Tag Archives: Combination Feeding

May 28 2014

REVIEW: Difrax BtoB Breast Pump Review

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Expressing breast milk has never been easy for me. When Dex was hospitalised with Strep B at 6 weeks I remember vividly a nurse wheeling in the Mother of all electric breast pumps (an old school Medela from what might have well as been the 17th century) and my stomach literally lurched. It looked worn, colossal and downright scary. Although I tried desperately to picture myself relaxing at home with Dexter, I just couldn’t mentally transport myself away from the cold and sterile hospital environment. Throw in a giant pinch of anxiety at seeing Dexter covered in tubes and wires, and my milk just wouldn’t come.

Dexter Strep B

This isn’t my only experience of pumping. I’ve tried various manual and electric pumps but have never got to grips with them. Without wanting you to picture me bra-less, my boobs are large and difficult to handle, and it follows that my nipples are too. I find most pumps pinch me and make me sore within minutes, and I only ever manage the most pathetic of dribbles.

However, given I’m currently combination feeding with Heidi, expressing simply HAD to work if I wanted to try and win back some of her formula feeds, and have Craig assist me as much as possible. Therefore when Difrax got in touch, I fell over myself to get involved and get my mitts on their BtoB Breast Pump. I’d seen pictures and read previous reviews of the pump and loved that it looked so radically different from all the others I’d tried. In fact, if I regress back to the school playground for a moment, it looked a little like a naughty toy. But this is actually what makes it so special.

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Let’s get the negatives out the way quickly (as it’s actually an AMAZING product)

Price-wise, it’s right up there with the best of them, and there are MUCH cheaper alternatives if you’re an old pro at expressing. At £149.99, if I compare it to breast pumps that have won the affections of mums time and time again (e.g. Ameda Lactaline Double Electric Breast Pump RRP £149.99, or the Medela Swing RRP £134.99) the Difrax BtoB had some mighty big shoes to fill to warrant the price tag. Whilst I’m on the subject, I have to raise my eyebrows at any breast pump worth this price. If the goal is to get every new mother embracing the Breast is Best slogan then surely any product that helps them achieve this should be affordable.

I was also a bit put out by the fact it didn’t come with a S-baby bottle or storage cup. Luckily their bottles are exceptional (more on these later) or I’d have probably kicked up more of a fuss about this. When you’re forking out the best part of £150 you’d expect the pump to arrive through the post ready-to-go. The Difrax BtoB breast pump connector including breast milk storage container costs £3.99 and is available on the website - this might be cheap but it really should come with the pump and a S-baby bottle.

Now to tell you why you NEED one of these…

It’s the ONLY pump I’ve used that has worked for me. That makes it invaluable for me and worth five times its price if you consider I’m able to reduce formula feeds, give Craig back some vital bonding time with Heidi and make feeding a far less stressful and time-consuming experience for Heidi and I.

But its my job to tell you why it’s so good, and why it might bring you the same results where other pumps haven’t.

First up - it’s hands-free. Without going into the intricacies, you slip the breast shield (of which there are three sizes to choose from) inside your bra and pop the unit somewhere lower than your breast e.g. on the floor, on a coffee table, beside your bed etc. The unit will control the speed, pause, and control the transition from initiating to ‘let-down’. You can simply lay back and try to relax. The milk will travel from the shield, through the tube, into the valve and into your bottle.

Difrax BtoB

Why is this so great? Because it allows you to totally relax. I’m convinced that 99% of the problems women face when expressing is down the fact that the pump feels unnatural. Not so with the Difrax, in terms of comfort, I’m happy to report that it’s amazing. I can easily forget it’s on and have Craig ‘bottle-watch’ and tell me how we’re progressing. This is vital if you’re like me and find it hard to relax. Given expressing is all about re-creating a feeding environment and simulating what your baby should be doing - comfort is the only factor most new mums should consider when making a pump purchase (and this is coming from someone who really ought to know!).

The pump comes with three different sized breast shields: S, M, and L. This is brilliant given most women won’t know what size will suit them until they start expressing. By supplying all three sizes you can select the best fit for you and produce the most effective seal possible to catch the milk. The instructions are also superb - really well explained and with plenty of tips and advice for mums who are new to expressing.

