Free Breastfeeding Support!

If you're like me, you worry about the cost of things. Starting from the cost of the delivery. Then the cost of what you will need to get ready for baby. The cost of daycare. The cost of raising a child... the list goes on. And all of it adds up. 

So if I can help you save some money here and there AND get some essential support, why not? Part of why some women do not succeed in breastfeeding is lack of support. It is so important to have that. Support includes not only from family members and your doctor... but also those that can help should you need assistance. Those people include your OB, lactation consultants, support groups and organizations like La Leche League, and community centers like WIC... just to name a few. 

Should you find that breastfeeding isn't going the way you planned, or you need some help do not feel ashamed. Do not hesitate to ask. The sooner you get help the sooner you can get back on the right path. Even I who has successfully breastfed 2 children have my list of backup support in case I should need it. And I got to tell you, those first 4-6 and sometimes up to 8 weeks is what it takes for me to find my groove and to build up my supply enough. It definitely is a process. 

Anyway, here is a few resources that are free of charge for breastfeeding support:

• If you are a WIC participant, they have lactation consultants onsite to assist you with breastfeeding. Keep in mind they usually have specific days and hours that they are there. So you will want to check with your local WIC to check their availability. And remember as a participant you can also obtain a free breast pump!
• WIC also has phone support available if their office is closed or if there isn't a lactation consultant onsite. They can be reached at 1-888-278-6455.
• La Leche League International is a wonderful resource. Not only do they have valuable information on their website (along with forums to ask questions), but they also have local groups that meet for support. You can even begin these before you give birth to be prepared, and meetings are FREE. To find local support simply click the drop down in the upper left hand corner to choose your country. Then select your city. By doing this you will get the contact information for your local group. You will also get group leader information that can either assist you (or assist you in getting help) for FREE over the phone support. I have used this a few times and it has been a lifesaver.
• La Leche League can also help answer any questions free of charge regarding what is safe to take during pregnancy. I remember I had to have my wisdom teeth pulled and the dentist wanted me to take Vicodin for pain and I was able to find out if it was safe or not for breastfeeding. Of course I asked my dentist previously but they are really not knowledgable in regards to breastfeeding. He told me no and to pump and dump or give formula which of course would have affected my supply. LLL was able to confirm the safe dosage for me.

So there you have it. I hope some or all of these are helpful to you should you need support.

You can get a FREE breast pump!

Did you know that here in the US through the affordable healthcare act women can get one free breast pump per pregnancy? Yes its true! FREE! PER PREGNANCY! Ive done some research and most insurance companies will cover the cost of one for you. Now keep in mind some insurance companies have fine print (as always) and Ive found that some grandfathered plans are not eligible for this coverage.  But a simple call to your insurance provider can let you know if this is available or not.

First what I have found is that in order for insurance to cover this, it needs to be a medical need. According to a representative I spoke to from Anthem Blue Cross, a medical need would be low milk production/ supply or latch issues. If you have these things, then there are two ways of going about getting your free breast pump. (Keep in mind that this is just what insurance companies say. Im sure that no one will have a problem giving you a prescription even if you're not having major issues)

First, you will need a prescription from either your physician, OB or lactation consultant. Once you have that prescription, they will give you an 800 number to contact a medical supply vendor they use nationwide. Make sure you get the extension for breast pumps. And they would then tell you the steps on how to get the prescription to them.

The second way is that you can purchase your pump on your own and then ask your insurance provider for reimbursement. You will have to contact your specific insurance provider to see what their steps for reimbursement are.

Now my specific insurance won't let me claim this until the baby is born. However I have heard of some insurance companies allowing you to get your breast pump 30 days prior to your due date. Again, to get the information that pertains to your specific insurance, call your provider for details. The number is on the back of your insurance card.



What If I Don't Qualify For A Free Breast Pump?
There are other resources out there for you to get free pumps. Some hospitals give pumps out to moms. Check with your hospitals maternity ward to see if they provide this for you. Ive heard some will give electric pumps and some will give manual pumps. Hey, free is free.  Also if you are a participant of WIC they also provide a free pump to moms. Again, I think it may be a manual pump but ask your local office for details.

Can I Buy A Used Breast Pump?
You can find people selling breast pumps pretty much anywhere online. They are everywhere from Facebook, Craigslist, Ebay.... list goes on.

Breast pumps were made to be a single-user product. Breast pump manufacturers will tell you this right on their website. The reason for this is that breast milk is a bodily fluid. That means there is a risk of contamination should you use another persons breast pump. Risks include (but are not limited to):

• HIV
• Hepatitis
• Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1)
• Cytomegalovirus (CMV)

Not only that but if the previous use experienced cracked or bleeding nipples then the pump may have been contaminated with blood, which increases health risks. Additionally, if the previous user had a fungal infection such as thrush, it may be possible to be transmitted through the pump.

Many people reason that they can buy new accessories and it should be in the clear for contamination. That is not the case. Although all accessories can be replaced, the original pump cannot. (I would also add that no matter how old a breast pump is, if it has been used my more than one user it voids the warranty)

The Medela website states that the difference between personal use pumps and rental pumps is as follows:

Personal Use Breastpumps Personal use pumps that you buy at the store are personal care items, much like a toothbrush. Personal use pumps should never be resold or shared among mothers. The Medela Pump In Style Advanced has an internal diaphragm that cannot be removed, replaced, or fully sterilized. Therefore, the risk of cross-contamination associated with re-using a previously owned pump such as the Pump In Style cannot be dismissed, even when using a new kit or tubing. Another consideration when deciding to borrow or even lend a previously owned electric pump is the pump’s motor life. A high quality electric double pump might last through the breastfeeding of your second child, or even several children. However, like computers or other electronic products, an electric breastpump has a limited lifetime. Medela guarantees its pump motors with a one year warranty. If you use an electronic pump that has been used for more than one year, there is no guarantee that it will generate as much speed and vacuum as it did earlier in it’s life. By using your own pump, you can compare the pump’s performance with each child. However if you borrow a pump, you cannot gauge its performance to ensure it is operating at full capacity.

