As a parent, how you decide to feed your baby is an important choice. You want to breastfeed, but in a modern world, you realize you won’t always have the luxury of being able to nurse baby directly. Whether your baby is sick, you have sore breasts, baby has feeding problems, or you need to return to work. However, you don’t need to stop breastfeeding.

You CAN have the best of both worlds. Using a breast pump is the perfect solution for you. Finding the best breast pump can be stressful, so we’ve done the time-consuming work for you. This is a list of the best-selling pumps on the market, check it out.

Best Breast Pump Comparisons

Breast Pump	Model	Type	Usage	Price	Rating
	Spectra S2	Double	High Usage / Exclusive Pumping	$$	4.3 Stars
	Medela Pump In Style	Double	High Usage / Exclusive Pumping	$$$	4.2 Stars
	Spectra S1	Double	High Usage / Exclusive Pumping	$$$	4.4 Stars
	Medela Swing	Single	Frequent	$$	4.1 Stars
	Beleef	Double	Frequent	$	4.4 Stars
	Philips Avent Comfort	Double	Frequent	$$	4.0 Stars
	Freemie Freedom Deluxe	Double	Frequent	$$	3.6 stars
	Evenflo Double	Double	Frequent	$	3.9 Stars

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5 Best Breast Pump Reviews

These breast pumps are all great buys. Choosing will ultimately come down to your needs. As with any product, you will get a more efficient breast pump if you are willing to invest a bit of cash. However, there are great performing pumps to suit any budget.

1. Spectra S1

The Spectra S1 tops our list of best double pumps if you are willing to invest a bit of money. Spectra is well known for their high quality, yet affordable, hospital grade pumps. You may be surprised by the compact design. Don’t be fooled, this is a powerful little machine. Not only will it pump with the efficiency of a hospital grade pump; it’s super quiet too. The cherry to top it off is that it’s also very comfortable to use. The combination of these features makes this pump one of the best for yielding large volumes of milk with each pump.

Additionally, the pump is extremely portable, due to its rechargeable battery. This feature will give you so much freedom, with 1hrs usage at full charge. The price is a little higher than other double pumps, but it’s guaranteed to maintain your supply and accommodate exclusive pumping. If you plan to have more babies, this pump is a great investment as it will last for years; even with frequent use.

2. Lansinoh Manual

This Lansinoh manual model made it as a favorite for its price and quality; plus it’s really popular. You will be able to find this pump at most retailers for under $35. It’s a great manual breast pump from a highly regarded breastfeeding brand, with a lot of history. Lansinoh is one of the most respected brands on the market.

As a manual pump, you’ll need to do all the work by hand, to create suction. Some others find this is too much hassle, but it’s convenient if you only want to pump on a rare occasion. It also means that there is no noisy motor churning away, making expressing very discreet. There is an attraction to a pump which can be used incognito, especially somewhere like the workplace.

One of the best features it its ergonomic handle. It’s easy to grip and comfortable whilst holding the bottle and pumping. We love that the perfect grip gives you no hand discomfort whilst expressing. This makes it much easier to pump at a constant and comfortable pace, making a session a lot quicker. This breast pump is a great option if you want to pump on the odd occasion or buying a pump ‘just in case’. The price range also makes it very budget friendly.

3. Medela Pump In Style

The Medela Pump In Style is one of the best breast pumps you can get for under $150. This pump is so effective. The double pump system will allow you to pump twice as quick. Hands up if you want more hours in your day? Really, this pump will save you a lot of time, especially if you are expressing a lot.

It comes with Medela two phase expression system. That means the pump will change suction rate and strength when stimulating the milk; and then when it begins to flow. So you are more likely to collect more milk as this mimic your baby’s natural rhythm. The pump is also very comfortable to use. It won’t nip or rub on the breast at all (when used with the correct size breast shield). This is because Medela provides different size shields. You’re sure to find the best fit, regardless of your breast size.

The starter set comes in a smart black carry case. This makes the pump really discreet if you have to use in a public place. If you want a few more accessories, you can get kits with a backpack or a cooler case. If you’re a working mum looking for a great pump, then this is the one for you.

One of the downsides of this pump is that the powerful motor makes it quite loud. A tip to make it a little less noisy is to place the pump in the carry bag and zip it up to muffle some of the noise.

4. Freemie Deluxe

Expressing with this pump is a slightly different experience. Why? The Freemie Deluxe is a hands free pump which allows you to pump with your shirt on. This gives you so much freedom to work, play or rest, during a successful pump session. You can use the pump as a double or a single. We wouldn’t recommend using the single without have a breast pad to prevent leakage from the other breast. This pump is great if you have very limited time to express. You can now multitask by using it whilst driving, preparing food or tending to your children.

The breast shields look like two little storage pots attached to the motor. They cup around the breasts and you express the milk directly into the shield. Once finished you decant the milk into your feeding bottles. It’s as simple as that.

5. Medela Symphony

The Medela Symphony the best breast pump on the market, hands down. This is an extremely luxury product. You’ll need to consider investing a lot of money. However, it still works out as cheaper than purchasing formula for one year, and will last longer. You will not be disappointed with its performance.

You need to consider this pump if you struggle with severe lactation problems. If you have twins or a premature baby, then this is the pump for you. It’s also a great buy for exclusively pumping, especially if you plan to have more babies. You can guarantee this will maintain your milk supply due to its high-powered motor.

Let’s be honest this pump is pretty bulky and heavy. However, it wasn’t designed to be portable; it’s designed to express milk quickly and effectively. And that is what it does best. If feeding your baby breast milk is important to you, then don’t waste your money on mid-range products ,which are not guaranteed to maintain your supply.

Which Type of Breast Pump Should I Use?

A breast pump is used so that you can continue feeding baby breast milk when you cannot put them directly onto the breast. You may be returning to work, baby is ill, you have breast problems, or you just want a few hours to yourself. Whatever your reason there is a breast pump out there to suit all needs from occasional expressing right up to exclusive pumping.

Breast pumps are powered either manually or with an electric power source.

Manual Breast Pump

Also known as a hand pump, these are designed to use your hand to power the pump suction. You can only pump one breast at a time with a manual pump. Benefits of a manual breast pump include being:

• inexpensive
• portable
• quiet
• easy to maintain

We would recommend using one if you are using the pump rarely or travel a lot. If you have a condition which restricts movement in your hand, then there is foot powered breast pump available. However, we would recommend using an electric breast pump.

Electric Breast Pump

These pumps are more efficient than manual breast pumps. They are available as home-use pumps or hospital grade pumps. Home-use pumps are designed for medium usage, i.e. if you are looking to pump milk once a week to twice a day. These pumps are most often used if you need a pump to return to work or building your milk supply.

A hospital grade pump is designed for heavy usage. If you are looking for a pump which will handle at least 5-12 daily expressing session, then you should consider these. The motors are sturdy, reliable with enough efficiency to keep your milk supply high. You may have been advised to use a hospital grade pump if your baby is premature; you have supply issues; or you have twins or multiples. These pumps are very expensive to buy; however, some models are available to rent.

Single Electric Breast Pump

This type of pump has one breast shield and bottle attached to the motor. This means you can only express from one breast at a time. If you’re looking for an electric pump to use less than twice a week, then consider a single pump. You’ll save money, as single pumps are often cheaper than the double counter parts. You have a little more freedom to get tasks done as you will still have one hand free whilst expressing. To express both sides with a single pump will take around 20-40 minutes, depending on the pump efficiency.

Double Electric Breast Pump

This type of pump allows you to pump both breasts at the same time. A double breast pump is a major time saving strategy with expressing milk. It will take half the time as it would for you to pump with a single pump. If you are expressing more than three times daily you will need a double pump which has a high-performance motor to cope with the usage. If you have twins or trouble establishing your milk supply consider a double breast pump. Regular double pumping stimulates your prolactin hormones, to keep your milk supply high. It will take you around 10-20 minutes to empty both breasts with a double pump.

Advantages of an Electric Breast Pump

Aside from having more buying choice, there are a lot of benefits to using this type of breast pump.

It’s faster

Better still reduce your pumping time by half and buy a double breast pump. You’ll know how precious time is when you’re a parent. Saving the extra few hours a day without having to sit and express milk will make the world of difference. Just think how much you can get done.

Easy to use

Hold the bottle to your breast, switch on and let the machine do the work. No aching hands or trying to keep at a constant pump rhythm.

Comfort control

Choose a suction rate and strength which is most comfortable for you. You may like it to be turned up to max or need it a little slower. Being comfortable while expressing is just as important as the pump efficiency. If you are uncomfortable, your hormones will prevent your milk flow.

More efficient

Sometimes you just need a little more ‘oomph’ to express your milk. The most effective type of electric breast pump is a hospital grade pump. The motors in these pumps are strong and durable enough for frequent use. You would be looking to spend around $1500 for one of these models. However, brands such as Spectra have a range of home-use hospital grade pumps to buy at a reasonable price. If you have twins or multiples, this type of breast pump will help keep your milk supply high.

You can hire

This option suits those who need the efficiency of a hospital grade pump but for a short period. Most commonly these are used by mums with sick or premature babies need to increase supply or have major breastfeeding problems. You can hire for a month at a time until you build up a good milk supply. You can then switch to a home-use pump or start trying baby directly on the breast.

>>Click here for our Breast Pump Buying Guide<<

Open or Closed System Breast Pump?

The term open and closed system is often used when researching breast pumps. So what does this mean? Rather, why does it matter? Let’s explore these two systems.

Open System Breast Pump

The motor of the pump is exposed to breast milk as it is expressed. Usually, these are small droplets and won’t affect the motor. The main concern is that these droplets then grow mold, or transmit viral and fungal infections. These is no way of completely cleaning and sterilizing between uses. For this reason, you should never buy a second-hand open system breast pump.

Closed System Breast Pump

These will have a barrier system (e.g., a filter) to prevent milk from reaching the motor. This, therefore makes them much more hygienic to use. Do note that a closed pump system does not mean multi-user. Most second-hand pumps are resold on the claim they are safe for reselling due to the closed system. We will discuss our advice for second-hand breast pump later in the article. Hospital grade pumps require each woman to use their dedicated pump accessories.

If you are unsure about the system your breast pump uses, contact the manufacturer’s customer support.

10 Benefits of Using a Breast Pump

Let’s take a look at the ways a breast pump can benefit your lifestyle.

1. Medications/Alcohol

You may have an unexpected illness on a night off. Certain medication and alcohol pass through the breast milk into baby. By using a breast pump you can build a supply of milk to give to baby. This can be until you finish your course of medication or sober up.  During this time, you remove the milk from your breasts and throw it away. This technique is known as ‘pump and dump’.

2. Premature Baby

If your baby is born a little early, they may have problems breastfeeding. This is because their suckling reflex is underdeveloped. Expressing breast milk will give your baby perfect nutrition to help them grow and strengthen their immune system. Over supply can also be donated to other premature babies via a Milk Bank.

3. Special Needs

Babies with feeding issues such as cleft palate, infection, jaundice or tongue tie will benefit from expressed breast milk. As baby can’t feed directly at the breast, they can receive milk via alternative feeding equipment. This can also help when baby refuses to feed or is too sleepy. Check out our article on alternative feeding methods for babies here.

4. Breast Issues

A breast pump can help if you are experiencing problems with your breasts. Examples of this include:

• Mastitis
• Sore nipples
• Breast abscess
• Previous Surgery
• Blocked Ducts
• Thrush

Using a breast pump can help you take a break from feeding. This gives your body the time to heal or for further medical investigations.

5. Time Apart

Breast pumps are ideal for when you need to be separated from your baby. This can be for traveling or having a day trip or night out. Your baby will need to eat whilst you are way. Expressing your milk prevents you from turning to formula for feeding baby. Some companies will even ship milk across the country if you are separated for a few days.

6. Return to Work

Maternity pay may mean you have to return to work sooner than you would like. Using a breast pump means you don’t need to give up breastfeeding altogether. Your employer should make provisions for you to pump at work.  You can keep your supply high and build a stash of milk for your baby when they are in childcare.

7. Feeding In Public

Unfortunately breastfeeding in public still receives a bad reputation. If you are self-conscious, a breast pump can help you until your confidence builds with feeding.  It can also help if your religion requires you to maintain modesty in certain circumstances.

8. Co-Parenting

Birth recovery, sleepless night and growth spurts can leave you exhausted. Expressing milk can help you hand over the reins to your partner to give you a break. This also gives your partner the chance to experience a feeding bond with your baby.

