By Jacque Ordner BSN, RN, IBCLC, RLC 

Pumping can be time consuming and difficult for so many mothers.  In our opinion, anything we can do to make it easier is a must!  That’s where the Pitcher Method comes in.  

What is the Pitcher Method? The Pitcher Method is a general name given to the method of collecting pumped milk from several pumping sessions throughout the day into one container and then using that milk to prepare the next day’s bottles.   

What are the benefits? One of the major benefits of using the Pitcher Method is that it can save valuable time and space!  Pumping into one set of collection bottles, then transferring directly into the pitcher means less bottles to wash and less bottles to store in the refrigerator.  You can also easily fill bottles, for the next day, with the desired amount for each feeding or divide milk up for freezer storage.  Using the pitcher method can also eliminate worry over dating separate bottles and remembering to get them in the freezer in time if they’re not used. This can be especially helpful for moms who make more milk than their babies typically eat. 

How to get started with the Pitcher Method: The first step is to collect the needed supplies. You’ll need a pitcher or other container made of food grade plastic or glass that is large enough to store the milk you pump in a day.  Pro tip:  glass Mason jars can work well for this method as the fat doesn’t tend to stick to the glass quite as much as it does to plastic.  You can even find half gallon Mason jars! Once you’re ready to collect your milk, add the yield from your first session to the pitcher and store it in the refrigerator.  At your next pumping session, cool your collected milk in the refrigerator then add it to the pitcher along with your previously collected milk.  Continue this process at the next pumping session and so on.  Once you’ve collected milk for the day (or other specified time), you can then pour it from the collection pitcher into bottles for the next day’s feedings or separate it into appropriately sized portions for freezing.  

Are there any drawbacks? It’s important to cool freshly pumped milk before adding it to previously cooled milk, so keep that step in mind!  There is a study that suggests that newborn’s circadian rhythms are affected by breastmilk.  This implies some correlation to the time of day milk is expressed and its effect on newborn sleep patterns. It’s important to note that this study did not investigate expressed milk, but rather looked at directly breastfed infants and formula fed infants.  In our opinion, this evidence is not strong enough to warrant extra stress over making sure baby receives milk collected at night for night-time feedings or milk collected in the morning for morning feedings, etc. No need to complicate things, mamas! 

Is the Pitcher Method right for you?  We hope we’ve given you enough information to help answer that question!  We’re all for anything that makes pumping just a little bit easier! If you have questions about pumping and storing milk, email us at ibclc@spectrababyusa.com  You can even schedule a free pumping consultation with one of our IBCLCs here.  

 

Sources 

Cubero J;Valero V;Sánchez J;Rivero M;Parvez H;Rodríguez AB;Barriga C;. (n.d.). The Circadian Rhythm of Tryptophan in Breast Milk Affects the Rhythms of 6-sulfatoxymelatonin and Sleep in Newborn. Retrieved June 16, 2020, from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16380706/ 

 

By Jacque Ordner BSN, RN, IBCLC, RLC  

We’ve all probably heard that the amount of milk we can pump isn’t necessarily an accurate indicator of the amount of milk we’re making.  If your baby is efficiently and effectively nursing, it’s true that they’re probably getting more milk out than your pump is. So how can we pump more milk?  We’ve got you covered with four key tips! 

1. Set the mood – This one is pretty straightforward, so we won’t spend a ton of time here.  Finding a comfortable, relaxed environment to pump in is important!  Stress can affect your body’s ability to let down, and that will affect the amount of milk you’re able to express at a given session.  We know you can’t always eliminate stress, but you can focus on things within your control like playing music or white noise to drown out distractions, lowering the lights, bringing along a drink and snack, and using pillows to get into a comfy position. Responding to the pump is a physiological, so even if the physical stimuli are there, it’s important to make sure the mental stimuli are also being considered. 

2. Flange fit – PUMPING SHOULDN’T HURT!!! If you dread pumping because of pain, something is wrong!  In most situations, pumping pain is caused by improperly fitted flanges. Having the wrong flange fit can also lead to reduced pumping output and even clogged ducts. Click HERE for our flange fit guide and measuring tool. You can also set up a FREE flange fit consultation with one of our International Board Certified Lactation Consultants HERE. 

