So when I initially returned to work, from maternity leave, I had a problem with my supply. I know a lot of pumping and breast feeding mommies that work know this reality all too well. It was very stressful to try and keep up with my babies milk intake while working that first week. Slowly I was falling behind. As I got more and more discouraged I decided to try and find outside help. First, I tried oatmeal, which did help some in the morning pumping sessions. Then, I tried Lactation Cookies, which definitely increased my supply overall. Lastly, and the most important change I made to my routine, was taking "More Milk Plus". I used the capsules due to the negative reviews on the liquid, and haven't had any negative side effects. The vitamins don't hurt my stomach or smell weird and started working about the second to third day I started taking them. They really helped me catch up with Jolene's daily milk needs, and I now have a little stash in the freezer. I really like this company and love that these vitamins are Non-GMO and made in the USA. They go for about $20 for a 60 count on Amazon, which lasts me about a month, since I take a little less than the recommended dosage and only use them on days I work/pump. The recommended dosage is 1 capsule 4 times daily or if you are over 175 lbs, 2 capsules 3 times daily. I only take 1 or 2 once a day in the morning before I pump and it seems to do the trick. I have read other women's responses saying that they take over the recommended dosage to notice a boost in their supply, so keep that in mind if you don't see results with your initial try. This is definitely a pumping essential for when you are still trying to establish your milk supply and I really hope this works out for any of my fellow mamas out there!
Okay. so here's my disclaimer, feel free to skip this post if you are not a breastfeeding mama. This will literally not benefit you one bit, unless you are trying to buy a gift for someone else. So, I have used, and loved, both of these products, but there are some differences and I'm sure a clear winner between the two. Instead of creating two separate reviews, I went ahead and combined them into an intense face off of the nipple moisturizers!
So the first I tried was actually the Earth Mama brand. My husband bought it for me when we first brought the baby home, mostly because it was in this large section of Earth Mama items, and he bought me a couple to spoil me. I loved it at first try. It smells great, like cocoa butter, and has no taste, I know from using it as a lip balm. It is completely safe to use before nursing, which is a plus because some nipple ointments require you wiping them off before nursing. It isn't sticky like lanolin, which I love, that stuff was ruining my bras. Also, I really enjoy this company, the majority of the products they put out there are organic or natural and they have the cutest little pictures of mama and babies on their packaging. It really helped with that lovely chapped feeling a new mom is blessed with right after birth. I had extremely dry nipples throughout pregnancy, I guess because of hormones. Nursing and pumping only made them worse. I tried lanolin, which I recommend only if you have like lets say blisters, gross right? Also, Lanolin helps when when you are so sore the water pressure from a shower is hurting, it creates a nice little moisture barrier. The Earth Mama Balm really helps with the pain of nursing and can help you get through those first impossible weeks. All my natural mama's out there, yes coconut oil works wonders as well, but I found that the moisture was only temporary and as we all know it does have a taste and I didn't want Jolene preferring it to au natural nipples. Earth Mama's brand can be on the pricier side, Michael usually buys it from Market Street for about $15 a pop, and yes you read that bottle correctly, it is only 2 oz. However, I can usually find it on Amazon selling for less than $10. Here's the link. The next one I used was obviously the Motherlove. Motherlove is an amazing company, I use their More Milk Plus supplements, which I have also reviewed. They are free of GMOs, USDA certified organic, and cruelty free. However, I don't like this product as much as the Earth Mama counterpart. It leaves a taste, and again I tried it as a lip balm, I'm not a total weirdo. Also, it is a smaller package for about the same price. It's half the size of the EM brand, and usually runs for about $10, Amazon is selling it for a couple cents under that now. Here is the link. It does stay buttery though, and one problem I forgot to mention I had with the EMAB nipple butter was the fact that there towards the end the substance would crystalize and I would have to soak the container in warm water to get it all back to the same consistency. Now that I'm no longer in the "new mommy" nursing stages, I don't really need to use either product. Except for pumping, I never pump dry, ouch. So if you're not having the problems that these products aim to solve, use the $10 to buy a cute onesie for your little bambino and save yourself some cash. However, if you are, either of these are a suitable choice and can also be used as a face moisturizer, lip balm, and diaper cream. So, you could carry this small container around, just to cut down on the clutter of your diaper bag. I have been searching for a way to eat healthier and still be thrifty. During the past week, or so, my goal has been to cut out dairy and replace it with more fruits and vegetables. Also, this past month, I decided to try to replace most of my pantry staples with