If you feed your baby expressed breast milk in a bottle, no doubt you’ve been aware of the controversy surrounding BPA (Bisphenol-A) and are taking action to limit your baby’s exposure to a potentially harmful plastic.

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Green to Grow has generously offered to give away one of their bottles to a reader here!

Simply leave a comment, be sure to use a valid email address, and a winner will randomly be chosen on FRIDAY, AUGUST 21 at NOON Eastern time.

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Galactagogues, herbs used to increase breastmilk production in women, have been used for centuries by cultures all over the world. One mom reviewed a galactagogue tea here. Mother’s Milk is a breastfeeding tea and is available online or at larger health food or natural grocery stores.

Review: Traditional Medicinal’s Organic Mother’s Milk

I received a box of Traditional Medicinal’s Organic Mother’s Milk when I first started to breastfeed and found that I truly enjoyed it right from the start. I prefer this over Yogi’s Nursing Mother’s tea as this one tastes lighter and smoother. Mother’s Milk is a caffeine-free, all organic blend of herbs and spices designed to promote lactation in breastfeeding mothers.

Traditional Medicinals Mother’s Milk, 16-Count Boxes

Anise is a spice that I have never enjoyed. The fact that Mother’s Milk seems to use less of it than Yogi’s nursing tea is a plus for me. What I taste when I drink Mother’s Milk is a sort of sweet, yet a little spicy blend of herbs. It tastes best with a touch of honey. It also contains the herbs of fennel, fenugreek seed and coriander, which are a nice combination for a healthy milk supply. The blend of spices smells delicious too.

The way I prefer to drink this tea is cold. I brew a pot of this overnight, chill and drink cold throughout the day. Since there is a tiny hint of spearmint in it, it can be refreshing. This way I am getting in several cups on a daily basis. During the winter months, a warm cup can be soothing for the body.

My milk production has been steady and plentiful throughout the years, perhaps due to drinking this tea. This is also one of my favorite gifts to give a pregnant mother who has planned to breastfeed or still deciding to do so. Having a low milk supply is worrisome for many women and having this tea helps reduce that worry. A box of 16 bags costs around $5.

See also: Yogi Women’s Nursing Support Tea review

Medela Harmony Manual Breast Pump

Even though this is a manual pump and not an electrical one, it has been my favorite breast pump thus far. I use it for times when I’ll be away from baby for a night or during out of town trips away from baby where I’ll need to relieve the pressure and keep up my milk supply until I return. This pump costs around $25 and comes quite in handy for those who need a pump just some of the time rather than on a consistent basis.

I like how portable this pump is. There are three parts that must be assembled for each use. It is the base (with the breastshield), the handle and the bottle. The handle snaps right on top of the base and the bottle screws into the bottom to fill with milk. The breastshield is a soft, flexible plastic that fits over the breast. These can be unassembled and placed in a small travel bag which is easy for storage or for traveling.

The Medela manual pump is very easy to use and quite effective, too. I find that I can get more milk out with this than electrical brands. The handle has two methods of extracting the milk, called a 2-Phase Expression. One is to mimic the natural sucking that a baby does as soon as he latches on, which is rapid. The other has longer sucking strokes to mimic the natural rhythm of a baby as he drinks milk. The two of these are able to effectively extract the milk.

Medela Harmony Manual Breast Pump

Medela sells another manual breast pump that utilizes a long spring that attaches to the base, instead of the handle of the Harmony one. Be aware that this isn’t the same hand pump and this one actually works horribly and is not worth your money. The Harmony one, however, is the one I always recommend to other breastfeeding mothers who have tried various pumps and can’t seem to catch a break. They agree this one is easy to use and does work.

Getting a comfortable position for mom and baby for feeding time and achieving a good latch are so important to breastfeeding comfort and success. Breastfeeding support pillows can make this task a little easier since they lift baby to the proper position at the breast, allowing mom to nurse comfortably without straining.

My Brest Friend

Reviewed by Esperanza

My Brest Friend is a breastfeeding support pillow that is wrapped around the mom’s waist while she nurses her baby. Additionally, it can also be used for another parent or family member to wear as they bottle feed the baby. The pillow helps support the baby against your body, at the right angle to your breast for both the football hold and the cradle hold.

