PRODUCT REVIEW: Spectra S1 electric pump

As you will know from my last post, from the very early days I have been expressing milk for when Starfish and I wanted to go out. Over the last 12 weeks or so I have tried a number of different pumps, both manual and electric, with varying degrees of success. Obviously there are a number of factors which affect the amount of milk you can express such as the time of day you are expressing, what you've eaten and how much fluids you have drank. I find pumping in the morning gives me highest yield and it helps to have Starfish in the room with me at the time and a big glass of water to hand. That said, the variation of quantity between pumps was remarkable. On average I had less than 1/2 an ounce from the manual pumps and between 3 and 4 ounces with the electric ones based in 40-50 minutes pumping.

That was, until the Spectra S1 Hospital Grade Double Electric Pump came into my life. This piece of kit truly is a gift from the Gods.

It's quick and easy to assemble (instructions are included but I didn't need them). It gives the option of single or double pumping and has a rechargeable battery so that it can be plugged into the mains or used away from home when charged, giving around 3 hours running time on full charge.

One of the first things I noticed about the pump apart from the fact that it's super lightweight is how quiet it is compared to the other pumps I've tried. Some were so loud that they woke Starfish when he was asleep, which in turn meant I couldn't pump as when he wakes he's instantly hungry. Likewise if I tried to pump when he was occupied with his Dad, the pumps were again so loud that I couldn't hear the radio or TV over them dispte being just a few metres away from them! With the Spectra S1 Starfish can nap while I pump and watch TV happily and importantly fully relaxed rather than feeling like a cow in a milking parlour

The Spectra S1 has a night light with gradual brightness settings and a handy timer which is set in 30 minute blocks and automatically stops after a cycle. 

It's really comfortable with decent size flanges and it has 2 modes; massage and expression. It is recommended that you set the pump to massage mode at first until your milk starts to flow and the switch to expression mode. You also have varying vacuum levels and cycle time (strength and number of pumps per minute). With this level of customisation, pumping is comfortable and painless while at the same time allowing you to get maximum possible yield. Some of the other pumps I've tried left me sore and even bruised after a 40 minute session but the Spectra was gentle and super efficient. So much so that after less than 30 minutes I had a huge 10 ounces of milk, more than double what I've ever achieved with the other pumps and in less time.


Spectra S1 Hospital Grade Double Electric Breast Pump isn't the cheapest on the market but I would highly recommend it for comfortable and efficient pumping that won't take up hours of your day. In fact for busy breastfeeding mommas who need lots of milk, fast, I'd say this is a must have.

In the lightweight box you get

S1 Pump motor
Breast shield set x 2
Backflow prevention filters x 2
AC adapter x 1
Inbuilt rechargeable battery(can be used plugged in or runs with the battery
Collection bottles x 2
Bottle stands x 2 

Mum's in the UK, you can buy your pump here Spectra Baby UK or Anawiz

Mum's in Australia or New Zealand get yours here http://spectra-baby.com.au/ref/WheelieMomma

Rental options are also available if you want to try it out before purchasing but take it from me, you need this pump. Go on, treat yourself!

The land of milk and funny

The midwife had no sooner left the house when I felt this strange, unfamiliar tingling. I consulted Dr Google who suggested it was probably my milk coming in. Hooray!
My little piranha seemed as relieved as I was at this new development; so much so that he pretty much fed every 2 hours, sometimes every hour just to be sure. Over the next few days the pain and discomfort eased and I found it really helpful to count back from 10 to 1 after the inital latch to distract myself from the feeling. Each feed, by the time I got to 1, the pain had subsided and Starfish fed happily for anywhere from 15-40 minutes at a time.
The next midwife visit around 3 days later was a much happier occassion. Starfish had gained weight, 1 oz per day to be exact. And so it has continued since. Each time he gets on the scales we beam with pride to hear his new weight.

