Moms who are looking to express their milk on a budget normally choose a manual pump.

Even though pumping manually sometimes takes longer than their electric counterparts, you can get a nice efficient pump for under $40.

Here are some benefits of manual pumps:

• They are typically silent and thus more discreet than an electric pump, which can be quite noisy at times.
• Allow you to control the intensity of suction to mimic your baby’s sucking more closely.
• They are extremely lightweight and portable.
• Manual pumps cost a fraction of what some more elaborate electric models do.

For the last few weeks, I have been using Lanisoh’s manual breast pump. This reasonably priced option is not only efficient, but easy to use. I also like Lansinoh’s ergonomic handle and lightweight compact design.

Out of the box, I was able to start pumping in less than 5 minutes(including bottle wash time). The kit came with the pump, ComfortSeal cushion, two standard bottles, two extra valves, two bottle rings and two sealing disks, one cleaning bra, one extra silicone diaphram and a base to support the unit when not in use. To get me started, a couple of collection bags were also included just in case I was looking to freeze my ‘gold’.

While manual pumping can sometimes be tedious and uncomfortable, I haven’t found that either is an issue with this product.

In contrast, this pump is just as quick as it’s electric counterparts, while collecting the same amount of milk. It is comfortable and is compatible with other types of bottles.

I would recommend this pump to moms who are looking to pump occasionally, maybe once a day. This would not be a good option for moms who are pumping exclusively for a premature baby or those who are back to work and need to pump all day.

Thank you to Lansinoh for sending this pump over for us to review.

With National Breastfeeding Week upon us, I wanted to find a mom that breastfed for longer than the typical six months to a year. This is where Adrienne came in. She is a preemie mom (which is even more impressive!) and is currently still breastfeeding her former 24 weeker Parker who will be two years old on October 12th.

Being a preemie, Parker obviously did not breastfeed from birth. However Adrienne pumped her milk for him. By seven months old she had him weaned off of the formula and the bottles.

As a the mom of a 24 weeker, I know the difficulties that are thrown our way when it comes to feeding issues alone. Ashton did breastfeed a few times, but he did very poorly and unfortunately we had to turn to tube feeds for him.

Adrienne is inspiring to me and I know that she will be to other moms as well.

1. How long did you breastfeed your child?

I’ve been nursing Parker for 24 months. I plan to continue to nurse him until he self-weans.

2. Why did you choose to breastfeed for this long?

Breastfeeding is so important in so many ways. There are the obvious health benefits to the baby, the cost (free!), the benefits to the mother (natural weight loss), and probably most importantly the bond between mother and baby that occurs. I believe that not only is breast milk vital for my baby’s health and growth, but also the sheer act of nursing has helped him developmentally. I also believe that his immune system needs all the reinforcements it can get, and breast milk is helping him stay healthy and get over sickness faster. Also, when he is sick, I don’t worry as much about dehydration because he continues to constantly nurse. And it’s so easy! Nothing to heat up or measure or buy, etc. I have a food supply with me at all times.

3. With all of the controversy over breastfeeding were you uncomfortable doing this for longer than most mothers do?

No. I am however disturbed when I get negative reactions from other mothers. I don’t understand why some of my friends have chosen not to breastfeed (not because of difficulties, just thought formula would be easier).

4. Was your spouse/family supportive?

Extremely. Nursing can stop all crying, so my husband appreciates it the most! Also, my sister is still nursing her 27 month old. My sister actually helped me to continue nursing in the beginning after I brought Parker home. I had been pumping every three hours around the clock for 7 months and I continued to nurse and pump another 3 months. I could have owned the pumped I rented based on the rental fees alone! It was rough. I also had a lot of resistance from Parker not using a nipple shield (nipple shield eventually made my milk supply decrease temporarily). It took a good 3 weeks to get him off the nipple shield and bottles all together. He is a fabulous nurser now!

