Making milk and making sweaters- PumpEase Review

This is a product review of PumpEase Organic Hands-free Pumping Support but really it's more like a tale of extreme multitasking.  Extreme for me anyway.  I'm sure quite a few could burst my bubble but this was down right dangerous as far as I'm concerned.

My life, like most moms I know, is full and busy.  Full-time mommying in and of itself is never ending and time consuming and then I have a tendency to heap other things on top of that such as working, homeschooling, writing, performing, being a doula and teaching music along with all the other daily things that go with life in general such as laundry, dishes, cooking, and cleaning.  (Who am I kidding?  I don't really clean.)  Sometimes it seems like there aren't enough hours in the day.  Yeah, I feel like that pretty much every day.

And still, I try to fit my hobbies in,  In fact, I need to fit my hobbies in for my emotional health and sanity.  To keep me balanced to some extent I knit, sew, paint, and read.  And buy yarn.  Buying yarn is it's own hobby, trust me.  I'm well on my way to becoming a fiber enthusiast.  I'm already a yarn whore.  Just ask The Piano Man.  Yarn lusting, I mean shopping, is usually something I do while multitasking and with the computer it just so happens that it works perfectly do look at some knitter's porn while I'm breastfeeding or NAKing (Nursing At Keyboard).  I have been breastfeeding and pumping for my at least one of my 5 babies for the last 12 years off and on- mostly on.  Though I'm a pro at multitasking while breastfeeding I find multitasking while pumping much, much more difficult. A baby doesn't usually spill milk from the boob but it's all to easy to lose some of that precious liquid if I'm trying to balance the pumping bottles and horns while doing something else.  And I've done it.

Anyone that says not to cry over spilled milk has never lost 3 ounces of hard earned pumped breastmilk.

Since I really can't pull off much else while pumping I find myself closing my eyes and end up incredibly tired by the end of the pumping session.  Sometimes I risk it and try to be on the computer at the same time but it's incredibly stressful.  I've heard of the rubber band trick but it really didn't work for me (I was nervous) and needed something more secure for me to be comfortable.

Then Wendy from PumpEase sent me one of her PumpEase Organics to try.  It came during a crazy week and so it sat unopened for 6 days.  For six days I didn't touch it.  This was stupid.  I was super busy, still pumping and I didn't have time to open the one thing that would have made it easier?  Don't ask me what I was thinking, I really do not know.  That first night I pulled it out, tried it on and sat down to give a whirl.  My first thought?  WHERE HAS THIS THING BEEN FOR THE LAST 12 YEARS?  My next thought?  I'm going to get so much more done!

To test out the multitasking opportunities I got out my computer.  Yeah, that worked and it was easy.  The only thing I had to be careful of was to not forget I was pumping and pull the computer too close and hit the bottles.  PumpEase Organic and the computer?  Check.

Next I went for still sitting and relaxing so I pulled out my knitting.  I have on occasion managed to knit something simple with a baby at the breast but it's risky as baby may grab the project and rip stitches out (ACK!) and my hands get tired and sore.  But I've never really managed pumping and knitting.  The PumpEase changed the entire game though, it was brilliant!  I sat and pumped and knit.  It was so wonderful, I was so excited, I was making milk and making a sweater at the same time.  PumpEase Organic and knitting?  Check.

Oh, but wait, it gets better.

Since I had a guest post submission to read I grabbed a pillow, set my laptop up on the pillow on my lap and started reading while knitting while pumping.  It totally worked.  I finished reading the entire submission, made significant progress on the sweater and pumped 2 more ounces at the same time. PumpEase Organic and the computer and knitting?  Check.

It would have been more but Smunchie woke up and wanted to nurse.  So I decided to keep pumping one side, put Smunchie on the other side in the football hold with a pillow supporting her head, headed to my favorite yarn porn site, picked up my knitting and hammered out a few more rows. PumpEase Organic and the computer and knitting and nursing?  Check.

Then my mom called.

PumpEase Organic.
Phone.
Computer/yarn porn.
Baby.
Knitting.
Pumping.
5 ounces.

Check.

It was awesome.  I was the multitasking queen.

Once I pulled out the camera Smunchie insisted on multitasking too, eat and try to get the camera.

Over the next 2 weeks I tried different activities while pumping and found that the PumpEase made me feel secure enough to do quite a few chores and work projects while pumping my milk.  Folding laundry, eating, writing, reading with kids, homeschooling, reading, sewing (I had to be careful not to hit the bottles on the table), practicing music, playing piano (the sound of the pump threw me off a few times, I kept wanting to play in rhythm with the pump), more knitting and yes, yarn shopping. 


The Good, The Bad and The Ugly because I swear to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth.


What I liked:
The hook and eye closures made me feel secure and comfortable that it would stay and hold well.  The fit was snug and I could have gotten away with a medium but there was plenty of stretch and it didn't feel too tight just snug which really made me feel even more secure.  The fabric was very soft and I liked that it could be secure without being uncomfortable.  The limitations I faced with it had nothing to do with the hands-free support and everything to do with my pump namely the plug and that I couldn't bend over without messing the pump up.  This may sound silly but I also loved that it was packaged up pretty.  It was like I got a present, a nice box, pink tissue paper, pamphlets, a fridge magnet with milk storage information and a door hanger to warn possible intruders that I was up to mommy business.  The door hanger does not work on kids, FYI, apparently they don't care if they see you pumping.

