend weeks of her life tied to a pump to get it then it all becomes worth it. Currently I am applying to donate milk since I have a nice oversupply and I desperately need to reclaim my freezer space.
I have been pumping for almost 4 months, I use the Medela PISA, Simple Wishes hands-free bra and Playtex VentAire Advanced bottles.
I pump for 20 minutes at a time at 7am, 11am, 3pm, 7pm, 11pm and then around 3am when baby wakes up.
Tips:
Hands-free is the only way to EP
Refrigerate your pump parts instead of washing them every time you pump, and then you can just wash them once a day
After we were finally discharged, we had to bring him back to the hospital the next 3 days for appointments (and blood draws) to check on his bilirubin levels. At the first appointment, we met with another LC who was shocked at how he just would not take the breast, even when she was pouring milk into his mouth next to the nipple shield. She advised us to get rid of the SNS since it was causing us so much stress, and to give baby a bottle as long as we weren't opposed to it. I had no problems, I just wanted to be able to feed my baby. He took the bottle like a champ and was finally getting some milk into his system (at this point my milk had already come in and I was making enough for him). We bottle-fed him while trying to offer the breast whenever we could and doing a ton of skin to skin (kangaroo care).
It was 2 weeks of LC visits before baby would take the nipple shield without screaming, and another week before he would do it consistently at home. It was going well, and baby even nursed without the shield three times! Then we got thrush. Between baby squirming and fighting me at the breast and the shooting pain in my nipple when he nursed, breastfeeding was a miserable experience but I couldn't imagine quitting. On top of that, a tenant and my brother are living with us, so between trying to nurse and pumping I felt like a prisoner in the dungeon of my baby's room. As time passed I was less and less motivated to nurse and eventually stopped offering him the breast altogether and was purely bottle-feeding him breast milk.
Right before he was 3 months old I decided to give nursing another try, I had been getting slightly more sleep and was more accustomed to taking care of a baby daily and thought that I would be in a good state of mind to try again. I decided to try nursing him on the nipple shield at least one feeding per day and see where that led me. I did that for 2 days and was immediately frustrated again with nursing a squirming, kicking baby. I thought about it and realized that I wasn't trying to nurse for the benefit of my baby, it was just for my convenience and appearance. Baby was already getting the best nutrition he could have, he was just getting it from a bottle. After another few days of praying and contemplating I officially made the decision to exclusively pump. It was so heart breaking to 'give up' after all the time, effort, tears I put into trying to get my baby to nurse. Once I made the decision, I was able to move on with my life. I bought a hands-free pumping bra and switched baby back to regular bottles (we had been using Breastflow bottles in an effort to get him to nurse without a nipple shield, and they were hard to wash). At this point pumping became downright enjoyable. I played games on my phone or called up friends while I pumped and it gave me time to sit and relax a few times a day. I was able to prop baby up on my Boppy and feed him or change his diaper while pumping.
I wasn't passionate about EPing until I looked online for resources and realized how slim the pickings are yet how many women actually EP. Let's face it, it takes a real woman to pump exclusively to feed her baby! I'm hoping to continue through one year. If my story can in any way help or encourage someone else who wants the best for their baby and is willing to spend weeks of her life tied to a pump to get it then it all becomes worth it. Currently I am applying to donate milk since I have a nice oversupply and I desperately need to reclaim my freezer space.
I have been pumping for almost 4 months, I use the Medela PISA, Simple Wishes hands-free bra and Playtex VentAire Advanced bottles.
I pump for 20 minutes at a time at 7am, 11am, 3pm, 7pm, 11pm and then around 3am when baby wakes up.
Tips:
Hands-free is the only way to EP
Refrigerate your pump parts instead of washing them every time you pump, and then you can just wash them once a day
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