I have to confess, one night in week 2 I was completely knackered and Starfish wanted to feed constantly. In a stupor I relented and let hubby make up a bottle of formula. Starfish was none too pleased and literally looked like he was being poisoned but eventually gave in and drank it. Let's just say, with the rancid smell of his nappies the next day we vowed (much to Starfish's delight) that formula would never again pass his lips and the tub was unceremoniously dumped. Not only that but trying to pacify a hungry baby for the eternity it takes to make up a formula bottle (the boiling and cooling, mixing and testing) completely defeats the purpose as far from giving me a rest, it just stressed out all 3 of us.

 After just 2 weeks I was really enjoying each feed and was totally pain free. It is an amazing way to bond with Starfish, especially as there are some things that I was unable to do for him without help, especially in the first few weeks following the c section. I feel like Supermum when he gets grizzly but instantly settles when he starts to feed. I'm even more chuffed when he feeds and drifts off into a peaceful sleep! Get this, at just 8 weeks he was sleeping through the night! A full, blissful 8 hours (that's 7 more than I was getting when I was pregnant!)

Everyone who meets Starfish comments that he has beautiful skin. He's thankfully not had a cough, cold or any sickness so far; he's tipping the scales at well over 14lbs now and has grown a staggering 12.5cm in length since birth. All this thanks to Momma Milk. No words can describe the sense of pride and accomplishment that gives me. Not only that but my milk adapts in content and temperature automatically to be EXACTLY what Starfish needs at any given moment, no notice required. (How cool is that?)

It's not all about Starfish either. Despite having developed the appetite of a hippo (a common side effect of breastfeeding it seems) I am actually lighter now than before I got pregnant! Yes, you read that correctly; I've not just lost all my "baby weight” within a few weeks of having Starfish but I've lost more besides. And that's not to mention the pounds we've saved not having to buy formula.


Fast forward 13 weeks and I got a call I never in a million years expected. SureStart asking Starfish and I to come in and speak to an ante natal group about breastfeeding. Even more shockingly, I readily accepted the invitation and spoke with gushing enthusiasm about the benefits of the magic milk. (Did you know that a little dab of it cures everything from sticky eye to nappy rash?) We finished our talk saying "If someone had told me 13 weeks ago that we'd be hear tonight speaking to you all, I'd have laughed in their face" and Starfish giggled right on cue!

We still had some challenges to overcome, not least feeding in public and when in my wheelchair out and about. I wasn't feeling at all brave about either of these things. Starfish, much like his mum, is prone to quite vocal outburstS when he gets hangry (hungry and angry) and the last thing I wanted was a public meltdown if I couldn't get us both positioned properly to feed in the chair. To get around this I expressed milk before going out and hubby fed Starfish from a bottle when out. This was necessary because Starfish is no fool; he knows if I try to give him a bottle that I have the original 'equipment' for feeding and refuses the bottle from me. This solution is not without its drawbacks; gone are the days when we could take spontaneous trips because expressing enough needs about 2 days notice; but at least it saved any tantrums from either Starfish or me!

This routine continued until a few weeks ago when we were on one of our trips out with our trusty bottles as normal. However Starfish is teething and began to cry inconsolably and refused the bottle from even his Dad as his little mouth was so sore. Seeing him in such a state I had to do something; I took the proverbial bull by the horns (or in this case the Starfish by the waist) and attempted to feed him in my chair. He cried for a few more seconds, then realised where he was, latched on and fed like a pro! He stopped crying almost straight away, (Momma Milk has natural pain relieving properties; the stuff is truly magic) fed for about 10 minutes then (I kid you not) looked up at me and smiled! It was almost as if he realised the milestone we had reached together and we were sharing a proud moment.

Hooray for Starfish and Wheelie Momma, there'll be no stopping us now!

Storm in a D Cup

So here we are... a big topic! Something so important it deserves a post of its own. Feeding Starfish. More specifically, breastfeeding him.

