Win Tickets to The Baby Show Earls Court, London!!

BoobieMilk will be fitting and selling nursing bras at The Baby Show Earls Court London and we are super excited (and a little scared).  We would love to see you there and help you find a comfy new nursing bra so do come along and say hello, we will be at stand G18 in the MumsClub Enterprise Zone (over to the right as you enter).  Our stand isn't the biggest but we have dedicated 1/3 of the stand to a fitting room so that you can go home happy with your purchase.

The Baby Show Earls Court London -

Friday 26th October 9:30-5:30pm
Saturday 27th October 9:30-5:30pm
Sunday 28th October 9:30-5:30pm

It's a great place to try everything out for the new baby and make sure that you are getting exactly what you need for the big arrival.  I remember back when I was pregnant with William and we were deciding on prams.  It's so hard to buy over the internet or by going store to store to try them all individually.  I actually rented a car while at a conference in California to drive to a shop to test out a buggy I had seen online.  We did end up making an amazing choice for what we needed.  A lightweight buggy that folded down one-handed umbrella style and had a pram addition which we still have.  It fitted really well in our small car and takes up little room.  Come and see me at G18 to find out which buggy we went for in the end!

As we found out just last week in Bluewater the transitional nursing bras are really popular.  BoobieMilk stocks a range of nursing bras which make pregnancy and breastfeeding so much more comfortable.  You won't even know you are wearing them.  The wide band is super comfortable under the bust and with a growing belly doesn't dig in anywhere!  The seamless design makes them comfortable all day and all night, so the perfect sleeping bra too.  The flexible cups allow for an increase in cup size which is great when your boobs are constantly changing size during pregnancy and then between feeds when you are breastfeeding.

As well as nursing bras, sleep bras and nursing vests I will also be taking maternity leggings and tights, post maternity leggings and washable breast pads in black and white.  I had a few requests for belly support bands so we will be bringing 2 types of bands from Carriwell as well as some lovely Lactivist goodies (infant T-shirts and Hats) with witty breastfeeding messages on them.

If I don't have something you would like in stock on the day you will have the opportunity to order from me and save on shipping.  If you decide to enter the BoobieMilk competition for some great breastfeeding goodies over the weekend you will receive 10% off your purchase or order.  Book ahead of time by emailing me at karen.mccully@gmail.com and you'll save 15% on your purchase on the day.  You'll also be able to book an appointment for a fitting on the day, just ask to put your name down and come back after doing some shopping.  My Mum will be in charge of the appointment slots so please be gentle with her, she hates to disappoint when I am running behind.

My Mum wearing our new BoobieMilk T-shirts expertly printed locally by Casebournes

If you would like to visit The Baby Show Earls Court London then you will definitely want to enter this competition to win a FREE pair of tickets.  I have two pairs of tickets to give away and tickets are usually priced at £20 each.  Winning them will give you more money to spend at the show!

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Finding a Place to Express Breastmilk at Work

For many families both parents going to work is a necessity and maternity pay is not 100% and doesn't last forever.  You have spen the last few months learning how to breastfeed and it has become a huge part of your life and your baby's life.  Breastfeeding will also help smooth the transition back to work because it will be an amazing way for you and your baby to get to know each other after each day at work and it will give you both time to unwind after a long day at work/nursery.  Breastfeeding is also a great way to keep you boss happy!

• Women who are accomodated at work to express their milk show more loyalty towards their employer.
• Women who express their milk at work have fewer days off with sick children because breastfed children have fewer childhood illnesses and recover more quickly.

Some information on this is here, and the Health and Safety Executive guidelines are here.  You may have noticed that these are only recommendations and not legal requirements but that doesn't mean that it cannot be discussed before you return to work.  Your employer is legally required to provide somewhere for you to rest when you return to work so surely there is no reason why you cannot express milk during this time of relaxation.  Now we just need to work out where you are going to express.  You might find it easier to have something in mind before you approach your human resources (you can't expect them to do all of the work LOL!).

