Breastfeeding Tips & Breast Pump Guide | Lactation Connection

In helping moms find breast pump parts for their insurance pumps, we noticed a similarity between the Lucina Melodi and ARDO Calypso breast pump parts .  In investigating further, we contacted Lucina whose chat rep denied such a connection.  You be the judge.  The parts are identical except the color of the cap on the double pump kit that fits on the flange.  While Lucina Melodi Advanced and Melodi Prime have a purple cap, ARDO Calypso and Carum use a green cap. We further noticed that the ARDO Amaryll manual breast pump is the exact same pump as the Lucina Melodi Manual Pump . Finally, we took a close look at the Lucina Double Pump Kit image on their website and we noticed that you can read part of the ARDO brand name on the side of the flange shaft.   Our conclusion is that the parts are made by the same company and can be used interchangeably. Good news for the mom who can't find  Lucina Melodi breast pump parts !  We would love ...

Nipple shields have changed over the years.  You will find videos and images of rubber or latex nipple shields which are no longer used due to their thickness. Latex is also no longer used since it has a tendency to break down, has a smell and a taste and is an allergen to some. Modern nipple shields are silicone.  Medela even made them with a cut-out which was supposed to be used for more skin to skin contact with the baby's chin or if flipped the other direction to prevent possibly obstructing the infants airway.  Since these "contact" style have less surface area, they do not adhere as well as a full circle design such as the Ameda Nipple Shield. When is the use of a nipple shield indicated? 1.  When a mom has an inverted nipple and the baby does not latch or suck because it does not feel the nipple in its mouth.  Some nipples are easily identified as inverted, but others only invert when the baby tries to latch.  An easy test for this is...

Not all bras are created equal and especially nursing bras that need to not only support but prevent plugged milk ducts and give easy nursing access all while looking great.  The good news is that they are out there if you know what you are looking for. One of our new favorites for moms with cup sizes up to DDD or F cup is the QT Natalie Nursing Bra .  It is a great wire free solution with good support for larger busts and is available in sizes 34D- 44DDD/F.   We like the smooth look and easy fit of this bigger nursing bra as well. If you are looking for a bigger underwire nursing bra , QT Foundations offers an excellent choice is the Dottie Nursing Bra style #3325.  This nursing bra for larger cups offers great coverage and support in sizes 34G - 42H . For our curvier moms, they appreciate that the 40, 42 and 44 bands come in the bigger nursing bra sizes of 42D through  44F and 44G nursing bra sizes thanks to QT Foundations! As for ...

You may have heard of good baby syndrome which is when a baby is content and doesn't ask to be fed.  (This can happen with good-natured babies who are content to play while mom tends to other siblings and not get enough feeding in by the end of the day which can lead to slow weight gain.)  But have you heard of Good Mom Syndrome?  This is the new mother who wants the very best for her baby so she is gritting her teeth and accepting the pain of a poor latch. STOP THE MADNESS! Normal breastfeeding should not hurt.  A good latch is one that encompasses at least an inch of the areola so that baby is latched on behind the nerve ending.  A poor latch is one where the baby is on the end of the nipple either initially or has slipped down and is causing pain.  I hate to be a lactation nerd, but I here is a diagram of the breast. It is so important that moms have this information because you can see where the nipple and areola are in relation to the milk (l...

2015 is drawing to a close.  Many of you have benefits left in your insurance accounts, especially FSA, HSA and FLEX spending accounts.  If you are breastfeeding,   breast pumps   and   breastfeeding suplies   qualify as medical expenses.  Here are some suggestions to help you use it before you loose it! 1.   Electric Breast Pump  If you hate lugging your pump around, having one at home and one at work is such a luxury.   Or if you are struggling with a manual pump, a good electric pump is a necessity, especially one like the Hygeia Enjoye LBI that has a rechargeable battery pack for travel. 2.   Breast Pump Replacement Parts Most pumps have filters or diaphragms that need to be replaced every few months and valves that need to be replaced every few weeks.  Having extra sets of breast flanges or getting additional sizes to see which one helps with optimal milk output is another way to use your allotment. 3. ...

Having a basket of necessities near your favorite nursing spot is not only nice, but essential. After all, moms only have two hands.  To get you started, here are 6 recommendations for building a breastfeeding basket of must-haves for yourself or as a gift. 1.  Breastfeeding Book Let's face it. Moms have questions and a Lactation Consultant is not always available to answer those questions especially at 3 am.  We recommend books endorsed by La Leche League and Lactation Consultants such as The Nursing Mother's Companion by Kathleen Huggins and The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding by Weisinger, West and Pitman.  2. Water Bottle Although the amount of water you drink does not translate directly into the amount of milk you make, your body functions better when it is hydrated.   3.  Nursing Pads Your breast milk lets down bilaterally, which means especially in the early weeks of breastfeeding, when you are nursing on one side, you are leaking on the o...

I get this statement all the time as a lactation store owner, " Getting a free breast pump from my insurance company is harder than I thought."  I hear it from moms every day.  Many insurance companies  representatives tell moms to find out who takes my insurance instead of giving them an accurate list.  Or if they do offer a list, the insurance company does not have the pump they wanted in stock or offer that model at all.  Another issue is that when the mom does get her pump, it doesn't come with any extras.  No cooler carrier to take back and forth to work or breast pump replacement parts are provided.   In other words, the insurance companies pare down the pumps to keep costs down leaving moms unprepared when their valves go down the disposal. Lactation Connection offers the largest selection of breast pump replacement parts around including brands like Ameda , Hygeia , Spectra , Bailey , ARDO to name a few of the more popular brands. ...