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Patio Gardening: A Farmer in the Making

New Post has been published on http://ourlittledinosaur.azurewebsites.net/patio-gardening-a-farmer-in-the-making/

Patio Gardening: A Farmer in the Making

Moss Sphere Salad Planter

For a few months now I have wanted to do the moss ball salad greens thing. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, it’s all the rage. Check out this video!

A Visit to the Nursery

A couple weeks ago we went to our local nursery to see if they had the moss spheres in stock. What we discovered was even better.

As we walked around looking at all the plants, I noticed an event flyer and gave it a once over. Lo and behold they were going to have a class on edible gardens the following week! My husband and I got really excited and decided we would attend the class.

So a week went by and we went to the class. We learned so much! The gardening expert talked about fertilizing and watering, and all sorts of tips and tricks to aid us in our gardening adventure. After the lesson, we got started. We picked out our plants, and followed along as the leader walked us through what to do.

Hanging Basket Edible Garden

Between the two of us, we ended up making three hanging baskets. Here in South Texas we have two growing seasons, so one of our baskets we filled with Strawberry plants that we will harvest in the Springtime. The other two we filled with salad greens and common herbs we use in the kitchen. Once they fill out, we can just snip off the bit of salad we need, and set it on the dinner table. Pretty cool, huh? I really want to cut down on our groceries in this respect, not to mention waste. Oftentimes, I will buy a bag of salad greens and won’t be able to get through it before it spoils (usually because I am the only one eating them). When we lived in our house, we were able to plant some different greens and lots of herbs, but we had to say goodbye to many of the things we planted when we moved into our apartment.

Headed Home – Never a Dull Moment

So we finished our baskets, paid for them, then headed home to set them up on our patio. My husband and I were chatting about this and that, very excited to get to garden again.

Then I heard a gagging sound and turned in horror to see my son vomit up a mixture of milk and…you guessed it! Dirt. Once I ascertained that he was ok and we didn’t need to pull the car over, I had to laugh. He was still reaching out to grab at the planter we had set next to him on the seat. He still had a fist-full of dirt and was trying to shovel it into his mouth. He had completely uprooted a strawberry plant, so while turned awkwardly in my seat, I replanted it as best as I could, then played referee between my son and the planter, as he kept finding gaps to grab at the dirt.

Gardening on the Patio

Naturally when we got home, we had a certain amount of cleaning up to do, but our joy was not quashed by my son’s little mishap. We were all three in good spirits and still very much looking forward to replanting some of the plants we had salvaged from our home and care for our new edible garden.

My Son’s First Gardening Adventure

We stuck a pair of sweatpants on my son, so that his knees wouldn’t get scraped up on the concrete from the patio, then let him loose. He had a blast! Forgive the juvenile adage, but…it was the best day ever! We had several pots that just had dirt with nothing planted in them. We decided to dump all this soil into our largest pot and start with fresh soil and replant a few of the edibles we’d had for a while.

As we did this, my son stood over a pot and proceeded to take dirt by the handful and simply throw it on the ground. Every now and again he would pause to “taste” something he had found. At one point I had to fish around in his mouth, where I recovered two small rocks he was storing in his little cheeks like a chipmunk! He was a crack up!

A Farmer in the Making

He even grabbed a spade we had left near him and dug around in the dirt with it. I wish I could relate the joy both my husband and I experienced watching our son enjoying the outdoors and quite literally playing in the dirt! He even chased a little spider around for a while.

For us, it was a glimpse of what’s to come. We are really working towards the goal of owning some property and having a small farm one day. We really want that for our son, as we both experienced our grandparents’ farms as children. It truly was such an awesome day!

But for now, my husband and I make plans (read our story here on my husband’s blog), while my son and I go out every morning after breakfast and care for our little patio garden and do the watering. He absolutely loves it and it’s such a pleasant time to spend together.

Our Hanging Baskets

I know, I know, they aren’t hanging. Turns out the arch of our apartment patio is concrete, so we are still brainstorming how to make these hang. In the meantime, they are still lovely to look at on plant stands.

