Today’s chat about pumping with Jan Ellen Brown, IBCLC is sponsored by PumpEase™ hands-free pumping supports. Drawing from her own personal experience as a pumping mom, PumpEase™ creator/owner Wendy Bell has developed a product and company that offers quality support to pumping moms. In addition to sponsoring today’s chat, Wendy is also offering up a great giveaway package just for TLB readers. Read on to find out how you can be entered to win and the quick interview I got to have with Wendy last night.
Wendy and her family
TLB: Share with TLB readers the background of PumpEase™ and Snugabell and how you began your business.
Wendy: It all started when I had my first daughter in November of 2004…. please read my story here.
All in all, I feel so lucky to have found this niche – something that satisfies my desire for being creative – with a practical product that will help moms while making them feel good, even sexy, at a time in their life that more often than not doesn’t exactly make you feel pretty. I still have the nasty little “prototype” that I used for both my babes – kind of like the hairdresser with bad hair, my “PumpEase” wasn’t so pretty – but the concept was there and I knew I wasn’t just going to offer it in white, nude and black. I also knew, with my background in apparel design, that I could make a universal product that would fit most or all breast pumps and most or all moms and that it would be easy to use, easy to care for, durable and almost maintenance-free.
Quality control and customer service are VERY high on our priority list as well. I have going on two decades of experience in dealing with the public and fortunately had two VERY particular parents to pass on the “detail-oriented” genes so that we can be sure our product never leaves our office unless it meets our very high standards.
TLB: I feel like you looked into my head and developed the product I never knew I desperately needed (and wish I had 12 years ago!), where did your inspiration come from?
Wendy: I’m not exactly sure. My mind never stops and after pumping just a few times, I knew there had to be a better way, so I went online, looked at what was available and said, “I can do better!” I never initially intended to bring what I had made to market. It really just happened organically.
TLB: What’s next for PumpEase™ and Snugabell?
Wendy: Well as some of you may already know, we are in the testing stages of the launch of our inaugural nursing garment – the Toni Top™. Feedback has been quite positive, so we’re hoping to officially launch it this summer!
TLB: Other than a PumpEase™ Hands-free pumping support, what is your favorite pumping tip?
Wendy: Something that I’ve learned since I’ve hung up my horns is that I could have stored the flanges in the fridge in between pumping sessions and then just wash them at the end of the day. I washed mine every time I pumped and grew to loathe the job quite quickly.
Along with sponsoring our Thirsty Thursday Thinkables Live Chat on pumping, Wendy is giving away a PumpEase™ Organic prize pack which includes a PumpEase™ Organic, a Do Not Disturb door hanger, Nursing Mother Goddess necklace and Breastmilk Storage Guidelines fridge magnet – total retail value: $72 USD
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This giveaway is now closed, thank you everyone that entered and Wendy for this opportunity!
All you have to do to be entered is to comment on this post and if you feel like it, share your favorite early days survival tip. For a second entry, go like PumpEase™ on Facebook, let them know TLB sent you and come back and leave a second comment letting me know you did so. If you already like PumpEase™ on Facebook, leave a second comment letting me know.
That’s it! Two easy ways to be entered. This giveaway is open just for the next 24 hours as part of today’s chat. The giveaway is open to international entries.
Wendy has also generously offered an ordering code for TLB readers and chat participants. Use LEAKIES20 for 20% off at PumpEase.com. This code is good through Sunday, June 5th at midnight.
The winner of the PumpEase Prize Pack is Lanie:
Liked on FB too!!
Thank you to everyone that entered and to Wendy for the opportunity.
My tip is don’t give up! 🙂
Great giveaway, will be perfect for arrival of new baby.
I’d love to win! My tip for the early days is know it will get easier.
Liked PumpEase on facebook 🙂
And I am a fan of PumpEase on FB.
Best tip is it will get easier let people help you, bring you water and food while nursing!
I’ve been pumping for nearly 9 months and am one week away from becoming a full time, work/play/stay at home mom. I will still be pumping in order to donate to a good friend of mine and her baby. I have 3 kids, and being able to be hands free while pumping would be FABULOUS!
Early days survival = lots of time in bed with baby 🙂
My best tip for those early days would be to have a “Babymoon”. Tuck yourself away ( preferably in bed) with Baby and let someone else take care of everything else.Even if that means you have to ask for help.
My tip would be if you need help get help there is no shame in it!
Thank you so much for doing a giveaway!! I am hoping to exclusivly pump with baby #2 (baby #1 was a formula baby) and this seems like it would be a BIG help!
Liked PumpEase on FB!!
As someone who pumps everyday at work, this would be great to have!
I’d really love to have a pumpease. I keep telling myself I wont be pumping much longer and shouldn’t spend the money but I’ve been saying that for a few months lol
I’ve been pumping at work for 8 and a half months now. Any improvement on what I’ve been doing is welcomed!