My Dream Breastfeeding/Expressing Room

A temperature controlled room with a window that opens and a door that locks.  There is at least one comfy chair with a table nearby.  The walls are covered with great pictures to look at, maybe scenes of wonderful landscapes that where we can dream about being, and there is maybe a corkboard for me and other Mums to post pictures of our babies to help with let-down.  On the table there is a hospital grade pump for everyone to use while at work, and all I've had to do is supply my own collection kit.  In the corner is a sink to wash my equipment, a microwave to sterilize if needed, and a small fridge to keep my milk cool during the day.  A radio would be nice to distract me while pumping, and a magazine rack in the corner can be stocked by all the Mums using the room.

 I have heard rumours of such rooms existing at the NSA, The Pentagon and The Maryland DHMH.  My last employer had quite a nice facility too.  Reality is a little different though.  Someone working at a fast food restaurant would have completely different options to someone working in an office setting for instance.  Think of it as a problem solving exercise and then use it on your CV as an amazing skill "Excellent at problem solving". 

Minimum requirements - 

• A clean, private area that isn't a bathroom/toilet.
• A chair near an electrical outlet to plug your pump into.
• Access to a sink to wash your equipment and a fridge to store your milk.

 So, let's get out thinking hats on, where can you find this at your place of work?

You work in an office setting - 

• Use your own office if you do not share, you can lock the door or put a sign up so that noone disturbs you.
• Use an empty office or a friends office at a designated time each day.
• Use the conference room when it is available.
• Use the tea-room at non-break times and put a sign on the door.
• Use a divider in any of these areas where there is no designated time that you can use it by yourself.  If concerned of privacy use a nursing cover.
• Can an unused closet be converted or cleared out so that a chair can fit in there to make it a comfortable space to pump?

You work in a retail setting - 

• Use an unused office or use the store managers office at designated times agreed with them.
• Use the lunch room/area when it isn't in use by others with a sign on the door.
• Use a customer changing room nearest the power outlet for the hoover.  It should have a seat and a door that locks.  Often there is a larger room for those with families or wheelchairs.

You work in Hospitality/Restaurant - 

• Use an unused office or use the managers office at designated times agreed with them.
• Use an unused function room/area with a sign on the door.
• Use an unused guest room.
• Pump in your car with a nursing cover.

There are many more scenarios that you may have to think about such as working on the road and working at different locations each day.  Explain the benefits to your employer and work with them to find the best solution for both of you.  If electricity is an issue, you can find pumps that use a battery pack or can be plugged into your car.  You are entitled to at least a 20 minute break if you work 6 hours or more, and you do not have to remain at work during your break.  Think outside the box and keep the channels of communication open with your employer.  Good Luck!

I've mentioned previously some useful items for expressing milk at work and I'll mention them again.  If you are  planning to use a pump then I would recommend purchasing a pump from a company with integrity that adheres to the WHO code on Marketing breastmilk Substitutes - ARDO who sell a range of manual and electric pumps and accessories.

If you'd like to be able to pump hands-free then I love the hands-free pumping bra from Simple Wishes which holds the flanges in place so that you can read, text or use the telephone while pumping.

For those Mums that would like a garment that provides great support, has easy access for nursing and pumping and provides warmth and coverage for those stretch marks then a nursing vest is a great addition to your wardrobe.  Check out my range of nursing vests from Emma-Jane and Hotmilk for pregnancy and breastfeeding at BoobieMIlk.

Back To Work and Not Enough Expressed Milk?

So you've returned to work and you are expressing your breastmilk.  Only problem is that you are going through your freezer milk stash lightening fast and you're concerned that you cannot keep up with the demand.  You don't want to introduce formula, what can you do?

Using your freezer stash is a sure fire way of telling that something is amiss.  Your first day back at work is the day that you use milk from your stash.  During your first day at work you should express at least enough for day two and so on.

1. Read my last post about bottle feeding a breast fed baby.  It is very common for a breastfed baby to take more from a bottle because the carer is using a typical bottle feeding technique.
2. Freezing your expressed milk in smaller portions will reduce the possibility that milk will be thrown away at the end of a feed.  Freeze your milk in 1-3oz portions so that additional ounzes can be added quickly if more is needed.
3. Have a frank discussion with your childs carer about normal breastfed infant behaviour.  Choose a carer who is happy to respond to your childs needs in a way that you would like (I found that some carers respond to crying with a bottle, but my son was usually just bored).

