Sukie and Bessie Throw Down

Hello gentle readers!

Hm, I can't quite pull that off like Ms. Manners could.

So lately the question of pump comparison keeps coming up. Many of you will recall that with Robert, I had Bessie, a Medela (which the lady on their help like pronounced meh-DEE-la, not me-DELL-uh) Pump In Style, and now I am using Sukie and Beulah, twin Hygeia EnJoyes. I will give a quick review, as best I can from my memory of Bessie, who is out to pasture, below. I would dearly love to have a new Pump In Style, a Lansinoh pump, and the PJ Comfort pump to compare properly. I have some ideas for how to go about effecting this experiment without slapping down a cool grand for pumps, but I'm open to suggestions. (Any of my readers work for these fine companies and want to send me one? I promise to donate the extras [as permissible by type of pump] when I'm done!)

So. My primary reasons for selecting the Hygeia were (1) it is a closed system, with the pump itself being shielded from any moisture or breast milk by a bacteriostatic filter, and (2) of pumps that can make that claim, it is the one sold by my dear sisters in lactogeekdom at the Nursing Mothers' Counsel of Oregon. So their endorsement and familiarity, and willingness to bring me one, was a non-trivial factor. I have, in previous posts, gone into rather unsavory detail on what can happen to a not-closed system and why one really should not pass along the Pump In Style to other mamas, which I know happens all the time. But suffice to say, with my battle with yeast in recent memory, I wasn't interested in risking it by reusing Bessie. (I intend to dissect her and make a video but I've been a tad busy lately...)

Overall I am quite satisfied with Sukie and Beulah, and I would happily recommend them to another mama. I like a lot of things about the EnJoye, and other things I think want improvement. The most important question is, am I getting as much milk? I think I am, but this is the specific question I would be better able to answer if I had several pumps to compare. That said, as compared to my memory with Bessie when Robert was a nurseling, I am getting at least as much milk with Sukie and Beulah.

They work about the same, and if you are familiar with one you will have no trouble using the other. The EnJoye has a continuously variable speed setting, which I like. I remember the Medela starting at speed A and then slowing down to speed B, and that while you could toggle it back and forth, you couldn't set A or B or tell it to stay on A indefinitely. I think the variable speed is a help for trying to get the pump to mimic the baby as closely as possible (although neither of them are very cuddly).

The version I purchased has an internal rechargeable battery, which is appealing to my little treehugging heart as compared to a brick o AA's, for travel. That said, I'm still experimenting with this but the two pumps seem to differ quite a bit in how quickly they wimp out when run just on battery power. I think it has less to do with the batteries and more to do with how they are used - Sukie goes three or four times a day at work, and sits plugged in between sessions. Beulah sits at home not plugged in, and I usually run her plugged in but that's just for half an hour or so. So I think Beulah's battery is never getting a full charge. So periodically I leave her plugged in to charge overnight or for a full 24 hours. I should probably switch who is home and who is at work, too, and see if that makes a difference. But all that said, I'm not entirely comfortable assuring mamas that you could rely on that battery for more than a couple rounds between charging. So a really long plane trip (like the one I've got scheduled in June, gulp) could be a problem. But I don't know yet, it could be fine. How's that for non-specific? One cool thing though is I have used it while carrying it over my shoulder in its bag and walked around the kitchen to make breakfast for my son. Multitasking mama!

The EnJoye is pretty loud. Now, I don't care. I think you want the pump that is the most comfortable and helps you produce the most milk. And further, since it's not built into its bag (another advantage, in my opinion), we don't really know if it's louder or just less muffled. One can perfectly well set it up, turn it on, and gently put it back in its bag, which muffles it quite a bit. I have also tossed a fleece blanket over it in my office so I could pick up the phone without turning it off. That might not be the greatest thing for the motor, but so far no major problems. But if you are pumping in a cubical in a male filled office (which you shouldn't have to, by law, but I understand we aren't all there yet) then this might matter to you.

A minor thing which I really like is that the tubes connecting the boob apparatus to the pump are longer and softer/more flexible, so if you are pumping and reach for your tea or to pick up something you dropped, you are less likely to yank the shield off your breast or the pump off the table. I also feel a little less like cattle when I am slightly less "tethered."

The shields feel about how I remember the Medela shields feeling, and in fact I'm told they are interchangeable, although I'm skeptical, because they are a little different. The Medela shields come apart from the elbow joint that connects them to the bottle. The Hygeia ones do not. This is probably for some very sensible reason, but I find it annoying because it makes them harder to clean. But that is more than made up for by the valves. The Hygeia valves are one piece, a little white soft plastic thing that looks kind of like the end of a lipstick. No tiny flappy thing that can slip out of place or get lost in the dish water. HUGE improvement.