5. Do you believe this was beneficial to your child? If so, why?

Absolutely! I can’t prove it, but I think Parker’s eating habits now are directly related to the fact that he has been breastfed. In the NICU and at home, he would gulp too much milk from his bottle and it would cause him to stop breathing, choke, etc. He NEVER had that problem with nursing. With bottles, the flow is too fast (even with slow flow nipples), it’s not natural. Babies aren’t meant to know how to sip slowly from a bottle. They are meant to breastfeed. Because of my perseverance, Parker is not only an excellent nurser, he also has no other food aversions. He’ll eat anything and everything. He doesn’t have a tremendous appetite, and he’s still a little guy (just over 22 lbs), but he is willing to try new foods and eat anything he can put in his mouth.

6. Breastfeeding a baby does not seem to be as big a deal as breastfeeding a toddler with the public. What are you thoughts on this?

I just laugh to myself when people stare or look away because I’m nursing a toddler. They are the ones who are ignorant. They have no idea what I and my baby have been through. If Parker
wants to keep nursing at two years old, then I’m going to oblige. He did me the honor of living.

7. What are your thoughts on people not agreeing with breastfeeding in public?

Too bad. I’m feeding my baby. I have nursing in public down to a science these days, and I can usually be quite discreet. People have a right to their opinions, but I’m not going to stop feeding my baby in public. I usually have Parker in an Ergo baby carrier, so when he’s nursing, most people can’t even tell.

8. Has anyone ever say anything to you when you were breastfeeding in public?

No, but I’ve gotten some looks of surprise.

9. Were you aware that this is national breastfeeding week?

Yes, I read Mothering Magazine which is incredibly supportive of nursing mothers everywhere.

What are your thoughts on breastfeeding past a year old?

A new study conducted at the University of Extremadura, in Badajoz, Spain found that moms who use a breast pump to express milk during the day and then bottle-feed it to their baby at night may be letting themselves in for a sleepless night.

Naturally occurring chemicals called nucleotides that have previously been linked to sleepiness only reach their highest concentrations in human breast milk that is expressed at night.

Nucleotides are the building blocks of DNA, but they also participate in cellular signalling and metabolic processes within cells. Several of them have also been implicated in sleep.

The chemicals had already been found in breast milk, their concentrations increasing in the first few weeks after birth, so it seemed likely that they are important for tissue development. Now it seems they may have an additional role.

Cristina Sánchez and her colleagues looked at the concentrations of 5′UMP, 5′AMP and 5”GMP – the three nucleotides most strongly associated with sleep and sedation – in the breast milk of 30 healthy mothers who had been breast-feeding for at least 3 months. Samples of milk were collected before each feed over a 24-hour period, with between six and eight samples collected per mother.

They found that concentrations of 5′AMP were highest at the beginning of the night, while levels of 5′GMP and 5′UMP increased as the night wore on. These sedatives were found at much lower concentrations in milk expressed during the day.

The results also revealed that it was a bad idea for mom to express the milk at a certain time and then store it and feed it to the baby at a different time.

Research suggests that 5′AMP in breast milk might be fuelling the release of the sleep-promoting neurotransmitter GABA, while 5′GMP is involved in the secretion of melatonin,which helps regulate the natural body clock. 5′UMP is known to promote the amount of both REM and non-REM sleep.

The team has also been looking into whether the sleep-inducing nucleotides could be added to formula milk.
In a separate study, a “night-time” milk was created by adding 5′AMP and 5′UMP to standard formula milk. Infants receiving this milk between 6 pm and 6 am, and normal milk during the day, fell asleep faster and spent longer sleeping than when they drank standard formula milk all the time.

Related Articles:

• Kelly Rutherford Talks Breast Feeding With Best For Babes
  
• Mommy Style: Boob Nursing Wear

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Nursing moms know how difficult it can be to find stylish tops that easily adjust to accommodate their hungry baby, while still looking chic before and after a feeding. Alas! Awkward zippered tops make way for Boob Nursing Wear’s fabulous Fall/Winter 2009 collection, which allows wearers to breastfeed baby discreetly and fashionably via a subtle, double layer fabric design over the bust that may be easily moved aside.

The Swedish line was founded by a mom who wanted to create comfortable, stylish tops that would look great on women from early pregnancy through the breastfeeding stage. With the warm and cozy pieces featured in the Fall/Winter collection, moms needn’t fuss with disrobing several bundled layers before being able to feed their baby on the go in cold weather. Featuring sassy dresses, sporty hooded tops, chic turtlenecks, loungewear and more, the Boob collection has every aspect of a mom-to-be or nursing mom’s lifestyle covered in functional style. Classic colors and cuts make each versatile piece an instant wardrobe staple, that will last through multiple children due to their timeless nature.