What’s more, the Difrax can be battery operated to allow you freedom to express away from a wall socket. This is ideal if you are studying, watching the telly or driving. The pump comes with a little pouch for ease of carrying around the unit if you should choose to do so.

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It also claims to be silent. I’d actually be inclined to argue with this. If you pop the unit on a hard surface, it definitely isn’t! But pop it on the carpet and it whirs away silently. Given noise isn’t something that would ever put me off an electrical item, I don’t feel the need to elaborate more on this.

Cleaning is a faff - but then every pump is a faff to clean. But given we’re talking small tubes with the Difrax, it really is bit of a mission. I recommend buying a few new tubes before you get started so you’re not constantly sterilising, and have a few in reserve.

My only other slight criticism is that the tubes that come with the pump are a little short. If you’re sat on the sofa they unit will only just reach the floor. I’d have preferred a much longer tube to offer more flexibility, or perhaps a few tubes of various lengths.

As I mentioned the S-baby bottle earlier, now seems an ideal time to introduce you to them. They’re pretty impressive:

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Aesthetically: Excellent. The s-shape and numerous colourways look great on your kitchen shelf.

Ergonomically: Again, excellent. They’re incredibly easy-to-hold thanks to the fact they’re long and thin.

Practically: Easy-peasy to clean with a bottle brush, measurements are well delineated, and a cinch to put together even when bleary-eyed of a morning. I haven’t experienced any leaks either. The bottle also has an unscrewable base which can be cleaned easily and filled with ice cubes of breast milk.

Anti-colic: As always I feel pretty crap advising any new mummy to ‘take my word for it’ on this - Heidi has an extreme case of colic that is yet to be solved with any bottle, medication or position.

Price: Not great. At £7.49 a bottle, we’re talking pricey. However I can say they’re pretty durable and I’d be happy to pay for the quality.

So that’s it! As always, I’ve been brutally honest, but I’m really keen to impress that this pump has revolutionised feeding times for this family. I’m desperate to see this product work in a UK market and hope they’ll be many more ‘Difrax mummies’ this time next year.

Thanks for reading my Difrax BtoB Breast Pump review, as always if you have any specific questions do leave me a comment. For more information or to buy, head on over to their Difrax’s UK website, or if you can speak Dutch, why not see what everyone else is saying over on Facebook, Twitter or G+.

 

 

 

 

 

May 23 2014

REVIEW: Yoomi Feeding System

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Yoomi Feeding System Logo

This review has been a long time coming due to all the problems I’ve had working out how to feed Heidi. But now we’re firmly in the combination-feed camp I’ve finally been having a good old play with my Yoomi feeding system. Here’s how we’ve got on.

Yoomi Kit

First thing’s first - What is it?

We’ve all been there. Stumbling around bleary-eyed in the kitchen at 3am, sterilising, boiling water, making up a bottle… be it expressed milk or formula you’re serving baby, the process is exactly the same. Then there’s the added frustration of out-and-about feeding - trying to flag down a waiter in a busy restaurant for a bowl of hot water. It’s a simple enough request but the waiters don’t share the same sense of urgency as they don’t have a squealing baby in their ear.

It was these struggles that inspired husband and wife team Farah and Jim to look for a solution. Enigineer Jim then designed Yoomi - the bottle that warms your baby’s feed in just 60 seconds.

It’s a serious bit of kit. In each feeding system you’ll receive a BPA-free bottle with anti-colic teat and a genius looking warmer that sits between the teat and the bottle in a snug rubber lined collar. There’s also a Yoomi pod for charging your warmer.

Sounds complicated? It’s not. It’s actually really easy.

Using the system:

The Bottle

Yoomi Bottle Pros

The bottle can be used on it’s own without the warmer. So what (if anything) sets it apart from countless others?

It’s best features are:

  • Well it’s a whopper and can hold up to 240ml - I’m not a fan of tiny stage 1 bottles as your baby will grow out of them quickly. Far better to buy larger bottles from day 1.
  • The measure markings are well-printed with large black font. It’s a pet hate of mine when you see bottles markings that are difficult to read (cough, cough… Dr Browns!) as you don’t want to be switching on all your kitchen lights in the dead of the night.
  • There are no leaks whatsoever as the oversized teat creates a rubber seal when screwed into the bottle. As this is a major limitation with so many bottles, it’s definitely worth highlighting this.
  • The bottle purports to be anti-colic - but then every brand does nowadays. It would be unfair of me to offer too much comment here as Heidi appears to get colic whatever preventative measure you use - we believe this to be a result of the formula she is using and the problem was not relieved or exacerbated as a result of using Yoomi, or any other bottle.
  • Finally, I really like the cap as this fits squarely on the bottle and creates a seal over the teat - so no spillages.