Also keep in mind they will fill in A LOT, so look for a future post about how they turn out!

This planter contains two types of lettuce, as well as two types of Basil. We are especially excited about the Cinnamon Basil, which we intend to test out in drinks, such as tea and maybe even as a flavoring in water. The Basil will die off this winter, so we’ll harvest what we can and dry the leaves and store.

    This basket contains Kale and what I like to call, savory herbs, such as Oregano, Parsley, Sage, and Thyme. Hmm…seems like we’re missing one… Don’t worry, the Rosemary is in it’s own pot. It’s a little too aggressive to plant in with the others.

      I can’t wait to harvest these strawberries in the spring and can our all-fruit jam! Did you know that the strawberry leaves can be used to help with stomach ache? 

Genesis 1:12

“And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.”

What about you?

What hobbies do you enjoy? What experiences do you really want your children to have? We really want to know!

  Like this post? Help us and others by Sharing!

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[ourlittledinosaur]

Patio Gardening: A Farmer in the Making

New Post has been published on http://ourlittledinosaur.com/patio-gardening-a-farmer-in-the-making/

Patio Gardening: A Farmer in the Making

Moss Sphere Salad Planter

For a few months now I have wanted to do the moss ball salad greens thing. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, it’s all the rage. Check out this video!

A Visit to the Nursery

A couple weeks ago we went to our local nursery to see if they had the moss spheres in stock. What we discovered was even better.

As we walked around looking at all the plants, I noticed an event flyer and gave it a once over. Lo and behold they were going to have a class on edible gardens the following week! My husband and I got really excited and decided we would attend the class.

So a week went by and we went to the class. We learned so much! The gardening expert talked about fertilizing and watering, and all sorts of tips and tricks to aid us in our gardening adventure. After the lesson, we got started. We picked out our plants, and followed along as the leader walked us through what to do.

Hanging Basket Edible Garden

Between the two of us, we ended up making three hanging baskets. Here in South Texas we have two growing seasons, so one of our baskets we filled with Strawberry plants that we will harvest in the Springtime. The other two we filled with salad greens and common herbs we use in the kitchen. Once they fill out, we can just snip off the bit of salad we need, and set it on the dinner table. Pretty cool, huh? I really want to cut down on our groceries in this respect, not to mention waste. Oftentimes, I will buy a bag of salad greens and won’t be able to get through it before it spoils (usually because I am the only one eating them). When we lived in our house, we were able to plant some different greens and lots of herbs, but we had to say goodbye to many of the things we planted when we moved into our apartment.

Headed Home – Never a Dull Moment

So we finished our baskets, paid for them, then headed home to set them up on our patio. My husband and I were chatting about this and that, very excited to get to garden again.

Then I heard a gagging sound and turned in horror to see my son vomit up a mixture of milk and…you guessed it! Dirt. Once I ascertained that he was ok and we didn’t need to pull the car over, I had to laugh. He was still reaching out to grab at the planter we had set next to him on the seat. He still had a fist-full of dirt and was trying to shovel it into his mouth. He had completely uprooted a strawberry plant, so while turned awkwardly in my seat, I replanted it as best as I could, then played referee between my son and the planter, as he kept finding gaps to grab at the dirt.

Gardening on the Patio

Naturally when we got home, we had a certain amount of cleaning up to do, but our joy was not quashed by my son’s little mishap. We were all three in good spirits and still very much looking forward to replanting some of the plants we had salvaged from our home and care for our new edible garden.

My Son’s First Gardening Adventure

We stuck a pair of sweatpants on my son, so that his knees wouldn’t get scraped up on the concrete from the patio, then let him loose. He had a blast! Forgive the juvenile adage, but…it was the best day ever! We had several pots that just had dirt with nothing planted in them. We decided to dump all this soil into our largest pot and start with fresh soil and replant a few of the edibles we’d had for a while.