If you are happy that these have been addressed then here are some ways to ramp up your expressing schedule. 

Find some time at work to express an additional time to increase your supply and output.  You could do this in a number of ways;

• Arrive early or leave a little late.
• Pump at the beginning of your lunch break AND at the end .
• If you are expressing one breast at a time, think about expressing both using an electric pump.

Consider renting a hospital grade electric breastpump to make sure that you are using the most effective equipment (find what works best for you, for some hand expressing is the most effective).  Check the flanges on the pump to make sure they are not rubbing and are the right size for you, you may need to change them after a few months so keep any eye on that (I went from 27mm to 29mm through my pumping career).

Express milk at home when baby goes to bed or over the weekend.  If you can express between 1am and 5am you can take advantage of your milk making hormone levels being high.  Pumping in the morning can yield larger amounts of milk.

Give your supply a boost by completing a power hour every day for a week.  Choose a 1 hour tv show with commercials.  Pump or express during every commercial using the same equipment.

Consider moving your baby closer to your place of employment so that you can feed right before work and right after work, and also have the option of nursing at lunch.  I did this with my son which meant I pumped less (in a 10 hour work day I usually pumped 2-3 times in addition to the lunch feed).

Use your hands to remove as much milk as possible with each expression.  Massage your breasts before you express to help with let-down, massage your breasts during expression to help move the milk towards the nipple, and then continue to hand express after you have finished pumping to make sure you've got everything possible and to increase stimulation of the breast.

As always,  stay well hydrated and remember to eat.  Taking a multi-vitamin probably wouldn't hurt either.

Pumping when back at work can be hard to do, both emotionally and physically.  You need to make it a priority and make an effort to pump when you need to.  Your work has to take a little bit of a step back and balancing a baby, work and pumping can be challenging.  I was very lucky when I returned to work that my employers were very encouraging and accomodating.  I was able to pump in my own office and I pumped at many work meetings and functions.  I think my next post wil be about finding places to pump at work and all that goes with that.

For many reasons that I won't go into right now, I only pumped one breast at a time when I returned to work.  This made it possible for me to make phone calls and check emails while pumping (not recommended and not the reason for it).  Double pumping takes less time and can yield more milk but can take both hands to achieve.  One item that makes it easier to double pump and still read a good book or magazine is a hands free pumping bra from Simple Wishes.  It is a bustier than holds the flanges in place so that you don't have to.

When pumping at work I would wear a loose fitting top and lift it up to pump.  The top then draped over the pump and nothing much showed.  Wearing a nursing vest made sure that noone could see my stretch marks.  Nursing vests are a really versatile nursing garments which can be used as as an additional bra as they have a built-in support shelf (save on laundry), but can also be worn on their own in hot weather.  They look great under blouses and see-through tops, and can also be worn in bed for easy access for nursing at night.  Emma-Jane make a selection of nursing vests for every occasion.  There are long vests for taller gals or with leggings which can be worn during pregnancy to cover bump.  There are also thicker fabrics that are warmer to wear and the thicker white lets nothing show through.  Take a look at the range of nursing vests available at BoobieMilk.

Bottle Feeding A Breastfed Baby - Paced Bottle Feeding

Paced bottle feeding is a bottle feeding technique that mimics breastfeeding.  I first heard about this technique from an IBCLC (Internationally Board Certified Lactation Consultant) coleague of mine (Flossie) in the US.  It's a great tool to use when you are going back to work and you will be expressing your milk.  Many times women have spoken to me about going back to work and not being able to express enough milk to leave with the carer.  Often times carers are not used to caring for a breastfed baby and so these tips on bottle feeding like breastfeeding so that they can provide the level of care that is best for baby and your milk supply.

Breastfeeding and breastmilk are the normal ways to feed a baby and provide many benefits such as - 

• Baby can control the flow of milk and length of the feed.
• Baby can take pauses during a feed just as we do.
• Baby is held close.
• Baby switches sides which helps with eye development.

