Breastfeeding Tips & Breast Pump Guide | Lactation Connection

Whether you are choosing a breast pump through your insurance company or to purchase on your own, information is always welcome!  Choosing the right breast pump is so important because it can make the difference in how long you are able to or even choose to pump milk for your breastfed baby.   Below is a comparison chart to help you with your selection. As someone who has been in this industry since 1993, we have seen breast pumps and even breast pump companies come and go, but Spectra and Motif seem to be taking the lead.  Both companies have easy access to replacement parts including multiple breast flange sizes .  Both companies also offer compatible breast pump bottles and high quality breast milk storage bags as well.  Spectra also offers a multi-user breast pump for corporate lactation and birthing centers called the Spectra S3 Pro for under $900 which is much better than over a thousand for what was the previously only option in hospital grade b...

Recently, several moms have contacted us regarding the smallest flange a manufacturer makes still being too big.  Moms are reporting that too much of the areola is being pulled into the tunnel of the breast flange and they are not emptying their breast well when pumping.   From what I have seen in my twenty-eight years experience in the lactation field, this problem is occurring more and more today than it did in the past.   One explanation is that there is currently a culture of over-hydrating.   How can water be bad?    Of course water is a good thing, but hyperhydration causes lower milk supply by causing the body to excrete more fluids rather than making more milk and it actually changes your skin turgor aka elasticity. This is why these recommendations can help you when the smallest breast flange is still too big. Reducing water intake to normal “drink to thirst” levels rather than over hydrating with a large number of ounces per ...

As our world has changed over the last two years with more parents are working from home and sharing the responsibility of feeding the baby.  My own son is expecting his first and his wife will be working outside the home while he runs his business from home.   Since babies don't come with an instruction manual, Dads and other caregivers can benefit from some advice on feeding while mom is away. #1.  Introduce the Bottle at 6-8 Weeks This time frame is optimal because it allows enough time for mom and baby to establish a good latch and breastfeeding rhythm.  Waiting longer than 6-8 weeks can sometimes make it more difficult for baby to want to transition from breast to bottle.  The goal is to use this window of opportunity so that baby goes back and forth from breast to bottle seamlessly.   #2.  Choose the Bottle with Intention The intention behind choosing a bottle is that the nipple had a wide mound so that baby opens wide simulating the sa...

Recently a question came in from an expectant mama as to whether the Avent bottles were best for breastfeeding.       In years past, I recommended Avent bottles more often than not.  Today, with design changes to Avent and other great choices on the market, I thought I would help this mother and others with information on choosing the right bottle for your baby with today's blog. Nipple Confusion and Flow Preference First, let me say that introducing a bottle before six weeks can be problematic.  It is essential that your baby learn to latch well and nurse from the breast frequently during not only the learning period but also during the three week and six week growth spurt phase so that mom's milk supply can be stimulated by the increased suckling during those time periods.  Infant's nurse differently from a bottle which is why the term nipple confusion is prevalent.  When nursing from the breast, the baby uses a wave motion to draw the nipple i...

Recently, we had a question from a mother whose baby was unable to nurse from the breast effectively because of a severe tongue tie.  From experience, we know she is not the only mom with questions about how to get a baby who has been bottle-fed for weeks back on the breast so our hope is that this blog post helps Bev and the other moms in her situation. There are several things you can do to encourage an infant who is bottle feeding to take the breast.  One size never fits all in counseling nursing mothers, so we will outline a myriad of techniques so that you can find one the one that helps you the most. Start by changing the way you supplement.   The best method is to go from a bottle to finger feeding with a syringe .  A 10cc syringe is 1/3 of an ounce.  This will help you determine how many times to fill the syringe for a feeding.  When finger feeding with a syringe, put your feet up on a stool and lay the baby on your lap facing you.  Then inser...

W ith all the things you need to buy for baby, is purchasing a dry bag for breast pump parts a waste of money or a good idea? That all depends on whether the bag is actually made in a way to promote healthy drying of your pump parts so we will look at the most common questions moms ask about breast pump parts bags. Can I use a Ziplock bag? You should use a sealed plastic zipper bag for your wet breast pump parts.  Besides the environmental concerns of over-use of these bags, the main reason is that moisture and warmth promote the growth of yeast and mold and that is certainly not what you want for parts that are collecting your baby's precious breastmilk. So to answer another common question, do breast pump parts need to be dry?  As you can see from the previous topic of yeast and mold...yes! What about wet dry bags? Wet dry bag were designed to put in wet clothing such as your baby's soiled clothes or a swimsuit and keep the rest of the items in your bag dry.  Although ...

One of your most important purchases if you are pumping on the go for your baby, other than your breast pump is your breastmilk cooler bag!  Getting the right bag is essential for protecting your liquid gold! What should you look for in a breast milk cooler bag ?  You want a well insulated bag with a good tight zipper that will hold enough breast milk for your baby at daycare of for your day of pumping.  Below are some tried and true cooler bags that we recommend for our nursing mothers. 4 Bottle vs 6 Bottle Breastmilk Cooler If you work part-time, a 4 bottle bag is sufficient; but for a full 8-10 hours between work and home, you will want a six bottle cooler.  The main reason for this is that you can pump three different times into different bottles so your 98.6 degree milk doesn't warm up previously chilled breast milk.  You can consolidate your expressed milk later, but you always need to chill breast milk prior to adding to previously pumped and chilled mi...

We were first notified of the latest innovation in breast pumping technology and have been waiting to get our hands on their incredible new breast pump, the Spectra Synergy Gold .  This pump has dual power, not to confused with just dual or double pumping.  It actually allows the breasts to be stimulated independently so you can increase the suction on the lazy breast to encourage more milk extraction.  This type of technology is what double pumps were going for when they were first invented by Einar Egnell, founder of the Ameda Egnell company back in 1942.  But not much has changed in this field other than portability and speed.  Dual electric pumps became smaller, faster, more portable and some are even wearable. As I said, not much has changed, until now! What is different about the Spectra Synergy Gold Breast Pump is that is had dual motors that operate independently.  Why is that helpful?  Double pumping increases prolactin for increased milk pro...

I recently came across some great diagrams and information on breastfeeding positions from a Chinese source!  Their hospital authority breastfeeding promotion committee had these wonderful images and descriptions to offer, so I had to share! I added the American names for the transitional position as Cross-Cradle Hold and underarm position as Football Hold, but the rest is straight from ha.org.  Happy Reading! Tanya www.lactationconnection.com   Laid back position The mother is to lean back and be well supported on a bed or couch. When putting the baby on the mother's chest, gravity will keep him / her in position and the body molded to the mother's. Have the mother’s head, back and elbows well supported with cushions / pillows. Let the baby’s cheek rest somewhere near the mother's bare breast. The whole front of the baby’s body should touch the mother's whole front. The baby can rest in a position that the mother likes, just making sure that his / her whole front is ag...