As we did this, my son stood over a pot and proceeded to take dirt by the handful and simply throw it on the ground. Every now and again he would pause to “taste” something he had found. At one point I had to fish around in his mouth, where I recovered two small rocks he was storing in his little cheeks like a chipmunk! He was a crack up!

A Farmer in the Making

He even grabbed a spade we had left near him and dug around in the dirt with it. I wish I could relate the joy both my husband and I experienced watching our son enjoying the outdoors and quite literally playing in the dirt! He even chased a little spider around for a while.

For us, it was a glimpse of what’s to come. We are really working towards the goal of owning some property and having a small farm one day. We really want that for our son, as we both experienced our grandparents’ farms as children. It truly was such an awesome day!

But for now, my husband and I make plans (read our story here on my husband’s blog), while my son and I go out every morning after breakfast and care for our little patio garden and do the watering. He absolutely loves it and it’s such a pleasant time to spend together.

Our Hanging Baskets

I know, I know, they aren’t hanging. Turns out the arch of our apartment patio is concrete, so we are still brainstorming how to make these hang. In the meantime, they are still lovely to look at on plant stands.

Also keep in mind they will fill in A LOT, so look for a future post about how they turn out!

This planter contains two types of lettuce, as well as two types of Basil. We are especially excited about the Cinnamon Basil, which we intend to test out in drinks, such as tea and maybe even as a flavoring in water. The Basil will die off this winter, so we’ll harvest what we can and dry the leaves and store.

    This basket contains Kale and what I like to call, savory herbs, such as Oregano, Parsley, Sage, and Thyme. Hmm…seems like we’re missing one… Don’t worry, the Rosemary is in it’s own pot. It’s a little too aggressive to plant in with the others.

      I can’t wait to harvest these strawberries in the spring and can our all-fruit jam! Did you know that the strawberry leaves can be used to help with stomach ache? 

Genesis 1:12

“And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.”

What about you?

What hobbies do you enjoy? What experiences do you really want your children to have? We really want to know!

  Like this post? Help us and others by Sharing!

Share List

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[ourlittledinosaur]

Lip Ties, Tongue Ties, and Breastfeeding

New Post has been published on http://ourlittledinosaur.azurewebsites.net/lip-ties-tongue-ties-and-breastfeeding/

Lip Ties, Tongue Ties, and Breastfeeding

My Experience with Lip and Tongue Ties

My son had trouble from the beginning latching on to breastfeed. When my milk came in three days after he was born, he was really struggling because my breasts were so full. (That can be difficult for any newborn even without ties).

I had a lactation consultant out and she watched us through the feeding and gave us some tips and gave us an A+. I guess because I had studied so much, I must have been compensating for any issues that were happening, because the outward perception was we were doing great.

By day five, I knew we were having a problem because he was hungry and frustrated but he wouldn’t eat. The LC had mentioned a possible lip tie, but I didn’t know what that was so it didn’t click for me that he had a birth defect. I just thought I wasn’t doing something right. On top of that, my nipples hurt. They were cracked and bleeding. (To read about those first days breastfeeding my son, click here.)

We went in for his check ups and he wasn’t gaining weight at all, so we started supplementing and went back to the LC. Now that he was a little older she said the tie wasn’t stretching and recommended we have it released. His tongue also looked fine, but as we found out at the pediatric dentist, he had a posterior tongue tie in addition to the lip tie.

When my son was just three weeks old we had both his lip tie and tongue tie revised with a surgery called a frenectomy.

What are Tongue Ties and How Do They Affect Breastfeeding?

I didn’t know anything about ties, so hopefully this will enlighten any of our readers. Basically, all over our bodies we have various frenulum, which is a small fold of tissue that prevents an organ in the body from moving too far. This tissue in my son’s upper lip and under his tongue were too restrictive, and both can cause problems with feeding, especially breastfeeding, (although it can cause issues with bottle feeding as well).

A tongue tie hinders the up-and-down motion of the tongue, which affects breastfeeding in that it is directly linked to low milk supply because there is not enough milk extracted from the breast.

