Archive for Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding Alliance

October 7, 2009 at 2:33 pm · Filed under Breastfeeding

The Breastfeeding Alliance of Northeast Wisconsin (BFANWI)is a group dedicated to improving the health of area residents by working to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding!  Basically, it’s an alliance of anyone in the area interested in breastfeeding: nurses, business owners, moms, WIC employees, childcare providers, and you!   Check out our website at www.bfanwi.org. 
 
Mom and Pop Place is helping to host a fun event this month to brainstorm ideas on promoting breastfeeding! 
 
 
Monday October 19, 2009
6:30-8:30PM
Hosted by Tammy Elliot WFRV News
The Wave Bar and Ballroom
2350 N Casaloma Dr.
Appleton, WI 54914
 
The event is completely free, totally fun, and baby-friendly.  We’ll be serving refreshments, giving away door prizes, and providing toys to entertain your little ones.  After an introduction from Tammy Elliot, we’ll break into smaller groups to collect ideas on supporting and promoting breastfeeding.  We know you have ideas to share.
 
Please email me at adria@momandpopplace.com to RSVP!

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Kellymom

August 7, 2009 at 1:54 pm · Filed under Breastfeeding

I want to share one of my favorite websites with you.  Have you checked out www.kellymom.com?  It’s  a breastfeeding and parenting site dedicated to providing evidence-based information to parents and professionals.  The site is not fancy or commercial, it’s just good.  I reference it even more than the La Leche League site.  Whenever I have a question about breastfeeding, I know I can find info on kellymom.  From tandem nursing and herbs to pumping and safe sleep, you’ll find it.   Check it out!

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Look mom, no hands!

August 5, 2009 at 11:19 am · Filed under Breastfeeding, Store

simplewishesApparently, it is hand-free breastpumping season.  Maybe, like me, you didn’t get the memo.  But, I have had a huge run on the hands-free bustier that allows you to use a breastpump without your hands.  We have sold about 6 in the last week, after going several months without selling many.  We actually have a new hand-free bustier in stock.  It’s the Simple Wishes Bustier (pictured at right).  I like it better than the one we had before.  It has more adjustability in the back and between the breasts.  Plus, it’s pink and cute and the same price.  We ‘re gong to be phasing out the previous product and switching over to the Simple Wishes.

Memo to creative people out there: there has to be a more elegant way of hands-free pumping.  Can you come up with a solution?  Right now, the only options are an unwieldy halter top you zip over your other bra or a special pump that costs $80 more than the other pumps.  There must be a more elegant solution.  We can put a man on the moon but we can’t find a way for mom to pump her breasts while she drinks a cup of coffee?  Come on.

 

Adria

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Bodysilk

July 23, 2009 at 11:01 am · Filed under Breastfeeding, Store

I don’t often find myself gushing over a bra, much less a nursing bra.  But, I LOVE the Bravado Bodysilk nursing bra.  Bravado bras have been around forever.  Great quality, super comfy, but I never loved their support.  I wore one with my first son.  For about a day.  My poor lactating “na-nas” were pretty much on their own in that bra.  Granted, supporting my breasts was a full-time job at that time.  Not many bras were up to the task.  I could have gone for the extra support version of the bra, but I’m not a fan of the uni-boob look. 

We have always stocked Bravado bras in our store because they’re such a great company and the product is such high quality and well-known.  But, I was on the fence about them. 

Bras_AllUntil they came out with the Bodysilk Bra.  (Caution: Gushing ahead….)  I LOVE this bra.  I was still nursing Gage when the bra came out, so I gave it a real test.  It’s so comfortable.  The funny thing is, it actually gives support while being comfy.  It held my girls up.  I love that it comes in S, M, L, XL and each size fits a range of sizes.  It’s a great solution for moms who are still pregnant or just gave birth who know that their bra size is going to fluctuate wildly. Love it.  The bra also has a thin, removable panel in each cup to hide nipples and give a smooth profile.  Love it.

Come to think of it, we don’t sell so many Bodysillk bras as we sell empty Bodysilk bra boxes, because most moms wear it out of the store.

