Pumping & working with the Smart 3.0

Each week we ask a Real Mom if they would like the NurtureGoods experience. These moms use a breast pump from NurtureGoods in order to describe and share their experiences. In this way, we hope to raise awareness of the NurtureGoods experience and help you make a choice. This week it's mom Mandy's turn. Will you read along?

Pumping & working with the Smart 3.0

I am a brand new mom, my daughter is now eight months old and I have been breastfeeding since she was born. Previously, I pumped single-sided with a pump I received through my birth order.
I was also very satisfied with this but as I said, it was single-sided.

When NurtureGoods reached out to me to collaborate and I saw that this was a double-sided pump I immediately wanted to try it!

In itself, I have never had problems pumping but if you have to pump your breasts separately you are longer and with a baby sometimes you don't have the time to pump at your leisure.
Also, my daughter has had a preference of breast since the very beginning and so I have a "star staple.
not as much comes out at all as with my preferred breast and is easy to stimulate if you can pump both breasts at the same time.

The first thing that stands out is the design. The engine is small and soft in color - pink - and with touchscreen.
The hoses you attach to the flask and motor I have as a downside that they grab a huge amount of dust with 2 cats in the house, you can imagine!
The pumps themselves are also quite large but very easy to assemble and disassemble. The membranes of the breast shield are easily washable and have roses as a design, very feminine!

You have different modes so there is something for everyone

• Correction Mode: If, like me, you have a "flat" nipple (I think that's why my daughter prefers my other breast), you have a mode where you can pull your nipples out, so to speak, so that it sits properly in the membrane. You can set the hardness yourself because pumping should never hurt.
• Soothing mode: that is then as if your child is hanging on your breast and in this you can choose between 2 different modes: namely expression mode and stimulation mode. Briefly explained, hard and soft pumping. If you start pumping hard, it will automatically switch to soft mode after a few minutes.

This is how I pump myself. First pump a little harder so the toeschietreflex is well underway and then it switches automatically, very convenient! There are also different modes, from 1 to 9. I pump on position 5 myself, I have been breastfeeding for a while so I can tolerate some.

I have to admit, when I first read the manual I was a little confused about the different modules and how to set them, but once you try it in practice, you quickly understand! When your flask is set to your liking you can save this mode so you don't have to set everything every time, super convenient.

The biggest drawback, in my opinion and easy to fix, it is not hands-free. You can buy a bra for this on the NurtureGoods website or easily buy a bra or top yourself (though one that tightens well) give 2 snaps at the level of your nipple and you can pump hands-free.

I love using it and soon I will start working again so this one is definitely going with me!

Today is exactly 1 month that I have returned to work and let me tell you, it is a SERIOUS adjustment! Getting up early, moving around a lot again, time pressure and working with people.
I work in healthcare and that can be extremely busy at times. I can get so absorbed in that that I then take my work home with me and now with a baby on the way I have decided to stay calm as much as possible and not get so absorbed in my work as I did before. I have also decided not to work full time at the moment because mentally I am not yet in the right headspace to do that.

Which is nice, I get some extra me-time because I am entitled to pump at work! Then I lock up and have 15 minutes just to myself and I can quietly pump. I'm going to be honest, I don't use my NurtureGoods pump because to sit uncomfortably with 2 pumps for 15 minutes, not me!
I do use it on my days off and pump at home while watching my series!
I don't have to set the timer on my cell phone because I have one on my NurtureGoods breast pump and I don't have to be afraid of spilling either because the 180 ml bottles will definitely get me by!
And what's even finer news is, my "star staple" - read previous blog - is starting to produce more and more milk as I can double pump at the same time. I try to put my daughter on both sides but I don't think I should expect too much all at once. The times my daughter eats solid food I pump and it feels super good!

So if you are in doubt which pump to buy, I still definitely recommend the NurtureGoods pump!

Much love,
Mandy

Would you like to know more about Mandy? Then follow her on Instagram @mildrrred