Mum: Nikki
Journey: Psoriatic Arthritis symtoms causing pain, regularly pumping to top up feed her baby
From Nikki:
Support that sets Milkbar apart from the rest
Victoria’s Yarra Ranges, nestled between wine country and mountains, is home to mum-of-three, Nikki. She has three boys, the eldest 15 and the youngest just 12 weeks.
Her journey with breastfeeding hasn’t been easy. Despite previously trying a variety of hospital-grade breast pumps, she had little success with breastfeeding her two eldest children. Her oldest boy had an extreme tongue tie and experienced severe reflux and gas. He would vomit after feeding which meant he was constantly hungry. And, as someone who suffers with psoriatic arthritis, grappling with difficult feeders was a challenge as her post-pregnancy hormones caused her symptoms to flare.
When number three came along, however, she decided she didn’t want to give up so easily.
As many of us do, she was one day scrolling through an online chat group for mums. She noticed a chat discussing breast pumps, with several comments recommending Milkbar. Nikki decided to do her own research, and started reading more on the personal experiences shared by different mums.
Convinced by what she saw, she got in touch with us and started chatting to Laura. “My decision was made within that first conversation. Laura answered all my questions and gave me the reassurance I needed that this was going to be a great decision”.
Nikki’s reaction the first time she used her Milkbar Advanced Flow Double Electric Breast Pump?
“I was elated.”
“Sure enough the milk started flowing. It was amazing. Finally, my body was working the way it was supposed to! It was gentle and soft - not aggressive at all like other pumps. I was able to get a third-full bottle from either side in that first pump”.
Nikki began by pumping for 10 minutes after each feed, but noticed that her baby’s feeds were becoming shorter. So, she started giving him expressed milk exclusively, pumping 5-8 times a day for at least half an hour.
“With previous pumps I would have to sit for hours on end, with either one or two bottles attached. I couldn’t move as it was a heavy, powered unit. The portability of the Milkbar breast pump is amazing, and extremely handy when you have other children and a life to get on with!” Nikki says.
“My Milkbar breast pump is small enough to fit in a lunch bag that I chuck over my shoulder. I can get on with things while I pump for half an hour, and I’ll end up with near full bottles. The difference in supply is massive”.
Both the size and design of the unit appealed to Nikki. “The unit is like a race car speedo - it’s fun to use! There is a huge range of suctions to play with so you get it just right, and you can change the settings for each boob. It’s really easy to clean and assemble.”
One of the things that Nikki likes most about Milkbar is that it has been designed and developed by mums, and it’s the support she received that she says sets Milkbar apart from the rest.
“If you have any concerns, the best thing you can do is ask. You’re dealing with the mums who run the business in New Zealand, so the team can answer any questions you have. To me, having that kind of support is everything.”
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We were privileged to appear in the lifestyle blog of Caitlin, 'The Twenty Something Mama' in the form of a review and story of her journey. We are so pleased to be able to share this with you, so you can share in her experience and how she found the Milkbar Advanced Flow Breast Pump. A link to Caitlin's Blog site is at the footer of this page.
Briar gave birth to her first child - a boy - in December 2020. Like most new mums, she was hoping to be able to breastfeed her son - but what made Briar’s prospects slightly more complicated was that she had had breast reduction surgery in October of 2019.