9. Exclusive Pumping

This is a lesser-known alternative between breastfeeding and formula feeding.  It means you express your breast milk and feed baby through a bottle. This feeding method give you all the benefits of breastfeeding mixed with the drawbacks of bottle feeding. As a word of warning its very time-consuming and you need to be extremely organised. However, for some families it’s extremely beneficial to their lifestyles.

10. Increase Supply

Adding an extra pump session to your feeding schedule can increase your milk supply. The idea is to pump as often as possible between breast feeds. You can also use the pump to remove more milk from each breast after baby is finished. It tricks your body into thinking your baby needs more milk, so it makes more.

Disadvantages of Using a Breast Pump

Time consuming

Using a breast pump takes a lot of time out of your day. A session can take around 20-30 minutes. Do that a few times a day, and it adds up to hours. Using a double breast pump can cut down on this time.

Milk storage issues

Storing a milk stash can be a problem if you are short on space. Bottles take up a lot of room in the fridge. We suggest using freezer storage bags to save space. If you are pumping away from home, you will need a cooler to transport the milk to and from work.

Privacy issues

For working mom, it can be difficult to find a private place to pump. Even if your employer provides a dedicated space, it may not necessarily be discreet to pump. Some working moms prefer to use a manual breast pump to reduce noise.

Overproduction

As we’ve already discussed expressing can increase your milk supply. For some women, it can put it into overdrive. If you have too much milk, it can lead to problems such as blocked ducts or mastitis. If you still need to pump, we suggest building a slow supply by pumping for short periods after a morning feed.

10 Top Rated Breast Pump Brands

Let’s explore the best-selling breast pump brand in the USA. See below for our full range comparison table of pumps available for each brand.

Ameda

A well-known breastfeeding brand with over 80 years’ experience. They offer a range of 4 high-quality breast pumps from manual, home use and hospital grade. The Ameda Platinum is a multi-award winning breast pump for pre-term babies and exclusive pumping. They supply over 40 international countries.

Ardo

A Swiss family company with 20 years’ experience in breastfeeding products. They have a small range of manual, home use and professional pumps you can hire. They are WHO compliant to protect breastfeeding rates. Ardo also adopts a child labor free standard when producing their breast pumps.

Bellema

A relatively new brand to the USA. The company is focused on working with experts and engineers to provide women with a range of effective pumps. Their current range includes 5 electric options. All the pumps are FDA approved for safety and quality.

Evenflo

A US-based company with nearly 100 years of baby feeding experience. The company focused on easy to use products to benefits parents. They have a range of 3 manual and electric breast pumps. Their double breast pump has been selected for various awards for features and affordability.

Freemie

Invented by a Dr who wanted a hands free approach to breastfeeding. The brand is aimed at those returning to work, or who need to free up time while expressing. The company has two models available as well as adaptation kits for other breast pump brands.

Hygeia

This brand is focused on making hospital grade quality breast pumps for moms. There is also a manual breast pump model available. With WHO compliant standard, insurance standard breast pumps and rental options they aim to offer affordable breast pumps to all incomes.

Lansinoh

Created by a mom almost 30 years ago the brand has grown into a huge brand of breastfeeding products. You probably know them for their best-selling lanolin nipple cream. However, they have a range of quality breast pumps. Our favorite manual breast pump is from the Lansinoh range.

Medela

Founded in 1961 by a Swiss family the company has expanded to over 90 countries worldwide. With over 30 years’ experience in the USA, it’s hands down the world leading breast pump brand. They have a huge range of high quality, award-winning products and accessories to meet all lifestyle needs.

Philips AVENT

An English based brand, which is known for high-quality electric products. Their breastfeeding range is small, yet highly rated. Philips AVENT scores highly for both manual and electric breast pumps.

Spectra

A brand set up in 2012 by registered nurses and certified lactation consultants. They focus on what moms need: effective and affordable breast pumps. They have one of the most extensive breast pump ranges only second to Medela. Spectra is already well established in the UK and Australia.

Breast Pump Range Comparison

Spectra USA Breast Pump	Handy Plus Manual	Spectra M1	Spectra 9 Plus	Spectra Dew 350	Spectra S2	Spectra S1
Type of Use
Occasional use (weekly)	X	X	X	X	X	X
Daily		X	X	X	X	X
Double Pumping		X	X	X	X	X
Multiple Babies				X	X	X
Performance Use
Rechargeable Battery		X	X			X
Digital Display			X		X	X
Adjustable Suction		X	X	X	X	X
Adjustable speed			X		X	X
Lightweight	X	X	X
Massage Mode		X	X		X	X
Nightlight and Timer					X	X
Medical Conditions
Flat/ inverted nipples	X	X	X	X	X	X
Sore nipples/ engorgement		X	X	X	X	X
Attachment /breast issues		X	X	X	X	X
Low milky supply				X	X	X
Premature or ill baby				X	X	X

Breast Pump Features

Knowing which breast pump features will offer the greatest benefits is a whole article in itself. If you don’t know what to look for check out our breast pump buying article here. Let’s start by giving you an idea of features, which make a breast pump stand out.

Speed and Suction Control

Having the ability to control the speed and strength of a breast pump is the most important feature. Why? Comfort is vital when expressing. If you are uncomfortable, you will express less milk. Adjustable suction allows you to zone in the settings that are most comfortable for you.

Expression Phase

When your baby breastfeeds, they use two techniques to extract the milk. They start with short fast sucks until the milk flows. Then they change to long, slow sucks. A breast pump which mimics this action will express more than one without. Quality ranges such as Medela and Spectra include this in their electric breast pumps.

Hands-Free

Using a breast pump can take a lot of time. The ability to pump hands free will allow you to multi-task as you pump. The only truly hands-free pump in the Freemie Deluxe. Other brands such as the Medela freestyle can be used with a hand free pump bra. This gives you the freedom to move around while you pump.

BPA Free

Any good-quality breast pump should be BPA free. This is a chemical used when making plastic products. There are health concerns when children use BPA for long periods. It is thought to cause health and development delays. It’s especially important with feeding products as these chemicals can leech into your expressed breast milk.

What Do I Need To Pump Milk?

Unlike breastfeeding, using a breast pump needs a few accessories to get the benefits. Most breast pumps will come with the pump and a basic collection bottle. Consider how the milk will be stored after you pump. Let’s take a look at what you need for your expressed breast milk.

Feeding

At some point, you’ll want to feed your baby your expressed milk.  This is what you need for feeding your baby:

• Bottles – The type of bottle you use will depend on preference. Most women opt for high rated reliable brands. If you want to avoid plastic bottles, opt for a glass or stainless steel alternative.

• Nipple – Most people simple use the nipple that comes with the bottles they choose. We recommend opting for a breastfeeding friendly nipple to avoid nipple confusion. These mimic the action of breastfeeding and make your baby less likely to reject the breast.

• Alternative Methods – If you prefer not to use bottles there are alternatives. Check out our guide on baby bottle alternatives here.  These can also help babies who are unable to use bottles to feed.

Storage

If you want to wait before feeding your baby the expressed breast milk, you’ll need to keep it stored safely. You may also want to build a breast milk stash for future use. This is what you’ll need:

• Breast Milk Bags – Bottles are great for storing milk for a few hours; however, they are bulky. Breast milk storage bags are perfect for long-term storage in a freezer.

• Cool Bag – If you are pumping milk at work, you’ll need to store it until you get home. A cool bag is perfect for commuting to and from work without spoiling your milk.

Sterilize

Breast milk attracts bacteria and mold growth. This means you need to regularly clean and sterilize your breast pump and feeding equipment. You’ll prevent your baby being exposed to infection or illness.

• Soaps – You don’t need specialized soap as regular dish soap will do. Some moms prefer to use specialized breast milk soap as the high-fat content of breast milk can leave a grease layer.

• Brush – Bottles and nipples have a lot of small edges, which harbor bacteria. A bottle brush gets right into all those areas and rids them of hidden nasties.

• Dry rack – Dissembles pumps and bottles can take up a lot of space to dry. A bottle drying rack is designed to hold all these small pieces in a compact space.

• Sterilizer – You will need to sterilize bottles, nipples, and breast pump parts to remove harmful bacteria. Opt for a steam sterilizer, boil in a pot or sterilizing fluid.

Cost of a Breast Pump

Before you buy a breast pump consider the cost of using one. Let’s explore where you expect to pay when it comes to breast pumps.

Breast pump

This will be your greatest expense. Although you can find a breast pump to suit all budgets. Typical costs are:

• $20-$40 manual breast pump
• $60-$400 home use electric breast pump (single or double)
• $1500-$3000 professional breast pump

 If shelling out this much isn’t an option you can get the benefits of a professional pump by renting instead of buying. The cost is around $50 a month, with an additional $50 to purchase your own tubing, breast shield and collection bottle.

Accessories

We’ve already discussed the breast pump accessories you’ll need for expressing. Most accessories are fairly inexpensive on their own, but can quickly add up. Purchase bottles in bulk to save money. However, if you opt for specialist bottles, they are expensive, and you’ll need a few. The same goes for bottle nipples.

Power supply

Electric breast pumps will require you to have a power supply to use them. Most are rechargeable with a mains power. These are fairly low energy and won’t use a lot of power. You may also have a battery powered option. You have to be savvy, so they don’t become a wallet drain. We recommend using rechargeable batteries. Otherwise, the cost of replacement batteries quickly adds up as they drain fast.

Maintenance

Overtime part of your breast pump or accessories will wear out and need to be replaced. Make sure it’s easy to get replacements for your pump, or it could get costly. Without proper maintenance of tubing and membranes, your breast pump won’t work effectively.

Regular cleaning and sterilizing is part of maintaining your breast pump. This stops small part becoming clogged with milk. It also keeps mold and bacteria from growing on the pump.

You may also need to replace nipples or bottles as your baby grows, to suit their feeding needs.

Buying a Used Breast Pump

A high-quality breast pump for frequent pumping can be expensive. Double electric pumps start around $100. Hospital grade pumps run upwards of $3000. At these prices, you may be considering buying a used breast pump, but is it a good idea?

Let’s tack a look at the pros and con of buying a second-hand breast pump.

Pros

• Save Money – A use breast pump will usually cost around 50% of the retail price. If you are on a tight budget, it means you get a higher quality pump with more features for your budget.

• Reduces Waste – A second-hand pump is good for the environment. You’ll prevent someone throwing a perfectly good breast pump in the landfill. Buying second-hand cuts down on land waste and more plastics in the environment.

Cons

• No warranty – All single user breast pump brand will have a requirement of a single user for a valid warranty. Selling the breast pump invalidates the warranty. Multi-user pumps are exempt from this; however, you may need proof of purchase for warranty claim.

• Health concerns – The warranty on some pumps will state for one person use only. Regardless of whether the breast pump is an open or closed system. This is because there is no guarantee that the pump is sanitary where it comes into contact with breast milk. You more than likely don’t know the health of the previous owner. That puts your baby at risk of life-changing infections.

• Pump life – With a used pump you never know how long it will last. Most breast pumps have a motor which can run for a certain number of hours before it packs up. If the previous user was an exclusive pumper or has expressed for a number of children it may be close to its end. You could get a few years use, or a few days, there is no way to tell.

New or Used Breast Pump – Making a Choice

With these things in mind, you should be able to make an informed decision about whether to buy a new or used breast pump. Consider if the cost saving of a used pump is worth the risk to your baby’s health.

When it comes to single-user breast pumps, we would advise you not to buy one second-hand. If you absolutely must buy a used pump buying from a friend or family member is a safer option. You will more than likely know their health status, and the breast pumps history. Buying from somewhere like eBay or craigslist is far too risky for your baby’s health.

Multi-user breast pumps are safe to buy from unknown sellers with regard to health. You would need to buy new tubing and collection kits. The issue is that these will still be fairly expensive to purchase. Your concern should be with the lifespan and wear and tear on the pump.

The post The Best Breast Pump Reviews For Expressing Milk appeared first on Stork Mama.

Choosing to breastfeed has so many benefits for you and your baby. You may also want to express some breast milk for times when you can physically nurse your baby.

If you want to pump occasionally then a manual breast pump is what you need.

Otherwise, check out our electric breast pump buying guide.

Most breast pump guides are aimed at an electric breast pump. We created this one specifically for manual breast pumps. We’ll help you wade through all the information so you can find the perfect breast pump which fits your family’s needs.

In this article you’ll find:

• 5 Best Manual Breast Pump Reviews
• Manual breast pump Buying Guide
• How to use a manual breast pump
• Advantage of manual breast pumps
• Disadvantages of manual breast pumps

First let’s start by looking at our top 5 best rated manual breast pumps.