I would have loved this with every one of my babies.  Having worked as a nanny, music performer, theater performer, music teacher, worship pastor, doula, midwife assistant and gallery curator I could have put this too good use many times over.


What I didn't like:
I promise to share the good, the bad and the ugly in all of my reviews so my readers can trust me and my writing.  So, um, the bad and the ugly... well, the PumpEase Organic is boring.  You won't be making a fashion statement in it, that's for sure.  But this didn't bother me I much prefer organic over jazzy underwear anyway.  My exciting underwear is just plain teal and I have 3 bras, all solid colors: white, black, and tan.  So if organic would matter to you more than having a print or color then the choice should be obvious. The openings to place the pump horns was a little awkward for me to manage first but that just took a little practice.  That's all I got for bad and ugly.

Overall 
I loved this product and wish I could go back in time and take this with me for all my pumping days over the last 12 years.  Pumping moms, whether you work out of your home, work at home or are a stay at home mom a PumpEase Hands-free pumping support will great asset to you.  I'm thrilled with mine and look forward to putting it to good use for a while yet.

Sorry my pics are so terrible, even the PumpEase couldn't save me from terrible night time indoor lighting and the hazards of one handed self portraits.

KIDS EAT FREE!- PumpEase Organic Giveaway

The beautiful Wendy of PumpEase is giving away a PumpEase Organic,  to a lucky Leaky this Halloween weekend. And Wendy is willing to ship anywhere, it's a global giveaway!


PumpEase Organic is the world's ONLY organic hands-free pumping bra.  Designed from a beautiful, unbleached and undyed knit fabric that was custom milled just for us from 90% certified organic cotton and 10% spandex, it has a wonderfully soft hand, making it a dream to wear!
Like our original hands-free pumping bra, PumpEase Organic features patent pending, 'no-stitch' horn openings, guaranteed to accommodate any breast pump on the market.
 
PumpEase Organic is as easy on the environment as breastfeeding is!™

• To be entered into this give-away go to the PumpEase website and find your favorite product in her store, come back here after you've "liked" the PumpEase Facebook page saying "I like PumpEase" and let us know your favorite product Wendy carries in her store.

• For an additional entry, share this give away on a social networking site such as Facebook, Twitter or a parenting board (Not TLB forums) and let us know how you shared it in another comment.

That's it!  This giveaway is Runs from Thursday, October 28th to Monday, November 1st.

 No trick, just a treat for those that just can't wait or are eyeing one of the other marvelous products on the PumpEase site, Wendy has given us an awesome and generous code for 15% off just for Leakies good through November 8th: LEAKIES15.  Happy shopping!

******************************************************************************************

This Give-Away Is Now Closed!

Thanks to PumpEase and everyone that entered.

The winner is Randi K! PumpEase will need your shipping address could you e-mail me that information? Congrats and enjoy!

******************************************************************************************

Don't forget the 15% discount code available through the November 8th!

LEAKIES15

Thank you Wendy for your generous giveaway and support of TLB!

TLB Gets a Little Support- Welcome PumpEase!

I am so excited to welcome a PumpEase Hands-Free Pumping Supports as a new sponsor on The Leaky B@@b! Wendy, the mom behind PumpEase offers a wonderful product and has worked hard to build a company that supports breastfeeding moms.  Wendy's been there so she knows what kind of support we need!  See the cute little add on the right?  She totally gets us moms and has a fun, funky, stylish look to her practical product.

As a sponsor, Wendy will be giving TLB readers a chance to win one of her PumpEase Organic hands-free pumping bra in an upcoming give-away so stay tuned but don't wait to get your own PumpEase until then.  Check out her website for cute prints and other necessary and fun products, two of my personal favorites are the practical breastmilk storage guidelines fridge magnets (at just $2.50 every pumping and storing mom should have one of these!  It could save you liquid gold!) and the tiny spurge-worthy Nursing Mother Goddess Necklace in stony turquoise. *drool*

Wendy was recently on The Dragon's Den, the Canadian version of The USA sow Shark Tank.  Determined, stylish, and just a really cool mom, Wendy raised breastfeeding awareness just by going on the show to market her PumpEase.  Check out the clip of her presentation!

Thank you Wendy for your sponsorship of The Leaky B@@b and the support you give breastfeeding moms everywhere!

Because it could be my baby

Certain things are supposed to happen a certain way. We can accept, if begrudgingly, that sometimes things don't go as they are "supposed" to, we can make allowances for the times when a curve ball is thrown and we swing hard only to strike. For many of us, when it comes to breastfeeding, that's what formula is for. When what is supposed to work doesn't.

But did you know that formula is the 4th and last option the World Health Organization recommends as a substitute for a mother breastfeeding? The WHO ranks infant nutrition in this order: 1) direct breastfeeding; 2) the mother’s pumped or expressed milk in a bottle; 3) another mother’s donated human milk, and 4) artificial breastmilk substitute.

Look a little further into breastmilk it's not difficult to see why. From lower infant mortality rates to a marked reduction in SIDS, from lower childhood obesity to disease fighting antibodies, from optimal nutrition to increase protection against allergies, and new studies showing that stem cells are present in breastmilk as well. And then there are the risks associated with formula feeding. With all this and then some, it is no wonder that donated breastmilk ranks higher in priority for infant nutrition than artificial breastmilk substitutes, AKA formula. So when things don't work how they are supposed to, for whatever reason, and pumping isn't a viable option, again for whatever reason, then before reaching for formula the World Health Organization recommends families find donated breastmilk.

