Breastfeeding Unplugged
Breastfeeding Unplugged
Pumps 101
This week we are unlocking some of the mysteries behind one aspect of new motherhood that can be completely overwhelming and, for some, downright freaky. Welcome to the wonderful world of breast pumps!
First, let’s take a look at some numbers. If you think you’re the only one with pumping on the mind, you’re wrong. Breast pumps are a $1 billion dollar industry with 85% of breastfeeding women using one at some stage of their journey. While the whole concept of pumping feels completely foreign at first, it’s something most of us have to get used to, and quickly. Pumping is crucial for working moms who need to feed baby while juggling their 9-to-5, and even stay-at-home moms like the convenience of pumping to both keep a supply at the ready and hand off a bit of the feeding responsibilities to their partner.
So to pump or not to pump and how do you even get started? We have a lot of questions and I’m sure you do too so let's jump right In with our expert, Robin Williams of Bosom Buddies, a Denver-based company that rents and sells breast pumps and breastfeeding supplies for moms all over the country.
[Intro] Hello Mamas and mamas to be. Welcome to Breastfeeding Unplugged- a podcast exploring the real-real on all things breastfeeding. I am your host Amanda Gorman of Nest Collaborative. This week, we are unlocking some of the mysteries behind one aspect of new motherhood that can be completely overwhelming, and for some downright freaky. Welcome to the wonderful world of breast pumps. First, let's take a look at some numbers. If you think you're the only one with pumping on the mind, you're wrong. Breast pumps are a billion dollar industry with 85% of breastfeeding moms using one at some stage of their journey. While the whole concept of pumping feels completely foreign at first for some, it's something most of us have to get used to, and often quickly. Pumping is crucial for working moms who need to feed baby while juggling their nine to five, and even stay at home moms like the convenience of pumping to both keep a supply at the ready and hand off a bit of the feeding responsibilities to their partner. So to pump or not to pump, and how do you even get started? We have a lot of questions and I'm sure you might too, so without further ado, I'm thrilled to introduce you to my guest for today. With us is Robin Williams, an international board certified lactation consultant with us at Nest Collaborative. And she's the owner of Bosom Buddies, a Denver based company that rents and sells breast pumps and breastfeeding supplies for moms all over the country. Robin has worked with over 500 families to help with the challenges, such as low milk supply, oversupply, latching issues, having multiples, pumping challenges, returning to work, and of course, weaning. She has three boys at home in Colorado, including one set of twins. Robin, it's such a pleasure to have you with us today. Thank you so much for joining us.
Robin Williams:My pleasure. I'm excited to be here.
Amanda Gorman:So, breast pumps.. It's a tool that can be mom's best friend, but at the same time, it's so completely overwhelming for so many. Why is that?
Robin Williams:Oh man, breast pumps, it's just a whole new world. Having a baby is overwhelming enough, then think about attaching a part of your body to a machine. That's a lot to think about. It's something we really don't have any exposure to or know anything about until the time we need it. Not something we can really practice ahead of time. So all of that just leads to it being something that really is hard to conceptualize and overwhelming to everyone.
Amanda Gorman:Completely. Well, so let's get into it. And let's start with the most basic question. If you're a pregnant mom getting ready to welcome your little one, do you actually need a pump? Or is it some overhyped gadget?
Robin Williams:I love to say that the only thing required for breastfeeding is a mom and a baby. So is it needed? In that sense, no, it's not. But there's a lot of reasons, especially in our culture, where it is incredibly helpful, and sometimes is a need. If you're going to be separated from your baby, if you're going back to work, if you have any issues with baby nursing or with your supply, all of those things make a breast pump almost more needed, and it's certainly very helpful.
Amanda Gorman:Okay, that's certainly good to know. Once you've established that you have a need, how do you know what kind of pump you should be looking for?
Robin Williams:The very first question I think family should look at is "Why are you getting a pump?" The "why" is going to help you decide what features become the most important to you, and they are the most personal to you. Your "why" may be different than your sister or your best friend. So while it's great to get her information, you need to know your "why," so that you can figure out what are the most important things to you. Availability, price, how you like it, all of those things become very important.
Amanda Gorman:Okay, well, so what are some of the key features that we might find from one pump to another?