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5 Best Manual Breast Pump Reviews

1. Medela Harmony Manual Breast Pump

The Medela Harmony is the most popular manual breast pump on the market. It’s the only manual breast pump made by the Medela.

They have tried to include their two-phase expression system into this pump. You turn the handle to start with fast, quick motion. Then turn again to change to long, slow motion.

This mimics that way your baby feeds and helps you get more milk when pumping.

It’s a great quality pump which will last a long time.

It comes with a Medela collection bottle and breast shield. These are all interchangeable with the electric Medela breast pumps if you decide to move onto one in the future.

If you need extra equipment such as bottle teats, or a larger breast flange, it’s very easy to get addition parts for this pump.

2. Philips Avent Manual Comfort Breast Pump

The Philips Avent Comfort Manual is the most comfortable pump on our list.

The shield of the pump is designed to site at an angle, which makes it much more comfortable to press whilst sitting.

Another comfort feature is the textured petals in the shield. This helps to massage the breast as you pump, to encourage more milk flow.

You can collect milk in the bottle then feed baby with the teat they supply with the pump.

We found that the wider pump handle was much easier to use than our other pick, and resulted in less hand fatigue after a while.

Whilst you can’t buy different breast shield sizes, you can use other Avent bottles with this pump.

3. Lansinoh Manual Breast Pump

The Lansinoh Manual pump is our most efficient choice.

The shield is designed with a soft rim which makes it comfortable to use but also give a tight suction.

This pump is extremely effective even on petite and plus-size breasts, as you are supplies with two shield sizes (25mm and 30.5mm).

It’s similar to the Medela as you can use the two-phase expression with a simple switch.

You are supplied with a collection bottle; however, it will fit most wide necked baby bottles.

We love how easy this pump is to assemble, which make it easier to clean between uses.

4. Sumgott Manual Breast Pump

The Sumgott manual breast pump is a newcomer, but very popular with moms.

It has a comfortable breast shield with petals similar to the Philips Avent Comfort. Moms report that it’s just as effective as a good electric breast pump for removing your breast milk.

This pump is very lightweight and compact to carry it around. We highly recommend it for travel use or returning to working part-time after maternity leave.

The only color the feeding bottle comes in is pink so you may not want to use it for a baby boy.

You’ll need to decant the milk as it doesn’t fit other branded bottles.

5. Zenda Naturals Manual Breastmilk Pump

The Zenda Naturals is a great budget manual pump.

It’s based on the design of the original HaaKaa pump, but with higher ratings.

This pump has a gentler approach the expressing. It’s made from soft silicone and removes milk from your breast by applying gentle pressure to the collection bottom.

For regular expressing it may not be effective enough. However, we would highly recommend it to use as a pump to relieve engorgement when you are away from baby.

It’s also a great pump for catching expressed milk from hand expressing.

We love that it’s really compact to carry around. It only has the one piece, so you don’t need to assemble it or clean numerous parts.

Manual Breast Pump Buying Guide

Before you buy your breast pump, consider what features are essential to you. We’ve found the functions that rate as important to moms to get you started.

Comfort

This is essential for any breast pump as it will affect how much milk you get. When buying a breast pump look out for the effort the brand has made to ensure comfort.

Soft breast shields, cushions, custom fit and good handle designs are all good sign the pump is comfortable.

Remember you’ll be expressing for around 15-30 minutes, so your breast and hand need to be pain-free during that time.

Portability

Manual breast pumps are usually used for work or travel. They are so much easier to carry around than an electric breast pump.

You may want to consider other features that make it portable. A carry bag is handy to keep all the parts in one place and not scattered over your bag.

Collection

How the milk is collected is essential, especially if you are keeping it for baby. Look out for pump which has a two-phase expression to copy baby’s suckling and get more milk.

You also need to consider what bottles are included with the pump. You’ll get a collection bottle, but not necessarily a feeding bottle.

You’ll need to consider whether the pump is suitable to use with other brand bottles, or if you need to decant into a feeding bottle.

Ease Of Use

Your breast pump needs to be easy to use, or it will frustrate you. Check how many parts the pump has.

Too many fiddly little pieces mean it is a pain to assemble and clean between uses. The pump action of the bottle is also very important.

A pump which is nice and smooth to use will cut down on hand fatigue, which is a common issue with manual pumps.

How to use a manual breast pump

Benefits of Manual Breast Pump

Using a manual breast pump can have many benefits compared to hand expressing or using an electric breast pump.

Cheap

Manual breast pumps are very budget friendly. You’ll be able to pick one up for around $30 or less. That’s not a huge initial outlay, especially if you are not going to use it very often.

Hygienic

Compared to electric breast pumps, manuals have a lot fewer parts. You don’t need to worry about milk back flowing into motors and tube, causing mold. You can clean all parts of a manual pump between each use.

Easy Assembly

As there are fewer parts, manual breast pumps are usually easier to assemble than an electric breast pump. Some newer silicone suction models require no assembly at all.

Easy To Use

It’s very easy to use a manual breast pump. Set it up and simply push a lever up and down. With an electric breast pump, you need to find your comfort setting with dials and buttons.

Speed Control

Some moms find electric breast pumps painful to use even on the lowest setting. Manual pumps mean you have full control over the pump suction. This can provide an extra comfort feature for you to express more milk.

Portable

Manual breast pumps are very lightweight and compact to carry around. The few parts make them a lot more convenient to carry than an electric breast pump with a motor.

Quiet

Discreet expressing is essential when you are pumping in a public place such as work. The lack of motor makes a manual breast pump virtually silent to use.

No Power Source

The lack of motor means you don’t need to worry about finding a power source to pump. There is also no cost to worry about with electricity or battery supply. You’ll never need to worry about running out of charge or using it during an emergency situation such as a power cut.

Low Maintenance

A manual breast pump is extremely low maintenance. You don’t need to worry about buying extra tubing or a motor wearing out. You are more than likely to get the use of a manual breast pump through a few babies.

Disadvantages of Manual Breast Pump

Tiring

The biggest drawback of a manual pump is the problem of hand fatigue. Pressing a lever up and down for 15-30 minutes can result in some serious hand fatigue.

May Not Be Strong Enough

Some moms find that manual breast pumps are not effective enough for them. They simply need the stronger suction that you can only get with an electric breast pump.

Double Pumping

You can buy two manual pumps and double pump; however, it really is a hassle. Plus, you can’t switch hands if you start to get hand ache. If you need to pump double, we highly recommend getting an electric breast pump.

Slower Than Electric

Electric breast pumps are much quicker at getting more milk than a manual breast pump. They have a stronger suction. Plus unlike your hand, they pump at a constant rate. You tend to slow down toward the end with a manual pump.

The post Best Manual Breast Pump Reviews For Expressing Milk appeared first on Stork Mama.

Expressing milk can take up a lot of time in busy day. How about pumping whilst you after your toddler, do the dishes, send emails or put on a load of washing.

A good hand free pumping bra can give you the best of both worlds, and make you feel like super mom.

Pin for later

Now when it comes to buying a pumping bra you’ll have a lot of choice. That’s not a bad thing, but you may not know where to start.

I’ve researched all you need to know about buying a pumping bra. It’s crammed into this handy, one-stop buying guide, so you don’t need to waste time looking for what you need.

In this guide you’ll find:

• 6 Best Pump Bra Reviews
• Pumping Bra Buying Guide
• Benefits of a Pumping Bra

Let’s start by looking at my favorite pumping bras.

6 Best Pumping Bra Reviews

1. Simple Wishes Pumping Bra

• Style: Bandeau
• Colors: Black, Soft Pink
• Sizes: XS-L or XL Plus (flexible sizing)

Suitable for Nursing: No

Suitable for Massage: Yes

Our Verdict

The Simple Wishes Pumping bra is the most popular one to buy online. This bra is highly rated as it offers amazing support.

It works well because of the two layers of supportive fabric which doesn’t sag, even when holding two full collection bottles.

The style of opening makes it suitable to use with all popular breast pumps. This bra is adjustable and fits most sizes.

The back fastening is Velcro and the front fastening is a zipper. If you need extra support it comes with removable multi-way straps.

It’s quick and easy to put on over the top of a nursing bra. Plus it’s machine washable for easy cleaning.

This bra is made from a thicker fabric, (for support) which means it’s harder to massage the breast. It’s not impossible but a little trickier than some of our other top picks.

Plus the dual opening means it’s not suitable to use as a nursing bra. It’s reasonably priced compared to other pump bras and you should get one for under $35.

2. Rumina Relaxed Pumping Bra

• Style: Full Bra
• Colors: Black, White, Nude
• Sizes: 5 Sizes from XS to XL

Suitable for Nursing: Yes

Suitable for Massage: Yes

Our Verdict

The Rumina Pumping bra is perfect if you want a nursing bra that also suitable for pumping.

The 2 in 1 design will save you a lot of money from having to buy two separate bras. Plus it will save you time from having to switch between bras when using your pump. 

The bra design is simple and seamless, so you can even use it as a sleep bra. The support is light to moderate, giving it a bit more flexibility than the Simply Wishes Bra. 

The two-layer fabric system will fit most breast pump horns. We love that this bra allows the flexibility of pumping, nursing, breast massage, and hand expressing.

The biggest downside to this bra was that it does start to sag when the milk bottle fill. You may need to use this bra when you are doing seated tasks with little pull from gravity.

This pumping bra is also reasonably priced and you should get it for around $30.

3. Dairy Fairy Ayla

• Style: Full Bra
• Colors: Black, cream, pink, grey
• Sizes: 6 Sizes from XS to XXL to fit sizes 30A-40G

Suitable for Nursing: Yes

Suitable for Massage: Yes

Our Verdict

The Dairy Fairy Ayla Bra is hands down the best design of all our picks. The lace fabric makes you feel like you’re wearing regular, pretty underwear rather than a frumpy nursing bra.

If you have a larger chest your benefit from the supportive underwire. The bra is worn just like a regular nursing bra with a hook closure to adjust to size.

 There is an overlap of fabric that slips down to insert the breast pump flange. This does leave a ‘ridge’ under your tops, just so you’re aware if you prefer a seamless look.

The support is firm, and won’t sag or lose suction as the bottle fill. As it’s a dual pump and nursing bra, you can feed, pump, and massage with ease.

Expect to pay the price for the amazing combination of design and function.

This bra will set you back around $55. If you can afford it, do splash out as it’s more than worth the money.

4. Pump Ease Bra

• Style: Bandeau
• Colors: 13 different colors and patterns
• Sizes: Small, medium, large, x-large to fit sizes 32AA-48H

Suitable for Nursing: Yes

Suitable for Massage: Yes

Our Verdict

The Pump Ease bra is very highly rated by other moms. The range has a large selection of fun, rockabilly, and classic designs, it’s hard to choose which one to pick.

Dr. Sears commented how the patterns can help to develop your baby’s eyesight. The opening is just a simple split layer, which means it’s suitable for all breast pumps.

Getting the right bra size is important as it a hook closer which isn’t adjustable once the bra is on.

We would highly recommend this for moms pumping at work as you can wear it over a nursing bra. Plus it’s very portable to carry in a pump bag without being bulky.

This bra is moderately supportive, once the bottles start to become full, they will need support. Otherwise, the bra will sag and you’ll lose pump suction.

You can use this bra whilst nursing, however, you need to pull your nipple through the opening. We wouldn’t recommend doing this often as restricting the breast tissue can lead to blocked ducts.

A pump ease bra costs around $40 to buy.

5. Lactamed Simplicity Bra Kit

• Style: Strap Bra
• Colors: 12 colors
• Sizes: One Size fits all

Suitable for Nursing: Yes

Suitable for Massage: Yes

Our Verdict

The Lactamed Simplicity bra kit is the perfect budget pumping bra. This is perfect if you want to skip the bells and whistles and just want a quality, functional pump holder.

You don’t need to worry about finding the right size as it’s fully adjustable to fit all sizes. It’s designed to use with your regular nursing bra.

It’s so simple to use, place it over your top and quickly adjust the toggles to hold the breast pump horns in place.

The toggle adjusts making it suitable to use with any breast pump, and won’t sag as it fills as you can pull it tighter. The lack of fabric means that nursing baby and massaging are easy to do whilst you pump.

The main issue this simplicity bra is durability due to the lack of material. There is a bit of a learning curve to use it, although there are instructions and videos to learn how to do it all at first.

The Lactamed Simplicity bra costs around $15 to buy, although some colors may cost a few dollars more.

6. Pump Strap

• Style: Bandeau
• Colors: Beige, Black, Pink, Purple, Turquoise
• Sizes: XS – XXXL

Suitable for Nursing: Yes

Suitable for Massage: Yes

Our Verdict

The Pump Strap is the highest-rated bra on our list. The bra is made from a thick band of thick neoprene. This makes it very support for even breast pumps with thicker sizes pump horns.

