Product: Spectra M1 Double Electric Breast Pump

I already sold my Spectra M1 Double Electric Breast Pump, but I was able to used it during the first few weeks after I gave birth, so I thought that's enough for me to post my somewhat review of the product.

When I was still pregnant and reading all those mommy/maternity blogs with their own lists of must-haves, I found that a lot of mommies recommend having a breast pump even before giving birth. Sometimes, it takes a few days before breastmilk comes out, and the breast pump can be used to stimulate milk production, especially if the mom can't produce enough milk for the baby.

I was actually planning to buy a breast pump after I give birth because I wasn't really sure if I would need it. I work at home (and at that time, I wasn't even sure if I will work when the baby comes out) so I'm always at home, where I can conveniently feed my baby directly from my breast.

But after reading all these recommendations and pieces of advice from fellow moms, I was persuaded to buy a month before my due date. And I chose to buy Spectra M1 Double Electric Breast Pump. It's small and portable, cheaper than most popular brands of breast pumps (like Medela, Avent, etc) and it has quite a lot of rave reviews.

I bought mine from BabyMamaph's booth during the Baby Fair on SMX last December 2014. They're offering 20% discount at the time and I thought that it would be better if I buy there than online because aside from the discount, I could also inspect the product, learn how to assemble it and I could ask questions from the staff manning the booth. So long story short, I bought one - but I didn't use it until after I gave birth on January.

Spectra M1 Double Electrical Breast Pump is a good quality breast pump. It comes with two breast kits (flange, bottle and tube connectors). It also has a backflow protector to prevent moisture from going to the pump, which can cause unsanitary mold growth.

I appreciate that it's small and portable, it's easy to stash inside the baby bag (although I still keep another bag for bottles and the breast pump parts). I brought it during Yani's check-ups with the pedia, so I wouldn't feel engorged during the trip and while waiting for our turn in the hospital. The battery lasts for a little over 2 hours and I could do 2 cycles of pumping on the go. Charging time is also relatively quick.

It has 5 suction levels and 2 operation modes: normal and massage. I have sensitive nipples and they would hurt when I use the breast pump in normal mode. Good thing Spectra M1 Double Electric Breast Pump has a massage mode, otherwise I wouldn't be able to use it because I couldn't tolerate the suction strength of the normal mode.

Massage mode is much gentler on my teats and it promotes letdown which is very helpful because it stimulates your breast to release milk every time you pump. But less milk is expressed during massage mode, so pumping takes more time.

Although Spectra M1 Double Electrical Breast Pump doesn't operate silently and sounds like a snore or a purring cat, I believe the noise is bearable especially when on you're on massage mode. But I wouldn't use it beside a sleeping baby, unless your baby is used to its sound. It also vibrates slightly.

The pumping unit is pretty easy to operate, all the buttons are straightforward. Assembly is quite simple once you figured it out (don't worry the instruction manual illustrates this). I just thought it has too many parts to assemble, would've been easier if there were less. But what I like about it is you can take apart each accessory so that you can clean it thoroughly.

I only had 2 problems with Spectra M1 Double Electric Breast Pump. One is the breastmilk leaking underneath while I pump. I think this is because the flange is too big for me (28mm). I'm not sure if a smaller flange is available locally. If you're getting this breast pump for regular long term use, I would definitely suggest that you get the correct flange size so you won't be troubled with leaks.

My second issue is with some parts getting loose or detaching. The flange can unscrew from the bottle with the slightest turn and I've had a few instances when I almost spilled my precious breastmilk because of this. The tube that connects the flange to the pumping unit also detaches easily and affect the suction strength.

I also noticed that when using as a double breast pump, suction strength is reduced. I usually use it as a single breast pump because my breasts tolerate different suction levels. In massage mode, my left breast can only tolerate up to level 3 and my right breast, only level 1.

And because of the leaking problem, I couldn't use a hands-free bra and I need to hold the flange in a certain angle against my breast - so I only pump one breast at a time. I also need to put a piece of cloth underneath the flange to catch leaks. Otherwise, my bra and whatever top I'm wearing will be soaking wet by the time I finish pumping milk

But overall, Spectra M1 Double Electrical Breast Pump is a decent breast pump and definitely a cheaper but great alternative to other pricier brands. However, my love affair with the breast pump had been short.