3. Know your settings – Spectra pumps are known for their abundance of setting combinations, making them super customizable!  But, with all those options, moms sometimes don’t know where to start. We recommend starting with “Cycle Pumping”.  Cycle Pumping mimics the way a baby nurses at the breast, triggering letdown, nursing rhythmically, triggering letdown again then taking longer, deeper sucks toward the end of a session. 

          Here is an example of Cycle Pumping with the Spectra S1/S2: 

• •       Cycle 70 (Massage Mode) for 5 minutes 
  •       Cycle 54 (Expression Mode) for 5 minutes 
  •       Cycle 70 (Massage Mode) for 5 minutes 
  •       Cycle 38 (Expression Mode) for 5 minutes 

Cycle 38 can also be a game changer for moving stubborn clogs! As always, we never recommend increasing the vacuum to an uncomfortable level. There is no need to work your way up to a vacuum of 10 or 12 to be successful at pumping! 

Use your hands – Hands on pumping is a highly underutilized skill when it comes to increasing pumping output!  A breakthrough study from Dr. Jane Morton resulted in new mothers using hands on pumping to increase their pumping output by an average of 48%!!!  Not only were these mothers able to express more milk, but the milk collected, with the use of their hands, contained twice as much fat as the milk collected with a breast pump only. With results like that, hands on pumping is an essential technique to learn and use if you are currently breast pumping or plan to.  So, grab your hands-free pumping bra and let’s take a look at the steps to effective hands on pumping: 

• • Massage both breasts, concentrating on full areas, before pumping
  • Use a hospital strength electric breast pump (Spectra S1/S2/S3 or s9+ are all hospital strength) to double pump.  Use your hands to perform breast compressions during your pumping session. 
  • Remove flanges and massage both breasts again.  Pay special attention to any remaining areas of fullness. 
  • Follow up with either hand expression or single pumping.  For many mothers, hand expression will yield MORE MILK than single pumping, so experiment to see which method results in the greatest output.  Use concentrated breast compressions on each breast, moving back and forth between breasts several times. 

Don’t let the steps above scare you, mamas!  For most moms, this routine can be completed in about 25 minutes and results in more milk than longer traditional pumping sessions.  For more information about hands on pumping and hand expression, click HERE to check out Dr. Morton’s videos on hands on pumping and hand expression. 

If you’ve tried the above tips, and are still experiencing low output, reach out!  Email our IBCLCs at ibclc@spectrababyusa.com or set up a free pumping consultation at www.spectrababyusa.com/lactationservices. 

 

Sources 

Mohrbacher, N. (2012, June 27). To Pump More Milk, Use Hands-On Pumping. Retrieved June 01, 2020, from http://www.nancymohrbacher.com/articles/2012/6/27/to-pump-more-milk-use-hands-on-pumping.html 

Morton, Jane & Hall, JY & Wong, Ronald & Thairu, Lucy & Benitz, William & Rhine, W. (2009).  

Combining hand techniques with electric pumping increases milk production in mothers 

of preterm infants. Journal of perinatology : official journal of the California Perinatal  

Association. 29. 757-64. 10.1038/jp.2009.87. 

 

By Jacque Ordner BSN, RN, IBCLC, RLC 

One of the biggest concerns and struggles of parenting young children is SLEEP!  Sleep deprived parents of newborns and infants have undoubtedly been asked, “Is she sleeping through the night yet?”  Many of us have received advice from well-meaning friends and family regarding how much our babies “should” be sleeping and how to get them to do so.  But what does research tell us?  What is developmentally normal for babies?  What about the countless methods and internet-based courses focused on getting babies to sleep? Read on for some important truths about newborn and infant sleep. 

First things first, it is completely normal for your breastfed newborn to wake and eat every few hours around the clock.  Babies’ stomachs are small, and they need to feed frequently in order to consume adequate calories and nutrition.  For most breast milk fed babies, this translates to 8-12 feedings in 24 hours. It’s true that most newborns spend 15-18 hours sleeping each day, but that sleep comes in small chunks spread across 24 hours.  Frequent waking is also a protective mechanism that is designed to reduce the risk of SIDS! Check this link out for additional info https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9346985 .   