With a posterior tongue-tie, the tongue does not extend over the gum, which causes the tongue to chew, or as I like to call it, “chomp” on the nipple.

How Do Lip Ties Affect Breastfeeding?

With a lip tie, the baby is unable to latch effectively. This is because the lip is hindered from flanging outward during a feeding. The mouth is unable to open wide and a smaller mouth opening means a shallower latch. So all the pain I was feeling was a combination of the tongue chewing on my nipple and my son sliding his latch down to just nurse on the nipple.

When breastfeeding correctly, you want a deep latch that includes the areola as well as the nipple. The lips form a much more effective seal when it is formed with the mucous membrane inside the lip, rather than the dry part of the outward lip. (This latch is correct, and thus pain-free!)

These ties were causing pain for me and beginning to cause me to have low milk supply because my son wasn’t able to latch properly or extract enough milk. In turn, this caused him to not gain weight and get labeled FTT.

Surgery to Release the Ties

The out-patient surgery, (or surgeries I should say), were very quick. Of course, before the surgery I was extremely emotional (being just three weeks postpartum, plus all we had been through with his sluggish weight gain and the crazy feeding routine we were following to get him to gain). It was the first time our son had ever been out of sight of either my husband or me.

Our pediatric dentist was  recommended to us by my lactation consultant and he was such a kind and reassuring doctor. He was great with our tiny son and with us. When I inevitably started the waterworks, he said gently, “It’ll be OK mom.”

So they took my son into the other room and he had the laser surgery to remove both ties. It took less than 15 minutes. Due to the fact it was a laser surgery, there was no bleeding and very little inflammation. We were told we could give him Tylenol and use a numbing agent if needed. The only post-op care he needed, besides the mild pain relief, was very simple. We had to run our finger over the wounds both under his lip and under his tongue to keep the frenulum from reattaching.

We were also advised not to use coconut oil to aid in achieving a deeper latch, because it was such an effective healing agent.

Did Releasing the Ties Aid Breastfeeding?

The short answer is, yes. Some people see results right away and for others it takes time. We fell into the latter category. I believe that in those three weeks my son hadn’t been building the muscles he needed to breastfeed, so he had a lot of weaknesses in his mouth and jaw. We saw a speech pathologist to help strengthen these weaknesses. The release of both the lip and tongue tie, coupled with the help of the speech pathologist did lead to my son’s exclusively breastfeeding before he turned 3 months old.

Why Go Through All the Trouble to Breastfeed?

It was very important to both my husband and to me that I breastfeed my son. There are so many incredible benefits to breastfeeding a baby.

Also, lip and tongue ties can lead to other issues besides early feeding struggles, to include:

trouble with feeding an older baby or toddler solids,

speech challenges, and

dental problems.

So although breastfeeding was our main catalyst for having the ties released, we wanted to help our son avoid additional challenges later on as well.

For more information about the benefits of breastfeeding, read 15 Amazing Benefits of Breastfeeding.

Tell Us About Your Experience and Leave a Comment Below!

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4: 6-7

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Lip Ties, Tongue Ties, and Breastfeeding

New Post has been published on http://ourlittledinosaur.com/lip-ties-tongue-ties-and-breastfeeding/

Lip Ties, Tongue Ties, and Breastfeeding

My Experience with Lip and Tongue Ties

My son had trouble from the beginning latching on to breastfeed. When my milk came in three days after he was born, he was really struggling because my breasts were so full. (That can be difficult for any newborn even without ties).

I had a lactation consultant out and she watched us through the feeding and gave us some tips and gave us an A+. I guess because I had studied so much, I must have been compensating for any issues that were happening, because the outward perception was we were doing great.

By day five, I knew we were having a problem because he was hungry and frustrated but he wouldn’t eat. The LC had mentioned a possible lip tie, but I didn’t know what that was so it didn’t click for me that he had a birth defect. I just thought I wasn’t doing something right. On top of that, my nipples hurt. They were cracked and bleeding. (To read about those first days breastfeeding my son, click here.)