It is not the same as the Boppy which is a rounder, U-shaped pillow that fits around the front of the waist. My Brest Friend does wrap around your waist, but it is flat on the top and bottom so that the baby is more stabilized and will not roll. It clips towards the back and is adjustable so the pillow will not fall off or move if you move. It also has an elbow wrist for you as the mother and a flat pillow in the back to support your back.

What drew me into the My Brest Friend pillow rather than the Boppy pillow is that it stays securely on you and has small pockets on the side for things like lanolin cream or breast pads when you need to grab one really quick. I ended up giving this away as my child grew older and would no longer fit between the pillow and my breast. I believe that My Brest Friend is not intended for larger breasted women as there is less room for baby.

My Brest Friend Nursing Support Pillow

My Brest Friend comes in a variety of colors and designs and retails for $40 in stores and online. Slipcovers are also available in many designs for $20 a piece.

During pregnancy, mothers usually have to buy certain items such as clothes to accommodate the physical changes in the body. Similarly, during lactation, mothers can purchase gear that can assist and make the breastfeeding period much more convenient. Although, there is a vast range of breastfeeding products available in the market, mothers do not necessarily have to buy all of them. However, it is recommended that breastfeeding mothers purchase a few necessary items that can facilitate and ease breastfeeding for her and the child as well. Obtaining information about all such products and their benefits beforehand can assist mothers in purchasing them. Obviously, the internet provides a vast and unending source of information for popular brands that make good quality breastfeeding products. Some of the more needed and essential breastfeeding gear has been listed and explained below:

photo credit: moppet65535

Nursing Bras - During breastfeeding, the breasts need comfort and support that is provided by a bra. Usually normal bras cannot meet the comfort needs of a breastfeeding mother, while they are sometimes difficult to handle, they can also interfere with nursing a child and put strain on the breasts. Nursing bras, made from special and comfortable fabric can provide support and convenience during breastfeeding. They are stretchable to accommodate the changing cup size of the breast; they are comfortable and can prevent plugged milk ducts. It is preferable to buy a soft cup bra and to avoid under wired bras since they can put a strain on the breasts thereby, decreasing milk production. A nursing bra should open at both cups and should be handled with one hand; a good brand of nursing bras in Bravado Nursing Bra.

Breast Pumps ? A breast pump is one of the essential items for both working and non-working mothers since by the time the baby has established feeding from the breast, milk can be pumped, stored and fed to the baby using milk bottles. Breast pumps are used for this purpose; once again a variety of pumps are available and they can be bought depending upon frequency of use, efficiency and type. If the use of pumps is only occasional, a manual pump can be used but for mothers returning to work, a good quality single or double breast electric pump would be easier. Popular breast pumps are Medela style and pump style advanced, made by Medela.

Baby Slings - It is usually difficult to attend to an infant, get house work done and look after other children all at the same time. A baby sling can help make things easier and is also one of the most convenient items in taking care of a baby. It allows the mother to hold the infant for as long as both like, it reduces the crying of the baby by meeting its demand of being held and the mother can attend to other tasks at the same time. It can also help with the baby?s brain development since it can observe its surrounding with more ease and its senses are stimulated. Mothers can even breastfeed their baby discreetly in a baby sling. MayaWrap and Hug of Joy are two popular brands that make good quality baby slings.

Breastfeeding Pillows - These pillows can make breastfeeding not only highly comfortable for the mother and baby but they make breastfeeding effective and enjoyable as well. These pillows offer proper breastfeeding position for the baby, bringing it in direct contact with the nipple. The mother therefore, does not have to spend time discovering a comfortable breastfeeding position for the baby. The mother gets a comfortable breastfeeding position as well by putting less strain on her back, and she will not need to tire herself by holding the baby in her arms and she can nurse for as long as she wants or is needed.

Nursing Pads - They can be used when breasts start leaking automatically as a response to the baby?s need or time to be fed. Washable or disposable nursing pads can be placed in the bra to avoid making the leakage prominent. There are different types of pads catering to the varying needs of lactating women and a type most suitable to a particular leaking pattern should be bought. Two popular brands brands making different types of nursing pads are Avent and Medela.

Nursing Tops - These tops are convenient for mothers especially if they want to nurse their child in public without drawing a lot of attention. They are fashionable; there is no need of exposing the belly or even the whole breast to nurse effectively using nursing tops. Apart from various other nursing top manufacturing brands, Bumblebee contains a wide range of tops.