The material is machine washable, but also easy to spot clean between uses. With a velcro back it can be adjusted to fir most sizes ranging from an A to J cup.

For larger chest sizes it has a removable strap for extra support. It’s really durable and they even offer a one-year guarantee on the velcro.

The band is designed to help with breast compression and massage to get more milk during your pump.

The large openings also make it easy to nurse your baby on one side as you pump on the other.

This bra isn’t really discreet and can get quite hot. We wouldn’t advise you wear it all day. You’ll need to put it on and take it off with each pump session.

However, it is really quick and easy to wear alone or over a nursing bra.

The pump strap bra costs just under $33 to buy.

Pumping Bra Buying Guide

Before you buy your pumping bra you should know which features are available to help you choose between brands. The bra which scores high in the areas important to you will be the best match for you.

Bra Type

There are three different types of pumping bra. The one type you need will depend on what you need from your breastfeeding lifestyle.

Pump only – This type of pumping bra is one that is only really suitable to use when pumping milk. If you want a pumping bra to use only when your baby is not around e.g. returning to work, then this is the type to get.

Nursing – If you like to pump and breastfeed at the same time, you need a dual-purpose pump bra. These bras will be designed to have easy access to the breast for your baby to feed and able to hold a pumping horn.

Massage – Breast massage during a feed helps to release more milk. Look out for a pumping bra that is suitable for massage, they are usually made from thinner fabric or have little coverage.

Style

You can get your pumping bra in a variety of styles, let’s look at the benefits of each one.

Bandeau – This is a pumping bra intended to be used over a regular nursing bra. Rather than wearing all day, they are designed to be put on only when you pump. They are usually the most supportive but take time to put on and take off.

Bra – These bras are dual-action as a nursing bra and a pumping bra. They are simple to use as you can just pump straight away. You can also easily nurse at the same time. The downside is they don’t offer as much support as a bandeau or strap.

Strap – This type of bra is a made of thin strap and adjuster to hold your pump in place. They are easy to use and often the most affordable option. The downside is they lack durability and don’t offer any coverage when pumping.

Fit

The Fit of a pumping bra is important to how it performs when you use it with your pump.

Size – Obviously any bra you buy will need to fit your bra size. If you have a smaller or larger chest you may be restricted by the brands you can buy.

Adjustability – You will want a nice snug fit from your bra to keep it in place. This is important as the weight of a full bottle holds down on it. Options for adjustment include velcro or toggles, depending on the bra type you buy.

Fastening – The type of fastening may affect how comfortable or easy the bra is to use. Popular fastening includes velcro and hooks and plastic clasps. Some bras are slip-on, with no fastener.

Ease of Use

Consider how easy the bra will be to use in everyday life. If it’s not practical for regular use it’s not the right fit for you.

Wear – Do you need to wear your bra under your clothes, or do you have the chance to put it over clothes before using it? This is important to consider if you’re using the bra in public places such as work.

Portability – If you need to carry the bra around with you does it need to be compact? A thick bandeau will take up a lot of space in a bag compared to a strap bra.

Pump compatibility – It’s important to make sure your breast pump horn (or flange) will fit through the bra opening. Most regular-sized horns for popular models will. You may use a larger-sized horn for your pump, so make sure it’s compatible.

Design

The design of the bra is important, especially if you need to use it often.

Support – This is essential if you want the bra to provide you with hands-free pumping. Thick supportive fabric will hold onto full collection bottles, without you losing suction for the pump, or sagging the bra.

Coverage – If you need to be discreet when pumping you need coverage from your bra. Bandeau’s and full bra style provide most coverage with almost no breast or nipple showing. Strap bras give almost no coverage and will need to be used with a nursing bra or vest to make them more discreet to use.

Style – You may want a bra that is a little more than a boring piece of white fabric. You can get some really lovely patterns and designs which are fun or pretty to wear.

Materials

The materials of the bra will make a huge difference to how you feel when you wear it.

Comfort – This is important, especially if you need to wear it all day. Cotton bras are great for keeping your breast cool and comfortable. Strong, supportive pump bras are better for short-term use and may be quite uncomfortable to wear over long periods.

Quality – When you are paying good money for a pumping bra you want it to last. You may get a bra for a bargain price but it may be of poor quality, then you end up paying more overall.

Machine washable – For convenience, a pumping bra that is machine washable will save a lot of time. Good laundry care will help your bra to last longer.

Benefits of a Pump Bra

Pumps bras are a fairly new piece of mom gear, but they can totally change your pumping life. Let’s look at the reasons pump bras are pretty awesome.

Hands-Free Pumping

The main reason most moms buy a pumping bra is to free up their hands. Chasing after toddlers, putting on makeup, or even pumping whilst driving, are all possible. It frees up so much of your time by tackling two tasks at once.

Discreet Coverage

When you are pumping in public places, you’ll want to be more discreet. Using a pumping bra with coverage means that there is minimal embarrassment should someone accidentally walk in on you as you pump. Your modesty will be intact, and you’ll be least worried about the possibility as you pump.

Prevent Arm Ache

A pump session can last around 20-30 minutes. That means holding collection bottles to your breast the whole time. Staying in that position can lead to arm ache as moving can make you lose suction.

Easy Double Pumping

Attempting to double pump is quite fiddly without a pumping bra. It often ends up quite messy as you try to fiddle with the pump controls and position the pump horns at the same time.

Pump and Feed

If you like to breastfeed and pump at the same time a pumping bra can make it easier. Slip the pump on one side and your hands are free to tend to your baby or change their position during a feed.

Hands-on Pumping

This is a method of pumping that gets a greater yield. The idea is that you massage your breast and hand express before, during, and after expressing. A pumping bra frees up your hands to do this on both breasts to get as much milk as possible from each session.

The post Best Pumping Bra Reviews for Hands Free Expressing appeared first on Stork Mama.

Before your baby arrives, there is so much to think about buying.

You’ve probably sorted your nursery, stroller and diapering items, but how about what the breastfeeding and pumping essentials for feeding baby?

Knowing what to buy before baby arrives will save so much stress. Consider yourself need something desperately in the wee hours of the night and already have it to hand.

You can thank me later.

Pin for later

You may not need expressing equipment right now; however, you’ll probably look into it more when you return to working after maternity leave. So pin this guide for later reference. I’ve split the list into a few sections. If you’re in a hurry, use the links below to skip straight to section you need:

• Breast Care
• Style
• Leaking Milk
• Milk Supply
• Feeding Station
• Pumping Essentials

Let’s check out our full list of recommendations.

Breastfeeding Essentials – What do you need for breastfeeding

These are breastfeeding products, which can benefit you and your baby.

How many are essential?

Well, none.

That’s one of the great benefits of breastfeeding; it can be completely free to feed your baby.

Some of these items may become essential if you have feeding problems. The rest are just really handy items, which will make nursing a whole lot easier for you.

Breast Care Essentials

Nipple Cream

The first few days of breastfeeding is tough on your nipples. Your baby will feed at least 8 times a day, suckling for around 5-30 minutes each time. If you have sensitive nipples, you need to get a good nipple cream. You can also use the cream to soothe sore areas caused by poor attachment.

You can check out my guide to choosing the best nipple cream here.

Thermal Pads

Until your milk regulates itself, you’re probably going to suffer from breast engorgement. This is when your breasts are so full of milk, they become hard and painful. Using thermal therapy pads, which heat up will provide you with relief by helping your milk let down. Most brands can also be cooled to provide cold relief for swollen and tender breasts.

For more info, check out my thermal therapy pads buying guide.

Nipple Shields

When you’re having difficulty getting baby to attach, or you have sore nipples try a nipple shield. They look like little clear sombreros, which go over your nipple. The aim is to either create a barrier or shape the nipple for your baby to get a good attachment. These are great if you have inverted or flat nipples. A word of warning, they limit your milk supply, and should only be a short-term solution.

 Check out my nipple shield reviews here.

Breast Shells

This is a breastfeeding product most moms don’t know existed. Breast shells actually have several uses, including collecting leaking milk, preventing chafing of sore nipples and ‘pulling out’ flat or inverted nipples. They are made from a hardened plastic with a hole in the inner edge for your nipple and a curved outer edge. The cupped area helps to keep your clothes off your nipples.

For more information, check out my breast shell buying guide.

Breastfeeding Clothing Essentials

Nursing Bra

You won’t realize how much you need a nursing bra until you try to breastfeed in a regular bra. The beauty of these bras is the ease of access to your breasts when your baby is hungry. A nursing bra gives you proper breast support without causing damage. Sleep nursing bras also keep breast pads in place, preventing you from leaking during the night.

If you don’t know where to start, try my guide on how to buy a nursing bra.

Nursing Tops

Again for ease of access when feeding you’ll want a few nursing tops. Soon after birth, your maternity clothes often too big and you don’t want to stretch out or ruin your regular clothes with milk leaks. You don’t need to replace your whole wardrobe. However, a few basic tops will make feeding so much easier.  There are lots of smart casual styles available, which don’t look overly ‘mumsy’. I mean would you even know that top above was a nursing top?

Nursing Cover

If you don’t want to splurge a lot on breastfeeding clothes, you may want to opt for a nursing cover. These help you make breastfeeding in public discreet by offering your breast privacy. Most passers-by wouldn’t even know you were feeding baby. You can get a variety of styles, including aprons, capes, shawls, and cardigans. Our favorite style is the infinity scarf as it looks just like a regular piece of clothing when you’re not feeding your baby.

Check out my list of favorite nursing covers here.

Nursing Necklace

For older babies, a nursing or breastfeeding necklace, is a great addition to your wardrobe. They look like stylish chunky jewelry, but they are ideal for keeping your baby becoming distracted during a feed. They can also be used as a teether when baby begins to get teeth. This can help you prevent your baby from biting you during a feed.

Leaking Milk

Nursing Pads

Leaking breast milk is one of the side effects of breastfeeding. It will happen at the most inappropriate times and leave you with tell-tale wet patches on your top if you’re not prepared. Breast pads are small pieces of absorbent material, which sits in your bra and soaks up the milk. You can opt for disposable or reusable pads.

Check out my nursing pad reviews and buying guide.

Milk Catchers

If you don’t want to waste any of your leaking milk to a breast pad, why not save it? A milk catcher is a small collection bag which fit into your bra and catchers any drops. They are great for saving milk and building up a supply which can be frozen for later. Ideal if you don’t want to express milk, but may occasionally need to be away from baby for a feed or two.

Bed Pad

To prevent leaking, most moms wear a sleep bra with nursing pads to bed. However, if you find a sleep bra uncomfortable, or want to air your nipples during the night, you’ll need to protect your mattress. The best way to do this is with a waterproof bed pad to soak up any stains or smells. They are comfortable to sleep on and easier to wash than your bed linens and a mattress.

Milk Supply Essentials

Lactation Tea

If you are struggling with your milk supply, why not try an age-old remedy? Lactation teas are crammed full of herbs well known for boosting your milk supply. This tea certainly has an acquired taste, but they do work. If anything, they are a caffeine-free way to keep hydrated. A lot of the herbs used are also great for postpartum healing.

Read my lactation tea reviews to learn more about the benefits.

Water Bottle

Keeping well hydrated is essential for maintaining a good milk supply. Get a large, durable water bottle and get into the habit of drinking regularly. You’ll find you are often thirsty while breastfeeding, so keep it nearby. Drinking more water won’t make you engorged. The main message is not to ignore your thirst but don’t force excessive fluids either as it won’t have any benefit.

Baby  Carrier

Wearing your baby in a carrier offers so many benefits for you and baby when breastfeeding. Having your baby close to your skin will help improve your milk supply. Baby will have easy access to your breast, and feeding won’t feel so time-consuming as both your hands are free. You are also more likely to be responsive to your baby’s hunger cues.

Want to know which baby carrier is best for breastfeeding? Then check out my guide here.

Co-Sleeping Crib

Newborn babies feed a lot, even during the night. The sheer lack of sleep means most breastfeeding moms will bed share with your baby at some point. Most adult beds are unsuitable for bed and can present fatal risks to your baby. Put a stop to unplanned bedsharing by opting for a co-sleeping crib. Your baby can feed regularly through the night, and when they are down, you can pop them back into their own safe sleep space. They are quite expensive but worth every penny for quality sleep and great milk supply when breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding Station Essentials

Nursing Pillow

Getting comfortable when feeding your baby can be tricky at first. You may need to experiment with different feeding positions. These may be comfortable for baby, but after a 30-minute feed, you can be left with sore arms and back. A nursing pillow gives you added height and support to keep baby in these positions without the aches.