Since the Medela is by far the most popular pump, it has the advantage of convenience - if your kid flushes all your valves and you have to run out at 9 pm to replace them, you know you can get the Medela parts at Target, BabyRUs, etc. Hygeia isn't quite there yet. I'm told, though, that they're super about sending you a loaner pump if yours has to be sent in to be repaired, and the times I have called them for support they have been friendly and helpful.

That's what I can think of to comment on right now, but please fire questions at me, I'm sure I forgot something. And if you work for Consumer Reports and want to do a thorough study, by all means do holler.

Much love,
Suzi

Lactogeek Experiment

Good Morning beloved Boobjuicers and friends!

Man this pump is loud. Not that it matters, alone in my dining room in our new house (Eeep! A house! Wow!). Is your pump loud? Does it bother you? Have you ever tried a different brand? Longer-suffering readers, oops, I mean, long-time subscribers will recall I had a Medela Pump In Style for Kid 1, and am now slinging not one but two Hygeia EnJoyes, thank you health insurance for the second one. (So before anyone gets jealous, I paid for one out of pocket. I have good insurance, not miracle insurance.) I have my likes and dislikes about it, but it's hard to really compare because Bessie the Medela has been put out to pasture, and so we're comparing now with three years ago. To really compare these things well, I would have one of each, bought around the same time, and compare them alternately and write about it. And just to be really thorough, I would get the other major brands too.

So, obviously my good but not miraculous insurance isn't going to pay for that. Lactogeek though I am, I'm not in a position to go buy a Medela, an Ameda, and the PJ Comfort (anyone used that? What did you think?) as an experiment. But I think it would be useful, for a lot of us, if someone had done such a study. So of course I thought of Consumer Reports (been hitting them a lot recently - washer, dryer, car... no one can say we are not doing our bit to stimulate the economy. Hence the unwillingness to fund my own experiment...) They have a decent article on their site which I am still working through. I bet I might also have some luck with a mommy magazine. Which ones are your favorites? Which ones do you regard as most informative and well researched? And of course, the logical question - do any of you work for one of these fine organizations?

Remember my husband is a film maker! If we can figure out a way to make a movie about this without getting me fired for plastering the ladies all over teh interwebs, we could do a good, good thing!

Let's get this experiment funded ladies!!! Send me your ideas!

More soon about the house, the milk maximizing pumping ideas, and how mama friends are my sheros and have rescued me and Jackie.

Much love,

Suzi

Random Thoughts of a Monday Morning

The sun is streaming through my office window. (Yes, really. Yes, same office, in Portland. No, I'm not dreaming. I know because I'm pumping. Yes, with the sun streaming in the window. It's reflective glass.)

There's enough breastmilk in the fridge at home for Jackie for the whole day, so I can just sit here and work (and blog) and pump and concentrate and not run home in the middle of the day or get all over-planny about when to pump versus when Jackie is going to be hungry that is closest to a reasonable lunch time.

I got three ounces this morning - new trick is get up, as soon as possible pump 15 minutes, then stop, fix breakfast, do something else (yoga? Prep a chicken for roasting? Trader Joe's has local all-natural chickens for cheap - works out to like $7 per chicken. That's dinner. Yum.) then pump again for 15-20 minutes. Usually works out that I get significantly more on the second round, but if not it's also usually pretty obvious that it's not going to happen and I can move on to the shower.

We had chocolate croissants for breakfast (also courtesy of Trader Joe), which were yummy.

Matt took the kiddos to the dentist (presumably they won't demand much of Jackie since she's 6 months old). Robert is convinced that our dentist is going to break a window with a stick and has been saying so for months. I'm excited to hear if he asked Dr. P. about it - should be entertaining.

We're buying a house - we move in 23 days. Not that anyone is counting.

I have a beautiful, happy family and awesome, wonderful friends.

I have a lot to be grateful for today. I will try to be present in today, rather than worrying about tomorrow. (Ooo - sun went behind a cloud JUST as I typed that! Spooky!!!)

(Okay now it's back.)

Much love,
Suzi

Plugging along...

As in this freaking duct is plugged AGAIN. It's like a weekly thing. Same spot. Same visible plug on nipple. Same stream of profanities issuing from Mama Suzi. Same routine trying to find someone who does therapeutic ultrasound for plugged ducts. (Trip to Canada, Ms. Jackie?) So I'll keep at it, me and the hot pads and the advil and the phone. Will report back as events warrant.