Scheduling or restricting feeds can be dangerous! Any sleep training method, sleep course, sleep product, or sleep coach that that advises limiting feeds, scheduling feeds, or only feeding during certain “windows” for babies is NOT BREASTFEEDING FRIENDLY despite any claims to the contrary. Babies should be breastfed on demand rather than on a schedule or within specific windows. Our IBCLCs are aware of several cases where scheduling and restricting feeds has led to poor infant weight gain and significant milk supply issues. Feeding on demand is the best way to ensure your baby is getting enough milk and to encourage your own milk production. In fact, studies show that babies can take as much as 20% of their nutrition requirements during nighttime feeds.  

It is a myth that babies regularly sleep through the night at just a few months old.  In fact, most babies do not sleep through the night until closer to age one or beyond! Sleep is a developmental skill.  Babies cannot learn to fall asleep on their own until they are developmentally ready to do so, and they aren’t all ready at the same age. It’s important to let go of unrealistic expectations regarding sleep.  Though unicorn babies, who sleep all night at 4 weeks old, do exist, they are the exception, not the norm.  

We can encourage healthy sleep behavior in our babies. Though sleep is developmental, we can still create an environment that fosters healthy habits related to sleep.  Babies are often tired, but need help falling asleep. Learning your baby’s sleep cues is a first step to helping him get off to dreamland before becoming overtired and cranky.  Common sleep cues include rubbing the eyes, yawning, drooping eyelids, redness around the eyes, smiling less, vocalizing less, exhibiting a weaker than normal suck, and turning away from toys or people. Picking up on these cues and responding in a way that helps our babies go to sleep is key!  Experts also tell us that encouraging adequate daytime naps positively contributes to more consistent night–time sleep. Breastfeeding to sleep is normal, and absolutely ok!  Your baby sees you and breastfeeding as their greatest source of comfort and safety, so it is only natural that they would desire that comfort and safety when trying to fall asleep.  Many breastfeeding mothers follow the Safe Sleep Seven to help their babies feel safe and secure all night long. Your child will eventually be developmentally ready to learn to fall asleep all on their own even if they need your help right now.  As your baby gets older, you can start to transition to more independent sleep behavior slowly.   

Will cutting out nighttime breastfeeds help my toddler sleep? It’s important to note that babies often require night–time feedings well beyond the newborn stage.  It’s also important to note that cutting out night-time breastfeeds for older babies and toddlers needs to be approached on a very individual basis with special consideration to the child’s overall intake.  It is not uncommon for older babies and toddlers to reduce night-time feedings if their daytime caloric intake simultaneously increases.  Many parents find that night-time weaning is often easier when their child is closer to 18 months of age because they are capable of communicating and understanding the negotiation surrounding the weaning process. There is evidence that reducing night-time feeds contributes to less night-time waking for toddlers.  Keep in mind that hunger is not the only reason that babies and toddlers wake at night!  When made to feel safe, secure, and comforted older babies and toddlers can learn to get themselves back to sleep without parental intervention.  

Infant sleep problems are a common concern among parents, but knowing what is normal can help put your mind at ease! 

Our team of International Board Certified Lactation Consultants is happy to discuss newborn, infant, and toddler sleep as it relates to breastfeeding and pumping.  Click here to schedule a consultation.  

Sources: 

Burnham, M., Goodlin-Jones, B., Gaylor, E., & Anders, T. (2002, September). Nighttime sleep-wake patterns and self-soothing from birth to one year of age: A longitudinal intervention study. Retrieved May 18, 2020, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1201415/ 

 McKenna, J., & McDade, T. (2005, June). Why babies should never sleep alone: A review of the co-sleeping controversy in relation to SIDS, bedsharing and breast feeding. Retrieved May 18, 2020, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15911459 

 Kent, J., Mitoulas, L., Cregan, M., Ramsay, D., Doherty, D., & Hartmann, P. (2006, March). Volume and frequency of breastfeedings and fat content of breast milk throughout the day. Retrieved May 18, 2020, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16510619 