 For more benefits and my top picks’ check out my nursing pillow guide.

Burp Cloths

Are you prepared for baby spit-up and vomit? Burp cloths are ideal for keeping on hand to deal with this. This often happens when you are winding a baby over your shoulder or upright. Pop a burp cloth over your clothes to save them from getting dirty. They are also handy for sticking in your nursing bra as a way to catch leaking milk from your ‘free’ breast when you don’t have a breast pad to hand.

Breastfeeding Chair

Having a place to feed your baby will give you peace, privacy, and comfort. A breastfeeding chair is designed to offer you back and arm support to position baby for a good attachment. They are quite an investment, but a great touch to add to empty space in your baby’s nursery. Your baby will associate the chair with an area of safety and comfort as they grow.

This guide has great info about choosing the best nursing glider for your needs.

Nursing Stool

If you don’t have the room or budget for a quality nursing chair, then opt for a nursing stool. They can be used with any regular chair.  A nursing stool is designed to raise your legs to support baby positioning during a feed. They are often angle adjustable to suit your needs. These stools are particularly great for reminding you not to slouch as you feed, which helps prevent a backache.

Pumping Essentials

These are the products I recommend you buy for expressing breast milk. Unlike breastfeeding products, you’ll need most of these items. They will help you collect and store the milk safely. When expressing, you need to consider the safety and hygiene aspects of using stored milk for your baby.

Breast Pump

You have three options when expressing breast milk: by hand, manual pump or electric breast pump. The one you use will depend on how often and how quickly you need to pump. Manual pumps are great for using infrequently or when you need to be discreet. Electric pumps are noisy but get good volumes of milk quickly.

Check out my big breast pump buying guide to find out how to pick one that suits your needs.

Feeding Bottles

Once you collect the milk, you’ll need to feed it to your baby. You can use any baby bottle, but you should really consider one that’s good for a breastfed baby. Why does it matter? There is an issue known as nipple confusion. It’s caused by the different suckling motions baby’s use when bottle feeding and breast feeding.

Click to read our top 10 best bottles for breastfeeding babies.

Milk Storage Bags

Once you’ve expressed your milk, you’ll need to store it until you feed your baby. If you feed your baby in a few hours, we recommend keeping it in the collection bottle. If you want to build a large breast milk supply, the best way to store milk is by freezing it. Milk storage bags are a space-saving way to do this long term.

Click here to check out my top storage bag picks.

Sterilizer

Keeping your baby bottles clean and sterile is very important, especially for new-born babies. Bacteria loves to grow in left-over milk. Combine this with a baby’s low immune system and it can lead to an ill baby. You can choose from old fashioned pan boiling, microwave sterilizing or electric sterilizers.

Read this handy article on how to clean and sterilize a breast pump here.

Bottle Drying Rack

Air drying your baby bottles is the best way to prevent the spread of bacteria. Once you’ve washed your baby bottles and pump equipment, laying them out separately to dry will help keep them away from other dishes. Bottle drying racks are often small and can be easily cleaned by hand or dishwasher to keep them free from stagnant water.

Bottle Brush

Bottles are designed with lots of curves and edges to make them easier to hold. However, this makes it easy for old milk to gather and grow bacteria. Using a bottle brush really helps you to get into all these small areas. These brushes are also soft enough to scrub off any milk not removed from soaking, without damaging the bottles.

Check out my step by step guide on how to properly clean a baby bottle.

Breast Pump Bag

If you need to carry your pump around but still look smart, then get yourself a breast pump bag. These bags have been specially designed to look like a regular stylish handbag, but with pockets and fittings suitable to hold a breast pump. These are ideal for working moms. Sarah Wells has a great range of designs. However, I am also loving the ‘New Yorker’ by Charlie G.

Pumping Bra

Using a breast pump can be quite time-consuming, even if it’s electric. It’s difficult to do much as you pump, as at least one of your hands is holding the collection bottle. A breast pump bra is perfect for holding the pump bottle in place and freeing up both hands. We highly recommend one if you have young toddlers and a newborn, or if you need to look after a busy household.

Check out my pumping bra buying guide with my top 6 picks.

The post Breastfeeding Essentials For First Time Moms appeared first on Stork Mama.

Pace feeding is the best method for feeding your baby a bottle of expressed breast milk. It’s a technique designed to mimic the pace of breastfeeding. This will prevent you baby being overwhelmed or overfeeding with a baby bottle.

Pin For Later

Benefits of Pace Feeding

If you need to feed your baby expressed milk then check out the reasons why you should use a paced bottle feeding technique.

• Baby has control
• Baby can eat at their own pace
• Prevent overfeeding
• Learning when they are full
• Minimise fussiness or colic symptoms after feeding
• Eases transition between breast and bottle
• Improve babies hand eye coordination
• Mimics bonding and interaction of breastfeeding

Choosing Baby Bottles

The type of baby bottles you use for feeding a breast fed baby is important. It’s important that the bottles:

• Don’t cause nipple confusion
• Mimic the breast

Basically you want to make it as easy as possible for baby to transition back and forth between the breast and bottle. Bottle feeding is much easier for baby, so they may start to prefer a bottle. For a baby who is exclusively breastfeeding we recommend a bottle with a:

• Narrow base – This allows baby to have wide open and relaxed lips which reach the teat base for a good seal to mimic the breast.
• New-born flow or size 1 teat – Prevent milk from flowing too quickly and baby needs to work the mouth muscles to get the milk.
• Angles or flattened nipple – This mimics the shapes of moms’ nipple in the mouth. Breastfed babies have a tendency to prefer this shape over a standard nipple.
• Latex Teat – Softer material makes it similar to moms’ nipple.

Our reviews found that the Comotomo bottles are best for breastfed babies. For more information on choosing bottles, teats and avoid nipple confusion check out these Expressing Mama articles:

• Top 10 Best Bottles for Breastfed Babies
• How to prevent nipple confusion
• Discover the Best Baby Bottle Nipples for Breastfed Babies

How to Pace Feed a Baby

1. Wait for cues

Babies don’t follow a schedule, so let them tell you when they need to feed. You may already notice some feeding cues such as rooting, lip licking or fist chomping. Only feed baby when they start to show these signs. Your baby will want to feed more often just before a growth spurt.

2. Upright position

The best position is to have a baby upright, as if they are seated. Support their back and neck (not the head) as this allows them control of the milk flow. The worst position is to feed a baby who is lying of their back. This not only leads to increased risk of choking but higher rates of ear infections.

3. Be patient

Let baby take the teat into their mouth. Rub the bottle on their lower lip and they will want to latch onto the bottle. Never force the nipple into your baby’s mouth. Ensure relaxed lips cover the base of the teat and not just the nipple.

4. Horizontal bottle

Hold the bottle at a horizontal angle so baby needs to pull the milk from the teat. If the bottle is held at a downward angle the milk will drip out and baby won’t need to work for the milk.

5. Mimic the pace

Let your baby control the feeding pace.

Monitor that they are feeding rhythmically by swallowing with every 1-2 sucks. Your baby should naturally stop after every 15-20 swallows.

Let them take a break and restart when they are ready.

If the keep going, you need to encourage them to take a break. You don’t need to take the nipple out the mouth, simply lean baby forward so the milk does not reach the nipple hole. When they realise there is no milk your baby will naturally stop sucking.

Let them rest for 15-30 seconds and repeat.

If you notice your baby pulling away, pushing the bottle or spitting the milk out, remove the teat, burp your baby and offer the bottle again.

Disinterest indicates your baby is finished.

6. Switch sides

Switch feeding side either with alternate feeds or half way through every feed. This prevents baby developing a side preference which can cause problems when you are breastfeeding.

7. Take your time

A feed should take around 10-20 minutes, just like breastfeeding. You should avoid feeding baby lot as quickly as possible. Longer feeds give baby time to recognise they are full and stop when they want, preventing over feeding.

8. When baby is full

Baby will show cues such as forcing the nipple out the mouth, turning away or falling asleep. Never force your baby to finish a feed even if there is some milk left. If your baby is leaving too much milk with each feed reduce the amount of breast milk with in the next bottle. This is easy to do if you store expressed milk in 1oz portions.

Alternative Methods

If your baby is struggling to use a baby bottle there are alternative methods to feeding expressed breast milk. The method you choose will depend on your baby’s feeding needs and circumstances. Check out our article on alternative baby feeding methods.

Paced Bottle Feeding Demonstration

The post Pace Feeding – How to Bottle Feed a Breastfed Baby appeared first on Stork Mama.

You probably already know what to look for when buying a breast pump to find one that suits your needs.

If not check out our breast pump buying guide.

You may have already heard of big brands such as Medela, Philips Avent or Ameda. Well, we have a new contender in town: Spectra Baby.

The brand was set up by a registered nurse and lactation consultant looking to provide women with great performing pumps for all needs.

The brand started out in the UK and Australia and had taken them by storm, going head to head with Medela for the best breast pump awards.

We’re going to review the full range to help you decide which Spectra baby breast pump is best for you. Check out what we found.

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Spectra Breast Pump Review

1. Spectra Handy Plus

Overview

TheSpectra Handy Plus is a manual breast pump intended for infrequent use. It’s really small and lightweight and fits easily into your purse, great for traveling or if you work part-time. The handle has an ergonomic design which makes it easy and comfortable to use one-handed. The Handy Plus costs around $30.

Pros:

• Lightweight and portable
• Easy to use
• No power supply needed
• Quiet
• Powerful suction

Cons:

• Angled shield may be awkward for smaller breasts
• No option for larger/smaller breast shield sizes

Conclusion

The Handy Plus is Spectra’s best option those looking to express on the odd occasion and don’t want to shell out too much on a breast pump. You don’t expect a manual pump to perform as well as an electric pump, but the handy plus does perform highly. It has a suction pressure up to 350mmHg which is as good as high-end electric pumps. If you can keep a consistent pump rate, then you should expect to get around 3-4oz with a 20-30 minute pump. We wouldn’t recommend this pump if you’re looking to pump regularly. However it’s great for using for occasional separation with your baby, or as an emergency back up to your electric pump.

2. Spectra M1

Overview

The M1 model is a fantastic budget double breast pump for regular expressing (up to twice daily pumping). This pump is extremely lightweight at under only 14oz, and compact enough to fit into your regular handbag. With its double expression phases, it’s a direct rival to the Medela swing. It has few parts, making it easy to maintain and use, no fiddling around, just plug and go. Retail price for this pump is $199 but expect to pay around $130, anything less is a bargain.

Pros:

• Compact and lightweight
• Quiet
• Rechargeable battery or mains power supply
• Use as a single or double pump

Cons:

• Not hospital grade
• Cannot control the suction strength and speed independently

Conclusion

This is easily among the best breast pump for regular expressing because it gets so many things right. You can get this at an affordable price, and it performs well. The suction strength reaches up to 300mmHG which is very effective, combined with a suction cycle of 30-46 sucks per minute it can mimic baby well. Although it performs well, we would have like the suction strength and speed to be controlled separately as with this model they increase and decrease together.

You can use this pump as a single or a double pump depending on your needs. It’s a really easy setup. We love that it comes with a backflow valve on the breast shield to prevent milk entering the motor part. This makes sure the machine is a closed system and cannot grow mold or bacteria in the parts which cannot be seen or washed. It’s a great performing pump but don’t opt for this pump if you are expressing more than twice a day or your burn out the motor quickly. We suggest choosing one of Spectra hospital grade pumps.

3. Spectra 9 Plus

Overview

The Spectra 9 Plus is a double pump with a small portable motor. If used with an expressing bra it’s a true hand free expressing option. The motor is compact, modern design and will remind you of an early MP3 player with its easy to read LCD screen. The list price for this pump is around $275 but expect to pay around $190 or less.

Pros:

• Very portable (great for hand free expressing)
• Easy to use digital display with a nightlight
• Rechargeable
• Massage function to help your let down
• Last Use memory

Cons:

• Loud

Conclusion

The Spectra 9 plus is giving the Medela Freestyle a run for its money. It’s great to have more ‘hands-free’ options on the market. This pump is a great option for regular expression, especially if you have other children and need the freedom to move around freely when expressing.

The compact size of the motor means it’s not a hospital grade but still performs well. It’s powerful enough for pumping a few times a week but daily expressing will make the motor burn out quicker. Expect to express around 5-6oz with the double pump in use for 20 minutes. The biggest drawback with this pump is that it’s quite loud to use which is surprising considering all other Spectra models rate highly for noise.

