The Life of Bon: The Breast Pump: The World's Greatest Invention

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

The Breast Pump: The World's Greatest Invention

Today was the first day of school, but because I'm on maternity leave until mid September, I didn't have to go.  Instead, I slept in and went to lunch with a friend.  I mean, really, it's a tough gig.




This is my friend.  Her name is Dallin and we met in the jungles of Argentina.  She showed me how to be a missionary six years ago and today she shows me how to be an all around good person. She's just one of those people who you are forever grateful that you know.

This was Dal's first time meeting June.  They really hit it off!  June demanded Dallin feed her, spit up all over everything, and then finished her meal with her famous Russian Mafia face. (She curls her lips downward, squints her eyes, and looks like she's about to kill you and all your family.)  It was great!

While we're talking feeding babies, I have to let you all in on a little secret that has made my post baby life infinitely easier in the past two weeks.

Pumping.

Last week I wrote about nursing in public, and while I have no problem doing it if I need to, I discovered that pumping is about one hundred times easier than nursing in the middle of a crowded restaurant.  Take today for example.  I knew June was going to be hungry about noon.  I pumped before we left the house at 11:00.  June got hungry right at noon.  Dallin was holding her.  Instead of starting the whole fiasco of taking the baby away from my friend, covering up, pulling my shirt down, figuring out the complicated business of the nursing bra, etc, etc, ETC- I just gave Dallin the bottle and she fed June.  So easy!

Sometimes I pump at home, too, just for the convenience of it.  The thing is it takes 45 minutes to nurse June and it takes 10 minutes to pump.  One thing I have loved about pumping is that it allows other people to bond with June through feeding her.  I do enjoy nursing her, but in a way it feels almost selfish for me to be the only one to feed her.  This way Greg can feed her, my mission buddy can feed her, my cousin at the baby shower can feed her.  I want June to develop lots of important relationships with the people that surround and love her, not just with me.  Pumping and allowing someone else feed her occasionally feels like a step in the right direction.

So, let's talk breast pumps.  I use the Ameda Purely Yours double electric breast pump.  It is pretty much the easiest and most convenient thing ever.  It took me about three weeks after June was born to start using it because it sounded complicated and exhausting, and quite frankly, I was intimidated by it.  But it wasn't complicated OR exhausting- not in the least bit.  It took me all of four minutes to figure out.  I just wish I would have started using it sooner- it seriously makes my life so much easier when I'm on the go.


The pump comes with four bottles to allow for a little bit of flexibility (and dirty dishes!) and lots of bags if you want to freeze your milk. (This I haven't done yet.)  It also comes with a perfect, discreet bag to throw all the gear into. (It looks like a lunch bag.)  I appreciated that the pump came with a DVD to show you how to use everything, but I'll be honest, the pump is so easy to use that I didn't need to watch the DVD.  Score.


Also, if your insurance covers a breast pump, (my understanding is that under Obamacare all insurances have to cover breast pumps...?) this is the breast pump that most insurances will cover.  If you are wondering if your insurance will cover this breast pump go here.

And, lastly, Ameda is giving away a free Purely Yours double electric breast pump with a retail value of $179 to all my Instagram followers.  If you are pregnant or know someone who is, enter below!  It is a total game changer.

(FYI:  I started writing this post SEVEN hours ago.  Welcome to life with a baby?)

I was gifted the Ameda Purely Yours Double Electric Breast Pump in exchange for this post.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

16 comments:

  1. This was the breast pump that I used with all four of my kids. It was so easy to use. It is always nice to be able to let someone else have the chance to bond with your child by feeding them. It is also nice to know that if you have to leave your child with someone they won't starve.

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  2. Cool! I had a cheap double pump that I only ever used singly... but I didn't need to pump much for this kid. The next I will probably need more milk pumped!

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  3. Pumping tip: If you pump more than once a day you can refrigerate the shields and bottles to use next time. This was a HUGE time saver when I went back to teaching.

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  4. I was going to get mine through insurance, but if I can win one...eh, why not? It's cool to see a review on a breast pump too - I have no idea which one to go for! First time mom club.

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  5. If you enjoy pumping and/or plan to continue it when you go back to school, check out the Kiinde system. It comes with adapters for your pump so you pump directly into the Kiinde bags, and then it comes with a nipple you pop right on and feed from the bag (with a bottle shell) and then throw the bag away when it's empty. Makes for much less cleanup every day! Also, you don't have to use the Kiinde nipples, they come with adapters for use in other bottle nipples like Dr. Browns, etc. I love love love it! They sell them at Target, Babiesrus and Amazon. There's a video you can watch at www.kiinde.com to see what I'm talking about.

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  6. Aw that's a great idea! I love how you want to cultivate those relationships :) I've never thought of it that way!

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  7. My advice for pumping... go ahead and get one of those hands-free pumping bras. You just hook everything up and then you have your hands free. Makes pumping that much easier.

    Also, pump and freeze as much milk as you can while June is little and your milk supply is still soaring. My supply would occasionally dip when I was nursing (from stress or lack of sleep, whatever) and I didn't have a HUGE supply in my freezer (I donated a bunch of it). It was a MAJOR source of stress for me, figuring out if I would have enough milk for Henry.

    Just some more unsolicited advice! I never ends. :)

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  8. Some good friends of ours started pumping right after the baby was born, due to latching issues. She pumped for about 5-6 months but has enough milk frozen to last until the baby is a year old! It is crazy, they ended up buying a whole new freezer just for breast milk.

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  9. After a discussion with my insurance, I found out that they only cover it at their discretion, or if they see it as a "medical necessity" (so like, if the baby isn't latching properly or whatever). So basically, I could wait until the baby comes and even if he IS latching I could lie and get the free pump, but winning this would save me the hassle of all that. ;) I'm glad to see that it's so easy to use!

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  10. i have this same pump - got it free, covered by insurance. while it is great to have my own pump and it is a decent pump - i've had my fair share of issues with it. (i think maybe i just got a dud..). but i use it frequently, as i'm a working momma. i also am lucky enough to work in a hospital and have access to hospital-grade pumps for free, which has saved me. anyway, i agree, it is way nice to have others be able to feed the babe and give yourself a feeding break sometimes :) and if you so choose - start freezing that milk for when you return to work! you'll be glad you have some stashed away!

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  11. pumping is awesome!! i love being able to leave my baby at home with my husband and not worrying about hurrying home to feed her! and for some strange reason, it's so satisfying watching your body produce food for your baby....i'm weird, i know, haha!

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  12. I love the way June is taking Dallin in.

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  13. I could never pump enough milk in one sitting to make up for one feeding, so I would have to pump twice to get enough to feed once. When Axel was only a few weeks old I was still making too much milk so I would pump in between each feed and it was perfect to store some up.

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  14. Bon,
    Thanks for the nice shout out. I think you're pretty great and June is just a delight! AND...thanks for letting me share the blogspot today with the breast pump. I'm honored!

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  15. Yes it is a great invention I don't know how I would have managed without mine

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  16. Few good friends of ours started water removal following the newborn was given birth to, because of latching troubles. Your woman pumped for about 5-6 weeks although has enough dairy icy to very last before infant is usually a calendar year aged! It really is outrageous, many people appeared investing in a totally new fridge freezer only for teat dairy.
    latest invention

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