 Middlemiss, W., Granger, D., Goldberg, W., & Nathans, L. (2012, April). Asynchrony of mother-infant hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity following extinction of infant crying responses induced during the transition to sleep. Retrieved May 18, 2020, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21945361 

By Melissa Portunato MPH, IBCLC, RLC

Finding time for self care as a new mom can be hard enough. Throw in a global pandemic and life can get pretty intense. While the majority of the country continues to remain with stay at home orders, stress levels are at an all time high for everyone. Maybe the end of your maternity leave now means transitioning to working virtually or maybe you have found yourself home with older siblings and your new baby since most daycares have closed their doors. Self care doesn’t need to be fancy or always involve a spa or nail salon but we know those things can definitely be a sweet treat! Stress from the pandemic and everything else that comes along with being a new mom can start to get taxing mentally, physically and spiritually. If you’re not feeling well, truth is no one at home will. Let’s start with being mindful and kind to our perfectly created bodies. You just birthed a baby and with that a new mother was born too. Let’s nurture her and treat her right. 

 

Read on for 3 tips to practice Self Care while Social Distancing:

 

Get More Zzzzzzz

Sleep? Yes please! The lack of sleep that comes along with having a newborn can be the biggest life transition. No matter if you’re a first time mom or if it’s your 5th baby, you’re never really prepared for the lack of sleep you’re going to experience. Frankly, you will never sleep the same again. Good news is eventually it will get better, but how can you get more sleep during the newborn phase? Here’s how! Research shows moms who bring baby to their beds to nurse get more sleep. Co sleeping can be safe when proper guidelines are followed. And if you are exclusively pumping it’s still important to keep your baby close! The AAP recommends keeping your baby in the same room with you at least until 1 year. You’re able to respond faster to your baby, allowing you both to peacefully nod back into dreamland.

 

Get Moving 

With most public parks remaining closed, more moms are finding a neighborhood walk soothing and relaxing. A breath of fresh air can do wonders for your mood and boost your immune system. Vitamin D, which we mainly get from the sun, is critical in keeping your immune system up and running to help fight off viruses. How much Vitamin D should you be intaking? For nursing moms, the recommendation is to intake 6400 IUs per day in order to have adequate supplementation for both mommy and baby.  Is it impossible to get outside? Try a quick 7 minute workout like these with the 7 minute workouts (app). Quick easy to follow workouts and even some yoga poses you can incorporate. Namaste! 

 

Kick The Sugar 

We’ve piled our pandemic emergency stash with all the essential items cookies, cakes, and chips! But why does everything non perishable seem to always have to be unhealthy? Not true! Some easy non perishables to add to your daily diet that help with sugar cravings are nut butters like almond and cashew, dried fruit or trail mix, coconut flakes or cocoa bits can curb hunger and keep you fuller longer. Add in healthy fats like olive oil and avocados too! Breastfeeding moms gotta eat! You’re burning between 300-500 calories just by making milk. Limit sugar to have more energy to keep up with all the new normals going on. Make sure that you are compensating for those extra calories with real food. 

The life of a new mom revolves around breastfeeding, diaper changes, rinsing and repeating. It’s pretty easy to forget about yourself. But it’s especially important now, more than ever to practice healthy self care habits. Social distancing doesn’t mean social isolation mamas. Be sure to connect with your family and friends during this time. Schedule a virtual happy hour with friends, have family drive by to see the baby through the window, or even host a celebration parade to welcome your new bundle of joy. Always remember your doctor is only a call away. Don’t isolate yourself and confide in a trusted professional. Schedule a virtual consultation with one of our IBCLCs and we can help talk it over. We’re for you mamas and we support you!

photo credit: @Blush Bouquet Photography on INSTAGRAM

By Melissa Portunato MPH, IBCLC, RLC

Fear of childbirth is real y’all! You can easily drive yourself crazy thinking about your dream birth plan and whether it will even happen. And of course, there’s the breastfeeding. Will I even be able to do it? Pregnancy and birth can feel scary at times, but it doesn’t have to. Be prepared and trust your body! You were created for this!

