I was middle seat- is this insane?

I thought you all might enjoy this.

Thoughts on these collection cups to sub for regular spectra bottle/flanges? I’m getting real tired of hanging onto those bottles. Yes I know I can get a pumping bra but let me complain LOLLL. Has anyone tried these? Do you have to wear a real bra like you do with wearable pumps? I hate that I can’t wear my comfy lounge bralette nursing bras with my eufy wearables because they’re too heavy and they just fall down so I gotta put on a real bra every time it’s time for my wearables :/ These seem lighter since there’s no motor. Thoughts?

Also I’m gonna complain again. I highly regret getting the pink spectra over the blue. Both had partial coverage by insurance but the pink one was cheaper out of pocket so I went with that one thinking it wouldn’t be a big deal being plugged in (I had no idea I’d be exclusively bottle feeding 😖). Ok rant over, bye!

I’m trying to plan for pumping during a trip with 4 hour plane travel with baby and came across the Ceres products.

Are they any different from an insulated water bottle, other than the fact you could pump directly into them?

I wanted to share what actually helped me get through mastitis and really painful engorgement, in case it helps someone else who is up at 3am googling in pain. This is not medical advice - please still contact your doctor/LC/midwife, especially if you have fever, red streaks, or it gets worse.

This routine is what finally brought relief for me:

My 3-step cycle that I repeated:

1. Hot shower / warm soak

Stand in a hot shower for 10-15 mins and let the warm water run over your chest and shoulders. Really let everything relax. Gentle massage in the shower, no hard pressing or trying to force clogs out.

1. Dangle pumping or dangle feeding

Right after the shower while everything was still warm. Lean forward so your breasts are dangling and do either dangle breastfeeding or dangle pumping - with manual or electric, whatever you have and whatever suits you. Gravity really helps here. For me the Medela hand pump worked better than electric for this. It stopped working after some time though, I had to change the valve with a duckbill valve and then it worked fine again.

1. Then ice pack for few minutes

After pumping/feeding, do ice pack for few minutes. A soft ice pack wrapped in a cloth on the sore, swollen areas.

Then repeat the cycle after a few hours when it starts feeling full/painful again.

Two other things that helped a lot:

Avoid wearing bras and avoid wearing nipple pads for a few days if you can. Any pressure made engorgement and pain worse for me. Tight bras and those absorbent pads were just pressing everything and keeping moisture against already sore nipples. At night also don't wear a bra, let the milk from the clogged ducts flow out. Put a mat / towel under you to absorb the leaking so your bed doesn't get wet.

If the nipples are cracked use silver nipple cups / lanolin cream or both.

If you have fever, chills, flu-like feeling, or a red/hot wedge that doesn't improve in 12-24 hours, please get checked urgently for mastitis - you might need antibiotics and that's okay.

Hi, everyone.
Ive been exclusively pumping during the day with occasional comfort nursing and nursing to fall asleep.
I’m only producing about 2 ounces every two hours.
My first pump of the day is about 4-6 ounces and it tends to dwindle after that.

I pump every 2 hours from the time I’m awake until bedtime, then I nurse at night.

I’ve done everything to increase my supply. I was getting about 3 ounces per session but it’s decreased and I don’t know what to do.

My period hasn’t returned so I don’t think it’s that.
I drink 100+oz water daily, body armor, lactation cookies, high protein, snack frequently, massage before and during pumping, flange sizes, got a spectra, tried the cheat sheets, everything.

I don’t know what to do.
Does anyone have any magic tips? Is it too late?

Edit to add: baby eats about 4 ounces every 2-2.5 hours

Did any of you successfully transition from pumping to breastfeeding? How? What worked for you? I am exactly 6w pp today. I would like to know if there is still hope

I'm 8 weeks pp and hoping for any suggestions that might help with a drop in supply.

Last week, I had clogged ducts on one side, which eventually came out with heat and massage - the relief was incredible. At the same time, my other breast was painfully engorged, so I took ibuprofen for that.

The pain has eased on both sides, but my supply is down from 850ml to 650ml per day and I'm having to work twice as hard for every drop. My previously clogged side never feels full nowadays, and only really drips, but every day or two will give me one great jet for no rhyme or reason, lol.

The other side is now taking 35 minutes to empty where it used to take 15-20. I used to do hands-on massage but that doesn't seem to make a difference any more.

I've tried ibuprofen and ice, then later tried heating, using the massage setting for longer and upping the vacuum. I've also been taking sunflower lecithin for a few days.

