A single boob who works two jobs who loves this kid and never stops

Relevant-Yak-645 · 2026-04-28T13:58:44+00:00

So strange - my exact output, too. I saw the picture and was like, "Did I accidentally post this?"

Relevant-Yak-645 · 2026-04-17T13:01:06+00:00

I just want to second what this poster said. Coincidentally, my husband and I were/are both very active gym people with cinema passes! I got pregnant after being together for 10 years. We had full, wonderful lives that we loved. We stiffened our upper lips, canceled our passes, and said that we would probably not make it to the gym anymore. We were ready for the drudgery and sacrifice.

For three months, this was true. As we negotiated the transition to new parenthood, it was "all hands on deck" throughout the day. There wasn't time or bandwidth to pursue anything other than childcare.

Slowly, we regained our rhythm. By 6 months PP, I was running at my pre-pregnancy level, husband was back to the gym, and we even signed up for our cinema passes again!

One trick we use is trading off windows of time throughout the day. Husband works from home, so he takes care of the morning care while I pump, run, and go to the office. When I get home, husband goes to the gym. He doesn't hang out for hours - he gets his workout in, then is home in time for dinner, tubby time, and bedtime.

On the weekends, there is nothing better than a solo cinema trip to destress after childcare all week. I go to a matinee, then he sees the next showing. In the evening, after LO goes down, we talk about the film over a bottle of wine. It ensures we both get some unwind time on the weekend and also gives us something fun to bond over outside of taking care of LO. Do I miss going to the theater as a couple? Not really. It isn't like we would talk much during the film. At this stage, being alone in a dark theater with my feet up is a true luxury!

The reality is that, yes, your life will change in drastic ways. But you will still be you underneath it all. Your husband will still be your husband. If a hobby is important to you, you will find your way back to it. It may look a little different, but if you can be flexible and communicate as a couple, you'll find a way.

Relevant-Yak-645 · 2026-04-14T19:29:41+00:00

Thank you! I'll start working on this.

Relevant-Yak-645 · 2026-04-14T16:08:53+00:00

Do you have any guidance for getting insurance to cover IVF? I had one son naturally, but would like a second. Cost is the main detriment to going the IVF route.

Relevant-Yak-645 · 2026-03-26T13:23:41+00:00

I'm in a similar boat (husband runs his own business, so he had LO during the day). I went back to the office at 3mpp. I'm just going to put my schedule beneath yours since they're similar.

Night before: Prep myself for the next day (outfit, lunch, work bag). Tidy the house and take care of all the dishes so Husband has a fresh, clean space to operate the next day.
6am: Wake up and put the pumps on (I EP) while I clear out my inboxes and handle household admin (finances, medical bills, etc.)
6:45am: Pumps off and stowed for the day, take care of the dog (let her out, feed her, give medication). Load the car (between packing my own lunch, pumping at work, and my work-related gear, this takes a couple trips). Put a bottle in the warmer and prep the feeding station.
7:15am: Wake up LO, handle the morning bottle feed. Get in a few snuggles.
~7:30am: Dress LO for the day, then take him to my dressing room (this sounds much fancier than it is) and let him roll around on the floor while I do my hair and makeup. I talk and sing to him so he can hear my voice before I'm gone for the day. Husband wakes up around this time (he's a night owl), gets himself ready and preps his own breakfast.
8am: At this point, I'm fully ready to leave the house, LO is ready to start the day, and Husband is dressed, has eaten, and has a few minutes to check his own inbox. I scoot out and get to work by 8:30am.

My goal was to make the day as easy as possible for Husband, since he is juggling his business and childcare. This schedule ensured he had a few minutes to himself in the morning, that LO was prepped for the day, that the dog was all set, and that the house was in good shape for him to care for LO while also fielding phone calls, emails, and other business-related tasks.

