As a new mama, I was completely oblivious about breastfeeding. I honestly thought it would come "natural" and we wouldn't have any issues. Let me tell you that was a complete and utter naive thought. I wouldn't say my breastfeeding journey at the beginning was challenging but we've definitely hit many obstacles along the way. 

Calvin's latch was pretty solid at the beginning and I was definitely an over producer. I was able to save a lot of milk and get that stored in our deep freezer. I was so engorged from the beginning and was leaking a ton. My best friend bought me a silicone letdown catcher so I used that at every feeding on the opposite breast. 

They all felt amazing but he preferred the two above the most. I would say try and get some small samples before buying the actual jars because it can get pretty expensive. I would lather these on after EACH feeding. ​

I stared longingly at the list of breast pumps available that my insurance would either fully cover or partially cover. I had no idea which one to get. I did extensive research and decided on a Spectra. Some things I looked for in a breast pump were: suction level, attachments (ease of replacements and price of replacement parts) and quietness. I liked the size of the Medela breast pumps but I heard they're a little louder so I went with a Spectra instead. When I was choosing it, they had a pink (S2) or blue (S1) breast pump. The only difference between those was the fact that the blue (S1) was portable so I didn't have to be plugged into the wall to pump. I chose to upgrade to that pump and pay an addition few dollars for convenience. 

When I finally pumped at home it hurt so bad and I honestly made about 1oz on each breast. I eventually gave up and only used the silicone milk catcher. It wasn't until weeks later that my best friend came over and helped me with it. She watched and helped me figure out my fitting and realized my flange size was too large so it was pulling more of my areola. Our friendship definitely hit another level at that point- haha! So if you can, get fitted properly because this makes a HUGE difference! 

We have a deep freezer so we ended up freezing the milk. I bought plain rectangle 6oz milk bags and froze them flat. When I had 10 bags of frozen milk, I stored it in a gallon size ziploc. I was able to fit 10 bags of milk in each gallon size bag and stored it in our deep freezer. 

I was able to breastfeed him for about 4 months when I had a surplus supply of milk. I noticed that my letdown was slowing after 4 months and my breasts got a lot smaller. TMI but I noticed my nipples were smaller too. This was around the time he stopped latching and didn't want to be breastfed anymore. We were bottle feeding him at night so my husband could feed him and I could get ready for bed. We also wanted to be able to physically see how much he ate before bed and also give him some probiotics. Welp, I think he got use to or preferred the flow of the bottle nipples and he started refusing my breast. That was fine since he was still eating. The only pain is now I'm exclusively pumping and washing all the pump parts. 

Well if you noticed above, I have the S2 Spectra. The pump itself is pretty large! I hated having to lug it around for the day when we're out and about. So I actually purchased a second pump. I had to find one that was comparable and adaptable with some of my Spectra parts. I definitely needed something much more compact because I hated bringing a second large backpack or tote to carry my pump. 

​I opted for the Motif Duo breast pump. The suction isn't as strong as the Spectra but it definitely does the job. It's also very quiet. The best part was it fits in the palm of my hand! I can also stick it in my pocket if I needed (from my jacket or leggings with the side pocket for your phone). 

The Motif Duo tubing also fit on my Spectra bottles which meant I didn't have to buy any additional flanges or pieces. 

To be honest, I still try to breast feed him once or twice throughout the day. It's hard to explain but I miss being able to breastfeed him. He'll take for about 10 minutes before he unlatches because my milk isn't coming as fast as he wants. 

I'm honestly just thankful that I produce enough milk to feed him and that he's fine with taking a bottle. This is great because anybody can feed him without a fight. If my milk runs dry and we run out of our frozen stash and need to use formula, I'll keep you guys posted!


Our feeding journey has been such a rollercoaster. Nothing is every consistent with a baby! Everything changes once you think you've got things figured out. So if you're a new mama or soon to be mama, know that things probably won't go as planned! Just go with it and do what you think is necessary and don't be afraid to ask for help! Remember, fed is best!

💕Time for a G I V E A W A Y!💕

I've teamed up with a couple of my favorite shops to host this amazing giveaway. ONE lucky winner will receive the goodies pictured above! Entering is easy. .

Here are the steps enter: 
- Click this link to enter on Instagram

PRIZE INCLUDES: 
@Hafmall_Official diaper backpack 
@Milky__Chic nursing poncho
@HuxnHarper 2 silicone teethers, 2 teething rings and a "Mom Life" keychain
@DreameggOfficial sound machine with night light
_________
Giveaway closes ‪on Feb. 12th at 12pm PST‬.
This giveaway is not affiliated with or sponsored by Instagram. Must be 18 years of age or older. No purchases necessary. ​

YES! A lot of people think you shouldn't do tummy time until they're a few months old but you can actually start tummy time right away! We had to take Calvin to physical therapy once he was born because he was breech and never flipped. We found out his shoulder was lodged against his neck in the womb and he had this major flat spot behind his ear. The hospital pediatrician and physical therapist also noticed that his neck was stiff. So after we were discharged we started physical therapy. She actually recommended starting tummy time as soon as we can. 

Tummy time strengthens your baby's muscles! It's important to do a few minutes of tummy time from the beginning and building their stamina. It will help strengthen their neck and shoulder muscles! It will also help prevent flat spots around their head. It's also a great bonding time for you and baby. Don't forget to cheer them on! You'll be surprised to see how strong they are from the beginning! I know I sure was!
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I should've captured more or better pictures of him but I didn't. I have a ton of pictures of Calvin on my husband's chest without a shirt when he was first born but I won't post those- HAHA. But the encouraging part of this whole process is that because we started so early, he strengthened his neck and shoulder muscles very quickly. He was able to have full range of movement in both directions and the flat spot behind his ear filled out as he grew. We were able to stop PT for his torticollis pretty quickly! His physical therapist believes that he was able to start rolling over from his belly to back before he was three months old because we started so early. But remember that every baby's development is different!