Tag: exclusively pumping

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How to Exclusively Pump in the Car – Tips & Must Haves!

how to exclusively pump in the car

One of the joys of exclusively pumping is you will most likely have to do it at least once in the car. I exclusively pumped for 11 months and I had to pump in the car 4-5 times while on a 4 hour road trip.

Exclusively pumping in the car is chaotic, at times stressful, and a team effort when traveling long distances with a baby. BUT, I am so thankful that my body was able to do it for 11 months and I was able to completely breastfeed my son till he was one. (Yes, exclusively pumping is still breast feeding. 😉 )

how to exclusively pump in the car

CLICK here to watch my video about exclusively pumping in the car.

Also check out my other pumping videos!

CLICK HERE for MY PUMP JOURNEY – EXCLUSIVE PUMPER, OVERPRODUCER, BREASTFEEDING MOMMA.

day in the life - 3 months

CLICK Here for DAY IN MY LIFE WITH 3 MONTH OLD! – EXCLUSIVELY PUMPING

 

So, let me share with you my 10 tips for Exclusively Pumping in the car.

  1. Scheduling is key!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Try to plan your pump around your babies nap. Whether that be at the beginning, middle, or end of the trip. Also try to schedule where you only have to pump once while in the car.

2. Pump in the back seat.

For my family, we often travel to Tennessee which is four hours from our home in Indiana. I often chose to sit in the back to be with my baby while my husband drove. Also you have a little more privacy back there!

3. Have a cover!

I just used a cover I was given. It is a cover you use to cover while breast feeding…. And you are breastfeeding… just in a unique way! Also this made me feel more comfortable covering myself.

4. Separate your pump parts!

I would have one big bag for everything. Then, I would use ziplock bags to separate. One for pump parts when we reach our destination. Another one for pump parts in the car.

5. Always double check that you packed ALL you need.

One time, coming home from the Hamilton play, it was late at night and I needed to pump as soon as the play was over. I had packed everything but the strap to strap around myself and hold it all on. I was so disappointed! So I had to ride home holding both pumps to me as my husband drove. Talk about a great way to end our date night. So not only do you need your pump parts but don’t forget:
-Strap!
-extra batteries!
-cloth to wipe off
-coconut oil! – Yes always use! Trust me 😉

6. Try to relax.

Bumps are going to happen, breaks are going to be slammed, babies will probably cry. I remember once it was getting too chaotic for me. I looked down and saw I had a pretty close amount to my usual, so I stopped. Consistency is key while breast pumping but if you are stressing out its okay to stop early that time.

7. Have cup holders cleared!

As soon as I got done, I would hand one bottle to my husband and he would put it in the upfront cup holder. I would use the cup holder by me to store the other. After I got everything put up, I would either store the milk in a cooler or set it aside for my baby to have later.

8. Pack a snack and water for your self.

Maybe treat yourself to something after!

9. Have an empty ziplock bag for dirty parts.

Zip it up and store them till you get to your destination.

10. You’re done! Yay!

Click here to watch my video, where I show how I pump inside my car.  My Husband also shares the car adapter we used.

My husband shared these two car adapters as ones he would recommend!

****Affiliated Links **** -Disclosure- Please keep in mind that some of the links in this post are affiliated links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a commission. Keep in mind that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases.

Click Here for the 300W Car Power Inverter 

Click here for the Tripp Lite 375 W Car Power Inverter

 

I hope these tips can help ease the minds of mommas about to travel. Just remember it’s going to be chaotic and that’s okay.

 

~Gracefully Fashionable Britt

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DIML – 9 Month Old – schedule, exclusively pumping, & quarantine!

Hey guys! Happy Friyay! First, I hope everyone reading this is healthy and having a good day at home. I can’t believe my baby is 9 months! I wanted to share with y’all my 9 month old schedule (which is all over the place! LOL), my exclusively pumping journey at 9 months, and what it’s like being with a 9 month old in quarantine. I hope this blog post (AND video included!) can provide some entertainment for you and if you have any questions or tips, please leave them below!