The only improvement that can be made to the Boob Nursing Wear collection? The addition of the ultimate, one-of-a-kind accessory — your baby on your hip.

- Beth Shea, contributor

At seven months post-partum, I still have some extra stuff hanging around the mid section of my body, which is usually covered, unless I am breast feeding. When we’re out the baby insists on kicking off the nursing cover, showing off more than I would like him to.

Modest Middles innovative tank fits nicely under your clothes to keep your body covered while you feed your baby.

It’s cool design features a ‘cut-out’ underneath your bra that gives you easy access when you need to nurse. It was designed to be worn under your regular shirt to give you coverage when you lift your shirt to nurse.

This is especially useful for moms who have stretch marks or scars they want to keep covered.

I like this better than wearing a cami when I’m out because I need the extra support of a bra plus the body coverage. Modest Middles offers both.

Available in 3 colors Black, Nude and White for $29.99ea. (Discounts offered when more than one)

Gossip Girl’s Kelly Rutherford recently opened up to pro-breast feeding website Best For Babes about breast feeding and her experiences as a first time mother.

The new mom has been very outspoken about her views on breastfeeding. In fact she breast fed her 2 year-old son Hermes throughout her second pregnancy.

Here are a few highlights:

Best For Babes:Did you do anything to prepare or did breastfeeding come as a surprise?

Kelly: I took a class, but at the end of the day, if they are not latching on, then you feel “what’s wrong with me, what’s wrong with the baby.” Then, you have all sorts of experts talk about what’s going on. What I discovered, is that it is very important that the baby breastfeeds right away when she is born. As soon as I gave birth to my daughter, she was right on the boob, and I’ve had no problems. It was a big difference from the first birth, with my son, which was a very long one, so they thought, let me rest a little bit, but then by the time I breastfed him it had been a few hours. With my daughter, obviously the doctor made sure that everything was okay, but I didn’t do all of the procedures they recommend right away, I did the least amount that was necessary that was still healthy, so that my daughter would be able to latch right away.

BfB: How has your son reacted to your daughter and to your breastfeeding her?

Kelly: Well, he’s still nursing too, so they both just nurse.

BfB: Wow! Good for you! Has that helped with the sibling rivalry that sometimes comes with a newborn?

Kelly: I think it’s really helped the transition with the new baby that my son still gets that comfort and that cuddling. I’ve heard that babies that have been weaned when they see you nurse a newborn want to start nursing again.

BfB: Absolutely, toddlers do get jealous sometimes and tandem nursing is a wonderful transitional tool.

KR: I just want to say, to each his own. I know it’s not for everyone. Some people wonder how I do it and isn’t it exhausting but you have to realize it’s not all the time. My son is mostly busy doing other stuff and it’s more of a comfort thing, but it is really cute when they are nursing together. He just looks at her, and checks her out, and puts his hand on her little feet. It gives him this close-up intimate look at her, and it’s very beautiful to see them to kind of get to know each other. When a child is starting to be independent, to be able to come back to the mother and hold on, they are processing things when they are nursing. The world is a big place for us, imagine what it is for them. For children, it’s a nurturing, cuddly place to come back to that’s safe, where they can process the world that they are in. I see my son processing, and my daughter already; they sit, they look at you, they are safe, they have a moment to breathe, to be nurtured.

In honor of Breast Feeding Awareness Month, we have found a few pro breast feeding onesies that you may find them cute if you have a sense of humor.

Created by Babygags, these unique messages will let the world know exactly how your baby feels when it comes to mealtime.

This month, 200 hospitals across the country are replacing their formula discharge bags and samples with the country’s first breastfeeding support promotional discharge bag.

The “Healthy Baby Bounty Bag” contains product samples, coupons, and information that support and encourage breastfeeding without a packet of formula and without conflicting and contradictory messages about breastfeeding. Hospitals including UCLA Medical Center, Children’s Hospital in Boston, Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City, and Exeter Hospital are among the first to distribute Healthy Baby Bounty Bags to new moms.