Paced bottle feeding is a technique that will help baby regulate their milk intake and give them time to listen to their bodies hunger signals.  It's also a very respectful way to feed any baby.

We've all seen bottle feeding in the movies and on tv or when we are out and about.  Usually baby is laying down with the bottle sticking upright out of their mouths.  Bottles are designed to drip milk whether they are being sucked or not, so if you hold a bottle upside down you'll see the milk drip out all by itself.  So, when a baby is being bottle fed as described above with an upright bottle they need to swallow the milk at all times and cannot take pauses.  Bottle fed babies are also encouraged to finish the bottle (it's expensive stuff!).  We can now see why a bottle fed baby will gain weight at a higher rate than a breastfed baby and possibly why studies have shown that formula fed babies have a higher risk of obesity in adolescence and adult life.

Paced Bottle Feeding

• A straight edged bottle is best for paced bottle feeding.  When you hold the bottle horizontally you do not want the milk to pool in hand grips and bulges and not be able to reach the nipple/teat.
• A breastfed baby takes about 2-3oz per feed, so start with small amounts.  If you freeze your milk in small amounts you will not waste as much.  If you give the carer a few 1oz portions for emergencies then they can be easily defrosted and if they are wasted then it's not a huge amount.
• Snuggle baby close to you sitting facing your right or left side (you might find it easier for someone else to bottle feed your baby as it will be a little confusing for baby if you are there but they can't have milk direct from the source).
• Invite baby to latch to the nipple/teat with a wide open mouth just as they would when breastfeeding.  This encourages a good latch at all times and is respectful of the baby.  Noone wants a bottle forced into their mouth.
• Hold the bottle horizontally so that the milk isn't using gravity to flow out of the bottle.
• Let baby feed.  Allow pauses and breaks just as baby would during breastfeeding.  These pauses allow baby to listen to signals from their body telling them if they are hungry or full.
• Switch sides each feed or halfway through a feed if you decide to burp baby.  This will help baby's eye development and reduce the possibility of side preference.

 A bottle should NEVER be propped.  A propped bottle can cause choking because an infant may not be able to push the bottle out of their mouth to prevent it, and propping the bottle may encourage you to believe that you can leave the baby unattended which should never happen when baby is being fed.

If you are going back to work soon and you are wondering what to dress your baby in for "school", then consider these adorable infant T-shirts with witty breastfeeding slogans from Lactivist.  They are available in sizes 3mo-18mo in 100% organic cotton from BoobieMilk.  Help promote breastfeeding initiation and duration in your own way with these adorable infant T-shirts at BoobieMilk for only £12 each.

 

Win Tickets to the Baby & Toddler Show at Glow, Bluewater!

I have exciting news!

BoobieMilk will be fitting and selling nursing bras at the Baby & Toddler Show supported by Emma's Diary at Glow Bluewater on October 5th-7th

 

This will be my first three day event and I've been busy busy deciding what to take and how to dress my stand.  Bluewater is a great location for a big baby show because it is very close to the M25 and there is tonnes of FREE parking.  You can also make a real day of it by eating at one of the great restaurants at the mall and popping in to catch a movie before going home.  I had some great soft tacos at a mexican place I'll have to look it up for you.  But be warned that the margharita's are tiny from an American point of view.  Wahaca!

If you have never been to a Baby Show before then let me tell you why you might want to come along.  It's a one stop shopping experience for everything you might need for your baby or toddler.  All those important items on that ever growing list of things to get before the baby arrives can all be done in one place.  If you've never shopped for a buggy before then this is the place for you, you can get up close and personal with every buggy you ever dreamed of and find out how difficult they are to open and close and feel how heavy they are.  We have the Inglesina Zippy by the way, it's small, easy to fold, light as a feather and has lasted through two kids, although I will tell you that I use a sling 90% of the time.

Here are some other great companies that will be there - 

Baby Sensory - Ellie loved all the bubbles and parachutes used during her classes in Sevenoaks.

Snugglebundl - Who can forget this fabulous idea for a blanket with handles for easy sleepy baby transfer.

Play Duvet - A great idea from some lovely people, a big play mat which you can all fit on.

Bibisili - Fun and Funky silicome bibs with crumb catchers that you can put in the dishwasher!

