A little birthspiration...

One line follows the graceful curves of a pregnant woman's figure,
and positive birth affirmations follow the line to signify that path of pregnancy
leading to childbirth...


My body knows how to birth my baby.
I trust my instincts.
I deserve to have the birth I desire.
I trust my body.
I am strong, confident, assured, assertive and very feminine.
My body contains all the knowledge necessary to give birth to my baby.
My baby knows all is well.

Good strong contractions help my baby come into the world.
I now feel inner peace and serenity,
I accept  all my feelings as part of myself.
I am loved.
Babies are born when they are ready.
I love and accept my body completely.
I get to have a voice.

Getting Used to NOT Being at the Hospital

Being at the hospital was scary. Before I delivered I was worried about what might happen at the hospital. I wondered if I would heal, how my baby would look...Once we left the hospital with my baby, prior to his first "Baby Well Visit," leaving the hospital seemed like a natural and expected outcome.

When we had to go back to the hospital with my son, my expectations shifted. I felt relieved to be there. There was always a nurse coming in and out checking on my son. My little one was safe and comfortable under the bililights.

After those 3 days and 2 nights at the hospital, we were ready to sleep in our bed and eat food other than cafeteria grub, but I was worried. We were leaving the safety of the hospital. It was time to be a mommy, without the help. My husband had taken a week off from work to help out at home, and we spent it all at the hospital. That meant that starting that following Monday I'd be all by myself with my son. Of course, that's something amazing, but due to having the C-Section, I felt that it would be difficult to lift my son, feed him and everything that comes along with it.

Thankfully that was all me. I was telling myself that it would be hard to take care of my boy. With time it became easier to take care of him and myself. But some days were difficult. Not making milk made me fall into depression. Along with all the hormones and the bleeding and the baby crying that comes with having a child, I found it difficult to disconnect from my mind. Many of the things I did were automatic. Feeding, changing, crying. I've always been an emotional person, born a Cancer, the motherly figure of the zodiac, always wearing her heart on her sleeve...Many of days were too much for me. There were days when I had to walk away while my son cried in the other room. I never left him for more than a few minutes, but that time in between moods allowed me time to gather myself. I don't remember being sad every day. But when I was, those days were dark. I was hard on myself about my lack of milk. I hated myself. I felt like an unfit Mom.

The first 6 months of my sons life were extremely difficult. Trying to judge how much food he was eating from my breasts was not an easy task. At night, He would feed, seem satisfied, sleep for 2 hours and would wake up crying just to do it all over again, and again, and again. There was a suspicion that he might have Colic, but his patterns didn't fit that diagnosis. At our wits end, we made an appointment to see his pediatrician. It was recommended that we change his formula from Regular Enfamil to Enfamil Gentlease. As the weeks went on, his tummy seemed more and more receptive to the Gentleases formula. Although his sleeping patterns have improved, my little guy still has tummy issues to this day. They are not severe, but new foods take his intestines for a loop.

Over time the feelings started to drift. As I got more sleep and more time to heal, I felt better. My husband began to take over late night feedings and that helped a lot. As months went by, I learned his patterns. I began to understand him better and had a bond with a little guy that was more than just a sleeping, eating, pooping machine. The first time he flashed a smile at me, I cherished the moment for many, many days. It was a confirmation that my little dude was happy. I had prayed for 6 long months for things to get better, to forget about my inequalities and to put the second hospital stay in the past. When I was finally able to catch his smile in a picture, I printed it out and put it up in his room. That little moment in time always put a smile on my lips.

Almost 16 months after his birth, watching him sleep through the baby monitor, I am appreciative of all the ups and the downs. Today, I can see how I have changed from the day I found out I was pregnant. I am a better human. More caring and loving. I know life doesn't outright tell us why shit happens, and that can be frustrating and ego shattering. In my case, I'm thankful for all the broken glass. I've always felt like a strong woman. Capable of anything, yet having a baby was never something I thought would just happen, one day. I thought I'd plan it, we'd go for it and eventually a child would be born. When I had my son at 29, unplanned, time had caught up to me! And in turn it seemed to slow down for me. I was growing a human in my body!

Writing this blog takes me back to when he was a teeny tiny guy. I hold him and snuggle him closer because of that. Although SOMETIMES those first 6 months SUCKED!! SOOO BAD! It no longer matters. All those are just memories...

Rambling on,

-km

Breast Pump Flange Fit for Breastfeeding Mothers

The following is a written piece I submitted to eBay (link will take you to my eBay guide :)). My task was to write a "guide" regarding something I was interested in. At the time, I was breastfeeding and finding myself with the difficult task of figuring out how to boost my milk supply as well as figuring out how to use a breast pump effectively, and finding my correct flange size. I hope you find this blog post helpful.