Many other items like breastfeeding ponchos, breast shields, boppy pillows, nursing stools are also popular items among breastfeeding mothers. They can even be given as popular baby shower gifts.

Reviewed by:  Esperanza

Yogi’s Woman’s Nursing Support Tea

I’ve been a faithful user of Yogi’s breastfeeding tea for two years now. Although I was not having problems with producing enough milk, I used the tea to keep my supply healthy and plentiful. While the breastfeeding tea is mainly for lactation purposes, it also is helpful for easing cramps when your uterus is returning to its original size after giving birth.

Yogi Tea Healing Formula, Woman’s Nursing Support Tea Bags

When I first started taking this tea, I wasn’t fond of the taste, mainly the anise seed in it. Over time, I became customized to it with a spoonful of honey. The chamomile in the tea is similar to the taste of green tea and helps calm the body. The anise seed and other spices gives it a mild spicy taste in addition to the green tea taste. Fenugreek is an ingredient used that helps promote lactation. I especially like the fact that it is made from all organic ingredients.

While the box indicates to drink three cups of this tea a day, I tend to only drink one per day and have seen positive results. For two years now, I’ve had a healthy supply of milk for my son. It has also been helpful for keeping up milk supply when away from home and returning to breastfeeding as normal with the same amount of milk as before.

Although the Yogi brand is sold in most grocery stores in the tea section or organic foods section, the breastfeeding variety is not so easy to find. I have been able to find this tea at Whole Foods and Amazon. A box is sold for $4.99 for 16 bags. If you follow the recommended use of three cups a day you will run out of this box in a week’s time. If your milk supply is at a healthy rate, I recommend one cup a day instead.

Role of health care professionals in supporting breastfeeding

Health care professionals and pediatricians can make the difference between mothers choosing breast milk for their babies and mothers choosing formula milk for their babies, that is, the role they play in this area can indirectly affect the baby’s long term health. The presence of properly educated and well informed health care experts in cities, towns and villages is important to widely advocate the practice of breastfeeding.

First of all, health care experts should get to know the pregnant women in their area, their medical condition and keep track of their progress. They should visit the mothers regularly during pregnancy and talk to them about breastfeeding, pointing out its benefits and long term effects; highlighting its requirements and techniques, ways to increase milk production and inform them about the release of hormones (prolactin and oxytocin) which are good for relaxing, so that they can form their decision well before the delivery. They should also make clear the risks for the baby when the mother chooses not to breastfeed; greater risk of infections, medical conditions and later medical problems.

Breast milk strengthens the immune system of the baby, decreases the risks of various diseases that can affect the baby during breastfeeding or through childhood. It also reduces risks of infant mortality, gives long term health benefits to the baby and improves the bond with the mother. Breastfeeding is also beneficial for the mother and helps her lose pregnancy weight quicker, delaying ovulation and consequently, pregnancy, reducing risk of ovarian and breast cancer and improving the mother’s bond with the baby. In addition to this, breastfeeding has economic and financial benefits as well by reducing costs of formula milk by up to $1000 per household, and saving money that would be spent on hospital bills by reducing risks of illnesses in the baby. So, it is vital to inform parents about the various benefits of breastfeeding and to provide moral support to the mother during pregnancy, after delivery and throughout the breastfeeding period.

On the part of hospitals, they can participate in campaigns to advocate breastfeeding by increasing health care staff such as lactation coordinators, nurses or physician assistants to help mothers in initiating breastfeeding right after delivery, discourage the use of bottles and formula milk (except in special conditions) and to educate about breast pumps and its uses. To facilitate breastfeeding health care experts should first of all, assess if there are any contraindications present such as in infants with galactosemia, mothers with certain medical conditions, mothers using illegal drugs and mothers using certain medicines.

Health care experts should be present during and after delivery so that they can assist mothers in initiating breastfeeding, placing infant in direct contact with the mother, helping in latching, and advising mothers to breastfeed after every couple hours and pointing out different and optimal breastfeeding positions. After a caesarean birth, advise positions comfortable for the mother during breastfeeding and for premature babies, advise getting expressed milk to feed the baby using breast pumps should be given. Information about the types of breast pumps available and some of the famous brands producing manual and electric breast pumps such as Medela breast pump producing Medela style and Medela style advanced breast pumps.

