What Goes Into Making A Good...
...Breastpump
Carolin Archibald, Vice President of Marketing
Medela, Inc
Breastfeeding is an intimate experience that develops a special bond between
mother and baby with benefits for both. Health authorities such as the
U.S. Surgeon General and the American Academy of Pediatrics agree that
breast milk offers superior infant nutrition by stimulating general health,
growth, and development in infants while preventing allergies and infections.
Mothers who breastfeed return to their pre-pregnancy weight sooner and
have a reduced risk of contracting certain cancers.
Some nursing mothers find breastfeeding easy and uncomplicated, while
others find it more challenging. Regardless, all mothers breastfeed better
with the support of family and friends, and often with the help of a quality
breast pump. A pump can ease the nursing experience by allowing mothers
to return to work, stimulating and maintaining milk production and letting
others help with feeding.
Many mothers who plan to breastfeed choose a breast pump before their
baby is born, often during the third trimester, so they can avoid last-minute
shopping trips with a newborn. Others may wait until after baby arrives,
so they can see how breastfeeding progresses with their little one. Either
way, when your customer comes to you for breast pump advice, congratulate
her on making the best choice for herself and her baby.
A variety of pumps are available for moms to choose from; you can help
customers make the best choice by focusing on their breastfeeding and
breast pumping needs.
Be sure to encourage moms to look for manufacturers that focus on research-based
development in designing their pumps. Research shows breast pumps that
mimic a baby’s nursing rhythm are more comfortable for mom, leading
to faster let-down and milk flow and a more efficient pumping experience.
The three types of breast pumps are hospital-grade electric, personal-use
electric, and manual.
A hospital-grade electric pump is designed to help build and maintain
mom’s milk supply. These pumps are generally recommended for women
who have difficulty nursing because of medical reasons, such as mothers
of low birth weight, premature infants who may have trouble latching on
to the breast. Hospital-grade pumps are available on a rental basis from
a variety of sources, including hospitals, lactation consultants, pharmacies,
and some specialty retail stores.
Personal-use electric pumps are often faster and more effective at removing
breast milk than manual pumps. They are ideal for working moms who pump
throughout the day to maintain their milk supply.
New moms who return to work often hit a wall of exhaustion and frustration
with their manic schedules, and they may experience a sense of guilt from
leaving their babies behind. Using a personal-use electric breast pump
at work will maintain milk supply so they can continue to breastfeed mornings,
evenings and on weekends. Urge your customers to use that nursing time
to relax and reconnect with their baby.
A double electric pump can cut pumping time to 15 minutes by emptying
both breasts simultaneously. These pumps are easy to carry to the office
and come with all the necessary attachments, including removable cooler
carrier and cooling element, battery pack, AC adapter, and collection
containers, lids, and stands.
A high quality double electric pump will retail between $250 and $350.
Encourage your customers to look for these features in a double electric
pump:
- Two-Mode Pumping Pattern: A baby’s natural sucking pattern begins
with rapid, high frequency sucking and changes to a slower, suck/swallow
pattern following milk ejection. Breast pumps that mimic this rhythm
are designed to feel more like baby, leading to faster milk flow.
- Adjustable speed and vacuum levels: Customized pumping allows mom
to set the levels at what is most comfortable for her.
- Portable convenience: A good-looking, easy-to-carry case for discreet
pumping makes mom more comfortable while at work or traveling.
- Battery-Pak: With the battery pak, mom can pump anytime, anywhere.
Manual pumps are small, light-weight and easily portable. They are best
for stay-at-home moms who will only miss the occasional feeding due to
sore nipples or plugged milk ducts, or because of a night out with dad.
A high quality manual pump is an affordable option at $35, and should
include a breast shield, containers, lids and bottle stands. The best
manual pumps will include these features:
- Two-Mode Pumping Pattern: Just like the best double electric pumps,
the best manual pumps allow mom to mimic her baby’s natural sucking
pattern. By starting with rapid, high frequency pumping and switching
to slower, deeper pumping at let-down, mom’s pumping session will
feel more authentic and comfortable, leading to faster milk flow.
