February 18, 2021 • 29 mins
This week we are unlocking some of the mysteries behind one aspect of new motherhood that can be completely overwhelming and, for some, downright freaky. Welcome to the wonderful world of breast pumps!
First, let’s take a look at some numbers. If you think you’re the only one with pumping on the mind, you’re wrong. Breast pumps are a $1 billion dollar industry with 85% of breastfeeding women using one at some stage of their journey. While the whole concept of pumping feels completely foreign at first, it’s something most of us have to get used to, and quickly. Pumping is crucial for working moms who need to feed baby while juggling their 9-to-5, and even stay-at-home moms like the convenience of pumping to both keep a supply at the ready and hand off a bit of the feeding responsibilities to their partner.
So to pump or not to pump and how do you even get started? We have a lot of questions and I’m sure you do too so let's jump right In with our expert, Robin Williams of Bosom Buddies, a Denver-based company that rents and sells breast pumps and breastfeeding supplies for moms all over the country.
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Episode Transcript
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Amanda Gorman (00:08):
[Intro] Hello Mamas and mamas to be. Welcome
(00:28):
to Breastfeeding Unplugged- apodcast exploring the real-real
on all things breastfeeding. Iam your host Amanda Gorman of
Nest Collaborative. This week,we are unlocking some of the
mysteries behind one aspect ofnew motherhood that can be
completely overwhelming, and forsome downright freaky. Welcome
to the wonderful world of breastpumps. First, let's take a look
(00:53):
at some numbers. If you thinkyou're the only one with pumping
on the mind, you're wrong.
Breast pumps are a billiondollar industry with 85% of
breastfeeding moms using one atsome stage of their journey.
While the whole concept ofpumping feels completely foreign
at first for some, it'ssomething most of us have to get
used to, and often quickly.
(01:15):
Pumping is crucial for workingmoms who need to feed baby while
juggling their nine to five, andeven stay at home moms like the
convenience of pumping to bothkeep a supply at the ready and
hand off a bit of the feedingresponsibilities to their
partner. So to pump or not topump, and how do you even get
started? We have a lot ofquestions and I'm sure you might
(01:35):
too, so without further ado, I'mthrilled to introduce you to my
guest for today. With us isRobin Williams, an international
board certified lactationconsultant with us at Nest
Collaborative. And she's theowner of Bosom Buddies, a Denver
based company that rents andsells breast pumps and
breastfeeding supplies for momsall over the country. Robin has
(01:57):
worked with over 500 families tohelp with the challenges, such
as low milk supply, oversupply,latching issues, having
multiples, pumping challenges,returning to work, and of
course, weaning. She has threeboys at home in Colorado,
including one set of twins.
Robin, it's such a pleasure tohave you with us today. Thank
you so much for joining us.
Robin Williams (02:19):
My pleasure. I'm excited to be here.
Amanda Gorman (02:23):
So, breast pumps.. It's a tool that can be
mom's best friend, but at thesame time, it's so completely
overwhelming for so many. Why isthat?
Robin Williams (02:33):
Oh man, breast pumps, it's just a whole new
world. Having a baby isoverwhelming enough, then think
about attaching a part of yourbody to a machine. That's a lot
to think about. It's somethingwe really don't have any
exposure to or know anythingabout until the time we need it.
Not something we can reallypractice ahead of time. So all
of that just leads to it beingsomething that really is hard to
(02:57):
conceptualize and overwhelmingto everyone.
Amanda Gorman (03:01):
Completely. Well, so let's get into it. And let's
start with the most basicquestion. If you're a pregnant
mom getting ready to welcomeyour little one, do you actually
need a pump? Or is it someoverhyped gadget?
Robin Williams (03:16):
I love to say that the only thing required for
breastfeeding is a mom and ababy. So is it needed? In that
sense, no, it's not. But there'sa lot of reasons, especially in
our culture, where it isincredibly helpful, and
sometimes is a need. If you'regoing to be separated from your
baby, if you're going back towork, if you have any issues
(03:39):
with baby nursing or with yoursupply, all of those things make
a breast pump almost moreneeded, and it's certainly very
helpful.
Amanda Gorman (03:48):
Okay, that's certainly good to know. Once
you've established that you havea need, how do you know what
kind of pump you should belooking for?
Robin Williams (03:58):
The very first question I think family should
look at is "Why are you gettinga pump?" The "why" is going to
help you decide what featuresbecome the most important to
you, and they are the mostpersonal to you. Your "why" may
be different than your sister oryour best friend. So while it's
great to get her information,you need to know your "why," so
(04:21):
that you can figure out what arethe most important things to
you. Availability, price, howyou like it, all of those things
become very important.
Amanda Gorman (04:31):
Okay, well, so what are some of the key
features that we might find fromone pump to another?
Robin Williams (04:38):
The biggest thing a mom wants to look for is
what was the pump designed for?
Was it designed for one mom touse? Was it designed for
multiple moms to use? Is itdesigned to bring in a milk
supply, to sustain a milksupply, to be used a lot, to be
used a little? Is it a singlepump? Double pump? How is it
powered? How big is it? Whatkind of adjustability does it
(05:03):
have? And then once you getthrough all of that and find
something you're comfortablewith, do you like it? What kinds
of bells and whistles does ithave? Does it have a cool
feature that seems like it willbe fun to you? All of those can
be key features to a mom.
Amanda Gorman (05:19):
I had no idea there were so many.
Robin Williams (05:22):
It is a dizzying world.
Amanda Gorman (05:24):
Sounds like buying a car.
Robin Williams (05:27):
Yeah.
Amanda Gorman (05:28):
Alright, so tell us about flanges. What are they?
And do the sizes actuallymatter? What should we be
looking for when we're buying apump with the flanges that come
with them?
Robin Williams (05:43):
So the flange is the part that attaches to your
breast, and it is important topay attention to that because
size matters with the flange.
