2015 best breast pump picks from BabyCenter

Medela Pump in Style Advanced still ranking high on 2015 Moms' Picks list from Babycenter:

http://www.babycenter.com/best-breast-pump

Boston.com article: "6 Tips To Make Breast Milk Pumping Easier"

If you plan to breastfeed your baby after you return to work from maternity leave, figuring out how to pump away from home may seem at first a bit daunting.

 

You wonder: “Where can I pump at work?,”

 

 “How do I fit it into my work schedule?,”

 

 “How can I do it efficiently?”

 

I’ve been there myself, so don’t worry, there are many things you can do to make pumping easier and faster for you.

 

Here are a few of my tips:

 

1. Make sure you have a high-quality dual electric pump. It should be electric and ideally, can allow you to pump milk on both sides at the same time. In Massachusetts, health insurance must cover the cost of the pump, and you can usually have one before leaving the hospital after delivery.

 

2. Purchase a pumping bustier. The bustier zips on and is designed to support the breast pump cups so you can keep your hands free and do other things at the same time, like reading, eating, or typing. Pumping bustiers range price from $10 to $35, and while not covered by insurance, can be a worthwhile investment. You can buy a pumping bustier online or at stores that sell maternity items or breastfeeding supplies.

 

   3. Pump every 4 hours during the day to maintain your milk supply. Try to feed your baby as close to the beginning of your work day as possible. That way, you can have one pumping session at lunchtime when work is typically quieter and then just one more in the late afternoon before heading home, pumping twice versus 3 times at the office. I recommend setting a regular alarm because it’s easy to get busy and distracted. For that same reason, I also recommend setting that alarm about 30 minutes before your ideal pumping time to free yourself if you can from whatever is going on.

4. Block out the time you need. You’ll need about 15-20 minutes if you have a pump that can do both sides at the same time, as you should pump for 10-15 minutes in total. If you have a pump that only does one side, you need to plan for more time. (Remember, too, that is federal law for any employer with 50 or more employees to provide you with a private, clean space, separate from a public bathroom, where you can pump.)

 

5. Have extra sets of supplies to simplify washing and clean up. If you can, purchase one set of supplies (phalanges, valves, and bottles) for each day you work. On Sunday, place all the clean sets into a big freezer bag and bring them in for the week. Each day, you can reuse one of the sets for every pumping session as long as you store the parts in the refrigerator with the pumped breast milk. By keeping them cold, you don’t have to wash them between sessions, saving yourself time and not having to worry about dealing with the public and possible less-than-sanitary condition of the office kitchen sink!

 

6. Organize the freezer storage of breast milk bags. When you bring your milk home, make sure it’s labeled with the date and the volume, and then lay it flat in the freezer, perhaps on a box so it freezes very compactly. You can then place all of the frozen milk bags into a cardboard box to keep them tidy and organize them so the oldest milk is on top.

 

by Dr. Brenda Pring

Dr. Brenda Pring is a pediatrician at Harvard Vanguard’s Copley practice.

About LATCH

Hi I'm Heather Friedmann, Co-Founder of LATCH.  I want to take a minute to introduce you to my family and to tell you a bit of a story about how LATCH came to be and why what we're doing is so important. 

 

First, a bit about me.  I'm blessed to be a mother of two kids, Gabriella, 4, and Noah, 2.  I'm expecting twins in August 2014.  Together with my husband, Arturo, we are raising our kids in the Boston area and are proud to call Massachusetts our home. 

 

Arturo's originally from Peru, and so we were lucky enough to get married in Peru in 2008.  Arturo got a job offer transfer to work in the Middle East around that same time, so despite just being married, we spent a few years apart with me keeping my job in the United States and he working from Doha, Qatar.  I visited him in Qatar in December 2008, and shortly after our September 2009 get-together trip to Santorini, I found out we were expecting.  We agreed that we would have the baby in the United States and then we would travel back to the Middle East together as a family so that Arturo could keep working at his job in the Middle East while I took a leave of absence from my job in Boston. 

