Rumina’s Mother’s Day Giveaway

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If you can relate then this giveaway is for YOU!

Mother’s Day is officially over, but Amanda and Dawn, the women running Rumina, see no reason to stop celebrating mothers.  And so they would like to offer their own extension to Mother’s Day in the form of a giveaway.  Being moms themselves, they are familiar with the joys and challenges of motherhood, and they know that a little celebration goes a long way.  

RyandMe

Amanda with 10 month old Ryland

TLB:  If there was one thing that you could say to mothers everywhere, what would it be? 

Amanda:  Make sure you take care of yourself too. From the day we find out we’re pregnant we start thinking about others, our little bump, our babies, family and friends. We shift to focus on nurturing for others, especially our children, like it should be but we often put our health and well being on the back burner. In order for us to raise healthy, strong children, we need to make sure we’re taking care of ourselves too, physically, mentally and spiritually (in whatever capacity that is for you). We are the first role models for our children so it’s important they see us living a happy healthy life too.

TLB:  What is the most rewarding thing about being a mother to you? 

Amanda:  Seeing the excitement, newness and curiosity in my little guy’s eyes. I love watching him look at the world or focus on something new. He looks at things with such interest and curiosity that seeing this little person so in awe with life, makes me so excited about the future. I get to see him experience new things, be with him for so many of his ‘firsts’ and help him learn about the world around him. That the biggest gift I could ever ask for and the most rewarding feeling I have ever experienced. I only hope that I’m given the opportunity to share year after year and experience after experience with him.

TLB:  What is the most challenging thing? 

Amanda:  The most challenging thing is to not wish for the ‘hard’ times to pass quickly. In every stage there’s challenging times and sometimes I say to myself, like I’m sure others do too, “I can’t wait for him to grow out of this” or “this stage to be over.” But for him to be out of one stage means he’s growing up into the next and I’m sad he’s growing so fast as it is! There will be hard times in each stage so I have to remember that this time will fly by and someday I’ll look back and wish he was small again.

TLB:  It’s Spring and it’s a great time to be outside.  You recognize that one of the challenges for moms is to take care of their physical health by staying active.  How does that play into this giveaway? 

Amanda:  This goes back to making sure we take care of ourselves too. With babies, families and work or other obligations, moms often put things like their health and physical well being on the backburner. During pregnancy our bodies go through a big transformation and our hormones sometimes put us on a roller coaster ride long after having baby. If you’re anything like me you have to work hard to keep the weight off and losing this baby weight hasn’t been easy. So we’re offering a Flex Wireless Activity Fitbit along with a few of Rumina’s great products to help motivate moms to take steps (literally) towards getting physically and mentally healthy! So put on that Rumina Tank, clip on your Fitbit, grab baby and head out, cause it’s Spring!

TLB:  Is there anything else that you would like to communicate to TLB readers and/or mothers today?

Amanda:  We love seeing moms in their Rumina tanks! For those moms getting out and being active in your Rumina products we would love to see how you’re wearing your tanks, either on their own, under a camisole or something else. Take a quick pic when you’re out and about being active in your Rumina products, post to either our Facebook page or #pumpandnurse on Twitter and receive a something something from Rumina!

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Rumina is giving away two great prize bundles!

The Grand Prize consists of a Flex Wireless Activity + Sleep Wristband by Fitbit, a New Racerback Relaxed Hands-Free Pump&Nurse Bra by Rumina and the winner’s choice of either a Classic Coverage or Full Coverage Pump&Nurse Tank by Rumina.  Retail Value: $181.95

The Runner Up Prize consists of a Rumina’s New Racerback Relaxed Hands-Free Pump&Nurse Bra and the choice of either a Classic Coverage or Full Coverage Pump&Nurse Tank.  Retail Value: $82.00

**The New Racerback Relaxed Bra is currently in production and we’ll ship to the winners as soon as we receive our inventory. Esitmated shipping times will be emailed to the winners.

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Rumina’s New Racerback Relaxed Bra

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Rumina’s Classic Coverage and Full Coverage Pump&Nurse Styles

Fitbit

Flex Wireless Activity + Sleep Wristband by Fitbit
Color: Red (to support the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women movement)

Currently Leakies can find great Rumina products at RuminaNursingwear.com and more information about the Fitbit at www.fitbit.com.

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Good luck to everyone!  Please use the widget below to be entered.  The giveaway is open from Tuesday May 13th 2014 through Tuesday May 20th 2014.  A big thanks to Amanda and Rumina for their ongoing support of TLB and all breastfeeding women; please be sure to visit their Facebook page  or follow them on twitter  (@RuminaHandsFree) and thank them for their support of TLB and this giveaway opportunity.

This giveaway is restricted to U.S. residents only.