The problem is how difficult it can be to get donated breastmilk as Karen shared in a guest post not too long ago. Whether it be via milk banks through such organizations as The Human Milk Banking Association of America or informal direct donation as found through places like MilkShare, there simply isn't enough donated milk available. And the price can be prohibitive even through direct donation if shipping is involved. This further complicates the problems of what was supposed to work, not working.

I am a milk donor. I have 4 milk babies and all of them came to their families through adoption and though their mommies tried, they were unable to induce lactation or relactate to a point to fully meet their babies needs. It has been an honor to assist these families and something I am proud of. All of my milk donation has been through informal, direct donation. Sometimes the need is because of adoption and sometimes it is for physical reasons where the mother is unable to breastfeed or has insufficient milk production. This past week I read several stories from families needing milk but one in particular stood out: a father looking for donated breastmilk for his newborn baby boy. This mother had planned to breastfeed when her son was born at the end of August and she did, for 6 days until she died unexpectedly in her sleep. Now, to honor his wife's wishes and to do the best he can for his son this father is looking for donated breastmilk. MckMama blogs about the situation, her emotional response to it and drives this father's plea further in her blog piece "The Post In Which I Ask For Your Breastmilk" asking for more lactating women to step up and help this family get the milk this little boy so needs. When I read this story and others, my mind jumps to the bags of frozen milk in my freezer and I wonder if I could increase my supply to meet these needs. Somehow, some way I want to personally provide every baby in need of breastmilk with enough milk to meet their needs. Even as I write this my eyes fill with tears again because of this tragic situation and as I fight the sting I realize something.


I donate because it could be my baby.


Because it could be my breasts that didn't produce enough or even any milk.

Because it could be my baby born in my heart but came from the body of another woman.

Because it could be my breast surgery done when I didn't think about breastfeeding my future babies.

Because it could be my baby born too early or with other complications and it could be my breasts don't produce enough through expressing and pumping.

Because it could be my health failing, it could be my heart surgery, my cancer, my complications.

Because it could be my family grieving my death and my husband looking for milk for my baby.

Because it could be my baby that needed the milk of another woman and I hope it would be there.


A few months ago a friend was very close to having her little boy and she sent me an e-mail asking me a favor: should she die would I please help her husband find breastmilk for their new baby? I wanted to tell her not to think like that, only positive thoughts going into birth but something held me back. The pure honesty in admitting a fear that I have pressed down in myself demanded an honest answer. Yes, I would do it. I also told her that I understood her fear. Because I do. In that moment all the statistics in the world don't matter, what matters are the ones that will become the reality for you family, for your baby. And you need to know there are provisions should you need them. Because it could be your baby.

In the case of my friend, she and her little guy are doing well and I am grateful I did not need to help her husband find donor milk for their son. This other family was not so fortunate and they do need donor milk. As do many others. There are far more babies who do not need donated breastmilk than do but for those that are in need the difficulty and expense in finding human milk can be too much. For these families to follow the recommendation of The World Health Organization and get donated breastmilk for their babies we need more donating moms. Have you ever wondered for even the briefest moment if your baby was getting enough milk from your breast? Have you ever been concerned that your health or medications you require could prohibit you from breastfeeding? Or have you ever let your mind wander to the fear of you not being able to get to your baby in the case of some kind of disaster or emergency? Then you can understand a fraction of the worry a mother or father with a baby in need of donated breastmilk. If you are one of those mothers or fathers please know that my heart, and my milk, goes out to you. To any woman currently lactating or will be some day, would you consider adding even just one pumping session a day into your schedule to help out these families? If you respond well to expressing your milk, please consider becoming a milk donor either through safe direct donation or by becoming a screened milk donor with a milk bank in your area. Anyone with milk already stashed in your freezer but more than you require, please explore the possibility of sharing that milk if it isn't more than 6 months old, passing it on to another family in need. If you are interested in helping the family whose story I shared briefly here please follow the hyperlink to MckMama's blog for more information and check out this information on shipping frozen breastmilk if you are not local to that family or have found another family in need of milk but not in your area. Because it could be your baby.

Every human baby deserves to have the normal nutrition for a human infant: human breastmilk. To every lactating woman, past, present and future that has ever shared or will ever share even a drop of her milk with another woman's baby I thank you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. Whether you give through safe direct donation or through an established Milk Bank such as one approved by the Human Milk Banking Association of America, I thank you.

Because it could be my baby.


Please note:
For families looking for milk, it is important that you be informed on the potential risks of receiving breastmilk through informal donation vs. a recognized milk bank when making your decision.

I'd Like to Make a Withdrawal, Please

My friend Karen is such an incredible mother, giving everything she can for her daughters. Her story brings tears to my eyes and reminds me why I pump and donated my milk. I am honored to be bringing you this guest post.


Breast is best, and natural they tell me. Breastfeeding is apparently what these boobs I have been burdened with since a young age are made for . . . but my boobs didn't get the memo. After working through some issues, I tried to breastfeed with my second child. But they would have none of it. There were three fundamental problems: 1) no milk, 2) faulty design and 3) lack of support. This led me with only 1 option, I had to make a withdrawal from the local milk bank.

