I wish someone had written a guide for the post-partum dentist. Given the sheer number of graduates from dental schools that are women, there should have been one written a while ago.
Life changes after a baby. Everyone knows this, but most of us are not aware of the tools that can help make the transition more pleasant. I certainly went through a lot of trial and error, and wasted more money/time than I would’ve liked. With this guide, my goal is to help other women in our profession waste less time and money while navigating the many challenges (and joys of course!) that come with motherhood.
Planning an appropriately timed maternity leave
There were times during my 3 month postpartum leave that I felt I had a handle on things, and could be out working. As soon as that thought crept into my mind, the baby would cry, or it would be time to pump milk. So the thought would leave my mind just as soon as it had come in! There were a few days when I’d schedule more things to do than were possible. Leaving me with no sleep during the day. No sleep for a new mom is a recipe for disaster. Ask any partner!
For some people, maternity leave can be shorter and for others it can be much longer. Having a discussion with your support system can help you plan. Luckily, based on the state you are in and the employer you choose to work with, maternity leave may not be the financial burden that you think it is. Postpartum is a physically and emotionally challenging time for mothers. Taking that time to recover and bond with your baby is important. Savor the leave while it is there. And surround yourself with people who will uplift you during this critical time.
Breast pumps
Whatever anyone tells you, breastfeeding does not come naturally. It is a learned skill for both you and the baby. Babies come with a few basic skills and can overtime, become better at giving you cues of hunger. Second time moms find breastfeeding much easier, because they have already learned this skill with the first baby!
Working with a lactation counselor is essential. Having the counselor visit you at the hospital the day after delivery is probably best practice. My hospital did not have that. So I had to struggle for 3 days before I met with the lactation counselor in person. Some colleagues even took courses on breastfeeding that helped them prepare for this. These courses can be provided by your hospital.
Health insurance covers one breast pump. People with dual insurance often try two pumps. Talk to as many other new moms before selecting the one you get. Know that even after much discussion, you might get a pump you hate and may need to return and get a new one off Amazon! Insurance companies have only 2-3 types of pumps for you to choose from. They don’t have the wide variety of pumps you can find off the internet.
Medela
Medela has a portable version too which is why I went for it, thinking I could use it later at work. The first few times using it felt unpleasant. In my opinion, a child at the breast is more gentle than a motorized breast pump! However, with time you could get used to it.
Cons
What I didn’t like about the apparatus is the constant need to hold the pumps at your breasts. Whoever came up with that design was not thinking about ergonomics. There are nursing bras out there that can help you keep the pumps in position but I heard too many bad reviews so I decided against them. Holding the pumps in place for 15 minutes does not sound bad but when you’re doing it, your eyes are on the clock the whole time. Time can’t go fast enough! Watching a youtube video, or listening to a podcast can help the time get by much faster.
Although I used Medela exclusively for the first month, I use it only as needed now. Why? I can’t walk around the house doing errands or answer emails etc while I am pumping. So I find the time spent very unproductive. I also cannot imagine using it while working. Even if I were to pump in a lactation room it would be far too inconvenient. The bottles it comes with are also impossible to clean without a sterilizer or running water. In portable dentistry, this is not a good solution. For people working from home, it probably would be just fine.
Elvie
I heard mixed reviews about this portable wearable pump. At 4X the cost of a traditional pump such as Medela or Spectra, it is a steep buy for most. However around week 4-6 I started to get annoyed with the Medela as I would be all alone in my bedroom pumping while my family was outside in the living room. So I jumped on the bandwagon and got the Elvie.
Pros: portability is a real game changer. Being able to wear it on the go has been so convenient. In fact I wore it while writing this article! I have done laundry and dishes, had brunch at a restaurant, and worn it at the salon while getting my hair cut. Yes, it is all totally possible with Elvie. At the beginning I found it a hassle because of the assembly and cleaning required. However now that I’ve done it a few times, it takes less than a minute to assemble and pop in. It does make my breasts look larger, and so, while buying work scrubs I bought a size up.
It is connected to an App on your phone, so you can time it to start and stop based on your preference. It also has 3 inbuilt settings- 15, 20 and 25 mins. That said, I used the App only once and never used it again because I didn’t feel the need to. You can start and stop both pumps manually without using the App. The charge on them also remains for quite a bit. I’ve used it for at least 5 pumping sessions without the charge dying on me. I still carry the charger with me everywhere, obediently. You could also potentially charge it while driving your car, although I haven’t ever had to so far. This is not possible with the Medela. Medela requires a wall charger.
I also love the fact that the milk gets poured into little bottles with a small opening. It is perfect for pouring the milk into a bottle, chiller or freezer bags. There is no spillage when doing so.
Cons: Luckily I have a nanny who cleans all the various parts that both breast pumps come with. Without her, this would be tough to manage. The Elvie requires all plastic parts to be sterilized for 5 mins only. I would have popped it in my Dr. Brown’s sterilizer if they were not so specific with this time frame. Dr. Brown’s runs for 8 mins and I didnt want to risk the parts getting warped and having to buy another set because of the price tag. For those of us who do not have help at home, this is an added task. Obviously you cannot sterilize while on the go. More on how to clean all the parts coming up below.
The parts are also heavy. I am always a little more gentle when bending down because I fear the milk would leak. It has not happened yet but probably because I am so careful with it. I wouldn’t recommend running or doing any physical activity while with it obviously.
It also has a light coming out of each pump when it’s on, which B says makes me look like Artificial Intelligence. The lights would not be visible under the scrubs though so I am not too worried about that when I start working.