- Ergonomic swivel handle: Allows maximum comfort and flexibility.
- Ease of cleaning: The parts should disassemble easily for quick washing
and sanitizing.
- Compatible with most standard baby bottles.
Remind your customers that they should never buy or share a used personal-use
pump. Breast milk can transmit bacteria from person to person (but usually
not to baby) and personal pumps cannot be fully sterilized. Hospital-grade
and rental pumps are specifically designed with barriers and filters that
prohibit milk from entering the motor, thereby preventing cross contamination.
Breastfeeding can be a wonderful experience for mom and baby, with benefits
that last long after nursing has ended. Your support and advice on choosing
the right breast pump can help your customers get a great start on their
breastfeeding experience.
...Diaper Bag
Heather Campbell-Dewar, CEO
Baby Sherpa™
 Diaper
Bags come in every style, shape and description. In the past few years
there has been an explosion in styles, colors and functions. This is great
for the consumer but also is confusing for the retailer as to what styles
should they carry, price points and what features are Moms and Dads wanting
for their Diaper bag. Ergonomics has also finally entered the market place
for Diaper bags. The old days of Teddy Bears and poor functionality are
thankfully a thing of the past. Other trends that are affecting the diaper
bag selection for parents and retailers are:
- Demographics- Parents are having children later in life meaning that
they are more established in their careers and have more money to spend
on a diaper bag. They are also better educated and will do on-line research
prior to coming to your store. Product knowledge is key for your sales
personnel.
- Parent Tested, Mom Tested, National Parent Council awards, JPMA or
other seals of approval for products is big with first time Moms. This
proves to them that this product has undergone the rigors of testing
by parents and other baby experts.
- IRL-Moms want to see Diaper Bags “In Real Life”. While
they may do their research on-line they still want to tug, feel and
squeeze the real thing.
- Dad is taking a bigger role in the caring of children. This means
2 things- one Dad may want his own bag or they have a family diaper
bag that both parents use. They may want a more neutral bag and a backpack
or messenger style if Dad is also carrying it a lot.
- There are more multiple births these days. This means carrying items
that target parents with multiples.
- Travel-Parents are more active and traveling with their young children.
Flying on airlines these days means packing meals and sometimes long
delays at airports. Having a diaper bag that has insulated bottle pockets
and a built-in cooler are invaluable.
- Active Parents- healthy lifestyles are very much in style. Some retailers
are having active parent sections in their stores where they feature
child carriers, backpack diaper bags, jogging strollers and the like.
This is a safe zone for Dad to browse when he is in the store.
- Baby Registries-in a recent study 50% of the first time Moms reported
being on a Baby Registry. Review or develop your registry. Put a category
for Dad and target merchandise for this category. Retailers are amazed
at the sales generated as a result of including Dad in the baby registry.
Ditto for Grandparents.
- Grand Parents-Are also more active with their grandkids and often
have nurseries set up in their homes for overnight stays. Grandma and
Grandpa are an additional market for diaper bags.
- Celebrities-Moms are definitely watching what their favorite celebrity
Mom/Dad is carrying. Tune in to the local celebrity magazines so that
you are aware of what the recent trends and popular brands are.
Every parent needs a Diaper Bag of some shape and description and will
consider the following before purchasing:
Are they taking baby to sitters, daycare or grandma’s a lot. Do
they live in an urban or rural area? Are they commuting via public transit?
Are they a heavy packer- packing for every contingency or are they a light
packer? Are they going to breastfeed? What is their budget? If they are
looking to invest in a good diaper bag that will last them a few years
they will probably want to spend a bit more. If they just want something
to throw gear into for a few months or to make a fashion statement then
your sales person will have to find out what they expect to get out of
their diaper bag..
For a basic bag they will probably spend $25 - $35. These bags will have
fewer features and will be lesser quality. For $40 - $100 they have a
lot of choices. I personally feel that you get what you pay for and the
extra few dollars that parents’ spend on a bag will be worth it
down the road. When you are traveling with tired/crabby children the last
thing you need to happen is your zipper blow out from being overextended
from a diaper bag that is packed to the point of exploding. For over $100
parents will be paying for a fashion bag and brand. Have different styles
at different price points for your customers. Display the bags so that
customers can see the features and ensure your sales staff is familiar
with each bag.
