Ouch! That hurt! The first time you breastfeed or use a breast pump, you might be surprised at how the experience differs from your expectations. While the results may be well worth the annoyances, it’s not always pain-free, particularly in the beginning. But, though it’s true that minor discomfort can be a part of pumping…
What Is Paced Bottle Feeding? Everything You Need to Know About Bottle Feeding Your Baby
Many people associate bottle feeding with the image of a mom gently cradling a baby horizontally in her lap while the baby guzzles a nearly vertical bottle of milk. Unfortunately, feeding a baby this way can be very harmful to the baby. It can cause the baby to drink too much milk, which can lead…
Best Foods to Eat When Breastfeeding
After 9 months of watching what you’ve been eating, you may think that after you give birth, you have license to eat whatever you want. However, what you eat during breastfeeding is just as important as during your pregnancy, because what you eat has a direct impact on the health of you and your baby.…
5 Hacks for Pumping at Night
If you ask most new parents what the one thing is that they want more than anything else in the world, you’ll probably get the same answer: more sleep! Unfortunately, if you’re the breastfeeding parent, you know that getting up in the middle of the night to feed your baby is just part of the…
Cost of Breast Pumping for 1 Year
Although many people usually point to breastfeeding as much more cost effective than formula feeding, if you’re planning on breast pumping, there will be some costs involved. In addition to purchasing a pump, you’ll also need to spend money on replacement parts every few months, as well as milk storage bags and other accessories. Luckily,…
Tips for Donating Breast Milk
The current baby formula shortage is affecting millions of babies around the country as parents desperately try to find enough formula to keep their children alive. However, if you’re a mom who is currently breastfeeding, you can do a lot to help these babies in need by donating any extra breastmilk you have. And you…
How Postpartum Compression Garments Help After Giving Birth
Giving birth is no walk in the park. Whether you are in labor for a few hours or a few days or whether you have the baby vaginally or have a C-section, all types of birth are a kind of trauma on the body, and it takes time for your body to recover from that…
9 Must-Have Baby Registry Items for Breastfeeding
If you’re planning on pumping or breastfeeding after your baby is born and you’ve already started putting your baby registry together, you know that figuring out what types of breastfeeding and breast pumping supplies you really need as a new mom can be very overwhelming. There are so many products to choose from that all…
How to Ship Breast Milk
Gradually easing Covid restrictions means lots of people are heading back to the office and traveling for the first time in a long time. For new breast-feeding mothers, this can mean business and leisure trips that take them away from their newborns for extended periods. Fortunately, there are a host of options available for breast-pumping…
Our 7 Favorite Breast Pumping Apps
When you’re a new mom, you’ve got a lot of things to keep track of in your brain. How much did my baby eat at her last feeding? How long has it been since she ate? Did I send out that work email I was supposed to? What am I going to cook for dinner?…
Do I Need to Pay for an Upgrade on My Breast Pump?
When the Affordable Care Act went into effect in 2010, many moms-to-be were thrilled that insurance companies were now required by law to cover the cost of getting a breast pump. And while the law has certainly helped make breast pumps more affordable, the law didn’t say that insurance companies had to cover all types…
Giving Back to Other New Moms This Holiday Season
Having a new baby is an exciting time, but for some moms, finding a way to pay for everything they need for the baby can be overwhelming and stressful. That’s where EveryMom Chicago comes in. Founded by Jamie Taratoot in early 2021, EveryMom Chicago is a non-profit that’s dedicated to helping pregnant moms in underserved…
Supply Chain Issues Are Delaying Breast Pump Orders. What You Can Do to Be Prepared.
News headlines about supply chain issues can cause anyone to feel stressed — especially new mothers trying to get their breast pumps and accessories. Unlike ordering a cute pair of shoes that are backordered, ordering a breast pump is something you need to have on time. For example, if your baby is arriving soon or…
Why Has My Milk Supply Dropped?