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Rumina’s Holiday Giveaway

Our last giveaway with TLB sponsor Rumina, Amanda told us about the process they go through in order to create their products up to the point of production.  Today, she tells the rest of the tale: what happens after the initial production run?  She and her sister, Dawn, are committed to making their products work for real moms.  Because of this, they value and invite moms’ questions, comments, concerns and ideas regarding their line of products so that they can design the best nursing products to help as many moms as possible.  Amanda is offering a giveaway prize that will give 2 winners a taste of their entire product line!  Happy Holidays!

Amanda&Ry

Amanda with son Ryland age 4 months

TLB:  Your last giveaway with TLB, we discussed what all went in the production of a new product, from design to production.  This time, let’s talk a bit about what happens after that!  Once you’re through producing an item, what happens then? 

Amanda:  The production process is a beast, but after you get through all the steps and consistent double checking and you actually have the product, it’s then that we have the chance to really verify the product is what we anticipate it being. Before we put in our production order, we always have samples made to give to our test moms to try but it’s not the same as releasing the product to the market and having 100’s of moms with different shapes and sizes using the product. As soon as we release the product we keep a close watch on customer feedback and returns. We reach out to moms to get feedback on their experience with the garment and what they think should be adjusted.  We also rely on the feedback from partners/retail buyers for not only current production feedback but also future designs.

TLB:  How much product adjustment happens after the initial run?  How many production runs do you expect to have with changes? 

Amanda:  In the beginning as we were learning the engineering behind our Pump&Nurse tanks (yes, engineering, we almost needed a degree in engineering to design our product!), we went through four test runs and three full production releases. The first full production run was sized too small and was a little too short through the torso, so we adjusted the size and we added the length in the torso to better accommodate our moms. The second and third versions’ fabric composition wasn’t exactly what we wanted, it’s a very delicate  balance between the comfort and flexibility for all day wear and the need to hold the pumps in place hands-free. The Pump&Nurse Tank you purchase now, is our fourth version of the tank and we are absolutely thrilled with it. Now it’s a matter of working with our factories and suppliers to maintain consistency throughout the production process!

It was at moms’ requests that our products be available in a bra for hot weather, different layering and their last trimester. So the Pump&Nurse Bra was born. The Crossover Bra recently released won’t necessarily go through that same evolution that the tank did since we know what works and doesn’t for our garments but we did make some changes to the first version of the bra. We’re excited to release the Relaxed Bra which was designed to be a great light to moderate support, ideal for sleepwear, maternity, and the newly postpartum mom. This Bump to Baby bra is perfect for the transitions due to its soft jersey knit fabric that stretches nicely for engorgement. Since we are pumping and nursing moms as well, we wanted to also have a more moderate to firm support. Our soft jersey knit wouldn’t give that level of firmness for moms who like more support and/or long past engorgement. We will soon have our Classic Bra made with the same material as our Tanks. The Classic will provide wonderful all day support for busy moms and if all goes well in production, we will be releasing the Classic Bra in early 2014.

TLB:  What are the best ways to get a hold of Rumina with questions and concerns about your products? 

Amanda:  Along with my marketing and sales roles, I lead our customer support! So if customers call Rumina’s phone number 425.466.4408, email at info@ruminaformoms.com or message Rumina on our Facebook Page, it will usually be me who helps them with their questions. I try to answer calls or respond to emails right away but in a small company where we wear so many hats sometimes there’s a slight delay. We really do take customer feedback and interaction seriously and we strive to go above and beyond to make our customers’ experience exceptional. One of the main things that will make Rumina a success is the support and word of mouth recommendation from moms and that all happens with the customers experience.

TLB:  I hear we’re in for a colorful new year with Rumina! Could you tell us a bit about that?

Amanda:  Yes we are! We’re so excited to be able to start offering colors coming up in 2014! Both our tanks and bras will have new colors added to their line. Nude, Chocolate and Heather Grey will be additions to the Pump&Nurse Tanks but the Pump&Nurse Relaxed Crossover Bra will be the bra of color! We just released the Relaxed Bra in Holiday Red, on sale now and will be adding a new fun color every 3 months!  That means that each color will be available for a limited amount of time and in a limited quantity. The best part is moms will help us decide which colors to release this year! In early January we’re going to ask moms via Facebook what colors they want to see in the Relaxed Bra. We hope to create a fun lineup for this year as well as get moms involved in helping us decide what to produce first for this year.

TLB:  What kinds of colorful experiences do you look forward to with your family this Holiday season?

Amanda:  Since it’s my first holiday season with my lil guy, I’m excited to create new holiday traditions. My son Ryland is only 6 ½ months so he’s not at the point of understanding what the holidays are all about but it’s still fun to start new traditions with my family. Check out the different holiday festivals, attempt to make yummy treats I find on Pinterest, strive to capture that perfect holiday picture, all of it I love! I just wish I lived closer to my sister and her family so we could take a quick step away from Rumina and enjoy the holidays together.

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Amanda is giving away two prizes to two lucky Leakies.

Each winner will receive the New Holiday Red Relaxed Hands-Free Pump&Nurse Bra, their color of choice of the Hands-Free Pump&Nurse Relaxed Crossover Bra and their style and color of choice of one of the Hands-Free Pump&Nurse Tanks.
A total retail value of $116.00.