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My Girl Wanda

July 3, 2009 at 1:20 am · Filed under Adria, Breastfeeding, Parenting

I want to tell you about my friend Wanda.  As you may have guessed, her name is not really Wanda.  Even though I doubt you will ever run into Wanda, I thought I might change her name and a few identifying characteristics in my blog.  Plus, I just really like the name Wanda.

Wanda is a friend of mine and she gave birth to her first daughter a little while ago.  The pregnancy was a surprise but she embraced it.  She took care of herself and stayed active and dreamed about her baby.  She didn’t know much about birth and labor but she figured she would figure it out when the time came.  She planned to breastfeed but didn’t really know what to expect.  She didn’t do any research on parenting beyond “What to Expect When You’re Expecting…..”. (sigh)

I’ll admit, I was worried about Wanda.  Wanda is a go-with-the-flow kinda girl.  I’m a know-exactly-where-the-flow-is-going-and-make-lists-of-contingency-plans kinda girl.   Wanda just figured her baby would come and she would take it home and take care of it and be happy.  “Poor thing,” I thought.  “She has no idea what a physical and emotional roller coaster she is about to get on.”  I felt like she never prepared.  She and I took on the task of having a baby in totally opposite ways.  When I was pregnant, I read every single baby book in the bookstore.  (I didn’t buy them.  I just read them there.  Barnes and Noble both groaned when they saw me waddling in.)  I made lists of all the layette items I had and what I needed.  I agonized over bedding sets and middle names and my perineum.  I thought that there was so much I needed to prepare!  How would I get it done in only 9 months?

It turns out, Wanda was better prepared than I was.  By wanting to do it so literally “by the book”, I was over-prepared.  When my son was born, I learned the hard way that too much information can be a bad thing.  I was so focused on counting diapers and recording feedings and analyzing cries that I forgot to enjoy my baby.  I wanted to make sure I was doing things right, that he was developing right.   But, being a mother is nothing you can prepare for with a book.  You have to actually do it before you know how to do it.  You surrender yourself to your baby and they let you know how to do it.

So, lo-and-behold, Wanda had her baby.  We’ll call her Charmaine.  (Love that name, too.)  And Wanda took her home and took care of her and was happy.  She breastfed on-demand.  She slept when Charmaine slept.  She held her baby all the time.  She fell in love with Charmaine right away and she fell in love with being a mother.  She never had those attacks of self-doubt that I had every week.  She never argued with a newborn about how they “should” be sleeping or how they “should” be eating.  She let Charmaine call the shots and mostly stayed home gazing lovingly at her baby. 

I think I could have learned a lot from Wanda.  Going-with-the-flow is one of the most important parenting skills you can learn.  More inportant than learning how to change a diaper or swaddle a newborn or clean an umbilicus.  If you relax and listen to your baby, she will tell you everything you need to know.  Relaxing has never been easy for me. Eight years after my son arrived, I’m still working on it.  Maybe I’ll go over to Wanda’s………….

 

Adria

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Hiding your Hooters update

June 12, 2009 at 6:22 pm · Filed under Adria, Breastfeeding, Store

So, I got a call today from Bebe au Lait. They read my blog post on Nursing Cover-ups (no lie!) and wanted to see if I had any questions about their products.

I got tons of feedback on my blog post, mostly via our Facebook page.  Check it out here http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Neenah-WI/Mom-and-Pop-Place/83804389750?ref=ts

 

I think I’m going to add nursing cover-ups to our inventory at Mom and Pop Place.  When I wrote the original blog post, I was leaning towards carrying them. But, if I offer a product I need to be able to fully stand behind it. Putting it on my shelf is a form of endorsement. At one time I was afraid offering nursing cover-ups would help to reinforce the climate of breastfeeding being something that needs to be done in secret. Thanks for confirming

my recent suspicions that cover-ups can be useful tools! In fact, there were situations I hadn’t even thought of, like applying nipple shields etc.

Anyone who nursed in any way for any amount of time should be proud! I have always wanted Mom and Pop Place to be the Place where you could get everything you need to breastfeed successfully: herbs, pumps, support, information, etc. I never want to do anything to undermine people’s efforts to nurse their children.

What cover-ups have people liked? Did you like the Hooter Hider/Bebe au Lait or did you have a different favorite brand? 

