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This week we're partnering with

to bring you this newsletter with some fantastic resources and articles highlighting Pumping and Breastmilk care! Don't forget to find the HUGE giveaway bundles to start off our last week of celebrating World Breastfeeding Month! Ready? Set? Go! And if you're not breastfeeding, head down to the lower section of our email for more about life after feeding baby with Our Stable Table and Beyond Moi.

-TLB Team

Dear Leakies,

Size matters! See a HUGE difference! You can improve your satisfaction by 100%! See immediate results!

(Size matters unless we're talking the bellies of women, then what matters is knowing when it's appropriate to ask a woman if she's pregnant. Carrie explains here.)

I know what you're thinking... but no, I'm not talking about some little blue pill or new performance enhancing product (though you can read about exploding penises on Beyond Moi this week and more further down in this email). This is way more fun than sex, we're talking about breast pump flanges.

My definition of fun has a direct link to lactation about 90% of the time. I don't understand why this is not normal for everyone.

(Next week we kick off fun talking about keeping our kids safe with #TLBsafeKids.)

Five years ago I learned that for my previous 4 babies I had been using the wrong size flanges for my breasts when I was pumping. Years of pumping that was painful all because I didn't know I needed a different size flange! Then, when I did get the right size for me, not only did pumping NOT hurt, I got way more milk.

My mistake had cost me and my baby precious milk.

All that time I had no idea!

Whatever your reason for pumping your breastmilk, be it for your baby while you're away from them at work, for the occasional date night, or for another baby through milk donation (if you're a donor, this letter is for you), the right size flanges matter and can make a huge difference.

Not sure if you are using the right sizes? See this video from Shari Criso, IBCLC made available from our friends at Evenflo Feeding. And if that is helpful, be sure to check out Evenflo's Facebook page and Shari's Youtube channel. They're going out of their way to support every family in reaching their feeding goals and to do so comfortably and confidently in their journey. If you're looking for products that aid you in that journey, Evenflo may have just what you're looking for here.

(Also, don't miss out on this collection of pumping tips from Snugabell with The Leaky Boob family.)

Giveaway time! This is the last week of World Breastfeeding Month and while over here in TLB land we're going "woohoo! World Breastfeeding Month! Wait... it's always World Breastfeeding Month here...", it is exciting to see so many voices talking about supporting women in reaching their breastfeeding goals one month of the year. Thankfully, there are those who continue supporting such efforts the other 11 months of the year. TLB has teamed up with several of those brands to bring you the WBW2015 Wrap Up Giveaway with over $2,200 in prizes. Find the secret code word entry option lower in our email (you'll have to read to find it!) and spread the word because while every month is World Breastfeeding Month to us, it only captivates the world's attention one month a year.

Happy Breastfeeding and Happiest of Pumping! Thanks to Evenflo Feeding for supporting The Leaky Boob and our community with their sponsorship. The information and community they provide as every baby's advocate and every parents ally is invaluable. We're grateful for their participation in our community.

I leave you with this, the funniest breastfeeding related post on the internet this week is in the private TLB community group on Facebook. Be prepared to cry laughing when you read this.

Peace,

Jessica Martin-Weber
Founder, TheLeakyBoob.com

This Week On TLB

A Quick Guide to Breast Pumps

Tips for Successful Breast Pumping

In addition to getting a quality breast pump that has the right features for you and fits well, here are a few of our favorite tips for successful breast pumping:
1. Get spare parts. As a busy new mom, it can save you time and energy to have spare parts (flanges, bottles, tubing) around for when you need to grab your pump and go, while other parts may still be on the drying rack or waiting to be cleaned. This also can go a long way in avoiding situations where you forget a part and really need to complete a pumping session!
Read more tips HERE

#TLBsafeKids launches next week and we're looking for your stories on safety and what you've learned about keeping your little ones safe. Car seats, home safety, skin care products, sleep safety, babywearing safety, and more are all welcome. Send your submissions to content@theleakyboob.com.