Click here to watch the video!

schedule –

My baby, Milo’s schedule has changed more than ever.  I feel like from newborn to 3 months there really wasn’t much of a nap change.  The same with 3 to 6 months. But holy cow, 6 to 9 months is a HUGE change.

His naps have been all over the place.  One day he only napped in 30 minute increments!

However, as I’m typing this, he’s currently taking his second nap in his crib!!  So this phase will pass momma’s, I promise!

My only real tips for this is don’t cling so close to having a schedule.  When your baby starts to yawn lay them down or rock them to sleep.  That has been working great for me, and he’s kind of started creating a schedule all on his own!

Exclusively Pumping

Never did I think I would become so passionate about this topic.  I have made multiple videos about my personal journey, I will leave linked down below.

Click here for my pump journey!

 

DIML with 6 month old

Click here for DIML with 6 month old!

 

 

day in the life - 3 months

Click here for DIML with 3 month old – Exclusively Pumping!

 

I currently pump 3 times a day. 

5:30 am

1:30 pm

9:00 or 9:30 pm

I am pumping about 27 ounces a day and Milo is eating 20-27 ounces.  I do have close to 400 ounces of breast milk frozen in the freezer.  He is drinking one of them a day.

I currently have a count down on my phone for my days left of pumping.  I plan on stopping on his birthday – June 19th, 2020!

Quarantine

Quarantine over all isn’t much different for me than normal every day.  I am a working at home / stay at home mommy.  So our schedule hasn’t changed much.

However, I do miss running errands with him, I’m worried how he will react next time we go to church (since it will be months since his normal church routine), I miss being able to go and visit my family in Tennessee.

Let me stop and take a moment… If you are reading this and currently serving in a job that is helping our community – thank you!  Sincerely, thank you!

New things that I have been trying to add to our schedule since being on quarantine are : more Facetime talks with the grandparents, going on a walk, sitting on the porch, going on a drive, moving from room to room more for different activities.  

We’d both go stir crazy if we just stayed in the living room.  😉

There are several other things I go over in the video: his favorite toys, cosleeping, and more!  Scroll up and watch the video if you want to see more of our quarantine day. Or click here! 😉

I hope this blog post and video can give you some encourage and ideas for dealing with this time we are currently going through.

I am so excited for Milo as he is learning new things.  I am also a little worried about the world he is going to grow up in.  I guess that’s all a part of being a momma! ;).

Again, I hope you have a happy fri-yay!  And thanks again to those serving us in our community!

~Gracefully Fashionable Britt

 

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My Exclusively Pumping- All My TIPS -Over Producing Breast Feeding Journey

Whew – That’s a long title. 

I wanted a title that would fully describe what my past 9 months have been like.  My son will be 9 months March 19th, 2020.

So here’s my journey-

I always knew I wanted to try to breastfeed.  I knew that was healthy for the mom and the baby.  I knew it created a special bonding time and it’s what God created me to do as a mother.

Milo James was born after 27 hours in labor.  That’s a whole other story – Click here to watch my labor story.

I honestly don’t even remember feeding him for the first time.  I was recovering from a c-section and crying my eyes out due to hormones and medicine.  I just know it left a pretty bad mark on my breast due to a bad latch.

Milo did not take onto breast feeding easy.  Lactation consultants in the hospital constantly had to help me with his latch and my husband helped me hand express.

I was told not to pump for several months (6-8 weeks) so that my milk could come in.  My lactation consultant did show me how to use my pump.

Home I went.

Breastfeeding was everything but magical.

It was painful.  It was exhausting. It made my back and shoulders hurt.  It was stressful.  And it was mentally making me feel like a failure.

I completely breastfed my son for a month.

My son’s witching hour was rough.  He would scream at the same time every night.  I almost wanted to scream myself.

