The ins and outs of exclusively expressing

[seaweed eater]

Spunky, I think you have a good plan in place. One thing you could add is to take lecithin supplements to see whether that helps you empty faster. It thins the milk so it can cut down on pumping time for some women. If that's what makes you able to empty in 30 min at work, it could really help you maintain. Good luck. I hope it goes just fine -- sounds like it certainly may

 

[spunky84]

Thanks for the tip on the lecithin supplements! I just placed an order for some. How long should I give them to see they make a difference in speed of emptying?

You guys are so full of such great info!

 

[ShelbyLC]

Thanks for the tip on the lecithin supplements! I just placed an order for some. How long should I give them to see they make a difference in speed of emptying?

You guys are so full of such great info!

I've never used them and it's probably different for everyone, but I was talking to a woman two days ago that saw results after only 4 hours.

 

[spunky84]

Thanks for the tip on the lecithin supplements! I just placed an order for some. How long should I give them to see they make a difference in speed of emptying?

You guys are so full of such great info!

I've never used them and it's probably different for everyone, but I was talking to a woman two days ago that saw results after only 4 hours.

Wow, that would be awesome!

I'm really hoping this stuff works for me (most things don't really seem to). If it does, I'm hoping it works relatively quickly.

 

[spunky84]

So I got the supplements and fenugreek bars Saturday, but haven't been able to use them as I ended up in the ER and eventually admitted Saturday due to severe stomach pains. Turns out I had several gallstones and a blockage.

I kept up the pumping in the hospital. My supply was amazing. Got 32 oz on Sunday - the most I've ever got. I think it was due to the IV of fluids.

Sadly, after the surgery yesterday, my supply has tanked. I can barely get 3oz with my hospital grade pump. It's rare for me to get less than 3 with that thing, normally.

I'm feeling very discouraged about that.

Then, on top of that, my support system has crumbled. My mom and DH (DH encouraged me a week ago to keep going when I was on the verge of giving up) pretty much ambushed me in the hospital about my pumping.

My mom basically made me out to be a bad mom and it wasn't fair to LO. DH said it's just getting too hard for him & that I really need to think about quitting.

He now wants what is easiest - giving her formula. He's questioning the benefits of breastmilk. He said it's natural, but suddenly now believes it doesn't have any special benefits. He nor I were breastfeed. Said neither of us would have turned out differently if we were. So basically we're just giving her what's "natural" but without other benefits. I don't even know where the hell that even came from because every other time we've discussed breastfeeding, he always felt it had good health benefits.

So now I don't know what to do. It would kill me to stop pumping, but how am I going to do that when my support system is completely gone? I feel like I have to quit. I already know I'll resent DH if I do. I already hate him for what he's said especially when he's been so supportive in the past. I don't know where his change of mind came from.

The really sad thing is that the hospital staff were EXTREMELY supportive of what I was doing. They were very courteous when it was time for me to pump. Many even commended me on what I was doing (explained why I was EPing). Everyone else (who didn't know about the eping) said it was great that I was giving her breast milk.

I was honestly shocked at the support and reactions to it. It made me feel really good. Strangers. Strangers made me feel really good and my family is making me feel like crap?

My MIL was in yesterday morning before my surgery. She asked if they gave me anything to dry up my supply... Like I have no idea where that even came from. Then tonight she said she does just fine on formula (as I sat down and started pumping).

LO has been on formula since I went into the hospital as I had to pump and dump because I stupidly took pepto & then because I had no way of cleaning/sterilizing my parts in the hospital.

 

[seaweed eater]

So sorry you are going through this, Spunky. BF is so emotional in a way that I'm sure is hard to understand for people who have never BF themselves. Do you think your husband understands how much this means to you and how it felt to hear what he said? I'm hoping that maybe he'll come around and see how incredibly important it is to you even though he might not understand why.

Also tell him (I'm sure you already have) that it won't be this hard for very much longer. You may be able to start dropping sessions in as little as a few weeks, or at most in 6 more weeks. You're already halfway to that point. It's not easy after that, but it does get relatively easier.