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Rumina’s Holiday Red

Hands-Free Pump&Nurse Relaxed Crossover Bra

Hands-Free Pump&Nurse Relaxed Crossover Bra

Classic Coverage and Full Coverage Pump&Nurse Tanks shown

Classic Coverage and Full Coverage Pump&Nurse Tanks shown

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Currently Leakies can find the Pump&Nurse Collection items on Rumina’s website.

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Good luck to everyone!  Please use the widget below to be entered.  The giveaway is open from December 23, 2013 through December 30, 2013.  A big thanks to Amanda and Rumina Nursingwear for their ongoing support of TLB and all breastfeeding women; please be sure to visit Rumina’s Facebook Page or follow them on twitter and thank them for their support of TLB and this giveaway opportunity.  You can also find Rumina on Pinterest!

Open to U.S. and Canadian residents only.

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Rumina Fall Giveaway

Rumina Nursingwear loves being part of The Leaky Boob community. We’re a company built not only on providing moms with reliable and comfortable breastfeeding products but we’re also a company that sees the value in partnering with communities like The Leaky Boob, to provide essential mother to mother support. As a business that was started by a mom who struggled with breastfeeding her son, Rumina Nursingwear strives to offer products that will help moms reach their breastfeeding goals. In creating Rumina products we always keep mom and baby in mind. From making sure baby has full skin-to-skin contact with mom while nursing to providing essential breast health with soft, stretchable fabrics. In our products and partnerships, we try to never forget what moms need in order to reach their goals: great products and a strong support group.”

~ Dawn, co-owner, Rumina Nursingwear

Dawn&Amanda_TLB

TLB:  Rumina’s Hands-Free Pump&Nurse bra is such a versatile and comfortable top.  Let’s go behind the scenes, and talk about what goes into the making of a Rumina product.  Where do you start?

Dawn:  It takes a lot to produce Rumina products but in the beginning it’s really just getting on the sewing table and piecing things together. You need to take your vision from in your head to the physical form. When you can actually see it, feel it and can try it on, that’s the first place you see what areas need to be improved on or changed. Pieces that seem like they would be easy on paper sometimes become the hardest aspects. The 2nd place where there is a lot of work is: the fit!  Women’s bodies are all unique and all the differences in a pregnant and newly postpartum mom are amazingly challenging. Trying to figure out how to accommodate all the differences took a few years from idea to placing our first production order of the Hands-Free Pump&Nurse Tank. We learned a lot about sewing, fabrics, and manufacturing and we’re still learning!

TLB:  How long does it take to produce an item?

Dawn:  From the concept phase to actual production of the tank it took about 3 years, with the bra it has been about 2 years. After you get past the concept phase and you have the production pattern, the next hurdle is sourcing the quantity of materials needed.  Materials and fabrics are very important for us and this has been a very difficult process.  Once all the pieces are in the hands of your factory, it is about 8 weeks to produce in the US. If we produce the item off-shore it can take about 6 months. So we really have to plan our production schedule to keep our products in stock.

TLB:  How do you determine what you will or won’t make?

Amanda:  Unfortunately a lot of it has to do with our cash flow right now. We have a lot of ideas but can only focus on one at a time due to the costs involved. To figure out which idea to go ahead and start producing we have to determine how much demand there is, how long it will take in the concept phase and how much financial resources it will take. It takes a lot to produce Rumina products because of our patented design. You basically have to build everything around the patented hands-free pumping design, which sometimes limits what we can develop and constrains the creative design of the product at times.

TLB:  Is the creative and production process ever difficult or even explosive between the two of you?  

Amanda:  Haha, we’re sisters, anything can get explosive at times. But really, the creative and production process is actually not an area of contention between us. My sister does the majority of that piece. I support her with feedback, ideas and what I’m hearing from moms and retailers but she handles all the steps for the most part. I focus on the marketing and sales of the garments, so we really don’t butt heads too often.

TLB:  Tell us a bit about your new Crossover Bra!

Amanda:  We’re so excited for our Crossover Bras! We’ll have two options in the near future, a Relaxed fit and a Classic fit. The Relaxed Hand-Free Pump&Nurse Bra will be ideal for moms during their pregnancy and early postpartum. It will be made with a soft jersey knit, to not irritate sensitive breasts and nipples and great to wear as a sleep bra. It’s also stretchable enough to adjust during engorgement. Rumina’s Classic Hands-Free Pump&Nurse Bra will be more moderate support, great for all day wear to the office, for play or just out and about. Both allow moms to nurse with full skin-to-skin contact with baby and pump hands-free confidently with Rumina’s unique patented design.

TLB: Anything new that you’re looking at coming out with?

Amanda: We’re thrilled to be offering colors soon! We’ve had tons of moms request more variety of colors. We’re going to offer colors first in the Relaxed Bra, look for Rumina Red around December. Nude and Chocolate will be offered in the Classic Bra and Tank hopefully in early 2014. We’re going to keep colors coming! We anticipate every 3 months coming out with a new color to choose from. We also hope to continue to develop a Plus Size Hands-Free Pump&Nurse option.