I spent the entire first trimester of my pregnancy hooked up to an iv to sustain bare minimal hydration and nutrition thanks to a pregnancy disease known as Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG). There were times when it took 5 nurses 8 attempts in over an hour to get an iv started. They called in the big guns, the nurse they sweared could ALWAYS get an iv started. Ah, but my body, it was bound and determined to foil even she. So finally they put in a port, sent me home and a nurse came to my house every 3 days to check it and change the location if needed. My wonderful husband set his alarm clock for 3 a.m. so he could wake up and change my iv bags. In my third trimester, I was hospitalized another 3 times for extreme dehydration. So it shouldn't be surprising, but it was emotionally devastating, when I tried to breastfeed and simply couldn't. Apparently, in basic math terms, 9 months of extreme dehydration=no milk.

The faulty design problem became apparent when it turned out there was no nipple for the baby to attach to. A lactation consultant was called in to, well, consult. She walked in, tore open my hospital gown with no announcement or, better yet, permission and declared, "yep, you have flat nipples." Nice. Since I had given birth the day before Thanksgiving, everyone seemed more in a rush to make pies than to help a struggling mother so their basic advice was to pump as it would help bring the nipple out and the baby could create a latch. So I sent my husband to the store and he bought a pump and we were on our own for the next few days.

So here I was, trying to breastfeed and my days went something like this: Feed the baby for over an hour, because she wasn't really get any milk. Pump for two hours, and get half an ounce. Feed the baby for over an hour. Pump for two. All I did was feed and pump, pump and feed. And cry. Remember that excellent husband I mentioned above, here he made a misstep. One day as I cried about it all, he suggested that maybe I was doing it wrong. Or was, in subtler but no less stinging words, a failure - and maybe I should just give up.


Our pediatrician wrote me a prescription for a medical grade pump, which failed to deliver on its promise quite frankly. And the lactation consultants, there is apparently only one in our county, failed to return the messages I left over Thanksgiving weekend. We were, as they say, winging it - and quite unsuccessfully at that. Then, the unimaginable happened, my baby developed severe GERD. There were frequent trips to Children's hospital (seizure like episodes, apnea that resulted in her turning blue) and the recommendation was that we try changing formulas (we were supplementing as we tried to navigate our bfing nightmare). In the end, we had to use an amino acid based formula to minimize her symptoms that she is quite frankly still struggling from at 20 months.

In all of this, I did a ton of research, which is where I stumbled upon the idea of a breast milk bank. What a glorious idea I thought. I wanted my baby to get the health benefits of breastmilk but couldn't deliver traditional, but now there appeared to be a nontraditional way for me to help my baby get what was best. So I called the nearest big city hospital and due to my baby's feeding issues it was determined that I would qualify to purchase breastmilk with a prescription from my doctor. My doctor was a little more fuzzy on the idea: He was worried about sanitariness. And of course since my baby appeared to have food allergies, well - that was a different concern. But in the end we all agreed that I really, really wanted my baby to have the health benefits of breastmilk and it couldn't hurt to try.

Well, it did hurt my pocket book. Donor breastmilk was almost as expensive as the amino acid based formula I had to buy. In the end, we could only afford to give her 1 6 ounce bottle a day for about 3 months. But, they say that a little is better than none and I hope that is true. My secret hope is that the antibodies from the breastmilk helped to make her food allergies less severe. I will say that despite her incredible issues with food (I mentioned she has incredible issues with food, right?)- she has had no other types of illness. No flu. No colds. No croup. A couple of ear infections that didn't require treatment, but that was more than likely from the food allergies.


Since donated breastmilk from a hospital bank is pasteurized, there is some question as to how the antibodies compare to unpastuerized breast milk. But again, I am going with the some is better than none theory unless science comes back and tells me differently. I have heard that some moms are able to get donated milk from someone they know that is unpasteurized making this a moot point. I did the best that I could do for my baby - and I hope that other moms will have the opportunity.

To tell the truth this isn't really that bizarre of a concept - when the Earthquake in China killed many of its citizens a couple of years ago, one of the stories that came out was about how one woman breastfed some of the orphaned babies to keep them alive. Imagine the generosity involved in giving not only of your nutrients, but your time and body in this way.

I am very thankful to the women that donated breastmilk to the bank I used. And now I encourage everyone who can to do so. There are many medical reasons why a woman may be unable to breastfeed, and donated milk can help their babies get the gift and benefits of breastfeeding. Do research to determine where a milk bank near you is and sign up to be a donor - it was such a blessing to my family, and it will be to many more. I am not the only woman who is looking to make a withdrawal.

Exclusively Pumping: My Journey Thus Far

For our WBW blog carnival on "Perspectives: Breastfeeding From Every Angle" we are pleased to host guest posts from various contributors. Today we are honored to share from Beth Anne Mowery, exclusively pumping mom for her son Preston.

Before I became pregnant I had never really given breastfeeding much thought as no one in my family or I knew had done it. Once I became pregnant I bought many pregnancy and parenting books to help me prepare for the unknown that was happening to me. I read about breastfeeding and how it was so much better for the baby to receive the colostrum when they were first born. I decided that I liked the idea of breast milk, but would prefer to pump. There was not a lot of information on pumping, so as my due date approached I decided I would give breastfeeding a try first and go from there. Somehow I would make sure Preston got that “liquid gold” I had read so much about.

On the day of Preston’s birth, I breastfed him right after he was born. I was tired, he was tired, and I was anxious as any first time mother is. The nurses kept pressuring me to give him formula until my milk “came in.” I politely refused and told them he was doing just fine. It hurt so bad, I’m not going to lie. I wanted to give up, but I knew that this was something I needed and wanted to do for my son. My recovery nurse even threatened that they would take my baby to the NICU for low blood sugar if I didn’t give him formula. I hand expressed some milk into a little cup and fed him that way to prove to that nurse that yes in fact my baby was getting something in his tummy.