Robin Williams:The biggest thing a mom wants to look for is what was the pump designed for? Was it designed for one mom to use? Was it designed for multiple moms to use? Is it designed to bring in a milk supply, to sustain a milk supply, to be used a lot, to be used a little? Is it a single pump? Double pump? How is it powered? How big is it? What kind of adjustability does it have? And then once you get through all of that and find something you're comfortable with, do you like it? What kinds of bells and whistles does it have? Does it have a cool feature that seems like it will be fun to you? All of those can be key features to a mom.
Amanda Gorman:I had no idea there were so many.
Robin Williams:It is a dizzying world.
Amanda Gorman:Sounds like buying a car.
Robin Williams:Yeah.
Amanda Gorman:Alright, so tell us about flanges. What are they? And do the sizes actually matter? What should we be looking for when we're buying a pump with the flanges that come with them?
Robin Williams:So the flange is the part that attaches to your breast, and it is important to pay attention to that because size matters with the flange. You need to get the one that's going to work best for you. The problem is, you don't know what's gonna work best for you until you try it, which of course you can't do until you need it. So the most important thing to look for is flanges that can be changed, adjusted, have different sizes available, because you're not going to know what side you need, or what feels most comfortable until later on when you've already purchased your pump. So it's great to find one that either from the manufacturer or from another company has different plans, sizes and or shapes. So you can adjust to your body. You want to make sure that milk or the pump is very comfortable, that will help the most with your milk production, and flange size is a huge key to that.
Amanda Gorman:Okay. So I guess for a minute, let's talk about pumps and insurance. I am sure a lot of moms realize that they probably might need a pump and just want to jump on Amazon. Is that where they should go when they're shopping?
Robin Williams:Amazon is a great place to see what other people think about pumps and see what's out there, but really the best place to start if you have insurance, is with your insurance company. Under the Affordable Care Act, it mandates that your insurance company must cover a pump. But, there's a couple of little caveats there. Number one, it does not mandate what kind of pump should be covered, so some insurance companies really give you a lot of flexibility in your choices. Some insurance companies cover nothing but a small hand pump. And if you want something different than that you would be on your own. And then there are some plans that are not included under Affordable Care Act mandates including Medicaid. So nothing wrong with starting and finding out what your options may be at free or low cost. But then if you are going to be out of pocket for this, online browsing is a great way to learn about the different options that are available to help narrow down what makes most sense for you.
Amanda Gorman:Okay, so knowing that there are moms out there that might not have the ideal pump covered by insurance, I'm sure we know that moms like to give friends hand-me-downs. Can moms get a used breast pump or borrow one from a friend?
Robin Williams:That's very common, and it seems like a great thing to do, especially with all that baby stuff that we trade around. It's used for such a small time, seems a shame to get rid of it. But a breast pump is really a medical device, and you really need to think of it that way. It is actually classified by the FDA as a medical device. So instead of thinking of it like a baby gadget, think of it like a toothbrush. It is not recommended by many manufacturers that pumps are shared. The exception is there are some pumps that are specifically made for multiple women. So it pays to do a little bit of research and find out which one you're talking about. But just like you wouldn't share a toothbrush with most people, that's how you really need to think about breast pumps for the most part.
Amanda Gorman:Okay, so I guess that brings me to cleaning, is it as complicated as it might seem to clean the pumps?
Robin Williams:It really is complicated in the beginning, because again, we know nothing about these, they're all brand new, and we've got a lot going on in our lives at times we're introduced to pumps. But once you get the hang of it, it becomes pretty easy. Basically, every manufacturer will give you instructions for cleaning. And the external parts need to be washed in at least warm soapy water every time you pump. So once you get to into the habit of that, it's just second nature, very similar to how you would take care of your dishes. These are your babies dishes, in essence, and then the pump wipe down and kept clean. Just think about what you would be doing if you were in the kitchen preparing food for your baby. That's how you treat your breast pump parts.
Amanda Gorman:Gotcha. So, if if we do have a mom, who you know, isn't having her pump covered by insurance, and now we know that it's not ideal to be borrowing one, for those moms that do pay out of pocket, what are we talking in terms of cost for you know anything other than a manual hand pump?