I’ve been pumping at work for 8 and a half months now. Any improvement on what I’ve been doing is welcomed!
I liked on Facebook
Liked their FB page and tagged the Leaky Boob !!!
I agree with her tip on the storing parts in the fridge. Makes life so much easier between pumpings!
Liked on Facebook 😀
Oh my gosh, I just started pumping this past week and it NEVER occurred to me to put the flanges in the refrigerator! Thank you! And oh how I wish I had PumpEase, I’m sick of holding them while pumping.
Would love to be able to pump hands free!
This would be great for pumping!
Excellent giveaway. I’m a new Doula and I would love to have something like this for long births when I step out to eat (and pump)!
My survival tip is arranging for seven friends to pick one night a week for one month to bring you and your family dinner. There is nothing better than having food for your family when you are exhausted with a newborn!
Im a fan on FB! 🙂 thanks for your product and for chatting on TLB!
This looks like pretty much the best invention to pumping mommys. I can’t tell you how many times I have spilled my milk trying to do 2 things at once.
Hi! What a great prize! My tip is to not give up and find a position that works for you!
Liked it on FB!! 🙂
Hi! What an awesome prize! My tip would be to relax and don’t give up! It’s hard at first, but so worth it (and much easier) in the end 🙂 Nursed my first son for 18 months and have been nursing and pumping for almost 8 months now! 🙂
Liked on FB!!
My best tip is to have lots of “grab and go” snacks on hand like granola bars and such. I would just forget to eat if something wasn’t handy or it wasn’t brought to my nursing chair 🙂
I like Pumpease on FB
This looks like exactly what I need! I hate pumping, but have to at work on my break, which means I never get to do anything else on my break, like eat or drink (unless I remember a straw) or read a magazine. It’s getting very tedious! We are at 7 months now and it’s hard to keep up with pumping. What got me through the very early days was my mom and hubby, two great supports in my life, always asked them to bring me water, which helped a lot. 🙂
my best tip is to keep going! Sometimes it doesn’t look like you’re pumping much, but it doesn’t really matter how much, but rather getting that stimulation & emptying the breast as much as possible that counts the most! 🙂
Please enter me. My tip is let your nips air dry!
Liked you on Facebook, Pumpease! 🙂
Great Giveaway! My early days tip: bring a picture (or video if technology allows) and know it will get easier…pure love from first to last drop! Happy Pumping!
I already liked PumpEase but I visited their wall and told em TLB sent me! Thanks
Liked PumpEase on Facebook! Good Luck fellow participants!
Liked on facebook!!!
I’d love to win this! I’ve just gotten the okay to pump at my desk at work, a pumpease would be perfect!
I liked Pumpease on FB..
I pump three times a day at work. This would take the place of the hair ties i have been using!
Tip: nurse a lot in the beginning. it makes all the difference.
Best advice I have is to nurse nurse nurse… it only gets easier but in the moment it will sometimes feel impossible. Do your best & remember your baby, your body, your decision. Decide what is best for you all & don’t let people tell you otherwise!
I saw a Pump Ease at a conference awhile back and thought they were so cute and useful! For early days survival, I really found it helpful to learn to nurse side-lying… Even if you are not cosleeping, it makes a big difference to be able to fully rest your body when nursing is so intense and you’re so sleep deprived!
Watch a video of your baby from your phone to help let-down!
And I liked you on Facebook, Pump Ease. 🙂
What a great prize!! I would say to relax and not give up!!
Pump Ease saved me after I developed carpal tunnel syndrome CEO pregnancy & never left after I delivered. Pumping was a breeze because my hands were free!! I nursed / pumped for 27 months!!
From pregnancy not CEO. Auto correct. Thanks for the opportunity.
Liked on FB
Liked on FB too!!
Pumpease rocks, I wish I’d had this when I was working FT and pumping like a mad woman. Early day survival, sleep, force yourself to sleep!
I commented and liked PumpEase on FB!
I need this so bad!!!! I am a mother of two under the age of 15mnths and I take care of my mother in law that lives with us that has multiple sclerosis and has been wheel chair bound for a few years. Anything to make my life a little easier would be well needed and much appreciated!!!
I WANT THIS!
survival tip:
don’t give up! it gets better! and don’t be afraid to ask for help!
Liked on facebook!!
Love the idea of hands free pumping! My BF is the one who keeps telling me we need to get me one of these. Hope I’m lucky!!
keep trying, trying and more trying you can do it!
I like them already on facebook…….
I love this idea..with my first I had thrush so it was so painful to pump and breastfeed, but now that I am pregnant with our second son Ive got so much more info and products to help the process go smoother..thanks so much for making this amazing product and giving moms a better chance at feeding their babies breastmilk…rock on!
I am now a liker of PumpEase on Facebook
Never make a decision in changing how you feed between the hours of 9 pm and 9 am. 🙂
Checked out PumpEase on facebook and left a comment.
