Why I brought my breast pump to a family portrait session

Last week this post went viral featuring a tribute to exclusively pumping mamas written by Jaque Hines as she celebrated 1 year of pumping milk for her daughter. Attached to the post are beautiful family portraits taken by photographer Charity Williams from Images by Charity including Jaque and her family AND her breast pumps! We were so thrilled to see Jaque celebrating her momentous achievement of feeding her daughter breastmilk for one year. When we noticed the Spectra S2, we reached out to Jaque to learn more…

When did you start exclusively pumping?

I tried nursing my daughter for 3 ½ months, with no luck. Her latch was extremely painful (it felt like a rug burn for hours). I had to start pumping a couple of days after we got home from the hospital because I was so engorged. After months of lactation appointments and a bout of mastitis, I decided to become an exclusive pumper.

PHOTO: Images by Charity

What type of support did you receive while exclusively expressing?

It was only after I found my Exclusively Pumping Mamas group on Facebook that I felt confident enough to exclusively pump. Before I found this group I had no idea what exclusively pumping was, much less that mothers could do it for extended periods of time. It is because of this group I was able to feed my baby breastmilk for a year and going. I owe everything to that group of women. I am so beyond thankful!

PHOTO: Images by Charity

When did you decide to try Spectra?

When my Exclusively Pumping Mamas group told me about Spectra, I was about ready to give up because my regular pump was causing me so much pain. When I finally got my Spectra S2 in late December 2016, it was MAGIC! It’s quiet and gentle, but the pull was strong. It was a miracle! And I have loved it every day since.

We loved the photoshoot! What made you decide to celebrate your pumping milestone in this way?

I just wanted to show the other mothers pumping that what we do is just as beautiful as nursing. And that we deserve a tribute photoshoot too. As well as show them that they aren't alone in the struggle.

Are you an exclusive pumper? Are you considering exclusively pumping? If you’re looking for support, like Jaque mentions Facebook is a fantastic resource for finding exclusively pumping mama groups. You can join the Spectra Mums Facebook group too to connect with other pumping mamas, or, reach out to our expert customer support team consisting of pumping mamas - some of them exclusive expressers too! We can help you find local support groups and share with you tips to help build and maintain your milk supply.

PHOTO: Images by Charity

PHOTO: Images by Charity