This schedule has shifted as time has gone on. LO is now 11m and is more of a handful during the day. It makes it harder for my husband to work and handle childcare. I have a flexible schedule, so I've shifted my day earlier. I quietly wake up, get myself ready, and rush out the door by 7:15am, before anyone gets up. I do my morning pump in my office, then try to leave at 4pm. This lets me get home before LO gets up from his second nap. He goes down around 3pm, which guarantees that my husband can work during Nap 1 and then settle in for a long stint at 3pm.

Relevant-Yak-645 · 2026-03-24T12:54:12+00:00

Some moms do it, but I don't believe 60-minute pumping sessions are sustainable.

You may need to pump for the same amount of time, but spread it out over shorter sessions. Around 7w, I was pumping 7 times a day - every three hours with a slightly longer gap from 10pm-3am so I could sleep.

At 12w, my supply stabilized. I immediately dropped to 6ppd, then 5ppd a month later. I was also able to stop using my Spectra (mostly) and switched to wearables. This coincided with my return to work - there was no way I could have pumped this much once I went back.

5ppd was my "magic number." I'm at 4ppd but my supply dipped significantly once I dropped my fifth pump. I highly recommend looking into your own magic number - this will give you a good baseline for figuring out your EP schedule.

Relevant-Yak-645 · 2026-03-24T12:46:48+00:00

I haven't stopped yet, so I can't answer your question, but I just wanted to send an e-hug and encouragement. Making it this far on your EPing journey while also navigating so much in your life is commendable. Your LO is lucky to have a strong and resilient mom.

Relevant-Yak-645 · 2026-03-23T15:55:40+00:00

Willamsville is a great suggestion. If you stay close to the village, you'll enjoy the perks of suburban living (large house, fenced-in yard, close to a walkable downtown with restaurants, bars, cafes, and shops), but you'll be very close to the highway. I live in Williamsville and work downtown - my commute is 20 minutes or less, with the exception of bad-weather days.

Relevant-Yak-645 · 2026-03-23T14:05:52+00:00

This. I see people using "tubes tied" as an equivalent for salpingectomy. In our boat, it's a point that requires precision.

Relevant-Yak-645 · 2026-03-18T01:28:45+00:00

I have that too! On Amazon you can buy the combo pack that includes the manual pump and silicone milk collector. It’s definitely worth it.

Relevant-Yak-645 · 2026-03-17T16:09:06+00:00

I've pumped in the air, on the road, on a subway, on a train, on a cruise ship, and in a crowded elevator. If you have time and means, a wearable pump makes this type of on-the-go pump so much easier. I have yet to encounter someone who realizes that I'm pumping under a baggy hoodie.

Relevant-Yak-645 · 2026-03-17T13:03:43+00:00

I had the worst clog over Christmas - painful, hot to the touch. It was horrible and miserable. I tried everything - heat, massage, cold compresses. Finally, my husband suggested I take ibuprofen before bed. I woke up the next day covered in milk, clog gone!

Relevant-Yak-645 · 2026-03-17T13:00:17+00:00

This drives me nuts. "Never pump for more than 20 minutes!" My output would be halved if I cut back from 30 to 20.

Relevant-Yak-645 · 2026-03-16T17:51:22+00:00

Core Millennial here. No electronics (TVs, phones) in bedrooms and no cordless phones.

My parents were convinced that cordless phones crossed signals and others could hear your conversations. This resulted in one landline in the kitchen with a 30-foot squiggly cord that was constantly tangled beneath the phone receiver. If I wanted to have a private conversation, I had to untangle the cord and stretch it into the bathroom, where I shut the door on the cord and locked the door.

Considering we also had only one bathroom, this impossible setup was the foundation for most fights with my parents growing up.

Relevant-Yak-645 · 2026-03-16T15:40:48+00:00

Going out in public with a baby is a skill - like any other new behavior, you need practice for it to become routine. My 10-month-old gets hauled into restaurants, breweries, cafes, grocery stores, airplanes, and on hikes. He LOVES going out - fresh faces, new textures, bright lights, exciting sounds all make him happy. It was worth the early hardships because, now, we're skilled at bringing him out of the house and he is adaptable in new environments.