This is my fifth baby so it’s not exactly my first rodeo. But people are usually surprised when I tell them I was scared to give birth again. Yep! TERRIFIED, like legs shaking and teeth jittering, terrified. I’ve had two unmedicated vaginal births prior and I was planning on the same with this baby but just the thought of enduring the pain of natural childbirth again really sent my mind on an intense mental trip. Why was I so scared? I needed to face my fear and trust my body to do what it was created to do…birth new life.

Read on as I share with you my latest journey through childbirth and my top 3 tips that helped me prepare to totally rock labor and delivery.

#1 Stay Active: Mind, Body and Soul

With 4 other kiddos to care for, staying active just comes with cleaning, refereeing, cooking, and shopping. Just thinking about the daily to do list will give you a workout! Before I got pregnant, I was hitting the gym 3-4 times a week – jogging 1 mile on the treadmill, toning with weights and incorporating yoga a few times a week too. I felt so good throughout my pregnancy and continued to walk a mile every day, well into the late third trimester. Yoga stretching daily, even for just 5-10 minutes made a huge difference on how I slept and how I felt getting out of bed in the mornings. Connecting with a local prenatal yoga group would be an excellent way to prepare you for your birth journey but if you can’t make it out, YouTube has a ton of easy to follow videos! Even though I gained a ton of weight (more on that coming soon), I stayed active which helped with the flexibility and stamina needed for labor. Visualizing a healthy baby and a smooth delivery kept my mind in full control and my anxiety at a minimum. I began to listen to hypnobirthing affirmations pretty early on, at the end of my first trimester. In addition, prayer and meditation allowed me to release the fear I was harboring, embrace the unknown, and trust my perfectly designed body once again.

#2 Take a Childbirth and Breastfeeding Class

I’m a lactation consultant and I have 5 kids. You would think I am the guru of everything mommy and baby right? Nope. Even I have doubts and questions. Have an open conversation with your health care provider about your birth plan and find out if your local hospital is a designated Baby Friendly facility to get you the best start at breastfeeding. And remember – it’s never too late to change health care providers. You need to feel confident and trust your birth team! I’ll be honest with you, when my baby girl lost 6% of her birth weight on Day 2 and the nurses told me it was higher than usual, I doubted myself. Ugh! Even though my LC brain new the real truth. I knew 5-10% weight loss was normal. I knew my breast milk was all she needed but it doesn’t take much to plant seeds of doubt. Know the facts and be prepared to recite them to yourself and to others. You can track your baby’s growth and development here.  Trust me and save this link, you might need it later.

#3 Know Your Village

I went into labor on my due date. But did you know only about 4% of babies are actually born on their due dates? The weeks prior to delivery were brutal on me. Sleepless nights and the weight I gained was really starting to take a toll on me. The night I went into labor I called my mother-in-law to stay with the kids while my husband and I whisked off into the night to welcome baby number five. My mom was on call and was tasked to help with the kids in the morning. My plan was to labor at home for as long as possible and that’s exactly what I did. Breathing, yoga poses, stretching, hydrating, and even texting with friends kept me progressing through active labor. Baby arrived just a few short hours after I arrived at the hospital. My husband and I were a team. We breathed through each wave together while I squeezed his hand in a death grip. I’m thankful for my village of family, neighbors and friends.

Well to wrap it up, the preparations I had done prior allowed me to have the birth I envisioned. I successfully delivered baby Marcella with no medical interventions. Marcella was born awake, alert and breastfed instantly. Why did I want an intervention free birth? Evidence tells us there is a direct correlation between birth and breastfeeding. Medical interventions can have a negative effect on breastfeeding. Can you still breastfeed even if you have interventions? Absolutely! But you and baby might have a harder time to get the hang of things. Be prepared and rally your support team. Babies are born to breastfeed.

Do you have any doubt, fear or questions about pregnancy, labor or breastfeeding? We all need support, yes even lactation consultants. Schedule your prenatal consult with us today! Let us help you prepare for your journey into motherhood. We’re here for you mamas and we support you!