Review/Giveaway: Fairhaven Health Milkies Breastfeeding Aids

I want to start this review off with a little of my back story on one of the products first, I hope that sharing with you my journey could help you see the importance these products held for me in my breastfeeding journey.

I believe breastfeeding is one of the best things I can do for my little one. Even while I was still pregnant, I knew right away I would want to breastfeed with a goal of 1 year or more.

With my first child I gave up too soon, mostly because it hurt due to poor latching on my part and the lack of knowledge on items that could make it easier on me. As often happens with new moms, I just didn't have anyone to tell me what was available to help me out.

During this pregnancy, I received a collection of products for review from Fairhaven Health, and prepared for our daughter's birth by educating myself on how these products could help me make this time a more successful breastfeeding experience.

To my great surprise, our little angel decided to come early, at 35 weeks gestation. So not only did I have to worry about her health, I had to worry about every drop I needed to be able to save for her and to not risk losing any of to regular nursing pads. Seeing her in the NICU was heartbreaking, and seeing formula being fed to her through her nose was even more heartbreaking. So you can imagine the determination I had to pump my milk since she was not yet able to be in my arms.

Included in the review package I'd received was a product called Milk Saver. This product meant to me that no drop will be lost in the reusable breast pads.

The Milk Saver is worn inside your bra on the side you are not nursing on, to catch all the liquid that would otherwise leak into a nursing pad.

They were lifesavers, ensuring that our little Princess got every bit colostrum and breastmilk she needed to thrive.  It helped us all get through her hospital stay.

When my husband and nurse insisted that I go get something to eat and rest I was not happy to leave, but knew I need to regain my strength.

Pumping for colostrum before your milk has fully come in is totally crazy-making and exhausting. Seriously, the only reason I was able to leave off pumping to take care of myself for short intervals was because I had placed the Milk saver on the breast that had at least a drop come out. Sadly, I do not have a picture of the amount that is caught because I ran back to the NICU, so excited to see that just in 30 minutes to an hour of wearing it, I could give the colostrum it saved to my little girl.

Pumping was not going as great, so whenever I could I would wear the Milk Saver in my nursing bra. This was the beginning of my journey and this product saved my motivation and confidence that I could do this.

Anytime you see your hard work being successful gives you motivation to keep going forward. Now you may understand why I love this product so much. J

Rewinding a bit the Milk Saver comes in a hard case which is nice to keep it clean once washed. And I don’t know about you but after I had my baby her diaper bag became my purse and I love that this can fit in the front pocket.

There is one per box though in my experience I never ended up needing two so one was great for me. Rather it was pumping on one side (or nursing) and having the milk saver on the other, this product was great for catching the let down from the other breast.

The Milk Saver is very comfortable to wear even when I used it while eating at BK, it was very noticeable and for sure not something you would want to be too active in.

The opening for your nipple to go through is wide enough to not make contact so there were no issues there.

Even now at 4 month old I still use it to catch the milk from my breast I am not feeding her on.

Washing it is very easy as well you can place it on the top rack of the dishwasher, though I like to hand wash it and dry it so I can use it right away if needed. Another feature I LOVE is the flexibility of the milk saver. Not only does this help when wearing in your bra but also when pouring the milk into a storage bag freeze.

Which brings me to my next product - the Milkies Storage Bags.

I have some past experience with milk storage bags. In the past, I have read and brought bags that claim that they are leak-proof and then found a bag I was defrosting to be broken and leaking the milk everywhere. Which is again enough to drive you mad!!

Thankfully after using 32 Milkies bags, I have not had a single one leak on me and for that reason, I will continue to use this product as long as my daughter is breastfeeding.

These bags hold up to 200ml, but I have never placed more than 5 or 5 ½ oz. into one bag (about 150-160ml). In each box comes 50 storage bags.

Now I would like to point out one of my FAVORITE details of these bags. On each bags there are guideline to help you keep your hard working liquid gold fresh!  I could go into detail of how sad it is that some cannot remember the details of how to handle the frozen milk (cough cough my husband) but in all seriousness for those long nights it was nice to have that reminder there to help.

I also like there have a double zipper on the bag adding an extra level of protection against your milk leaking out.

As for the label, I use it to track the date and time that I pumped.

Another detail I like over other bags I've tried is that the sides of this bag are bigger, making it easier to manage, and I think that is also the reason I have not had any leaks.