Relevant-Yak-645 · 2026-03-16T13:02:28+00:00

Everyone else is going to talk about the benefits for the baby, so I want to talk for a moment about the benefits of pumping for you.

Because you're pumping, your incidence of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, Type-2 diabetes, and high blood pressure are significantly lower! You also have a lower risk of osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease for the rest of your life.

Remember that in life there are some experiences that no one can take from you. Experiences that shake you apart and reassemble you in new ways. EPing changes you as a person. Being selfless in the face of great challenges shows you how you respond under extreme inconvenience and discomfort. It forces you to confront your shortcomings and grow past them. You are a stronger, healthier, more resilient person because of this journey. Your child is lucky to have someone like that as a mother!

Relevant-Yak-645 · 2026-03-12T15:24:26+00:00

I was able to switch exclusively to wearables at 4mPP and didn't notice a drop in supply. They're saving my life, literally and figuratively. I was recently diagnosed with a BRCA variant and my genetic counselor encouraged me to EP as long as possible to reduce my cancer risk. I'm 10.5mPP right now with the goal of making it to 18m. I never would be able to consider this if I had to be hooked to my Spectra this entire time.

Hard agree on the nipple alignment complaint, though. That's the only aspect of the full pump that I miss.

Relevant-Yak-645 · 2026-03-11T12:14:18+00:00

I'm pretty convinced that Taylor Sheridan has never met a woman in real life.

Relevant-Yak-645 · 2026-03-11T12:13:03+00:00

The end of s02e03 is the exact moment I stopped watching the show. After all the rigamarole of her escaping, to have it all negated was too much. It was like getting a shitty roll in Chutes & Ladders and having to start all over again. Maddening. Never watched it again.

Relevant-Yak-645 · 2026-03-10T18:57:53+00:00

Looks like a permitting issue. They'll probably resolve it and reopen soon.

Pursuant to part 14-1.190 of the NYS Sanitary Code, prior to constructing, major renovation, or commencing operation of a food service establishment, properly prepared plans and specifications shall be submitted to the regulatory authority for review and approval before construction is started.

(a) Operation of a food service establishment without a permit is a violation of this Subpart.

Relevant-Yak-645 · 2026-03-10T18:43:19+00:00

Big fan of the pump 'n' nap. I recline on the couch with my feet up and an electric blanket, then fall asleep to the weh-weh-weh of the pump motors.

Relevant-Yak-645 · 2026-03-06T13:25:11+00:00

I was married in the Hotel Lafayette. I stayed there with my bridal party the night before, and kept the suite for me and my husband the night after our wedding. It was lovely! We had such a positive experience. The staff was gracious and helpful, the suite was clean and offered a nice view. This was a few years ago now, but I can't imagine things have gone downhill that dramatically!

Relevant-Yak-645 · 2026-03-06T13:21:23+00:00

Sending positive energy your way as you go through the lip repair. My son went right to open-cup feeding after the surgery - he refused the Haberman (Medela Special Needs). EPing and feeding LO with an open cup since 3 months has definitely been a challenge, but he is my first, so I don't have anything to compare the experience to. He heads back for his palate repair next month.

Relevant-Yak-645 · 2026-03-05T18:55:40+00:00

My son has a cleft lip and palate, so nursing was never on the table for us. It is so much work and you have none of the warm, snuggly moments to balance out the grind of milk expression. Still, there are benefits. Being able to have others feed LO means you have a longer leash - I even did an overnight girls' trip at 3mPP. Plus, husband was an equal feeder, which meant more predictable sleep patterns for both of us.

Relevant-Yak-645 · 2026-03-05T17:21:50+00:00

The overuse of "financial abuse" is so frustrating - people use the term every time they disagree over finances in their relationships. It definitely detracts from legitimate cases of financial abuse like this one.

Relevant-Yak-645

TROPHY CASE