While taking the pumps off, they invariably do leak a little. This is not necessarily a problem with the pump but could also be the breast which has been very stimulated at that point. Having a bib or washcloth close by is essential. I’ve also been slightly sore after each pumping session and when the pump switches from stimulation to expression mode. I am sure there is a way around it, I just haven’t had the time or patience to play with the App more. One should not be too sore though because that would mean you need a larger flange or that it is incorrectly positioned.
Elvie also comes with 2 sets of everything, including bottles. Before I go back to work, I plan to buy another set of bottles so I don’t waste time cleaning anything and have everything ready to go. While at work I anticipate pumping at least thrice so having 3 sets of each part would be helpful.
For both pumps- if you don’t have the correct flange size, things are going to hurt. This is why my initial few days with Medela were so painful. When I got the right flange size, it was much easier. In fact, it can get a little too comfortable which is why the auto switch off feature with Elvie is helpful. You wouldn’t want to doze off while it’s on you.
Cleaning pumps on the go
I got Medela’s wipes to clean all pump parts between sessions while outside. When I am at home, I just sterilize each time. These wipes are alcohol free and safe to use on all parts. Having two boxes of these is essential. Yes, it takes a few minutes to clean and air dry all the parts. I usually clean with the wipe and then dry with kitchen roll because I don’t have the time to air dry or the space to do so.
All of this is a lot of stuff to haul around. There are a variety of breast feeding/pumping bags available on Amazon that have various sections where you can place stuff neatly. I enjoy organization. Here is the bag that I use and would recommend.
Ceres Chiller
This is one of my favorite accessories, because it has no cons! I mostly use the OG chiller only since it covers you for a whole day. It allows you to drop pumped milk into the chiller while you are working or traveling. On Mother’s Day this year I was going to be out the whole day with my sister and mom. I used it thrice that day and it was great! So easy to use.
I found out much later that this Chiller is incredibly popular with healthcare providers. Makes sense because all of us are on the go and a lot of us are uncomfortable storing breast milk in a publicly used fridge. Since I am in portable dentistry, being next to a fridge was impossible anyway. Yes, this product was recommended by a fellow dentist!
Hakaa ladybug
This is one of my other favorite products, with no cons! I use it on one breast while the baby is feeding on the other. And then switch sides. The first time I used it I was almost about to cry. I had let so much milk go to waste the last few weeks when I was not using the ladybug. When the baby starts feeding at one breast, our body experiences what is called a ‘let-down’. This basically allows milk from the body to flow more freely. It happens in both breasts simultaneously even though the baby is just feeding at one breast. The milk from the other breast would be leaking all over our body or worse, getting absorbed by a lactation pad if not for the milk collector. I am able to collect almost 1.5 oz every time I breastfeed. Over the course of the day, this is more than 4 ounces- enough for a whole other feed. Very worthwhile!
There are other musts such as a breastfeeding pillow, and Good To Have’s such as the Silverette Nursing Cups, nipple shields, and nipple cream. I used the latter more in the beginning of my journey and barely use those now. My body has just gotten used to the rigors of breastfeeding and pumping. Keeping all these items (apart from the pillow, in the breastfeeding/pumping bag would be a good idea.
Staying hydrated and well fed
If you’re going to be burning upwards of 500 calories a day breastfeeding, and plan on doing it for 6 months or more (American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive BF for 6 months and supplemental BF upto 2 years), staying hydrated and well fed is a must. I use this nearly 4L bottle that I bought off of Amazon, on the recommendation from a friend. Apart from keeping me hydrated, it also is an excellent conversation starter! Everyone is curious about the sheer size of this tumbler. Drinking more than 3L a day is a global recommendation that not just breastfeeding moms but all adults should follow!
I also drink 3 cups full of almond or oat milk mixed with rice, shatavari, fenugreek and cardamom powder daily. I gave up on all dairy products when they started to cause gas for the baby. Oat and almond milk is way easier on their sensitive digestive systems. Plant based milk carries some hormones that babies may not take well to, so soy milk was out, based on our pediatrician. Shatavari is a known herb good for lactating moms. So is fenugreek. In Indian culture, having these herbs mixed in sweets and food for lactating moms is an age old practice. Only now is it adopted heavily in the West.
Here is the shatavari powder I use. It’s quite sweet by the way, so if you’re worried about ingesting a whole lot of sugar, find another brand.
Creating a freezer stash
This is still hard for me. Finding additional time in the day to pump milk for a freezer stash is challenging. If you start giving formula to your baby once a day and use that time to pump milk for the freezer, that might be helpful. It will still always feel like you’re playing catch up though. There simply isn’t enough time in the day.
You may also have to break routine and pump in the middle of two sessions in order to create a freezer stash. I am trying all of these methods and have still not been successful in creating a consistent freezer stash. Hopefully in the next few weeks or days I will have more resources or tips to share!
All of this sounds like a lot because it is. As usual, if you have a team of supportive people with you, none of this will seem as strenuous as it is. With a little bit of planning, anything is possible and your days back to work will seem like a breeze.
Scrubs
The days of wearing WearFigs are over! I loved my Wearfigs and am surprised they haven’t come up with nursing friendly tops yet. There is no way you would be able to wear your regular scrub while pumping. Unless you buy a size up. I opted to buy two other brands to accommodate on the go pumping. However, neither of them is as soft or comfortable as WearFigs so I am not listing them here. If any of you reading this are influencers, kindly do the needful and let your reps know! Their market is predominantly women so having nursing friendly options would be a game changer for them and us!
I am so glad I took the 3 months off after having a baby because around month 2 is when I started experimenting with all of these products and finding favorites. I did this in month 2 because month 1 comprised my own recovery. Towards the end of month 2 you have more energy and time to devote to planning.
Questions? Please comment below!