@nda_roxybabe I recently got some from motherhood maternity that have no underwire and they are the best bras in the world right now. Obviously not much support (I think my belly is doing that at this point). There is nothing attractive about them, but they do the job and comfort>looks at this point.
@nda_roxybabe I ordered these on amazon not too long ago. No underwire, which is heavenly! They support okay, but like @BeachMommy2B stated, I think my belly is doing more of the supporting these days!
Just got my email from my breast pump! I think I'm going with the Spectra 2, just don't have the funds to upgrade at the moment. Plus, the room I'll pump in at work has plugs, our house has plugs, and if I need to pump in the car, mine has a plug. I think I'll be okay I'll get those adapters for the flanges if needed. I think if I just use the bags I won't need it, but if pumping into different bottles we will (if I'm understanding that correctly).
The Medela PNSA Starter Kit is also available, but I think I like the Spectra better...
"A day without laughter is a day wasted." ~Charlie Chaplin
Feeling very excited to have ordered my Medela Freestyle a few days ago. It was an upgrade, so I had to pay a extra, but I get the tote bag and freezer pack and a few storage bottles to go with it. I also get a voucher for a free hands-free pumping bra and an accessories kit, so it kinda makes it worth it.
With my last babe, I pumped all the time. I struggled hardcore with supply, and pumped to try to increase milk. From that, I already have pump in style advance, and a spectra s2. I also rented a Medela Harmony. I did not see any difference in how much milk was pulled from any of the pumps, so I mostly used the spectra s2, because it was more comfortable. I also used the Harmony quite a bit, because it was so recommended to build supply.
I'm just excited to try something new! I've heard that the freestyle is much louder than the PISA, but is much more portable. Given that I will have three pumps, portability probably won't be that big of a deal. I can just set up a pump at work and one at home.
I plan to start pumping while I'm still in the hospital this time. I would like to lay a strong foundation for supply. I've heard that allowing the baby to have a full feed at both breast followed by a 5-10 minute pumping session is the way to go, so I will try that from the start. Knowing my luck, I will end up with an oversupply this time!
Feeling very excited to have ordered my Medela Freestyle a few days ago. It was an upgrade, so I had to pay a extra, but I get the tote bag and freezer pack and a few storage bottles to go with it. I also get a voucher for a free hands-free pumping bra and an accessories kit, so it kinda makes it worth it.
With my last babe, I pumped all the time. I struggled hardcore with supply, and pumped to try to increase milk. From that, I already have pump in style advance, and a spectra s2. I also rented a Medela Harmony. I did not see any difference in how much milk was pulled from any of the pumps, so I mostly used the spectra s2, because it was more comfortable. I also used the Harmony quite a bit, because it was so recommended to build supply.
I'm just excited to try something new! I've heard that the freestyle is much louder than the PISA, but is much more portable. Given that I will have three pumps, portability probably won't be that big of a deal. I can just set up a pump at work and one at home.
I plan to start pumping while I'm still in the hospital this time. I would like to lay a strong foundation for supply. I've heard that allowing the baby to have a full feed at both breast followed by a 5-10 minute pumping session is the way to go, so I will try that from the start. Knowing my luck, I will end up with an oversupply this time!
The freestyle is a good choice. I had it for my previous two kids and loved it, but it eventually died after those years of use. I'm jealous that you got one. I wanted to this time, but the upgrade fee was over $200. Instead I paid an upgrade fee for a spectra 1 because it is also battery-powered. It's giant compared to the freestyle, though!
I never messed much with hand expression. I think I did 20 minutes when double pumping every 2.5-3 hours when I was at work. I would usually get 2-3 oz per side when he was little and nursing a ton, less once he started solids.
If it has been longer like 3.5 hours I could get a lot more.
@starphish18 my average time was usually based on how long until it stopped and then about 5 minutes more. The extra time was to help stimulate production since my boobs were pretty lazy for the pump. After pumping I would never get the "empty" feeling like afternoon nursing, some boobs are stubborn.
@chailife34 In the beginning- it was as long as I could stand it. I think 15-20 minutes is ideal. When I went back to work around 3 mo it was about 20 minutes a session.
At work I'd usually pump for just over 20 min. If it had been a longer wait I'd pump until the pump stopped (freestyle), which was just over 30 min, like 32 min.
I'm an odd person who actually felt more empty following a good long pump than I did after nursing; sometimes baby got full before I was empty! But you can always keep pumping. I responded well to my pump. I'm hoping that the spectra I got this time around will do as well for me (or better, as the reports tend to say.)
I sort of feel like this specific question could potentially be it's own thread, but I'll put it here first.
Is anyone planning on scalding your pumped milk before freezing due to high lipase? I know I need to (my BM smelled foul with DD when I thawed it, enough so that I couldn't bring myself to give it to her), and I'm hoping to figure out a simple system for this. What's your process, what do you use to do it, what worked for you?