Tell all of your friends about The Baby and Toddler Show sponsored by Emma's Diary at Glow Bluewater they will have such a fab time.

Opening times -

Friday October 5th - 1:00pm - 8:00pm (late night opening!)
Saturday October 6th - 10:00am - 5:00pm
Sunday October 7th - 10:00am - 5:00pm

Full address for your satnav - DA9 9SG or check out their own directions and follow signs to GLOW

Come see BoobieMilk at stand J36 for your FREE fitting.  I'll have a selection of Emma-Jane, Carriwell and Hotmilk nursing bras and nursing vests for you to try on as well as some new products you haven't seen before and some fabulous items from Lactivist.  I will be holding a competition over the weekend for some fabulous breastfeeding goodies and if you enter the competition you not only get the chance to win, but you also receive 10% off your purchase.

I am taking advanced bookings for fittings so don't hesitate to reply to this email or send me a message to set up a time during the weekend for your very own FREE fitting and if you book ahead before the show, I'll give you 15% off your purchase.  Prices start at just £10.

I have 5 pairs of tickets for you to win so please use the rafflecopter to enter for your chance to come to the show for FREE.

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(Use code BT13 to pay £10/2 tickets if you're not feeling lucky) 

How To Start Pumping So That Dad Can Feed Baby

Following on from my last post about bonding without feeding I thought I'd share some tips on pumping so that Dad can feed the baby.  I am as ever a realist and even if I think it's not what I would do, I know that many women want the Dad to feed baby from early on.  You are probably going to need to express some milk at some point for a date night or returning to work or an emergency back-up.

I would suggest waiting until your milk supply is established before you start to express your milk for the following reasons - 

• It's important to establish a good supply in the first 4-6 weeks and the baby on-demand feeding at the breast is the best way to do this.
• Expressing very early on can make you doubt your supply because you are expressing such small amounts (which is normal), you are pumping only left-overs and it can take time for your body to react positively to expressing by hand or pump.
• Pumping is another chore, ask anyone that pumps.  It's not the most fun and it involves extra washing and sterilising not to mention equipment.
• Early supplementation with donor milk or formula can affect your supply by telling your body that you don't need as much milk.  Often it is the late night feed that is supplemented in the hopes that baby will sleep longer, but you should know that baby feeds often at night because your milk making hormones are at their highest after midnight and feeding through the night helps with your supply.

A milk supply is usually established in the first 4-6 weeks and baby does this best.  It's the time when the foundations for a good long term supply are set down.  If you have decided as a family that you need to give a bottle for whatever reason then here are some things for you to consider.

• To maintain your milk supply and exclusively breastfeed then you will need to express your milk.  If you decide to use donated breastmilk or formula for this feed then you need to understand that your body will react to one less feed at the breast by making less milk, which can in turn lead to a premature end to your breastfeeding relationship.
• Try to wait until your milk supply is established at 4-6 weeks.
• Work out the best way to express your milk (by hand, a manual pump, electric pump) and if needed buy an appropriate pump.
• Find a time once a day to express milk and try to express at the same time each day so that your body gets used to the "feed" and starts making an additional feed.
• Be patient, you will only be expressing leftovers at the beginning until your body adapts.
• Try to feed your baby with a bottle just like you would at the breast so that he/she is held close and has more control over the flow.

Introducing a bottle works for many families, and as you can imagine it also doesn't work for others.  Mum can often go to bed a little earlier and then Dad can do the last feed of the evening.  Keep in mind that you really should be expressing when baby receives the bottle as the best time, and that if you sleep through a feed you may become a little uncomfortable and engorged which may wake you up.  Lots of partners have also gone back to work and may want to get some much needed sleep too, so again it's all about your own family balance.  I have always found it so much easier and much less time consuming to feed directly from the source at night so that I can take advantage of those lovely hormones released that help me drift back to sleep.














If you are going back to work, pumping every day will help you build up a stash of milk for the baby's first day at nursery or Grandma's house.