We bought my pump before we left the hospital because I insisted to my husband that I had to have it. It was around $300 for the pump, plus all the extra storage containers and what not to go with it, quite a large investment. When we got home I had so many visitors. Everyone kept asking if they could feed Preston a bottle. I tried to explain that I was nursing, but they all laughed and exclaimed in a few weeks I would come to my senses and he would be on formula. I did not feel comfortable nursing period let alone in front of all of my visitors, so I quietly got my pump and went to my bedroom determined to prove all of them wrong. I was going to give Preston the best thing I could ever give him, no matter how badly it might hurt. That’s how I got started exclusively pumping or EP.

I felt much more comfortable with the pump on my breasts than I did with my son. He hurt and liked to look around and pull my nipple from day one. He did not have any latching issues, but for my sanity, pumping worked better for me and he was still getting my “liquid gold.” As the days turned to weeks and the weeks became months, I learned more about breast milk than I ever thought humanly possible. Did it hurt at first? Hell yes it hurt, but that pain was for a good cause, my son. A mother will do ANYTHING for the well-being of their child. After about 14 weeks, it didn’t hurt so bad, I guess I became immune to the pain. Now, pumping is habit and I don’t know what life is like not doing it.

At first I barely got anything, but I would offer Preston what I had pumped and he took it eagerly. I tried to pump then feed him, but I discovered he was hungry a lot sooner than I was pumping. I finally figured out to pump ever 2 hours around the clock, even if he was sleeping, so I could keep up with his demands. Little by little ½ an ounce became 1 ounce then 1 ounce became 2 ounces. I now pump after every bottle he takes; it varies between 2-4 hours, but no longer than 4 hours. I even get up in the middle of the night to pump, even though Preston sleeps a solid 6 hours during the night. I am now proud to say I make over 35 ounces a day (way more than he eats). I freeze the daily leftovers for my just in case stash, but I always offer him fresh milk for his next feeding. It tickles me to death that I have been EPing for over 4 months and I am still going strong and my supply is wonderful. I have had to take Fenugreek and drink Mother’s Milk Tea to help regulate my supply. Lactation consultants are invaluable for their advice with supply regulation. Use them!!

Oh and EPing has some pretty amazing perks besides being best for baby. The biggest perks to EPing are as follows: I can pretty much eat whatever I want (as long as Preston tolerates it well) and not gain weight, his poop doesn’t smell bad (HUGE plus!!-have you ever smelled a formula fed baby’s diaper—phew!!), no stinky/staining spit-up, Preston smells great (like vanilla), have you seen a “milk drunk” baby? (That is some hardcore sleeping), the money we save is AWESOME, and finally breast milk makes babies smarter (who doesn’t want an Ivey League graduate?).

I love it when people ask me why I am still pumping or even why I do it. I take this opportunity to educate them (mostly young 20-somethings like myself) on the importance of breast milk rather fresh from the tap or given in a bottle. I even have my 16 year old cousin thinking that pumping breast milk for the baby or nursing your baby is the normal thing. She said she saw a woman nursing in public at Disney World and she told her how awesome it was she was giving her baby such an amazing gift! Gosh I was proud of my cousin for saying that to the nursing mother.

My family (with exceptions to my mom, husband, mother in law, and cousin) still think I am crazy for giving Preston breast milk. They keep offering to pay for formula if “money is an issue.” They don’t understand I want to and need to do this for Preston’s health, which it is just not about saving money. It is about saving his health, giving him antibodies to protect him, and starting him out on the right path nutritionally. I love looking at my son knowing that every roll on his legs or arms is because of me and my hard work and dedication with pumping around the clock. That baby fat is from my milk alone and nothing else. My baby is thriving and happy on my breast milk and at the end of the day that is really all that matters.

Heather and Darin's Story

We're happy to share a guest post by our friend Heather and her breastfeeding experience. Heather has 3 children and 3 totally different breastfeeding experiences. She wanted to write to reinforce the last guest blogger. Today is the second and final segment of Heather's story.

Heather and her children today.

I was fortunate to have a super-healthy 2nd baby, and experienced 18 months of wonderful breastfeeding with him without complications.

My 3rd child, Darin, was born to me by adoption. He was a 33-week preemie who also has Down syndrome, and I really wanted him to have the benefits of breastfeeding. Unfortunately, I did not have a long time to study the inductive lactation protocol. By the grace of God, the time from when we entered the adoption process, to when Darin was in our home was 5 weeks.

But I still had to give it a shot. After such a successful experience of pumping, and breastfeeding, I was certain that my body could figure out how to feed Darin.

So, I found a friend who had ordered Domperidone from a Canadian pharmacy to help with her milk supply, and I started taking this medication that has a common-side effect of lactation, even in men! I started pumping every 2 hours.

And a little milk started appearing.

A.little.milk.

Like drops.

By the 4th week, a whole days pumping would yield 8 oz. And I had gained 8 lbs.
But the good thing was, Darin was a strong baby. While still in the NICU, he was drinking 4 oz bottles of formula. So, when I put him to the breast, he knew what to do. And even though he didn't get alot of nutrition from me, we did gain in our bonding from this.

