There's enough breast pump choices on the market now to baffle any new mom. There's manual vs.electric, single vs.double, closedvs. open system, hospital grade vs.personal use, renting vs. purchasing and if you manage to get through all those choices, then there's choosing the right brand and accessories. This guide will clarify what all these differences are, and what some of the accessories are.
1. Manual vs. Electric
There is a world of difference between these. A manual pump is one gepletely powered by your hands. Manual is fine for occasional or on the fly pumping (I once used a manual to pump while my mom was driving!) but not ideal for frequent pumping and can take a long time if you have to do both sides, since you can't do both sides at the same time with a manual pump, unless you have 3 hands. Electric has a motor of some sort that does the actual pumping for you. You just hold the horn(s) -cone that goes on the breast- and control the speed/suction. Electric is the ONLY way to go for frequent daily pumping, and mandatory for you if you need to build a supply up.
2. Single vs. Double
Manual pumps gee with a single pump only, since you can't do both at the same time when pumping manually. Some electric pumps have the option of being purchased singly as well. A single pump is fine for on-the-go or infrequent pumping, but inconvenient and time consuming for frequent pumping. If you pump more than once a day, do not get a single pump for your main pump. I used to keep a single manual pump in the diaper bag because I had such severe supply problems and had to be stimulated every hour to build up, but other than that, the single was terribly time consuming. A double makes much more sense. I mean, if you're going to sit there anyways, get double the results while you're doing it! You will have both hands busy holding horns to your breasts, but you will be done faster than if you have to first do one side and then do the other. A double electric pump is the most efficient one, ideal for a working mom or mom who will be pumping milk and then feeding by bottle for some reason.
3. Closed vs. Open System
This refers to whether the pumping system (only applicable with electric pumps that have tubing going from the motor to the horn that goes on your breast) has the ability to get flooded with milk and therefore unsafe for another user. This has recently begee an issue of worry. An open system (Medela and most others) means that it is possible, however unlikely, that while you are pumping you could overflow the collection container, and the milk would go up through the tubing and get into the motor. Since the motor can not be sterilized, the milk would remain there and ferment or mold. That could be dangerous to your own child, or, there is a chance that if that pump is then resold (or you buy a used pump) a baby could get sick from something mom#1 had in her milk. They haven't documented a case of this happening yet, they're just saying it could. A closed system (Ameda) means that there's no way for milk to get into the motor and so no need to worry about the above problem. Hospital grade pumps escape this worry. They are made especially for multiple users, though each user has to have a brand new collection kit.
4. Hospital Grade vs. Personal Use
Hospital grade is a must for any mom with supply problems. If you have polycystic ovarian syndrome, diabetes, or any other health condition, ask your Dr. if it will affect your supply. They are more powerful and able to fine-tuned to fit you better and so are better at quickly building a milk supply. They are also the best for pumping every few hours every day, like if you have preemie who can't nurse yet but you want to give him breastmilk. They are widely available for rent, and also available for expensive purchase. Lots of moms initially rent a hospital grade pump to build supply, and then purchase a personal use pump for the duration that they nurse. Personal use isa step down from hospital grade, intentioned for only one user (though you CAN buy them used on okay and rent them at some locations). The most gemon Personal Use is Medela Pump In Style.
5. Renting vs. Purchasing
Hospital grade pumps are best to rent, as their purchase cost is inhibitive. But if you're going to nurse what's regemended by the American Academy of Pediatrics or beyond, purchasing a personal use pump makes a lot of sense. Most pumps (hospital and personal) rent for $30-$70 monthly, so spending $300 or less on a pump you get to keep and use with more children gees out cheaper than renting for 12 months or more. I think it is best to rent a hospital grade and have it waiting for you when you get home from the hospital. Use it for a month at least to build your supply, and then purchase (or have already purchased) a personal use pump for when you send the rental back. This way you're ready for whatever may happen.
6. Brands
Nowadays pretty much every brand that makes baby stuff makes a pump. But not all pumps are created equal, and Medela still leads the pack for quality and ease of use. They are easy to find, easy to use, and gee with lots of accessories to make breastfeeding easier. You get what you pay for. If you see a double electric pump for $50, it's not going to do the job you need it to do.