You need to get the one that'sgoing to work best for you. The
problem is, you don't knowwhat's gonna work best for you
until you try it, which ofcourse you can't do until you
need it. So the most importantthing to look for is flanges
(06:06):
that can be changed, adjusted,have different sizes available,
because you're not going to knowwhat side you need, or what
feels most comfortable untillater on when you've already
purchased your pump. So it'sgreat to find one that either
from the manufacturer or fromanother company has different
plans, sizes and or shapes. Soyou can adjust to your body. You
(06:28):
want to make sure that milk orthe pump is very comfortable,
that will help the most withyour milk production, and flange
size is a huge key to that.
Amanda Gorman (06:39):
Okay. So I guess for a minute, let's talk about
pumps and insurance. I am sure alot of moms realize that they
probably might need a pump andjust want to jump on Amazon. Is
that where they should go whenthey're shopping?
Robin Williams (06:57):
Amazon is a great place to see what other
people think about pumps and seewhat's out there, but really the
best place to start if you haveinsurance, is with your
insurance company. Under theAffordable Care Act, it mandates
that your insurance company mustcover a pump. But, there's a
couple of little caveats there.
Number one, it does not mandatewhat kind of pump should be
(07:20):
covered, so some insurancecompanies really give you a lot
of flexibility in your choices.
Some insurance companies covernothing but a small hand pump.
And if you want somethingdifferent than that you would be
on your own. And then there aresome plans that are not included
under Affordable Care Actmandates including Medicaid. So
(07:45):
nothing wrong with starting andfinding out what your options
may be at free or low cost. Butthen if you are going to be out
of pocket for this, onlinebrowsing is a great way to learn
about the different options thatare available to help narrow
down what makes most sense foryou.
Amanda Gorman (08:03):
Okay, so knowing that there are moms out there
that might not have the idealpump covered by insurance, I'm
sure we know that moms like togive friends hand-me-downs. Can
moms get a used breast pump orborrow one from a friend?
Robin Williams (08:19):
That's very common, and it seems like a
great thing to do, especiallywith all that baby stuff that we
trade around. It's used for sucha small time, seems a shame to
get rid of it. But a breast pumpis really a medical device, and
you really need to think of itthat way. It is actually
classified by the FDA as amedical device. So instead of
(08:39):
thinking of it like a babygadget, think of it like a
toothbrush. It is notrecommended by many
manufacturers that pumps areshared. The exception is there
are some pumps that arespecifically made for multiple
women. So it pays to do a littlebit of research and find out
which one you're talking about.
But just like you wouldn't sharea toothbrush with most people,
(09:00):
that's how you really need tothink about breast pumps for the
most part.
Amanda Gorman (09:06):
Okay, so I guess that brings me to cleaning, is
it as complicated as it mightseem to clean the pumps?
Robin Williams (09:16):
It really is complicated in the beginning,
because again, we know nothingabout these, they're all brand
new, and we've got a lot goingon in our lives at times we're
introduced to pumps. But onceyou get the hang of it, it
becomes pretty easy. Basically,every manufacturer will give you
instructions for cleaning. Andthe external parts need to be
washed in at least warm soapywater every time you pump. So
(09:39):
once you get to into the habitof that, it's just second
nature, very similar to how youwould take care of your dishes.
These are your babies dishes, inessence, and then the pump wipe
down and kept clean. Just thinkabout what you would be doing if
you were in the kitchenpreparing food for your baby.
That's how you treat your breastpump parts.
Amanda Gorman (09:58):
Gotcha. So, if if we do have a mom, who you know,
isn't having her pump covered byinsurance, and now we know that
it's not ideal to be borrowingone, for those moms that do pay
out of pocket, what are wetalking in terms of cost for you
know anything other than amanual hand pump?
Robin Williams (10:19):
So that's going to be a big range. And looking
at why mom is using it is a bigfactor. If it's an occasional
type of situation, stay at homemom, or work from home mom that
just wants two or three times aweek to have a little bit of a
break, a hand pump, or a smallelectric, which which can run
anywhere from probably about $25up to $100, it's going to be
(10:43):
just fine. For a mom who isgoing to be separated from her
baby for a significant amount oftime, such as going back to work
more like full time, those pumpsare, you can find some
inexpensive double pumps, whichis what you're going to want in
that situation, ranging in the100 to 150 range. But most of
(11:04):
the ones moms are going to lookat that really have a good
history of durability, havespare parts available, those
sorts of things, you're probablylooking at the two to $400
range. There are some new onesthat go a little higher than
that, that have some nice bellsand whistles, maybe up to five
or $600. But most commonly we'relooking at two to 400. And if if
(11:25):
a mom is in need of a pump for asituation for a baby that cannot
nurse, bringing in milksupplies, really solving medical
problems, typically a hospitalgrade pump is recommended in
that situation, and those rangein price to purchase, usually
between about two and $3,000. Somost moms are going to look at
(11:46):
renting those. And that variesbased on where you're renting
from. But you're looking atprobably about 70 to $100 a
month for that.
Amanda Gorman (11:55):
Alright, good to know ahead of time. Start saving
pennies. So in addition to theactual pump, is there any extra
gear, extra pump accessoriesthat moms should look out for-
is there anything else theyneed, in addition to what comes
in the box?
Robin Williams (12:15):
So again, need-no, most pumps come with
everything you need to use themin the box. But there are some
things that certainly can makepumping easier and more
efficient. And I think a littlebit later we're going to talk
about some of those greatthings. So it's a great time to
stay tuned for that.
Amanda Gorman (12:33):
Awesome. This is really great Robin. I really do
have a few more questions, butwe do have to take a short
break. Mamas we'll be back withRobin in just a minute. So stay
tuned.
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Hi moms, we are back with RobinWilliams IBCLC and the queen bee
of breast pumps. Now that we'vetalked a little bit about pumps
themselves, I'd love to get intosome of the need-to-knows about
what to expect when you begin touse yours. So Robin, let's start
(14:04):
with when a mom should startpumping. Should it be from day
one?
Robin Williams (14:09):
It really depends on why mom is pumping.