Then, be kind to yourself and realistic about what you can manage on your own. It is YOUR body and no one can tell you not to pump your own milk. But obviously support helps a lot with something so demanding. What your husband and mom and MIL say and do and decide is NOT your fault. If you are stuck with no support and continuing to pump is not feasible for you, don't be hard on yourself. You are an amazing mother to have provided BM for your daughter and you will continue to be an amazing mother whether she is EBF, combi fed, or FF.

 

[spunky84]

I thought about it a lot last night. I felt very torn, but then I got on the phone with my mom who also hasn't been very understanding of my pumping.

I explained to her why it's so important to me. Aside from the health benefits for LO and for myself, it goes so much deeper. I explained to her that I've never done anything important in my life. I've never accomplished anything. I dropped out of college. Twice. I have nothing to show for my life other than my husband and LO.

The pumping is the one thing I can be proud of. It's the hardest thing I've ever done in my life (and I've had a lot of obstacles to overcome) and even though I have days where I come thisclose to quitting, I still push through (even if it's just from encouragement from others). This is the one thing that means the world to me. I've already struggled with feeling like a failure because of latching issues. Giving up, to me, would be my ultimate failure. I can't quite until I know I have given it 110% and more.

I'm going to go until I feel it's time. That time may come when I start work (the 25th), so it might not be much longer. I don't know what to expect. It might be easier. Might be harder. Maybe just the same.

But I feel it's the right thing to do. After explaining it to my mom, she said she's behind me 100%. Now I just need to explain that to DH, though I don't think he'll quite understand as much as my mom, which is expected as guy vs another mom.


Does anyone here that has done it a long time, do you work? What was your experience with it when working? Was it a little easier (aside from dragging the pump stuff everywhere)?

 

[seaweed eater]

So glad to hear your mom is on board. And that you were able to express what is so important to you about it. Fingers crossed DH will react well too.

EP goes great with working (assuming your workplace gives you sufficient time to pump as much/often as you need to). You will be way ahead of the game. I pumped at work for 7 months before LO stopped nursing, and there's so much I didn't bother to learn about pumping and had to learn once I was EP. You don't have to worry about keeping LO entertained while you pump...it's just quiet time to yourself in a private room (again, in the best of circumstances). Not bad at all

 

[spunky84]

DH didn't quite get it when I explained. Though, I know my mom understood completely because she's been a mom. I think this is an area where it may just come down to DH being a guy. So I'm just going to try to go "above and beyond" and do whatever extra I can.

That's relieving to hear about work! I was really hoping that'd be the case. I honestly feel that it will be the case for me. I almost feel like it's the light at the end of the tunnel. My biggest challenge eping right now is taking care of LO during the day while pumping. It's been trial and error on how to do both.

At work I have the conference room twice a day for 30 minutes. I'm going to try and get a short session in on my lunch. Though I realized I need to come up with a back up pumping location in the event that the conference room is occupied during my scheduled time. Sometimes it's occupied for the entire day, so I know we need to come up with a back up plan. I wish I had thought of it sooner, but I'll bring it up on my first day back.

I feel awful saying this, but I just look forward to the fact that I can pump in peace! I'll have some busy work I can work on.

I think hardest part for me will be getting in 1 session in during the middle of the night. Hopefully once everything gets established enough, I can hopefully drop that one.

Right now I'm just feeling overwhelmed. The thought of gathering and taking everything. I'll have my hands full (thankfully DH will be taking LO to daycare - I pick her up). I'll have to take my freestyle so I can pump on the way there (and possibly after work if I have somewhere else I have to go - like an appt or whatever). Then I'll have the Symphony for during work hours.

I want to get a plan in place for number of bottles needed, how I'm going to store them, etc. I think once I get a rough idea for this it'll make it a little easier. I'm sure I'll get into routine rather quickly.


Btw seaweed eater, have you tried those fenugreek bars yet? I saw your post on them and decided to get some myself. I tried my first one last night and second one day (I got the chocolate and the peanut butter).

 

[Emerald87]

You can do it, spunky! I am coming up to my 12 month pumping "anniversary" and have done it at work since 7 months. When I returned to work (granted, it was a bit later than you) I pumped before work, at lunch time, when I got home and before bed.