Bottle No Leaks

Any bad points?

  • The bottle is wide and very round making it cumbersome to hold. If you’re sat there for an hour per feed, your hand does begin to ache a little.
  • The sheer size of the bottle means in won’t fit in some electric bottle warmers and sterilisers.
  • The (slow flow easi-latch) teat is very soft as it’s supposed to mimic the breast, Heidi coped amazingly well with this but I have found been advised that some other babies have struggled with this if they have been introduced to firmer teats beforehand. You can of course purchase firmer teats from the online shop if needed)

The Warmer

So here’s the genius bit. The Yoomi warmer resembles a beehive made of clay. It fits snugly into the oversized teat then screws directly into the bottle. You turn it on by pressing an orange button through the teat. After 30 seconds, you turn the bottle upside down so your feed runs over the warmer and through the teat. Wait just 30 more seconds then feed baby.

Yoomi Warmer Feat

So, what do I make of it?

The feeding system is brilliant for feeding on-the-go. Before Yoomi, I tended to either pack sterilised bottles in a sandwich bag then seek boiled water whilst on the move, wait for it to cool, then feed Heidi… or pop pre-boiled water into the bottle, warm it by popping it into a bowl of boiling water, then tip out pre-measured formula straight into the bottle. Both methods have their disadvantages and we’ve had dozens of leakages and hysterics where the children have had to wait for us to prepare their feeds.

Yoomi takes the stress out of it as the pre-boiled water is safely held within the bottle and can be warmed to breastmilk temperature in a matter of seconds. It’s cut our feeding-on-the-go time down by some 30 minutes (perhaps more) so I’m obviously really chuffed with this and would definitely recommend it.

As for home feeds, I tend to use my Tommee Tippee for these. I just find the bottles that much easier to prepare and use. As per the new guidelines for bottle feeding parents we prepare every bottle from fresh (Craig tends to do this whilst I breastfeed Heidi for 30 minutes to placate her). As the feed is still warm when we offer it to her the Yoomi warmer is largely redundant for us.

Having said this, I can definitely see the merit of using the Yoomi feeding system at home. If you’re bulk-making bottles and your feed is room temperature by the time you get around to offering it to baby, then the Yoomi becomes invaluable. I have used the Yoomi system for this on a handful of occasions and Heidi does respond well to it. She’s much calmer after a feed than she is when the feed is cooler.

Yoomi Pod & Warmer

Any bad points?

  • Charging the warmer for the first time is a bit of a faff. You have to pop the pre-sterilised warmer into the microwavable pod, then put it in the microwave for 60 seconds. Following the instructions then becomes a little tricky as you’re asked to shake the pod to listen for a rattle - if you hear it, great. If not, you have to put it on for a further 10 seconds repeat if necessary). If you’re not sure what exactly you’re listening out for, this can be a little tricky.
  • Unfortunately, this process becomes no less of a faff for additional feeds as even the ‘heat shake, heat shake’ method involves putting the warmer back in the pod, and back in the microwave. Again, you’re instructed to listen out for the rattle. I’m sure there must be an easy way of improving the design so microwaving every time isn’t necessary.

Once charged however, the pod will stay charged until you use it. You can also store the charged pod in the fridge and it will maintain its charge.

  • You can’t use the warmer straight away after warming and will have to wait 75 minutes for it to cool (or 20 minutes in cool water). This means you have to stay on top of your feeds and ensure you’re charging well in advance of the next one. It sounds obvious, but I’d recommend getting into the habit of charging immediately after the last feed.
  • Each warmer is good for 150 charges then you’ll need to buy a replacement (normally £19, currently £16). If you consider a newborn baby is feeding some 4x per day, then this means you’ll be purchasing a new warmer every 37 days.

This all sounds like I’m being really critical of the warmer, but I’m not. I love the concept, I just feel it could be better executed. When a traditional bottle warmer can do the same job in a matter of minutes for home feeds, I do prefer this method. For out-and-about however, the Yoomi is an excellent option and one we’ve really embraced as a family.