 

Gabriella was born in June 2010 and in early August, we set off as a family to Dubai, UAE.  I was not working while in the Middle East, so I stayed home with Gabriella during the day while Arturo went to work.  He came home every day for lunch, so we'd get to eat all our meals together as a family.  Our apartment was close enough to walk to a mall with a grocery store, and so we'd shop and pick up food for the day as part of our routine.  I was breastfeeding Gabriella exclusively at the time, since she was just a few months old.  I'm a modest person and wouldn't feel comfortable ever breastfeeding in public, regardless of whether or not I was in another country.  In the Middle East, you would perhaps guess breastfeeding in public would be an even bigger issue, as the culture is generally considered to be more restricted than that of the US in terms of what would be considered acceptable public behavior.  And perhaps that is the case, but luckily, there was a solution already in place. 

 

I felt totally at ease knowing that at the mall there were these lovely nursing lounges for moms that were breastfeeding.  Built into the mall were these first-class facilities for mothers with changing tables for changing diapers and a few small rooms with a baby theme and a comfortable chair for breastfeeding with a privacy door that you could shut while you were nursing.  There were a few of them in the mall, scattered around on each level and in different wings, similar in terms of restroom availability and placement.  I thought it was totally amazing, but also, I felt like it was the norm.  I wondered if as a new mom, I had just not noticed these places in the United States.  The idea of the nursing room made perfect sense: it was well-utilized, it was serving a need, and everyone was benefiting without needing to be seen.  Little did I know, this was far from the norm in the United States.

 

When we returned to the United States on a permanent basis in December 2010, I returned to work and therefore needed to pump at work so that I could have enough milk for Gabriella.  I had chosen a pump at Babies R Us and it came with a carrying bag that I could use to transport my pump back and forth from work to home.  I was given access by my employer to a tiny room upstairs in our building to pump with an assigned time that I could use the room during the day.  I couldn't help but be disappointed with the set-up compared to the Dubai standards I had become accustomed to.  Old furniture, bad lighting, a shabby rug.  But I kept up with the pumping and the breastfeeding until Gabriella was about 17 months old and we found out we were expecting again, with our son, Noah.  My milk supply started to drop off and Gabriella weaned herself.  I was happy to have a few months off from using the pump.

 

With Noah, I had a shortened maternity leave so before I knew it, I was right back in the same situation at work with the same pump and the same pump room.  I was even more dissatisfied the second time around with the process and how unglamorous it all was.  I knew it was best for my child, but there was no type of outside incentive from society to support you like I had felt there had been in Dubai. 

 

I recently watched this video on the internet of the charity:water campaign and how it got started.  If you don't know already, charity:water is a great organization that is doing so much to improve access to safe, clean drinking water via wells for areas around the globe where people would previously take water from puddles or muddy ravines or walk for days to get water from a river miles and miles away.  Part of charity:water's advertising campaign to raise funds was to show the people in other parts of the world without access to drinking water.  They then re-enacted the idea in the United States by showing a white, upper class family in New York City taking water from the Central Park pond and carrying it home to pour the murky water into glass cups for the kids at the kitchen table to consume with their meals.  The point of the campaign was obviously that it shouldn't be acceptable for some people to travel for days to get murky water when other people have access to clean drinking water 24/7 from a tap a few feet away.  The campaign was effective and it netted charity:water millions to help the organization build a number of wells and further its mission.

 

But it got me thinking over the course of the next few weeks about my own life and what I was carrying to and from work with the breast pump.  I'm not equating my situation to what people in other parts of the world have to suffer from in terms of access to drinking water, but I did realize, perhaps for the first time, how the United States didn't have what Dubai seemed to have right when it came to facilitating breastfeeding for moms and their kids.  The problem in the US wasn't with breastfeeding itself, but with the process, especially when you're outside of your home or at work or using a pump, which is the case for millions of American moms every single day.  So I started to think of how to improve on the process and how to make it easier for moms in the United States to breastfeed their kids. 

 

I think everyone has heard about how breastfeeding is so important for the child, but also for the mom in terms of health benefits and nutrition.  And the truth is, Americans are breastfeeding; moms that choose to breastfeed are at an all-time high.  According to the CDC's most recent breastfeeding report card, breastfeeding rates are at their highest levels ever.  More than 76 percent of mothers start out breastfeeding in 2013, an increase from less than 25 percent in 1971; and 47.2 percent of mothers are still breastfeeding at six months of age. 