The next product I received is the Milkies Freeze! Since we have a small fridge, this container allowed me to be able to freeze the bags flat for easy use, and also to use the oldest milk first just in case I forgot to write on the bag the time and date. Which sadly has happened but with the Freeze it didn’t matter much since its doubles as an organizer. 

These tools work together to make the entire process go smoothly:

Simply milk into the bag, close and place onto the metal (which in my opinion helps it freeze faster as well as flat), place the bag on the top and pick from the bottom, warm and feed. I LOVE EASY STEPS!!!

Now, I do want to point out that though this is an awesome product, it’s mainly for my husband's use since I breastfeed her, and he does the bottles when I need a kids-free outing.

And from his view all he has to do is pull one bag from the bottom, thaw and pour into bottle. Ladies, it even says on the cover of the Freeze which area to pull from! YES! That’s two products that I don’t have to repeat myself on how to use.

Another way I was able to freeze and store my milk was by using the Milkies Milk Tray. This tray is AWESOME!!!!

Each slot holds 1 ounce and all you do is take how many ounces you need and place it in the bottle to thaw and feed. Now, I loved the bags, but I have to say this way is best for when you are using the milk saver and instead of wasting a bag or risking pouring little by little in a bottle until you get enough to fill a bag.

This way, you can freeze that milk or colostrum right away and ensure it stays fresh for your little one. Please make sure you store them towards the back so you don't run into it defrosting and refreezing. The Milkies Milk Tray is recommended to be handwashed, and it is very easy to wash it that way.  Unlike the bags, it is reusable so there is no waste, and did I mention we had a small fridge? These are stackable, and do not take up a lot of space.

After it freezes in the tray we pop them out like you would an ice tray, and place them in a zip lock bag. At this time we do not have a deep freezer, but once we get one this will be the way we mostly freeze our milk and then use the bags less often.

Again, I mostly breastfeed her but my experience with these were when we did not have any bags frozen and we had to go to her pediatric cardiologist. This is not an appointment we could miss, but I knew I needed to be able to feed her while on the heart monitor so she would be calm.

Thankfully, we had some 1 oz bars frozen, so I popped 3 in a bottle and left for the appointment. They thawed on the way, and I only had to run it under the warm water for a little before giving it to her.

Fortunately, breastmilk doesn’t need to be warmed like formula, so this saved us this appointment visit, because if she wasn’t eating and being still we would have had to go back to the NICU.

After that, these became my husband’s favorite method, but I prefer him to use the bags since you  need to wear gloves to handle the milk stored with the Milkies Milk Tray.

Yes, you could easier just make sure your hands were washed before using, but as our Princess was a preemie I demand extra measures.

 Another product I tried out was the Milkies Nipple Nurture Balm. I actually started using this before she was born.

Since I will not be posting pictures, imagine if you will dry cracked nipples - - not something any women wants to deal with on top of being pregnant!

Milkies Nipple Nurture Balm is organic and lanolin-free, and to me a product where I can read and know what each ingredients is BONUS!!

To give you an idea of the texture, I would say it is a little thicker then oil and thinner then petroleum jelly. Which, when applying to your nipple, is a GOD send, as it clings to the skin without running and without pulling at tender flesh.

So, before I even pumped, this product was helping me with protection. I then started using it before pumping, and trust me a little goes a long way in this balm. Though it says it's baby safe, after tasting it myself I would not want to give that to her.

I can’t really pinpoint what it tastes like but olive oil and shea butter is close, which are among the 5 ingredients, but still nothing I could want to eat. I will say it is nice to know that if, in the moment, I have some left on my nipples that it would not harm her.

Currently, I am using the Nipple Nurture balm to help protect against cold air and dryness, and it is working perfectly - I have not experienced cracked nipples since I started applying it. BLESSINGS!

The final product that I reviewed is the Milkies NursingBlend breastfeeding supplement.

I took these for one month, which is one bottle's supply. In each bottle there are 90 capsules and you are to take 3 a day. I started taking these when she was 2 months old, as in the beginning I followed my doctor’s advice and only took the pain meds and prenatal vitamins. Once cleared to take other supplements, I started these.

On the bottle it states that it is designed to improve the Breast Milk Quality and Production. It claims to have a formulated specifically for breastfeeding mothers to encourage plentiful nutrient-rich milk production.

I want to make it very clear my views on this.

Breastfeeding is an amazing thing that is wonderful for your child. But there are some women that cannot produce milk, or make a lower volume of milk then others. And there are different reasons as to why this is happening.

