Holiday Wish List

Four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves…and a full peaceful night of good sleep.

Beyond that, what could you possibly wish for this holiday season, Mama? Well, in case your under-slept, overly-taxed mommy brain is drawing a blank, let us make a few recommendations of items to help you as you pump, feed, and mother your way into the new year.

Two Phases of Breastfeeding

According to researchers, babies’ instinctual sucking switches between a first and second phase to optimize the milk output from a mother’s breast.[1]

The first phase is termed the Stimulation Phase, with the purpose of “stimulating” the breast for output. When a baby first attaches to his mother’s breast he will suck with a faster pace and quicker intensity to pull the nipple out and commence the milk flow.

Once this stimulation is rewarded with milk flow, a baby switches to the second phase, termed the Expression Phase. During this phase, the “letdown” has occurred, milk is flowing to her (or more precisely, being “expressed” by her) and she sucks with a slower but deeper rhythm.

Ameda User Reviews

You’re expecting a baby. Hoorah! And a breast pump is now covered by most insurance policies. Yahoo!

But which one should you choose?

The last thing you have time or patience for right now is an exhaustive search into customer reviews of popular breast pumps.  So we’re compiling them for you.

How Do I Know I’m Using the Correct Flange Size?

First of all – what’s a flange?

The flange is the part of your pump that fits on your breast around your nipple. In most traditional pumps, the flange resembles a funnel.

Second – what is being measured to determine a good fit?

The size of a flange is determined by the width of its opening. The size of your flange will depend on both the size of your breasts and more importantly, the size of your nipples. It is not uncommon for a woman’s two breasts (and nipples) to vary slightly in size and therefore vary slightly in best flange size.