I don't plan on building a huge stash, but I never got DD on a bottle (in large part due to tossing my frozen stash of odoriferous BM) and there were times I wanted to hand her off to DH so he could feed her but couldn't. So I expect to freeze some milk, even if I pump just a couple times a day.
It’s not that I don’t like you, it’s that I don’t know you. Stranger Danger.
Anyone have any good breast pump bag suggestions to hold everything?
Following this! I got my friend's PISA yesterday but its in the little square bag so I'll need something bigger/better to carry it to work in, eventually.
Also, this may be a better question somewhere else... ? But as far as boiling/sterilizing pump parts... I can just throw all these plastic things in boiling water? They won't melt? I feel weird about that! How long do I leave them in? I know I can google this, but I trust you ladies more than google these days!
@ShadeofGreen816 I was worried too! My instructions said to boil for 5 minutes but not more as then they can melt so I did the 5 minutes and they were fine.
It does slightly, but not completely. The only specific note I've read so far is to just not microwave the BM to scald it as this destroys a good amount of the nutrients. I think a quick scald offers the most minimal break down but I'm still searching for more info.
It’s not that I don’t like you, it’s that I don’t know you. Stranger Danger.
@chailife34 - I was an EP'er with DS, so I usually did six sessions a day for 30 minutes with some power-pumping in there once a week if my supply started to dip. I did 30 minutes since that was when my milk would start to slow down, and I felt comfortably empty. Each session varied depending on when in the day it was, but throughout the six sessions, I usually got about 35-40 ounces.
Oh man, I just went down the rabbit hole of adorable pumping bags! EEkkk... I will try to refrain for now, since I will only be working 2-3 days/week when I go back. If I get a new NP job and a big $ increase, maybe I'll splurge. Either way, I'll definitely wait to make sure BF/pumping works for us!
Omg! My friend gave me the teal version of that bag for my bday. I'm using it as my hospital bag. It's very roomy and cute, I like it a lot. There are 4 pockets inside and 2 outside.
So my amazing best friend sold me her two PISA pumps and all of her accessories. It's crazy how much stuff there is! I need a lesson! Does the tubing get sterilized too?
It does slightly, but not completely. The only specific note I've read so far is to just not microwave the BM to scald it as this destroys a good amount of the nutrients. I think a quick scald offers the most minimal break down but I'm still searching for more info.
I've heard the same things (no nuke, quick scald) but don't have any specifics to offer. I'm in the same boat (should've scalded before freezing b/c it was "off" after defrosting and I dumped it) and would like some insight from any BTDT mamas, as well.
So my amazing best friend sold me her two PISA pumps and all of her accessories. It's crazy how much stuff there is! I need a lesson! Does the tubing get sterilized too?
Yes, sterilize the tubing as well. How great that you got a good deal. I still don't understand how legally insurance companies can get past ACA, I thought it was required of all.
Me: 38 DH: 36 Married 8/27/2011 BFP #1 9/28/2011 DS born 5/22/2012 BFP #2 4/24/2013 m/c 4/25/2013 at 4w BFP #3 1/31/2014 DD born 10/14/2014 BFP #4 1/20/2016 m/c 2/12/2014 at 7w2d BFP #5 8/19/2016 DS2 born 4/29/2017 BFP #6 3/7/2018 EDD 11/18/2018
So my amazing best friend sold me her two PISA pumps and all of her accessories. It's crazy how much stuff there is! I need a lesson! Does the tubing get sterilized too?
In my breastfeeding class, they told us not to submerge tubing, because it's really difficult to remove all the moisture afterwards. Anyone have info on this?
@starphish18 if you have a closed system new pump I don't see why you would sterlize the tubing. My mom sterilized my pump stuff last time bc it arrived the day I got home from the hospital and it took a long time to stop seeing little bits of moisture in the tubes.
There is one unopened set of tubing and then two sets that have been used. One looks pretty good and one looks like it's had moisture in it at some point. Maybe I'll start with the set that already looks like it had moisture and see if I can ever get it to dry! Is it like cell phones where you can submerge in rice?
@ShadeofGreen816 I would just toss the used ones. I pumped for a year with the same tubes, it's the other parts that may need replacing at some point. If you have new ones they will do you just fine for the whole time.
The moisture can be a huge PITA to get out. Milk doesn't actually flow through the tubes so you don't need to sterilize them. When pumping if you get some condensation in the tubes just detach them from the bottles and valves, leaving them attached to the pump, and run the pump for 5-10 minutes until the condensation clears.
@starphish18 I don't know how it would be possible to clean the tubes, water gets stuck in them and stays for awhile. I used to get little drops of water in there and I would just fling them around trying to get the water out or running the pump for awhile. I would just use new tubes, they aren't expensive. I bought some new ones to use on my old Pisa. They can get mold if moisture is in there.