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Dawn and Amanda are giving away 2 prizes to 2 lucky Leakies!

Each prize will consist of:
ONE Hands-Free Pump&Nurse Crossover Bra
and
ONE Hands-Free Pump&Nurse Tank of their choice.
Retail Value of $82.00.

Rumina_Giveaway_Image

Currently Leakies can find Rumina’s Pump&Nurse Collection at www.ruminaformoms.com.

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A CALL TO ACTION FOR ALL LEAKIES! Vote for the Relaxed Hands-Free Pump&Nurse Crossover Bra at the JPMA Parent’s Pick Award website and earn a chance to win a $100.00 gift card from Rumina and $100.00 gift card to your retailer of choice from JPMA! Simply go to http://jpma.org/content/parents/parents-pick-award click on Relaxed Hands-Free Pump&Nurse Crossover Bra, hit submit your vote and then copy and post the last page’s URL to Rumina’s highlighted Facebook post to be entered in the drawing. Only one vote per person and voting ends Oct. 10th at noon. Drawing will be held Oct. 11th for the Rumina winner and JPMA will contact their winner by Oct. 31. We appreciate your support and vote! Good Luck!!

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Good luck to everyone!  Please use the widget below to be entered.  The giveaway is open from October 4, 2013 through October 11, 2013.  A big thanks to Dawn and Amanda and Rumina Nursingwear for their ongoing support of TLB and all breastfeeding women; please be sure to visit their Facebook page  and thank them for their support of TLB and this giveaway opportunity.  You can also find them on Pinterest!

This giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents only.

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Valentine’s Day Giveaway from Rumina

Happy Valentine’s Day!
Rumina, TLB sponsor from way back, would like to make this day a little more fun by giving you a chance to win one of their muli-function tops: the Rumina Hands-Free Pump&Nurse Tank.  In a brief interview below, the sisters behind Rumina, Amanda and Dawn, one expecting her first baby, the other 3 months post-partum, share with our readers some thoughts on how babies change your life, and in honor of the Holiday, they describe both their ideal night out and their favorite cheap date.  Enter for your chance to enter the giveaway below.  

Three women of Rumina

TLB:  Amanda, with expecting your first little one, what aspects of becoming a mother make you nervous?

Amanda:   It would probably be the planning for the unexpected, and how can you really plan for that? I’ve been a planner with set time frames and goals for a lot of big aspects of my life, school, my previous career, finances but the one thing my fiancé and I were not planning at the time was a baby. Now I find myself switching gears and trying to create a plan for our baby and I know that the ideas and expectations I have will probably go out the window as soon as the little guy arrives. I hear they have an amazing ability to completely change your life. As a planner, not knowing what that change will look like makes me a little nervous but I’m also really excited. I know I’ll have a lot of help and support around me to take care of the little guy, and I’m so excited to be a mom. So if there’s time to learn to embrace living in the moment, it’ll be when he arrives.

TLB:  Dawn, three months into adding a little one to your family, how does big brother show affection to his new little sister?

Dawn:  This has been a big change for Bryce.  He has had 5 years of undivided attention from my husband and I.  At first, he would just look at her and ask each day, “is she big yet” as he wants to play!  Now, 3 months in, Bryce has to hug and kiss her before he goes to bed each night and is upset if this is missed.  We have also caught him lightly tickling her and say, “who’s the cutest baby” in a baby voice.  My son has a very good heart.  I know that as the days pass, the bond with them will continue to deepen.

TLB:  Dawn and Amanda, describe your ideal romantic date.

Amanda:  Right now, being 6 months and still childless, I think I would have to stretch the ideal romantic date into an ideal romantic weekend. My fiancé and I live in the Pacific Northwest right on the border of Washington and Idaho, we have beautiful  resorts overlooking the mountains and lakes. I think it would be great to have a nice dinner and splurge on a overnight stay in a room with a view. Then before we jumped in the car for the drive home he would “surprise” me with a pregnancy massage in the resorts spa. Now that sounds ideal.

Dawn:  LOL, date?  what is a date?  I used to fantasize about places like Fiji and my husband and I used to travel all over and dance Argentine Tango… man those were the days.  Now I just fantasize about drinking coffee on a Sunday morning without anyone saying my name for 2 hours.  🙂  Ok, if I was to really think hard, my ideal date would be to go wine tasting either at our local wineries or up in Napa like we used to.

TLB:  Dawn and Amanda, describe your favorite cheap date night in.

Amanda:   Our cheap date night, which doesn’t happen very often even for a cheap date, is usually an outing at the dollar movie theatre. In our area we have a dollar theatre that shows movies usually already available for rental but still cheaper than renting. We usually pick up a few candies and sneak them into the theatre too, we’re those kind of people. It’s nice feeling like its still a date without spending $30.00 just to watch a movie.