There are many styles available- backpack, messenger and tote style. If
parents want hands free and do a lot of outings they may want to consider
a backpack. If they are using a child carrier they will also want to purchase
a diaper bag that will work with the carrier. Many diaper bags now are
designed so that they can be hung from a stroller. Parents may also want
to consider this feature when purchasing.
I read on the message boards Moms oohing and awing over brocades and silks
and other fashion material. Consider the washability of the fabric. Can
they wash or wipe the diaper bag off? Can it be spot cleaned? Vinyl is
nice if they live in the right climate- if they live in a cold climate
their vinyl bag will crack the first cold day they have it outside. Consider
your customers and you may want to carry environmentally friendly options
in diaper bags for this segment. Popular materials are: nylon, cordura,
denier and microfibre. PVC FREE- Go for bags that do not contain this
toxic substance. Criblife 2000 recommends that babies do not deserve to
be placed on objects for sleep or play that are made from PVC. Most of
your customers are educated and environmentally conscious, PVC free is
a great selling point.
Organization-having various pockets to stash their gear makes it easier
to access things.
Comfort- make sure the straps are wide and will be comfortable to carry
when full of gear. Will the bag also fit Dad? Bottle pockets are handy
whether they are breastfeeding or bottle feeding. Breast feeding moms
use the pockets for their water and juice. If bottle feeding, ensure that
the bottle pockets will fit their style of bottles. Does the bag include
a diaper pad of a reasonable size and can it be cleaned? An insulated
cooler section is great if they are doing a lot of outings or traveling
with their baby. For Backpacks- are they ergonomic? Padded shoulder straps
do not make a backpack ergonomic. Load one up and try it on. You’ll
feel the difference. Does the backpack have a sternum strap? This feature
makes it so much more comfortable to carry. Toy loops, key clips and Bungee
cords are great to carry gear and make it easy to access. Is the interior
a light color so they can see inside without having to deal with the black
hole? Is there a handy pocket for their wallet, cell phone, camera and
other personal items so that they don’t have to carry 2 or 3 bags?
If they walk or bike a lot they may want reflective on the bag so they
can be seen at night. How does the bag close? I personally prefer zippers
with ergonomic pulls over magnet closures. I want the security that my
stuff stays in the bag. A loop to hang the bag up and a lug handle are
two features I love in a backpack style.
If parents need to carry a breast pump there are styles on the market
that have a padded pouch that allows them to pack their breast pump.
Merchandizing suggestions – You don’t need to have all of
the diaper bags on the same shelf. You can take one or two and have it
with other affinity items- for example: If you carry strollers have a
diaper bag displayed with the stroller. Pack the diaper bags to illustrate
the features. Diaper bags that can carry breast pumps-display them next
to the breast pumps. Display backpacks and messenger bags next to the
child carriers and jogging strollers.
When purchasing retailers will want to review the company’s warranty
or return policy for defective bags. I like to tug on the bag and check
the seams to make sure that they are well sewn. Diaper bags are something
that most parents use everyday for at least the first 2 years. If they
are planning on having more than one child think of a diaper bag that
will grow with the family and that can be used for a few years. This is
a great reason to upsell your customer to a better quality bag.
With the proper selection of price point and features that parents want
and a trained sales team to demonstrate the functions of diaper bags you
will find that you are demystifying the buying process for parents and
as a result will see your diaper bag sales increase strikingly.
...Nursing Pads
Tina, President
LilyPadz
 Nursing
pads come in many different varieties and usually each consumer is able
to find one with the right fit and function. Never the less, for the first
time mom, the decision can be difficult. Childbirth education or family
members may have helped her understand that leakage can and actually happens.
