So let's tell you about them and how I've got on using them the last few weeks:
Lansinoh mOmma Feeding Bottle with NaturalWave Teat
Following a study that was led by Professor Woolridge, Senior Lecturer in Infant Feeding at the University of Leeds, it was found that babies have two distinct styles of feeding 'suckling' and 'sucking' to remove milk from the breast. This bottle has been designed to allow babies to use the same actions to take milk from the bottle as they do from a breast.
So that's the technical bit what is it like to actually use :). To begin with my daughter didn't take to it if I'm honest. To be fair, she didn't take well to any bottle, we have tried so many. For quite some time she refused to feed generally, from breast or bottle. We therefore went through the range of bottles to find one that she would take. I was so desperate to find something that would get her to feed. That's when we discovered the Medela Calma and thought it was the best product ever made, as she would finally feed :). We thought there wasn't a better product out there.
Well that was until we used the NaturalWave, as I say at the start she didn't like it and was on and off it like all the other bottles. However I persisted using it, hoping that after she got used to it, she might feed better at the breast and bottle or even better she might actually start to enjoy feeding again.
I'm so happy I did she loves this bottle, she prefers it to everything at the moment and is taking far more milk than she did before. She will feed from this bottle and then get annoyed that she drank it all :). It seems to be soothing to feed from and I now have to keep extra milk at my side to top it up. After using this bottle for a few weeks it has actually improved her feeding from the breast and improved her latch.
I would definitely recommend it, bottles are available in 160mls and 240mls.
Lansinoh TheraPearl 3in1 Hot or Cold Breast Therapy
Lansinoh Nursing Pads
Lansinoh HPA Lanolin Nipple Cream
Lansinoh 2in1 Electric Breast Pump
- Two sets of Breast shield medium and large - this allows any mum to find a comfortable fit. I use the large which has been great.
- 4 pump connectors - 2 of these are spare.
- A handy bag - I have found so useful. I've been storing all sorts in there like spare nursing pads, nipple cream and the instruction booklet (just in-case). The bag is great as you can carry it on your shoulder and it's very discreet, no one would even know you had a pump in there.
- Two NaturalWave bottles.
- One NaturalWave slow flow teat.
- Two collars - these are two purple screw on tops with a hole in the middle, you can either put the two silicone ring discs inside the collars to form a lid, which you get free in our box to seal the milk or push your free NaturalWave teat through so you are ready to feed.
Lansinoh heavily promote their pump, store, feed policy and this lovely set assists you to do this perfectly. When using the pump, I have found it completely amazing. No more 40 minute to an hour pumping. In 20 minutes, I can express 100mls which for me is unbelievable.
It is a little noisy I must admit but I just normally combat this by putting a blanket over it at night. I love that the pump has a back-light so you can easily pump in the dark. What makes this great is the fact that the light dims after a few seconds so the light isn't going to disturb everyone.
I love the size of the pump to, really small, compact and portable. As I have said before I love the bag too as it allows you to easily tidy it all away. Another great feature is that you can use batteries. So no worrying about where you are going to pump, as anywhere will do :). After using this electric pump I don't see the point in using a manual, a double pump is so much quicker and makes life a lot easier. I know they do cost alot more but trust me when I say this one is worth every penny.
The pump itself has a stimulating phase and three different pumping phases. This allows you to find what works for you. You can also increase and decrease intensity at any time using the plus or minus symbols. You can also switch between phases at any time. The pump starts on a stimulating phase which lasts for two minutes and then automatically switches to the second pumping phase, you can change sooner by pressing the button. When the pump is at the pumping phase you can press the pumping button to change the pumping phase to your preference. It sounds very complicated but its so easy to do and makes alot more sense when using it. When I express, I like to switch regularly between phases, I will let the pump automatically change from stimulating to pumping and every few minutes I'll change it back to stimulating as I find that this works best for me. This is a must buy and I feel very lucky to have it.
The only downside I have found is not having enough storage bottles. The way I combat this is pouring my expressed milk into alternate container/bottles for refrigeration so that I can clean the bottles for the next expressing session. I do think that Lansinoh need to look into producing milk storing pack, which could maybe include two or four bottles in a cool bag, containing 2/4 bottles, 2/4 collars, 2/4 ring discs and 2/4 bottle caps. That way mums can pump and store for as many feeds as needed. Personally I have found it comfier to pump into the 160ml bottles. These bottles are only currently purchasable with slow flow. If this milk storage pack was available, it would allow mums to buy the pack and then purchase the appropriate teats they needed separately. This idea has been sent to Lansinoh, so watch this space.