My advice is to do what YOU think is best for your baby; sometimes everything you read/hear isn’t always what is right for you and your situation! 🙂
I would love a PumpEase for when I go back to work. Being able to hands free pump would be fantastic!
I already liked PumpEase on Facebook!
I like Pump Ease on FB
Stay positive.
It’s OK to have less milk today, I will get more tomorrow..
Im a first time mom to be, I’m really interested in pumping. Have no idea what im doing really. This product looks amazing! 🙂
Just keep swimming, erm I mean going!!! Thanks for offering this! It would make my life SO much easier 🙂
I liked PumpEase on FB!
eat lots of oatmeal!
I like pumpease on fb. and fyi, Wendy’s a pretty cool lady!
Thanks for making this great product. I just went and liked you on facebook.
I wish I had had this with my son!! I will definitely make sure I have this for future babies. Thanks for the great info!
I just liked PumpEase on FB!! 🙂
I am a Fan of PumpEase and BFing and Social Networks of BFing MOMS!!!!
Baby number 2 is on the way. I have a hand me down medela that I don’t want to touch again ew. I would love one!
I liked your page and posted on your wall!
I love it, is so good to be hands free!!!
I would love to win this! My baby girl is 4 months tomorrow, meaning I’ve been pumping for 2 months, and we’re still going strong. 😀
Get a flip-top water bottle or a reusable cup with a straw, something you can easily drink with one hand, and keep it full of water and right next to you in the early days. This was such a lifesaver because I got SO thirsty!!
I liked and Left a comment on PumpEase
I love the idea of hands free with a 3.5 mth old and a 22 mth old running around
Don’t give up and never let anyone tell you that you can’t do it. Don’t give in no matter what the circumstances are. If someone tells you something do your own research on it to decide if it is what is best for you and your baby.
Already like Pump Ease on fb
Something that is natural is not always so easy, stick with it! You and the baby are bound to learn : )
I liked and left a comment on PumpEase’s FB page : )
Love what you are doing here! I too learned recently the refrigerator trick and it has saved me lots of time. Keep up the good work!
I’m still “liking” you on facebook!
PumpEase looks awesome. I’m having my 4th child in October and this will be great when I have to pump at work. Wish this was around 12 years ago when I had my first! Tip: Remind yourself that breastfeeding is one of the best gifts you can give your baby and yourself, so if it gets hard, ask for help; you deserve it!
I liked the PumpEase facebook page, too. Thanks!
I would love to have something like this! I’ve been pumping for 4 months now, and pump every 2 hours for most of the day, trying to keep up my supply enough to feed my baby, after many doctors and everyone else told me to just give up, that i’d never be able to provide breastmilk for my baby. I won’t give up!
Dropped by the facebook page, liked & left a comment! 🙂
i would love to win this neat pump kit!!!
Expect the unexpected. Every baby is different. Plan to tackle each hurdle as if it were the first.
What an awesome prize! I absolutely LOVE my pumpease – it’s made returning to work much easier, and I use it daily. I’d love to win a 2nd one to ‘swap out’ every other day.
I would LOVE to have one of these! What a great idea!
My survival tip: DON’T GIVE UP!!! I gave myself no other option but to BF, and once I was through the first 2 weeks or so, it was so much easier. After nursing DS1 for 13 months and DS2 (will be 1 on Sunday and no signs of stopping), I am SO glad I stuck it out and SO BLESSED that I had great support!!!
I already “like” PumpEase on FB, but left another comment thanking for this great give-away! (I *like* you on FB too!) thanks again…
Don’t stress! That was my biggest mistake in the beginning. I put too much pressure on myself and made it harder on myself.
I liked pumpease on FB
I’ve been pumping for about 7 months at work. I knew about the refrigerated flanges thing, fortunately, but I’ve been using rubber bands to try to keep the flanges in place. This looks like a better solution!
I went and liked PumpEase on facebook!
I liked PumpEase on FB
Thanks for the chat last night. This product looks great. I’m going back to work in November and it would be so convenient to pump while driving.
Would love one.
I would love to have this pump ease…I currently use a total of six hair ties to hold my flanges on at work. Accidently snapping booby with elastic hair band = no fun.
My tip is never give up and do not get stressed. Stress just causes let down to occur slower which just frustrates baby more. I could definitely use this pump since hands free is a good thing with 4 additional kiddos plus a newborn.
I also went and liked the facebook page for PumpEase…
I would love to win this!
My early survival tip? In the beginning, my baby had NO apparent schedule. So, to combat my own insanity, every day, even if I had to lock myself in the bathroom, I took five minutes to myself. Might seem like only a little time, but when you have a screaming infant on your hands, five minutes can be a lifesaver. (: I would lay my baby in her crib (after I had made sure she was safe, changed, fed, etc.), and spend five minutes alone.
I liked PumpEase on facebook!
When did pumping become so stylish?