Milk Stork Blog

9/30/20

Family Health, Pumping & Feeding

How One Mom Tackled Breastfeeding in the NICU

The United States has one of the highest rates to preterm births in the world. Each year approximately 1 in 10 U.S. babies are born too early — before 37 weeks. The moment they are born, these babies begin their journeys in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit). For preemies, breast milk can be critically important to their progress, however, for the mothers of premature babies initiating milk production and breastfeeding can be extremely difficult. September is NICU Awareness Month…

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8/11/20

Family Health, Pumping & Feeding

How to move during COVID-19 — and to do it safely!

With COVID, work from home (WFH) and distance learning, American families are picking up and moving out. Whether it is to reduce their living costs or improve their quality of life, 26% of Americans are considering moving due to COVID. Moving during these unprecedented times does not come without its challenges – especially when relocating your family, but it doesn’t have to be a scary experience. All it takes is some additional planning, patience and plenty of hand sanitizer! Here…

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8/6/20

Pumping & Feeding, Workplace Support

10 Helpful Tips For Working & Pumping Moms

Whether you’re a mom returning to work or just looking for some pumping tips in general, you’ve come to the right place! Breastfeeding Consultant and Doula, Shelley Halloran, has given us her top 10 tips to make your pumping experience a little bit easier this time around. 1. Don’t Panic! You don’t need a freezer full of milk to go back to work, just a day or two’s worth is fine! Mothers typically begin storing milk somewhere between 2-4 weeks…

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8/5/20

Pumping & Feeding

5 Pumping Hacks to Get Pumped About Pumping, and Keep the Milk Up

Pumping sucks, literally… But it can still be rewarding with a few hacks to help keep the milk flowing. Milk is released from the breasts with the help of the love hormone, oxytocin. Oxytocin is created when you snuggle with your baby, see their gummy smile, smell their scent, hear that ridiculously adorable giggle, etc. It’s what causes the milk letdown and gets things going. Some women feel it, some do not – and that’s ok. It is not created…

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6/17/20

Family Health, Pumping & Feeding, Employers

Take the Damn Leave

Leading by Example Means Taking Paternity Leave With Father’s Day just around the corner, we want to bring attention to the issue of paid family leave in the U.S. and, specifically, paternity leave. Who better to talk about this important issue than our friend, Andrew Doan, a dad of three and one of the founders of Bokee, the one-handed bottle prep accessory. I wanted to take a minute to talk about the issue of paid family leave in the US…

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3/4/20

Family Health, Pumping & Feeding, Workplace Support, Employers

4 Out of 5 Working Moms Say Their Employers Could Better Support Breastfeeding Parents

McHenry, IL March 04, 2020— A survey of more than 2,000 working moms found that a majority of women feel they lack the support they need to continue breast milk feeding when they return to work after baby. The survey, conducted in January 2020 by Medela, Mamava, and Milk Stork – the partners behind New Moms’ Healthy Returns— sought to better understand the challenges breastfeeding mothers face when returning to work, as well as to identify opportunities for employers to…

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2/11/20

Family Health, Pumping & Feeding

Vitamin D: Making Sure You, and Baby, Are Getting Enough

Almost half of women in the US are deficient in Vitamin D, which plays an important role in bone, nerve, respiratory and immune health. This article will help you and your breastfed baby achieve optimal levels of the Sunshine Vitamin during the winter. Vitamin D is made by the body when exposed to sunlight for 5-30 minutes a day, a few times a week. Many women do not achieve this, especially during the winter when sunlight hours are limited and…

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7/9/19

Travel Tips, Family Health, Pumping & Feeding

Your Ultimate Guide to Traveling While Breastfeeding

Traveling while you’re still breastfeeding can seem off-putting. In fact, it sounds quite overwhelming. Luckily, thankfully, there are mothers out there who know how to play the game. In this case, our mom is Sara Novak, and she shares her ultimate guide to traveling while breastfeeding. The name of the game: planning ahead. First, she breaks down the most important question: What should bring? When traveling, the following are not luxuries, they are necessary to ensure pumping success. 1) A…

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6/26/19

Pumping & Feeding, Workplace Support

Free Breast Milk Shipping. You Know, The Way It’s Supposed to Be.

Going back to work can be really tough. Everything seems different. Will you be able to get back into the old routine? Will you still receive the same amount of respect? Will you feel comfortable breast pumping at work? Will breast milk leak through your shirt? These are all valid questions. With everything running through your mind, remember to relax because you have rights. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) should have you covered. Employers within the FLSA’s purview are…

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