[box]Richmond Moms Blog is excited to partner with Milkful bars on this sponsored post.[/box]
Breastfeeding is tough.
Breastfeeding your baby when you can’t be together during the day is tougher.
Keeping your supply up when you are away from your baby for an extended period of time is one of the toughest situations breastfeeding mommas go through.
It was a situation I faced for the first time this past spring when I had to fly out of state for a conference.
I am so lucky to work under the same roof where my daughter attends preschool. It means I can pump after I nurse if my supply feels inadequate. On those days that I feel I have complete control over my day, I can skip the pumping altogether. (Those are my favorite days!)
We were 8 months into our breastfeeding relationship when I had to travel out of state for work.
My daughter and I were very established at this point, so I thought things (i.e. my supply) would be totally fine. I turned to Facebook for some tips on what to do traveling while breastfeeding and was met with lots of helpful advice.
One tip I wish someone had mentioned: pack milk storage bags in your pump bag (along with your glasses, contact case, and solution)! There is always the chance that your luggage will be lost in transit, so it’s best to be prepared.
Exhibit A
I was very happy the hotel graciously gave me clean, Ziploc bags. We got in so late that our baggage was not only lost, but no stores were open.
That first day was pretty smooth, albeit a bit unconventional. Luckily, our luggage arrived within 24 hours so this set up was short lived. But it would’ve saved me quite a bit of stress to have had extra supplies.
Two days into my work trip, my storage stress was replaced with supply stress.
My supply had plummeted. Despite pumping more frequently, by day 3, I was pumping about two ounces per session. That’s barely a third of what my baby was taking from the bottle. I knew there was no way my baby would be happy with this upon returning.
The stress was quickly amplified by the sadness that this trip may have caused an abrupt end to our breastfeeding relationship. (Note: I am a big advocate for Fed is Best, but in this particular moment, I simply wasn’t ready.)
Imagine my surprise/excitement/relief when I returned home to a box full of Milkful Lactation Oat Bars and a whole lot of hope after reading how amazing (and gluten free!) these bars were!
Literally 24 hours after eating my first lactation bar, my supply was back to normal.
For 2 more days, I continued the bars just to be sure my body was readjusting.
I had to fully test if this was a fluke or if these bars really were miracle workers; I had to try them again. So a few weeks later, I ate a bar daily for 3 days to increase my supply so that I could restock my freezer. And it worked! Within 48 hours, I was pumping an additional bottle’s worth each day to freeze.
Technically, this is a sponsored post because I didn’t actually pay for the lactation bars I received. (I did just eat my last one, so I am going to be purchasing some!) But in no way am I inflating my experience because of that. They are really that effective. I would’ve saved myself a whole lot of stress (and not smelled like maple syrup) with my previous babes if these had been around then.
So I stand by Milkful Lactation Oat Bars 100%. I stand behind packing milk storage bags in my carry-on bag. And I stand by hotels that problem-solve at midnight.
Try the bars yourself. They really are that good (even if you aren’t breastfeeding)!