Robin Williams:So that's going to be a big range. And looking at why mom is using it is a big factor. If it's an occasional type of situation, stay at home mom, or work from home mom that just wants two or three times a week to have a little bit of a break, a hand pump, or a small electric, which which can run anywhere from probably about $25 up to $100, it's going to be just fine. For a mom who is going to be separated from her baby for a significant amount of time, such as going back to work more like full time, those pumps are, you can find some inexpensive double pumps, which is what you're going to want in that situation, ranging in the 100 to 150 range. But most of the ones moms are going to look at that really have a good history of durability, have spare parts available, those sorts of things, you're probably looking at the two to $400 range. There are some new ones that go a little higher than that, that have some nice bells and whistles, maybe up to five or $600. But most commonly we're looking at two to 400. And if if a mom is in need of a pump for a situation for a baby that cannot nurse, bringing in milk supplies, really solving medical problems, typically a hospital grade pump is recommended in that situation, and those range in price to purchase, usually between about two and $3,000. So most moms are going to look at renting those. And that varies based on where you're renting from. But you're looking at probably about 70 to $100 a month for that.
Amanda Gorman:Alright, good to know ahead of time. Start saving pennies. So in addition to the actual pump, is there any extra gear, extra pump accessories that moms should look out for- is there anything else they need, in addition to what comes in the box?
Robin Williams:So again, need-no, most pumps come with everything you need to use them in the box. But there are some things that certainly can make pumping easier and more efficient. And I think a little bit later we're going to talk about some of those great things. So it's a great time to stay tuned for that.
Amanda Gorman:Awesome. This is really great Robin. I really do have a few more questions, but we do have to take a short break. Mamas we'll be back with Robin in just a minute. So stay tuned. Like many of us, I've been trying to use less plastic in our household. I just tried Shambar, a new sulfate free shampoo and conditioner in a bar and it blew me away. Here's what I loved about Shambar, no yucky stuff, no synthetic fragrances or harsh color feeding sulfates. As a mama It feels good to know that I'm using a safer product, that my hair is healthier, and it saves me trips to the salon for more coloring and highlights. Each Sham bar actually replaces two 18 ounce single use plastic bottles. It's a small family business that for every order donates a month's worth of soap to a family in need. What a relevant give back, making sure all families have the resources they need. A win win. Get your first bar absolutely free when you use the code first free. All one word f-i-r-s-t f-r-e-e on one of their flexible, cancel anytime, and super easy subscriptions. Find out more at shambar.com. Hi moms, we are back with Robin Williams IBCLC and the queen bee of breast pumps. Now that we've talked a little bit about pumps themselves, I'd love to get into some of the need-to-knows about what to expect when you begin to use yours. So Robin, let's start with when a mom should start pumping. Should it be from day one?
Robin Williams:It really depends on why mom is pumping. The reasons on pump is because our body works on supply and demand. So we need to demand the milk from our body in order to supply it for the baby. So if there is trouble with breastfeeding from the beginning, then starting pumping is a great way to mimic the demand that a newborn baby typically has at the breast to get that milk to come in. But it's much more fun to do it with a snuggly babies than a cold hard plastic pump. So if breastfeeding is going reasonably well in the beginning, there's no need to start pumping. Just let your baby do the work. And then you can always add the pump when you need it or a few weeks down the road if things are going great when you're ready to start storing up milk to be away from baby.
Amanda Gorman:Okay. Well, that's certainly helpful to know. For those moms listening that have never used a pump, can you explain what pumping feels like?
Robin Williams:That's a terrific question. I think everybody would explain it differently. But the number one thing I use, which a lot of moms nod when they hear is weird. We're not used to doing this kind of thing before, so it feels weird. But it should not feel painful. So it's important to listen to your body and watch that. You're typically going to feel a tugging sensation, as your nipple moves with the breast pump, and depending on the pump that you're using, some of them have a vibrating sensation. So again, weird.
Amanda Gorman:So we hear from a lot of moms who have had a hard time, if using a breast pump is uncomfortable, are there ways to make it easier and more comfortable?
Robin Williams:Yeah, there are. Pumping isn't necessarily going to be your favorite thing to do. Some women don't mind it at all. But if it's uncomfortable or painful, that is absolutely not the way it should work, it actually won't do very good for your body, if that happens, because your body's response to pain is not to let down milk. So getting the pump to become comfortable is important. Getting help from a lactation consultant that's familiar with your pump is number one, because they can watch you and it's amazing what sometimes just somebody on the other side can see that you didn't even think about. Size and shape of the shield is the first thing I look at. At the shield or the flange. Is that working well with the nipple that you have? And then looking at the adjustments of the pump for the vacuum and the cycle settings if they're there, to make it more comfortable. But it is very important to get help so that you can make it as comfortable as possible.
Amanda Gorman:Okay. And then timing. How long does pumping actually take for moms?