So I started doing research, which made me decide to try pumping.  My lactation consultants had almost made me fear pumping.  I had gotten the Lansinoh smart pump from my insurance company. 

I remember I read that my husband should give him his first bottle, so the baby doesn’t get confused with me and want my breast. 

Milo drank it like a pro.  I remember sitting there crying while my husband fed him.  I was crying for so many reasons.

I felt like a failure not being able to feed him.

Yet, I felt relief he wasn’t hurting me.

Gradually over the next few weeks, we learned that he liked the bottle.  He was getting enough milk so his witching hours weren’t as severe.  I wasn’t hurting and dreading breastfeeding all time. 

I eventually decided to become an exclusive pumper.  That means I still breastfeed my son – just through a bottle. 

I want to share all this information because I know what it’s like being the mom that wants to breastfeed so bad but can’t enjoy the experience.  I remember hours of researching different things about pumping. 

So here are my recommendations and tips I’ve learned.

Click here to watch my tips and recommendations!

 

DIML with 6 month old

Click here to watch my Day in My Life as an Exclusive Pumper at 6 months!

day in the life - 3 months

Click here to watch my Day in the Life of 3 Month Old! 

Recommendations:

  1. Sit somewhere comfy!
  2. Have a permanent pumping spot.  Mine is the end of my couch!  I never have to move my pumping things!
  3. Grab a water!  ALWAYS drink while pumping.
  4. Jersey T shirts are perfect in the colder months.  Raise your shirt, hook up, pull it down, pump pump pump!
  5. Have a soft blanket to wrap around your belly and legs.
  6. Toys and Bottles – as Milo has gotten older I grab anything I need to keep him entertained while I’m pumping.
  7. Olive oil or Coconut oil.  Use this on the flanges (watch the video and I will show how to apply it – Click here!) AND ALWAYS USE coconut oil on your nipples after pumping!  Trust me! #crackednipplesurvivor
  8. Washcloth – use to wipe milk off your breast when your done. 

Tips:

  1. Join Facebook groups!  Mom Facebook groups are SO helpful!!  I currently am a member of – June 2019 Mamas, Pumping Moms – Over-suppliers, Exclusively Pumping, Nursing and Pumping.  I would not have learned everything as quickly as I did or felt as connected to people going through the same things. 
  2. Stick to a schedule!!  There are all kinds of pumping schedules.  Find one you like and stick to it.  I started out 6 times a day.  (5 am, 9am, 12pm, 3pm, 6pm, 9pm).  I stuck to the schedule like my life depended on it.  I now pump 3 times a day.  (5am, 1pm, 9pm).
  3. Stick to the same amount of minutes.  AIM FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS OF PUMPING EVERYDAY!  When I pumped 6 times a day, I pumped for 20 minutes each time.  By sticking to such a strict schedule my boobs got trained. ;). NOTE- everyone is different but at least try this when starting out.  Once your boobs are trained – you can change your time.  I now pump 16 minutes each pump session.
  4. Double bottles and flanges if you can afford it. It helps not have to wash parts as much.
  5. I love my Medela Breast Pump Strap. I wash it every 2-3 days. 
  6. Sticking to schedule can help prevent clots!
  7. Boil your parts.  I did this religiously at first.  Then I slacked.  My parts got pretty stinky, once I boiled them again, they were like brand new.  Try to boil at least once a week.  And I’m preaching to myself on that one. 😉
  8. When/If you are unthawing milk in the fridge.  Place milk in a cup, so if the bag has a leak, the milk doesn’t go all over your fridge,  I use Lansinoh storage bags and I’ve only had that happen a couple of times. 
  9. Don’t look at your milk while you pump!  It will stress you out.  I saw a cool tip on Pinterest to cover your milk bottles with a sock while you pump.  I usually try to watch a show or YouTube video and just don’t look down till your done.
  10. Flange size can change!  I went from a larger flange size to a smaller one by the time I was 9 months postpartum.  Pumping should not hurt and if it is check your flange.