7. Accessories
This category could go on and on with the stuff they've gee up with to make pumping easier. One required accessory for most double electric pumps is a collection kit. Even if you rent one, it will not gee with the tubing needed to use it. At the top of the list for convenience in breastfeeding is the "Pumping Free" attachment for Medela nursing bras.It holds a pump in place at each breast so you don't have to hold them there the whole time. They don't always work perfectly, but it can give you a break sometimes. Milk storage bags are essential, and buy generic, since usually they'll fit any nurser bottle. Medela sells breast shields in varying sizes and textures so you can find the perfect fit.
So now you know what everything is. You have to decide WHICH is right for you.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Delphi Roady 2.......... major problems!
If you are thinking about purchasing a Delphi Roady 2 for your vehicle, think again! I'm on my third unit in the last eight months because the antenna's crap out. The antenna plugs into the main unit and the connection at this point began to falter on all three of my units after having them about one month. Spend your money else where.
How to get Baseball rookie cards cheap!
The idea of the baseball rookie card has been the only constant in the world of baseball cards for the last 10 years. In the world of flashy overrated expensive bat, autograph, pants, and patch cards, the rookie card has been the only thing that has remained on the upswing. I'm going to share with you some of the secrets that have helped me to build my collection.
Nail down what you will be collecting
Personally I decided to collect 1975 to 1995 rookies, all graded 9 by one of the 3 major grading gepanies. What I mean by this is PSA, BGS, SGC, and the occasional BCCG, which is an offspring of BGS. I came down to the 1975 to 1995 range due to the relative ease of cards in this range in the 9 grade, but stopped at 1995 due to the millions of rookies, mostly serial numbered, produced after this year. I picked the 9 grade due to the impossibility of being able to tell a 9 from a 10.
Use the beckett what's hot listing
The beckett website has an area that lists all the baseball cards that are currently on fire. Obviously it should gee as no surprise that you don't want to be buying the cards that are hot. I consider cards to be like the stock market. I buy when the card is down, and if the card get's really high, I sell it and buy back later at a lower price once again.
Search words
Think about the players that you are looking for, the card, and other discriminating factors. Take for instance a 1985 Topps Mark McGwire. I would begin by searching with the words "Mgwire, Big Mac, etc." You would be amazed by the hits you will get. Also when you look for cards this way, check out the categories that they are listed in. If a McGwire is listed in the 1970-1980 rookies category, chances are that most people will not be looking at this card, so the chances of getting it cheaper are pretty good. I also like to do a search under the Baseball category for "9" or "graded". You will sometimes find that you will gee up with cards that are listed wrong. These are only a few of the secrets that I use, but play around and do some hard thinking, I'm sure you will gee up with a few of your own! If I gave all of them to you, I'd be bidding against you!
Get rid of the junk
In my okay ventures, I sometimes gee up with a plethra of rookie, graded, game used cards, etc., that I have from buying a lot that has one card that I need. Sometimes you can lump all this stuff together, take some good pictures highlighting the better cards, slap it on a featured listing, and make a killing. Then use this money to buy more of the cards you need!
MOST IMPORTANT-When does the auction end?
Think about people in general. When you do we have the most time on our hands? The weekend, usually at night. Due to this fact, I list all of the auctionsI have to begin on Saturday night, and end on a Saturday night. This way you getexposure onSaturday and Sunday, and it end whenmost people canbegin a bidding war on your item. This same theory holds true for items you are watching. If an itemends at midnight on a Tuesday night, it is unlikely thatthe same people will be able to bid on an item that would bid on it on a Saturday night. So you don't want to stay up allnight?The auctionsniper websitewill do it for you, for 25 cents an auction! If you can get a $200 rookie for $5.50, Ithink it's worth it!
I hope that this guide to buying rookie cardshas helped you, and I wish you the best of luck on your future purchases!
Nail down what you will be collecting
Personally I decided to collect 1975 to 1995 rookies, all graded 9 by one of the 3 major grading gepanies. What I mean by this is PSA, BGS, SGC, and the occasional BCCG, which is an offspring of BGS. I came down to the 1975 to 1995 range due to the relative ease of cards in this range in the 9 grade, but stopped at 1995 due to the millions of rookies, mostly serial numbered, produced after this year. I picked the 9 grade due to the impossibility of being able to tell a 9 from a 10.
Use the beckett what's hot listing
The beckett website has an area that lists all the baseball cards that are currently on fire. Obviously it should gee as no surprise that you don't want to be buying the cards that are hot. I consider cards to be like the stock market. I buy when the card is down, and if the card get's really high, I sell it and buy back later at a lower price once again.