I had to weigh the personal effect of gaining weight so rapidly (others reported 25 lbs of gain during the inductive protocol), against getting 1 bottle of milk per day. And the milk was very watery, thin, and white. Not what hearty breastmilk looks like.
So I gave up the idea of making the milk for Darin, and started working on the next-best thing:
Find donor milk!

I found a huge network of women in my area that were breastfeeding moms who pumped either for work, or just to have a stockpile, who would share with us.
Each week for about 2 months, I'd drive house to house to pick up 3, 10, 15 bottles of milk.
And then I hit the mother-load! There was a mom who had filled an entire deep-freezer, and her son never took a bottle! She donated the whole freezer to Darin. He ate off her for 1 whole month.

Darin today.

Fortunately, due to Darin's prematurity, Darin was eligible for pasturized donor milk through the Mother's Milk Bank in Austin. Insurance began to cover a weekly shipment of frozen donor milk to feed Darin from 4 months old until he was 1 year old. Such a gift.

Heather and Arabella's story

We're happy to share a guest post by our friend Heather and her breastfeeding experience. Heather has 3 children and 3 totally different breastfeeding experiences. She wanted to write to reinforce the last guest blogger.

My first child was born on September 11, 2001. Upon meeting her, I was excited to figure out feeding her with my body. While we spent the next few hours together, I attempted to share small drops that were available from my breasts, and snuggle her, all while feeling modest and ackward holding this slippery little sweetie.

In my inexperienced opinion, I thought we were doing okay. While the breasts felt empty, I felt comfortable trusting the wise women around me, that she was getting the golden immunities she needed, while living off the reserve from her in utero feeding.

But on the first morning after she was born, our life got pretty crazy. Arabella had gone to the nursery for a genetics test - just a little blood draw to diagnosis what we all suspected - that Arabella had Down syndrome.

The nursery didn't seem to be bringing her back as fast as I thought they should, so I wandered down to check on her. I saw a busy nursery, with several extra nurses in different uniforms... and eventually, I figured out that they were surrounding my baby. I was told that she had started to look pale, and that her oxygen was low, so the Texas Children's Kangaroo Team was transporting her to TCH to check on her heart.

By the time I showered, and got someone to push me over to Texas Children's NICU, Arabella had an NG-tube from her nose to her tummy. They explained her breathing was too rapid for her to eat by mouth, and that IV and NG-tube feeding would be the route for several days.
And that's when I was sent to the Milk Bank, a place in the hospital where I learned to pump.
I tried pumping faithfully every 2 hours for the next 2 days, while wandering the NICU as a super-swollen, post-preeclampsic, confused-as-to-what-being-a-mom-looks-like-in-a hospital new mom.

Then my milk came in... I think it was day 4. OHHHHH, it came in. My breasts were suddenly (NO EXAGGERATION) the size of a cantelope... EACH. And hard as a rock.

And my pumping changed.

I would still enter the little room, hook up to the dual-pumping machine.

But NOTHING would come out.

NOTHING.

And the pain was increasing.

I consulted with EVERYONE - the lactation consultants, my midwives, my mom, my friends - and nothing recommended worked. I even found an office in the hospital with a bathtub to soak in.

Then I found the problem.

Out of each of the tiny holes on the tip of my nipple (FYI, milk comes out of LOTS of holes, not just one), I pulled a string of white dried milk. So all the pumping was creating NO internal suction. It was just hitting a wall.

Once this obstacle was overcome, I settled into my pumping routine. For the 18 days Arabella was there, I spent my days trying to get her to eat out of the breast with a lactation consultation - then finding out that over 20 mins of trying would exhaust her heart and burn more calories than she gained; going to pump and banking the milk; then making sure that the milk that went down the NG tube & eventually a bottle was mine.

Arabella with her G-button.

Two nights during this visit, I slept through a feeding. My alarm clock next to the couch in the waiting room did not get me up for the 3am feeding. And when I rushed back to the NICU at 3:45, I found that the nurse was unable to locate my breastmilk and gave a feeding of formula.
Both of these nights, which were about 2 weeks apart, after having formula, Arabella's intestines would stop working. They thought it was a symptom of Hirschsprung's disease, semi-common in kids with Down syndrome. But each time, all problems disappeared after a day without the formula.

So, Arabella needed breastmilk.

No pressure.

As my days of mothering in the NICU were coming to a close, I was faced with a new expense - a hospital-grade breastpump was needed for home. Fortunately, my mom suggested calling WIC, a nutritional supplement program, and asking if they had pumps.

WIC's lactation consultant, Cathy Eng, drove the 30 miles to TCH to bring me my very own Ameda hospital-grade pump. She also promised to work with Arabella and I in our home to get that sweetie feeding from the breast. And she did. She came to my house as often as I asked, and we tried really hard for 6 months.

But the whole time, I was pumping every 2 hours. And I got pretty used to it. My body learned to let down in response to a machine, with a heart warmed by a baby. People who visited learned to step outside while I pump, cuz I wasn't relocating my whole set-up from my living room coffee table! And eventually, I learned to single-hand manual pump while driving!

Arabella's feeding is her own story. She ended up with failure-to-thrive when she was below-birth-weight at 3 months from feeding by mouth. She returned to the NG tube, then had a more-permanent G-button put in her stomach at 4 months. The acid-reflux from these intrusions caused her to have an oral-aversion, not wanting anything in her mouth from 4 months-6 months. But by 1 year old, she had her broken heart fixed, had overcome the oral-aversion, and was weaned off the G-button. She finished her first 8-oz bottle of milk by mouth about 2 weeks before she was 1 year old.