The reasons on pump is becauseour body works on supply and
demand. So we need to demand themilk from our body in order to
supply it for the baby. So ifthere is trouble with
breastfeeding from thebeginning, then starting pumping
(14:29):
is a great way to mimic thedemand that a newborn baby
typically has at the breast toget that milk to come in. But
it's much more fun to do it witha snuggly babies than a cold
hard plastic pump. So ifbreastfeeding is going
reasonably well in thebeginning, there's no need to
start pumping. Just let yourbaby do the work. And then you
(14:49):
can always add the pump when youneed it or a few weeks down the
road if things are going greatwhen you're ready to start
storing up milk to be away frombaby.
Amanda Gorman (14:59):
Okay. Well, that's certainly helpful to
know. For those moms listeningthat have never used a pump, can
you explain what pumping feelslike?
Robin Williams (15:10):
That's a terrific question. I think
everybody would explain itdifferently. But the number one
thing I use, which a lot of momsnod when they hear is weird.
We're not used to doing thiskind of thing before, so it
feels weird. But it should notfeel painful. So it's important
to listen to your body and watchthat. You're typically going to
(15:32):
feel a tugging sensation, asyour nipple moves with the
breast pump, and depending onthe pump that you're using, some
of them have a vibratingsensation. So again, weird.
Amanda Gorman (15:46):
So we hear from a lot of moms who have had a hard
time, if using a breast pump isuncomfortable, are there ways to
make it easier and morecomfortable?
Robin Williams (16:00):
Yeah, there are.
Pumping isn't necessarily goingto be your favorite thing to do.
Some women don't mind it at all.
But if it's uncomfortable orpainful, that is absolutely not
the way it should work, itactually won't do very good for
your body, if that happens,because your body's response to
pain is not to let down milk. Sogetting the pump to become
(16:21):
comfortable is important.
Getting help from a lactationconsultant that's familiar with
your pump is number one, becausethey can watch you and it's
amazing what sometimes justsomebody on the other side can
see that you didn't even thinkabout. Size and shape of the
shield is the first thing I lookat. At the shield or the flange.
(16:42):
Is that working well with thenipple that you have? And then
looking at the adjustments ofthe pump for the vacuum and the
cycle settings if they're there,to make it more comfortable. But
it is very important to get helpso that you can make it as
comfortable as possible.
Amanda Gorman (17:04):
Okay. And then timing. How long does pumping
actually take for moms?
Robin Williams (17:12):
It depends a little bit on why you're
pumping. Pumping in place of afeeding is going to take a
little bit longer than pla-pumping, in addition to a
feeding, such as to stimulatemore milk supply. If you're
pumping instead of a feeding,you've got to go start to
finish. So you're going to startby washing your hands, getting
(17:33):
your parts set up, and thentypically pumping for about 10
to 15 minutes, then storing yourmilk, cleaning your parts and
putting them away. In thebeginning, it's probably going
to take you 30 minutes, start tofinish. Once you get more
practice and learn some tricksto how to make things a little
bit more efficient with powerwashing and things like that, it
(17:54):
can really be done start tofinish in 15-20 minutes.
Amanda Gorman (17:58):
Okay, so it gets more efficient along the way.
Now, transitioning to work, youknow, lots of moms have to go
back to the office, sometimesjust a few short weeks, or
months after baby's born. Isthere a way to make that process
easier with regards to pumping?
Robin Williams (18:18):
I think the number one way to ease the
transition is to give yourselftime. Don't expect the
transition to happen overnight.
So a couple of weeks before yougo back to work, start
practicing! What is your setupgoing to be like when you go
back to work? Do you have aseparate pumping room? If so,
have you seen it? What does itlook like? Are you going to do
(18:40):
something in your office? Doesit have a locked door so that
you can really think about whatyour position is going to be?
Then while you're at home,you're going to do some practice
pumping sessions. So you canstart seeing how long it's going
to take start to finish. If youdon't have access to water, how
are you going to handle cleaningyour parts afterwards? And what
(19:00):
does pumping feel like? How muchmilk do I get? Those types of
things can be really hard goingback to work and leaving your
baby, so if you have some ofthose questions that you figured
out ahead of time, it makes iteasier when you get to work
because you know what to expect,at least when it comes to the
pumping part of it.
Amanda Gorman (19:19):
Gotcha. So now that we've gotten the pump
working, and we've got the milk,what do moms do with their
pumped milk if it's not goingright to baby right away?
Robin Williams (19:30):
That's a good question, a way to store it and
carry it. So first of all,you're going to be pumping
typically into bottles. Somemoms pump directly into storage
bags, but either way you want tomake sure that you're collecting
the milk in something that isclean and that you can close the
container on. Then you want tokeep the milk cool, ideally
(19:52):
until you can get itrefrigerated. Once you get it
refrigerated, if it's gonna beused within about the next five
days, just leave it there. Butif you're looking for longer
term storage, then you'll wantto think about what kind of
container is best for longerterm storage. Some moms use
glass or plastic bottles, someuse bags, some use ice cube
(20:15):
trays, all of it's fine, justwant to make sure you're using
clean equipment, and that it isprotecting the breast milk from
the elements of the refrigeratoror the freezer where it is.
There are specially designed andmarketed breast milk storage
bags. They tend to have thickerplastic and thicker seams than
(20:36):
for instance the standard ziptop bag, which is why they're a
little better, plus markingsthat make them a little easier
to see. In terms of storage, Ilike the rule of five. It's very
conservative, but it's reallyeasy to remember. So about five
hours at room temperature, aboutfive days in the refrigerator,
(20:56):
about five months in thefreezer. You can probably safely
store your milk longer thanthat, but that's a really easy
way to remember to transitionthat milk.
Amanda Gorman (21:07):
Well that's very helpful and certainly easy to
remember. Your company BosomBuddies rents and sells not only
pumps, but a lot of accessories.
What are some of your favoritepumping gadgets?