organic products, as well as my refrigerator with produce. I kept trying to figure out ways I could afford to buy organic produce. Well, while scrolling through my millions of emails I receive (mostly spam), I stumbled upon a groupon for organic produce from a company, Itsorganic2u. I was weary of this 'too good to be true' deal, ($22). I scoffed, "Well who ever heard of delivering produce to your doorstep?". Later, I remembered that email while searching through some ads for a deal on organic produce. I decided to look into it. It's pretty simple; they deliver to you sometime between 11pm and 4 am, so before you leave for work you can bring it inside. Also, the temperatures are so cold right now our produce stayed cool all night! If you are worried about the produce, like on a particularly warm night, they recommend leaving a cooler out for their delivery guy and he will transfer the items into the cooler for you. Included is a paper with information on storing procedures and recipes for your organic in-season produce.
Jolene loves this toy, and so does her 9 month old cousin, Noah. It transcends ages, I guess. It's very easy for those little baby hands to grasp and thrash around. We have had so much trouble getting Jolene to grab her toys, or at least to hold onto them until we found this toy, or rather received in our November Citrus Lane box.
It makes plenty of noise so she stays interested. Also, if she looses grip, the whole toy is almost like a miniature jungle gym and her little baby paw almost gets "stuck" in it. So, when she looses her handle on it, she still keeps the toy on her wrist and can search around with her fingers to find a piece to grab back onto. When I say "stuck" I don't mean we have to pry it off her little hands, she can easily slip her hand out of it if she wants to, it just happens that she can wear it like a bracelet. She recently started using it to bang her toys hanging down from her mobile/arch contraption attached to her tummy time mat. I believe it is because of this toy that she now shows more interest in her other toys and today I actually caught her trying to reach for a toy hanging from the arch I mentioned before; she only started playing with this about two weeks ago and has improved so much. Her therapist was even remarking on how much better she was doing. I'm sure some of it goes to my amazing wonder of a child, but I really feel this toy helped her to develop an appetite for playing. It's also Eco-friendly and made in the USA. Here's a line from their site that has all the major selling points: "Made in the USA from 100% food-safe recycled plastic milk containers that save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. No BPA, PVC, phthalates, or external coatings. Meets FDA food contact standards. Dishwasher safe too. Color combinations may vary." You can find it on Amazon, World Market, and of course the Green Toys website for anywhere from $8.00 to $11.00. I started off with the Medela Symphony when I was in the hospital after having my daughter. I really like this pump, and what's not to like? Medela is the #1 rated pump brand on the market, but it has an unfortunate issue, getting milk in the tubing and motor. I used the hospital grade one, and it was very comfortable. One pro is it is extremely simple to operate, it has an automatic let down cycle. Some cons are: that there are lots of little pieces to wash, and many users complain about mold due to contaminated tubing. This particular pump will run you just over $2,000. The Ameda Elite is what I used at Cooks, I was disappointed I couldn't continue to use the Medela, they only had one per floor. This pump works well, it isn't too loud, and the Ameda pump parts are one piece, so they are very easy to clean. However, I didn't get very much milk using this pump, mainly because the flange size was too large. Also, this pump is very bulky and when you are pumping constantly, it is troublesome to move from room to room. The next pump I used was the Lansinoh Affinity. This pump is one of the cheapest double electrics on the market, and I love it. The suction is pretty strong, and it is very light and easy to move around (you could carry it in your diaper bag). This pump can be used on the go with batteries, and also there is a car charger adapter on the market. The flanges are comfortable, but once again too large. Lansinoh doesn't manufacture smaller flanges, so I contacted the costumer service team to see if they could help me with this problem. They informed me the Medela flanges were interchangeable, and that they could also send me some Pumpin' Pal flanges "on the house", which I will review later, since they didn't offer what I needed. I received the flanges the next day, so needless to say their costumer service team rocks. Lastly, I've used the Ameda Purely Yours, this pump is tiny, maybe even lighter than the Lansinoh alternative, and held in high regard. Ameda is the #2 brand out there and it is FDA approved because of the pumps proven airlock protection, insuring that the tubing and motor is never contaminated. This pump seems to have weaker suction in my opinion, but finally came with a smaller size flange that fit me well. I get a decent amount of milk using this pump, and I like the fact that the pump also can be used with batteries and a car adapter, making it even more portable for moms on the go, like myself. In the end it is the Purely Yours I ended up using on a daily basis, and although the dials are somewhat difficult to turn, and it is kind of bland compared to it's predecessors, it's durable and reliable.