While I was pregnant I discussed breastfeeding with family and friends as well as at my antenatal visits. My initial thoughts on breastfeeding were purely on a practical level. It has to be easier to just pop baby on the boob rather than faffing around with bottles and sterilisers etc etc; especially in the middle of the night, right? What could be easier? It's the most natural thing in the world, right? The more I read and heard about it, the more I felt sure it was the right thing to do for both Starfish and I. It improves baby's immunity, reduces the risk of coughs, colds and infections, improves their eyesight, reduces the risk of obesity in later life by teaching appetite control, reduces nappy rash.... the list of benefits are endless. For mum it speeds up post partum weight loss, reduces the risk of breast cancer, reduces the risk of osteoporosis and helps bond with baby to name just a few.
I spoke to some friends who had tried to feed their babies but for various reasons things hadn't worked out. They warned me not to beat myself up if it wasn't for me. I nodded and promised that of course I wouldn't but inwardly I thought, how can it possibly not work? If I really want to do it, then of course it will work?

Starfish's first feed in recovery was flawless, the midwife latched him on for me and he happily co operated and fed like a boss for several minutes. A number of midwives even came over to watch commenting on his fabulous latch and joked that he must have read a book on how to feed before he was born because he was so good. Ha! I thought, see? This is a piece of cake!

Oh how naive I was....

Back in the room I was given a sheet and told to document each feed over the next few days; which side Starfish fed from, for how long and how the feed went. No problem! I thought, oh silly me.

I had studiously devoured every book I could find on breastfeeding antenataly and combed through hours and hours of videos and guides. I knew all the early feeding cues that a baby displays and I was determined to offer a feed at the first hint of a cue so Starfish didn't become even the slightest distressed. I obsessively watched him and sure enough, after a short time there was the first signs as he moved his head from side to side and opened his mouth.  As hubby passed him to me (as I was still numb and unable to move a lot in bed as well as the fact that the cot was completely out of reach and I was unable to bend over it to lift him out myself) I tried to latch him on myself. I soon realised that for all I had studied and as much of a pro as Starfish himself was, I may as well have been making daisy chains for all the good it had done me. I had no idea what I was doing and I just couldn't position Starfish properly so he could latch on and feed. Feeling, defeated, embarrassed and slightly panicked I buzzed for a midwife who calmly reassured me that it was still early days and that it would all soon be second nature to me. She gently repositioned Starfish and latched him on where he once again fed like a little pro. I tried to mentally photograph his position for future reference and tried not to beat myself up inside but I secretly felt like a complete buffoon for needing help for a second time.

Sadly my next attempt was no more successful, nor the one after that.... in fact every feed for the first 24 hours I needed to buzz for the midwife to help me and Starfish get started. On the second night I was determined to complete a feed with no help (apart from hubby as I still wasn't able to lift Starfish out of the cot without help). Amazingly I was able to latch him on lying down as one of the most amazing midwives showed me how to position us both to feed lying down (a lifesaver) and he fed for a short time before coming off and erupting in a crying fit! I tried to soothe him and get him back on but the more I tried the harder he cried and the more of a failure I felt.

Now I'm about to dispel a breastfeeding myth. The myth that breastfed babies don't get windy!
As Starfish screamed and bent up his little knees, getting in such a state that he was no longer able to latch on, with tears of frustration and despair in my own eyes I said to hubby "you'd almost think he had wind but that can't be because he's breastfed and that doesn't happen, right?" Hubby decided he would try rubbing Starfish's back to see what would happen as it certainly couldn't make the situation any worse.

 In the midst of all this a midwife came in and suggested that we give him some formula, I shot her a look which left her in no doubt that it was not the helpful solution she had hoped to which she raised me "How about some donor milk then?" That was like a dagger through my gut. Bad enough that I can't pick up my baby myself and I need help to change and bath him at the moment, now I'm being told I may have to rely on another mum  to feed my baby   too! Could I be any more pathetic?
Somehow I managed to contain my firey, hormonal temper and I politely thanked her for the offer but explained that I knew the milk bank was a precious and limited resource for sick babies for whom there was no other choice and I couldn't bring myself to take any of their supplies.
All the while hubby was rubbing Starfish's back and moving him around gently. I startled as he burped like a grown man and instantly stopped crying! The midwife laughed and helped me settle him back down to continue the feed. 30 minutes later Starfish gently released me and drifted into a peaceful sleep. Another small victory for Team Starfish.