@RedInLove: Did you see this article? My takeaways are: even smelly milk is not harmful to baby, it can be mixed with fresh to help the flavor, and scalding to 180 degrees in a saucepan does the trick (though lower temps seem to work).
So excited! I just got a shipping notification that my Spectra S1 shipped which means my insurance approved the upgrade!
Who would have thought I would be excited about a machine that makes me feel like a dairy cow.
So funny! Thought I was only one who gets excited to go looking for breastfeeding pumps (I have to admit at first with my son it bugged me I hated it cause I said I'd look/feel like a cow) but by the second baby your all too excited to!
There is one unopened set of tubing and then two sets that have been used. One looks pretty good and one looks like it's had moisture in it at some point. Maybe I'll start with the set that already looks like it had moisture and see if I can ever get it to dry! Is it like cell phones where you can submerge in rice?
Had the strangest thought of running cotton yarn thru the tubes to get them dry(don't know how you'd get it thru tho didn't think that far...)
Re: Pumping Questions
Here is the link to the kind I got:
https://www.motherhood.com/seamless-clip-down-nursing-bra/006-98422-006-001.html?cgid=nursing-bras&dwvar_006-98422-006-001_color=006-98422-04#start=1
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01EFNPF20/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
"A day without laughter is a day wasted." ~Charlie Chaplin
Who would have thought I would be excited about a machine that makes me feel like a dairy cow.
Sweet Baby H 12.21.11
Sassy Baby P 03.26.14
Little Brother Due 05.22.17
1st Baby 5/12/17, Henry
The Medela PNSA Starter Kit is also available, but I think I like the Spectra better...
"A day without laughter is a day wasted." ~Charlie Chaplin
With my last babe, I pumped all the time. I struggled hardcore with supply, and pumped to try to increase milk. From that, I already have pump in style advance, and a spectra s2. I also rented a Medela Harmony. I did not see any difference in how much milk was pulled from any of the pumps, so I mostly used the spectra s2, because it was more comfortable. I also used the Harmony quite a bit, because it was so recommended to build supply.
I'm just excited to try something new! I've heard that the freestyle is much louder than the PISA, but is much more portable. Given that I will have three pumps, portability probably won't be that big of a deal. I can just set up a pump at work and one at home.
I plan to start pumping while I'm still in the hospital this time. I would like to lay a strong foundation for supply. I've heard that allowing the baby to have a full feed at both breast followed by a 5-10 minute pumping session is the way to go, so I will try that from the start. Knowing my luck, I will end up with an oversupply this time!
How long do you pump for? What's your typically yield per pumping duration?
I have been told 15 min if double pumping with 5-10 of hand expression but my girlfriend swears 20-30. Thoughts?
If it has been longer like 3.5 hours I could get a lot more.
May '17 labor memes
May '17 labor memes
I'm an odd person who actually felt more empty following a good long pump than I did after nursing; sometimes baby got full before I was empty! But you can always keep pumping. I responded well to my pump. I'm hoping that the spectra I got this time around will do as well for me (or better, as the reports tend to say.)
Is anyone planning on scalding your pumped milk before freezing due to high lipase? I know I need to (my BM smelled foul with DD when I thawed it, enough so that I couldn't bring myself to give it to her), and I'm hoping to figure out a simple system for this. What's your process, what do you use to do it, what worked for you?
I don't plan on building a huge stash, but I never got DD on a bottle (in large part due to tossing my frozen stash of odoriferous BM) and there were times I wanted to hand her off to DH so he could feed her but couldn't. So I expect to freeze some milk, even if I pump just a couple times a day.
It’s not that I don’t like you, it’s that I don’t know you. Stranger Danger.
It’s not that I don’t like you, it’s that I don’t know you. Stranger Danger.
I've been on the look out for a nice bag as well. They have specific breast pump bags by Sarah Wells, but I cannot bring myself to spend $100 on one.
I've been looking at this tote https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B015257Z5U?colid=1E624IA7V1AK1&coliid=I3RZK1KU7D4BC3&ref=br_ADD_TO_CART_title_link
I wish it had a little more organization though
Definitely not the cheapest selection, but they're cute!
May '17 labor memes
bday in august before I go back to work.
Married 8/27/2011
BFP #1 9/28/2011 DS born 5/22/2012
BFP #2 4/24/2013 m/c 4/25/2013 at 4w
BFP #3 1/31/2014 DD born 10/14/2014
BFP #4 1/20/2016 m/c 2/12/2014 at 7w2d
BFP #5 8/19/2016 DS2 born 4/29/2017
BFP #6 3/7/2018 EDD 11/18/2018
The moisture can be a huge PITA to get out. Milk doesn't actually flow through the tubes so you don't need to sterilize them. When pumping if you get some condensation in the tubes just detach them from the bottles and valves, leaving them attached to the pump, and run the pump for 5-10 minutes until the condensation clears.
May '17 labor memes
https://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/milkstorage/lipase-expressedmilk/