Robin Williams (21:21):
I love the way you worded that because it's
very true they're gadgets, noneof these things are necessary,
but man can they make your lifeeasier and sometimes even a
little bit more fun. The numberone thing I would say for a mom
who's going to be doing anysignificant amount of pumping is
a hands free pumping bra. Ialmost categorize that as a
need. When I first- when I waspumping, and I got my first
(21:44):
hands free bra at a test from amanufacturer, I thought it was
the silliest thing in the world.
I just strap this thing aroundme and then flip the pump
flanges up to me and I'm sittingthere going, that took longer
than the whole pumping session.
This was dumb. So I put it tothe side. And a couple days
later, I fell asleep while I waspumping and lost all of that
milk. I never again pumpedwithout my hands free. And I
(22:07):
quickly became a fan of itbecause all of a sudden, I could
eat or drink or respond to anemail while I was pumping, and
it was life changing. So onceyou get the hang of that hands
free bra, it helps you get setup in just a couple of minutes.
And then you've got 10 to 15minutes of time with two free
(22:29):
hands. It's amazing. After lifewith a baby, you'll appreciate
that. Another great thing tohave, and this is a luxury, is
an extra set of parts,especially if you're pumping
overnight, or you're returningto work. The most tedious part
of pumping is washing thoseparts after you pump every
(22:49):
single time. If you have anextra set, then you don't have
to wash them every time, you cansave them up and wash them as a
group. I was lucky enough tohave enough parts to make it
through the night. So I did nothave to do any part washing
overnight. And at that time, Ithink it cut my pumping time in
about half. It was magnificentand I highly recommend that once
(23:12):
moms figure out what parts theyneed and what their
circumstances are going to belike. Another great gadget is
quick clean microwave bags, andAdeeva makes some and I know
some others as well. They steamclean your parts. So all you
have to do is rinse your pumpparts, then you pop them in the
microwave for a couple ofminutes and they're clean and
(23:33):
ready to go. Really nice insteadof the soapy water dish sink all
day long all the time. Just away to make things go quicker.
Amanda Gorman (23:43):
Right? Who needs to be in front of the dish sink
anymore often. Alright, so withall this stuff that we need,
pumping really does seem like acommitment. So how long can moms
expect to have to use or needtheir breast pump?
Robin Williams (24:02):
That depends a little bit on why you're pumping
and how long you're deciding tobreastfeed. If you're a mom
that's returning to work, andyour goal is to nurse your baby
for six months, you're probablygoing to be pumping that whole
time. If your goal is to nurseyour baby for a year, you'll be
pumping that whole time. But aswe get close to a year and
after, there's a lot morechoices that can be made. So if
(24:26):
a mom for instance, decides, Idon't want to pump during the
day. Well the reality is yourbaby is hopefully eating table
food by that point. So you couldprobably get away with not
pumping and just nurse directlyat night. So there's a lot of
flexibility based on yourbreastfeeding goals. But as long
as you are wanting to stimulateyour supply and provide milk to
(24:46):
your baby, that's how long youwill be needing your pump.
Amanda Gorman (24:50):
Okay, that makes sense. What what would you do
when you are done with yourbreast pump? Where can you send
it?
Robin Williams (25:00):
So there are some pump recycling programs
with the manufacturer. So thebest thing to do would be to
contact the manufacturer, andfind out if they have any
suggestions for you. Otherwise,if it's a single user pump, it
could be saved for another babyor it is trash.
Amanda Gorman (25:20):
Gotch. One question we do get a lot from
moms is can pumping affect myrelationship with my baby? What
are your thoughts on that?
Robin Williams (25:31):
I love that question, because that mom is
really thinking about biggerpicture items and wanting to
have a great relationship withlittle ones, so that's great. I
think it could go both ways.
Absolutely, pumping can affectyour relationship with your
baby, but that can be good orbad. If we let the pump get in
the way of spending time withbaby, having a great
(25:52):
breastfeeding relationship, ifthat's what you're hoping to do,
kind of putting the pump at ahigher priority than the baby,
then I think it can bedifficult. But I think it's also
it could be a tool to help withmilk supply, and also a tool to
help give mom a break, whichsometimes really enhances your
relationship with your baby whenyou can just get a little bit of
(26:13):
mommy time. So it really can bea tool both ways.
Amanda Gorman (26:20):
I see. That's great to know. Before we let you
go, do you have any other lastfavorite pumping hacks or tips
that you'd like to share withour listeners?
Robin Williams (26:34):
There are a lot out there! Moms are so ingenious
in what they come out with. Sothe biggest thing I would say is
take control of your pumping,and be confident in the decision
you've made, and then as you runinto things that seem like
challenges, then let's figureout how to solve them. Don't
(26:54):
anticipate things that mighthappen along the way. But if
you're pumping and go, man, Ireally hate this part of it, or
I really wish this weredifferent, it's amazing how many
solutions are out there that canreally make something a more
enjoyable experience. Sometimesit's physical gadgets. Sometimes
it's mind games. One thing I didwhen I was pumping with my
(27:17):
little ones, because I didn'tlove the pump, I had a specific
Netflix show that I only allowedmyself to watch while I was
pumping. I actually look forwardto pumping because I got to
watch my show. Silly little mindgame but it sure made it a whole
lot more enjoyable to pump thanjust sitting there watching the
clock waiting.
Amanda Gorman (27:37):
Absolutely.
That's a great idea. Thank youfor sharing. Robin, this has
really been insightful, and Iknow that the idea of pumping
and using a breast pump reallycan overwhelm many women. I have
a feeling that you've probablycalmed a lot of nerves today, so
thank you very much. How can welearn more about Bosom Buddies
and get in touch with you?
Robin Williams (28:01):
You can learn more about Bosom Buddies on our
website, www.bosombuddies.com.
There is an About Us page therewhere you can read a lot about
our history. We've been inbusiness for over 25 years. And
also a Contact Us button if youhave any questions and want to
reach out.
Amanda Gorman (28:19):
Perfect. That's great. We're really so
appreciative of your time andincredible knowledge. Thank you
for joining us on the showtoday.
Robin Williams (28:28):
Thank you very much for having me. This is a
lot of fun.