I hope these recommendations and tips are helpful and provide some relief for some of you mommas going through the same struggles I have. 

If you have any questions, please ASK!  I am not a doctor but I do have my own personal experience to lean on.

My last thoughts is to tell you –

You are doing a good job

AND

Pumping is breastfeeding!

 

Gracefully Fashionable Britt

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DIML with 6 Month Old – Exclusively Pumping & Baby Led Schedule

DIML with 6 month old

Hey guys!

DIML with 6 month old

“Let them be little because they are only that way for awhile. Let them cry, let them giggle, let them sleep in the middle. Just let them be little.”

I’m excited to upload this blog/vlog! My baby is now 7 months old. I can’t believe it! (I’ve been meaning to post this when he was 6 months old but life happens. )

What I thought life would be like and what it is, is almost completely different. I thought Milo would be crawling – he’s getting there. 😉 I thought he would be sitting perfectly on his own like the other kids. (I think my kid is lazy or just has a big head!)

I thought I would be breast feeding from the breast. I thought he’d be a perfect sleeper! (ha!).

But my life does not match the Pinterest schedules of what a 6 month old should be doing or what milestones he should have accomplished….

And

That’s

Okay.

Yes – one thing I am learning to embrace. I’m even feeling a slight tug on my heart typing that wondering if the words really are true. Is….

It’s

Okay.

Now what I DO HAVE is

A heathy 6 month old boy, who loves to roll over and over. A boy who knows his name, his mommy, and daddy. Who smiles ear to ear when his daddy gets home. A boy who likes to scream and holler.

A boy who likes to drink mommy’s breast milk from a bottle, a boy who likes to snuggle next to his mommy at night.

I’m trying to embrace the quote above. “Let them be little.” They don’t have to be Pinterest perfect – just be my baby. Hug them and love them.

DIML with 6 month old

So here is what my day looks like at 6 months. If you want to watch the video/ vlog – JUST CLICK HERE!

  • I’ve been going strong for 4 months as an exclusive pumper ( started at 1 month). I start my morning at 5 am pumping. Sometimes I can’t believe I’ve even made it this long.
  • Sweet baby Milo wakes up around 7 – 8 am.
  • During the morning – He takes a bottle and eats some cereal. Then I’m usually trying to entertain him while doing some house work. Entertaining him is taking more and more of my time. He’s a tough crowd. 😉
During the video – I share with you some of his current favorite toys, adorable monsters eating pizza PJS, AND a jumbo ball pit Grams got him for Christmas. CLICK HERE TO SEE!

DIML with 6 month old

  • 10/ 11 am -PUMPING TIME! I always try to have toys around to keep Milo entertained! Oh and drink you some water! 😉 Anyone else able to hear their pumping machine noise? 😉
  • Next is lunch time for him and momma! Oh and he’s got two teeth!
  • 2-4 pm- Nap time AND pump time. Over Christmas I was able to get some Avent storage bottles. They hold up to 6 ounces and you can write the date on them.
*** Side note ***
I thought I was going to love those bottles. WRONG – I have tried tightening those bottles as tight as I can. No matter how tight I make them, they STILL manage to spill when I shake the bottle to mix the milk. So now I’m just sticking with my Lansinoh storage bottles. JUST FYI
  • 5 PM – COFFEE TIME – Hallelujah!  Its my celebration drink for making it this far in the day!  😉
  • 6 -8 pm – Supper, play time with Daddy, possibly another nap, bath time!
  • 9 pm – LAST PUMP (yay! I made it another day! You can too I promise!). During this time, daddy will entertain Milo. In the vlog, we ended the night by watching the Disney movie “Tangled” while I pumped. After my pump, we all go to bed. Zzz

I hope my vlog, or daily schedule can be an encouragement to another momma or daddy. You don’t have to follow another babies schedule.  Just do what works best for you and your baby.  
And let them be little because they are only that way for awhile. 😉

~ Gracefully Fashionable Britt