Arabella is 8 years old now. And she knows about breastfeeding. When she asks if she drank from my breasts, I am grateful that I can tell her that I loved her through the milk, even when we couldn't share the breast itself.

Arabella, age 8

Tips and Tricks for Exclusively Pumping Breastmilk

Gini and her daughter Claire.

We were happy to share a guest post by our friend Gini and her breastfeeding experience. Here are her tips and tricks for Exclusively Pumping breastmilk for your baby.

Tips and Tricks for EPing

1. Talk to a lactation consultant about supplements. I took 600mg of Fenugreek, three capsules- three times a day. It really boosted my milk supply, so much that when I was ready to stop pumping, I quit taking those and I experience very little discomfort weaning myself from the pump.

2. Find a comfortable place to pump. For me it was the bed. I would stack a ton of pillows between me and the headboard, watch tv, read my Bible, or just close my eyes. It was also nice that in the middle of the night I didn’t have to get up and go anywhere.

3. If you choose to EP, buy an extra set of pump parts. Pumping and washing seven times a day while caring for a newborn/ infant is hard enough. And use larger bottles rather than the 4-5 ounce ones that come with the pump.

4. You can store pump parts in the fridge between pumping sessions. When I learned this about three months into it, things became much easier. This was perfect for my middle of the night pumping. I would start with two clean sets of pump parts on my nightstand before I went to bed. I used the first at 1am, and when I was finished I put it in the fridge. I used the second set at 4am and put those in the fridge as well. Then, I would use the 1am pump parts (just clean breast shields) for the 9am pumping, and the 4am set from the noon pumping. This cut my washings down drastically.

Travelling with the Pump

1. Don’t be afraid to pack up the pump and take it with you places. When Claire was 8 weeks old, she and I flew to see my parents in New Orleans, and I successfully pumped in airport bathroom handicapped stall while feeding Claire, who was in her stroller. You can pump anywhere.

2. This brings me to… get a Hooter Hider, or an Udder Cover (www.uddercover.com). Whatever you want to call it, get one. It’s made for nursing mothers, but worked for me as well. I could pump in my car during the first few weeks back at work or in a room with my friends who aren’t quite close enough to see my ladies.

3. And pack lots of extra batteries in the pump. I could pump about two straight days worth on one set (of eight AA) batteries. Consider a car converter- one that allows you to plug in your A/C adapter in the car’s power outlet.

And pack the bag. They give you space there for a reason. Some of the things I kept in there were Lanolin wipes, Lanolin nipple cream, extra breast pads, spare white membranes (http://www.medelabreastfeedingus.com/products/pump-accessories/207/extra-membranes), spare breast milk storage bags, an old watch if you don’t wear one to keep up with your time, a little devotional book to help pass those fifteen minutes.

Milk Pumping Factory Part 2

We're happy to share a guest post by our friend Gini and her breastfeeding experience. The story of the breastfeeding journey she and her daughter went on will be shared here in parts. Today we conclude with part 2.


We brought the boobs full and the baby hungry and were primed for some breastfeeding lessons from a pro. Claire got naked and weighed, and then we nursed. Fifteen minutes on each side. Weighed again, and she pretty much shocked us all. She had only taken half an ounce in thirty minutes of nursing. At this rate, she would still not get enough if she was attached to the boob 24/7. I felt so deflated, like I wasn’t doing something right.

We tried again, this time with the lactation consultant all up in my business and touching my boobs more than my husband had in months. Claire started screaming. And I started crying. My mom sees me crying and she starts crying. I’m sure we were a sight to behold. Claire was starving and I felt like my boobs were going to literally explode in her face. To offer me some relief, the lactation consultant suggested I pump. Since I am notorious for forgetting things, I had never been so glad to have remembered a little black backpack in my life.

Mom and I had gone to Babies R Us when Claire was a few days old for a few minutes out of the house and to buy a pump. I knew that I would like to have the option of leaving Claire for a few hours or to have my husband feed her one middle-of-the-night when I couldn’t drag myself out from under the sheets. Armed with coupons (you can read more about my couponing tips and tricks here) we set out for what would be the single most used baby item in my house. Mom bought me the Medela Pump In Style Advanced Backpack (which is a double-electric) for a little more than $200.

And man, was it the best $200 bucks she’d ever spent! Not only did the pump give me relief in the lactation room, but it would go on to help me feed my baby for nearly six months. I told her that I wasn’t necessarily tied to the idea of feeding Claire from the breast- as long as she was fed- I was okay. So the decision was made, with great encouragement from the consultant and my mom… I would exclusively pump. She gave me loads of information on how to create and maintain a solid milk supply. Letting down with a pump is quite different than with a nursing infant, so I still had a lot to learn.

She put me on some supplements and a schedule. I was to pump 15 minutes every three hours during the day and every four hours at night, for a total of seven times in 24 hours. I was also to use the let-down button on the pump every five minutes so that I could have three separate let downs during each pumping session. I also was fitted for a correctly size breast shield and picked up another set of pump parts, both of which saved my life.