Amanda Gorman (28:31):
Great. Well mamas and mamas to be that's today's
episode for you. We sure hope weanswered a lot of your questions
and took some of the mystery outof breast pumps and pumping in
general. As always, we are hereto give you the answers. So get
in touch with us atwww.breastfeedingunplugged.com
or send us a message on Facebookor Instagram
(28:53):
@breastfeedingunplugged. Untilnext week, it's me Amanda
wishing you well on your journeythrough motherhood. Boo bye!
[Outro]
[Intro] Hello Mamas and mamas to be. Welcome
(00:28):
to Breastfeeding Unplugged- apodcast exploring the real-real
on all things breastfeeding. Iam your host Amanda Gorman of
Nest Collaborative. This week,we are unlocking some of the
mysteries behind one aspect ofnew motherhood that can be
completely overwhelming, and forsome downright freaky. Welcome
to the wonderful world of breastpumps. First, let's take a look
(00:53):
at some numbers. If you thinkyou're the only one with pumping
on the mind, you're wrong.
Breast pumps are a billiondollar industry with 85% of
breastfeeding moms using one atsome stage of their journey.
While the whole concept ofpumping feels completely foreign
at first for some, it'ssomething most of us have to get
used to, and often quickly.
(01:15):
Pumping is crucial for workingmoms who need to feed baby while
juggling their nine to five, andeven stay at home moms like the
convenience of pumping to bothkeep a supply at the ready and
hand off a bit of the feedingresponsibilities to their
partner. So to pump or not topump, and how do you even get
started? We have a lot ofquestions and I'm sure you might
(01:35):
too, so without further ado, I'mthrilled to introduce you to my
guest for today. With us isRobin Williams, an international
board certified lactationconsultant with us at Nest
Collaborative. And she's theowner of Bosom Buddies, a Denver
based company that rents andsells breast pumps and
breastfeeding supplies for momsall over the country. Robin has
(01:57):
worked with over 500 families tohelp with the challenges, such
as low milk supply, oversupply,latching issues, having
multiples, pumping challenges,returning to work, and of
course, weaning. She has threeboys at home in Colorado,
including one set of twins.
Robin, it's such a pleasure tohave you with us today. Thank
you so much for joining us.
Robin Williams (02:19):
My pleasure. I'm excited to be here.
Amanda Gorman (02:23):
So, breast pumps.. It's a tool that can be
mom's best friend, but at thesame time, it's so completely
overwhelming for so many. Why isthat?
Robin Williams (02:33):
Oh man, breast pumps, it's just a whole new
world. Having a baby isoverwhelming enough, then think
about attaching a part of yourbody to a machine. That's a lot
to think about. It's somethingwe really don't have any
exposure to or know anythingabout until the time we need it.
Not something we can reallypractice ahead of time. So all
of that just leads to it beingsomething that really is hard to
(02:57):
conceptualize and overwhelmingto everyone.
Amanda Gorman (03:01):
Completely. Well, so let's get into it. And let's
start with the most basicquestion. If you're a pregnant
mom getting ready to welcomeyour little one, do you actually
need a pump? Or is it someoverhyped gadget?
Robin Williams (03:16):
I love to say that the only thing required for
breastfeeding is a mom and ababy. So is it needed? In that
sense, no, it's not. But there'sa lot of reasons, especially in
our culture, where it isincredibly helpful, and
sometimes is a need. If you'regoing to be separated from your
baby, if you're going back towork, if you have any issues
(03:39):
with baby nursing or with yoursupply, all of those things make
a breast pump almost moreneeded, and it's certainly very
helpful.
Amanda Gorman (03:48):
Okay, that's certainly good to know. Once
you've established that you havea need, how do you know what
kind of pump you should belooking for?
Robin Williams (03:58):
The very first question I think family should
look at is "Why are you gettinga pump?" The "why" is going to
help you decide what featuresbecome the most important to
you, and they are the mostpersonal to you. Your "why" may
be different than your sister oryour best friend. So while it's
great to get her information,you need to know your "why," so
(04:21):
that you can figure out what arethe most important things to
you. Availability, price, howyou like it, all of those things
become very important.
Amanda Gorman (04:31):
Okay, well, so what are some of the key
features that we might find fromone pump to another?
Robin Williams (04:38):
The biggest thing a mom wants to look for is
what was the pump designed for?
Was it designed for one mom touse? Was it designed for
multiple moms to use? Is itdesigned to bring in a milk
supply, to sustain a milksupply, to be used a lot, to be
used a little? Is it a singlepump? Double pump? How is it
powered? How big is it? Whatkind of adjustability does it
(05:03):
have? And then once you getthrough all of that and find
something you're comfortablewith, do you like it? What kinds
of bells and whistles does ithave? Does it have a cool
feature that seems like it willbe fun to you? All of those can
be key features to a mom.
Amanda Gorman (05:19):
I had no idea there were so many.
Robin Williams (05:22):
It is a dizzying world.
Amanda Gorman (05:24):
Sounds like buying a car.
Robin Williams (05:27):
Yeah.
Amanda Gorman (05:28):
Alright, so tell us about flanges. What are they?
And do the sizes actuallymatter? What should we be
looking for when we're buying apump with the flanges that come
with them?
Robin Williams (05:43):
So the flange is the part that attaches to your
breast, and it is important topay attention to that because
size matters with the flange.
You need to get the one that'sgoing to work best for you. The
problem is, you don't knowwhat's gonna work best for you
until you try it, which ofcourse you can't do until you
need it. So the most importantthing to look for is flanges
(06:06):
that can be changed, adjusted,have different sizes available,
because you're not going to knowwhat side you need, or what
feels most comfortable untillater on when you've already
purchased your pump. So it'sgreat to find one that either
from the manufacturer or fromanother company has different
plans, sizes and or shapes. Soyou can adjust to your body. You
(06:28):
want to make sure that milk orthe pump is very comfortable,
that will help the most withyour milk production, and flange
size is a huge key to that.