What do cars & breastfeeding have to do with each other?
I learned the answer to this question the hard way with my oldest son. I was not much of a reader but breastfed because both of my sisters did the breastfeeding thing. If they could do it, so could I. However, in hindsight, I pretty much did everything wrong that I could have done. I wanted a nursery (I needed sleep, right?), I wanted pacifiers (he can’t just suck on me or I won’t get any sleep) and I wanted bottles (dads need to help too, right?). I thought, surely I can make all of this work. Boy was I wrong! READ MORE

Pumping 101: who, what, when, where, and how – part 1

Pumping 201: working, exclusively pumping, volume, and weaning

Pump Like a Pro – The 300 Hour Rule

Just like any of the other mechanical doodads that we rely on day-to-day, a breast pump is not built to last forever. As a general rule, you should be able to expect about 300 hours of active use out of a good, high-quality pump. Now before you worry too much, keep in mind that if you’re pumping for around 15 minutes each sitting, your 300 hours should still get you well past the 1,000 session mark. Think of all that milk! If you’re an especially active pumper, are using the same pump through multiple babies, or have inherited a pump that already had some mileage on it, keep alert for warning signs like poor suction, a straining motor, or what seems like an unexpected dip in supply. READ MORE

Sexy Oatmeal

by Carrie Saum

Ingredients:

3 cups liquid (milk, water, or combination of both)
1 cup steel cut oats
2 Tbsp butter or coconut oil
2 Tbsp ground flaxseed or flax meal (they’re the same)
2 tsp raw honey or maple syrup
½ tsp maca powder
½ tsp of the following spices:
- ground coriander
- ground cardamom
- ground cinnamon
- ground tumeric
- ground ginger (or sub minced candied ginger if you want a little kick and sugar is not a problem for you)
pinch of salt
dash of vanilla extract

Directions:

Combine liquid, salt, oil and spices and bring to a boil in a medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil. (If you are using milk, you will need to stir constantly.)
Add oats, vanilla and flax meal, and stir well.
Cook over medium low heat for 20 minutes, stirring often, until thick and creamy, or it reaches your desired consistency. Add maca powder in at the end and mix well.
Top with sliced almonds or pecans, sliced bananas, and a little raw honey or brown sugar.

Read Disclaimers on Maca root HERE. Because Babies, you guys.

Ask The Expert

Your questions asked. The Experts answer!

Dear Kathleen- Leakies ask an IBCLC

Dear Kathleen,
After pumping, is it ok to feed the baby that milk and then if baby doesn’t finish to save the rest by putting it in the fridge?
Thanks! -Bewildered in pumping land

Hi Bewildered!

Pretty hard to work to express milk for your baby and then have to toss it out! Some health care providers say to dump partially drank bottles, or give it at the next feeding. I think that placing back an unfinished bottle of breast milk back into the refrigerator is just fine. I would suggest removing the nipple and screwing on a clean lid to keep the bacteria from the baby’s mouth to a minimum. By using a fresh nipple for the next feed you will keep more germs from mixing in with that bottle of milk. I would recommend using the milk within the next 24 hours. One very small study of just a few moms found that milk could be placed in the refrigerator for up to 36 hours at 4-6 degree Centigrade. Storing milk in the back of the refrigerator is recommended. If you use the milk a second time, and there is still leftover milk, it is probably best to dump it out. When milk has gone bad, it does have a rancid smell. MORE INFO HERE

Ask Your Question for an Expert Here!

Boobs and Bottles Around the Web

Sponsored by

Breastfeeding Myths

Top 3 Things You Need To Know Before Buying A Breast Pump

HuffPo: No One Right Way To Feed A Baby

Leaky to Leaky Tips:

Keep a baby hat or an unwashed baby blanket nearby and sniff it a lot! baby's scent helps your milk letdown! -Anna

Know your rights. Print out your research and workplace laws regarding pumping and breastfeeding and make sure your boss has the same. -Kirsti

Keep at it! Any time is better than no time. One day is better than no days. Don't judge yourself by your expectations of your circumstances. -Elise

Join The Leaky Boob Community! Seriously. When I had to return to work after I had my little guy, it was so hard! Having community has helped me reach my goals of pumping for him while I work. It's made such a big difference! -C

#LeakyLooks: Milk-friendly Fashion For All Moms!

Pump it UP!

Pumping Moms. Working and running the office. Pumping for their own baby and for another around the clock. Getting ready for their first date without baby.

These warrior mamas, whatever their environment, are changing a life one ounce of breastmilk at a time.