In the beginning, this is what my day looked like:

7am- Wake up, shower, eat breakfast

8am- Claire wakes up, feed/ change/ dress baby

9am- Pump, wash and make bottles for the day, clean pump parts from overnight (Claire is awake so she sits on the bed with me while I pump, and I wear her or she plays on the floor while I clean)

10am- Feed Claire

Noon- Claire is napping while I pump

1pm- Feed Claire, wash bottles and pump parts from morning (Luke is home for lunch so he plays with Claire while I make lunch, we both eat and I clean up)

3pm- Claire is napping while I pump

4pm- Feed Claire

5pm- Make Dinner

6pm- Pump, wash bottles and pump parts from the afternoon

7pm- Feed Claire, Eat Dinner

8pm- Bathe Claire, Put her to bed

9pm- Pump, wash parts so as to have two clean sets for overnight pumping, make night time bottles

10pm- Go to bed (or try to J)

Midnight- DH dreamfeeds Claire

1am- Pump

2am- Feed Claire

5am- Pump and Feed Claire

Start all over again at 7am

I’ll admit it was rough at first, but I got the hang of it. And my husband helped (as much as he could short of hooking himself up to the pump). In the beginning, I had trouble pumping an ounce per session, but when I began to wean four months later I was pumping nearly 10 ounces per session. And once your supply is established (around two months for me) you can eliminate one night time feeding (pump at 3am rather than 1am and 5am). And once your supply goes back up (like a week later) you can eliminate a day time pumping (1pm and 5pm rather than noon, 3pm and 6pm).

I pumped and I pumped for a little more than four months. I was able to feed my daughter and freeze over 1000 ounces of breast milk to take her almost to six months old. And I didn’t have any trouble weaning from the pump. I took the maximum dosage of Sudafed (and it’s safe to give your baby breast milk while taking this), got back on birth control (both of which will help dry of your milk) and cut one pumping session every three days.

Exclusively pumping (EPing) is an option. I am so glad someone gave me this option. It gave me a great sense of accomplishment that I was able to breastfeed my baby when nursing didn’t work for either of us. You need the support and understanding of family and friends. It is very difficult (or for me it was) to care for the baby while attached to a machine. EPing is an option that worked for me and my family. You have to do what works best for you and your family.

Luke and I do want to have more children (at least one, maybe two more). I think I will try to breastfeed, but first read and try to learn more about feeding from the breast. If it doesn't work, like it didn't for Claire, that's fine. Or if I find feeding from teh breast to be more convenient, that's fine too. It's comforting knowing that exclusively pumping will always be an option.

The Milk Pumping Factory

We're happy to share a guest post by our friend Gini and her breastfeeding experience. The story of the breastfeeding journey she and her daughter went on will be shared here in parts. Today we bring you part 1.

Hi, my name is Gini! My husband, Luke, and I welcomed our beautiful baby Claire into our family on October 11, 2009. I also have a step-daughter, Bella who is six, and we live outside of Birmingham, Alabama. I only have a few dozen readers over at The McGlothin Family but I thought I had a pretty good story to share. I hope you’ll agree.

Let me first start by saying that I am not pro-breastfeeding. Nor am I pro-pumping. Nor am I pro-formula feeding. I am pro-baby feeding. I think people that make you feel bad about the decisions you make for your family are morons.Those who give their babies bottles or those who nurse in public are both given the side-eye. Moms can’t win. Now I’ll get down from my soap box.

After a long labor and more than three hours of pushing, I was exhausted but overjoyed, holding this little angel in my arms.I just knew I would cradle her, look into the beautiful blue eyes passed down to her by her father and a glow would surround us as we began the bonding that is breastfeeding. I mean, this is supposed to be natural, right? Women have done this for centuries, right? How hard could it be, right?

Wrong. And wrong some more. Claire would fight the boob like it was poison delivered by a nipple made of broken glass. She would have nothing to do with nursing at all.I broke down and fed her formula (gasp!), which I was perfectly fine with. I was nervous about nipple confusion, but I still was naive enough to think she would come back to me and that glorious glow would find us again and we would both become breastfeeding pros in no time.

Also to consider was, long story short, I was laid off from my job last April when I was 16 weeks pregnant with Claire. Needless to say, I could not find a job given the economy, and on top of that I had an already big belly brewing. I knew I would be out of work at least until early 2010, so we needed to stretch every dollar in order to make it on one salary. Breastfeeding was part of that. We needed to save money at every turn, not spending it on formula when we could feed her breastmilk for free. Not only did I have the pressure I put on myself to be the perfect mom but I also had dollar signs flashing in my mind. The day after Claire was born I said to myself, come hell or high water, I would breastfeed Claire. I would not let her or my checkbook down.(And I am fully aware that this is pressure I put on myselfnot that anyone else put on me.Don’t ever let someone pressure you do something or be someone.)

So I spent lots of time with the lactation consultant in the hospital, and things slowly got better. Claire needed four or five formula bottles while we were there, and other than that, was starting to get the hang of the boob. I was so proud.Proud of myself. Proud of my baby. Really proud of my super supportive husband. We were a family, and we were making it through the first of many obstacles together.

And then we go home. And things got worse. Claire had lost more than the average 7% of her body weight before we were discharged. And when we saw the pediatrician again at 4 days old she was down almost 2 pounds from her birth weight. The pediatrician recommended we up the formula because Claire was simply not gaining enough weight. I began to doubt the idyllic breastfeeding situation I had fought so hard to create.

My milk finally came in when she was a week old. Now, I knew we would get back on track. Wrong again. Even with my crazy-full boobs waiting to be relieved, Claire still wasn’t getting enough to eat. So at ten days old, I packed up my momma and my babe and we trekked back to the hospital for another visit with the lactation consultant. The visit that would change everything.

To be continued...