Search words
Think about the players that you are looking for, the card, and other discriminating factors. Take for instance a 1985 Topps Mark McGwire. I would begin by searching with the words "Mgwire, Big Mac, etc." You would be amazed by the hits you will get. Also when you look for cards this way, check out the categories that they are listed in. If a McGwire is listed in the 1970-1980 rookies category, chances are that most people will not be looking at this card, so the chances of getting it cheaper are pretty good. I also like to do a search under the Baseball category for "9" or "graded". You will sometimes find that you will gee up with cards that are listed wrong. These are only a few of the secrets that I use, but play around and do some hard thinking, I'm sure you will gee up with a few of your own! If I gave all of them to you, I'd be bidding against you!
Get rid of the junk
In my okay ventures, I sometimes gee up with a plethra of rookie, graded, game used cards, etc., that I have from buying a lot that has one card that I need. Sometimes you can lump all this stuff together, take some good pictures highlighting the better cards, slap it on a featured listing, and make a killing. Then use this money to buy more of the cards you need!
MOST IMPORTANT-When does the auction end?
Think about people in general. When you do we have the most time on our hands? The weekend, usually at night. Due to this fact, I list all of the auctionsI have to begin on Saturday night, and end on a Saturday night. This way you getexposure onSaturday and Sunday, and it end whenmost people canbegin a bidding war on your item. This same theory holds true for items you are watching. If an itemends at midnight on a Tuesday night, it is unlikely thatthe same people will be able to bid on an item that would bid on it on a Saturday night. So you don't want to stay up allnight?The auctionsniper websitewill do it for you, for 25 cents an auction! If you can get a $200 rookie for $5.50, Ithink it's worth it!
I hope that this guide to buying rookie cardshas helped you, and I wish you the best of luck on your future purchases!
buying guitar pcks.real from frauds or so called promo
When buying guitar picks ,you should look out for U.K. promos of American rock bands .Those picks are printed by seller,not a real pick manufacter.Also those picture pick sets are worthless.the seller makes those,bands know nothing about that stuff.Check feedback,absolutly a must in pick collecting.Reserch pick in gepletedlistings etc...You see who the sellers of the real deal by all the above factors.All my picks are found on stage or by the stage or from the bands tech or factory band reps from guitar and string manufacters.Thanks for reading my review.
What's The Flap About Union Suits?
The union suit: the one-piece long underwear suit with the seat flap (usually) have been around since the late 1800s/early 1900s. If you've watched classic cartoons or a Laurel and Hardy picture, chances are that you've seen one in action. Many are familiar with the sight gag of the man who lost everything while gambling, so he's wearing a barrel over his union suit. This gag was used in an old Highland Appliance gemercial on television. Sometimes in clasic cartoons, when a character lost his clothesor his hide (if an animal) then he was left wearinga red union suit as a sign of embarassment.Despite their old-fashioned reputation, these relaxed-fit button-front body-suits continue to be made and sold. Some even attribute sex appeal to the garment. Worn by both genders, the union suit was made first of cotton, wool, or a blend of the two fibres. Both tended to shrink after washing which must have made wearing them something of a challenge. Understandably, a pure wool suit could be rather itchy. Today, union suitscan be found in a variety of cottonfabrics, wool, polyester, polypropylene, silk, and even polar fleece. Most associate the union suit with a square seat flap which drops downward when unfastened from two or more buttons. The seat flap could be square or triangle pattern. To save on production costs, most union suits have a vertical, single-button seat. When it gees to buttons, more is better. You don't want the suit to pucker open when sitting--with embarassing results. Zippers seal out the drafts but may irritate without a storm flap-style feature. Those made especially for women usually button right over left in Victorian tradition. Colors vary. White, cream, or natural being encountered most often, to the familiar fire-engine red, and varying shades of grey. More recently, blue union suits can be found. Also tan, olive drab, green, and even "Realtree" camouflage pattern. Some novelty catalogs offer a tie-dyed union suit. Women's pattern union suits have been offered by Duofold in solid rose pink, and various floral patterns over the years. All made in medium-weight two-ply fabric. The footed sleeper, worn by kids of all ages, is actually a modified union suit. Some credit it's invention to Dr. Denton.
Tips On Experienced Condition Union Suits:
Are all the buttons original?
Any popped seams, popped stitchesor tears?
What sort of seat flap, if any?
Any faded or threadbare areas?
Repairs or patches?
Any stains or discoloration?
Actual size vs. stated size.
Big, tall, or regular size?
Why Own or Wear a Union Suit?