I've now dropped to before and after work and I get about 40+oz (plus I BF on top of this) for the two pumps. Once your supply is established, as long as you maintain good food and water intake, you'll rock it.

I am finishing pumping at 12 months. I will continue to nurse as long as LO wants but the pump is GOING. Seriously, any pumping milestone is a milestone. You should be very proud of yourself. At the point that you want to give up don't beat yourself up. You're doing amazingly.

It gets easier. SO much easier. I know words sometimes mean nothing but it really does. I cried for probably the first 3 months and there's days still now that I just "don't feel like it".

We may be worlds apart but know you have the support here. We understand, truly.

 

[Emerald87]

P.S. Store your pump parts in the fridge in a zip-lock bag between pumps and clean them once a day. If you can, get more than one set and cycle through. Makes things 1000x quicker and easier.

 

[seaweed eater]

You will figure it out really fast, Spunky my PISA came with one of those tote bags and I keep everything in there. I remember being nervous too because I was used to spreading out with all my pumping stuff, but you'll adapt quickly to taking everything to work. I would also say to keep a manual pump and an extra bottle and cap in your pump bag, because mistakes are inevitable...at least, I've made a few

I'm sorry DH wasn't more understanding. But glad you still have your mom's support

Do you like the fenugreek bars? I found them delicious! But I've stopped eating them because my supply dropped I don't know whether it was a coincidence or not, but I had a drop after I started taking fenugreek capsules, too, and then after I stopped my supply came back. I was eating the bars and seeds and drinking the tea, and I stopped all of it to see whether my supply comes back. I miss eating those bars TBH! I should make some lactation cookies.

 

[spunky84]

Emerald, 12 months is amazing! Congrats! It's so hard to imagine being able to keep this up for that long, but I also know it's a day at at time, a week at a time, etc. When did you find that you started to adjust to the routine of it?

I do keep my parts in the fridge. I learned that early on! It was torture trying to clean them after every single use. I ordered some spare pump parts for the Symphony. Still waiting for them to arrive, but once they do, I'll have 3 sets, which I feel will be very useful to have.

I had to pitch a set (thankfully had a back up set) since I felt they were too gross after my hospital stay. There's a part where you can't actually clean - and am guessing that it gets clean via soaking in warm soapy water & sterilizing, etc, but I think they were too far gone from not being able to clean/sterilize during my hospital stay and didn't feel the risk was worth it.


seaweed eater, I'm hoping to try and figure something out before I go back next Friday. Just so I have an idea and then my first day will be kind of a trial run. I'll thankfully have the weekend to figure something else out if that doesn't work. I expect the first couple of weeks to be trial and error.

I'm definitely planning on taking a manual pump with me. I bought one just in case we had a power outage & my freestyle battery died (10 years ago we had a 3 day power outage that happened within a few states - not sure if you were part of that!).

Aw that's really unfortunate about the fenugreek/fenugreek bars! I didn't know that fenugreek could do that.

I ordered 12 peanut butter and 12 chocolate. The peanut butter have too much of a bite to them. I'm getting a little more used to the peanut butter, but I'm trying to tread carefully. I tried the peanut butter the morning after I got home from the hospital & it made my stomach feel odd, which I'm guessing is my body adjusting to not having a gallbladder. I do better with those after I've eaten something else.

I also got 12 chocolate. I definitely prefer the chocolate over the peanut butter. If I do see an increase, I'll probably just stick to the chocolate. I'm giving it 24 days to see if they help, but if not then I'll just stick to my normal methods (though once LO is in daycare, not sure if I'll be able to afford them anyway). I tried the capsules, but never saw a difference either way, but that might just be because I was never very consistent with it.

Do you have a recipe for lactation cookies?

I love the recipe from the dr momma website (not sure if I'm allowed to post the link). I was skeptical of them. I thought they were just okay when I first tried them, but I absolutely love them now. I haven't been able to find time to make them. Last night my mom helped me whip up the dough - I'm going to bake tonight since I'll have a few hours to myself. I made up 3 batches so I can freeze them & will have them for awhile.

 

[seaweed eater]

I don't know if I believe that fenugreek can really lower supply. But that's what it has seemed like in my case, and I've heard other people say it too. Maybe it's a coincidence for all of us who knows.