It’s a situation most breastfeeding moms fear: What if I’m not producing enough milk for my baby? Often times, these fears are unfounded. Many moms start to panic unnecessarily when their baby wants to eat more often than usual, when really the baby is just going through a growth spurt. Or moms think that if…
How to Save Money on Breast Pumping Supplies
When experts tout the benefits of breast feeding vs. formula, they usually say that breastfeeding is by far the cheaper option. And while breastfeeding is cheaper than formula, if you’re planning on pumping, it’s not exactly free. Not only do you have to purchase a pump, but you’ll also have to purchase many other…
How to Calculate How Much Breast Milk to Pump Each Day
Headed back to school or work soon and not sure how much milk you’re going to need to pump a day? Here is a handy guide for figuring out how much you’ll need to pump to feed your baby, and how much to put into each bottle. (Click on infographic below to see a larger…
How to Return a Breast Pump That Is Not Working
There is nothing worse than being all set to start breast pumping for the day and all of a sudden, you realize that your breast pump is not working correctly or just won’t turn on at all. Gah! If this happens to you, don’t panic. We’ll walk you through what do to. If you’re breast…
What to Do If You Have a Clogged Milk Duct
Usually, if you happen to find a hard lump on your breast, it can be a legitimate reason to be concerned. But if you’re breastfeeding, finding a hard or painful lump on your breast usually has a very logical explanation — a clogged milk duct. Getting a clogged milk duct at least once during your…
Can I Drink Coffee or Alcohol While Breastfeeding?
After abstaining from alcohol and cutting back on coffee during your pregnancy, you might be eagerly looking forward to giving birth so you can finally relax with a big glass of wine and get back into the daily drive-thru line at Starbucks for your favorite drink. However, experts say if you’re planning to breastfeed, you…
Does Breastfeeding Help You Lose Baby Weight?
After nine long months of waddling around in maternity clothes and not being able to see their toes, many new moms are eager to start breastfeeding, which is often touted as nature’s way of helping moms return to their pre-pregnancy weights. And while breastfeeding does burn a lot of calories, many moms will also tell…
What to Do If Your Breasts Hurt During Pumping
Breast pumping does take some getting used to, but it’s not supposed to hurt. If your nipples or breasts are painful or sore during or after pumping, follow these tips. (Click below to see infographic larger). And click here for more information about preventing discomfort while breast pumping.
What are the best suction settings to use on a breast pump?
When you read a description for any breast pump on the market, the manufacturers will almost always tout two things: how powerful the suction is (listed in mmHg), and how many stimulation and suction modes they have. But if you’re new to breast pumping, you may be wondering, how much power do I really need…
Best Advice for Breast Pumping on a Plane
Now that more people are getting their Covid-19 vaccines, more people are planning to fly again. And if you’re a breast pumping mom who is planning to fly for work or to see friends and family, you may be wondering, “How exactly am I going to pump on the plane?” While pumping on a plane…
Why Is My Breast Pump Losing Suction?
Is your breast pump not pumping as much milk as it used to? Here are 6 things you can try to troubleshoot the problem. (Click below to see infographic larger).
Surprising Ways Your Breast Milk Changes
Did you know that all breast milk isn’t the same? It turns out that each bottle of breast milk is slightly different – its composition can change based on the time of day it was pumped, what we’ve been eating and even our stress levels when we pumped it. Here’s a little bit more about…
Pros and Cons of Wearable Breast Pumps
In the past few years, a new type of breast pump has come on the market that has been a game changer for many moms: the wearable breast pump. These breast pumps are just what they sound like — breast pumps that you can wear inside your bra without any tubes getting in your way.…
How to De-Stress While You Pump
These days, it seems almost everyone is stressed out. Whether people are worried about the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the economy or just the state of the world, stress seems to be at an all-time high. And if you’re a new mom on top of it, you may feel even more stressed out. First, take a…
Breastfeeding During the Covid-19 Pandemic
The Covid-19 pandemic has been a stressful time for everyone, but especially for new mothers who are concerned about the health and safety of their babies. The CDC, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization all are currently recommending that mothers continue to breastfeed their babies during this outbreak. That’s because the…
6 Tips for Freezing Breast Milk
Are you about to go back to work and starting to wonder how you’ll provide enough breast milk to feed your baby while you’re away during the day? If so, you may want to start thinking about how to freeze breast milk. How Much Breast Milk Do I Need to Freeze? First of all, despite…
Returning to Work? Creating a Breast Pumping Schedule
So you’ve been breastfeeding your new baby for a few weeks now, and you’ve finally gotten your groove on. But as the date of your maternity leave comes to an end, many new moms start stressing out about how exactly they’re going to get the hang of breast pumping at work. Don’t worry! With a…
4 Essential Breast Pumping Accessories
Planning to start pumping when you head back to work or school? Breast pumping can be a bit of a challenge, but with the right accessories, you can make it work! Here are four breast pumping accessories we think are essential for every pumping mom. (click on the infographic below to see it in a…
Breastfeeding Twins? 6 Tips for Making It Easier
If you’re pregnant with twins, congratulations! You’re about to embark on a wonderful adventure that’s full of double the snuggles and double the love. If you’re a little worried about how you’re going to breastfeed not one but two babies, don’t worry! While it may be a little more logistically complicated than breastfeeding just one…
How to Get the Right Breast Shield/Flange Size For You
Do your breasts hurt while you are pumping? Are you not getting as much milk as you think you should? The problem may not be with your pump or your milk supply – it could simply be that you don’t have the right breast shield size for your breasts. Flanges, also known as breast shields,…
Do I Need Two Breast Pumps?