Most moms recommend using the breast pump 6 weeks after delivery because that's usually the time when the breastmilk production has stabilized. Of course, this won't apply if you can't produce enough breastmilk days after your baby was born, in which case you need the help of the breast pump to crank up your milk production. But if you already have abundant milk supply and you pump too early, you could overstimulate your breast which would result to more milk. And this is what happened to me.

Because I was excited to use Spectra M1 Double Electric Breast Pump, I pumped prematurely (like 2 weeks after giving birth early) even if I didn't need to - I have milk galore. At first, everything's okay. Then my baby developed breastmilk jaundice and the pedia told me to stop breastfeeding for 3 days so her jaundice will subside. That's when I learned the consequence of having too much breastmilk: the painful breast engorgement.

But I have a breast pump, I thought, so everything should be just fine. Even if I couldn't breastfeed, I could express my breastmilk to relieve engorgement. When I had to pumped exclusively, that's when I realized that this is not something I'd like to do.

Because of the issues I mentioned above, it normally takes an hour or more for me to produce 4 oz of breastmilk. Everytime I pump, I felt like I was being held up inside our bedroom, holding the flange on my breast and watching as my breastmilk slowly fills the feeding bottle.

And I need to pump every 2 hours, or else engorgement will set in which will make everything difficult and painful. I frequently have clogged ducts because I just have too much breasmilk and I couldn't pump fast enough to empty my breast and the breast pump just couldn't empty my breast of milk as efficiently as my baby.

So imagine 1 hour of pumping plus washing and drying of breast pump parts and feeding bottle - then repeating the process after 2 hours. I couldn't get anything done. I feel like I was tied to the breast pump and the activities associated with pumping milk. And for all these troubles, I still get those nasty clogged ducts that further debilitates me and makes my day miserable.

The moment I got a go signal from the pedia that I can resume breastfeeding (I did mix feeding after 3 days because Yani's jaundice still hasn't fully subsided), I free myself from the breast pump and used it only when absolutely necessary.

Weeks turn into months and my Spectra M1 Double Electric Breast Pump stayed inside box. I realized I won't be using it anymore so I decided to sell it. I have no beef with pumping breastmilk, but I found out that it's really not my thing. Maybe if I were a working mom, I'd be singing a different tune. But for SAHM or WAHM, direct breastfeeding is definitely easier, faster and the best way to feed your baby.

Product: Aden + Anais Swaddle Wrap

We only bought 2 swaddles for Yani - one is Woombie Air and the other one is Aden + Anais Swaddle Wrap - as I wasn't sure if this is something that she'll used often or for a long time.

Prior to having her, no one in my family, and that includes 1st degree relatives, has used a swaddle or is familiar with swaddling. They know how to wrap babies in receiving blankets to keep them warm, but there's hardly a method or technique involve.

So when they saw Yani swaddled in Aden + Anais or in the Woombie especially, they were curious and amused and often commented that that was the first time they saw a baby so wrapped up.

Anyway, unlike the Woombie, Aden + Anais Swaddle Wrap didn't look too constricting. I love how soft the 100% cotton muslin fabric is to the touch and it certainly looks breathable. Overall, I thought it's cuter and more baby-friendly - that goes without saying that I thought it's better.

But this just proves that looks can be deceiving.

Aden + Anais Swaddle Wrap wasn't exactly the most convenient to use. First, you have to put baby inside the mini sleeping slack which snaps close on the shoulders. Then you have to wrap the extra fabric around her upper body and snaps close in front. There's just too many snaps and one-too-many steps to swaddle a baby who's not particularly fond of being swaddled.

Even if she's asleep, I could swaddle Yani using the Woombie, but couldn't do it with Aden + Anais Swaddle Wrap because I would need to lift her or turn her to her sides to be able to wrap her properly. By the time I'm done, she has already awaken.

Another problem is when I need to check on her diaper. Because she's in a sort of mini sleeping sack, there's no opening at the bottom and I had to unsnap and unwrap her just to check if she's poop on her diaper or to change it. It's like going back to Step 1 and repeating the whole process all over again.