4. Spectra Dew 350

Overview

The Spectra Dew 350 model is the first of Spectra hospital grade models suitable for expressing occasional right up to exclusive pumping. It’s quite basic but has a powerful suction ranging from 0-350mmHG. It’s compact, fairly portable and a lot cheaper than hospital grade breast pumps form other brands. The pump is available in both a pink and blue color. Expect to pay around $170 for a Spectra Dew, but it can vary up to the list price of $250.

Pros:

• Affordable hospital grade pump
• Easy to use
• Double pump
• Available in two colors
• Very Quiet

Cons:

• Suction speed not adjustable
• No massage function

Conclusion

We wanted to like the Spectra dew as ultimately it’s a hospital grade pump which is around 8 times cheaper than other brands. It’s fairly compact for how well it works. Do we have to point out that the pink version looks a bit like a giant boob, perhaps a bit of an oversight by Spectra? The suction strength is one of the most powerful of all the models. However, you cannot adjust the suction speed which is disappointing for a pump of this price. Ultimately we think the Spectra S2 performs just as well and has more features, for around the same price, or cheaper, depending on what offers are available.

5. Spectra S2

Overview

The Spectra S2 is another hospital grade, double pump, closed system model. We highly recommend this pump if you need to pump regularly (at least 3 times per day). It’s so easy to use and is great for night use, virtually noise free and a handy night light. It has a digital display which makes it easy to control both suction speed and strength. This pump cost around $165.

Pros:

• Extremely quiet
• Adjustable suction strength and speed
• Use single or double
• Massage mode to improve your let down

Cons:

• Heavy
• No battery option

Conclusion

We think the Spectra S2 is the better option when compared to the Spectra Dew 350. The max suction is slightly less at 320mmHG but still hospital grade. The adjustable suction strength and speed make it much more comfortable to use and helps you to relax while pumping. It’s quite heavy, and you won’t want to carry it around much, but it’s a sturdy workhorse with a guaranteed 1500hr motor life. All in all, this is a sound product with a good lifespan.

6. Spectra S1

Overview

The mother of all Spectra models is the S1 a hospital grade, double breast pump with a rechargeable battery. It’s perfect for frequent and exclusive pumping as it pretty much covers all bases. Undoubtedly his is the quietest breast pump on the market and is virtually silent. The list price for this pump is $370, but you’ll find it priced online for around $260 or under.

Pros:

• Effective pump with adjustable suction
• Great for night use
• Portable
• Rechargeable battery and mains power
• Quiet

Cons:

• Cheap collection bottles for the price

Conclusion

We are super impressed with the Spectra; it will see moms through most breastfeeding issues such as inverted nipples, engorgement, low milk supply, multiple or premature babies. If you need to pump a lot, then opt for this one. It’s a great piece of equipment if you can get it for under $300. The biggest drawback is that we dislike the collection bottles, the material seems cheap, and we wouldn’t recommend storing milk in them. If you buy this pump, we suggest purchasing a set of good quality baby bottle, preferably glass ones.

Spectra Breast Pump Comparison

Spectra USA Breast Pump	Handy Plus Manual	Spectra M1	Spectra 9 Plus	Spectra Dew 350	Spectra S2	Spectra S1
Type of Use
Occasional use (weekly)	X	X	X	X	X	X
Daily		X	X	X	X	X
Double Pumping		X	X	X	X	X
Multiple Babies				X	X	X
Performance Use
Rechargeable Battery		X	X			X
Digital Display			X		X	X
Adjustable Suction		X	X	X	X	X
Adjustable speed			X		X	X
Lightweight	X	X	X
Massage Mode		X	X		X	X
Nightlight and Timer					X	X
Medical Conditions
Flat/ inverted nipples	X	X	X	X	X	X
Sore nipples/ engorgement		X	X	X	X	X
Attachment /breast issues		X	X	X	X	X
Low milky supply				X	X	X
Premature or ill baby				X	X	X

Summary

The best buy Spectra pump is the Spectra 2 which scores best for features, performance, and price. A close second is the Spectra 1 which improves on the S2 with a rechargeable battery, but we don’t think it justifies a $100 difference in price. Third place has to go to the Spectra 9 Plus, apart from the noise it’s a great all-rounder and great for frequent pumping. The remaining pumps are runners-up and choice will ultimately come down to what you need from a pump, i.e. there is no point shelling out over $100 for an electric pump if a $30 manual will suffice.

The post Discover the Best Spectra Breast Pump Review appeared first on Stork Mama.

• Where to store
• How long to store
• What container to use
• Handling and thawing FAQ

Let’s not waste any more time and delve into the ins and outs of how to store breast milk.

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Where to Store your Breast Milk

There are four different options you have when choosing where you should store your breast milk. Your choice will depend on how quickly you want to use the milk or the reason for expressing.

Room Temperature

Best For: Recommended if you want to use fresh expressed milk within a few hours.

Best Storage Practice: Due to its anti-bacterial properties, breast milk is safe in room temperature for around 3-8hrs depending on how hot or cool the room is. Avoid as much heat as possible, place the milk in a cool dark area of the room. If this is not possible a damp towel can keep the bottle cooled for longer.

Cool Box

Best For: Recommended if you want to use the milk in the next 4-24hours. Great option for working moms.

Best Storage Practice: A small ice pack cooler helps act as a convenient transport method while keeping the milk fresh. For best practice use an icepack with close contact to the milk and keep opening to a minimum.

Fridge

Best For: Short term breast milk stash which will be used within 8 days.

Best Storage Practice: Milk is kept fresh, without the risk of losing nutrients and the hassle of thawing frozen milk. Use the milk within 3 days (72hours) of expressing as the risk of bacterial contamination increases the longer the milk is stored. Place the milk in the middle of the fridge at the back, as this is the coolest spot. Avoid storing in the door as frequent opening causes temperature fluctuation.

Freezer

Best For: Long term storage option if you plan to use pumped milk anywhere from 2 weeks up to 6 months after expressing. Great for if you plan to express and keep a large breast milk stash.

Best Storage Practice:  The maximum  length of time you can store for will will depend on the lowest temperature your freezer can achieve and how often the freezer door is opened. Store in the coldest part of the freezer, at the back, away from the sides and the door where the temperature is most constant.

How Long Does Breast Milk Last?

It’s important to know how long to store your breast milk for to ensure freshness and prevent bacterial contamination. We’ve come up with this handy chart to remind you of safe storage times for breast milk. Feel free to print it off and stick it on your fridge for quick reference.

The information in the table applies to expressing moms who:

• Have a healthy term baby
• Are storing for home use
• Maintain hand hygiene when expressing and handling milk
• Sterilize pumping and storage containers before use

Guidelines may vary if your baby is sick or premature and required milk stored for hospital use. We recommend you discuss breast milk storage policies and guidelines with your baby’s hospital. This also applies to donated breast milk for hospital use.

Choice of Breast Milk Storage Containers

You’re probably now wondering what you should use to store the breast milk in. The best storage container for your baby will depend on where you are storing the breast milk and how often you intend to express. Let’s explore your options.

Bottles

This is the best option for moms planning to express infrequently and storing the milk at room temperature, in a cool box or in the fridge.

Advantages of Bottle Storage

• Convenience
• Hygiene
• Less washing
• Durable

Disadvantages of Bottle Storage

• Bulky

Baby Bottle Materials

Plastic: Easy to use and durable, best for infrequent expressing and short term storage (2-72 hours) as the plastic can start to cling to nutrient after this time Freezer friendly but takes up a lot of room.

Glass: Great for fridge storage at all times, will not leech chemicals into the breast milk, careful storage required to ensure falls are prevented. Freezer friendly (must be defrosted slowly).

Stainless Steel: Another non plastic alternative, great for fridge storage at any time and will not break, anti-bacterial materials. Not suitable for freezer use.

Breast Milk Storage Bags

Storage bags are the best option freezer storage, although they can also be used for fridge storage. Some breast milk storage bags are designed so you can express directly into them, store and then decant to a feeding bottle once thawed. These bags are not reusable so if you are pumping long term factor in the cost of repurchasing these, buying in bulk will save money. Check out our reviews of the best storage bags for breast milk here.

Advantages of breast milk storage bags

• Convenience
• Space saving
• Hygiene

Disadvantages of breast milk storage bags

• Increased waste
• Single use
• Risk of leaking

Breast Milk Storage Trays

Like ice cube trays but for your breast milk, this a great space saving option for moms who want to have portion control for baby to minimize waste. They are filled and sealed with a lid to prevent freezer burn. When needed a portion is removed and placed into a feeding bottle and defrosted.

Advantages of breast milk storage Trays

• Ideal for small volumes of milk (usually in 1oz cubes)
• Reduce waste
• Quick thawing
• Use for weaning foods

Disadvantages of breast milk storage trays

• Freezer use only
• Increased handling
• Can pump directly into

Another freezer tray tip is to freeze a tray of cubes them transfer to a food safe freezer bag, so you can refill a new batch in your tray. If you do this remember to keep each batch separated and labelled to ensure the oldest batches are used first.

Read: Best Breast Milk Storage Bags When Expressing

Organizing Your Stored Breast Milk

If you plan to build a stash of breast milk by expressing on a regular basis you will need to bring some order to all that milk. By organizing you milk stash you ensure your baby receives the oldest milk first so that milk doesn’t go ‘off’. It will also help you to save space in your fridge or freezer, for other non-milky goods.

Labeling

You should get into the habit of labeling your containers with the date after expression. This ensures you use the milk in the order it was expressed. If you are planning to use the milk in an area where more than one baby has milk stored (e.g. hospital or day care) them remember to write you baby’s name on it.

Bottles can be dated with sticky labels or with labeling lids. Breast milk storage bags usually prove labellings areas to prevent puncturing the bag. It’s best to label with a permanent waterproof pen so the ink stays in place when storing or thawing.

Storage organizer

You can purchase plastic organizers which keep your breast milk storage containers in order, and away from other fridge and freezer items.

Bottle organizers: Keep bottles upright with a crate design. These are ideal especially for glass baby bottles to minimize risk of damage to the bottles.

Storage bags organizers: Keeps the bags stored upright or flat to save space. They are often box shaped or lidded to provide extra protection for the storage bags and prevent freezer burn. If there is any mess from a leaking bag it is often contained within the container.

Rotation

Labeling will help you to manually rotate your stash of milk, however you can also buy a rotational unit which uses as first in and first out system. These systems are sturdy and save space in your fridge or freezer.

Look out for special features such as ones for breast milk bags which have a freezing plate on top. These allows you to freeze flat and prevent storage bags sticking to other bags in the process.

Handling and Thawing Breast Milk FAQ

My breast milk looks watery

Your breast milk is made up of a watery fore milk and a creamy hind milk. When the milk cools in storage its common for these to separate with a cream top and thin bottom. This is normal and easily fixed by gently swirling together before heating. Don’t be tempted to shake the milk as it can destroy the nutrients.

What color is breast milk?

It’s not uncommon for breast milk to take on a blue, yellow, green, or brown hue. The main cause is often mom’s diet or medications. A different color doesn’t mean the milk if unusable, unless the milk smells sour.

My thawed breast milk smells rancid

If you have frozen milk and then thawed only to find it’s usually one of three causes: incorrect storage, long term storage or high lipase volumes in your milk. If you produce too much lipase in your milk it will break down the fats in the milk, particularly when frozen. You cannot treat already rancid milk, and most babies will refuse to drink it.

The best way to test of you produce high lipase volumes is to freeze a test batch of expressed milk. If it does not always thaw with a rancid smell it’s likely that it’s a storage issue.

If your milk is high in lipase, you can scald the milk to prevent it happening with future batches. This means bubbling a pan of milk at the edge of a pan (not boiling) to deactivate the enzyme. Cool the milk and store in the freezer as usual.

Can you mix breast milk from different days?

If you have expressed milk at different times of the day it’s safe to mix the milk under certain conditions. The oldest milk needs to have been stored in a refrigerator (32-60⁰F or 0-15⁰C) and expressed within the last 24 hours.

It’s possible to mix refrigerated milk up to 8 days old with freshly expressed milk, as long as you cool the fresh milk first. You can re-refrigerate the milk again up to the maximum storage time of the oldest milk. For example if you mix 3 day old milk with fresh breast milk, you can store the mixed milk in the fridge again for 5 more days before discarding. You can also freeze the milk and label with the date the first milk was expressed.

Can you mix frozen and fresh breast milk?

Fresh breast milk can be mixed with frozen milk is the fresh breast milk is cooled first and the volume is less than the frozen milk. Best practice is to thaw the frozen milk first and allow the fresh to cool for around 30 minutes and then mix.