Amanda Gorman (06:39):
Okay. So I guess for a minute, let's talk about
pumps and insurance. I am sure alot of moms realize that they
probably might need a pump andjust want to jump on Amazon. Is
that where they should go whenthey're shopping?
Robin Williams (06:57):
Amazon is a great place to see what other
people think about pumps and seewhat's out there, but really the
best place to start if you haveinsurance, is with your
insurance company. Under theAffordable Care Act, it mandates
that your insurance company mustcover a pump. But, there's a
couple of little caveats there.
Number one, it does not mandatewhat kind of pump should be
(07:20):
covered, so some insurancecompanies really give you a lot
of flexibility in your choices.
Some insurance companies covernothing but a small hand pump.
And if you want somethingdifferent than that you would be
on your own. And then there aresome plans that are not included
under Affordable Care Actmandates including Medicaid. So
(07:45):
nothing wrong with starting andfinding out what your options
may be at free or low cost. Butthen if you are going to be out
of pocket for this, onlinebrowsing is a great way to learn
about the different options thatare available to help narrow
down what makes most sense foryou.
Amanda Gorman (08:03):
Okay, so knowing that there are moms out there
that might not have the idealpump covered by insurance, I'm
sure we know that moms like togive friends hand-me-downs. Can
moms get a used breast pump orborrow one from a friend?
Robin Williams (08:19):
That's very common, and it seems like a
great thing to do, especiallywith all that baby stuff that we
trade around. It's used for sucha small time, seems a shame to
get rid of it. But a breast pumpis really a medical device, and
you really need to think of itthat way. It is actually
classified by the FDA as amedical device. So instead of
(08:39):
thinking of it like a babygadget, think of it like a
toothbrush. It is notrecommended by many
manufacturers that pumps areshared. The exception is there
are some pumps that arespecifically made for multiple
women. So it pays to do a littlebit of research and find out
which one you're talking about.
But just like you wouldn't sharea toothbrush with most people,
(09:00):
that's how you really need tothink about breast pumps for the
most part.
Amanda Gorman (09:06):
Okay, so I guess that brings me to cleaning, is
it as complicated as it mightseem to clean the pumps?
Robin Williams (09:16):
It really is complicated in the beginning,
because again, we know nothingabout these, they're all brand
new, and we've got a lot goingon in our lives at times we're
introduced to pumps. But onceyou get the hang of it, it
becomes pretty easy. Basically,every manufacturer will give you
instructions for cleaning. Andthe external parts need to be
washed in at least warm soapywater every time you pump. So
(09:39):
once you get to into the habitof that, it's just second
nature, very similar to how youwould take care of your dishes.
These are your babies dishes, inessence, and then the pump wipe
down and kept clean. Just thinkabout what you would be doing if
you were in the kitchenpreparing food for your baby.
That's how you treat your breastpump parts.
Amanda Gorman (09:58):
Gotcha. So, if if we do have a mom, who you know,
isn't having her pump covered byinsurance, and now we know that
it's not ideal to be borrowingone, for those moms that do pay
out of pocket, what are wetalking in terms of cost for you
know anything other than amanual hand pump?
Robin Williams (10:19):
So that's going to be a big range. And looking
at why mom is using it is a bigfactor. If it's an occasional
type of situation, stay at homemom, or work from home mom that
just wants two or three times aweek to have a little bit of a
break, a hand pump, or a smallelectric, which which can run
anywhere from probably about $25up to $100, it's going to be
(10:43):
just fine. For a mom who isgoing to be separated from her
baby for a significant amount oftime, such as going back to work
more like full time, those pumpsare, you can find some
inexpensive double pumps, whichis what you're going to want in
that situation, ranging in the100 to 150 range. But most of
(11:04):
the ones moms are going to lookat that really have a good
history of durability, havespare parts available, those
sorts of things, you're probablylooking at the two to $400
range. There are some new onesthat go a little higher than
that, that have some nice bellsand whistles, maybe up to five
or $600. But most commonly we'relooking at two to 400. And if if
(11:25):
a mom is in need of a pump for asituation for a baby that cannot
nurse, bringing in milksupplies, really solving medical
problems, typically a hospitalgrade pump is recommended in
that situation, and those rangein price to purchase, usually
between about two and $3,000. Somost moms are going to look at
(11:46):
renting those. And that variesbased on where you're renting
from. But you're looking atprobably about 70 to $100 a
month for that.
Amanda Gorman (11:55):
Alright, good to know ahead of time. Start saving
pennies. So in addition to theactual pump, is there any extra
gear, extra pump accessoriesthat moms should look out for-
is there anything else theyneed, in addition to what comes
in the box?
Robin Williams (12:15):
So again, need-no, most pumps come with
everything you need to use themin the box. But there are some
things that certainly can makepumping easier and more
efficient. And I think a littlebit later we're going to talk
about some of those greatthings. So it's a great time to
stay tuned for that.
Amanda Gorman (12:33):
Awesome. This is really great Robin. I really do
have a few more questions, butwe do have to take a short
break. Mamas we'll be back withRobin in just a minute. So stay
tuned.
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Hi moms, we are back with RobinWilliams IBCLC and the queen bee
of breast pumps. Now that we'vetalked a little bit about pumps
themselves, I'd love to get intosome of the need-to-knows about
what to expect when you begin touse yours. So Robin, let's start
(14:04):
with when a mom should startpumping. Should it be from day
one?
Robin Williams (14:09):
It really depends on why mom is pumping.
The reasons on pump is becauseour body works on supply and
demand. So we need to demand themilk from our body in order to
supply it for the baby. So ifthere is trouble with
breastfeeding from thebeginning, then starting pumping
(14:29):
is a great way to mimic thedemand that a newborn baby
typically has at the breast toget that milk to come in. But
it's much more fun to do it witha snuggly babies than a cold
hard plastic pump. So ifbreastfeeding is going
reasonably well in thebeginning, there's no need to
start pumping. Just let yourbaby do the work. And then you
(14:49):
can always add the pump when youneed it or a few weeks down the
road if things are going greatwhen you're ready to start
storing up milk to be away frombaby.