Dawn –  Our cheap date night was really a date afternoon.  This was before Beth was born and we just had our son.  When our son was at school, we would steal away to the movies for an afternoon show.  Matinees are much cheaper and less crowded!  (of course, I had to play hooky from my day job)!

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 Dawn and Amanda are giving away one Rumina Hands-Free Pump&Nurse Tank to 3 lucky Leakies! 
Winners choose the style, size and color of their choice!

Here’s what you’re getting in the Rumina Hands-Free Pump&Nurse Tank: 

One Tank. Three Essential Functions. The perfect layer for a busy mom’s lifestyle, Rumina Hands-Free Pump&Nurse Tanks have a built-in bra that allows for effortless pumping and nursing without sacrificing shape and support. No longer do moms have to remember an extra garment to change into to pump, Rumina’s tanks offer all day support under your favorite blouses or shirts. With extra length for fashion and layering, Rumina’s tanks provide complete coverage and the soft knit blend of 90% Cotton and 10% Lycra, stretches and recovers to adjust to a new mom’s changing body. Rumina’s Hands-Free Pump&Nurse Tanks take the extra steps and time out of pumping!  Retail Value: $48.00

Styles Full Coverage and Classic Coverage Tanks

Currently Leakies can find Rumina’s Hands-Free Pump&Nurse Tanks, in both Classic Coverage and Full Coverage styles at www.ruminaformoms.com.

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Good luck to everyone!  Please use the widget below to be entered.  The giveaway is open from Feb. 14th 2013 through Feb. 20 2013.  A big thanks to Dawn and Amanda and Rumina Nursingwear for their ongoing support of TLB and all breastfeeding women; please be sure to visit their Facebook page  or follow them on twitter  (@RuminaAmanda on Twitter) and thank them for their support of TLB and this giveaway opportunity.

This giveaway is restricted to U.S. residents only.

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Medications and Breastfeeding

by Star Rodriguez, IBCLC 

This post made possible in part by the generous support of Rumina Nursingwear.

 

It can be really confusing taking medications or having procedures done while you are breastfeeding.  Most of the time, if you look at the package insert or online, most medications simply say that you should ask your doctor or not take them while breastfeeding.  Then you might hear something completely different from friends, or relatives, pharmacist, or from your doctor.  So what do you do?

Well, luckily, there are a bunch of fantastic resources for breastfeeding moms.

First, I want to tell you that research on breastfeeding and medications has come a long way in the past few years.  So your doctor, nurse practitioner, or pharmacist may have outdated information.  I am not trying to say that you shouldn’t respect your provider or that they don’t know what they are talking about.  That’s absolutely not true.  However, the amount of breastfeeding patients or customers that they see is probably relatively small, so their continuing education is often focused elsewhere.  If you are wondering if information that you were given is correct, you have every right to research that yourself and then bring that information back to your provider so you can make an informed decision together.

Medications moving into milk depend on several things, and, sometimes, even if they do, they do not enter the bloodstream of the baby.  Describing the hows and whys of that could literally take me twenty (probably boring to most people) pages, so I’ll cut to the more important things: how to tell what your medication is ranked, taking you baby’s age into account, resources for information, and supply issues from medications.

Drugs are typically ranked in L categories.  These categories are, as per Dr. Thomas Hale:

L1 – Safest.  These drugs either don’t reach the baby at all or have been proven to be safe in large studies.

L2 – Safer.  These drugs have either been studied to a lesser degree with little to no side effects on the baby, or, after taking the evidence into account, the likelihood of this drug being problematic to your baby is pretty remote.

L3 – Moderate.  This category is where most drugs start.  L3 drugs either have no studies done, or studies have been done showing minimal problems to the infant if the mom is taking it.  This is the category where it’s really a risk/benefit situation.  What are the risks of the drug in your breast milk versus the risks of feeding formula?

L4 – Possibly Hazardous.  We know that this drug can have adverse effects on the baby.  However, there might be some situations where use of this drug is justified.  For instance, if someone is in a life-threatening situation.  For the most part, though, we want to avoid these medications.

L5 – Contradicted.  You can’t use these while breastfeeding.  We know that they have significant, documented, negative impacts on babies.  If you have to take a L5, you cannot breastfeed while it is present in your milk.

 

Sometimes the classification of medications can vary based on where you are in your breastfeeding relationship.  In the first week of breastfeeding, due to the difference in colostrum versus mature milk, it can be a little easier for medications to pass into milk in greater quantity.  If you can avoid a drug during that time, you should.  However, maintenance medications, pain relievers used for surgical deliveries or painful vaginal deliveries don’t need to be avoided.

In the later stages of breastfeeding, after solids are introduced, most babies begin to take in a little less milk – and in the toddler stage, that often lowers again.  So if you are nursing in a later stage, some medications that were once not ok can be acceptable again.

So now that you have a basic idea about how drugs are coded, where do you find this all out? 