You can refrigerate the mixed milk for up to 24 hours after thawing. Do not refreeze thawed breast milk.

Can you mix breast milk and formula?

There are no implication to mixing fresh breast and formula milk, however we don’t advise it. If you plan to supplement baby we suggest feeding baby the expressed breast milk first. This ensure they fill up mostly on breast milk and receive the higher quality calories and nutrients. If baby still needs more then mix a fresh batch of formula. This method will endure breast milk waste is kept to a minimum.

How to thaw frozen breast milk

The best way to thaw frozen breast milk is to place the container in a refrigerator for 12 hours. It’s best to thaw breast milk slowly to prevent destroying the nutrients. We do not recommend leaving breast milk at room temperature as it can be vulnerable to bacterial growth and uneven thawing.

To thaw frozen breast milk in a bottle or storage bag slowly run under a cool tap, gradually warming the temperature until the milk thaws and reached room temperature. You can also place the container in a bowl of luke warmer water and leave to thaw.

For convenience you can use a specialist bottle or bag warmers which have defrost features for frozen milk. Check out our article on the best baby bottle warmers.

Never thaw or heat your baby’s milk in a microwave. Not only will it destroy the vitamins but can create heat pockets which can scald your baby’s mouth.

How much breast milk should I thaw?

A good tip to allow milk to thaw quickly is to store in smaller quantities of around 2oz-4oz. Take out only what your baby need for a feed and this helps to reduce breast milk waste.

Storing breast milk at work

If you are storing breast milk in a communal fridge at work you are not required to store it separately or with special equipment. In this instance breast milk is treated as a food stuff rather than a body fluid. We recommend using an icepack cooler to stored expressed breast milk at work to minimize temperature fluctuations from frequent opening. A cooler bag also makes it easier to travel home with your expressed milk.

The post The Ultimate Guide to Storing Breast Milk appeared first on Stork Mama.

You may well have already experienced the military operation that is leaving the house with a new born baby. Now what is you need to lug along a breast pump with you?

Let’s be honest breast pumps are heavy and bulky and generally a right pain in the butt.

We found 6 of the best breast pump bags and put them under scrutiny to see just how they perform in the real world. Let’s see what we found.

Top 6 Best Breast Pump Bag

1. Sarah Wells – Lizzy

Sarah Wells is a popular ‘mommy’ bag designer with some amazing professional looking bags. The Lizzy Bag effortlessly combines modern day fashion with practicality for pumping moms. If you spotted this bag in the street would your think it was baby related? We love this bag, it’s like some sort of tardis or Mary Poppins bag, deceiving to how spacious it is. With three compartments you can organize and separate your bottles, pump and handbag items, to find them easily. With the thermal lining you can use with small ice packs and keep your milk stored for up to 6 hours. For comfort it comes with both a handle and a removable cross body strap.

Pros: Accommodates most all personal use pump models, very spacious, stylish, professional looking, high quality, durable

Cons: Heavy, expensive option

2. BananaFish Breast Pump Bag

Chekc out this breats pump bag by BananaFish for a smart causal option. The Bananafish breast pump bag is the best for Spectra breast pumps.

It has more of a casual style, with its backpack style and Orla Kiely-esque prints. Not only does it look cute, but it sure is practical as it will fit most of the popular pump brands and models.

It’s a canvas bag with a waterproof finish which makes it easy to clean and durable.

This pump can easily fit a tablet, gym stuff or use as a diaper bag.

Pros: Large size, fits most pump, cute prints, washable, sturdy, great pump storage
Cons: tempremental zippers, needs more accessory pockets

3. Medela Pump In Style Advanced Backpack

We’re cheating a bit with the Medela pump in style as it’s actually a breast pump with a bag and not sold separately.Onbviously this makes it the best breast pump bag for medela breast pumps.

There are three designs available including a metro bag, tote and a backpack. We’ve chosen the backpack as the best option as it’s a great option for active moms who have practicality above style for needs.

In fact some moms wear the motor in the backpack and the bottles in a pump bra for the ultimate hands free option. This bag is a great option if you are carrying around a lot and want to spread the load over both shoulders rather than one.

Pros: Pump held securely in bag, discreet, lightweight, comfortable

Cons: Not a lot of room for handbag items, designed for Medela pump in style

4. Charlie G – New Yorker

If you’re looking for discreet then look no further than the New Yorker by Charlie G.

This bag is gorgeous, and deceptively spacious. You’ll easily fit even a bulky pump like the spectra and a tablet inside.

It’s made from quality material that is not only easy to keep clean, but looks  professional. It has two inner compartments as well as three zipped outer pockets which hold most double breast pumps and accessories.

It also has a washable ‘dirty bottle’ bag to keep the contents of you bag free from sticky breast milk.

Pros: Very spacious, great extras, numerous storage compartments, easy to clean, stylish

Cons: Expensive

5. Laguna Tide Breast Pump Bag

If comfort and versatility is high on your list of needs then check out the Laguna Tide Breast Pump Bag.

This bag is huge and has so many compartments its will easily accommodate a double breast pump, accessories and much more. It has thee handle options including a handle, crossover strap and backpack, and it looks cute as all three.

This bag has three main compartments and 7 zippered pockets, so you’ll can have everything in the right place and find it in the snap of a finger.

I love how convient it is to use, espcially as it clips onto the back of your stoller when you’r out an about with baby.

Pros: High quality material and zippers, large with lots of pockets, various handle for comfort

Cons: Can be bulky

6. Kaylaa Premium Breast Pump Bag

If you want a luxury looking breast pump bag then the Kaylaa Premium is one of the best.

I love the Luxury stripe version, as it give me a New Hampton beach vacay vibes. However, there is a smart classic black verison if you want to look professional for work.

This bag will get you a ton of compliments, while it holds your breast pump and all your work gear. Shh, they’ll never know!

If you like to keep organized thenumerous pockets and zippers will give you plenty of room to work with.

The bag can be used to keep your milk cool with compartments for ice packs. A greta option if your workplace doesn’t provide a place to store your milk. Or you don’t want someone accidentaly using it from the staff fridge!

Pros: Luxury looks, spacious, lightweight, comfortable, washable, provides protection

Cons: Handle is not leather

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Breast Pump Bag Buying Criteria

Regardless of the style of bag you are going for, you’ll want it to be the best bag for you. All of the bags we’ve reviewed we scrutinized in each of the following categories:

Quality

Investing in a breast pump bags means you are looking for quality. A quality bag is made from durable materials, has strong stitching and is sturdy enough to provide protection for your pump.

Comfort

No matter what style of bag you opt for its going to need to be comfortable to carry either in one hand, or over one or both shoulders. Remember you’ll have a lot of stuff in your bag and it can get heavy quickly. You want a stylish strut not weighed down waddle.

Size & Weight

The aim was to get as much storage from this bag without compromising weight or bulk of the bag. There is no point having a super stylish bag which a) you can carry b) is too big to let you throw a doorway.

Storage

That’s exactly what a breast pump bag is designed for. All those little extra pockets and holders to store, organize and separate all your bits and bobs. We’d also expect some sort of protection for your pump motor, or even padding or strapping to prevent damage if the bag is dropped.

Style

We think you should feel confident when you have your bag out and about. We’ve chosen a mix of styles to suit all moms. If you’re a sporty kind of mom then you’re not going to feel comfortable with our fashionably stylish bags and vice versa.

Breast Pump Bag Basics

You probably already have a diaper bag full of things for baby. So you’re going to need your own bag, but it’s unlikely your own purse will accommodate all of your stuff plus a breast pump. Breast pump bags are designed to look like a regular purse but with enough room for everything, possibly even the kitchen sink!

Benefits of a Breast Pump Bag

Convenience

Do you want to be carrying around numerous bags, having to remember what is in each bag? Having one bag with everything in its own little space keep you’re organized and makes the world of difference when you’re short on time.

Discreet

Pumping is and achievement to be proud off, but you may not want everyone and their aunt knowing your bag contains a breast sucking device. A breast pump bag can help you be discreet with the pump and still make you look stylish, casual or professional, depending on the look you’re going for.

Storage

Of course you can use a regular bag to hold your breast pump, but does it have compartments to store your stuff neatly? A breast pump bag will have the correct shape and size of pocket and zipped areas to meet your needs.

Hygiene

Some bags will be designed with special features such a cooling bags to help you store your milk after expressing. Some bags are made or lined with specialist fabrics for easy cleaning of milk accidents, just remember to keep your milk bottle stored upright.

Protection

Breast pump are expensive pieces of equipment, you’re going to want to make sure it’s well protected when you’re traveling around. Some breast pump bags offer extra sturdiness, padding or straps to provide extra security for your pump.

How to Pack your Breast Pump Bag

 What do I put in my breast pump bag?

Breast pump bags are designed to combine a regular handbag with the extra of holding your breast pump and accessories. Here are some ideas for the types of items you’d expect to fit in your pumping bag:

• • Personal use Breast pump (motor, wires and breast shields)
  • Milk Storage bottles
  • Cell phone
  • Wallet
  • Keys
  • IPad or tablet
  • Magazine
  • Small makeup bag
  • Notepad
  • Pens
  • Deodorant
  • Glasses or sunglasses with case

The post The Best Breast Pump Bag Reviews for Modern Moms appeared first on Stork Mama.

Right now we’re going to jump right in and explore the pro and cons of the 9 most popular breast milk storage bags on the market.

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Top 9 Best Breast Milk Storage Bags Reviewed

1. Lansinoh Breastmilk Storage Bags

Hands down the most popular storage bags are the Lansinoh Breastmilk Bags. You can get 100 bags for around $15-$20 holding a max volume of 6oz per bag. These bags score really high for performance, with a double seal to making sure none of your precious breast milk will leak. They lay really flat which is a great space saving feature and helps the milk to freeze at an even thickness, ensuring they thaw quickly.

Pros: Double Zip lock sealed, Easy to label, easy to pour, pre sterilized, great price, recyclable

Cons: Can’t be attached directly to breast pump, Leak easy if not thawed flat, don’t ship well.

2. NUK Seal N Go Breast Milk Bags

If durability is high priority for you then then check out these NUK Seal N Go Bags. These bags are thicker than the Lansinoh and hold the stated 6oz with ease. The double zipper lock and strong seams ensure leaks happen rarely with these bags. Expect to pay just under $20 for a 100 count – these are a little more expensive than the Lansinoh bags but cheaper than he Medela.

Pros: Double zipper lock, strong seams, thick material, self-standing, sterilized

Cons: difficult to label, bulky if stored upright, don’t attach directly to pump

3. Kiinde Twist Pouches

The Twist Pouches are part of the Kiinde breast milk system. The system is designed to pump directly into the bags and feed baby all in one. Even if you don’t use the Kiinde system the bags can still be used to pump breast milk into the bag directly from all pumps. You would need to buy an extra adapter for your pump but these are fairly inexpensive at around $7. We love the twist top to these bags as it makes them the most leak proof option of all the bags on this list. We think these whole system is a great option for frequent pumpers, such as working moms.

Pros: Pump directly into bottle, secure screw cap, hygienic, easy to pour, convenient

Cons: measurements are sometime off

4. Dr. Brown’s Breastmilk Storage Bags

For ease of use check out the Dr Browns milk storage bags. A basic design with a double zip and thick material, double lock and super easy to pour. These bags lay flat in the freezer, making them easy to store and save a lot of space storing up to 6oz of milk in each bag. They cost a bit more to by in bulk a they come in 25 and 50 counts rather than larger 100 counts packs.

Pros: Thick material, double zipper, easy to label, durable, leak proof flat or upright, pre-sterilized
Cons: expensive to buy in bulk, don’t attach to pump, measurements can sometime be off

5. Medela Pump and Save Breast Milk Bags

Are you using a Medela breast? Then check out the Medela pump and save bags. The biggest feature of these bags are that you can pump directly into the bags from the pump. They save you needing to wash extra bottles and make the whole process more hygienic. For a 100 count of these bags you’ll pay between $20-30, buy online for the best deals. We don’t rate these storage bags for thawing performance but they are convenient and are great for deep freezer storage.

Pros: Pump directly into the bag, Easy to label, stand up bottom, double walled for long term storage

Cons: Expensive, tendency to leak, only hold 5oz, single seal

6. Philips AVENT Breast Milk Storage Bags

If you are on a budget then check out the Philips Avent storage bags. We recommend these particularly if you will only be storing small volumes of milk for a short period of time. Another strong performing bag with a double zipper and reinforced seam to prevent leaks. The bags each hold 6oz of breast milk and you’ll pay under $10 for a 50 count.