We went in for his check ups and he wasn’t gaining weight at all, so we started supplementing and went back to the LC. Now that he was a little older she said the tie wasn’t stretching and recommended we have it released. His tongue also looked fine, but as we found out at the pediatric dentist, he had a posterior tongue tie in addition to the lip tie.

When my son was just three weeks old we had both his lip tie and tongue tie revised with a surgery called a frenectomy.

What are Tongue Ties and How Do They Affect Breastfeeding?

I didn’t know anything about ties, so hopefully this will enlighten any of our readers. Basically, all over our bodies we have various frenulum, which is a small fold of tissue that prevents an organ in the body from moving too far. This tissue in my son’s upper lip and under his tongue were too restrictive, and both can cause problems with feeding, especially breastfeeding, (although it can cause issues with bottle feeding as well).

A tongue tie hinders the up-and-down motion of the tongue, which affects breastfeeding in that it is directly linked to low milk supply because there is not enough milk extracted from the breast.

With a posterior tongue-tie, the tongue does not extend over the gum, which causes the tongue to chew, or as I like to call it, “chomp” on the nipple.

How Do Lip Ties Affect Breastfeeding?

With a lip tie, the baby is unable to latch effectively. This is because the lip is hindered from flanging outward during a feeding. The mouth is unable to open wide and a smaller mouth opening means a shallower latch. So all the pain I was feeling was a combination of the tongue chewing on my nipple and my son sliding his latch down to just nurse on the nipple.

When breastfeeding correctly, you want a deep latch that includes the areola as well as the nipple. The lips form a much more effective seal when it is formed with the mucous membrane inside the lip, rather than the dry part of the outward lip. (This latch is correct, and thus pain-free!)

These ties were causing pain for me and beginning to cause me to have low milk supply because my son wasn’t able to latch properly or extract enough milk. In turn, this caused him to not gain weight and get labeled FTT.

Surgery to Release the Ties

The out-patient surgery, (or surgeries I should say), were very quick. Of course, before the surgery I was extremely emotional (being just three weeks postpartum, plus all we had been through with his sluggish weight gain and the crazy feeding routine we were following to get him to gain). It was the first time our son had ever been out of sight of either my husband or me.

Our pediatric dentist was  recommended to us by my lactation consultant and he was such a kind and reassuring doctor. He was great with our tiny son and with us. When I inevitably started the waterworks, he said gently, “It’ll be OK mom.”

So they took my son into the other room and he had the laser surgery to remove both ties. It took less than 15 minutes. Due to the fact it was a laser surgery, there was no bleeding and very little inflammation. We were told we could give him Tylenol and use a numbing agent if needed. The only post-op care he needed, besides the mild pain relief, was very simple. We had to run our finger over the wounds both under his lip and under his tongue to keep the frenulum from reattaching.

We were also advised not to use coconut oil to aid in achieving a deeper latch, because it was such an effective healing agent.

Did Releasing the Ties Aid Breastfeeding?

The short answer is, yes. Some people see results right away and for others it takes time. We fell into the latter category. I believe that in those three weeks my son hadn’t been building the muscles he needed to breastfeed, so he had a lot of weaknesses in his mouth and jaw. We saw a speech pathologist to help strengthen these weaknesses. The release of both the lip and tongue tie, coupled with the help of the speech pathologist did lead to my son’s exclusively breastfeeding before he turned 3 months old.

Why Go Through All the Trouble to Breastfeed?

It was very important to both my husband and to me that I breastfeed my son. There are so many incredible benefits to breastfeeding a baby.

Also, lip and tongue ties can lead to other issues besides early feeding struggles, to include:

trouble with feeding an older baby or toddler solids,

speech challenges, and

dental problems.

So although breastfeeding was our main catalyst for having the ties released, we wanted to help our son avoid additional challenges later on as well.