A layer between yourself and rough fabric when working or riding horseback.
Sleepwear at home or camp.
Costumeitem.
Fashion statement.
Exercise wear.
Gag gift.
No elastic waist bands.
The double-takes from passersby as they hang from your clothesline.
Costume Suggestion
You will need a union suit a size or two larger than you normally wear (unless you're among friends). AddAnimal Mask, tail, gloves or mittens, shoe covers/novelty socks or slippers. Flop the tail out the back flap. Tell everyone that you were scared out of you hide or your hide/pelt was sent out for cleaning/stolen/ in hock. A contender for most orginal/most creative/cutest costume. This idea got me into the semi-finals at a local casino. The Native Americans there really appreciate a good-humored moose. Make sure you keep yourself hydrated--no alcohol. A cool vest is a must if you're wearing a set of medium weight, or heavier longies for more than an hour. You could put cold freezer packs in your pants pockets or in an outsized athletic braunderneath, but don't let them touch your bare skin to avoid frostbite. You can even make a muscle suit by stuffing polyester or cotton batting between two union suits.
Famous People WhoWore Union Suits
Sharon Stone
Larry Storch
Stan Laurel
Faye Dunaway
Joan Hackett
Harry Morgan
Loretta Switt
Spike Jones
Michael J. Fox
Walter Mathau
Tim Allen
Jeff Daniels
Don Knotts
John Glenn, Jr.
Dustin Hoffman
Tips On Experienced Condition Union Suits:
Are all the buttons original?
Any popped seams, popped stitchesor tears?
What sort of seat flap, if any?
Any faded or threadbare areas?
Repairs or patches?
Any stains or discoloration?
Actual size vs. stated size.
Big, tall, or regular size?
Why Own or Wear a Union Suit?
A layer between yourself and rough fabric when working or riding horseback.
Sleepwear at home or camp.
Costumeitem.
Fashion statement.
Exercise wear.
Gag gift.
No elastic waist bands.
The double-takes from passersby as they hang from your clothesline.
Costume Suggestion
You will need a union suit a size or two larger than you normally wear (unless you're among friends). AddAnimal Mask, tail, gloves or mittens, shoe covers/novelty socks or slippers. Flop the tail out the back flap. Tell everyone that you were scared out of you hide or your hide/pelt was sent out for cleaning/stolen/ in hock. A contender for most orginal/most creative/cutest costume. This idea got me into the semi-finals at a local casino. The Native Americans there really appreciate a good-humored moose. Make sure you keep yourself hydrated--no alcohol. A cool vest is a must if you're wearing a set of medium weight, or heavier longies for more than an hour. You could put cold freezer packs in your pants pockets or in an outsized athletic braunderneath, but don't let them touch your bare skin to avoid frostbite. You can even make a muscle suit by stuffing polyester or cotton batting between two union suits.
Famous People WhoWore Union Suits
Sharon Stone
Larry Storch
Stan Laurel
Faye Dunaway
Joan Hackett
Harry Morgan
Loretta Switt
Spike Jones
Michael J. Fox
Walter Mathau
Tim Allen
Jeff Daniels
Don Knotts
John Glenn, Jr.
Dustin Hoffman
I'm thinking of investing in silver...
Investors traditionallylook totheprecious metals markets when the economy gets iffy. A weak dollar, high oil prices, and rising inflation are sure signs that the metals market is starting to look good for all kinds of investors. The big investor isn't likely looking to buy large quantities of the physical metal, no more than the small investor is going to sink thousands into investment funds. The middle ground could be in silver bullion.
There is no crystal ball that tells us where spot (current buy/sell price of) silver will be six months from now. It seems, however, that the recent (summer 2006) trend in the price of silveris to hover aroundthe $12 per ounce range (about $13 per ounce for winter 2007 and spring 2007). It's truly anyone's guesswhatworld politics and the economy is going to go throughover the nexttwelve months. If you're a pessimist andpredict bad thingsare going tohappen,silvercould surge towards that $20 per ounce threshhold. If, on the other hand, you're more optomistic, silver prices will likely remain somewhat stable. Somewhere in the middlearesilver prices that edge towards the$15to $16per ounce level.
Somethingto consider is the fact that silver mining is usually secondary to other mining operations. Most mines are focused on other types of metals mining. Consider also the fact that the bulk of silver mines are in volatile parts of the world. Consider that in the U.S., silver mining is on the wane, with its silver resources almost depleted. Consider thatcountries (like the U.S.) who keepa precious metal reserve do not have a silver bullion reserve.Finally, consider that there is an increase in the industrial use of silver. So, what should the average investor do?
