Breast Pumping; You Were Probably doing It All Wrong, I was

Zen(ish) Mommy

There is so much support out there for breastfeeding, and not nearly as much for pumping. Having to pump milk often feels like a necessary evil, especially when you have more than one child. Today’s guest, Alex Sinikas, is on a mission to improve the experience of breast pumping. A female engineer who found breastfeeding deeply uncomfortable, she has done all the research on breast pumping. This led her to create the Milkdrop breast cushion to offer other breastfeeders the most comfortable pump that will be on the market today. Her aim is to transform the pumping experience into something enjoyable so that you no longer feel like a cow! She is here to tell you everything you need to know about pumping, introduce you to some of the amazing products on the market today, and how to get the best possible results. Thanks for tuning in!

Key Points From This Episode:

• An introduction to today’s guest, Alex Sinikas with Milkdrop.
• Jessica gets real about her own experience with pumping.
• Alex’s tumultuous journey to feeding her own newborn daughter.
• How 85% of women own pumps, and 15 to 20% use them every day.
• How education about the right style and size pump that could prevent nipple injury and pain.
• The role of changing your mindset in supporting your pumping process.
• Reframing pumping as an opportunity to take time out for yourself.
• How we could benefit from systemizing education around pumping.
• Challenges in breast pump design with regard to size and shape.
• The prototype process she tested on herself before landing on the final product.
• What she learned from the survey process.
• Why you should never turn the suction up so high that you are in discomfort or pain.
• Common mistakes in breast pumping, including getting the size wrong.
• What she wants people to know: that it can be a comfortable and satisfying experience.
• Her No Nonsense, No Judgment Guide to Pumps and Pumping.
• What she recommends to slow down: take the time while you are pumping for yourself.

Tweetables:

“The data suggests that 15% of women will have an actual nipple injury, pain, or damage from pumping. One of the things that could help that is education about getting the right style and the right size pump for you.” — Alex Sinikas [0:10:51]

“There are brilliant pediatricians, brilliant lactation consultants, family doctors, and medical researchers who are looking at this, but it’s not systemic. It’s not trained at the level where you’re going to get a basic standard of care in this topic from anyone.” — Alex Sinikas [0:13:49]

“If you’re not a feminist by the time you get into baby rearing, you definitely are by the time you are done.” — Alex Sinikas [0:18:40]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Milkdrop Pumps

Milkdrop Pumps on Instagram

Milkdrop Pumps on Facebook

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