For more information about the benefits of breastfeeding, read 15 Amazing Benefits of Breastfeeding.

Tell Us About Your Experience and Leave a Comment Below!

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4: 6-7

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6 Tips and Tricks for Efficient Pumping

New Post has been published on http://ourlittledinosaur.azurewebsites.net/6-tips-and-tricks-for-efficient-pumping/

6 Tips and Tricks for Efficient Pumping

6 Tips and Tricks for Efficient Pumping

Your baby finally fell asleep! You want to pump and you only have 15 minutes because, let’s face it, you need a nap too. How can you get the best “bang for your buck” so to speak when it comes to pumping?

Keep reading for 6 tips on how to pump most efficiently.

1. Don’t get discouraged.

Let your body get used to pumping.

If you’re just starting out, you’re not going to get as much as you will once your body grows accustom to your pump. Our bodies weren’t designed to produce milk for a machine. They were designed to produce milk for the sweet, warm bundle of joy you nourish.

So keep at it. Once your body realizes it’s safe to letdown for your pump, it will. Though, under normal circumstances, you will never pump as much as your baby can transfer, so don’t get discouraged by the amount in the bottle either. Every drop of liquid gold is a blessing.

2. Relax.

There’s an element of instinct when it comes to milk production. In a flight or fight situation OR when you’re under stress, your breasts aren’t going to want to respond with the ample supply of milk that flows so well in response to happy hormones. So when it comes to pumping (and nursing too), it’s important to relax.

Grab a book, warm some tea, and, my favorite, eat a cookie. Favorite recipe here. You want to activate those lovely happy hormones (prolactin and oxytocin)  to get your milk flowing.

I’ll never forget when the LC came out to my home for the first time and showed me how to use my pump. We were manipulating the breast tissue in the pump and a loud pfft escaped. Like an adolescent, I cracked up laughing. I immediately had a letdown, which my LC attributed and announced was due to a lovely…boob fart.

3. Use the Correct Flange Size.

Usually pumps come with a standard flange which varies by brand. And let’s face it, boobs are not one size fits all and neither is the size flange, which is actually determined by the size of the nipple, not the breast.

Correct flange size is critical for comfortable pumping. Ideally, one should be able to use the highest setting on your pump for the purpose of drainage, without pain.

Flanges are too small if the nipple is being pinched or touches the wall of the flange. Small flanges cause problems with draining, not to mention a lot of pain.

Flanges are too large if breast tissue is being pulled up into the small cylindrical part of the flange. This can caused pinched ducts farther up the breast, which can also hinder proper draining of the breast.

Flanges that fit correctly will, first and foremost, be comfortable. With the breast shield in place, the nipple will  move easily as the pump stimulates and extracts the milk. The areola will constrict slightly (but not painfully – similar to when a baby nurses) which also aids in stimulating for optimum milk transfer.

Flanges of different sizes and for different pump brands can be purchased when the size provided with your pump doesn’t fit properly.

Keep in mind that the size of flange you need for one breast may differ from the size needed for the other. Get what you need! Don’t sacrifice your nipples!

I bought my Spectra flanges on Amazon, which also carries Medela, a very popular brand for pumping. Other brands of pumping accessories can also be found and purchased.

(Medela kits also work with hospital grade pumps, which you can rent at fairly reasonable costs. If you’re struggling with supply, using a hospital grade pump may be a help to you. Ask your LC!)

4. Make Certain the Nipple is Centered

This may seem easier said than done, especially when manipulating the breast and breaking suction can cause precious milk to leak out and make a mess.

In my experience, it’s best to get everything situated during the two minute stimulation phase, rather than the extraction phase.

Center the breast shield around your nipple. If necessary, move some of the breast tissue up into the shield a bit. This can help avoid “wandering nipples” as my lactation consultant calls them. (Experiment to be sure scrunching the breast tissue doesn’t hinder the flow and emptying of the breast.)

