Review: 5 Things You Need To Know Before You Buy The Willow Breast Pump

Well, that's a wrap people! I am officially finished breastfeeding. 

What a bittersweet moment looking back. When I started nursing my 2nd son Jaxson 8 months ago, I had no idea how long my breastfeeding journey would last. Things didn't go great with my first son Cashton. I barely made it 3 months and that was with supplementing. I was killing myself over every ounce I could squeeze out, but they say a fed baby is a happy baby. 

Going into feeding Jaxson this time around, my goal was to breastfeed for 6 months. However, around 4.5 months my baby shark (who had 2 teeth at the time) bit me so hard it drew blood so I moved to exclusive pumping. I probably would have quit right then and there but my doctor reiterated to me that because of COVID we are not taking the kids out in public. Thus, my baby was building his immunities through my breastmilk. So I hung in there. 

When I decided to exclusively pump I was glad I had invested in a hands-free / cord-free breast pump. Pumping on the fly, 8 times a day is no easy task if you have to stop down every 3-4 hours to pump. I felt like I wasn't getting anything done attached to a traditional pump. After all, I had 2 kids to chase after now. 

Although hands-free pumps can be expensive, in my case, I felt like my sanity was worth the price tag. However, there are ways to navigate the large price tag and even possibly get your pump for free. I share those tips in my video review below.

I suffered from the baby blues with my first son and I truly believe it was from feeling like I was banished to pump constantly. I am someone who thrives on being busy and having to sit still killed me. With my Willow pump, I was able to walk around, do laundry, drive, work on the radio, chase after my kids, and even work out on my Peloton! Other pumps (even other hands-free pumps) couldn't give me that flexibility. 

The leakproof bags were key for me, but I address all of that in the video below. If you have any questions about my experience or the pump I used please feel free to Dm or Email me! 

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Let's Have A Baby!

Well, here we are. I am writing you from my hospital bed getting ready to give birth to Baby Strager #2 (still no name). We checked in last night to be induced and spent the evening hooked up to baby monitors and implanting a balloon catheter to jump-start labor. Our original plan was to induce labor via pill tablet but to our surprise when I arrived, I was already contracting 3-5 minutes apart, so we chose a different route.

 Now, let me be clear, I was contracting but because my water has not broken yet, they just feel like a menstrual cramp, not a “true” contraction. This happened with my first son Cashton’s birth as well. 

I didn’t have any “real” pain until we broke my water and then the torture was on! As some of you might know I am petrified of needles, so I was holding off on my epidural as long as possible. BAD IDEA! I don’t suggest doing that. My birth plan with my first son was to make it to 7cm before an epidural because I was afraid it would stall out my Pitocin. The anesthesiologist came to check on me at 5 cm and I told him I wasn’t ready. Boy was I wrong because about 15 mins later I WAS READY, but he couldn’t get back to me for another 1.5hr because the floor was so busy. I won’t make the same mistake this time. 

I also wanted to update you on what we brought with us this time around to make the process an easy, relaxing experience. (I know those words aren’t your typical synonyms when it comes to birthing a baby, but they help before, during, and after. 

First and foremost, I am an atmosphere person so the 1^st thing I threw in my prepacked hospital bag was my oil diffuser. Peace & calm is my oil of choice for stressful situations and spa music which we are playing from our iPhones.

Another couple of important items were my Baby Be Mine birthing gown which I got on amazon. It’s cuter than the traditional hospital gowns they give you upon arrival and they open in all the same ways. Plus, they come with a cute and comfy robe to match. Buttons everywhere! So you can still get your epidural, breastfeed and stay stylish as they come in cute colors and patterns.

I packed all of these items along with my slippers, toiletries, and makeup into my Delsey carry on suitcase and my matching backpack carried my laptop, chargers, and new breast pump. I decided to change from the Medela cord-free pump to the Willow hands-free pump this time, so I wanted to bring it with me and get the lactation consultants to give me a quick refresher. (They stop by your room after the baby comes to check on you and make sure baby can latch if you choose to breastfeed).

I also made sure I had a sentimental outfit for baby too. I brought with me the onesie that Cashton wore home from the hospital our first go around. Which looking back in hindsight might have been a mistake because if they look alike, I may not be able to tell who is who in photos. According to our last 4D sonogram, these two are gonna be twinsies.    

We also couldn’t forget our Rachel Zoe Maxi Cosi baby carrier/car seat and Burberry diaper bag, which baby Strager and I are currently sharing since we’ll BOTH be in diapers for a while. Baby diapers for him and chill packs, Always pads, Frida disposable underwear, Tucks wipes, Dermoplast spray, nursing pads, nipple cream, and hard candy for me. We also snuck a cooler of Watermelon into our delivery suite since I have been craving it throughout this whole pregnancy. 

The last item I decided to bring is my Rebel T6 camera. Typically, I would leave the baby photos to the professionals but since COVID is at an all-time high in North Carolina we have decided to be better safe than sorry and only allow essential personnel into our room. 

Okay, now that you know what I’m snacking on, what is keeping me calm, and our post-delivery essentials I’m gonna sign off and put my feet up until the dreaded contractions consume me and the epidural has taken over. Let’s go have a baby!!!!!

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