A supplement may  or may not help, but you have to do what is best for you. So please do not take this review as a guarantee that Milkies Nursing Blend will increase your milk production, and ALWAYS seek the advice and guidance of your local CLC or doctor.

Now with that being said, again I took this product after 2 months of her being born and I cannot say that if it improved my milk or increased the volume. During the time I took this supplement, it did improve my energy and for that I say it was more like getting the needed vitamins for me to be able to get through the day. There was no negative result, but I had no noticeable change in my own milk production.

Over the month I have been taking them, I have been trying to figure out what they smell like and it’s not unpleasant like my prenatal so in that it’s a plus.

For the people that have tried different herbal galactagogues (foods or supplements meant to promote or increase breast milk flow) such as Fenugreek, this product has that in it has well. Again I cannot confirm that is will improve your milk production but if you have used Fenugreek, and are looking for other ways to consume you could try this product.

Overall my must haves to help you with your breastfeeding journey is the Milk Saver, Milk Tray, Nurture Balm and the Freeze, and the Milkies Nursing Blend supplement may help if you are struggling. I hope you enjoyed this review and that you find a product that could help you in your journey.

Each of the items mentioned in this review are available on their website, at various local retailers, and through Amazon.

I'm very excited to announce that Fairhaven Health is offering one of our readers everything I reviewed!  Read on to see how to enter this amazing Giveaway - this would be a lovely baby gift for your favorite new parents!

http://www.mymilkies.com/

https://www.facebook.com/FairhavenHealth.BellyToBreast
https://twitter.com/BellyToBreast
https://www.instagram.com/fairhaven_health/
https://www.pinterest.com/fairhavenhealth/
https://www.youtube.com/user/FairhavenHealth

One winner in the US (including APOs) or Canada will receive the following prize package from Fairhaven Health, worth a total of $140.70:

1 Milk Freeze ($19.95), 1 set Milk Trays ($21.95), 1 Milk Saver ($27.95), 1 set Milk Storage Bags ($11.95), 1 month supply Nursing Blend Supplements ($28.95), and 1 jar Nipple Nurture Balm ($11.95).

To enter the giveaway, please leave a comment in this entry as instructed by the Giveaway Tools Entry Form below. This will open up additional optional entries to increase your odds of winning. (If you don't leave a comment, any additional entries will be void.)

This giveaway is open to Canadian and US residents (including APO addresses) and will end just before midnight ET on 12/6. 

The winners will be notified by email within 24 hours after the end of the giveaway. In order to claim the giveaway prize, the winner will need to respond within 24 hours of notification, or an alternate winner will be selected.

Once the winners have responded and confirmed, their first names will be posted on our Giveaways  page.

Good luck!

Entry-Form

Gluten-Free Apple Pomegranate Crisp

It's Thanksgiving Week here in the US, and while many of us will either be hosting a feast for our friends and family, many more of us will be making something  to bring along to a feast someone else is hosting.

It's always a challenge, especially if you don't have a 'go-to' everyone waits for each year and need to come up with something.  What you bring has to be seasonal and festive, able to be transported, and it's probably best if it isn't critical about how how and if it needs to be reheated, because your dish will be competing with everyone else for precious oven time.

In my case, I have good friends who must eat gluten-free, and this time of year, that leaves them mostly out of luck at the dessert table.  So I like making a fruit crisp, because it is infinitely versatile when it comes to its ingredients and is very easy to put together.  It's just as delicious cold as it is hot, and  tastes great with or without a dollop of whipped cream.

This particular version uses gluten-free topping ingredients.  Remember that if you use oatmeal that it must be cut at a factory that doesn't also process wheat (look for a label).  In a pinch, look in the cereal aisle - I was unable to find safe oatmeal, but found a gluten-free granola mix that made for a really tasty topping addition.  If you do that, keep in mind to reduce any other sweetener you use in the topping to account for what's in the granola mixture.

Another allergen you may need to keep track of among those eating this is nuts - I like to add some walnuts or pecans to the topping for texture, but it's easy enough to leave them out.

Finally, this recipe uses only Auto-Immune Protocol (AIP) okay spices - if this is also a factor you need to keep in mind, don't add anything like nutmeg or allspice, or use a pumpkin pie spice blend that includes them, and you will also need to very cautious about the ingredients in any cereal blend you use.  (If in doubt, ask the person on the AIP Diet to help you know what will keep this compliant - they'll be happy to help you help them enjoy your shared meal!)