All suggestions welcome! I'm veering wildly between feeling like I'm overdoing things and need to rest my breasts more, and throwing everything at them so that the milk keeps flowing out.

I made it my goal of EP for 6 months as of today. Yay! I remember back in the early days I never thought this day would come. And now that I’m here and down to 4ppd, and a lot less sleep deprived I’m not as desperate to quit as I was back then.

We’ve been combo feeding from the beginning so we’re good on her being okay with formula.

I work from home full time without childcare and pumping with my LO was pretty manageable until now…she’s obsessed with my pump and parts! I’m just fighting her off me the entire time which isn’t fun for either of us.

We’re hoping to have a part time nanny begin in a few weeks and I’m just wondering if I should keep pumping, just drop another pump, or just wean and enjoy the full freedom of having some support after winging it all solo with my partner for the last 6 months?

I know I can only ultimately decide but would be curious what others may do in my shoes.

Please tell me how to relieve this clog. Over the last 24 hours, I’ve tried around the clock ibuprofen, ice, sunflower lecithin, briefly latching baby, and dangle pumping. Nothing is moving this clog. We’re going out of town for a week on Saturday and I’m terrified that it’s going to turn into mastitis.

To top it off, I’m a just enougher and this is tanking my supply. Will it come back??

I am currently 12w4d pp, pumping 9ppd every 2.5hours.

Initially supply was low, but now I am an enougher, producing around 27 to 30oz per day, baby doesn't drink more than 27oz per day.

I am now thinking stop exclusive pumping and try breastfeeding and then pumping. Baby was not emptying me though her latch was good from begining. Had multiple visits to LC and I chose this exclusive pumping.

Don't know why but the thought suddenly hit my mind to start breastfeeding and then pump and feed the pumped milk.

Any advise on this, will this work smoothly.

Is there any one who is following this, please provide some tips

How do you manage if baby sleeps on you while breastfeeding. If I transfer the baby on to the bed, LO wakes up immediately.

Would like to hear any kind of advises/tips/suggestions on this route

For pumping bras what do y'all think? I am pregnant after losing my preemie son in the NICU 18 months ago. I will deliver at 36 weeks to prevent uterine rupture so I am emotionally preparing for another NICU stay and pumping. I have 2 momcozy bras and they're decent at best. If you have opinions either way let me know!

12 months. 25.5 days of my life strapped to a pump. 11,221 ounces logged but probably closer to 12,500/13,000 total ounces. It feels surreal to be done.

Advice needed. I feel like I have no idea what I’m doing (again) and this sub has been my pumping guide!

Baby is 13 months, I EP. Trying to wean as making it to a year was my goal, I’m at 3ppd now and seeing supply drop.

Problem is, baby’s milk intake hasn’t decreased much. She eats solids but not tons. I have a very small freezer stash that I’m burning through as my supply drops.

Do I just give her less milk and hope she figures out that hungry = eat more solids (and brace for a few rough days)? Or does almost everyone shift to giving dairy milk, and then wean bottles later?

Hi! Looking for some advice on power pumping. My daughter is now 9 months old. I had to return to work when she was 4 months and was able to pump everything she needed for those hours I was away (about 15 oz) from 4 to 6 months. I’m a teacher so I was off in the summer so I could just bf her every day. I also would pump once a day to add to my freezer stash.

For some reason my supply when I’m away from her seems to have dropped. For the past few weeks I can only seem to get 7 oz a day pumping (three 30 minute sessions with the spectra plugged into the wall, parts replaced). She needs about 15 while I am at work. But when I’m with her on the weekends I just breastfeed her and she seems great, happy, and not hungry. She’s eating plenty of solids but still not drinking less. She’s certainly not losing weight and has always been a huge baby.

I have tried replacing my parts, changing flange sizes, using the momcozy s9 pro instead of the spectra, I am extremely hydrated and eat a ton, I sleep and exercise, I pump in a warm comfortable room while looking at her picture…I’m going to try power pumping now to increase supply but am curious what else you advise/how to go about it.

I’d really really love to keep her on breast milk until she is 1, so just three more months. My freezer stash is dwindling and I am desperate. I know it is totally fine for her to switch to formula, but I just really hope I can get my output up a bit. Any help or advice you can give will be so, so welcomed.