LactMed is a website that has a bunch of information about drugs and breastfeeding.  It doesn’t have the L classification, but it does talk about the drug’s potential effect on lactation.  For instance, if you look up Sudafed, it talks about how it might lower production of milk.  LactMed also has a free Android and iPhone app.  I haven’t tried out the app itself yet, though, so I’m not certain what, if any, differences there are.

Medications and Mother’s Milk  is a book that is updated every 2 years.  Many libraries have it, as do most pharmacies, hospitals, WIC clinics, and doctor’s offices.  It is written by Dr. Thomas Hale, and has a wealth of information on drugs and breastmilk, including the L classification.

Infant Risk Center is a website that has a bunch of information regarding pregnancy, breastfeeding, and the risks to infants of various things.  It is directly connected to Dr. Hale, who is the foremost authority on breastfeeding and medications.  The site itself can sometimes be a little difficult to find the specific information that you’d like.  However, Dr. Hale also has an app (it is a paid app, but it has a HUGE amount of information, so if you’re a provider, or you regularly work with breastfeeding moms, I can’t endorse it enough.  For the mom who is occasionally taking medication, it’s probably not necessary, though.)  The Infant Risk Center is also staffed Monday – Friday 8am – 5pm CST to answer questions about breastfeeding (and pregnancy) and medications, and the people working it are knowledgeable, helpful, and generally wonderful.

When looking at medications, it is important to consider whether they can impact supply.  For instance, as I mentioned, Sudafed can be problematic in that area.  Generally, if a medication is meant to dry something up, or impacts your hormones (like birth control), you should exercise caution in using it.  Before anyone worries, you can still take birth control.  You may want to use an IUD, the mini pill, or Depo Provera if you are not planning to use barrier methods.  With Depo or the Mirena IUD, I usually tell moms to ask to be on a month of the mini-pill first; some moms just have sensitivities to hormones, and those sensitivities can impact supply.  Depo can’t be removed once injected, and Mirena is expensive to place and uncomfortable to remove, so it is good to have an idea if you will react that way.  Also, hormonal birth control should not be started until at least 6 weeks postpartum after milk supply is established.

I hope this information helps you work with your health care provider to determine the best choice for you when you need medication.

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Did you have to take medications while breastfeeding?  Was it easy for you to find good information on them?

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 Star Rodriguiz, IBCLC, began her career helping women breastfeed as a breastfeeding peer counselor for a WIC in the Midwest.  Today she is a hospital based lactation consultant who also does private practice work through Lactastic Services.  She recently moved to the northern US with her two daughters and they are learning to cope with early October snowfalls (her Facebook page is here, go “like” for great support). 

Rumina Breastfeeding Gift Basket Giveaway

Rumina does one thing and does it very, very well.  Sisters Amanda and Dawn, the women behind Rumina, have created perhaps the most simple and versatile piece of clothing for any nursing mother’s wardrobe: the Nursingwear Hands-Free Pump&Nurse Tank.  The tank appears to be just another typical staple in many women’s closet.  Unassuming and classic, it is also a nursing top for easy breastfeeding, as well as a support for hands-free pumping – but it looks like a regular tank!  Brand new Mom for the second time, Dawn has taken some time to answer some questions about what her experience has been like so far since the birth, and shares some exciting news about an award Rumina has recently received.  AND, Amanda and Dawn are offering a substantial giveaway to one lucky Leaky!  See below…

 

TLB:  Dawn, as a new mom again, what are the best ways those that love you have shown their encouragement and support and help in this time of transition?

Dawn:  My family instantly being there when needed even though each has a very busy life has allowed me to enjoy this last pregnancy and our little girl so fully.  The timing for this child coming into this world was not ideal. My husband and I have two businesses as well as a full time job so having Beth come 3 weeks early really threw off our ability to meet our obligations.  Luckily my family was a god send.  My mom and sister really took the lead with Rumina so I can enjoy this last pregnancy and delivery.  They also flew to Kentucky for a big tradeshow we had to attend.

Also, we do not live near any family, which makes “surprises” such a challenge.  I was admitted to the hospital for 4 days to be monitored and get fluids then bed rest for another 3 days while they tried to hold off delivery until the 37th week.  My family really came through; while my sister and mom were at the tradeshow, my aunt rearranged her busy schedule as an attorney and came down to be with my son when I was unexpectedly admitted to the hospital.  Since we didn’t know from day to day if we were going to have the c-section, my cousin came up to be with Bryce for the actual delivery.  She has four kids at home and owns a business as well.  I am so blessed to have so many loving and supportive women in my life!

TLB:  How is the experience with your second child different then the first with regards to nursing?