Later on the next afternoon, with some unaided feeds and some where we still needed help from a midwife but all of which were very windy (Starfish burps and is even more of a trumpet trousers than his Dad!) it was time to go home. This was a huge milestone and a very proud moment for hubby and I especially as Starfish's grandparents were there with us for the journey home and we had photos and well wishes from total strangers all the way out to the car. While I beamed with pride, on the inside I was terrified. What if I couldn't feed Starfish at home where there was no buzzer to summon a midwife for help? I ordered hubby to stop off at the supermarket on the way home to buy a tub of formula as a safety net for me "just in case". He gave me a questioning look of "I thought we weren't using formula" but when I responded with the death stare of "don't question me" he duly trotted off to the shop returning moments later with formula.

As soon as we got home Starfish wanted a feed. I tentatively sat on the sofa complete with my v pregnancy pillow where hubby placed Starfish and we attempted to feed him. I say we because it really was a team effort, with all 3 of us playing a key role. Starfish with his wide open mouth and professional latch, me with, well, the essential equipment and sheer grit and determination and hubby for positioning and gentle encouragement and hand holding for both Starfish and I. During the first feed at home I was certain that I was doing something fundamentally wrong. The reason for this thought was because everything I had read said that "If it hurts, it's not right". Quite honestly, I had never experienced a feeling or sensation like this in my life. Looking back now I'm not sure if I would describe it as pain in the normal sense but it definitely is not a pleasant feeling. (This is why the hand holding was necessary) Being totally honest, had anyone other than my beautiful Starfish been causing me to feel like that I would have pushed them away or smacked them in the face but thanks to wonderful Mother Nature my instinct told me to pull Starfish closer to me and squeeze hubby's hand harder. We got through the first night and I was proud as punch that we had managed night feeds and all 3 of us were still alive to greet the community midwife when she visited the next day.


All was not rosy in the garden however. Starfish was weighed and we were told that he had lost 1 ounce more than the recommended 10% of his birth weight. I was crushed! Everything had gone so well up to this point, "textbook" we were told, everyone had commented on how great his latch was etc but yet he had lost too much weight. I was his sole source of nourishment so it was my fault, I had failed him.

The midwife reassured me that the weight loss was not a cause for concern and that in a day or 2 when my milk was in properly Starfish would start to gain weight again. She gave me a few tips on how to encourage milk production and recommended that I feed Starfish as much as possible. I explained my discomfort so she observed a feed and explained there was nothing wrong with our positioning etc. She said I'd just have to persevere with frequent feeds and when my milk was in things would get better. She also suggested that if Starfish was still unsettled after a feed, we try a formula top up. She showed hubby how to prepare the formula and even tried to give Starfish a little feed but he was having none of it.

I doubled my resolve to push on through and feed around the clock if I had to while at the same time my heart sank every time Starfish came to me for a feed with his mouth wide open like an angry little piranha....

Special Delivery

40 weeks seems like an eternity when you first become pregnant. The first 12 weeks feel endless, especially if you have decided not to tell anyone. However as time went on and D day came closer and closer, I realised that 40 weeks is actually a really short amount of time. Not only that but with all the sickness and pact making with Starfish to stay healthy and keep growing, not to mention trying to plan practically for our new very special house guest, I realised that I had given little or no thought to how Starfish would enter the world! Yes he was in his comfy womb with a view (though I shudder to think of what...) and he'd have to get out somehow but I really hadn't given it any more thought than that.

I embarked on a hypnobirthing course when a friend recommended it. Hypnobirthing is a birth education programme, that teaches simple  self hypnosis, relaxation and breathing techniques for a better birth. It really is the embodiment of "mind over matter" and many women who use the techniques report a pain free and more importantly drug free birth. 

I had always been told by medical professionals that there was no reason I couldn't give birth but that it would be most likely via a c section if and when the time came. When I discussed this with my consultant however, she seemed taken aback by the idea and said it would be much better for me to "try and see what happens". This coupled with the positive affirmations in hypnobirthing where all terms like labour, and contractions are replaced with "birthing process" and "surges" removing the tension and fear in the belief that if the mind doesn't think it, the body won't feel it. I started to believe that a "natural" birth might just be possible.

