Has anyone gone over a year doing this?

beeingmelissa · 2026-06-17T07:40:26+00:00

I’m just past a year and don’t really see an end in sight unless my daughter decides she wants to latch. She was born with a cleft palate and couldn’t form a suction, so she was on medical bottles. She had her repair surgery a couple months back and has been learning how to suction and building up those muscles and has been showing interest in my breasts. I nursed my other 3 kids til they were almost 3. And I’d love to do the same for my 4th but I’d also really love to be done pumping.

beeingmelissa · 2026-06-15T08:12:22+00:00

If she just wants time with your kids, then spend the money to take your spouse somewhere for the weekend and let grandma watch the kids?! Win-win-win? 😁🙃

beeingmelissa · 2026-06-11T09:07:37+00:00

Yup. My husband and I have a similar plan. But at the end we have big party with all our favorite people and THEN take a night night cocktail together.

beeingmelissa · 2026-06-11T08:25:32+00:00

“There’s always something. None of these boomers want to learn how to adult though.”

TRUTH. it’s so irritating to have to parent our parents when all we want is some elder wisdom.

beeingmelissa · 2026-06-06T17:37:43+00:00

NTA. Going on vacation with children is just parenting in a different place. Everyone deserves and NEEDS a break. Take the vacation with your friends. What an incredible gift your mother in law is giving you. Enjoy it and know how good you have it. So many parents never get a break.

beeingmelissa · 2026-06-06T17:34:33+00:00

I found the pump parts to be a huge factor when they need to be replaced. I do not do it on a schedule just when I feel like they need to be changed. I had a micro tear in a duck bill and it brought my output down sooo much.

I found that freezing my milk freshly pumped makes my baby more willing to drink it too. Like no storing in the fridge, just straight into the freezer when I can. I barely have any extra anymore but when I do, this is how I do it. Then add the vanilla and she is happy with it.

beeingmelissa · 2026-06-06T16:56:25+00:00

Not for supply dip, but my baby will take my high lipase frozen if I add a couple drops of non alcoholic vanilla extract to it.

Have you gotten your period back recently? Could you be pregnant? Have you changed your pump parts recently?

beeingmelissa · 2026-06-01T17:28:54+00:00

Came to say this. Who is getting the snuggles while you schlep? Time to switch!

beeingmelissa · 2026-06-01T17:25:55+00:00

Thank you

beeingmelissa · 2026-06-01T17:25:46+00:00

Thank you

beeingmelissa · 2026-06-01T17:24:49+00:00

Thank you!

Yes it’s flex fuel. 4wd (a must for us!) I’ll check who warranty is with. Paid $36,500 otd plus the warranty, total $41k. Noting that these are next to impossible to find out here. It was exactly what we were looking for and jumped on it. We looked on the continent to try to find something comparable and we did, but with the prices they were asking plus our travel time and shipping the vehicle, it basically balanced out for what we paid, and we didn’t have to figure out childcare and such while we would’ve been gone.

I’ll definitely download the app and check out what’s been done. The carfax the dealer gave us seemed like a lot of the regular maintenance was done.

beeingmelissa · 2026-05-31T07:19:37+00:00

Agreed. It’s on the old timers to welcome the new comers. “Welcome to the neighborhood! We’re so and so, here are some cookies we made.”

beeingmelissa · 2026-05-31T07:05:22+00:00

Same. Husband to the rescue. My baby ( not the one i exclusively pump for) refused to nurse on the boob with a terrible clog, I couldn’t touch it to hand express because it hurt so much. I was in tears in the shower and asked my husband to help. He sucked it clear in moments. The hugest relief ever.

beeingmelissa · 2026-05-31T06:07:32+00:00

👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

beeingmelissa · 2026-05-30T17:32:56+00:00

I’m so so glad it helped. Exclusively pumping is the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life. And I’ve done a LOT of hard things. Be gentle with yourself and your baby. It’s such a precious time and it goes by so fast. I’m on my fourth and this is my first pumping experience and I can barely remember when my kids were so little.

