Product Spotlight: Breastfeeding Devices and Accessories

meggyme

@Lbloom do you just mean a footstool where you will be nursing or a specific foot stool? I agree completely, last time I would put my feet up on a little armchair we had for DD1 when i’d nurse at night. This time I bought a stuffable pouf. My chair has a footrest but it’s hard to get it open and closed easily and quietly (it’s a recliner).

ashley14598

I think this has been addressed already but I’m not sure 100% so sorry if it’s a repeat. I’m looking into the spectra S2 this time but my DH is disappointed because we already have the Medela PISA and all the parts/etc. Is there a way I can get the spectra S2 and still use my Meleda parts with it? Thanks! 

thedaint87

@ashley14598 Yes, you can! I ended up buying a Spectra as a second pump when I was EPing with DS.  I liked the Medela flanges better so I used those with these little converter things and then put the backflow protectors on top.  There are a lot of photos in the reviews that explain it better.  There are also adaptors to make the Medela bottles fit the Spectra.

 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DGEDVUM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_QPmrCbSR4068P

Lbloom

@meggyme I use a foot stool made specifically for nursing. Found it on amazon. It is wooden and the platform height can be adjusted. I made sure to get it in time for DD2'S arrival because I noticed I was always trying to lift my knees higher by using my tippy toes when I sat on my deep/sinking couch to nurse DD1. Uncomfortable much?

meggyme

@thedaint87 you’ve used those? Do they work pretty well? I was planning to buy some when my completion coupon activated but I wasn’t sure if it was an actual good solution. I have a trillion medela parts from my first that I got from a friend and I liked the medela  calma bottle nipples.

lisee923

@meggyme have you decided between another PISA and a spectra?  I really can't decide.  

thedaint87

@meggyme Yep, I used the ones I linked to and didn't have any trouble with them. It's nice that one little piece can make that conversion because I ended up liking the Spectra pump itself and the Medela parts.  Best of both worlds! 

meggyme

@lisee923 I went with the Spectra S1. I paid the extra $95 in the hopes that the cordless function will make pumping with a toddler easier. It showed up on Thursday and I plan to get the adapter linked above so I can still use my Medela parts, and more importantly the bottles.

ashley14598

@thedaint87 thanks!! I definitely think I’m going to go with the spectra in this case. 

lisee923

@meggyme nice.  I'm leaning towards spectra as well but I think my insurance will only cover the s2 or s2 with a bag, cooler, etc.  No s1 listed.  Having some mobility would be awesome.  The medela freestyle is an option but $$$$.  I'm torn.

mihaelams1

I'm planning to get a Spectra as well (+conversion kits). My insurance also covers only S2, but that's ok. I have a ton of Medela parts, plus the PISA pump, which is 3 years old. Oh, and all pumping rooms at work have the Medela Symphony, so I'll need to get tubing for that one as well. And I just caved in and bought the freemie collection cups today since I had a coupon for $15 off a $50 purchase at BuyBuy Baby. With so many options for pumps and parts, my breasts better be producing lots of milk this time around!

sejica

I loved the my breast friend, I preferred the buckle on it to the boppy. This thread reminded me though that there is a softer side and a firmer side, so it can accommodate better different stages of nursing. 

violetmarie61516

Okay I've read all the posts and I'm curious what a poll would look like for PISA vs. Spectra.  I hope no one minds.

meggyme

@violetmarie61516 I haven’t used my spectra yet but had no issues with the PISA. I went with the Spectra this time because it’s supposedly quieter, more powerful, the S1 has a cordless capabilities, and I can easily get the adapter to still use all my medela parts. The Spectra seems a little bigger, I don’t really need a night light or timer (I use an app to track time and production).

lisee923

Rumina Pump & Nurse has some dual nursing/pumping tanks and bras on clearance

https://ruminaformoms.com/

code freeship for free shipping

heytherefriend

I decided to go with the Spectra and it just arrived! (Can't believe this is the stuff I get excited about these days.) Dropped in to say that the shape is ... odd ... and bulky. But at least its lightweight?

mihaelams1

@lisee923 thanks for posting the deal for Rumina! I got quite a number of pumping bras or contraptions from Amazon last time, and Rumina was hands down the best.

meggyme

@mihaelams1 @lisee923 do they hold their shape pretty well? I'm worried about getting combo nursing/pumping bras because they don't look like they'd be very flattering after using them a couple times. I was looking at Ollie Gray pumping/nursing bras and hadn't pulled the trigger for the same reason (although their patterns are adorable).

mihaelams1

@meggyme I wore them for work for 2 months and felt comfortable doing so. But I'm a C cup and don't need much lifting/support. I bought a second one yesterday, the classic crossover, which is said to provide more support than the relaxed one I already have.

lisee923

@meggyme I've never used before so I'm just taking a chance.  For half price I figured why not.  

meggyme

@lisee923 just know that those ones are half priced because of some stains/defects that also make them non-returnable/exchangeable. That's want drove me to avoid buying one since the sizing is dependent on how big nursing makes my boobs.

