I no longer pump. Both my children drink cow’s milk, and oat milk, and almond milk, and whatever other plant-based milk I can add to give them a lovely inexpensive variety. Yes. They both drink the same milk, it’s just so much easier for me.
But I did pump. I had a love-hate relationship with pumping. I loved the fact that my body was able to do this for my children, I loved that I had a very good milk production and I absolutely adored that I could feed my children my breastmilk without having to have them attached to me 24/7. Don’t get me wrong, I love my children, but breastfeeding and being a new mom can take a pretty big toll on you.
I hated being tired, exhausted, and feeling forced to pump late at night so that my children could have milk, JUST IN CASE they woke up at night – and they never did, but if I hadn’t pumped, they would have woken up. – Mom’s know what I’m talking about.
I hated that I had to carry a cooler, ice packs, bottles, bottle brush, pump, charger, and batteries with me every single time we left the house, JUST IN CASE we would be gone too long that I needed to pump. I also hated the feeling I got when it had been 2.5hrs since the last pump and I could feel my breast harden. – Again, mom’s y’all know what I mean ! I am typing this more than 6 months after my last pumping session and I can still feel that pain in my breasts. Ugh. I think that is THE main thing that makes me happy about no longer pumping.
I digress. So I breastfed my daughter for 3 months and my son for 4 months, I feel beyond lucky to have been able to give them my breastmilk for the first few months of their lives. But I am so happy I stopped. Screw breast is best. FED is best !
With my daughter, I had splurged, just a little bit, and ordered the Medela Swingle Single Breast Pump, and it was fine. I also had the Haakaa Silicone Breast Pump that I adored. Essentially, it collects the milk that leaves your breast while you are pumping/breastfeeding from the other breast – magic ! When I was nearing the end of my pregnancy with my son, I was motivated to pump, for both my children – my daughter was only 11 months old when my son was born. I hadn’t loved my experience with the Medela Swing Breast Pump, I thought, if I was going to pump, I was going to pump both at the same time. With a single pump, you need to pump both sides separately (over 40 minutes of pumping), but with a double pump, approximately 20 minutes, and you’re done ! Easy peasy lemon squeezy !
So I did my research, hours and hours of research. Pumpables was an up-and-coming company, pumping moms creating breast pumps for other pumping moms. I loved that. Who knews best about pumping necessities – other pumping moms. It took me 2 weeks to decide between the SuperGenie and the Genie Advanced. The SuperGenie is a bigger, bulkier and more powerful pump, whereas the Genie Advanced is a smaller more portable pump. I figured, with two under two, and a few travel plans for the summer, the Genie Advanced was the better of the two options. It was a GREAT option ! It was just as powerful as I needed and I ended up collecting more milk, and being more comfortable with the GA* than with any other pump I had previously used.
What I loved about this pump is that it is not only portable and strong, but there is a silicone filter, just like the hospital-grade pumps that are over CAD$300, and this one is just shy of CAD$200.
I highly recommend, for all you new mama’s out there, whether this be your first baby or not, to do your research and reach out to other mother’s you may know or not know and ask for their opinion. Ask them what they like and they dislike about their current pump. I did, and that’s how I found Pumpables and boy, am I ever happy I did !
Not only is the pump hand-sized, it comes with this new thing called liquid kits. Basically, it makes the suction more “natural” and similar to a baby feeding, which helps empty the breasts easier and faster than other breast pumps on the market.