New Mom Must Haves | NUK Simply Natural Freemie Collection Cups
[dropcap]W[/dropcap]hen I first got pregnant, a staggering amount of people asked me if I planned to breastfeed. I always answered the same way: “I plan on trying”. I’d also planned on pumping so that my hubby could get the bonding that comes with feeding time by giving Everly a bottle. Worried about things like nipple confusion, I had heard horror stories about babies that wouldn’t take a bottle and new moms that felt they could never get a moment to themselves. In the end, Everly couldn’t latch and that caused a whole new set of concerns that led to me exclusively pumping – something you don’t hear about nearly as much. When I heard about the Simply Natural Feeding System, which included the Freemie Collection Cups I was sceptical and super intrigued; Breast pump you could stick in your bra and be mobile with? This I needed to try!
NUK Simply Natural Feeding System Review
“Designed to keep the mom-baby bond strong by making natural feeding easier”
The unique quality of the NUK Simply Natural bottles are the shape of the nipple. Instead of one hole in the centre, there are several tiny ones, just like a breastfeeding mamas are. They are shaped to fit your little one’s mouth the same way they would latch onto the breast, which is really very unique! I also love that they have the anti-colic valve which limited airflow and reduces gas – something Everly has suffered with since birth!
Coming in 5 and 9oz sizes, these bottles are wide and curvy so they are super comfy to hold. I really never thought about that before I bottle fed a baby, but when you are sitting there for 20 minutes holding a bottle, it had better be comfortable! The nipples come in multiple ‘flows’ so baby can adjust as they get older, much like they would when nursing.
Of course, hand in hand with bottle feeding comes milk storage and actually getting the milk from mum to babe. That’s where the Freemie Collection Cups come in – these are beyond unique and unlike any breast pump you probably know!
Freemie Collection Cups Review
If you’re a pumping mama you already know that pumping milk for your babe can be stressful, time-consuming and messy. Traditional pumping bras mean you’ve got bottles hanging off your ta-tas. They say hands-free, but have you ever tried to pick up a baby with those things on??. So enter in the Freemie Collection Cups; Cups that have flanges on the inside that fit in your nursing bra or tank and connect to your existing pump!
The Freemies come with two different flange sizes in the package- 24mm and 28mm. A secondary insert that turns them into 21mm and each cup can hold up to 8oz, which is more than the standard pump bottles. You pop these into your bra or tank and then connect the tubing to your pump. Then you can feed the tube down your shirt into a battery operated pump and actually be hands-free!
“I love the fact that I can throw a cardigan on and move around my apartment without feeling like I have to keep shutting the blinds.”
Now I am not going to lie, I am very large chested and these look absolutely silly on me. Think Madonna cone boobs circa 1991, but they still work so well. I love the fact that I can throw a cardigan on and move around my apartment without feeling like I have to keep shutting the blinds. What I love them most for is sitting down at my computer to write out blog posts! Have you ever tried to type when you have bottles dangling off your chest? I’ve knocked one off a time or two and let me tell you, crying about spilt milk is a thing! These would be perfect for working moms who still need to pump breastmilk for their little one.
These collection cups work with most pumps. I tried them with my Medela and my Spectra S1 and found they worked best with the Spectra in terms of output. I’ve definitely learned some tricks to get the best results with these:
- Boil all the parts before first use. It says to do so in the packaging and I was tempted to just simply sterilize them, but then I learned that boiling them for 10 minutes is what makes them fit snugly together with no leaking.
- Wear a snug-fitting nursing bra or tank that has stretch. You want these to be held close to you while wearing them for good suction. If you don’t wear in a snug enough bra you might not get as much output.
- Make sure the clear duck-billed valve is attached the correct way, or you won’t draw the milk out efficiently.
- Lube up your flanges with organic unrefined coconut oil (unless of course you or babe have an allergy!). You’ll get more milk output and your nipples will thank me!
- Once you’re done, use a nursing pad for any leaking. I tried the NUK Simply Natural Washable Nursing Pads which are SUPER absorbent. They are 3 layers thick with a soft jersey that washed up really soft. They are thick, so most ideal for overnight use.
After you’ve expressed, You’re going to want to keep that milk fresh for babe. I also tried the NUK Seal n Go Breastmilk Storage Bags, which stand up well if you like to keep milk stored that way in the fridge and have nice strong reinforced sides with a double seal to protect that liquid gold you worked so hard for.
Overall, I was the most impressed by the Simply Natural Freemie Collection Cups. As a new mom who exclusively pumps for a baby that is just coming out of colic, I found these so helpful. I have actually been able to multitask wearing these; I can put my makeup, write up a blog post, or pick up my baby if needed, all while pumping! If you’re a working mama, or get stuck travelling for several hours, these can be a really discreet way to get the job done (a big old infinity scarf would do the trick!).
For more information on Simply Natural and entry to sweepstakes visit www.nuk-canada.ca/simplynaturalsweeps and sign up by filling out the registration form and you will be given an electronic scratch and win card!
This post has been in partnership with YMC and NUK, under the agreement of an honest and genuine review. You can read my full disclaimer here.