If one or both of your nipples look like it’s going off to one side (a.k.a. Wandering Nipples), slowly pull the breast tissue away from the direction it’s leaning. Be sure to hold the flange so that the whole thing doesn’t come off. Also be sure the milk flow is going down and away from your body so that if the suction does break, you aren’t mourning the loss of that precious liquid.

5. Be Handsy. Shake. Massage. Do Compressions.

What do I mean by handsy? Well, I mean get in there and see what makes your milk flow. Don’t be shy.

Shake.

Quite literally shake your breasts out before pumping (and nursing) to loosen the fatty milk in the ducts. This makes it easier to get the hind milk when you experience letdown and extract a great volume as well.

Breast massage.

Doing breast massage before pumping (and nursing) is also effective at loosening the milk in the ducts. Start up and out, away from your nipple and work down and in, towards the nipple in long, downward strokes. Don’t forget the tissue near your armpits as milk can be stored there as well.

Breast Compressions.

Using breast compressions can potentially increase the extracted volume of milk by 50% or more. Breast tissue can be found all the way up near your armpits, so get to squeezing and see what works the best. See technique here.

6. Twisted Nipple Trick

Say what?! Yes, you heard me but don’t go hurting yourself. Milk ducts don’t always form a nice straight line like anatomical diagrams may suggest. In fact, they can be a lot like a wet noodle, so sometimes changing the direction of the breast can help a bit.

To do the “twist”, simply take the flange and gently twist 90 degrees one way and then the other. See what happens.

This is not an exhaustive list of tricks while pumping, but it’s a start. Everyone is different so what works for one person may not work for another and vice verse, so don’t be afraid to experiment and see what works best for you!

Bonus Tip:

Use your nursing bra or camisole to hold your pump in place, so you can be hands free!

For all you seasoned pumpers, what tricks have you found helpful?

“If the LORD is pleased with us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us—a land which flows with milk and honey.” Numbers 14:8

Related Topics: Oops, I Just Pumped and My Baby is Hungry

Read About My Breastfeeding Journey: Prayer, Perseverance, and the Path to 100% Breast Milk

Like this post? Help us and others by Sharing!

Share List

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6 Tips and Tricks for Efficient Pumping

New Post has been published on http://ourlittledinosaur.com/6-tips-and-tricks-for-efficient-pumping/

6 Tips and Tricks for Efficient Pumping

6 Tips and Tricks for Efficient Pumping

Your baby finally fell asleep! You want to pump and you only have 15 minutes because, let’s face it, you need a nap too. How can you get the best “bang for your buck” so to speak when it comes to pumping?

Keep reading for 6 tips on how to pump most efficiently.

1. Don’t get discouraged.

Let your body get used to pumping.

If you’re just starting out, you’re not going to get as much as you will once your body grows accustom to your pump. Our bodies weren’t designed to produce milk for a machine. They were designed to produce milk for the sweet, warm bundle of joy you nourish.

So keep at it. Once your body realizes it’a safe to letdown for your pump, it will. Though, under normal circumstances, you will never pump as much as your baby can transfer, so don’t get discouraged by the amount in the bottle either. Every drop of liquid gold is a blessing.

2. Relax.

There’s an element of instinct when it comes to milk production. In a flight or fight situation OR when you’re under stress, your breasts aren’t going to want to respond with the ample supply of milk that flows so well in response to happy hormones. So when it comes to pumping (and nursing too), it’s important to relax.

Grab a book, warm some tea, and, my favorite, eat a cookie. Favorite recipe here. You want to activate those lovely happy hormones (prolactin and oxytocin)  to get your milk flowing.

I’ll never forget when the LC came out to my home for the first time and showed me how to use my pump. We were manipulating the breast tissue in the pump and a loud pfft escaped. Like an adolescent, I cracked up laughing. I immediately had a letdown, which my LC attributed and announced was due to a lovely…boob fart.

3. Use the Correct Flange Size.

Usually pumps come with a standard flange which varies by brand. And let’s face it, boobs are not one size fits all and neither is the size flange, which is actually determined by the size of the nipple, not the breast.