Dawn:  What a difference experience and education make!  As you know, my story on why I created Rumina stems from my son and I not having very successful nursing experience.  This led me to exclusively pump and there was not a hands-free pumping garment on the market that worked for my body.   This time around I am much more confident and comfortable with having a newborn.  Plus, I am a member of the International Lactation Consultant Association.  This invaluable education set me up for breastfeeding success. Especially with the evidence-based research on skin-to-skin contact in the Operating Room.  The hospital I delivered at is Baby Friendly but the one thing they do not practice is having c-section moms have skin-to-skin contact immediately after birth.  They usually  take the baby away to the nursery while the mom finishes surgery and recovery.   Using evidence-based research and having conversations with the Labor & Delivery Nurses, Lacatation Consultants, the OB, Pediatrician, and Anesthesiologist, I was the first person at CHOMP to be allowed to have my baby girl to be put on me immediately following birth!!!!  It was amazing to see my little girl who was not quite 37 weeks actually scoot around my chest and root for my breast!  I have seen that with vaginal births but not c-sections at 37 weeks!  I am happy to report that I had my little girl skin-to-skin for 12 hours with only a few minutes away from me in all that time.  I attribute this skin-to-skin and my confidence in myself to our breastfeeding experience being so good this time around!

TLB:  After you have a new baby, when do you start pumping to build up a freezer stash for when you’re back in the office?

Dawn:  I have to admit, I’m very fortunate and have it a little easier than most when juggling work and nursing.  Even though I travel up to Palo Alto, which is about 1 hour and 1/2 from home, regularly for meetings, I primarily work from my home office.  This will give me much more flexibility for nursing and pumping.  I will start pumping at the end of November and introduce the bottle at that point, keeping my fingers crossed everything goes well with nursing.

TLB: Any new news with Rumina you would like to share with Leakies?

Dawn:  Yes! We are so excited to share that this week Rumina’s Hands-Free Pump&Nurse Tank received the Mom’s Choice Award for Honoring Excellence! We are thrilled about this award! We know moms look for distinguished awards, like the Mom’s Choice Award, when looking at which quality and reputable products to purchase. Moving forward, Rumina’s packaging will proudly display the Mom’s Choice Award Honoring Excellence seal!

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Rumina is giving away one loaded Breastfeeding Gift Basket to one very lucky winner.

Rumina’s Breastfeeding Gift Basket includes 4 great breastfeeding items!   Retail value $186.48 

One Rumina Nursingwear Hands-Free Pump&Nurse Tank: $48.00

One Tank. Three Essential Functions. The perfect layer for a busy mom’s lifestyle, Rumina’s Hands-Free Pump and Nurse tanks have a built-in bra that allows for effortless pumping and nursing without sacrificing shape and support. Rumina’s tanks provide complete coverage for pumping moms; no longer do moms need to find somewhere to disrobe, potentially feeling exposed while pumping. Rumina’s soft knit blend of 90% Cotton and 10% Lycra stretches and recovers to adjust to a new mom’s changing body. Both the Full Coverage and Classic Coverage styles can be purchased at www.ruminaformoms.com. Winner will be able to choose style, color and size preference.

One Bamboobies® Cute Little Nursing Cover:  $44.00

Born out of creator of Bamboobies® Kerry Gilmartin’s frustration with the unflattering apron-style nursing covers in bright prints. Bamboobies® Cute Little Nursing Cover is made from an Organic Eco-Soy Fabric: certified organic cotton 57%, soy fiber from soybean manufacturing 37%, spandex 6%. The Cute Little Nursing Cover was created out of a need for fashion + discretion and is the solution for women who want to nurse their baby privately and stylishly. Bamboobies® Cute Little Nursing Covers and washable nursing pads can be purchased at www.buybamboobies.com. Winner will be able to choose color and size preference.

Milkin’ Cookies 30 day gift certificate: $49.99

Milkin’ Cookies are made with wholesome and healthy ingredients that include whole wheat flour, flaxseed, wheat germ, and oats. Each cookie has just 190 calories and 10 grams of fat but 3 grams of fiber. Milkin’ Cookies were created by two physician moms, Lennox and Cheri, who were struggling to produce enough breast milk while working full time. There are currently two flavors: Oatmeal Chocolate Chip and Cranberry Almond. Our cookies are baked fresh to order and shipped all over the US. Milkin’ Cookies can be purchased on-line at www.milkin-cookies.com.

WarmZe Starter Kit Small and Large with Refill Kit: $44.49

WarmZe is the first truly portable bottle warmer that frees parents from being tethered to a car outlet or trapped in a kitchen when heating milk. WarmZe system consists of air-activated warmers and a fabric BottleSoc. To warm a bottle, you simply slide the BottleSoc onto your breast milk bottle, pull up the outer layer of the BottleSoc and attach a warmer, then pull the outer layer of the BottleSoc back down into place. Each WarmZe can be used multiple times a day and stays warm for up to 10 hours, making it easy for busy parents to plan ahead and warm bottles well in advance of feeding time. WarmZe can be purchased at www.ontheflybottle.com.

Currently Leakies can find these and other great pregnancy and nursing products on the Rumina website and in some local retail stores and boutiques.

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Good luck to everyone!  Please use the widget below to be entered, and check out ruminaformoms.com for more information on their fantastic nursing tanks.  The giveaway is open from October 25, 2012 through October 31, 2012.  A big thanks to Dawn, Amanda, and Rumina for their ongoing support of TLB and all breastfeeding women, please be sure to visit their Facebook page  or follow them on twitter (@todaysrumina on Twitter) and thank them for their support of TLB and this giveaway opportunity.