I was very aware however that my own birth was far from straightforward and my cerebral palsy was a direct result of lack of oxygen at birth. In the end, I just couldn't allow any chances to be taken with Starfish, so in a frank discussion with our consultant, hubby and I explained that we weren't willing to be lab rats to "see what was possible" and we wanted to be booked in for a c section. We listened to the warnings that it was "major surgery" a "high risk procedure" for me and that I needed to "be well enough to take care of my baby after delivery" and insisted that I was willing to take a chance with my own health and deal with any aftermath but I just wouldn't compromise Starfish's safety. We agreed that we'd do everything we could to make Starfish's entry into the world and first hours as gentle and welcoming as possible to compensate for the section but our 6th sense told us it was absolutely the right thing to do.

With the weight of this decision lifted off my mind, it was replaced with 2 new concerns. 

1 I'd heard all the horror stories about how vital it is that you stay still when getting the spinal injection. I am extremely jumpy and I mean, EXTREMELY jumpy. (When hubby first moved in I strongly considered fitting him with a cat style bell round his neck because I often forgot he was in the house only to jump out of my skin when he came back into the room after any length of time.) The last thing I wanted was to jump at the wrong time and end up paralysed.

2 I was all to aware after a meeting with the anaesthetist that the damage to the bones at the bottom of my back after years of poor gait which saw my bones rub off each other like a cheese grater; meant that the spinal would be difficult if not impossible. If it wasn't possible I would have to be knocked out for delivery. The thought of this was unbearable to me. Not only would it mean that I wouldn't see Starfish as he made his entrance but hubby wouldn't be allowed to stay in theatre so he'd miss out too. 

I prayed with everything I had and tried to trust my body and Starfish that we would work together to get over this last hurdle.

Just a couple of weeks later and Starfish's birthday was upon us. It was such a strange feeling waddling out to get into the car that morning and seeing the car seat in the back. I think Starfish knew it was nearly check out time as he was kicking like crazy for the entire journey. So much so that I actually thought my carefully crafted plans would count for nothing and that hubby would have to be midwife on the roadside at one point! Happily however that was not to be and we made it safe and sound to hospital. It all became even more real when we entered our room to the sight of a little cot at the bottom of my bed. I still couldn't comprehend that in just a few hours there would be a little person in that very cot, our little person. 

The next few hours passed in a flash with a flurry of checks and re checks and information about what was going to happen and in what order. Thankfully I was pretty well versed in what would happen in theatre as my lovely cousin is training to be a midwife and she had very kindly talked me through the whole thing minute by minute a week or so earlier. 
The midwife we had on the day was fantastic, friendly, happy, reassuring and professional. Things got even better when I met the consultant who would deliver Starfish and he assured me that they would all take great care of Starfish and I and, guess what? He beamed that the anaesthetist was not only good but "the best in Northern Ireland". He explained again the possibility that the spinal may not be possible but stressed that if this anaesthetist couldn't do it then no one could. I mentally decided that surely I couldn't be that much of a medical mystery and we headed off to theatre in high spirits, me inwardly reciting my hypnobirthing affirmations and hubby in toe pushing afore mentioned cot!

Unlike any other trip to an operating theatre I've had, by the time we reached the double doors I was euphoric! I met the anaesthetist, one of the jolliest people I've ever met and the rest of the amazing theatre staff. Hubby was left outside the door while I was prepared for show time. I sat on the edge of the bed, back arched, hugging a pillow while the anaesthetist explained he would give me 2 general anaesthetic injections before the spinal. I braced myself and retreated inward concentrating on my breathing a la hypno birthing. I heard the anaesthetist count 1 and 2 for the injections but felt nothing. He the asked that I continue with my breathing and give him a minute to find the best place to administer the spinal. About a minute later I asked him to let me know when he was ready to do it, he laughed and suddenly I felt a tingle down my right leg, he'd done it! What's more, the tingle was a good sign that it was working! I was numb, not paralysed and best of all, AWAKE! I felt like I had won the lottery. Moments later, with a spray of cold water which I couldn't feel on my belly, everyone agreed that the spinal had been a success. By the time hubby came in the first incision had been made and just 6 minutes later Starfish was born!