Amanda Gorman (14:59):
Okay. Well, that's certainly helpful to
know. For those moms listeningthat have never used a pump, can
you explain what pumping feelslike?
Robin Williams (15:10):
That's a terrific question. I think
everybody would explain itdifferently. But the number one
thing I use, which a lot of momsnod when they hear is weird.
We're not used to doing thiskind of thing before, so it
feels weird. But it should notfeel painful. So it's important
to listen to your body and watchthat. You're typically going to
(15:32):
feel a tugging sensation, asyour nipple moves with the
breast pump, and depending onthe pump that you're using, some
of them have a vibratingsensation. So again, weird.
Amanda Gorman (15:46):
So we hear from a lot of moms who have had a hard
time, if using a breast pump isuncomfortable, are there ways to
make it easier and morecomfortable?
Robin Williams (16:00):
Yeah, there are.
Pumping isn't necessarily goingto be your favorite thing to do.
Some women don't mind it at all.
But if it's uncomfortable orpainful, that is absolutely not
the way it should work, itactually won't do very good for
your body, if that happens,because your body's response to
pain is not to let down milk. Sogetting the pump to become
(16:21):
comfortable is important.
Getting help from a lactationconsultant that's familiar with
your pump is number one, becausethey can watch you and it's
amazing what sometimes justsomebody on the other side can
see that you didn't even thinkabout. Size and shape of the
shield is the first thing I lookat. At the shield or the flange.
(16:42):
Is that working well with thenipple that you have? And then
looking at the adjustments ofthe pump for the vacuum and the
cycle settings if they're there,to make it more comfortable. But
it is very important to get helpso that you can make it as
comfortable as possible.
Amanda Gorman (17:04):
Okay. And then timing. How long does pumping
actually take for moms?
Robin Williams (17:12):
It depends a little bit on why you're
pumping. Pumping in place of afeeding is going to take a
little bit longer than pla-pumping, in addition to a
feeding, such as to stimulatemore milk supply. If you're
pumping instead of a feeding,you've got to go start to
finish. So you're going to startby washing your hands, getting
(17:33):
your parts set up, and thentypically pumping for about 10
to 15 minutes, then storing yourmilk, cleaning your parts and
putting them away. In thebeginning, it's probably going
to take you 30 minutes, start tofinish. Once you get more
practice and learn some tricksto how to make things a little
bit more efficient with powerwashing and things like that, it
(17:54):
can really be done start tofinish in 15-20 minutes.
Amanda Gorman (17:58):
Okay, so it gets more efficient along the way.
Now, transitioning to work, youknow, lots of moms have to go
back to the office, sometimesjust a few short weeks, or
months after baby's born. Isthere a way to make that process
easier with regards to pumping?
Robin Williams (18:18):
I think the number one way to ease the
transition is to give yourselftime. Don't expect the
transition to happen overnight.
So a couple of weeks before yougo back to work, start
practicing! What is your setupgoing to be like when you go
back to work? Do you have aseparate pumping room? If so,
have you seen it? What does itlook like? Are you going to do
(18:40):
something in your office? Doesit have a locked door so that
you can really think about whatyour position is going to be?
Then while you're at home,you're going to do some practice
pumping sessions. So you canstart seeing how long it's going
to take start to finish. If youdon't have access to water, how
are you going to handle cleaningyour parts afterwards? And what
(19:00):
does pumping feel like? How muchmilk do I get? Those types of
things can be really hard goingback to work and leaving your
baby, so if you have some ofthose questions that you figured
out ahead of time, it makes iteasier when you get to work
because you know what to expect,at least when it comes to the
pumping part of it.
Amanda Gorman (19:19):
Gotcha. So now that we've gotten the pump
working, and we've got the milk,what do moms do with their
pumped milk if it's not goingright to baby right away?
Robin Williams (19:30):
That's a good question, a way to store it and
carry it. So first of all,you're going to be pumping
typically into bottles. Somemoms pump directly into storage
bags, but either way you want tomake sure that you're collecting
the milk in something that isclean and that you can close the
container on. Then you want tokeep the milk cool, ideally
(19:52):
until you can get itrefrigerated. Once you get it
refrigerated, if it's gonna beused within about the next five
days, just leave it there. Butif you're looking for longer
term storage, then you'll wantto think about what kind of
container is best for longerterm storage. Some moms use
glass or plastic bottles, someuse bags, some use ice cube
(20:15):
trays, all of it's fine, justwant to make sure you're using
clean equipment, and that it isprotecting the breast milk from
the elements of the refrigeratoror the freezer where it is.
There are specially designed andmarketed breast milk storage
bags. They tend to have thickerplastic and thicker seams than
(20:36):
for instance the standard ziptop bag, which is why they're a
little better, plus markingsthat make them a little easier
to see. In terms of storage, Ilike the rule of five. It's very
conservative, but it's reallyeasy to remember. So about five
hours at room temperature, aboutfive days in the refrigerator,
(20:56):
about five months in thefreezer. You can probably safely
store your milk longer thanthat, but that's a really easy
way to remember to transitionthat milk.
Amanda Gorman (21:07):
Well that's very helpful and certainly easy to
remember. Your company BosomBuddies rents and sells not only
pumps, but a lot of accessories.
What are some of your favoritepumping gadgets?
Robin Williams (21:21):
I love the way you worded that because it's
very true they're gadgets, noneof these things are necessary,
but man can they make your lifeeasier and sometimes even a
little bit more fun. The numberone thing I would say for a mom
who's going to be doing anysignificant amount of pumping is
a hands free pumping bra. Ialmost categorize that as a
need. When I first- when I waspumping, and I got my first
(21:44):
hands free bra at a test from amanufacturer, I thought it was
the silliest thing in the world.
I just strap this thing aroundme and then flip the pump
flanges up to me and I'm sittingthere going, that took longer
than the whole pumping session.