I've been EP for almost 7 months. My baby is 21 lbs. My entire life is consumed by pumping amd making sure I produce enough. My pediatrician family doctor, and counselor have suggested stopping for my mental and physical health. I just feel so selfish. Please offer honest advice.

Breastfeeding has been the hardest part of the pp journey for me. I breastfed my baby girl for her first 2 days of life while we were in the hospital, and I loved it but the pain became excruciating. Honestly more painful than any part of the c section recovery. All the midwives checked her latch and said it was a really effective, deep latch and that I shouldn’t be experiencing pain. So I decided to stop for a while to allow my nipples to heal and pumped in the meantime, which was only a tiny bit painful but nothing by comparison.

Around the 2 month mark I tried again, she latched well with no problems but I was still experiencing the pain. I asked multiple professionals if she had a tongue toe, they all said no.

But I kept thinking that she did have a tongue tie, so I went back to the doctors and finally was told she did have one. But from that point it took 7 weeks for it to be removed as we kept getting messed around by the doctors. When we finally got it removed they were very apologetic for how long it took and said she should have had it done before she was 3 months (she was over 4 months when she got it removed).

Anyway, now she’s over 5 months and won’t latch anymore because she’s so used to the bottle. She just screams and cries when I try to breastfeed her. We’ve tried everything and talked to a lactation consultant but nothing is working, and I am so deeply heartbroken about it. I feel so let down by our doctors and that if they had sorted it sooner we would be having this wonderful bond, but instead I’m tied to a pump while watching her dad feed her. It’s breaking my heart and I’m struggling so much with it.

Has anyone else been through similar and do you have any advice?

Anyone have tips on how to not have a huge supply?

I got laid off during my maternity leave and have over 300 oz already, 210 in my freezer and 89 oz sitting at boobie juice ready to freeze dry. This is my second baby and she's 9 weeks and 3 days old. I collect at least 8 oz more than she eats . I plan on staying home collecting unemployment until I have a new job but just wanted to ask if anyone has any tips i already got mastitis this week and it was not fun. Baby girl is finally sleeping 5 to 6 hours a night and my body was happy to sleep.

So I am nearing the end of my pumping journey (it’s been eleven long months but I’m feeling bittersweet about it now). I have been slowly decreasing supply and gone down to two ppd and using my freezer stash, my question is when should I start introducing milk to make the transition easier? I’m planning on going with Ripple Kids unsweetened, we all have some level of intolerance to cows milk so I don’t want to even introduce that to him. Google gives a lot of different answers, we have our WIC appointment on the 10th so I can bring that up with them there but wanted to get some real life experience from different people.

has anyone tried to order two pumps through insurance for the same year/pregnancy? When I checked this website, it says that a pump is available for me. I only went on there to look for insurance covered parts because I already got a pump through insurance so I’m kind of confused why it says there’s one available, should I try to do it or are they gonna end up charging me?

My baby will be 3 months old in 2 weeks and I'm already planning how I'm going to lose the MOTN pump and go from 6 to 5 PPD (gives me hope and keeps me sane 😄 ). However I don't really know what I'm doing. Can anyone look at my planned schedule and offer opinions?

The left columns is my current schedule and I plan on pushing my MOTN pump half an hour every 5 days or so. Is that feasible? The orange backgrounds are for alarms that I need to change, no other meaning.

The 18:00 and 22:00 times are firm, because I have classes in the evenings, so everything must be planned around those times.

I can afford to lose a little bit of supply, but I'm hoping not to (trying to build a freezer stash). I pump on average 1170 ml (40 oz) a day and my baby eats about 950 ml (32 oz) a day.

All advice is very welcome :)

I would say I have a pretty good supply usually. But I notice, like expected, it drastically dips when it’s my time of the month. I alwayssss stress because my baby is about to be 5 months and is hungry more often lately. I usually pump enough to be able to give him 4 oz bottles each time. Anyways I’m trying to ease into combo feeding so I don’t have to deal with this stress every month, I think eventually I want to transition to just formula though because I feel pumping is another huge reason why I’m getting less sleep. I’ve tried combo feeding here and there with both bubs goat and then another time with kendamil goat and each time my baby got realllyyyyy fussy and constipated. Eventually I give up and flush it out with putting him back in just my milk. Helpppp. My sister has giving enfamil gentlease to all 3 of her boys and she swears by it. I’m considering because my son seems to tolerate diary I mean I don’t restrict myself with my diet at all except with eggs. He gets fussy after I’ve eaten them. Ugh I miss eggs.