Consider this a master recipe, and switch things out to suit your needs and desires.  If you can't find pomegranate seeds (I've seen them both frozen and fresh in containers in the produce section), you can seed a fresh pomegranate, or keep things easy and switch them out for some dried cranberries or cherries.  If you have some pears, toss them in with the apples - it will taste amazing!

Gluten-Free Apple Pomegranate Crisp
(serves 8-10)
Preheat oven to 350F.

Filling:
4-5 honeycrisp apples, peeled, cored, and cubed
1/4 cup coconut sugar or other sweetener (maple syrup is an excellent choice)
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
8 oz frozen or fresh pomegranate seeds

Topping:
2/3 cup gluten-free flour
2/3 cup quick cooked oatmeal or gluten-free granola mix
1/3 cup of finely chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
1/3 cup (or less) firmly packed brown sugar (or maple sugar - best to use a dry sweetener)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. each ginger, cloves and salt
1/2 cup of chilled butter, cut into small pieces (if keeping non-diary, try chilled coconut oil)

In a large bowl, combine filling ingredients, tossing to combine well.  Spread into a casserole baking dish (or aluminum casserole pan, for easy transport if traveling).

In a medium bowl, combine dry topping ingredients, blending thoroughly.  Add butter, and cut into the dry ingredients, to form a grainy texture about the size of peas.

(Either use a pastry cutter, two table knives, or your fingertips to do this. See instructions here.)

Spread crumb topping evenly over the top of the fruit mixture. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. The topping will be browned, and the fruit hot and bubbly.

Remove to a rack to cool.  If transporting, let cool entirely before covering - if it is still warm, moisture will condense on the inside and make it soggy instead of a Crisp!

Enjoy the holiday with your loved ones, knowing you've provide a dessert everyone can enjoy!

(It goes without saying  that this is wonderful reheated and served with ice cream, right?)

Review: Board Game Bento (Game Plan Theme)

Anyone who knows us, knows we are huge tabletop game fans! I'm not talking Monopoly or Clue, but real adult board games – Deck builders, strategy, cooperative, Etc etc. Whether hosting a crowd, or enjoying a 2 player in the evening after the kids go to bed, my husband and I play quite often.

I could not be more excited for the opportunity to review Board Game Bento – a monthly subscription service that delivers no less than three surprises. Occasionally one might be an expansion set for an existing game.

Unlike some other similar services I've seen, you do not get the option of creating a profile to prevent games you already own. In fact, each month all their subscribers receive the same exact box which will be uniquely themed.

To someone just starting to build a stash this is amazing! However, I have my doubts about usability in my family in the long run.

They do not except returns or exchanges unless an item is damaged, so if you get a repeat, it's not their problem, and there are only so many games I want to stockpile for later gifting.

I'm also not sure of the specifics about getting an expansion set.  I couldn't tell from their site, but looking at Instagram, it appears that when an expansion set is one of the offerings, its base game is also in that month's box.

All that said, I was blown away by the box I received! The theme was “Game Plan” which was to signify strategy and planning.

When the box arrived, my husband and I tore into it right away! There were three stand alone games, a pair of sunglasses (you know, to hide your poker face) and an info sheet to describe each game and why they chose it.

AMBYRIA- Shroud of the Shadow Demon

Ambyria is a tabletop card game for 2-4 players. Each player gets their own hero deck, containing only slight differences that I've seen.

The goal of the game is to be the hero that collects the most Ember stones (as indicated in the corner of the cards) which makes you the only one capable of defeating Ingduhl, the Shadow Demon.

Game play takes you through a series of turn phases - - collecting your emberscape if you've put down enough the turn prior, Mode phase (which places a card as your MODE which changes small aspects of your strategy), draw phase, play phase, and end phase (making sure you have less than 9 cards).

We felt a bit confused by the rules, but after just a round or two, the game flow is quite simple and enjoyable. I won 94 -25.

My only complaint about the game physically is the box. While I love how slim and compact it is, it's too small. Once the cards came out of their sealed plastic, the deck obviously expanded and no longer fit in the box the same, and makes an awful mess the next time it's opened.

We've played this one twice this month, and it's easily my least favorite.

While it has repeat playability, and we aren't giving up on it yet, it just isn't all that memorable in the long run.

Ambyria is for 2-4 players, recommended ages 12+, 25-45 minute gameplay, has an average rating of 7.5 on Board Game Geek, and retails for $24.99 on it's developer's page, Paw-Warrior Games.

Zeppelin Attack!

Zeppelin Attack! is a strategic, hand management (that is, the player is rewarded for playing cards in a particular sequence or group), deck building game by Evil Hat Productions.

