The In and Outs of Breast Pumps

My journey with breast pumps...

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When I had my son Lucas, I knew I wanted to give breastfeeding a try again. I had breast fed my other children briefly. But this time around I wanted to really do it for a longer period of time. Not only is breast milk one of the best things you can give your baby it is also way cheaper than formula! Lol. For me it was a no brainer.  O.k. so here is the reality of breastfeeding- it is not always easy, from latch on problems to painful engorged breast to difficulty with milk supply.  If you have decided to give breastfeeding a try and you are having a hard time don't give up - seek advise and help. If family and friends can't help seek out a lactation consultant.  Personally I researched all sorts of things online. I purchased the above pictured Medela breast pump. Which I could use on the weekends on the go.  While I did breastfeed I also bottle fed my son. I would pump the breast milk and give it to him in a bottle.  As a working mom it was a way of still giving him breast milk while I was working.  

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To help with my milk supply I rented a hospital grade pump (pictured above).  This pump really helped me with milk production. Yes it a BIG heavy unit but it did the job.  It was fast and efficient. Additionally I was lucky enough to have a lactation room at work which also provided sterile hospital grade pumps.  Finally my insurance covered a breast pump! It was also a Medela pictured below.  I liked the one the insurance paid for because it also included a manual pump. But I also did purchase a Medela Manual pump also pictured below. 

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Recently a friend mentioned the Freemie Breast pump. I personally have never used this pump but she swears by it. To be honest if I would have know about this pump 3 years ago I would have probably given it a try. The hands free flexiblity is a great feature to this pump. I included a picture of the Freemie Pump below, go ahead and check it out.  So in summary if you are considering breastfeeding (because of all the benefits) and you are looking into a breast pump make sure you choose a good quality pump from comapnies such as  Medela or  Freemie! Its an investment that you will not regret. For more information on breast feeding visit www.laleche.com also click here for useful breastfeeding info (item 8).

Freemie Breast Pump System
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Fisher-Price SpaceSaver High Chair

I researched many high chair options. With limited space for a high chair in our apartment, we settled on the Fisher-Price SpaceSaver high chair. We got this booster seat (basically a high chair) for our son around the time he was 6 months old and began to explore with solid foods.  The seat itself is made of durable plastic and the cover can be detached and washed. The tray is also detachable and can easily be cleaned.  At first we used this chair in the "reclined position" (the chair is adjustable) as he got older we sat him up straight.  

We really liked this booster seat because it didn't take up much space, even though it did take up one of our dining table chairs and we were never able to push the dining chair under the table while the booster seat was on it. But even with that draw back we were happy with it. My son look comfortable sitting in the chair and it gave him support from sliding side ways.  Eventually he would sit in the chair to have meals and snacks and once we removed the booster seat from the dining chair and set it on the floor he would walk over to it and sit in it at random times! If you are looking for a high chair but have limited space definitely look into the Fisher-Price Space Saver!