Now that we are expecting Baby B3 this winter, I am already getting sappy at the thought of nursing another baby.  Bella is still nursing at 27 months.  Justin looked at me the other day and said, "Do you realize that when you have this child and nurse it, you will have been pregnant or nursing for like 5 years!?"  I do realize that and it makes me smile.  Y'all know that I am huge breastfeeding advocate.  The bond that it creates is beyond amazing and I love those moments snuggled up with baby nursing.  I blessed that I never needed to pump with Bella.  We were never apart for more than an hour or so, so I was always available to nurse her.  I plan on doing the same with Baby B3, but I know that isn't the case for all mamas which is where the Lansinoh Affinity Pro Double Electric Breast Pump comes in. I've owned a few different brands and styles of pumps and I definitely recommend a double electric pump if you are shopping for one.  While they tend to cost more, they are … [Read more...]

I’m not sure why I pump, because Bella won’t take anything other than the breast.  Maybe I pump just in case she magically decided she’d like to take the bottle one day.  Either way, I do occasionally pump just to have some milk on hand or to try the bottle with Bella. I have a rather large dual pump, so I was happy to try out the much smaller Evenflo SimplyGo Single Breast Pump.  Right out of the box, I couldn’t believe how small it seemed.  I love the size and that it is tiny enough to take on the go.  I can hold it with one hand- no problem.  I’ve actually sat at my desk and used it with one hand and worked with the other.  I should probably buy a pumping bra if I plan on doing that very often, but the size of the Evenflo SimplyGo Single Breast Pump makes it pretty easy. I found this pump to be comfortable once I was positioned correctly.  It has a silicone insert to add a cushion, but if you aren’t perfectly positioned, it will pinch you.  I’ve had no … [Read more...]

When I mention that we can’t get Bella to take a bottle, people start throwing out suggestions.  I’ll happily take them all, but so far- nothing has worked.  She’s 5 months old and she flat out refuses the bottle.  I’ve come to the conclusion that she will probably never take a bottle and that’s fine with me.  She’s starting to go longer between feedings so I don’t feel near as tied down as I did a month ago. I wanted to tell y’all about the mimijumi Very Hungry Baby Bottle just because I think it’s so neat- even if Bella wouldn’t take it.  It looks like a boob and the nipple is short, so I thought she would do pretty well with it.  So far, we haven’t had any luck with it, but I thought it was worth a mention for other breastfeeding moms.  Here’s a little bit of information on it:  (You may have to click to make it bigger.)    This bottle is BPA free and we’ve experienced no leaks- not that we’ve had the chance to thoroughly use it.  … [Read more...]