 

All of this is being done despite the fact that many moms are now choosing to return to the workforce after their maternity leave, be it for personal career growth or for financial reasons or otherwise.  The global breast pump market is forecast to reach 5.63 million units by the year 2015 and 7.3 million units by 2018, according to Global Industry Analysts, Inc.  The firm projects that growth will be driven both by an increasing number of young mothers in the workforce and the desire to breastfeed babies for a longer time. 

 

And yet when I went to Babies R Us, there are a limited amount of breast pump options to purchase, and very few bag options.  This was a surprise to me because there are literally hundreds of diaper bag options out there on the market and there are quite possibly tens of thousands of handbag options available for women for carrying their everyday essentials around to and from work.  Usually moms wouldn't need to carry a diaper bag with them to and from work, but if they did, there were plenty of options available that would fit their needs and their style.  Why were there only two black bag options available in the store for the pump that every nursing mom would need to carry to and from work?

 

I thought at the very least, this was something I could work to improve.  Along with my husband, we crafted a prototype and got started.  We put a lot of thought into what the bag design should look like, and how we could make it better suited to its purpose.  I knew from using the original pump bag two times that the straps got dirty and showed dirt easily, and that the pump itself was heavy so we couldn't make the bag much heavier, even if it was to improve design purpose and use. 

 

We're working on our second prototype and plan to be able to enter production with a manufacturer. 

We want to make breastfeeding fashionable. 

 

And so we're here to ask for your support.  We want to be the company that helps moms continue to breastfeed by making it a little bit of a nicer process.

 

We're asking you to contribute to the cause. 

 

It's 2014 and we've come a long way, but there's so far to go and so much to do, even in terms of catching up with what's already the norm.  And so we're going to start with the bags.  Make carrying a pump easier, better, nicer.  We think this is a great first step, a necessary step, but also, not the final step.  We're going to keep pushing, keep talking to people, keep searching for solutions on how to improve the breastfeeding process, specifically for nursing moms returning to work.  I know how hard it is because I've been there.  And maybe you've been there, too, or your friend has been there, or your wife has been there, or maybe you'll be there in a month or a few years, or you want it to be easier for the next person so that they don't have to go through what you did. 

 

That's what we're about and that's what we're trying to do.  Please join us in our campaign.  We're hoping that our bags inspire, and that we're a meaningful part of supporting women in their role as mothers, as breadwinners, and as everyday superheroes. 

 

Sign up here to get notification as to when the bag will be available for purchase and email us here with comments, suggestions, and advice - we will do our very best to respond personally.  Thanks in advance for your support, and thanks for being here. 

Some breastfeeding Q&A for first-time mothers

Q: Will I be able to make enough milk?

 

 

A: Yes.  As your baby sucks and empties your milk, your body responds by producing more milk.  When your baby is entering a growth spurt and is in need of additional milk, the baby will breastfeed more often, which in turn, will signal to your body to produce more milk.  Once your milk supply increases, your baby will return to feeding on his or her normal feeding schedule.

Some women say they gave up on breastfeeding because they didn't make enough milk or their milk wasn't right for the baby.  Every mother has the right to do what they feel is the best choice for themselves and their baby.  While deciding what is right for you and your baby, take into consideration the following:

• Your breasts take a few days after birth to start making large quantities of milk.  Right from the start, though, babies get important health benefits from small amounts of early milk produced, called colostrum.  Also, during the first few days, there is a learning process for both baby and mom, as baby learns how to suck properly while mom learns how to breastfeed.
• Breast milk adapts as the baby grows.  As long as you keep breastfeeding, your baby will get the right type and amount of food at the right time.
• If at first you experience problems breastfeeding, it doesn't mean that you cannot breastfeed.  A clinician or a breastfeeding expert can help resolve problems as they arise, so don't be afraid to ask for help.  Some women, even with good advice and much effort, cannot breastfeed exclusively.  Breastfeeding is not for everyone.
• In certain rare circumstances, babies are allergic to their mother's milk.  Formula allergies are more common, but allergies to breast milk are also possible.

Q: How will I know if I'm making enough milk?

