(…or at least your nipples)

If you couldn’t tell from the title, this post is about to turn TMI. Consider this a disclaimer for the faint of heart or the prudish, or the useless-nipple bearing human (a.k.a. male) who has made it thus far. Seriously, if you’re a male hoping for spank bank material, you’ll find yourself disappointed and out 10 minutes of your time.

I’ve always been a dry pumper. As any pumper will attest to, the act of pumping itself is burdensome enough to squeeze into an already demanding schedule. Why add useless steps? Also, after years of breastfeeding and pumping, let’s face the fact that nipples tend to become elastic to the point of inciting the jealousy of Gumby himself. I irrationally feared that lubricating prior to pumping would result in as much of my breast as the laws of physics allowed being sucked into the flange. Thankfully, I was wrong.

During my routine evening scroll through Instagram before falling asleep, I saw an ad for CoBoo spray. My curiosity piqued, I contacted them via DM and asked for a sample. There are probably other sprays on the market, but my goal is to support small businesses when possible. CoBoo was founded by two NICU moms with plenty of first hand pumping experience. As an aside, ladies, and fellow mothers, let’s build each other up and support one another whenever possible. At the risk of sounding like a radical feminist, this is a man-run world fueled by patriarchal hegemony and greed. Supporting women-run businesses financially, especially a business by a woman of color, is one way to undermine the system. For me, using my precious time to review this product is one way I choose to support other women and their endeavors.

Back to the topic at hand. Shortly before Christmas I received my CoBoo spray, and let’s just say it was Christmas for my nipples.

Instead of being sucked into my flange as I had feared, I found that I could actually more comfortably pump on a lower setting with the same output! Recently I had my first experience with strawberry (blood tinged) milk from too much flange friction, and I know this experience will not happen again if I continued to use CoBoo. I envision a product like this especially being useful for a first-time mom whose nipples are not yet used to pumping. It has also proved beneficial for this mom of 7 with veteran nipples, so my recommondation is that all moms should give lubricated pumping a try. The thrifty or budget restricted can likely achieve the same result with straight up coconut oil, but my argument for CoBoo is twofold:

1. 1. Save TIME. Slathering on coconut oil and washing/wiping off your hands is an additional step that adds time on to your pumping routine. By using a spray, you skip the step of cleaning off your hands after greasing yourself up. Unlike coconut oil, CoBoo is a liquid at room temperature and applies evenly in one quick spray.
   2. Cleanliness. Sure, you’ve washed your hands, but they’re probably still teeming with bacteria that you will now introduce to your nipples and flanges. While most bacteria are harmless, it’s not necessarily a risk that I want to take with my baby’s food.

If you’re ready to #pumppleasantly, you can order at https://coboospray.com/. Use the code TripleTwinning10 for an additional 10% off.

(1/12/19- it looks like the CoBoo site may currently be out of stock of spray. Follow them on Instagram for stock updates!)

*P.S. I love men, and people in general. I have no love for “The Man”, however.