Problem no. 3, maybe this has something to do with baby's size, but even if we got the smallest size, Aden + Anais Swaddle Wrap seemed a little big for her (she's 3 kgs or 6.6 lbs when she was born). There's more than enough room to wiggle her arms, and although she wasn't able to set them free, the wrap rides up to above her neck and could cover her mouth and nose.

To avoid this, we wrap her first in an extra cloth, usually a flat diaper, before swaddling her with Aden + Anais Swaddle Wrap to have a snug fit. But there goes another extra step and another layer of fabric wrapping baby, which is an issue if you live in an area with warmer climate.

When she got bigger, I thought Aden + Anais Swaddle Wrap would finally fit her nicely. But her arms also got stronger and smarter and this time, she could squirm them out of the wrap. And there's not much leg room inside the mini sleeping sack.

So yes, we got to use it a few times. And yes, I still think the fabric is top-quality and the design is cute. But is it easy, is it effective and more importantly, is it safe? I don't think so. And this is why I really don't recommend this swaddle.

Product: Woombie Air

This is my Baby Yani when she was 4 days old in her Woombie.

I remember Yani getting different reactions from visitors, doctors, nurses and other hospital personnel who see her for the first time in her Woombie. They were all amused, some worried that she might not be able to move, while others - doctors and Nursery nurses especially - find it cute and thought it's better than the traditional swaddle blanket. One nurse, who is also a mom, wanted to have one for her next baby.

I thought Woombie is a cute name for a swaddle. But this patented design - made of stretch fabric with a zipper enclosure - is an easy and effective way to swaddle your baby. At first it seems very constricting, considering how small the item looks. But the stretchy fabric, which they call bebeflex, is soft and easily stretches to allow baby to move inside, while providing warmth and preventing startle reflex. According to the website, this fabric and the hugging fit of the Woombie mimic the womb environment, helping baby to sleep better and longer.

And I can say that it did live up to its claim of being the easiest way to swaddle. All you need to do is put baby in, zip her up and you're done. I love that it has a two-way zipper, meaning I can open it from the top and the bottom. We didn't have to unswaddle Yani in order to check on her diaper or to change it. We simply had to open from the bottom and her arms and upper body stayed snug. Sometimes we also opened halfway up to let her legs move more freely, which she liked very much.

And because the fit is snug, the swaddle will not unravel nor baby will be able to wiggle her arms free from it, a common problem with other swaddles in the market. Baby stays swaddled but able to move, albeit looking like a cocoon.

What she was wearing is a Woombie Air. It has a breathable mesh in front to allow air to flow inside and prevent overheating, which is one of my concerns when using Woombie. Even if the fabric is soft and elastic, it doesn't feel cool. But newborn babies are not supposed to feel cool anyway. They need to stay warm (because it's warm inside the womb) and to very gradually adjust to the colder environment outside the womb.

But because we live in a tropical country, the risk of overheating is greater [than in another countries with colder climates]. During Yani's first few moments, we always have the AC on in our bedroom, so it's okay to use the Woombie while she's sleeping. I never let her it wear when she's in a room without an AC.

She used the Woombie from day 2 till she's about 2 months old. By the time we started freeing her arms more often, she also started protesting against being swaddled. So we only put her in the Woombie during visits to the pedia (in a hospital with centralized AC).

Without the Woombie or any kind of swaddles, she would easily get startled by sudden and loud noises during her sleep. Sometimes, even with the slightest sound, she would flail her arms in the air and be jolted awake, as if she was dreaming that she's falling.

But by around 1 1/2 to 2 months old, she would cry her heart out whenever I try to put her in the Woombie before she sleeps so we had to deal with startle reflex in other ways - like putting large pillows on both sides to keep her arms in place, or always lying next to her when she sleeps to lull her back to sleep if she awakens (she sleeps in our bed). Both these options require that I'm there in the room with her, watching her sleep and making sure that she's safe.

But even if our relationship with the Woombie Air is short, I'd still recommend it to anyone who's looking for an easy and safe way to keep baby bundled up and snug tight.

And it's definitely a plus factor that Yani's Woombie Air comes in this black/gray/pink "rock chic" colors and has a cool Baby Rock graphic, too.