Kenneylynn3

@lindseyb918 Thanks for the promo for the class!

violetmarie61516

I am having such a hard time finding a DME provider that offers Spectra and takes BCN.  Any suggestions??

meggyme

@violetmarie61516 could you ask your insurance company for a recommendation?

kristimh80

@violetmarie61516 I ordered mine thru Aeroflow. Here's a link to their site. https://aeroflowbreastpumps.com/ They got back with me right away. All you have to do is put in your information and your insurance and they will validate what pumps your insurance will cover. Once they do that, they send you an email with the link to the page showing you what is covered. It's a free service and if nothing else helps just to know what insurance will cover  

Kenneylynn3

@violetmarie61516 some insurances don't work with aeroflow. Mine didn't and so I just contacted my insurance. They go through edgepark which does the same thing as aeroflow. 

mamakeeg

Anybody know anything about how pumping affects your supply before you give birth? My girls are full and hurting getting clogged ducts and all. I got the go ahead from my doc to pump (she said it won’t stimilate labor unless I do it like 5-6 times a day or I have other premature labor issues, which I don’t) and it has been so helpful. I pump like once every couple days and just put it in my 4 year old daughters milk in the morning haha. But I’m curious if this will create an over supply? I had to exclusively pump with her and I had a ton of milk. I really want to breastfeed with him though and since it seems like I will have a ton of milk this time too I want to be careful and educate myself on oversupply. 

*edit because “how” autocorrected to “joe” 

meggyme

@mamakeeg that might be a good question for your doctor or a LLL educator. I would think you'd mostly be getting colostrum, but if you're getting a significant amount you might have a period of time when you have an oversupply and have to sort of wean back to what you need. I saw on pinterest last night where you can use one of those haakaa pumps, fill it with warm water and epsom salt and it helps to draw out the clog. Just a thought.

mamakeeg

@meggyme that’s a good idea! It is just colostrum and will stay that way til the baby is born but I am afraid it will cause me too have too much colostrum if that makes sense? I’ll see about the LLL and see if anyone there can help me. Thank you!

meggyme

@mamakeeg you might also want to look and see if your hospital has a milk bank. I donated breastmilk, I'm not sure if they have a need for colostrum but I know I'm planning to ask my doctor about collecting it because it's supposed to help with babies whose sugars are out of whack due to gestational diabetes.

mamakeeg

@meggyme I’ve been giving it to my toddler! She’s immune compromised and my pediatrician said it would help protect her a little better so I just put it in her milk in the mornings

violetmarie61516

I contacted Edgepark and they said they had to completely process the order before they could tell me if my insurance participated with them or not and I wouldn't know what my options would be.  I loved the customer service with Aeroflow, unfortunately my insurance isn't a participant with them.  I did also contact my insurance directly and they only gave me the name of two places and they only carry Medela or Evenflo.  My insurnace covers $140 and is not specific to one brand, I just can't find a place that takes the insurance and carries Spectra.

meggyme

@violetmarie61516 Could you contact spectra directly? Maybe they can find a pharmacy or somehow work with you.

kristimh80

Curious, have any of you STM's made a schedule of baby's BFing / bottle times? Maybe it's me being OCD, but have been thinking of the idea since ideally I will pump some as well and can let MH help in this aspect. I figure if he sees / knows a time for things, then would work once baby has a real schedule. Though I know this changes a lot I'm sure!

meggyme

@kristimh80 I did less of a schedule and more of a routine. I think it's the Baby Whisperer that recommends Eat, Activity, Sleep, You time. I feel like trying to make a feeding schedule now would be setting yourself up for failure. In the beginning that rotation was about 3 hours from nursing session to nursing session and as baby got older some of the times shifted, like she got quicker at nursing and was awake longer and took less frequent naps. You can still plan to pump so YH can feed the baby, but I don't think knowing what time that will happen witll help anything.

kristimh80

Thanks @meggyme! Your right, I'd be a hot mess anyways trying to get a plan. I think in my head I was thinking  it would also help my sleep-deprived brain but it's not like baby won't let me know she's hungry. 

meggyme

@kristimh80 if you haven't already, I'd say it's a good idea to read some books like Babywise or Baby Whisperer. That way when you are sleep deprived and desperate for answers you need only thumb through to find the chapter you've already read for a refresher.

BuckeyeNut05

@kristimh80 I exclusively pumped and we had a schedule where I'd pump and we'd feed them every 3 hours. After a couple of weeks I stopped the 3am pumping session and we traded who fed when in the night so we could each get a solid block of sleep (I think I took midnight and he took 3am).  It worked OK for us, but I might try to see if something else might work better for me this time with a less-rigid schedule since there's just one. 

kristimh80

@BuckeyeNut05 Good idea! I figure I'll the main one feeding since MH will be the main one working for awhile. So in my head I like the idea of a schedule but know it's probably silly for me to stick to one thing. But I do like your idea of trading off during the night time feeding.

lovesclimbing

I never made a schedule or kept track. I skimmed a Baby Whisperer book while I was waiting for my appointment once (my birth center has a small library of books they loan out to their patients), so I'm considering doing more of a routine with this baby. Although, the author very much stays away from "schedule" and only uses the word "routine," because she says having specific times doesn't work. It was interesting although I don't necessarily agree with all of it (she thinks babies should never be left to cry, and while I'm not the hugest fan of CIO, I do think there can be times it's necessary). But it did make me think about actually writing down when my baby does what and tracking so I can look for patterns and correlations in his or her behaviors.