But still, she has many unknowns. Will she leak at all? Although they
are few, some women do not leak. Will she need high absorbency? Will a
particular choice be comfortable for her? How often will she have to change
them? How often should she change them? Are they safe? To help a mom in
making her selection you may offer a brief overview of what’s available
along with advantages and disadvantages. A few “touchy-feely”
samples are not a bad idea either so that mom is not misled in any way.
Through asking questions and perhaps a bit of experimentation, most moms
seem to find a class or brand that works for them and that they prefer.
This class of nursing pads, simply put, collects leaks into some type
of absorbent material, requiring mom to switch them out before they reach
their capacity. Advantages are that they are commonly available and that
there are plenty of choices. One disadvantage may be that moms complain
of shifting; however pads come in different sizes so mom just need to
experiment to find the right fit. Other disadvantages, depending on the
type of pad and its material, include wetness on the ski, inconvenient
changing of the pads or pads feeling bulky under clothing. Many of these
disadvantages can be avoided by selling moms the appropriate pads for
their individual needs.
Choices include cotton, hemp, flannel, colored, contoured and not. It
really is a matter of taste, and sometimes availability. The most commonly
available material is cotton. Often there is a contour for a better fit
and look under clothing; however, every mother is different in size and
shape. When available, color selections that are closer to that of moms
skin also tend to be less noticeable under lighter colored clothing. Washable
pads can be very trim, and some even have a decorative lace overlay. A
disadvantage, obviously, is that mom will be spending more time on laundry.
When out of the house, pad exchanges may be a bit inconvenient, since
there is a need to store the wet pads until they can be placed in the
laundry. Mom generally needs to buy a dozen or two since they will be
in and out of the laundry. Depending on the brand, washables can add up
to a more significant up front investment, but are much cheaper in the
end. In terms of care, the use of fabric softeners should be avoided,
since they can impede absorbency.
These one-time use pads are generally cotton based, some with a more absorbent
core or construction in layers. Considerations are mom’s level of
leakage, lifestyle, and the fit of the pad within her wardrobe. Thickness
can vary by brand and is sometimes linked to absorbency tailoring (i.e.
Light, medium and heavy). Variations include contours, tape backing to
hold the pad in place and plastic backing to prevent soak through. Theoretically,
pads with un-breathable plastic linings may actually impede the healing
of injured nipples or make nipple infections more likely. An advantage
for absorbent pads is that some moms feel disposables have greater capacity
and that they wick moisture away better. Pad exchange is simple so long
as a garbage can is nearby. Disadvantages to this class are that they
can get pretty pricey over the long run and that, in general, they are
thicker and more obvious than their washable counterparts. With disposables,
mom can count on weekly trips to the store early on and definitely less
laundry!
The concept of the non-absorbent pad is to prevent, instead of collect,
the leak – that is to keep the milk in the breast until feeding
time. Pads (for lack of a better word) in this category maintain a gentle,
steady pressure on the nipple so that the ducts do not release milk. This
is not to be confused with binding or other techniques used to slow milk
supply during the weaning process.
Currently there are only two types of non-absorbent pads on the market,
one, an all silicone pad that adheres to the breast, and the other a component
system involving a contoured shell, a cup-like projection to apply the
pressure to the nipple, and a cotton insert. This unique class of pads
breaks many of the boundaries set by absorbent pads. Pad exchanges are
not the norm in this class. The system type of pad does require the purchase
and exchange of cotton refills but is known to work well with heavy leakers.
Silicone pads are entirely non-absorbent so mom can even swim in them.
They require washing once per day and dry in minutes so there is no need
for spare pairs like other re-usable pads. Both devices offer a discreet
appearance under clothing. The ability to cling to the breast instead
of the bra offers an unprecedented ability to wear a nursing pad without
a bra, so sleeping braless is an option.
Individual studies of these devices suggest that there is no detrimental
effect on milk supply, nor any increase in other breastfeeding complications.
Both devices are breathable, an important feature for the health of the
breast. A distinct advantage to this class of nursing pads is that they
may even help reduce thrush and mastitis by keeping the nipple area dry.
A Very Special Thank You!
Amy Wright and Michelle Herbert, Co-founders of
Amy Michelle, LLC |
|
Everyone
knows that “breast is best.”