This giveaway is open to US entries only.

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Rumina Give-away

Today we have a giveaway from TLB sponsor Rumina Nursingwear.  Read on for details on this opportunity and an interview with the company founder Dawn Alva and her sister Amanda.  I love this company and had the pleasure of meeting Dawn and Amanda last fall.  Their commitment to supporting moms extends beyond their customers and sales to ongoing support of WIC and Milk Banking.  I hope you take the time to get to know this company and consider using their product knowing that doing so helps them help so many other moms.  Their tanks are high quality products, I have both styles and love both.  Their new full coverage tank is so comfortable and a new staple in my wardrobe and with its classic design I’ll be wearing it long after weaning even.

 

 

 

TLB: What would you like readers to know about your company?

Amanda: Rumina’s been busy these past few months establishing a strong connection with our community and helping more moms reach their breastfeeding goals. We’ve been working on building long term relationships with WIC organizations both in our Northern California area as well as outside Rumina’s home state. We’re so proud to be able to share with you that through RuminaMoms, part of our proceeds goes to donating resources to help support various WIC programs.  A great success story is our continuous work with our local Monterey County WIC office in Salinas CA. Monterey County is a heavy agricultural based area with many moms working long hours out in the fields. We’ve been able to donate Rumina tanks to these WIC moms to help with pumping while they sit in their trucks or cars on their lunch breaks. The picture attached shows a mom starting to pump while she’s on her lunch break from working in the fields. They love being able to wear the tank while they work and not stress about where to pump in a very public area. We’re so happy to be supporting our local community and we’re so excited to start working with other WIC programs, especially the Peer Counseling Program.

TLB: What inspires your design process?

Amanda: It’s truly the needs of moms. Our first Rumina design, the all-in-one Hands-Free Pumping Bra and Nursing Tank was inspired by my personal struggle with breastfeeding and pumping. There was nothing at the time that worked for my body that allowed me to pump hands-free when I had to return to work. Now as we look at designing other styles, we really listen to what moms need, to inspire us to make a new garment to meet that need. So many moms have amazing ideas and suggestions on how products can be designed or improved to better fit every unique woman’s postpartum body. It’s our hope to have more forums and open discussions to hear what those needs are, ideas how to create and design new products and to see if we can develop garments that help breastfeeding moms to reach their breastfeeding goals.

TLB: How do you balance being a mom and running your own company?

Amanda: Good question!  This is something that I struggle with but feel very lucky to have an incredible support system in my husband and family.  As the sole financial provider for my family and the main financial contributor to the company I can honestly say that if it wasn’t for my husband’s commitment to the family, I could not have been successful in starting Rumina. His commitment and support along with my sister working full time for Rumina allow me to be engaged with my son and be fully present when he’s home. It’s important to disconnect from work when he’s home and on the weekends as much as possible so I can be the mom I want to be for him. At times it’s harder than others and it’s something I have to constantly work at but again, without the great support system I have, I wouldn’t nearly be as successful as I am.

TLB: What are your favorite breastfeeding memories as a mom?

Amanda: As I mentioned, I struggled with breastfeeding.  With returning back to work, I ended up exclusively pumping for 4+ months.  It’s in retrospect that I realize my most precious breastfeeding moment was the last time I nursed.  It was between Christmas and New Year’s and it’s still the most wonderful gift he could have given me.  Now with my second child on the way, I look forward to having many more breastfeeding memories.

TLB: What is one tip that helped you in your breastfeeding journey that you’d like to pass on to other moms?

Amanda: I would have to say it’s drink lots of water and relax. In today’s society, we measure everything. I think many moms (myself included) feel anxious that our babies are not “getting enough” because we can’t see to measure it. We have been conditioned to look at the ounces on the bottle and feel success when our little ones drink the “correct” amount. Our bodies are amazing! It knows what your baby needs and will provide it (of course, supplementing will change this dynamic) but consult with your lactation consultant and pediatrician to determine what weight is healthy for your baby.

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Rumina is giving away a fabulous prize for the TLB community :

Their brand new all-in-one Full Coverage Hands-Free Pumping Bra & Nursing Tank. Rumina’s Full Coverage Pump&Nurse tank has a scooped neckline for more modest coverage and with a size range from C-H to accommodate larger cup sizes, it’s great for the larger busted mom! Retail Value: $48.00

Currently Leakies can find this and other great products on the Rumina website.

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Good luck to everyone!  Please use the widget below to be entered and have fun browsing www.ruminaformoms.com.  The giveaway is open from August 16, 2012 to August 24, 2012.  A big thanks to Amanda and Dawn for their ongoing support of TLB and all breastfeeding women, please be sure to visit their Facebook page and thank them for their support of TLB and this giveaway opportunity.

This giveaway is open to US entries only.

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