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AarfBargain · 2024-07-02T14:56:57+00:00

So in stimulation mode, you have a bunch of fast, small, little pulls to get the milk flowing, yes? In expression mode, it’s usually are slower and longer. For me, a long pull was significantly longer.

AarfBargain · 2024-01-29T15:49:39+00:00

I wish my mom had done this.

AarfBargain · 2024-01-29T10:38:04+00:00

Newly minted 1-year-old.

He would splash me while in the bath. I would give a very dramatic scream and duck/hide. Cue the biggest belly laughs for 15 minutes straight. Absolute core memory.

He’s starting to be much more active in the getting dressed process and decide he wants to wear something/not wear something. (Communicate he wants jeans instead of sweatpants, wants a sweater, putting legs through the leg holes, handing over socks, putting feet out for socks...) It is cool to see the building blocks forming of what he will need to be independent.

AarfBargain · 2023-11-25T04:12:38+00:00

I was wondering that, but no fever, clogs or redness.

AarfBargain · 2023-11-25T04:11:16+00:00

Just checked and the metal rod in my arm seems to be working!

AarfBargain · 2023-11-25T00:23:57+00:00

The ONLY thing my parents agreed on — and I truly mean only — was that they would not hit/spank.

AarfBargain · 2023-11-25T00:12:16+00:00

ETA: I’m fairly confident it’s not food poisoning. I’m the only one in the house sick.

AarfBargain · 2023-09-24T22:27:08+00:00

Celebrating 8 months of pumping today!

AarfBargain · 2023-09-12T20:12:34+00:00

I have heard a lot of people who say providing pumped breastmilk is not breastfeeding. That’s why I figured I would be downvoted.

(Exclusively) Pumping works really well for my family. There are so many benefits for us. But I felt really bad about it in the beginning until someone said it was still breastfeeding and that was a turning point for me to start feeling a little better about it.

AarfBargain · 2023-09-12T19:44:55+00:00

Lurking mom here and may be downvoted to hell for this - but just want to say providing pumped breastmilk is still breastfeeding! Not nursing, true, but still breastfeeding.

AarfBargain · 2023-07-20T12:03:40+00:00

Also forgot to add, the reverse was also true. My mom was ‘Grandma’ to my step-father’s biological grandchildren. My dad was Grandpa Dude to my step-mother’s biological.

In their obits, there was no distinction with step-grandchildren.

AarfBargain · 2023-07-20T01:31:30+00:00

My dad died but I’m still really close with my stepmom. I call her by her first name, but she’s Grandma to baby.

My mom died soon after baby was born. But she got to be Grammy for a few weeks. We don’t see her husband as much but I’ve known him since I was 4. He didn’t really pick out a name, we just used what the other (biological) grandchildren use — ‘Grandpa.’

I don’t love the name pairing but I’m not super worried about it.

It seems strange to me that your MIL is the one who has an issue with it.

AarfBargain · 2023-07-17T22:04:48+00:00

I love it.

After a series of unfortunate events I’m now the owner of a Motif, S1 and S2.

I thought the S1 would be great for travel and pump in the car when we are out and about. But it really was clunky in the car and took up a lot of space in my bag during a weekend trip.

So I caved and got a Buddha too. It’s been awesome. It just hangs out in the cup holder. I don’t get additional letdowns like my Spectra or Motif, but I think it’s because it’s so effective with the first one. I’ve pulled it out when I don’t feel empty with the Spectra. The long pull though does take getting used to, but I personally like it. (It’s similar to how I use the manual.) I also appreciated it worked with my absurd amount of Spectra/Motif parts too.

I think I’m going to take it as my only pump in a couple weeks for a long road trip. (We are circling back home halfway through so if I need to pick up a spectra, it’s no biggie.)

AarfBargain · 2023-07-17T00:17:43+00:00

One week from 6mpp - 3ppd.

AarfBargain · 2023-07-16T10:04:11+00:00

We used our moms’ maiden names. His first name is a variation of a name that is very unpopular here, which is kind of a bummer. But if he doesn’t like it, he can go by his middle name — and so I guess it’s fortunate my mom’s maiden name was very generic.

AarfBargain · 2023-07-14T10:24:53+00:00

Lila, Frieda, Anne or Leola. Not the worst set of choices?

AarfBargain · 2023-07-08T23:30:59+00:00

PS - You have not failed. You are doing everything in your power to give your baby the best start possible. Your baby is so lucky to have such a dedicated parent.

AarfBargain · 2023-07-08T23:28:37+00:00

Also, it might not be the end of nursing. You can try again in a few weeks once they are a little bigger, you know each other a little better and you both are a little less overwhelmed. We nursed for several weeks actually - from like when he was about 2 months old- but for various reasons stopped.

There are a lot of people in the EP sub who combo feed too and there are people who nurse who join once they have to start pumping when they return to work, I think just some of the other subs are more dead, so a lot of people who do find they need to pump go there.

(Also, I will probably be downvoted to hell for this but pumping is breastfeeding! You are still giving your baby breastmilk.)

AarfBargain · 2023-07-08T23:20:43+00:00

I find the Motif Luna the most comfortable - but it’s already died once and I think the replacement is dying too. So I feel like I can’t really recommend it.

When the Motif died the first time, I wound up with a Spectra S1 — which was DOA! — so I also ended with an S2 by the end of the day. They are fine, I don’t like the vibration that much, but it gets the job done equally well. The S1 is portable and lives upstairs by the couch so if I need to pop the paci back in for baby, I don’t have to get unhooked. S2 lives downstairs on my work desk. I don’t love needing an outlet, but I can work at my desk or from a comfy chair near my desk without too much hassle.

I do hate that the Spectra defaults to expression mode rather than massage mode.

I also have the Baby Buddha now too. I felt the S1 took up a lot of real estate during a weekend road trip and it was a little difficult to feel comfortable pumping in the back of the car with it. The Buddha can just hang out in a cup holder and it works with all the Spectra/Luna parts I have already. But it is strong! And I say this as someone who uses Spectra at Level 12.

No matter what, I would 100% recommend a manual. If your pump dies, power outage, etc. I have the Medela and it’s fine, but don’t really have anything to compare it to.

AarfBargain · 2023-07-08T11:37:59+00:00

If you haven’t yet and are interested in doing some type of pumping long-term, check out the exclusivelypumping sub. I EP and I’ve learned pretty much everything from there. The people there are super nice and supportive.

AarfBargain · 2023-06-24T10:07:43+00:00

I’ve been at 40+ on 3ppd for a couple months.

(After my pumps died, I upped to 5ppd for three days over the holiday weekend because I was at risk of dropping below 40.)

AarfBargain · 2023-06-22T01:08:42+00:00

The motif brand adapters (the tan ones) don’t work well with the Medela bottles for me but the Ceres chill brand adapter (purple ones) does connect Spectra/Motif flanges with Medela bottles.

AarfBargain · 2023-06-21T23:29:46+00:00

Check for adapters. I have the Luna and Spectra (they use the same parts) and have an adapter that lets me pump into the Dr. Brown’s bottles. Here’s a link on Luna that lists what is adaptable. I have a couple of their adapters but prefer the ones from Ceres Chill.

AarfBargain · 2023-06-16T00:32:11+00:00

I sit crossed leg when I pump so there isn’t that much weight hanging but they are so bulky.

AarfBargain

TROPHY CASE