Are you a new mom who is planning to go back to work or school when your maternity leave is over? If so, we have to warn you: Getting everything you need to just leave your house in the morning is the equivalent of packing for a month-long trip. It’s such an ordeal you’ll probably…
When to Replace Your Breast Pump Parts
So, you’ve FINALLY hit your stride with breast pumping. You have the schedule just right, and you’ve selected the ideal breast shield and power setting for your needs. But out of the blue, you start losing suction when it matters most. So, what’s the problem? Well, it turns out that the various components of your…
Do’s and Don’ts for Cleaning Breast Pump Parts
Often the biggest headache for moms who are breast pumping, isn’t the pumping itself – it’s the hassle of having to clean all of the breast pump parts and accessories. All. The. Time. And, unfortunately, even though it may seem like a pain to clean all of those parts after each session, it’s important to…
11 Tips for Breast Pumping in the Car
Do you drive a lot for work? Are you often stuck running errands during the day and don’t have time to get back home to pump? Is your car the only private place available to pump at work? If so, you might want to consider breast pumping in the car. If you’ve never tried pumping…
All About Power Pumping
Looking for a way to increase your milk supply? With Power Pumping, you can replace one of your regular pumping sessions with a 60-minute marathon session, similar to when your baby is cluster feeding. Check out our infographic below to get more information on what Power Pumping is, how to do it effectively, and some…
Why Pregnant Moms Should Open Flexible Spending Accounts
New moms know that having a baby can be very expensive. Not only do you have to buy a new crib, car seat, clothes and much more, but there are all of the additional expenses of paying for childcare, additional doctors visits and more that quickly add up. That’s why, if you are good at…
7 Questions to Ask When Choosing a Breast Pump
When it comes to choosing a breast pump, we know there are lots of different pumps to pick from. And having so many good options to choose from can be very overwhelming and hard to know what pump would be best for you. And unfortunately, you may not know what breast pump will be best…
5 TSA Tips for Breast Pumping Moms
Making your way through airport security is never fun, but if you’re a breastfeeding mom, navigating how to bring your breast pump, breast milk and other accessories through the airport is even more of a challenge. Luckily, in 2016, President Obama signed the Bottles and Breastfeeding Equipment Screening Act (known as BABES), which explicitly allows…
9 Tips for Pumping at Work
First, the good news. If you’re a new mom who wants to continue to breastfeed after you go back to work, the Affordable Care Act requires employers to offer you a private space for pumping at work, as well as “reasonable break time” to pump every day. Now for the bad news. Just because you…
Rules for Storing Breast Milk
Breastfeeding can be challenging. Not only is it time consuming just to feed your baby multiple times a day, but then there are so many rules for storing breast milk to remember – like how long bottles of breast milk can be out of fridge, how long you can use thawed milk and more. And…
4 Steps for Getting a Breast Pump Through Insurance
For years, an electric breast pump was one of the most wished-for items on every new mom’s baby registry. It was an item that was essential for every mom to have, but with a price tag of more than $300, it was often something moms couldn’t afford on their own, unless their friends pitched in…
Post-Partum Checklist: 9 Must-Have Items
When you’re pregnant, you get lots of information about what labor will be like, but often no one talks about the unpleasant post-partum realities of what your body will feel like after labor. To sum it up, it’s not fun. In the first few days and weeks after birth, you may experience heavy bleeding, vaginal…
