The post Bonding with baby through feeding + Medela GIVEAWAY appeared first on All Mum Said.
]]>Bringing a new baby home is an amazing feeling. It is exciting. It is scary. It can be very overwhelming but it can also be the most important time of your life. Being able to bond with your baby is such a magical and unexplainable sentiment and for many women breastfeeding helps to establish this deep connection with our baby. Because of this we always hear about how important it is for women to breastfeed because of the advantages it gives both mum and baby but what about dads?
How are dads supposed to bond with their babies when they can’t breastfeed? With teamwork is how. The benefits of mum expressing milk help not only her but also dad and baby. First time dads especially feel like they are left out of the process when it comes to feeding so when a women expresses milk it not only gives dad a chance to bond with his baby through feeding; it also allows the baby’s mum a chance to enjoy a cup of tea/coffee, enjoy a sleep in or even be able to embrace her partner enjoying the closeness of their baby. As I said it’s magical. Even though dads don’t often express their needs where their baby is concerned, dads want to be able to feel this closeness and bond with their baby just as much as mums do. Bonding with your baby through feeding is a great place to start which is easy for mothers who breastfeed and often why they express breast milk.
There are so many breast pumps on the market that it makes it hard to know which one will be suited to you, which pumps works and which ones are a waste of money. My younger sister and brother-in-law have just experienced the beauty of bringing their first baby into the world which also meant she had been searching for the right breast pump in preparation of their baby being born. She was anticipating returning to work and expressing is a must for her as she wanted to breastfeed her son. She also wanted her partner to be able to experience the feeding process and do night feeds (because no one wants to get up every single time). This is when I received an email asking if I wanted to review the Medela Swing Maxi Double Electric Breast Pump. I called my sister and asked her if she was interested and she was beyond thrilled because she was looking at Medela for her pump mainly because she had heard nothing but great reviews. This particular pump retails for $449.00.
Set Up and Cleaning
The first thing I noticed about the pump after opening the box and taking all the parts out of their individually sealed bags was how simple it is to set up. Without even looking at the directions you can see exactly what fits where. Once I had it all together, I checked the instructions to ensure I set it up properly and to my surprise they are extremely simple and easy to understand. Don’t be scared by the size of the manual.
Before using the Medela breast pump; I sterilised all the equipment. Step by step directions on how to clean are included in the manual which makes it basically fool proof. This can be done by hand washing, putting through the dishwasher or boiling. It took minimal time from start to finish to take apart the breast pump and clean it which is made even more enticing by the fact that all the parts are easy to wipe dry or can be left on a cloth to air dry.
Using the Breast Pump
I think what makes the Medela swing stand out compared to other pumps is the ‘2 phase expression’; which is the 2 stimulation phases that mimics the breastfeeding rhythm. The first stage encourages a milk let down and after 2 minutes the pump will automatically change to the second phase; the ‘expression’ phase, which imitates a long sucking motion similar to the one of a baby. If your milk starts to flow prior to the second phase, you can press the button and it will start the expression phase. I personally found it never took more than 30 seconds to get a good flow to then switch to the expression but as everyone is different you may need the full two minutes in stage one. Both stages are exceptionally comfortable and gentle on the breasts and nipples and the vacuum can be adjusted to suit your need at the time. I used mine mainly as my milk was ‘coming in’ days after my baby was born and there were times my breasts were too sore to even touch yet I could still use the Medela breast pump comfortably.
It took me approximately 10 minutes to pump both breasts and I would get around 100mL from each. What made it even easier was after you finish pumping you can just pop the storage lids in the bottles and store right in the fridge until they are needed. I use the double pump most frequently but it can also be used as a single pump, either of options offer the same great performance.
My favourite part about this pump is the fact that I was able to express breastmilk for my partner to be able to feed bub. It not only allowed him to provide our baby his feeds throughout the night when I needed that extra sleep but he was also given the opportunity to experience that special bonding time that without the pump he wouldn’t be able to do.
Storage
If there wasn’t enough to love about this pump already, the lack of space it requires to store should be added to the list. I was able to keep it in a container on a cupboard shelf where it took up minimal room. The Medela Swing Breast Pump is very portable as you are able to clip the motor onto your clothes and move around the house or store in your handbag for use while out and about thanks to it having the option to operate on batteries (6 AAA).
Pros
The efficiency from start to finish makes a light work load of expressing breast milk thanks to the simultaneous expression in combination with the 2-Phase which ultimately saves you time. The range of vacuum levels and settings allows you to be in control of your comfort and still gain maximum efficiency from the breast pump.
The Medela breast pump is very easy to assemble, use, clean and store. Thanks to how light and compact the pump is, it makes expressing flexible by offering use on batteries or the main adapter.
It allows my baby the opportunity to bond with his dad through feeding.
Cons
It’s very hard to fault this pump! I found that while pumping you have to hold a constant pressure with the shield onto your breast which can become difficult while you’re double pumping. This can be resolved by purchasing an ‘easy expression bustier’ which allows hands-free expressing.
I also noticed the pump makes a bit of noise during use and the harder you set your vacuum the louder it becomes.
This kit contains everything a mother needs in those first few weeks of breastfeeding and expressing. It offers an easy and safe way to collect and store breast milk in addition to feeding while containing products that help make mum more comfortable and sooth sensitive nipples for months to come.
This Medela breastfeeding starter kit contains:
• 1x Calma, breastmilk feeding device (specially designed teat that mimics the natural rhythm of breastfeeding)
• 2x 150ml Bottles with multi lids
• 12x Disposable nursing pads
• 1x Purelan 100 7g
• 1x Quick clean microwave bag
• 5x pump and save bags
The Calma lets your baby feed in a way that is similar to breastfeeding which allows for easy transition between the two. Thanks to its one size and shape fits all, your baby will be satisfied from birth until weaning off milk. Just like a nipple.
This kit is suitable for every woman that is breastfeeding or expressing and is the number one choice of hospitals and mothers. I highly recommend it for all your storing, feeding, breast care and breastmilk management in those first few weeks and months! RRP $49.90.
Prize Includes: 1x Medela Breastfeeding Starter Pack. RRP $49.90.
**As the winners are chosen based on skill and not chance; you will be sharing for 0 extra entries however I’d love you to share the giveaway with friends and family. Sharing is caring and karma loves kind people. **
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Terms & Conditions:
1. Australian residents only.
2. Judges decisions is final
3. Winners must make contact within 72 hours.
4. This is a game of skill. Chance plays no part!
Therefore no extra points are given for sharing however it is good karma!!
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Disclosure: I received the above product for the purpose of this review. All opinions are my own and my sisters.
The post Bonding with baby through feeding + Medela GIVEAWAY appeared first on All Mum Said.
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