Robin Williams:It depends a little bit on why you're pumping. Pumping in place of a feeding is going to take a little bit longer than pla- pumping, in addition to a feeding, such as to stimulate more milk supply. If you're pumping instead of a feeding, you've got to go start to finish. So you're going to start by washing your hands, getting your parts set up, and then typically pumping for about 10 to 15 minutes, then storing your milk, cleaning your parts and putting them away. In the beginning, it's probably going to take you 30 minutes, start to finish. Once you get more practice and learn some tricks to how to make things a little bit more efficient with power washing and things like that, it can really be done start to finish in 15-20 minutes.
Amanda Gorman:Okay, so it gets more efficient along the way. Now, transitioning to work, you know, lots of moms have to go back to the office, sometimes just a few short weeks, or months after baby's born. Is there a way to make that process easier with regards to pumping?
Robin Williams:I think the number one way to ease the transition is to give yourself time. Don't expect the transition to happen overnight. So a couple of weeks before you go back to work, start practicing! What is your setup going to be like when you go back to work? Do you have a separate pumping room? If so, have you seen it? What does it look like? Are you going to do something in your office? Does it have a locked door so that you can really think about what your position is going to be? Then while you're at home, you're going to do some practice pumping sessions. So you can start seeing how long it's going to take start to finish. If you don't have access to water, how are you going to handle cleaning your parts afterwards? And what does pumping feel like? How much milk do I get? Those types of things can be really hard going back to work and leaving your baby, so if you have some of those questions that you figured out ahead of time, it makes it easier when you get to work because you know what to expect, at least when it comes to the pumping part of it.
Amanda Gorman:Gotcha. So now that we've gotten the pump working, and we've got the milk, what do moms do with their pumped milk if it's not going right to baby right away?
Robin Williams:That's a good question, a way to store it and carry it. So first of all, you're going to be pumping typically into bottles. Some moms pump directly into storage bags, but either way you want to make sure that you're collecting the milk in something that is clean and that you can close the container on. Then you want to keep the milk cool, ideally until you can get it refrigerated. Once you get it refrigerated, if it's gonna be used within about the next five days, just leave it there. But if you're looking for longer term storage, then you'll want to think about what kind of container is best for longer term storage. Some moms use glass or plastic bottles, some use bags, some use ice cube trays, all of it's fine, just want to make sure you're using clean equipment, and that it is protecting the breast milk from the elements of the refrigerator or the freezer where it is. There are specially designed and marketed breast milk storage bags. They tend to have thicker plastic and thicker seams than for instance the standard zip top bag, which is why they're a little better, plus markings that make them a little easier to see. In terms of storage, I like the rule of five. It's very conservative, but it's really easy to remember. So about five hours at room temperature, about five days in the refrigerator, about five months in the freezer. You can probably safely store your milk longer than that, but that's a really easy way to remember to transition that milk.
Amanda Gorman:Well that's very helpful and certainly easy to remember. Your company Bosom Buddies rents and sells not only pumps, but a lot of accessories. What are some of your favorite pumping gadgets?
Robin Williams:I love the way you worded that because it's very true they're gadgets, none of these things are necessary, but man can they make your life easier and sometimes even a little bit more fun. The number one thing I would say for a mom who's going to be doing any significant amount of pumping is a hands free pumping bra. I almost categorize that as a need. When I first- when I was pumping, and I got my first hands free bra at a test from a manufacturer, I thought it was the silliest thing in the world. I just strap this thing around me and then flip the pump flanges up to me and I'm sitting there going, that took longer than the whole pumping session. This was dumb. So I put it to the side. And a couple days later, I fell asleep while I was pumping and lost all of that milk. I never again pumped without my hands free. And I quickly became a fan of it because all of a sudden, I could eat or drink or respond to an email while I was pumping, and it was life changing. So once you get the hang of that hands free bra, it helps you get set up in just a couple of minutes. And then you've got 10 to 15 minutes of time with two free hands. It's amazing. After life with a baby, you'll appreciate that. Another great thing to have, and this is a luxury, is an extra set of parts, especially if you're pumping overnight, or you're returning to work. The most tedious part of pumping is washing those parts after you pump every single time. If you have an extra set, then you don't have to wash them every time, you can save them up and wash them as a group. I was lucky enough to have enough parts to make it through the night. So I did not have to do any part washing overnight. And at that time, I think it cut my pumping time in about half. It was magnificent and I highly recommend that once moms figure out what parts they need and what their circumstances are going to be like. Another great gadget is quick clean microwave bags, and Adeeva makes some and I know some others as well. They steam clean your parts. So all you have to do is rinse your pump parts, then you pop them in the microwave for a couple of minutes and they're clean and ready to go. Really nice instead of the soapy water dish sink all day long all the time. Just a way to make things go quicker.