 
Adria

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Hiding your hooters?

June 10, 2009 at 2:56 am · Filed under Breastfeeding, Store

LOOK AT ME!

LOOK AT ME!

 

 

To hide, or not to hide: that is the question:
Whether ’tis nobler in the mall to suffer
The looks and comments of nosy shoppers,
Or to take arms against a lactating breast,
And by opposing hide them?

 

 

I need your help with a philosophical dilemna of sorts here at Mom and Pop Place.  The items in questions are Hooter Hiders and other “nursing cover-ups”.  (By the way, Bebe au Lait and Hooter Hiders are the same dang product, made by the same company.  One just has a little higher-brow marketing.)  We have never sold nursing cover-ups here at Mom and Pop Place.  We feel very strongly that breastfeeding is an act that should not be covered up!  No mother should feel like she has to hide anything when she feeds her baby!  If we sell nursing cover-ups here, it could seem like we think they are an essential breastfeeding item.  Nothing could be further from the truth!  In our experience, nursing cover-ups and shawls and blankets often make breastfeeding less convenient.  It’s one more item a new mom needs to carry around with her and it’s one more thing to juggle while you are getting your baby latched on.  As far as privacy goes, nothing screams LOOK AT ME like a brightly-colored shawl velcroed around you and your baby!  

So here’s our dilemna: we get tons of requests for Hooter Hiders.  Customers are looking for them and asking for them.  And, although I don’t personally think nursing cover-ups are necessary for a breastfeeding mom, who am I to say what a new mom needs to make breastfeeding work for her?  Maybe a cover-up can make her comfortable enough to nurse in public or continue breastfeeding in the face of adversity. 

What do you think?  Should we offer nursing cover-ups and let moms decide whether they are needed or should we not sell them and avoid the appearance that we are endorsing them as an essential breastfeeding tool?  What do you think?

 

Adria

 

PS:  Sorry about the Hamlet reference.  It was irresistible.  It won’t happen again.

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Working and Pumping

March 12, 2009 at 2:09 pm · Filed under Adria, Breastfeeding

I spent part of last week in Appleton at the WALC conference.  WALC is the Wisconsin Association of Lactation Consultants and every year they host an educational conference for breastfeeding professionals.  I am NOT a Lactation Consultant, but I have attended the conference the last 4 years as a breastfeeding helper and as an exhibitor.  Karla and I set up a booth and talk to people from all over the state about Mom and Pop Place and breastfeeding.  We also sell about 2 million Nursing Nina stuffed animals.  Anyway, I love this conference.  The speakers are always fabulous!  I come home from the conference all energized to apply the incredible new things I learned about helping moms breastfeed.  It’s also like a big reunion.  We get to touch base with all the Lactation Consultants in the area, owners of other breastfeeding-related businesses, friends from across the state.  It was energizing as usual!workingwithoutweaning

My favorite speaker this year was a neuroscientist from Vermont named Kirsten Berggren.  Kirsten is the author of the book Working Without Weaning, an incredible little manual for moms who are working, breastfeeding and pumping.  She was the most enjoyable speaker I’ve ever seen at a breastfeeding conference.  (And I’ve been to more breastfeeding conferences than I care to admit.)  A few highlights from her talk:

1.  Someone asks Kirsten the best way to wash pump parts after every pumping and Kirsten asks “Why would you want to wash them every time?  Just put them back in the cooler until the next pumping.”

2.  Kirsten apologizes that she forgot a long-sleeved shirt to hide the tattoos on her arms.

3.  Kirsten shares her favorite breastfeeding cartoon from a cartoon strip called “Dykes to Watch Out For”

4.  Kirsten apologizes to the breastpump sales rep in the back of the room and then proceeds to “tell it like it is” regarding the problems with that product

5.  Kirsten shares the research she looked up online the night before, but warns us that she had a few glasses of wine before she surfed.