Still doing the dance of the dwindling freezer stash. My lactation consultant had great suggestions, the biggest one of which is, pump more. Pump here, pump there, pump everywhere. Pump for five and pump for ten. Take a break and pump again. It's tiresome, dear readers. But I think it's working. The trick is, just because one gets no more at first, doesn't mean it isn't helping. The ladies ramp it up in response to demand, but it can take a few days, as anyone who has spent hours trapped under a squirmy little growth spurting nursling can attest. So five minutes before running out the door is worthwhile even if it yields just a teaspoon. And I have noticed that when I have several lots of puming days in a row, I do start to get more yield with each session.

The problem is, every time I make progress, something mucks it up. Plugged ducts reduce output (temporarily). Plus we've all been sick - we picked up a nasty cold and an intestinal bug while visiting a preschool a couple weeks ago. Seemed like a great preschool so we're choosing to chalk it up to "all preschools are petri dishes," rather than that this one is particularly germy. But we should look at a couple more, probably. And I digress. Again. Really, me. No, it happens, don't be so surprised.

So while it's sort of tiresome to pump so freaking much, I've turned it into a sort of game. How many times can I pump at work? (Four.) (Really.) Can I sneak in a pump while Matt is changing Jackie's diaper and singing the Jackie Bean song (a Matt Dada Composition)? Can I pump one breast while Jackie nurses the other? How about pumping ten minutes, then showering, then pumping again, do I get more that way than pumping for the same amount of time in one sitting?

Meanwhile I've begun to investigate breastmilk sharing. Yep. I have a dear and wonderful friend who has offered to pump some for me after she has filled up her own freezer. I'm also looking at Eats on Feets (like meals on wheels - get it?) and trying to decide if I can get comfortable accepting breastmilk from a stranger. It's funny, I would totally donate if I were the one with the surplus, but when the shoe is on the other foot, it ain't so comfy.

And while all this is going on, Jackie is thriving and gaining weight and filling up diapers and otherwise acting like a baby who is getting plenty to eat. It was like this with Robert, and somehow we made it work. So I'm trying to live in the day rather than in the worrisome maybe future, trust that I will make it all work somehow, and just enjoy this sweet, wonderful time with my beautiful, happy baby girl.

I hope you are all so blessed as well!

Much love,
Suzi

Karmic Bitchslap?

So, genius with the hotpads aside, I am once again having trouble keeping up with Ms. Jackie's milk needs during the work day. I got up at 2 am Saturday and Sunday to pump, I get up at 5 am almost every work day, I pump three times at work, and I rush home to nurse her as soon as I can. And yet the freezer stash dwindles.

There are lots of tricks left to try. More nursey lunch breaks. More taking Wednesday off, as work permits. I'm already encouraging her to nurse more at night, putting her to the breast at the slightest squirm. And we will start the rice cereal this week. But I keep hearing my head (and my fellow mama coworkers) telling me, what's one can of formula?

What indeed. In my head, it's Chinese rocket fuel and deadly bacteria. But as millions as American babies annually attest, those are the exceptions, not the rules. Like it or not, lots of babies grow up on formula, and very, very few of them are poisoned. But won't it further damage my supply? Maybe. But if she only gets it when I'm not home and there's nothing else in the house, then that wasn't an opportunity to nurse, that was just an opportunity for Matt to get howled at by a hungry baby.

I can't help but feel that this is God's way of letting me know how I may have made a lot of mamas feel with my sanctimonious anti-formula rants. And while I maintain many of my material points, that formula companies employ unethical, woman-undermining marketing tactics, that our society needs to be more breastfeeding supportive, and that people in general need to get over boobs, I see now that sometimes it really is necessary. Whether it will be for us I don't know yet. I'm still hoping to avoid it.

But in the mean time, Mamas, I am well and truly sorry. Karmic bitchslap received, and deserved. I am totally wrought over this impending possible decision point, and I feel awful.

I love all of you and your beautiful babies very much.

Suzi

Supply Break Through?

AHA! No, not the band. I have struck upon pure inspiration! I have been pumping for most of an HOUR this morning (I'm crazy, it's true) in the midst of my ongoing battle to keep up with Ms. Jackie's developmental-leap-inspired appetite increase, and trying to massage a second letdown out of the girls. I remembered what my acupuncturist said - that things that bring bloodflow to the chest will help with production. So I nuked my "booby tubes" (just specially shaped hot pads) and wrapped them (awkwardly) around the ladies outside my modified jog bra hands free pumping device. VOILA! Another let down. I'm so excited to see if this works consistently. Maybe I could pump less crazy lengths of time at 5 am! But I'm still totally drinking that fancy root beer.

Oof.

Hello Dear Readers!