Correct flange size is critical for comfortable pumping. Ideally, one should be able to use the highest setting on your pump for the purpose of drainage, without pain.

Flanges are too small if the nipple is being pinched or touches the wall of the flange. Small flanges cause problems with draining, not to mention a lot of pain.

Flanges are too large if breast tissue is being pulled up into the small cylindrical part of the flange. This can caused pinched ducts farther up the breast, which can also hinder proper draining of the breast.

Flanges that fit correctly will, first and foremost, be comfortable. With the breast shield in place, the nipple will  move easily as the pump stimulates and extracts the milk. The areola will constrict slightly (but not painfully – similar to when a baby nurses) which also aids in stimulating for optimum milk transfer.

Flanges of different sizes and for different pump brands can be purchased when the size provided with your pump doesn’t fit properly.

Keep in mind that the size of flange you need for one breast may differ from the size needed for the other. Get what you need! Don’t sacrifice your nipples!

I bought my Spectra flanges on Amazon, which also carries Medela, a very popular brand for pumping. Other brands of pumping accessories can also be found and purchased.

(Medela kits also work with hospital grade pumps, which you can rent at fairly reasonable costs. If you’re struggling with supply, using a hospital grade pump may be a help to you. Ask your LC!)

4. Make Certain the Nipple is Centered

This may seem easier said than done, especially when manipulating the breast and breaking suction can cause precious milk to leak out and make a mess.

In my experience, it’s best to get everything situated during the two minute stimulation phase, rather than the extraction phase.

Center the breast shield around your nipple. If necessary, move some of the breast tissue up into the shield a bit. This can help avoid “wandering nipples” as my lactation consultant calls them. (Experiment to be sure scrunching the breast tissue doesn’t hinder the flow and emptying of the breast.)

If one or both of your nipples look like it’s going off to one side (a.k.a. Wandering Nipples), slowly pull the breast tissue away from the direction it’s leaning. Be sure to hold the flange so that the whole thing doesn’t come off. Also be sure the milk flow is going down and away from your body so that if the suction does break, you aren’t mourning the loss of that precious liquid.

5. Be Handsy. Shake. Massage. Do Compressions.

What do I mean by handsy? Well, I mean get in there and see what makes your milk flow. Don’t be shy.

Shake.

Quite literally shake your breasts out before pumping (and nursing) to loosen the fatty milk in the ducts. This makes it easier to get the hind milk when you experience letdown and extract a great volume as well.

Breast massage.

Doing breast massage before pumping (and nursing) is also effective at loosening the milk in the ducts. Start up and out, away from your nipple and work down and in, towards the nipple in long, downward strokes. Don’t forget the tissue near your armpits as milk can be stored there as well.

Breast Compressions.

Using breast compressions can potentially increase the extracted volume of milk by 50% or more. Breast tissue can be found all the way up near your armpits, so get to squeezing and see what works the best. See technique here.

6. Twisted Nipple Trick

Say what?! Yes, you heard me but don’t go hurting yourself. Milk ducts don’t always form a nice straight line like anatomical diagrams may suggest. In fact, they can be a lot like a wet noodle, so sometimes changing the direction of the breast can help a bit.

To do the “twist”, simply take the flange and gently twist 90 degrees one way and then the other. See what happens.

This is not an exhaustive list of tricks while pumping, but it’s a start. Everyone is different so what works for one person may not work for another and vice verse, so don’t be afraid to experiment and see what works best for you!

Bonus Tip:

Use your nursing bra or camisole to hold your pump in place, so you can be hands free!

For all you seasoned pumpers, what tricks have you found helpful?

“If the LORD is pleased with us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us—a land which flows with milk and honey.” Numbers 14:8

Related Topics: Oops, I Just Pumped and My Baby is Hungry

Read About My Breastfeeding Journey: Prayer, Perseverance, and the Path to 100% Breast Milk

Like this post? Help us and others by Sharing!

Share List

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