A: There are a few ways to tell if your baby is getting enough milk, even though you can't see exactly how much breast milk a baby is drinking.  Look for the following cues that your baby is receiving the proper amount of milk:

• After the fifth day since birth, the baby should have six to eight wet diapers in a 24-hour timeframe.
• Baby should have two to three yellow bowel movements (stools) in 24 hours.  In the first few diaper changes, stools are sticky and black tar-colored, but stools become loose and yellow in color once breastfeeding is working well.  It is considered normal for breastfed babies to have a stool at almost every feeding during the early weeks.  After the first month, some breastfed babies only have a stool every few days.
• Baby should experience weight gain of between three and eight ounces a week.
• Expect to breastfeed eight to 12 times in 24 hours during the first few weeks, while listening for swallowing cues.  Newborn swallowing sounds like a tiny clicking noise.  If you can train yourself to recognize that your baby is swallowing while breastfeeding, you will be more easily able to ensure your baby is getting enough milk.

Q: Does breastfeeding hurt?

A: In the first few days or weeks of breastfeeding, it will feel awkward and uncomfortable.  It's common for breasts to become very full (engorged) and will feel swollen, warm, or painful and heavy.  Some women have sore nipples for a while.  There are creams that are safe for breastfeeding that can help relieve tenderness and discomfort, and the discomfort will dissipate after both you and your baby's bodies adjust to breastfeeding and you'll find that breastfeeding can become a special, enjoyable bonding time for you and your baby. 

Q: What are some ways to reduce embarrassment about breastfeeding, especially with family and visitors around the house?

A: It may be helpful to find a private place to breastfeed in the beginning so that you can feel most comfortable.  With a little bit of practice, you'll find that you don't need to expose your breasts to breastfeed, either by using a shawl or scarf, nursing apron, or lifting a loose sweater with a tank top underneath that can be pulled down underneath the sweater to feed.  It'll be up to you whatever feels most comfortable and whether or not you prefer to still breastfeed in private. 

 

Q: I plan to go back to work soon after my baby is born.  Can I still breastfeed?

A: Yes.  Many working mothers are able to continue breastfeeding with a little planning, including these two possible options:

• Breastfeed at home as often as necessary in the morning and evening after returning from work and for nightly feedings.  While at work, pump or express milk into a bottle (which can be stored with ice packs or in a refrigerator until traveling home), which can be used to feed the baby the next day.
• Use formula to supplement your milk supply.  Many working mothers find balancing formula and breastfeeding to be most convenient and still beneficial to both baby and mom.  Other women decide to breastfeed only until they go back to work.  Breastfeeding is good for both baby and mom even if it can only be done for a short time.

Q: What are some good resources to learn more about breastfeeding?

A: There are a variety of resources available to new moms, including books, websites, friends and family that have experience breastfeeding, and breastfeeding classes and support groups.  La Leche League international (www.lalecheleague.org) is well-known for its services and can send information and phone numbers of local groups in your area that offer support for breastfeeding moms. 

LATCH also plans to provide videos and classes for support, education, and advice in either private or group settings.  Please contact us if you'd like more information on subscription or enrollment in these services.

Q: I'm worried that breastfeeding will be overwhelming in terms of responsibility.  How can I prepare accordingly?

A: Most new moms, including those that choose not to breastfeed, will feel tired and overwhelmed as they adjust to life with a newborn.  Breastfeeding newborns nurse usually once every hour to once every three hours, but as the babies get older, they can go longer between feedings. 

Formula fed babies can expect to feed eight to nine times a day during the first few weeks. 

If you decide to breastfeed, it's important to breastfeed exclusively for the first three to four weeks so that your body can adjust to producing the appropriate amount of milk supply for the new baby, but after three to four weeks, you may wish to pump milk so that others can feed the baby and you can take a break. 

 

Q:  Am I wrong to choose formula for my baby?

A: Every mom needs to decide what works best for them.  Although there are many proven benefits associated with breastfeeding, it most certainly isn't for everyone.  If you have questions about not breastfeeding, it's recommended that you speak with your pediatric clinician. 

LATCH can also provide consultations and advice in certain circumstances, but it is typically best to speak with a medical professional about the choice that's right for you.

Some mothers may have a more difficult time breastfeeding, including:

• women with flat nipples
• women who have had breast surgery, including breast reductions
• women who have had chest trauma

Other mothers may have health issues where breastfeeding is not recommended.  Some of these health issues may include:

• women who have infections such as HIV and active tuberculosis that is not treated
• women who take certain medications, including, but not limited to: ergotamine, lithium, and chemotherapy drugs
• women who use illegal drugs or drink or smoke heavily