Don't Judge a Pump by its Bulk!

I have a problem, a wonderful problem.  One month after reporting back to work, the small ref that I'm using exclusively for my stored breastmilk looks like this:

                                           

Before I tell you how I solved this "problem", let me tell you how I ended up with it in the first place.

Prior to giving birth to my third child, I made a decision to breastfeed him exclusively for, hopefully, at least a year. I was able to breastfeed his older sister, albeit not exclusively, for 2 years despite working full time.  This I did with the help of the Avent Isis Manual Pump. I thought that with a good dual electric pump, I could improve my record.

I checked the internet if there's an electric pump out there that is as effective but not as pricey as the leading brands (Medela and Avent).  And sure enough, Babymama, a local online store, is offering a number of reasonably-priced electric pumps.

Three weeks after giving birth, I became a proud owner of the Unimom Forte, a dual electric breastpump that costs, would you believe, Php7,000 only!

After a couple of times of using this not-complicated-at-all pump, I was easily expressing 4 ounces for every session.  And unlike the Avent, there are fewer parts to clean and assemble, a big relief for this working mom who personally washes, sterilizes and assembles her pump. 

It's bulky.  It's heavy. It's not too pretty.  But this toaster look-alike dual electric breastpump (9"x4.5"x6.5") makes it possible for me to express, on the average, 24 ounces of milk (3 sessions, 4-hour interval). Since I usually pump 4 times a day (the last one upon arriving home), I have about 27 to as high as 34 ounces per-day yield, truly more than enough for my 4-month old Basti.

(My small conference table has become my official pumping station.)

As they say, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.  For this mom, the Unimom Forte is one beautiful pump!

THE SEARCH IS OVER

This is the story of my search for the perfect infant carrier. And how it ended the day I got the SaYa.

Before the SaYa, I bought a Chicco carrier, a ringsling, and a Hotsling (pouch). All of them are now collecting dust in the closet.

I used the Chicco carrier probably thrice (or not even). Putting in and removing my baby from the carrier was so tedious that it required the help of another person. Worse, it created havoc on my back. I had to say goodbye to it.

Next came the ring sling. They say that "ring slings have longer learning curves than the pouches". I guess mine never ended. :( To this day, I've never figured out how to put the ring sling properly. And since I was not sure if I got it correctly, I never tried putting my baby in it. 

So there went my thousand bucks.

Then came the Hotsling pouch, which is made in the US. I was able to use it several times using a modified version of the cradle carry. Basti hated having his head inside the pouch and his legs folded. Hence, he stayed in the Hotsling for very short periods of time (read:  less than 20 minutes). It was not a totally hands-free carrier; I had to support Basti with my right hand all the time. While the fabric is cottony and soft, it's still a little thick and is not advisable to use outside an airconditioned room.  

(Basti in a Hotsling)

Finally, I read about the SaYa carrier in one of those Mommies' groups.  Since the showroom of Indigo Baby is near my office, I decided to go there personally instead of ordering the SaYa online. (Indigo Baby's showroom in Makati has a very small signage. Drove back and forth that street three times and got to see so many Jaguars along the way. :D)

I bought a teal/floral SaYa together with a number of other items (but this is another story).  Upon arriving home and reading the instructions manual that goes with it, I was able to put Basti in less than a minute.  Another great thing about it is that since it's locally manufactured, the fabric used takes into account our hot, tropical climate. 

More importantly, it carries the imprimatur of my tester extraordinaire!  After putting Basti in for the FIRST TIME, he was fast asleep in less than 5 minutes.  And he stayed asleep for more than an hour!

 (Basti's first time to use the SaYa)

So far, so good. 

But you see, I still have to test wear it. Over the weekend, I used it to carry Basti while malling. The verdict? I give it a perfect 10! No backpains after carrying my almost 8-kg baby for a total of 3 hours.

And now I can happily say that the search is finally over.

PS.  I so love this carrier that I got another one--the Versa teck (size 0 in cobalt).  

(Seeing Basti's big smile, there's no doubt that he loves it, too!)

and another one that looks like a fabulous blouse.

I so love the SaYa that it goes wherever I and Basti go!

(Four-month old Basti in a kangaroo carry)

(Basti is peacefully sleeping while his Ate is enjoying the Tree Top Adventure.)

 (Waiting for the sunset at a beach.)

And it's not only a good infant carrier. It can also be used as a breastfeeding cover.

I sooo love my SaYa! It really makes me maSaYa!

*I paid for all the products mentioned here. I do not know any of the sellers personally.