Pumping: Medela Harmony Manual Breast Pump

The Medela Harmony Manual Breast Pump

Purpose: Milk expression

Price: $39 at Target & $32 on Amazon

I know what you're thinking, a hand pump?! Aren't those from the old days of pumping? Me too. I was highly skeptical of this. I started out using an electric Medela hospital grade pump (see past posts), and I would pump for 30-40 minutes when I couldn't feed Henry----which I thought was normal and I didn't have any issue with it---UNTIL I purchased the Medela hand pump!  This thing has changed my life. I pump for 10 minutes and get the same, if not MORE, milk out!!! It's insane.

So the hand pump has 2 directions to press the lever, one way to get your milk to letdown, short quick pulses.  And the other way is longer pulses once your milk has letdown. The kit comes with a flange, the filter piece, a bottle, stand, and the lever. 

I CAN'T stress enough how simple and easy this has made pumping for me. Now, I must say I'm a part-time pumper so it may not be ideal if you're a dull time pumper. But for me, it's perfect. I'm even thinking about selling my Medela Lactina Select!!

I bought mine at target for $39 but I just saw it on amazon for $32. Although I have it pictured below with the small 2.5oz container, it fits a 5 oz bottle and all medela bottles.

**Please let me know what you think of this product and/or my review!! Leave me a comment and let me know if you want me to review a specific parenting product!!

~jh

Pumping: Medela Lactina Select Review

There are many choices to be made with newborns and breastfeeding or formula is one of the first. If you decide to breastfeed, a pump can come in handy but is not absolutely necessary. If you are going back to work and want to continue breastfeeding, then it absolutely is necessary.

In the beginning of my pregnancy, I was planning on returning to work but still wanted to keep my baby on breast milk, so I started looking on Craigslist first. I found the Medela Lactina Select for $200. Lactation consultants advice never buying a used pump unless you know the person extremely well, or it's a hospital grade pump. This is a hospital grade pump and a steal at $200! The only thing I needed to check when I bought it was if the piston moved when it was turned on. Now I got very lucky finding this pump, but that was the very first time I looked on Craigslist, so it's possible to find another.

This pump has a number dial for speed 

and a dial on the piston for suction

I messed around with the settings in the beginning. I got a lot of different advice from lactation consultants on speed and suction and changing them during a pumping session. They said have it on the lowest settings that produce milk. I hated messing with the settings, so I just keep it on 3 and the minimum suction and that works great for me.  There is also a car adapter in case you don't have a place to pump at work and need to pump in your car.

Ultimately I highly recommend this product for women who are going back to work full or part time. It's a little much for the stay-at-home mom who will only occasionally pump. I have to spend one weekend a month away from my baby and it has been great for building up a freezer supply for my husband to bottle feed our baby on those weekends.  Check out Craigslist first! But beware of non hospital grade used breast pumps.

**Please let me know what you think of this product and/or my review!! Leave me a comment and let me know if you want me to review a specific parenting product!!

~jh

Nursing Pillow: My Brest Friend Review

I didn't do much research before purchasing a nursing pillow and I ended up lucking out with the best one for me. The Boppy pillow is a popular choice, but I picked "My Brest Friend" because it had. A strap to go behind your back and a little pocket. After I got it in the mail, I found out that this was the preferred pillow for petite moms because it doesn't come up as high. Although I'm not fond of the name, I absolutely love this nursing pillow. I couldn't use it right after labor, because I ended up having a c-section.  The pressure from being strapped around my belly was uncomfortable. This pillow gets my baby in the perfect position for nursing. I had a lot of difficulties breast feeding in the beginning, and ensuring my little one was in the correct position eliminated a variable and helped me focus on his latch.

It has 2 mounds which help raise my baby's head up. I've used this pillow for cross cradle and football hold. The little pocket has been convenient for my cell phone, water bottle, and my lanolin cream. I highly recommend trying this pillow out!

**Please let me know what you think of this product and/or my review!! Leave me a comment and let me know if you want me to review a specific parenting product!!

~jh