After the mother and baby have been discharged from the hospital, health experts should pay a visit in the first week to weight the infant, perform a physical examination, inquire about breast problems (engorgement, soreness etc.), inquire about the infant’s bowel movements and take notice of mother’s breastfeeding practices. Another visit should be paid after 2 to 3 weeks pointing out positive progress of the baby and discouraging any introduction of complementary foods at this point. Educating the mother about the appropriate time of adding complementary foods to the baby’s diet; listing the necessary nutrients and advising about food items good for baby’s growth and development should also be a part of the responsibility of health care experts at hospitals. Educating the mother about vitamin and mineral supplements and if the mother or baby are not doing well at any point, they should be referred to a lactation expert or support group immediately.

Discussing the mother’s plans of returning to work and informing her of the methods to continue breastfeeding the baby efficiently while she will be away from the baby should also be part of their duty. Working moms should be encouraged to use breast pumps at this point as a way to increase milk supply to meet baby’s demands. Moreover, the health care experts must be fully prepared to answer questions concerning the frequency of breastfeeding, methods to check the amount of milk taken, ways to deal with nipple soreness and other problems. Apart from paying visits at home, it is also important to stay in touch with the parents through the telephone and answering any of their queries. Health care experts are a vital source of information for parents to carry out breastfeeding and baby care as efficiently as possible, information that might not have been available to them through any other source.

Avent Washable Nursing Pads

Review submitted by Esper

Nursing pads really came in handy for me when I first started breastfeeding. I would leak milk on a consistent basis and wanted to keep my clothing dry. I found that I was going through the disposable pads at several pads per day. This became an expensive habit so I decided to switch to washable nursing pads instead. Here are the pros and cons I found with washable vs. disposable nursing pads.

Pros of Avent washable pads:

-I saved a lot of money by being able to just toss these in the wash with my son’s clothes during laundry day and reuse them afterward.

-These are very absorbent. So absorbent, in fact that I would need to change the pads out less often than I did the disposable kind.

-They keep moisture away from your skin. I remember touching the pad and wondered if I was leaking at all since the pads felt so dry. I thought maybe I had stopped leaking all together until I switched back to disposable pads temporarily and saw that I still leaked. The conclusion I came up with is that those Avent pads must be doing a great job!

-A box of these costs about the same as a box of disposable ones, however, these come with much less.

Disadvantages:

-There are only 6 pairs in a box. I found that I had to do the baby’s laundry more often just so I could have some clean pads available. If your budget allows, buy two or more boxes.

-These are smaller than disposables and found myself leaking around the pad since they didn’t cover enough area. However, this could also be due to the fact that I have a larger breast size as well.

-Although they are made of cotton, they are not nearly as soft as the disposable pads. These are a big rougher and thicker in nature. It doesn’t hurt but I did miss the softness of the disposables.

-Since the Avent ones are thicker and heavier, they did not stay in place in my bra as well as the light disposable ones.

The Conclusion:

I had to go back to disposable pads. Although I really liked the absorbency and cost-efficiency of the Avent washable brand, I just really missed the larger disposable pads from Johnson & Johnson. I had got tired of leaking around the Avent pad and needed more coverage.

Philips Avent Washable Nursing Pads 6 Count

When I came across this product recently online, I thought – wow, what a practical item for nursing moms!

It solves the problem of the “cold tummy” in the wintertime when you have to lift your shirt to nurse the baby.

It dramatically expands your wardrobe – potentially even eliminating the need for nursing shirts at all. Great for the budget!

Modest Middles is a uniquely shaped tank top that gives moms the ability to nurse discreetly and comfortably, and keep their belly, back and sides covered.

It’s a patented u-shape design (it starts under the bra), made of modal/spandex and can be worn under any shirt (tucked in or layered.)

A nice side benefit is that it offers a slimming effect – great for new moms who don’t want to wear maternity clothes but who aren’t quite back to their pre-pregnancy weight.

Modest Middles are available in black, white and nude. You can see Modest Middles in action in this picture:

Modest Middles has graciously offered a giveaway to a reader.

Just leave a comment below, and be sure to include a valid email address in the email field so I can contact you if you win.

On Tuesday, July 21st at Noon Eastern Time, one winner will randomly be chosen.

Thanks for participating!