The chocolate ones were my favorite too I hope they work for you!

I haven't made lactation cookies before. Someone in another group posted a recipe for no bake cookies that looked pretty good. I already eat steel cut oatmeal with flaxseed every day, but maybe the brewer's yeast would help extra. If I have good results with that recipe, I'll post it here do the cookies increase your supply?

 

[Emerald87]

Emerald, 12 months is amazing! Congrats! It's so hard to imagine being able to keep this up for that long, but I also know it's a day at at time, a week at a time, etc. When did you find that you started to adjust to the routine of it?

I do keep my parts in the fridge. I learned that early on! It was torture trying to clean them after every single use. I ordered some spare pump parts for the Symphony. Still waiting for them to arrive, but once they do, I'll have 3 sets, which I feel will be very useful to have.

I had to pitch a set (thankfully had a back up set) since I felt they were too gross after my hospital stay. There's a part where you can't actually clean - and am guessing that it gets clean via soaking in warm soapy water & sterilizing, etc, but I think they were too far gone from not being able to clean/sterilize during my hospital stay and didn't feel the risk was worth it.

Do you have a dishwasher? Magic! It sterilises and cleans all those nooks and crannies. I run mine through once a day and then rinse and air dry and they're ready to go.

It probably took 8 weeks to "get used" to it from the start. As for the return to work, I was OK immediately as I knew what I was in for. I hated using my freestyle as it isn't as gentle as the symphony.

It's weird, though. I think I've made 12 months because I am just that used to it and scared that if I stop my breasts will spontaneously combust or something. Lol. Ah the logic of mothers!

Do you use olive oil? Pop some in a small travel shampoo storage bottle to take with you to work to lube your flanges. Takes the edge off.

 

[babymabey]

You ladies seem very informed about breastfeeding so hopefully I can get some understanding about my production amount.

for over one week I have been taking Metoclopramide 10 mg 4 x a day and drinking Mother's Milk Tea 4 times a day, yet my supply hasn't seemed to increase. I am (if I'm lucky) producing 10-12 oz's a day.

My little man will be 5 weeks old tomorrow and either going through a growth spurt or just not getting enough to eat because he wants to eat all the time. The pediatrician said he is gaining weight properly (he was born 6 lbs 2 oz, dropped to 5 lbs 13 oz, and is now up to 8 lbs 2 oz).

What is the average production, or is it different based on the person? What else can I do to increase production? I only pump to make sure I get everything, I massage my breasts in the shower or with a hot washcloth if I am in a hurry.

It is getting frustrating because he isn't hungry so he doesn't nap much during the day. He takes maybe a 10 minute nap, then he is up and fussy for more food. I really don't want to go to formula, but it is seeming that I may need to supplement, and if I have to do that then I may as well go to only formula.

 

[seaweed eater]

Babymabey, sorry to say 10-12 oz is low supply. 25+ oz is considered a full supply since 25 is the average intake once they hit a certain age (of course, some take more and some less). But you're only 5 weeks in so your supply will likely increase if you do things right. The most effective thing for increasing supply is emptying your breasts more often. How many times a day are you pumping?

 

[babymabey]

I am pumping every hour and a half to 2 hours. Then at night I am pumping around midnight, again at 3 and then at 6. My supply at night is pretty good. At the 3 am pump I usually get almost 4 oz, but then the supply significantly drops after that. Hopefully with the meds, tea, eating healthy and lots of water it starts coming in better. Tonight, because I used up all the pumped milk, we had to supplement and give him some formula and it broke my heart. I don't want to have to do that again.

 

[seaweed eater]

You are doing great That sounds like plenty of pumping. I don't know when you started the meds but I've heard it can take a couple weeks or more to see a difference, and it happens gradually. Please don't be hard on yourself if you need to supplement. You are working so hard at this and every drop is a gift to your baby.

 

[babymabey]

Thank you for your encouragement I am just glad I am in a situation where I can be a stay at home mom. I can't imagine having to go through this while trying to work, and massive kudos to those who do, you are all awesome! Hopefully it starts to come in more soon.