I don't sell pumps and there are many choices out there.  When choosing a pump think about the effort that has gone into its production.  Does the company involved spend a lot of research on pump development?  Do they make a lot of money from selling bottles?  Do they follow the WHO code of marketing of breastmilk substitutes?  There is only one company in the UK that adheres to this code of marketing and that is ARDO.

How Can Dad Bond With Baby?

A common concern for many new parents how how can dad/partner/granny/grandad/brother/sister/uncle/postman bond with the baby.  It comes up A LOT so it must be on the minds of many new parents.

Apparently word has spread that the only way to bond with a baby is to feed them (I'm sure the formula industry spread this rumour, but that's just my guess).  Feeding is definitely a bonding experience, but then why are there so many products on the market that help babies to hold their own bottles.  I often see bottles propped with a towel and babies being bottlefed in buggies and bouncy seats.  If bottle feeding is such a bonding experience and so important for bonding then why are babies being taught to do it for themselves and left unattended while doing it (choking hazard!).  What I love about breastfeeding is that I have to be present.  I can't give it a miss today or go into another room while it's going on.  I admit it, I'm quite lazy.  I have a short attention span, I google while nursing but I am present, and we have some amazing "conversations" when breastfeeding (not real conversations, she has her mouth full and can't talk yet) we also have lots of snuggle time.

I think that feeding can get a little tiresome after a while (hence the propped bottles), but Dad gets to do all the fun things with baby while we wash laundry and cook dinner.  When my son turned two he forgot I even existed and became a real Daddies Boy.  Nursing became something we did just before bed/nap or during the day when Dad wasn't around.  When he falls over he doesn't ask for me.  When he wakes in the night he doesn't ask for me.  We do have our very own special bond, but I don't think that Daddy has missed out by not having bottlefed him as an infant.

Anyway, as you can tell I'm in the "Daddy doesn't have to feed baby to have a bond with baby" camp but here are some suggestions for Daddy/Baby bonding time - 

• Wear baby to help soothe and sleep
• Skin-to-skin contact in the hospital and at home
• Rock baby to sleep
• Bathe baby
• Sing to baby
• Play with baby
• Take baby to a baby class
• Take baby on a walk

and I'm sure you can think of a few more.  If nothing else, Mummy will love you for those few minutes she gets to herself to pee or eat.

As baby grows older you will both create such important but such different bonds with your baby/child that you will forget even worrying about it at the beginning.

I asked my husband if he minded that I did all the feeding after we had our second (Ellie).  We had no feeding problems with Ellie and his response was that he loved to boast to his friends that he was getting tonnes of sleep because he didn't have to get up in the night.  We bed-shared and I nursed lying down so Ellie nursed and slept without a sound all night long.  He never mentioned a problem with bonding, in fact they both light up when he enters the room each evening after work and there is no denying that they love each other to pieces.

I actually wonder whether it is the Mum who wants Dad to feed the baby because breastfeeding can seem overwhelming at first.  It is an enormous responsability for one person, and it can sometimes seem that it is all you do some days.  I remember those early days when I spent all day on the couch nursing and dozing (don't tell the health visitor) and watching Dexter on the laptop changing episodes with my big toe.  My husband would come through the door and I would throw William into his arms and run (more hobble) up the stairs to pee.

My words of wisdom - Your baby is only tiny for a very short amount of time and it will fly by.  Breastfeeding is really important and it will take time to master and it will be time consuming at first, but before you know it your baby will be feeding faster and sleeping longer and you'll wonder why you were even worried in the first place.  Take these first few precious months, take a seat and feed your baby.

The first few weeks are going to fly by and you are going to be busy feeding and healing and getting to know your baby (not to mention the dirty nappies that Dad will be changing).  It can be hard to get out of the house for errands that don't involve family, breastfeeding support groups or Doctor visits.  Invest a little money in some great value nursing bras that will help you through this transitional time from pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding.  Transitional nursing bras can accomodate small changes in cup size so that when your milk volume increases after birth you won't need to think about which nursing bra to wear.  They are also seamless and super comfy to sleep in and wear all day long.  Because they can accomodate small changes in size they only come in a few sizes and are easy to fit too from bands 32-44 and cups A-H.  Check out these Nursing Sleep Bras from BoobieMilk starting at just £10.