This was dumb. So I put it tothe side. And a couple days
later, I fell asleep while I waspumping and lost all of that
milk. I never again pumpedwithout my hands free. And I
(22:07):
quickly became a fan of itbecause all of a sudden, I could
eat or drink or respond to anemail while I was pumping, and
it was life changing. So onceyou get the hang of that hands
free bra, it helps you get setup in just a couple of minutes.
And then you've got 10 to 15minutes of time with two free
(22:29):
hands. It's amazing. After lifewith a baby, you'll appreciate
that. Another great thing tohave, and this is a luxury, is
an extra set of parts,especially if you're pumping
overnight, or you're returningto work. The most tedious part
of pumping is washing thoseparts after you pump every
(22:49):
single time. If you have anextra set, then you don't have
to wash them every time, you cansave them up and wash them as a
group. I was lucky enough tohave enough parts to make it
through the night. So I did nothave to do any part washing
overnight. And at that time, Ithink it cut my pumping time in
about half. It was magnificentand I highly recommend that once
(23:12):
moms figure out what parts theyneed and what their
circumstances are going to belike. Another great gadget is
quick clean microwave bags, andAdeeva makes some and I know
some others as well. They steamclean your parts. So all you
have to do is rinse your pumpparts, then you pop them in the
microwave for a couple ofminutes and they're clean and
(23:33):
ready to go. Really nice insteadof the soapy water dish sink all
day long all the time. Just away to make things go quicker.
Amanda Gorman (23:43):
Right? Who needs to be in front of the dish sink
anymore often. Alright, so withall this stuff that we need,
pumping really does seem like acommitment. So how long can moms
expect to have to use or needtheir breast pump?
Robin Williams (24:02):
That depends a little bit on why you're pumping
and how long you're deciding tobreastfeed. If you're a mom
that's returning to work, andyour goal is to nurse your baby
for six months, you're probablygoing to be pumping that whole
time. If your goal is to nurseyour baby for a year, you'll be
pumping that whole time. But aswe get close to a year and
after, there's a lot morechoices that can be made. So if
(24:26):
a mom for instance, decides, Idon't want to pump during the
day. Well the reality is yourbaby is hopefully eating table
food by that point. So you couldprobably get away with not
pumping and just nurse directlyat night. So there's a lot of
flexibility based on yourbreastfeeding goals. But as long
as you are wanting to stimulateyour supply and provide milk to
(24:46):
your baby, that's how long youwill be needing your pump.
Amanda Gorman (24:50):
Okay, that makes sense. What what would you do
when you are done with yourbreast pump? Where can you send
it?
Robin Williams (25:00):
So there are some pump recycling programs
with the manufacturer. So thebest thing to do would be to
contact the manufacturer, andfind out if they have any
suggestions for you. Otherwise,if it's a single user pump, it
could be saved for another babyor it is trash.
Amanda Gorman (25:20):
Gotch. One question we do get a lot from
moms is can pumping affect myrelationship with my baby? What
are your thoughts on that?
Robin Williams (25:31):
I love that question, because that mom is
really thinking about biggerpicture items and wanting to
have a great relationship withlittle ones, so that's great. I
think it could go both ways.
Absolutely, pumping can affectyour relationship with your
baby, but that can be good orbad. If we let the pump get in
the way of spending time withbaby, having a great
(25:52):
breastfeeding relationship, ifthat's what you're hoping to do,
kind of putting the pump at ahigher priority than the baby,
then I think it can bedifficult. But I think it's also
it could be a tool to help withmilk supply, and also a tool to
help give mom a break, whichsometimes really enhances your
relationship with your baby whenyou can just get a little bit of
(26:13):
mommy time. So it really can bea tool both ways.
Amanda Gorman (26:20):
I see. That's great to know. Before we let you
go, do you have any other lastfavorite pumping hacks or tips
that you'd like to share withour listeners?
Robin Williams (26:34):
There are a lot out there! Moms are so ingenious
in what they come out with. Sothe biggest thing I would say is
take control of your pumping,and be confident in the decision
you've made, and then as you runinto things that seem like
challenges, then let's figureout how to solve them. Don't
(26:54):
anticipate things that mighthappen along the way. But if
you're pumping and go, man, Ireally hate this part of it, or
I really wish this weredifferent, it's amazing how many
solutions are out there that canreally make something a more
enjoyable experience. Sometimesit's physical gadgets. Sometimes
it's mind games. One thing I didwhen I was pumping with my
(27:17):
little ones, because I didn'tlove the pump, I had a specific
Netflix show that I only allowedmyself to watch while I was
pumping. I actually look forwardto pumping because I got to
watch my show. Silly little mindgame but it sure made it a whole
lot more enjoyable to pump thanjust sitting there watching the
clock waiting.
Amanda Gorman (27:37):
Absolutely.
That's a great idea. Thank youfor sharing. Robin, this has
really been insightful, and Iknow that the idea of pumping
and using a breast pump reallycan overwhelm many women. I have
a feeling that you've probablycalmed a lot of nerves today, so
thank you very much. How can welearn more about Bosom Buddies
and get in touch with you?
Robin Williams (28:01):
You can learn more about Bosom Buddies on our
website, www.bosombuddies.com.
There is an About Us page therewhere you can read a lot about
our history. We've been inbusiness for over 25 years. And
also a Contact Us button if youhave any questions and want to
reach out.
Amanda Gorman (28:19):
Perfect. That's great. We're really so
appreciative of your time andincredible knowledge. Thank you
for joining us on the showtoday.
Robin Williams (28:28):
Thank you very much for having me. This is a
lot of fun.
Amanda Gorman (28:31):
Great. Well mamas and mamas to be that's today's
episode for you. We sure hope weanswered a lot of your questions
and took some of the mystery outof breast pumps and pumping in
general. As always, we are hereto give you the answers. So get
in touch with us atwww.breastfeedingunplugged.com
or send us a message on Facebookor Instagram
(28:53):
@breastfeedingunplugged. Untilnext week, it's me Amanda
wishing you well on your journeythrough motherhood. Boo bye!
[Outro]
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