Rental Pumps
Rental pumps such as Medela’s Symphony, and Lactina are designed for multiple users. These pumps have special barriers and filters to prohibit milk from entering the pump motor, which prevent cross-contamination. In addition, each renter uses her own personal set of breastshields, containers and tubing, to ensure the safe use of these pumps.

I will tell you this though. I personally have tried many breast pumps over the years. Everything from renting a hospital grade pump, to buying the cheaper priced pumps like Avent or Platex, and buying a legit high functioning breast pump like the Medela Pump In Style. You get what you pay for. The hospital grade of course worked but it got expensive renting and I was better off buying. But like many of you, I was concerned about the price. I started with the cheaper pumps and it was such a waste of time and money. They were a joke to say the least. I learned the hard way not to skimp on something so important.

Sciatic Nerve Pain

Im currently in the midst of my 6th pregnancy. Through the years and with each pregnancy I have learned a lot. My goal in being a doula and in having this blog is to pass on the gems of knowledge I have acquired through the years to anyone who is open to suggestions to possibly help them out. If even one thing I pass on to you all helps you out or makes your life easier, or in more awesome cases, helps you avoid the mistakes I made, then AWESOME.

Since my second pregnancy, my first pregnancy going to full term, I have had to suffer through Symphysis Pubic Dysfunction (SPD). Let me tell you, this is not fun at all. Add to it some sciatic nerve pain and the fact that at least for me, all these issues have progressively gotten worse with each pregnancy, I am at the end of my rope in terms of back/hip/pelvic pain. And I have a pretty high pain tolerance. I mean hello, I did have 4 unmedicated natural births. It seems that these pains not only intensify with each pregnancy, but the pain begins sooner and sooner with each one. Currently as it is, I find myself gasping when I feel that shooting pain. Just turning in bed or moving my leg is excruciating. Walking is almost impossible. I limp as if I was an 80 year old woman missing her cane. So with that, Id like to share a few things that have personally helped me with pain management.

First and foremost being able to stretch and crack my back has been my first method of coping with pain. Those things in itself help relive so much tension and pain. But if you know true sciatic pain, then you know you will need much more.

I have been very successful with using a hot rice pack. These are just little cloth packs (or big) they sell at the pharmacy, or you could make your own, usually filled with rice and you heat them up in the microwave. I find 2 minutes is the magic number for me. Once the heat hits my lower back and my tail bone, I get immediate relief. Now the only downfall of this is that the hot pack eventually cools off. Hopefully by that time you have gotten enough relief to have either fallen asleep (as my pain tends to intensify as the day progresses) or at least enough to be able to move more comfortably.

My next method of attack that I have been using for quite some time now, almost 2 years, is Doterra's PastTense essential oil. This has got to be my favorite oil blend that they sell. It smells amazing and when massaged into the area of pain, you will feel an instant tingling. Similar to that of Vic's vapor rub, only better. Im telling you when this is applied this is the only thing that will pretty much take the pain 100% away. It lasts a few hours too. And this particular oil is great not only for aches and pains but fantastic for headaches and migraines as well.

Now a little more about Doterra. I am a member with them and pay an annual membership and they require a monthly order (no minimum purchase amount). Also by being a member you get discounted prices instead of the full retail price. So for those of you interested in getting this oil without having to sign up for an account there are a few ways going about getting it. First off, you can find someone who has an account (like I do) to add it to their order. This is the cheapest way to get it. Otherwise, you can search Amazon.com or Ebay.com and see who is selling online. Prices will vary since the price is set by the seller. But I can tell you that almost always you will be paying more this way. You can also see if there is a Doterra brand rep that is willing to send you a sample of this oil before you commit to buying.

Now because these wonderful essential oils are a little on the pricey range I wanted to have another method of treating my pain without using a whole bottle of oil a week. I recently purchased pure magnesium oil as I had read great things about it. Although they call it an oil, its not actually an oil. It has a consistency similar to oil, but non greasy, so thats why they categorize it as that. Its completely natural. Its basically made up of water and magnesium chloride flakes (aka epsom salt). This is a great alternative to those like me who don't have a bath tub to soak in an epsom salt bath (but if you do have a tub I highly recommend trying it). It also has many uses as well. Everything from pain management, muscle aches and cramps, insomnia, anxiety, depression, heart palpitations, migraines, headaches, PMS, constipation and much much more. It really is amazing! Now from what I have learned, most people are deficient in magnesium. So when first applied, those who are deficient may feel a slight burning or tingling sensation. The more you use it, the less deficient you are and the less it will sting. I didn't really experience any stinging when using this. I sprayed it all over my lower back and down my legs where I had the shooting pain from my sciatic nerve. Thanks to my husband i was able to have it massaged in. The massage itself was wonderful, but it was this spray that instantly gave me relief. Now this isn't 100% relief, at least for me. It is a new product for me so perhaps the more I use it the better it will work. But so far it has probably taken away about 94% of the pain. Still really amazing! Right before I had it applied, I was limping with shooting pain. Immediately after application I could walk without limping with only slight mild discomfort. Relief in only minutes! I was skeptical before I tried this but I just had to try something that I could use more regularly without draining my bank account. And this is my answer to my sciatic/back/hip/pelvic pain.

I hope my tidbits of info help you out with any pain or discomforts you may be experiencing in pregnancy (these are great for when you're not pregnant too!).