It was beyond amazing! There were tears and snot (and that was just from me and hubby) Starfish didn't cry in the way I expected, he just sort of squeaked to signal his arrival. This panicked me, what was wrong? why wasn't he crying? Oh no, it was all going so well! Until the midwife brought him to me and as he lay momentarily on my chest I realised that everything was fine and he was just the most chilled out baby ever. Go Starfish!

All too soon I was told that Starfish and Daddy (how weird, hubby was now "Daddy") would leave me for a while to get stitched and I could join them as soon as possible in recovery. I knew this was coming and we had already discussed that this was a lovely opportunity for some father son bonding time.

As I waited for the medical team to do their thing the anaesthetist congratulated me on my "text book delivery" and our beautiful son. He was so taken by Starfish that he suggested I name him after him. Right in that moment I loved him so much for not knocking me out that I briefly considered his suggestion.

Some time later I made my way to recovery and on the way round the corner I could hear what sounded like an Oscars acceptance speech. I soon realised this was Daddy and Starfish having a full scale (albeit slightly one sided) conversation.

After some more checks we were all allowed back to our room on the ward. Starfish was placed on my chest where he remained for 6 hours of blissful, uninterrupted skin to skin contact.

As I lay looking down at his beautiful big eyes and button nose, with his perfect little hand curled around my finger; it didn't matter that I had been sick for nearly 7 of the last 10 months, had heartburn for the last 3, been cut open, nor that I was numb from the waist down and would remain so for the rest of the day... Starfish was here and I was the happiest woman alive. 

Our Fairy Godmothers

Last time we left things on a bit of a downer, with me heading off to spend literally days trawling the Internet to find suitable commercially available equipment to help me with the day to day tasks that caring for a baby involves. Things like bathing, changing, dressing and feeding a newborn are scary enough for all new parents but when you have the balance of a beach ball in a wind tunnel things are even more interesting. 
I managed to find a good baby bath online (and I didn't even have to sell a kidney to be able to afford it!) I also found a cool blanket with 2 handles on the sides designed to make it easy to safely lift and carry a baby. 
I asked every health professional I could find if they could help me find a catalogue of living aids so I could see what was available and might meet my needs, each one in turn told me no such catalogue exists. 

Then, as in all good fairy tales, one day things changed. My husband and I had enrolled in an ante natal program with a fantastic organisation, Sure Start. Sure Start is a government led initiative aimed at giving every child the best possible start in life and which offers a broad range of services focusing on family health, early years care and education and improved well-being programmes to children aged four and under. 
Mary, the lady who delivered the amazing ante natal program to us really went above and beyond for us and truly has become one of our two fairy Godmothers. Part of the program discusses positive mental health for parents and baby and bonding with your baby before and after birth. During our many discussions over the weeks I explained to Mary the struggle I was having getting support and how important I felt it was that I was fully involved in the care of my son, both on a practical and emotional level. Mary completely understood my plight and agreed it was an absolute right of mine and Starfish. Not only did she understand but she pledged to do all she could to help us break through the barriers and get what we needed. We had another person on the team, I felt empowered to push on with my fight.

From then things really gained momentum and shortly after we gained another team member, our second fairy Godmother in the form of our health visitor Catherine. Catherine is one of the most amazing, kind and gentle women I have ever met. When she first came to see us before Starfish was born, she too completely understood where I was coming from. She assured me that no explanation was necessary and of course I wanted to be completely hands on in caring for my baby. She too took up the mantel and joined the team. Not only that but she put herself out on a limb saying she sensed we would be great parents and she looked forward to working with us! 

Finally we felt vindicated in our decision to have a family. We had surrounded ourselves with like minded people who believed in us and who could help us. It felt amazing!

Whatever happens in future and whatever challenges we face, we will forever owe Mary and Catherine a huge debt for believing enough to join us on Team Starfish

Love
Wheelie Momma