 

 Anyway, I really liked Kirsten’s presentations.  She had so much real-world advice to offer because her wisdom came, not from books and PhD dissertations, but from actually working and pumping herself.  What a concept.  I talk to moms all the time about returning to work and pumping milk.  I feel like I have good, accurate information to share with them.  But, you know what, I have not actually experienced what I am advising them about.  One of the best tings about Mom and Pop Place is that I can steer those parents towards the cafe or a Pop-In group where they can meet other moms who are going through the same experience.  I feel comfortable talking about working and pumping (especially after hearing Kirsten speak), but sometimes you just ned to talk to someone who can say “You know what, I had that same thing happen and here’s how I dealt with it………”.  So, thanks to all of you who come to our cafe and our Pop-Ins and share your wisdom with other parents.  You are the experts.  If they gave PhDs in parenting, you’d all be doctors.

 

I really encourage you to check out Kirsten Berggren’s website, www.workandpump.com.  It’s a great source of information from a passionate breastfeeding advocate and a link to a truly funny woman. 

 

Adria

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Thrift

March 6, 2009 at 4:15 am · Filed under Breastfeeding, Diapering, Parenting

Everybody is thinking of ways to save money these days.  Being thrifty is smart in any economy, especially for young families.  We’ve noticed our customers saving money in some smart ways.

 1.  Use Cloth Diapers

Disposable diapers cost about $1500-$2000 per child.  Yikes.  You can cloth diaper all your babies for under $500.  And you can use the same diapers for more than one child.  Even with the cost of water and detergent, you WILL save a ton of money.  We’re seeing an increasing number of parents going to cloth simply because of the cost-savings. 

 

2. Breastfeed Your Baby (and Toddler!)

Obviously, parents who breastfeed don’t have to spend a fortune on formula.  But, there are more intangible benefits to breastfeeding.  Breastfed babies are healthier.  That saves money on doctor visits, medicine, and missed work.  The health benefits of breastmilk will continue as long as you nurse your child.  Why not continue to save money and your child’s health as long as you can?

 

3.  Buy Better Stuff

Kids require a lot of stuff.  Make that stuff count.  Buy products that will last and that give you value for your money.  Cheaper stuff is not a better value if it needs to be replaced every week.  Toys should not be disposible.  They should be tough enough to stand up to your kids.  Actually, they should be tough enough to stand up to several of your kids and your grandkids.  A solidly built, quality toy will give you years of play value.

 

4.  Go Outside

Fresh air is free.  Go for a walk, play in the snow, listen for birds, color with chalk.  You don’t need expensive equipment or registration fees to kill some time outdoors.  And kids who spend time outside spend less time watching TV and playing video games.  Think of the money you’ll save on cable and game systems!

 

5.  Come to Storytime

Spend a Friday morning with us and enjoy free stories, crafts, and camaraderie.  You might even be able to find other Storytimes at local libraries.  But, we wouldn’t know anything about that……

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Breastpumps

February 25, 2009 at 5:25 pm · Filed under Breastfeeding, Parenting Information Sheets

Choosing a Breastpump

There are many factors to consider when choosing a breastpump.  Are you returning to work full-time?  Are you pumping milk for a preemie?  Do you simply want a breastpump on hand “just in case”?  What does your budget allow?  Since different families have different needs, there is no single pump that is best for everyone. With a little information, you will choose the pump that is best for YOU.   At Mom and Pop Place, we take great care to offer you only the best breastpumps on the market.  We take the time to discuss your breastfeeding plans in order to find the breastpump just right for your situation.  For more information about breastfeeding and breastpumps, stop in anytime or contact us at adria@momandpopplace.com  or (920) 725-0488.

 

 

 

Why Medela?

Mom and Pop Place is proud to be able to offer you Medela breastpumps, the most reliable and effective breastpumps on the market.  Medela leads the industry in breastpump research and technology.  We feel that their pumps do the best job of mimicking a baby’s actual suck and maintaining mom’s milk supply.   Few other breastpump companies even come close.  It is also very important to us that Medela pumps are (and always have been) BPA-free.  No other pump company can make that claim.

 

 

 

What about a used pump?