What pumps have you used in the past, and what are your thoughts on them? Leave your info in the comments below! When Jolene was in the NICU, she loved these things. She used them to get her through being connected to an IV, blood pressure cuff, and constantly being tested, and pricked to check her blood sugar. Also, the sweet smell of vanilla kept her in our memories when we were apart and my husband and I caught a whiff of vanilla. When researching breastfeeding, all resources agreed firmly, artificial nipples should not be used. I had my mind set, no bottles or pacifiers would be used. However, when things took a turn for the worst, and her blood sugar dropped they informed me she would be getting a bottle. Then, before I could make a decision she received a pacifier. Most experts agree though, that a pacifier can help soothe babies when they undergo a traumatic experience such as a stay in the NICU, and in this case should be used. Also, according to the AAP they help reduce the risk of SIDS, since babies love to suck, at night they might attempt to suck on a favorite toy or blanket and suffocate, and pacifiers will prevent this. Soothies have been used for decades, I had one when I was a newborn, and there's a reason, they are amazing at calming babies. Other pacifiers are great and I admit all I've ever used are soothies, but the majority agrees soothies and gumdrop pacifiers are better for breastfed babies. All I can say is she loves these, and although she did indeed acquire nipple preference, I believe it was due to bottle use. Since we retrained her to nurse, we have continued using these pacifiers and she hasn't shown nipple preference again. She does get lazy when she is trying to get the hind milk, but most people agree the risk pacifiers play now in breastfeeding is not nipple preference, but instead low milk supply due to the fact a pacifier can suppress appetite. So breastfeeding mamas, just make sure to nurse often and you'll avoid that slippery slope.
Everyone has to have heard this book title once in their lives, more than once if they are actually expecting. It pretty much explains itself, however I do think there are some key points of this book that deserve some recognition. First off ladies, your OBGYN will not explain to you all the do's and don't's of pregnancy. This book will, and for a lot cheaper than your doctor would charge you. While some of the information is not always the best advice, most of this wisdom is an invaluable resource. Also, lets face it, pregnancy can be messy, ugly, and awkward and I don't know about you, but it's not always the easiest thing discussing bowel movements and discharge with your health care provider, this book offers an escape from that innevitable. While trying to point you in the right direction if there is real concern, because while being named "the pregnancy bible" it is no substitute for an actual medical degree. It's also quite organized, easy to follow along, and sprinkled with lots of lady humor. My favorite part though, was the end, there is a postpartum recovery section, a chapter on breastfeeding, and some awesome exercise tips. Also, look out dads, theres a nice chunk of reading material stuck there at the end for you as well. So don't give up once you leave the hospital with your bundle, the gurus at What to Expect, still have plenty of wisdom to share during those hectic first few weeks, when you find yourself frantically calling relatives asking, "Is this normal?".
Also, for those of you who don't know, there are plenty more books from the What to Expect franchise, next in line would be "What to Expect: The First Year", I can obviously not review this book yet, since my child is not a year old and I am currently reading it. However, I will tell you what I have read is just as helpful and relieving as the information in its predecessor. |