I am joining in my fellow momma blogging friend Julia in her Saturday "Moma Loves". I agree with Julia and have learned a great deal from reading other Mommy blogs. I am excited to read the responses she gets from other bloggers about their most loved gadgets.
My "Moma Loves" product is Milkies Milk Saver . I wish I knew about this product when I had Austin and we struggled with our breastfeeding issues. I discovered the milk saver several months ago. I read reviews and was intrigued. I ordered two milk savers just a week before Aubrey's scheduled arrival. When I received my package in the mail, I eagerly opened them.
1st impression - WOW, these are HUGE. Definitely not discreet as the packaging describes. I was a bit skeptical at this point. But I was willing to give them a try since it was too much effort to return ship them.
I packed one milk saver in my hospital bag, just in case the opportunity presented itself to try out this new gadget. Since Aubrey is a wonderful nurser, I never even took it out of my bag until we came home and I unpacked.
On Sunday (4 days post delivery) I first used the milk saver. When I nursed Aubrey, I slipped the milk saver in my nursing tank on the opposite side that I would be nursing. After my first usage of the milk saver - I was sold. I collected 1ounce of "leaked" milk from each side - no pumping required.
As of now (10 days post delivery) I collect on average 10 ounces per day from the milk saver alone. I have a freezer stash of 70 ounces and counting. *Not all of my stash is from using the milk saver alone, I have pumped several times in the past 10 days to relieve the pressure of engorgement. I only use the milk saver during feedings. For me, it does not seem practical to slip the contraption in my nursing bra/tank to collect any leaked milk throughout the day, as the packaging suggests.
As a mom who experienced a "low supply" with Austin, I feel this amount of a breastmilk stash at only 10 days is AMAZING. I do not feel the pressure to save every last drop of breastmilk. Nor panic when Aubrey spits up my "liquid gold".
I have three goals for breastfeeding right now.
1. Produce enough milk for Aubrey to exclusively breastfeed until 1 year.
2. Produce enough milk for Austin to be able have a cup of breastmilk each day. This will give him the antibodies present in breastmilk to help him fight his food allergies.
3. Donate milk to a bank to nourish babies born prematurely who greatly benefit from receiving breastmilk.
The milk saver has made these goals actual possibilities. I realize that as my milk supply regulates to meet the demands that Aubrey has placed upon my body, I might not leak near the amount of milk that I currently leak. But for now I am collecting the milk that otherwise would be thrown out in a nursing pad.
Awesome, Affton! How amamzing that you're able to collect that much milk just from leaking!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a great product. I remember when I was first breastfeeding, if I got one girl latched before the other one, I would leak all over the place! Too, a lot of times, one girl would wait for the other to stimulate the letdown, so that they had less work do to. My lazies--ha!
I love that you're working to get enough for Austin---great nourishment for him, and so helpful with all of his allergy issues! I love, too, that one of your goals is to donate your milk. As the receiver of donated milk (from my best friend), I can tell you what a tremendous gift it really is--your liquid gold! It was such a relief to me to not have to give that chemical-laden formula!
Thanks so much for participating and sharing your wisdom! Make sure to link this up next week! It's my first go at a linky--I hope it works! :)
Wow...what a cool product! It almost used to make me cry that I would leak so much on one side, while nursing from the other...so glad this is working for you!
ReplyDeleteCONGRATS on that beautiful baby girl! And I love your B/F goals. :)
All the best to you and yours!