I tend to think silver bullion investors are conservative and cautious. In my opinion, buying a reasonable amount of silver bullion or silver coins is probably a pretty good idea. In my opinion, diverting a reasonable percentage of your investments towards the silver market will likely give you a better return than other market investing. If you do decide to invest in bullion, remember that bullion coins, such as the U.S. Eagle, the Canadian Maple Leaf, and other bullion coins, will typically sell for a few dollars above spot prices (depending on the year and mintage). Silver bars and rounds usully sell closer to spot prices. Spot prices ofsilver and goldcan be found on larger precious metals dealer's websites like Monex and Kitco.
Please note that this guide was originally written in 2006 and updated in 2007. Well, it is now 2011 and spot silver is almost $31 per ounce. This exceeds my short term prediction of silver hitting $20 per ounce, but as we all know the economy has been pretty rough over the last 3 years. I'm quite sure many investors are wondering what the future holds for silver bullion. My guess is that the U.S. economic reovery, which began in 2010, will remain very slow and that spot silver prices will continuean upward trend. Honestly, I doubt we'll ever see $20/oz silver again.
One nice thing about moderately investing in silver bullion is theuniqueness ofbeing able tokeepa very tradable gemodity on hand.
Thank youfor reading this guide!
There is no crystal ball that tells us where spot (current buy/sell price of) silver will be six months from now. It seems, however, that the recent (summer 2006) trend in the price of silveris to hover aroundthe $12 per ounce range (about $13 per ounce for winter 2007 and spring 2007). It's truly anyone's guesswhatworld politics and the economy is going to go throughover the nexttwelve months. If you're a pessimist andpredict bad thingsare going tohappen,silvercould surge towards that $20 per ounce threshhold. If, on the other hand, you're more optomistic, silver prices will likely remain somewhat stable. Somewhere in the middlearesilver prices that edge towards the$15to $16per ounce level.
Somethingto consider is the fact that silver mining is usually secondary to other mining operations. Most mines are focused on other types of metals mining. Consider also the fact that the bulk of silver mines are in volatile parts of the world. Consider that in the U.S., silver mining is on the wane, with its silver resources almost depleted. Consider thatcountries (like the U.S.) who keepa precious metal reserve do not have a silver bullion reserve.Finally, consider that there is an increase in the industrial use of silver. So, what should the average investor do?
I tend to think silver bullion investors are conservative and cautious. In my opinion, buying a reasonable amount of silver bullion or silver coins is probably a pretty good idea. In my opinion, diverting a reasonable percentage of your investments towards the silver market will likely give you a better return than other market investing. If you do decide to invest in bullion, remember that bullion coins, such as the U.S. Eagle, the Canadian Maple Leaf, and other bullion coins, will typically sell for a few dollars above spot prices (depending on the year and mintage). Silver bars and rounds usully sell closer to spot prices. Spot prices ofsilver and goldcan be found on larger precious metals dealer's websites like Monex and Kitco.
Please note that this guide was originally written in 2006 and updated in 2007. Well, it is now 2011 and spot silver is almost $31 per ounce. This exceeds my short term prediction of silver hitting $20 per ounce, but as we all know the economy has been pretty rough over the last 3 years. I'm quite sure many investors are wondering what the future holds for silver bullion. My guess is that the U.S. economic reovery, which began in 2010, will remain very slow and that spot silver prices will continuean upward trend. Honestly, I doubt we'll ever see $20/oz silver again.
One nice thing about moderately investing in silver bullion is theuniqueness ofbeing able tokeepa very tradable gemodity on hand.
Thank youfor reading this guide!
Seller beware of paypal policy!
If you don't follow paypals hard to find policy of: (#1. selling to a confirmed buyer #2. sending item with delivery conformation and #3. and using a tracking number) then you are liable for any fraudulent buyer you may have the miss fortune of being swindled by! My son got taken buy a fraudulent buyer and now he is on the hook for $700.00. He is only 18 and didn't read the fine print although he sold many items without a problem before this. Now my account is frozen because any account that shares any of the same info such as phone, address, bank account etc. will also be frozen untill the bad account is corrected. We did our part to assist in the investigation (which is all paypal said they wanted?) yet paypal sent us to collection! So don't get duped and don't trust paypal if you can get hold of them through their frustating reloution department!
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