 
Flange fit is extremely important in the breastfeeding process. The proper fit of the flange on the breast allows for steady pumping and more milk flow.

After having my son I notices an extreme lack of milk production from both of my breasts. I used pumping to provide extra milk production, in addition to using Fenugreek.

Unfortunately, I thought the standard flanges that came with my breast pump were too big for my breasts. In my quest for the proper flange, I purchased a set of smaller sized flanges on eBay. When looking at listings related to my purchase, I made sure that the flanges were brand new (never used) and in a sealed package. They arrived within a few days. eBay was a great place to make my purchase, there were different flange sizes, brands and price points to choose from.

Sadly, it turned out the breast flanges I purchased were too small for my breasts. I finally bought the right size flange after visiting a lactation consultant. I would like to make purchasing flanges an easier task. 

Flange Vocabulary

Breast pump: A manual or electric pump for removing breast milk. 

Breast shield: A device to protect the nipple when pumping.  

Breast Shield Tunnel: Area on the breast shield where the nipple is pumped. 

Mastitis: An infection of the breast tissue that results in breast pain, swelling, warmth and redness of the breast. Mastitis that's not due to an infection may be caused by milk staying in the breast (this is called "milk stasis").
Plugged Milk Ducts: Too much milk production or not enough milk pumped out of breasts; ducts become plugged. The results can be painful and lead to Mastitis.  

Breast Engorgement: breasts feel hard, swollen, throbbing, lumpy, uncomfortably full, or painful.

What’s standard?

Nipple Size Helps Find Flange Fit

The standard flange size differs between breastfeeding pump manufacturers.  In my research, I found there to be a 1mm difference in standard flange sizing between the  Ameda and  Madela brands.  

Please consult your breastfeeding pump users manual for information regarding flange size. 

How do I know if my flange is too small?

Nipple rubbing inside of the tunnel, the fit is too small

Take a close look at the action that is happening within the flange to find out. The part on the flange where your nipple is inserted is called “the tunnel.”

Check to see if your nipple is moving freely within the tunnel. If the nipple is rubbing against the sides of the tunnel, the flange is too small.

Also notice the gentle pulling of just your areola with each
 suction, otherwise the flange is too small (see Good Fit vs. Too Tight). 

How do I know if my flange is too big?

The areola is coming along with the nipple into the tunnel

If the flange is too big, you may see your areola come into the tunnel along with your nipple. If the nipple doesn’t enter the breast shield tunnel, the flange is too big. 

**Remember, everyone has a different breast size, shape...therefore there are different factors to consider when choosing a breast shield.  

Good Fit Vs. Too Tight

Good Fit Vs. Too Tight

 Notice the Good Fit side shows a nipple that has space to fit in the tunnel. The breast will feel the pulling of the nipple area, but will not have a nipple jammed into the tunnel as it pumps.  

The Too Tight side, shows a nipple that is tightly inserted into the tunnel. There is no space around the nipple. This makes it difficult for the pump to function and for the removal of milk.  

Should it hurt when pumping? ‘Cus it looks painful!

With time, perhaps...

Yes and no…well, no! But as you get used to things, it might.

Ultimately when you find the right fit for you, it should feel comfortable to pump. There should be no pain in your breasts or nipples or any swelling or tenderness.

If you do feel pain, look into other flanges. Or, if your pump has a manual control, you might need to keep working on finding your correct setting(s).

 

Does not having the proper flange affect me?

The major impact is milk yield. If your flange does not create the proper seal on your breast, you will not be pumping correctly. You might finish your pumping session and still feel areas on your breast that feel hard, due to your breasts still having milk. This  could lead to mastitis, plugged ducts or breast engorgement. 

Good Luck!

I hope you find the correct size for your needs!

P.S. If you suffer from low milk production like I have,  and would like to boost it, I suggest using a pump in between feeding your infant (every two hours or so), in addition to allowing your infant to feed on demand. It's a lot of work...Sometimes it might feel like a loosing battle. I encourage you to give it a try anyway. It may just be just what you needed. 

If you'd like, you can also try Fenugreek (herbal supplement) to increase your milk production. When using Fenugreek, or any other supplement or medication, please educate yourself on possible side effects and dosage limits.  

Sources

Ameda
Medela
BabyCenter
Pregnancy.about
Breastpumps
Induced Lactation
Mommy Edition
Freemie
Webster Dictionary