Breastfeeding Tips & Breast Pump Guide | Lactation Connection

Big news: Spectra is making changes to their bottles!    As inventory rolls over, all Spectra products will begin featuring a new bottle to replace the pink and gold ones.  The new bottle features an easier to grip and easier to read design as well as a gender neutral ivory colored collar, sealing disc and cap.  So if you have a boy, and you are using the bottles for feeding, going from pink to ivory is a bonus!   The wider base is very helpful to prevent tipping and crying over spilled milk, but they will not fit in the bottle holder; if you were unsure, that is what the round hole on the S1 and S2 was for.  Since it only held a single bottle, most moms weren't using it anyway.  Lactation Connection offers a Dual Dock Double Bottle Holder that is specifically designed to hold all Spectra bottles including the new ivory design! The new ivory bottle design is compatible with all Spectra breast shield flanges! The bad news is that if you love the...

  The Marmet technique for hand expression has long since been the gold standard for teaching moms how to hand express breast milk.  Having the ability to hand express breast milk comes in handy if you want to harvest colostrum, alleviate a clogged milk duct or just need to get the breast milk flowing for the baby who needs extra encouragement to latch.   Before you begin, prepare both your body and your mind, by using massage or warm compresses as well making the environment comfortable and conducive to relaxation which will help with let-down.   If you need a faster method for expression, a quality manual breast pump like the Spectra Manual Pump is great for occasional use and very affordable.  If you are working and breastfeeding, choose a double electric breast pump instead.   Here's to keeping it flowing, Tanya

When a plugged duct turns into mastitis, it is not something that is not to be taken lightly.  How do you know if you have mastitis?  Usual symptoms are an area of your breast that is red and painful along with flu like symptoms such as chills or fever.   If you experience these symptoms, use this tactic:  Heat, Rest, Empty the Breast Heat:   Apply hot compresses.  If you don't have a hot compress on hand, use a disposable baby diaper with hot water in it.  This can be re-warmed in the microwave, but test on wrist before applying to breast. Rest:  Sleep when the baby sleeps and get off your feet as much as possible. Empty the Breast:   Point the baby's chin towards the affected area.  For example if the clog is more towards your arm, use the football hold.  Pump after every feeding for 5-10 minutes to finish emptying anything the baby leaves behind. You may see some information that says to avoid breast pumps, but this is only...

    Harvesting colostrum both antenatally (before birth) and postnatally (after delivery) is a great way to prepare for the unexpected.  Sometimes birth plans do not go to plan and having this liquid gold at your disposal in case of emergency is always a plus especially since colostrum is essential as baby's first immunization, highly concentrated in antibodies and nutrition to boost your baby's immune system.  In addition, if feedings are slow to start, colostrum can maintain your baby's blood sugar levels.   A colostrum collection kit makes it easy to have the things you need on hand.  While using a breast pump can sometimes cause contractions, a more gentle hand expression is not only safer but more effective in saving every drop. While there are several methods of hand expression found online, research shows that the Marmet Technique is still the most effective so we have included the full instruction sheet below.  Once you have begun hand ex...

Just like a birth plan, sometimes, breastfeeding does not go to plan and some moms may need to supplement.  This does not have to mean the beginning of the end of breastfeeding if caution is used in how you supplement. Supplementing Baby at the Breast Often supplementation is only necessary for a short term while mom is regaining her milk supply or baby is having a frenotomy to release a tethered tongue to facilitate milk transfer. And the best method for supplementing formula is doing so while keeping the baby at the breast.  However, Supplemental Nutrition Systems are often expensive and difficult to clean so short-term feeding tubes are the preferred method in these cases.  In the case of supplementing a newborn, the best option is a 5FR feeding tube that is 36" long.  Don't opt for a shorter tube such as 15" because the shorter the tube, the faster the flow of milk and babies need to latch and use their tongue and jaw just as they would when exclusively breastf...

  Every mom wants to get the most out of the time she spending pumping!  One of the best ways to make sure your pump is effective is to ensure your breast shield flange size is optimal.  An optimal fit engages the milk sinuses by compressing the areola the right way without causing nipple pain. The infographic above shows you what to look for when you are pumping.  Most pumps including the best-selling Spectra breast pumps, include a standard flange size which is often 24mm.  Many moms find that is too large and opt for the 20mm breast flange .  And there are a few who need a larger 28mm or 32mm flange size .  But there are moms who until now had to look for another option if they needed smaller than a 20mm size.  Spectra has finally come out with a Spectra 16mm breast shield just for those moms! In addition to using the right size flange, making sure your pump is functioning at the optimal suction level is so important.  Use your pump at t...

Planning to pump for an 8-hour workday will depend on various factors such as your work environment and breaks. However, here's a general sample pumping schedule for an 8-hour 9-5 workday and some tips to make it work for you.  Make sure to make a plan for your pumping space ahead of time so you have what you need for cleaning your parts and storing your breast milk. 7:00 AM - Nurse before you leave for work. 9:00 AM - Start of Workday: 10:00 AM - First Pumping Session: Allow at least 15 minutes for at least 10 minutes of pumping with a quality double electric breast pump and 5 minutes to set up and put up your supplies. 12:30 PM - Lunch Break: Eat before your next pumping session so that there are no more than 3 hours between emptying your breasts.  This will help ensure a healthy milk supply and offset clogged milk ducts. 1:00 PM - Second Pumping Session: 15 min (Of if you baby's child care is on your work campus, you can opt to nurse during your lunch break instead of pump...