Armed with an initial deck of 15 (various Zeppelins, attack cards, defense cards, operatives, and 2 Fate cards) you work to add more Fate (the game's currency) which allows you to add more bad ass cards of the other types I mentioned.

Your zeppelins are your attack ships, or operative ships, which will allow you to send specific attacks at your opponents, thus weakening their hand and/or strengthening your hand.

The game ends when three of the five purchasable decks empties and points are added up.

The first time we played, we (and our third player days later) were very turned off by the wordiness of the rules.

It seemed unnecessary for how simple the game turned out to be. It also didn't help that the confusing text is pages away from the pictures.

I think a better job could have been done to ensure understanding. What I DID love about the rules is that no matter the contexts, it always used feminine pronouns!

While still not knowing exactly what I was doing, I inadvertently creamed my opponent by buying all the defense cards, or stowing them away as victory points (which takes them out of the game) leaving him very weak. Oops!

However, we have played this three times now, and really enjoy it! We've played 2 player, twice, and finally got to try it as a 3 player recently.

The second game we actually tied, but he won after it defaulted to most battle points.

My only physical complaint is that the cards are coated differently on each side. The backs are glossy like most cards, but the front is a strange rough matte, which makes them feel cheap and creates a difficulty in fanning them out in your hand.

Zeppelin Attack! Is for 2-4 players, recommended for ages 12+, takes about 45 m to play, has a BGG  rating of 7, and retails for $20 on Evil Hat Productions website, but only $12.99 on Amazon. There are a few expansions and promo card packs that we absolutely plan on purchasing!

Infamy

Infamy seemed to be the big ticket item in this month's Board Game Bento. It is a full table game that pits all opponents against each other – no friends here!

The rules and setup were easily the most complex of the three games, but once again, when the game started moving we all loved it!

The the game is set within futuristic cyberpunk wars on MARS.

The parts of the game I find most fun are the bidding wars where each player gets to bid on “contacts”, basically various criminals, to obtain favors or resources that will help you in the round. It's pretty fun to bid big, knowing someone else really wants something, making them go for broke, leaving them unable to bid on future cards that round.

After bidding, there is placements around on different sectors, each providing an ability to complete a mission, resources, reputation points, infamy points or maybe even some of your bids back.

However, some places may be off limits for a period of time! Everyone chooses a card representing where they want to go, and places it face down. Once revealed, placement happens in order that contacts were won, so your hopeful space may be taken and you can't change your plan.

You may end up losing a turn altogether this way—ask me how I know....

Missions completed for cyberpunk gangs are essential to gaining REP, and use a combination of your gathered resources.

Rewards vary from ways to screw over opponents, to upping your various points.

Gameplay ends when one player reaches 5 reputation points in one of the three factions (Harada Cartel, The Trust Megacorp, or the PKD Militia) or 15 Infamy points.

So far we've only played once but I'm happy to report that although I felt I was losing from early on, I managed to swoop in with the Infamy points and take the game!

A few things I want to mention about Infamy - -  the artwork is beautiful! It was very well done and makes it really feel immersive.

The 'starting player' token is a large obnoxious gun that I felt took up way too much room on an already full table. Don't get me wrong, its actually really cool looking, but my husband is already planning a 3d print replacement.

My last note, thought maybe call it user error, we found a lot of ambiguities in the rules. We ended up having to claim a few house rules just to keep the game going. It wasn't enough to make it hard to play, just small discrepancies that could stand to be a bit clearer.

Infamy plays 3-4 players and takes about an hour. Recommended ages 13+. Infamy has a BGG rating of 7. On the developer's page, it retails for $49.95, though I saw it on Amazon for $30.

According to BGG, there is two mini expansions, but I sadly cannot locate them for purchase. This is definitely one that gets pulled out often!



So overall, we could not be more pleased about the selections in this Month's Board Game Bento, and have decided to grab a few months, after the New Year.

A single month's box costs $50 plus s/h. A 6 month subscription brings it down to $45 a month, which makes it $270 plus s/h. They promise to provide at least $80 worth of goods in each box!

Did this month fulfill that promise? If looking at the developer's websites – Yes!

The box's retail value comes to $94.94! Man, what a steal for just $50. However, if using other means to purchase new, like Amazon, I'm able to buy all three for about $70. Which, by the way, still makes Board Game Bento a great value!

Www.boardgamebento.com
https://www.facebook.com/BoardGameBentoHQ