Middle of the night pumping pals

[lenorajoy]

Good to know! The Nature Valley granola bars don't seem to do anything for me, even eating both bars in the pack, but the breakfast biscuits don't cost that much, so they're work a try! I think this weekend I'm going to make basically a peanut butter version of no-bake cookies with the old-fashioned oats and see if they help. If they don't, they sure will taste good!

 

[TinyLynne]

I'm actually pumping! But it's not because DS is sleeping. I told DH he had to give him a bottle and I would pump because I haven't like all week at night! And maybe a nice full bottle will fill him better and he will sleep longer? Fingers crossed!

 

[kajastarlight]

I have been skipping my night pump too and it's starting to show! I only got one oz tonight But DD nursed a lot about two hours before that so maybe she just ate a lot. I hope so. It stresses me out when my supply dips. I cannot pump enough as it is!

 

[kajastarlight]

What a slap in the face.... To have to deal with a low supply AND mastitis?? It's just not fair. I didn't even know you could get mastitis without getting a blockage first. My Boo b hurts so bad :'( and I feel so very icky :'( I just wanna sleep but no I gotta pump pump pump to keep this from getting worse. :'( Sorry for the pitty party. This just sucks

 

[TinyLynne]

Oh no Kaja!! That sounds so horrible. I hope it gets cleared up soon. This is so hard to do without that added complication.

I'm up pumping again and having DH give a bottle, I've got a stubborn clog, small but incredibly painful because of where it is. Not having any luck with it yet and it hurts when I'm trying to sleep.

 

[lenorajoy]

Oh no! That's awful Kaja! I hope it clears up really soon for you.

 

[kajastarlight]

Thanks ladies. Tynie, I hope you get your clog out soon! I wouldn't wish this on anyone.

 

[lenorajoy]

Somehow I ended up with awful clogged ducts! The whole top of my right boob is hard and lumpy. I had three nights in a row when I didn't nurse or pump for several hours, but all seemed fine when I did feed. And this is several days after at this point, so I'm completely taken by surprise! As the day went on today for some reason my boob started to feel bruised. At first I thought I got a little overzealous with the compression while pumping, but as the day went on I started suspecting it wasn't just a bruise. I had two blocked milk pores and managed to clear one of them, but the second is being stubborn. It hurts so bad... I'll be doing some night pumping for sure tonight!

 

[lenorajoy]

So I still haven't been able to clear one of the blocked pores, so I brought a needle to work with me today... That should be fun! I currently have one of the heat therapy packs on it and the best way I can describe this feeling is it feels like my boob wants to vomit. I wonder how forceful that letdown is going to be when I finally get it unblocked!

 

[lenorajoy]

Welp, mastitis it is! I started having nausea, aches all over, and feverish symptoms. I have an appointment this afternoon to get an antibiotic. I was hoping I could avoid this! I've gotten two stringy bits out of the clogged pore and it's not done yet. I'll be spending some time in the shower when I get home... Warm compression on the nipple seems to be doing the trick as both times I got some of the blockage out was after I'd used that. When I pump it feels like my boob is trying to give birth to razor blades, though!

 

[TinyLynne]

Oh no Lenora!!! Those clogs suck so much! Have you taken Soy Lecithin? That usually helps me some. And heat heat heat! I probably made the therapearls too hot, but better than the clog I guess. I've tried using a hair brush in the shower to break it up too. Mostly just brute pressure with heat and tears is the only way I've gotten mine out. I usually take the edge of my hand and press in, like straight down towards my chest, not towards the nipple, just to build the pressure enough that the clog has to burst out.

Sorry you are having a rough time, it sounds so miserable. I hope both you ladies get it cleared up soon!

 

[lenorajoy]

The therapearls helped a lot yesterday! That clog was awful, but as soon as we got home DD latched on and with much pain at first got the whole thing out and it was over! What a relief that was! It's still a bit tender and I can feel there is still some amount of backup in there as not all of the lumps are gone, but I'll continue to work at those with the therapearls today. I feel almost 100%, but I left my antibiotics at home today. Shame!