Pros: Temper proof packaging, self-standing, affordable, double zipper, durable, easy to label

Cons: freezer burn if milk stored too long, difficult to reopen

7. Honeysuckle Breast Pump Bags

Another option for Medela pump users are the Honeysuckle breast pump bags, which you can pump directly into. They are an eco-friendly option as the bags are biodegradable, and will make you feel a bit better than adding more plastic to landfill. The bags are sturdy, albeit quite thin, with really accurate measurements. The bags hold 6oz of breast milk, and expect to pay just under $10 for a count of 50, a lot cheaper than the Medela branded bags.

Pros: Use with pump, biodegradable, Easy to label, double zippered, tamper proof

Cons: difficult to pour

8. Ameda Store N Pour Breast Milk Storage Bags

The pouring spout design of the Ameda Store and Pour is the highlight of these bags. It makes it super easy to transfer the milk from the bag to the bottle after thawing. That being said we’ve never really found many bags which don’t pour well. The bags are durable, but they are smaller than other brands holding only 5oz of milk. You can decant from a bottle or buy an additional starter kit to pump directly from your pump in to the bags. At around $13 for a 40 count pack, these bags are a budget friendly option.

Pros: Easy Pouring, zipper seal, pump direct with additional adapter, easy to label

Cons: measurements inaccurate, bulky to store flat

9. NeneSupply Breastmilk Storage Bags

For the thickest breast milk bags on the market check out the Nenesupply bags. The bags are perfect especially you need to travel with a full bag. They are an average price at around $15 for 40 bags storing up to 6oz per bag.

Pros: Very thick, great for transporting, odor proof, easy pour spout

Cons: one seal, bulky when storing

Breast Milk Storage Bag Basics

Buying Guide

When you’re looking for breast milk bags you’re going to want the one which meet your needs. Some bags will perform better than others with certain features. These are the features you should consider before you buy milk storage bags.

Price

This is mostly dependent on how many bags you buy at one time. Usually buying in bulk will save money, however some brands are quite costly due to lower counts per pack. The best deals are usually found online if you can get free shipping.

Durability

The thickness of the bag will determine how well the bags perform in storage. This is particularly important if you are looking to deep freeze or travel with full storage bags. Thick materials will prevent freezer urn or any damage to the bags which can cause leaks.

Collection

There are two option when filling you storage bags, pump directly in to the bag or pump into a bottle and decant in the bags. Some bags will allow you to attach the bag with a handle, opening or adapter. You can try a makeshift attachment with tape if you prefer not the spend time cleaning more bottle than necessary when pumping.

Size

Check how much the breast milk bags hold. Some bags are smaller at around 4oz and other hold around 6oz. We recommend you don’t fill the bag over the stated measurement otherwise it is more likely to leak.

Seal

If you’re going to cry over spilled milk then you’ll want a bag with a double zipper. A sipper lock style seal is most common but you can get secure screw cap types. We recommend you avoid tie or tag seals are they are prone to leaks and tend to be made from thinner material which is prone to leaks.

Ease of use

Remember your bag will need to be easy to store so you want a thin space saving bag. For thawing you’ll want a bag with thick seams which can accommodate expansion and won’t burst easily. A pouring spout makes it easy to transfer the milk from the bag to a feeding bottle. Labelling is also important so make sure the bags are easy to write on.

Advantages of Breast Milk Storage Bags

Convenience – store breast milk straight from a pump

Long term storage – suitable for freezer use

Hygienic – Pre-sterilized bags are available or pump directly to prevent further contamination

Recyclable – most bags are made from recyclable plastics

Disadvantages of Breast Milk Storage Bags

Made from plastic – You may prefer to avoid using plastic products for your baby, as plastics can hold onto nutrient from your breast milk.

Single use – it seems wasteful to throw away these bags after each use.

How to use breast milk storage bags

Breast milk storage bags will come with instructions for use with each pack, but basic instruction are similar for each bag.

1. Use a waterproof pen to label the bag before filling.
2. Remove the sterilizer seal open the bag.
3. Place the bag around the breast pump shield and collect the breast milk or decant expressed breast milk from another bottle into the bag.
4. Do not fill the bag past the maximum volume.
5. Push out any air from the remaining empty space in the bag.
6. Seal the zipper securely.
7. If storing in the fridge stand upright. If storing in a freezer place on a sheet of paper towel (to prevent it sticking to the surfaced or other items) and lie flat.
8. To thaw remove from the freezer and thaw upright in the fridge or in a bowl of warmed water.
9. Decant the thawed milk into the feeding bottle and ensure the bag is at a sturdy angle to prevent spills.
10. Discard of the used storage bag. It is not recommended to re-sue breast milk storage bags.

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Choosing a baby bottle and nipple that’s right for your breastfed baby can be tricky. Your baby now has to work with a rigid plastic nipple rather than your soft, flexible skin. Brands have made put a lot into nipple designs to make them more ‘breast like’, however ultimately it will be down you and baby’s preference.

Let’s look at what you should consider when looking for the best baby bottle nipples.

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Baby Bottle Nipple Basics

1. Flow

For a breastfed baby, the nipple flow of the nipple is the most important factor when choosing a baby bottle. Basically the flow of the bottle is dependent on the number and shape of the holes or slits in the top of the nipple, which lets the milk out. Most brands will label there nipple flow similar to clothing sizes, the smaller the number the slower the flow.

Size 0

Also known as preemie flow or first flow. These bottle usually have one pin thin hole in the nipple. They are ideal for premature babies or new born babies who struggle with new born nipples.

Size 1

Also known as new born flow. These nipples have one standard side hole and are designed for a term new born up to 1 month old. Some breastfed babies may prefer these at any age if they struggle with bottle nipple flows.

Size 2

Also known as slow flow. Designed with 2 holes for babies around 1-2 months old or breastfed babies who are fine with a slightly faster flow.

Size 3

Also known as medium flow. These nipples have 3 holes at the top and are designed for babies’ age 3-6 months old. We would not recommend these for a breastfed baby of this age. This size can be a replacement size for breastfed babies who are weaning and can hold a bottle themselves.

Size 4

Fast flow teats. Designed with 4 holes for babies over 6 months old. As above, we wouldn’t recommend these for a breastfed baby unless you are exclusively pumping. The flow is too fast if baby is still nursing and risk of bottle preference will increase.

Variable Flow

These nipples have a straight or Y shaped slit rather than holes at the top of the nipple. These are designed for babies over 3 months and for thicker liquids such as hungry baby formula. We recommend these are avoided for breastfeeding babies as the flow is often too fast for breast milk and can lead to overfeeding and colic symptoms.

Slow flow rates are much more suited to breastfed babies as they have more control over the speed. Ultimately the choice will be down to you and whether you feel the rate is too fast or too slow for your baby.

Slow Flow Nipples

Advantages

• Ideal for younger babies
• Similar to breastfeeding rates
• More control of flow

Disadvantages

• Older babies can become frustrated

Fast Flow

Advantages

• Good for older babies
• Fine if baby mom is exclusively pumping

Disadvantages

• Baby can choke or splutter if too fast
• Increase likelihood of bottle preference
• Overfeeding

Remember to check the packaging for the flow rate as the sizing can vary between brands, most confusion comes between the first flow and new born flow sizes.

2. Shape

The shape of the nipple will have a huge influence on whether baby prefers the bottle or not. You should choose a shape according to your needs. Let’s explore bottle nipple shapes

Standard

Easy to find and inexpensive nipples. They are your long, ‘old fashioned’ type nipples with a narrow base. The narrow base makes these suitable for preemies or new-born to have a wide but relaxed attachment. Older babies have a tendency to suck at the nipple with these bottles as the base it too narrow for them, we’d recommend wide neck bottles in this case.

Wide Neck

Designed to mimic the roundness of a breast. The shorter teat and wider base makes it easier for breastfed babies to mimic the attachment of a real breast. These are more suited to larger or older babies who can relax their lips around the base. Wide base bottle may be too wide for some smaller or premature babies to attach correctly.

Orthodontic

A slightly angled and flatted nipple. They are designed to mimic the shape of a mother nipples when it’s inside the baby’s mouth. Breastfed babies tend to accept these more than other nipples particularly if they are exclusively breastfed. Be careful when using these nipples as they often have right way up and holding it the wrong way can cause an almost non-existent flow for baby.

Specialist Breastfeeding

Some specialist breastfeeding brands such as Medela and Breastflow have made nipples specifically to mimic breastfeeding. Rather than regular teats which use tongue thrust to release milk, baby need to use compression for milk to flow. The idea is to make the transition between breast and bottle easier. These nipples often have mixed reviews and are quite expensive compared to regular nipples. They are worth their weight in gold to parents looking to reduce the risk of your baby preferring bottles and ceasing to breastfeed.

3. Material

Latex

For many years bottle nipple have been made from latex. Also known as rubber, its a tan colored material which is soft and quite flexible. The texture is preferable to some babies as it is similar to mom’s nipples. The drawbacks with latex nipples are that some babies may be allergic, aftertaste and collapse easy due to lack of structure. We find that exclusively breastfed babies and younger babies tend to do better with latex nipples.

Silicone

A modern nipple material which is clear and structured. Using silicone nipples eliminates the problems with latex teats as they are structured to prevent collapsing, odorless, easy to clean and suitable for babies with latex allergies. Silicone nipples are more suited to older babies as they have a tendency to be firm and less flexible.

Common Problems with Bottle Nipples

The WHO recommend that babies do not use any artificial teats until breastfeeding is established. The reasoning is due to two common problems caused by using nipples.

Nipple Confusion

This is term given to a situation when baby refuses to breastfeed after being introduced to a bottle. There are many reasons babies suffer this problem including:

• Inability to adapt to different suckling techniques
• Muscle memory is pre-disposed to bottle feeding

Risk factors for moms include:

• Separation form baby
• Delayed milk ‘coming in’ (common after C-section or large blood loss)
• Illness (in both mother and baby)
• Premature baby
• Baby with oral problems
• Attachment issues

It’s rare to find a true nipple confusion as most babies will readjust with help. Until you are offering baby regular feeds with correct positioning and attachment then nipple confusion should not be diagnosed. It’s best to seek help for a lactation specialist who can check your nursing and baby’s feeding technique.

Bottle Preference

Just as the name suggests this is when baby prefers to feed from a bottle rather than from the breast. The two main reasons being:

• Baby prefers larger volumes of milk from bottle
• Bottle feeding is less work for baby

The risk factors are the same as with nipple confusion. Bottle preference is more common with babies who have difficulty suckling. It can be seen as a survival instinct as more energy is used when breastfeeding, whereas less effort is required for larger volumes with a bottle.

For breastfed babies the best way to avoid bottle preference is to use the slowest flow nipple possible so that baby still need to make effort to get the milk. Check out our advice on pace feeding  – the best method for bottle feeding your breastfed baby.

4 Best Baby Bottle Nipples

Best Newborn – Philips AVENT Natural New-born Flow Nipple

These Avent nipples are easily available to buy in most stores including Babies R us Target, Walmart. Soft flexible and easy to clean. What more can you are for? Well they also don’t leak! The best rated teat for new born babies who are struggling with the preemie size teats. We particularly love that these nipples can be used with the Avent glass bottles, which we highly recommend for breastfeeding. Read more about our top bottle recommendations here.

Best Anti Colic –Tommee Tippee Nipple Slow Flow Nipple

With its air vented design, the air can escape from theses Tommee Tippee nipples whilst baby feeds to prevent it going into baby’s tummy. Ultimately it won’t stop your baby getting colic, but it should reduce the symptoms of trapped air or gassiness. Plus these bottle have a nice wide base with a short teat, which is a great design for breastfeeding babies to mimic breast attachment.

Best Preemie – Dr. Brown’s Natural Flow Preemie Nipple

With the a tiny hole and fantastic flow control these Dr Brown’s Nipples are perfect for both premature babies and expressed milk for breastfed new-borns. If you feel your baby is drinking a bottle far too quickly with the new-born size teats, switch to these and you’ll see the difference. More control over the flow leads to a less cranky and windy baby.

Best Breastfeeding – The First Years Breastflow Slow Flow Nipple

Let’s be honest, you’re either going to love these Breastflow nipples or hate them. You baby will have to work hard and mimic the compression motion of breastfeeding to get the milk out. The up side is that your baby is much more likely to continue breastfeeding without any hitches. The downside is they are quite complicated to use and you can lose some precious breast milk into the nipple which you can’t get out. Proceed with caution when thinking about these nipples, but if the risk of nipple confusion is too high, they can reduce the worry.

The post Discover the Best Baby Bottle Nipples for Breastfed Babies appeared first on Stork Mama.