At one point I could only feed with my right breast.
Every other 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 Kim's turn. Will you read along?
The perfect pump for sensitive breasts
Last September I gave birth (on my birthday & my partner's birthday) to our first child: a beautiful little boy whom we named Shiloh (meaning "the peaceful one"). Peaceful he often is not yet, hungry he is. Shiloh is now 17 weeks and I have been breastfeeding from the beginning. For that, like most moms, I did have some struggles. It was especially painful in the first weeks (sensitive skin, fissures, blisters). At one point I could only feed with my right breast. Eventually I started pumping the milk manually from the left breast, because I could no longer tolerate the aanhap there. A lactation consultant quickly recommended a pump with a gentle position, so the sores could heal and my production would keep going. I bought a pump from a well-known (and especially expensive) brand and I was not dissatisfied with it so far.
By now Shiloh is 17 weeks old and I will be going back to work soon. I would like to continue breastfeeding, so that means a marathon of pumping to have enough supplies for the babysitting grandmas. While pumping has been and continues to be a godsend, it is not my favorite thing to do. My production (partly due to the lagging left breast) is not such that stocking up is easy for me. With difficulty I pumped half a bottle (50ml) in the beginning. I often felt like I wasn't doing anything right. Surely I should be able to pump enough milk to feed my baby? So, to be honest, I often picked up my pump reluctantly. When I was asked if I wanted to try the wireless Smart 3.0 pump from NurtureGoods, I was very curious to see if this could change. How does the pump work with my sensitive breasts? Is the pump "gentle" enough? And, at the same time, is it powerful enough to create a decent supply of formula?
I started somewhat cautiously using the Smart 3.0 breast pump. Right side first. "Left side will come later," I thought. Soon I realized that this is actually the perfect pump for sore breasts. The variety of pumping modes is very good. I could easily handle the gentlest function of the pump! For the right breast, I could set it a bit more powerful. And powerful it is! The pump is no less powerful than my other pump. I even feel that I pump more milk in a shorter time. I can now pump an entire feed, and sometimes even more. For this reason alone, of course, I am very happy with the pump, but there are a number of other features of the pump that I find very useful. For example, you can keep track of the time you are pumping because it is displayed on the digital screen. On the digital screen you can also see exactly what position the pump is on, so that you can immediately get the right setting for the next pumping session. Another nice feature for sensitive breasts is the wide massage cushion. It doesn't hang on your nipple (a feeling I recognize from the other pump with a smaller attachment), but takes a large "bite" of your breast. The bottles are also large (160ML), so they come in handy for girls with a higher production. The exterior has an otherwise luxurious look (and yes, pink!). Not very important, but nice.
Am I missing something? Could anything be better? As for the sound, I think the pump does have a bit more presence, but it doesn't bother me personally. Furthermore, I miss a loop or something similar on the digital screen, so that you can carry the whole device with you (and still have your hands reasonably free), should you need to get up to grab something in the kitchen, for example. In addition, I find the rim inside the bottle a bit awkward. When pouring over the bottle, it doesn't allow you to get everything out. And, since every little drop of milk counts for me, that sometimes results in a little mess (something about shaking it out). That's really the only thing.
And whether I would pay almost double for another pump because of these little things? Well, NO (even though I did). I am truly impressed. The Smart 3.0 pump from NurtureGoods is comparable, and in some ways even more pleasant to use than my other pump. I pick it up faster and have now been able to freeze a small supply as a result. The pump will also soon be going with me to work, the place where I will be spending most of my time with my pump in the near future. In this way, I hope to continue giving pumped breast milk to our baby for some time to come.
Much love Kim
Want to know more about Kim? Follow her on Instagram @kimmie_and_mini