Let's see when we left off, I had just started back to work, yes? WHOOOSH! A month has snuck past me with no blog entry and very little in the way of any non-work, non-kid related anything. I figured my two weeks of part time schedule in the holiday season when no one was paying attention anyway would ease me right back into the whole breadwinning scene without a hitch. It was helpful to be sure, but the return to full time is still jarring, and I was reminded by my hypnotherapist (more on that later) that no, it'll take probably three months to feel well transitioned into the whole work thing. Rather than feeling discouraged, I found this reassuring - I don't have to feel like I should be handling it better yet.

Not that I'm handling it *so* poorly. Just more anxious, more prone to random bouts of cranky (sorry Honey!), and less smooth and self assured than I had in mind. Ah well. This too shall pass. And then something else will come up I'm sure, chuckle.

Meanwhile, pumping four times on work days is as much fun as I remembered, which would be not very. In order to keep up with Jackie and not have Matt digging into the freezer stash, I have to get up before her in the morning and pump for half an hour. Lots of mamas get larger quantities faster than I do, research has shown. (And by research I mean I've talked to a few moms about it.) But that's how long it takes me to get as much as is going to happen at that time. It's worth the time because if Jackie has slept through the night, which she does sometimes, I can get 5-6 ounces at these morning sessions when the girls are super full. Also, it provides a rare opportunity to sit quietly by myself in the living room at my computer accomplishing something. Not that I wouldn't rather sleep for another hour, but it's peaceful, and helpful, and makes up a non-trivial amount for the hassle of getting up an hour before the baby says I have to.

Then in whatever order baby dictates, I nurse, eat, swallow the absurd quantity of supplements I have to take, shower, dress, pack lunch if I haven't the night before, maybe nurse again, and go to work. So far I haven't managed to get there at eight, which would be my preference, but I have made several eight-thirty meetings and calls without major incident. I have one on Friday with an investment team in London, so say "smooth morning" prayers for me.

I pump three times during the work day, unless I get lucky and have the family visit me at lunch time and nurse then. Usually it's approximately 10:30, 1:30, and 4:30. Each time I have the pump running for maybe 20-25 minutes, although I've been known to get distracted on my computer or get greedy about trying to get more milk and let it go for 30. (I don't think that last 5 minutes of 30 gets me anything but I am collecting data on this point and will let you know.) With my big stock of pump parts, cleanup is a breeze, so I can do this routine in 40-45 minutes, round trip. Which makes me wonder about these mamas who get a strict half hour break as required by law and no longer. Hopefully none of them are slow pumpees like me, but I bet some of them are. Presumably the answer to that is to spend one's whole lunch hour strapped to the pump? But if it's a union, hourly gig, that might be a half hour too? Anyone in such a position care to comment?

And all of this might produce less than Jackie has consumed during my work day, which means I get to get out of bed early on at least one weekend day to replenish the stash. But at least on those days I can sneak back into bed afterwards. If Robert doesn't wake up in the mean time. I maintain that it's worth it and I'm happier this way than I would be supplementing with formula. But I give props to any mamas out there who are in a similar situation and thoroughly sick of their breastpumps. One mama at work is almost done pumping for her third kiddo and says she's going to run her pump over with her car when she's done. (It's a Medela, so not really re-usable with another mom, or would have suggested donating it and just drop-kicking the personal accessory parts.)

A coworker knocked on my (locked) door the other day while I was pumping, not noticing my little sign, and then walked next door into my neighbor's empty office and called to ask me a question. I reacted a little "Dude, don't bust down my door, can't you read the sign?" and he was a little startled. I bet the whole incident has fallen out of his head since, but I wonder if perhaps I was a touch testier than necessary. So even us brazen lactivists get startled more easily when pumping, it seems. Less so than when the baby visits - she's cuter than Sukie the Hygeia EnJoy.

Lastly an update on the plugged ducts. They went on, almost entirely in the right breast, for a week or two. I used hot pads, baths, showers, ibuprofen, and am on lots of lecithin, in addition, of course, to just frequent nursing and pumping. They always resolved without turning into a mastitis, knock wood, but I noticed a reduced output from that side, as did Jackie, judging by her frustration with that breast, which is still going on over a week after the last noticeable plug resolved. I freaked out and called my lactation consultant, "Have I shut down my right breast???" She assured me that sometimes after any noticeable plugs are resolved, there is still a bit of coagulated milk in there causing a slowdown, and possibly some swelling. I should give that side extra attention and drain the breasts more frequently if I can, and see if it doesn't clear up soon. Phew!

Also tried a larger flange size on the pump. Was more comfortable but got less output, which means they are too big. Which, frankly, is a good thing, because it means all those extra parts I bought so I wouldn't have to wash at work are not wasted. I tried spreading the coconut oil further up the breast with the smaller flange size and that is helping with the comfort issue.

Lot of data this week! Hope some of it is useful or of interest to you. Happy boobjuicing all!

Much love,

Suzi