Most breastfeeding professionals will advise against using second-hand or borrowed breastpumps.  Pumps are not designed for multiple users.  We understand that, in the real world, parents may decide to borrow a pump from a friend or to buy a secondhand pump.  We want to emphasize that, even if the tubing and bottles are replaced, a breastpump can never be sterilized once it has been used.  Pump motors are designed to last for only 1-2 years of heavy pumping.  A used pump may reach the end of its life before you are done with it.  Let this information guide you as you make your decision.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Double Electric Pump (Pump In Style Advanced)

Description:  Pumps both breasts at once using a motor designed for heavy daily use.  Has a pre-set 2-phase expression cycle that best mimics a baby’s sucking pattern.  Comes in a carrying case with everything you need to pump and store your milk.

Best Use:  Excellent choice for moms who plan to pump several times a day for several days a week.   

Advantages:  The special 2-phase suction encourages quicker, more effective pumping.  Quality motor ensures the pump will last a long time (lower quality pumps will “burn out” after a few months).  Pumping both breasts at once will save you 15-30 minutes each session. 

Disadvantages:  Costs more than single pumps and manual pumps.

 

 

Single Electric Pump (Swing)

Description: Pumps one breast at a time using a motor designed for heavy, daily use.  Has a pre-set 2-phase expression cycle that best mimics a baby’s sucking pattern. 

Best Use:  Reliable choice for moms who plan to pump regularly and only need/want to pump one breast at a time.

Advantages: The special 2-phase suction encourages quicker, more effective pumping. Quality motor ensures the pump will last a long time (lower quality pumps will “burn out” after a few months).

Disadvantages: Costs more than manual pumps.  Only pumps one breast at a time.

 

 

 

Hands-Free Electric Pump (Freestyle)

Description: Pumps both breasts at once using a motor designed for heavy, daily use.  Has a pre-set 2-phase expression cycle that best mimics a baby’s sucking pattern.  Phlanges attach directly to mom’s nursing bra and pump clips to her belt for totally hands- free pumping

Best Use:  Excellent choice for moms who want to pump while driving, working, eating, or caring for baby

Advantages:  The only pump that allows you to pump both breasts while leaving both hands free.  The special 2-phase suction encourages quicker, more effective pumping.  Quality motor ensures the pump will last a long time (lower quality pumps will “burn out” after a few months).  Pumping both breasts at once will save you 15-30 minutes each session. 

Disadvantages:  Costs more than manual and other electric pumps.

 

 

 

 

 

Manual Pump (Harmony)

Description: Pumps one breast at a time using a control that you squeeze with your hand. 

Best Use: Good choice for moms who need to pump occasionally to

relieve engorgement or to express milk for a short separation from  baby

Advantages:  Very affordable compared to electric pumps but still expresses milk very well. Hand control allows you to control the suction and the rate.

Disadvantages:  Not ideal for daily, long-term pumping.

 

 

 

Hospital-Grade Rental Pump (Symphony)

Description:  Pumps both breasts at once using a hospital-grade motor designed for heavy, daily use.  You rent the pump and use it with your own “kit” of bottles, tubing, phlanges, etc.

Best Use:  Good choice for mothers who need a high-quality pump 

temporarily (mothers of preemies who aren’t able to nurse yet, mothers who experience a sudden drop in milk production, mothers who need to maintain their milk supply for a sick baby.

Advantages:  High-quality motor will stimulate milk production.  The specially-designed suction will help to maintain the milk supply, even for mothers of babies who are not able to nurse at the breast at all.  Renting a pump could save money if the pump is only needed for a few weeks or months.  Pumping both breasts at once will save you 15-30 minutes each session. 

Disadvantages:  If you were not provided a “kit” in the hospital, you will need to purchase your own ($50).  Rental pumps are larger and heavier than other pumps.  Mothers needing to pump more than 2 months may spend more on a rental than on a purchased pump.

 

           

 

No Pump!

A breastpump is not a required breastfeeding tool.  Many mothers never need one.  If you do not plan to regularly be away from your baby for more than a few hours, you will probably not need to pump your breasts.  Some parents feel that they want to stockpile pumped milk so that baby can “get used to the bottle” or so that Daddy can feed the baby at night.   For many families, this is unnecessary and sometimes more trouble than it’s worth.  For the occasional relief of engorgement or plugged ducts, simple hand expression is an easy technique.  For more information on hand expression, contact Mom and Pop Place at (920) 725-0488 or adria@momandpopplace.com.

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