 

[lenorajoy]

I hope you're feeling better by now, kaja!

 

[TinyLynne]

So good to hear DD got it out. It used to be for me that only DS could get mine out too, but since starting solids, he hasn't seemed to be able to get mine out anymore. But persistence does it!

 

[lenorajoy]

Ouch, I must have another one coming that's stuck somewhere in the nipple now. My nipple got rock hard again during the last session and it felt like there was a needle stuck in it! Where's a baby when you need one?? I really wish I had a better electric pump right about now to free up a hand. I have a friend who offered a Medela she got from her insurance company with her youngest, who is 4 days older than DD. She doesn't pump much and is still using the one from her previous baby and gets a new one with each pregnancy, so she won't probably ever use the new one. Hopefully one of us can remember to remind her to bring it to church with her Sunday! We're both so forgetful.

 

[TinyLynne]

I highly recommend the Medela! I'm sure it will help. My insurance doesn't cover any of it either, so I got mine from a friend too. Lol

 

[lenorajoy]

That's a shame! It seems crazy to have to pay out of pocket for a good pump on top of all of the other costs that come with having a baby, and getting a good one is an essential part of being able to breastfeed after returning to work. Although really returning to work shouldn't be necessary if it isn't something you want... Canada's got it going on with their 1-year (PAID) maternity leave!

Part of me is hoping, but I highly doubt my husband's insurance will change before baby 2 gets here. We're planning on trying for #2 at the end of the year, but that at least partially depends on if AF finally shows before then! He works for the state and they shop around for better rates every 2-3 years, but they just changed back to Aetna from UHC last June, so it will likely be 2019 before they'll probably go back to UHC. Aetna only provides new pump parts with each pregnancy and a new pump every 3 years. From what I've heart UHC provides a new pump with every pregnancy. So without a gift from a friend or paying out of pocket for a new pump, I'm stuck with mine until probably baby #3. I really hope the Spectra will still be an option with my insurance at that point because I'm dying to try it.

 

[TinyLynne]

I'm okay not having the year of paid maternity leave. I knew going into having a baby what my options were. And I want to work. I'd be one of the people that would go stir crazy being at home all day!! Lol.

But yes, insurances should cover better pumps. And most do, mine really blows though.

I wouldn't expect that AF would come back until you stop night nursing/pumping. Or at least going a 6 hour stretch wihout either. At least that is what I'm reading. I am soooooo not even thinking about #2 right now, so I'm really happy to keep night pumping as 'birth control' for now. lol

 

[lenorajoy]

It would be nice to have at least 6 months as an option. I'd imagine in Canada you're provided a percentage of your salary, which decreases the long you're on leave or something like that. For those that want to go back to work sooner, you simply go back and resume both your job and your full pay. But if you want to stay home longer it would be nice to have that option without losing your job and all income. Honestly, I want to stay home, but financially it's not an option for us right now. I'm hoping by baby #2 that will be a possibility. It would have been nice to have been allowed more than 6 weeks and then be required to go back to work, use up whatever PTO I may have saved up still, or quit my job. Things were still really rough at 6 weeks and thanks to both low milk supply and trying to get reflux under control it was really bad timing.

at 6 hours of sleep at night! If only that actually happened. Though I'd get up and pump anyway because I'd want to send that milk with her the next day. Whenever I stop pumping (and DD doesn't wake for a feed) I'll probably have to start taking soy lecithin if I haven't already by that point to avoid clogs. I think I may finally have all or almost all of them out finally! I ended up finding one on the right side, too. The ones on the right seemed to be stringy congealed milk, but the one on the left was like a little pebble! I'll find out when I pump on the right here in a few minutes if I actually got the last clog on the right side during the last session. By then end I think my whole boob was actually flexible again and not like trying to squish an inflated beach ball.

 

[kajastarlight]

I am doing much better, thank you
I am so sorry you got mastitis! It's horrid
I think I would like to be a sahm if we had enough $$ that I didn't have to stress.
I almost have my supply back up after mastitis and DD is going through a spurt so I can *almost* keep up but not quite. *sigh*