Before I share my #LeakyLooks picks for you this week, can I just take a moment to give you mamas a virtualhug? Because you inspire me. You show me that I can do this. Mothering. Working. Partnering. I hope that in some small way I can inspire you this week, Leakies. To inspire you to harness that internal power you have always had. To know that you are blooming from the inside out. That all of you is more than enough, and that you are beautiful. That being yourself, no matter where life takes you, will be what profoundly changes lives around you. So keep thriving, Leaky. We’re doing this together.

Because we are, and always will be, enough.
READ MORE

Need support? Stumped with pump choices and worrying over how to talk to your boss? Join our Community and get support and advice today. JOIN HERE

Codeword: Always WBW

Leaky Chronicles: Real Stories For Real Life

13 Truths of a Bed-sharing Family

by Joni Edelman

We share a bed with our babies. Actually two beds. We share two beds with our babies — because one bed just wasn’t enough bed.

I was a bed-sharer even in the early 90s when the Back to Sleep campaign was a newborn and the idea of an infant lying anywhere but a crib was gasp-worthy. How dare you risk your infant’s very life by being so foolish as to allow them to sleep in any position that deviates from flat on their back, on a FIRM mattress, without even so much as a blanket. I ignored them. READ MORE

IT’S NOT A BABY! Belly

A few weeks ago, we were at the grocery store. The checker looked at my round belly and said, “When’s your baby due?” I cut her off before she could even get the words out and replied with a dead-inside voice, “I’m not pregnant.”
“You’re not? REALLY?!”
“Nope. Not even a little.”
“Wow! Well, I guess it’s harder for us older moms to lose the baby weight.”
Yep. Old and fat. That’s me!
Thanks, lady.
I silently took my groceries and my two-year old son and not-pregnant-but-certainly-looks-it belly and left the store without another word. I didn’t trust myself to speak to her calmly or kindly. All of the terrible insults I could hurl back at her were bubbling up and filling my mouth with their unsaid-ness. Except that’s not entirely true. My mouth filled up with the unmistakable taste of tears, and a Napoleon Dynamite-esque internal monologue of lame comebacks. READ MORE

Garden Vegetable Frittata

Last week, I started doing the thing where I eat trail mix for breakfast with a cup of coffee. Then I eat the same thing for lunch. I might grab a handful of cherry tomatoes or eat some cucumber slices off my son’s plate during lunch and start congratulating myself for making vegetables a “priority”. By the time dinner rolls around, I’m ravenous, have a terrible case of the bitchies and lose my words, so I groan and cry and end up laying on my bed in complete despair when I should be making dinner for my family. That is the moment when I want to douse my kitchen in gasoline, light it up with my Namaste candle and run away. RECIPE AND MORE HERE

This Week On Our Stable Table

Garden Tomatoes with Burrata Cheese

When Is It Appropriate To Ask A Woman If She Is Pregnant?

Grilled Summer Salad

World Breastfeeding Month Wrap Up and Giveaway!

Want to enter for your chance to win this bundle (or enter to win two more?!) Check out our latest giveaways up today and don't forget to find our secret CODE WORD in this newsletter!
ENTER HERE

Beyond Moi

life. family. love.

This Week On Beyond Moi

Managing Atomosophallophobia – Men’s One Sexual Need

*Disclaimer* This article is satirical. But it delivers some VERY good points.

"Women just can’t understand the seriousness of atomosophallophobia (APP). How could they? They don’t own the appropriate appendage that poses a risk for anyone in a 2 ft radius, let alone the sad owner of said appendage. But penis owners everywhere intimately understand the threat that they pose to their friends, family, and loved ones.

I so wish there was an app for APP.

You see, from a semi-adolescent age, boys are taught that they are not to be expected to control themselves around girls, a truth that is also communicated to young girls, who are then instructed that it befalls them to make sure that they remain in control of boys’ sexual conduct. “Select carefully the clothes that you put on your body,” they’re told. “Don’t tempt a boy with friendly gestures,” they’re cautioned. But not once are they told of the real strain that boys are under; the impending volcanic eruption that continually threatens to consume us all." READ MORE

Join The Conversation!

My Perfect Stepford Family, or Why I Don't Control My Children

Pink doesn't have a vagina and blue doesn't have a penis. Grow up, grown ups.

TLB Comics: Isn't It the Leaky Truth

"When Fantasy Creatures Babywear"