You can buy your own, or get more information over on Yoomi.com, or find out what others are saying on Twitter (@YoomiBottle) or Facebook (YoomiBottle).

Disclaimer: We received the Yoomi Feeding System for free in exchange for our thoughts.

 

 

 

 

May 6 2014

Is breastfeeding to blame for my baby blues?

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Breastfeeding is regarded by almost all as the best bonding experience between a mum and her baby. I’ve also heard dozens of mums talk of an overwhelming sense of pride that they’re able to solely sustain their babies. It all sounds very romantic and most mums will give it a good bash when they first meet their babies - myself included.

What’s more, every week the press will unveil some new benefit attributed to breastfeeding (sometimes spurious and ridiculous, but more often than not promoting the health and well-being of your baby in a way that can’t be ignored) - there was even some talk a few months back about the Government offering financial incentives to breastfeeding mums.

So if it’s that great, why am I this close to giving up?

Firstly there’s the way it makes me feel. I can’t seem to shake the thought that the act itself is primitive and animalistic. I feel like I’ve regressed to a dog or a cow swollen with milk. Adding to the effect, my breasts are large (currently 36H) meaning I’m favouring the rugby ball method with Heidi slung under my armpit on a cloud of pillows. This stops me smothering her with my breast but isn’t discreet and pretty like the pictures in the press. There’s nothing enjoyable about it either. I can’t gently stroke her head whilst she has her fill or she’d cop an elbow in the face! What’s more, it is isn’t really possible in the middle of Costa Coffee!

Add to this that fact I’m sporting a c-section wound that threatens to bust open at any moment, a baby that is yet to work out how to feed efficiently (one feed can take up to two hours), and a milk supply that has somewhat depleted given we had to introduce a few bottles of formula whilst waiting for my milk to come through, and hopefully I’m building a picture of just how much of a struggle this has been so far.

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Then there’s the impact on my toddler. As I watch Dexter struggle to come to terms with Heidi joining the family, every cry takes on a heartbreaking quality. He’ll call for Mama and paw at my legs and arms begging me to get on the floor with him and help him with a board puzzle. But no, I’m stuck in the most unnatural position you can think of with Heidi. I also go a little like a zombie when I breastfeed - I find it exhausting so often nod off. A few days ago I awoke to find Dex sitting on the floor of the downstairs loo reading a book in floods of tears. It broke me and I cried the entire day.

The discomfort is made even worse by the fact that my uterus continues to contract when she’s latched on. This is a horrible sensation and brings back flashbacks of the trauma my body went through before I was wheeled through to theatre. Then there’s the obligatory sore nipples. Every latch is excruciatingly painful. I feel stupid even writing this when my nipples are barely cracked but when you’re wobbling over whether to pack it all in or not you look for any excuse to quit - this is just another fat tick in the cons list.

Is it also selfish of me to worry about what state my boobs will be in when this is all over?

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All this has led to me seriously questioning whether it’s worth it. I know this might sound melodramatic, unnatural and even shocking to some, but I’m almost resenting Heidi’s insatiability and the sheer amount of time it takes to feed her. I feel so desperately sorry for Dexter and feel like a bad mum to both children. I hate the way it makes me feel about her, and I hate the way that Dexter is left for such long periods of time to entertain himself. Worst of all, I hate myself for even allowing these thoughts to creep on in.

I know I’ll be disappointed with myself if I admit defeat so easily. If Heidi gets more efficient and I make a real effort to wean her off these bottles, this could really work for us when I’m fully healed - it’s certainly easier than faffing around with bottles in the kitchen at 3am! But this doesn’t change the fact that I’ll never be able to recreate our feeding position in public, or be apart from Heidi for any length of time - I can’t ever see myself being able to express with my lowly supply. The only alternative is a complicated combination routine that I simply don’t trust myself to stick to.

I need some advice guys, I really do. Is there a connection between breastfeeding and baby blues? Perhaps this is the problem. I know that Craig is worried now and is keen for me to stop. He’s the one that sees me in tears daily, or irritable with Heidi. He thinks I’m putting too much pressure on myself and he has a point. I suffered quite badly with PND with Dex and do worry that some of the old signs are there again. Surely it’s not natural for me to dread feeding my baby?

 

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