The bags are created by Cottonwood Kids, a promotional products company that produces custom gifts for hospitals. The bags are green, made from recycled materials, and are 100 percent lead free. They are designed to serve as a cooler and storage carrier for breastmilk. All items inside are compliant with the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes (also known as the WHO Code), and are therefore completely focused on the importance of breastfeeding with no nipples or bottles included.

The samples are as follows:

• Disposable Nursing Pads
• Milk Storage Bags
• Latch on Tips card
• Mothers Milk Tea
• Diaper Wipes
• Aquaphor Baby Healing Ointment
• Boogie Wipes Anti Viral Tissues
• Sani Hands- Hand Sanitzer
• Sear Portrait Studio Coupon
• Free Gift Card for the mother that gifts can be redeemed on-line. Everyone gets a gift. Prizes include a $5,000 savings bond, free breast pumps nursing pillows and more.

Coupon Book that includes coupons from the following companies

• Lansinoh – Gel Pads
• Lansinoh- Breast Pads
• Lansinoh- Pumps
• Lansinoh- HPA Lanolin Breast Cream
• Lansinoh – Breastmilk Storage Bags
• Bravado Designs Breastfeeding Bras
• Mother’s Milk Organic Tea to promote lacation
• My Brest Friend Nursing Pillows
• Bebe Au Lait Nursing Covers
• Aquaphor Diaper Cream, Shampoo and Healing Ointment
• Sear Portrait Studios Portraits
• Seventh Generation Diapers
• Seventh Generation Wipes
• Seventh Generation Natural Cleaning Products
• Seventh Generation Feminine Care Products
• Boogie Wipes Anti Viral Tissues
• Sani Hands Hand Sanitizer
• Ergo Baby: Ergonomically correct baby carriers
• Baby Stay Asleep: Infant positioning System to help with reflux
• Belly Bar Nutrition Products for Mothers
• Milkscreen Human Milk Banking Association of North America

The coupons themselves add up to over $100.00 in savings.

Walmart is apologizing to a B.C. mother after she was asked to move to a washroom when she started to breastfeed in public at one of the chain’s department stores.

Tanya Constable was at a Walmart store in Langford, British Columbia, yesterday morning when, her 11-month-old daughter, Myra, started to cry.

When she stopped to breastfeed the child, she was approached by an employee of the store.

“You can’t be here,” Constable, 27, said a female employee told her, suggesting she breastfeed in the washroom instead.

Constable, a child-care worker on maternity leave, asked to speak with a manager.

“The manager said that if someone complains, the store’s policy is to ask them to move,” she said.

According to Constable, there were no other customers in the baby section where she was nursing who could have complained. She left the store.

Kevin Groh, director of corporate affairs for Walmart Canada, apologized on behalf of the store, saying that for the employee to suggest that Constable move to a washroom or change room was wrong.

In fact, Groh said, Wal-Mart’s policy for years has been “absolutely black and white.”

“Customers can breastfeed in whatever manner they see fit anywhere in the store.”

Groh said Friday’s incident was a result of miscommunication. The employee who initially approached Constable did so not because she was breastfeeding, but because she was doing it on a rocking chair meant for display purposes only, he said.

He then went on to say he will be reminding their staff across Canada of the company’s policy.

Maybe they should also install nursing rooms, like some other stores have.

Related Articles:

• Another Mom Charged With Drunken Breast Feeding
  
• Study: Early Pacifier Use Linked To Shorter Breastfeeding

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I am not really sure what is happening with new moms, but another mom has been charged with drunken breast feeding.

Stacey Anvarinia from North Dakota pleaded not guilty a child neglect charge for allegedly breast-feeding her baby while drunk.

While responding to a domestic disturbance call, police officers watched as an “extremely intoxicated “Anvarinia” began breast feeding her infant in front of us,” according to a police incident report.

Since alcohol can pass from mother to child via breast milk, the new mom was arrested for neglecting her six-week-old infant.

Related Articles:

• Teenage Mom Arrested For Driving Drunk While Breastfeeding
• Mom Arrested After She Is Caught Breast-Feeding AND Talking On The Phone While Driving

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