Amanda Gorman:Right? Who needs to be in front of the dish sink anymore often. Alright, so with all this stuff that we need, pumping really does seem like a commitment. So how long can moms expect to have to use or need their breast pump?
Robin Williams:That depends a little bit on why you're pumping and how long you're deciding to breastfeed. If you're a mom that's returning to work, and your goal is to nurse your baby for six months, you're probably going to be pumping that whole time. If your goal is to nurse your baby for a year, you'll be pumping that whole time. But as we get close to a year and after, there's a lot more choices that can be made. So if a mom for instance, decides, I don't want to pump during the day. Well the reality is your baby is hopefully eating table food by that point. So you could probably get away with not pumping and just nurse directly at night. So there's a lot of flexibility based on your breastfeeding goals. But as long as you are wanting to stimulate your supply and provide milk to your baby, that's how long you will be needing your pump.
Amanda Gorman:Okay, that makes sense. What what would you do when you are done with your breast pump? Where can you send it?
Robin Williams:So there are some pump recycling programs with the manufacturer. So the best thing to do would be to contact the manufacturer, and find out if they have any suggestions for you. Otherwise, if it's a single user pump, it could be saved for another baby or it is trash.
Amanda Gorman:Gotch. One question we do get a lot from moms is can pumping affect my relationship with my baby? What are your thoughts on that?
Robin Williams:I love that question, because that mom is really thinking about bigger picture items and wanting to have a great relationship with little ones, so that's great. I think it could go both ways. Absolutely, pumping can affect your relationship with your baby, but that can be good or bad. If we let the pump get in the way of spending time with baby, having a great breastfeeding relationship, if that's what you're hoping to do, kind of putting the pump at a higher priority than the baby, then I think it can be difficult. But I think it's also it could be a tool to help with milk supply, and also a tool to help give mom a break, which sometimes really enhances your relationship with your baby when you can just get a little bit of mommy time. So it really can be a tool both ways.
Amanda Gorman:I see. That's great to know. Before we let you go, do you have any other last favorite pumping hacks or tips that you'd like to share with our listeners?
Robin Williams:There are a lot out there! Moms are so ingenious in what they come out with. So the biggest thing I would say is take control of your pumping, and be confident in the decision you've made, and then as you run into things that seem like challenges, then let's figure out how to solve them. Don't anticipate things that might happen along the way. But if you're pumping and go, man, I really hate this part of it, or I really wish this were different, it's amazing how many solutions are out there that can really make something a more enjoyable experience. Sometimes it's physical gadgets. Sometimes it's mind games. One thing I did when I was pumping with my little ones, because I didn't love the pump, I had a specific Netflix show that I only allowed myself to watch while I was pumping. I actually look forward to pumping because I got to watch my show. Silly little mind game but it sure made it a whole lot more enjoyable to pump than just sitting there watching the clock waiting.
Amanda Gorman:Absolutely. That's a great idea. Thank you for sharing. Robin, this has really been insightful, and I know that the idea of pumping and using a breast pump really can overwhelm many women. I have a feeling that you've probably calmed a lot of nerves today, so thank you very much. How can we learn more about Bosom Buddies and get in touch with you?
Robin Williams:You can learn more about Bosom Buddies on our website, www.bosombuddies.com. There is an About Us page there where you can read a lot about our history. We've been in business for over 25 years. And also a Contact Us button if you have any questions and want to reach out.
Amanda Gorman:Perfect. That's great. We're really so appreciative of your time and incredible knowledge. Thank you for joining us on the show today.
Robin Williams:Thank you very much for having me. This is a lot of fun.
Amanda Gorman:Great. Well mamas and mamas to be that's today's episode for you. We sure hope we answered a lot of your questions and took some of the mystery out of breast pumps and pumping in general. As always, we are here to give you the answers. So get in touch with us at www.breastfeedingunplugged.com or send us a message on Facebook or Instagram@breastfeedingunplugged. Until next week, it's me Amanda wishing you well on your journey through motherhood. Boo bye![Outro]