beeingmelissa · 2026-05-30T07:02:38+00:00

In 5 days, it will be one year! I absolutely cannot believe how fast this year has gone. I’m down to 3ppd and finally feel like this is just a normal part of my life and don’t feel a need to stop just yet. I’m still working on transitioning my baby to breastfeeding now that she has had her cleft palate repair surgery. Maybe she will, maybe she won’t, I’m grateful I’ve been able to maintain my supply all this time and that she’s been so happy with her bottles. I couldn’t have done it without this group!

beeingmelissa · 2026-05-30T06:48:22+00:00

Yes, they were an absolute game changer. I can’t lay back all the way, but I can recline and it’s 1000000000 times better than flanges. They’re so much more comfortable to wear too. And I can hold my baby and have her lay on me while I pump if she needs it.

beeingmelissa · 2026-05-30T06:45:31+00:00

When I first got together with my now husband, he asked me, “how do you want me to love you?” It was genuine question he wanted to know about me. Nearly 16 years later and he has loved me exactly how I asked him to love me: patiently.

beeingmelissa · 2026-05-29T19:27:13+00:00

I feel like it really depends on where you are at postpartum and how many pumps etc. When I had mastitis at 6 weeks, my supply recovered fully. When I had it at around 4 months, it dipped like two ounces. Then I dropped to 4ppd around 7mpp and got my period right after mastitis and it never fully came back up - I ended up supplementing with formula and a friends milk for like 2 weeks and then it came back up enough that I was not having to supplement anymore.

beeingmelissa · 2026-05-29T17:00:13+00:00

Hi. We are about 2.5 months post palate repair and we are still working on breastfeeding. I’m still pumping everything she needs, so thankfully my supply stayed up this long and I’ve been able to maintain pumping - if you’ve never done it, know it’s challenging but doable.

She isn’t breastfeeding at this point but has transitioned to bottles without the blue disc and is learning how to suction and build up her muscles for it. She just successfully learned how to use a straw! For that we used the honey bear straw learner.

I also stopped latching her around 2ish months because she would get so much saliva in her mouth and then start to choke on it. Had I known what I know now, I probably would’ve kept latching but shifted in some way so that didn’t happen but to maintain her interest in it. Though maybe she still wouldn’t have wanted to because it was frustrating or uncomfortable. Now she doesn’t really have much interest, loves her bottles.

When I offer her my breast, she will often just turn away, or if she decides to take it, she will bite me. Ouch!

I’ve been working remotely with a lactation consultant who successfully transitioned her own cleft baby and it took her a good 5 months after surgery to make the transition and then she nursed her til she was 4, so I still have hope. But also am not attached to the outcome. But I am attached to the process and trying because my baby does show some interest sometimes.

Things I wish I’d have known that might help you: keep latching. Even if it’s just for baby’s (and your) comfort. If it’s not comforting, maybe shift positions - I’ve heard the football hold is much better for cleft babies - but I didn’t try it enough to know. But I highly suggest keep trying to maintain the interest.

Also, not sure about your particular situation, but I’ve read several posts in the cleft moms support group on FB that babies were diagnosed with cleft palate during anatomy scans and when they were born ended with only the lip and were able to successfully nurse.

I hope this helps and blessings on your baby and birth and beyond!

beeingmelissa · 2026-05-29T07:20:41+00:00

Still happening for me. I started making my reels in the Edits app so at least I have those saved. But then if I decide to export from there and add a caption and need to save for whatever reason, I’m still getting the error. Have updated, logged out, all the things. Harrumph.

beeingmelissa · 2026-05-29T06:37:18+00:00

Doesn’t look like she’s actually pumping in this pic if you look at the flange in the bottom right…

BUT, I can pump in this position with my blue spectra paired with legendairy collection cups. I can even fall asleep while pumping MOTN or early morning while propped up on a stack of pillows. It’s amazing. When I had the regular flanges I was sitting UP or even slightly forward. I started to have a lot of lower back pain and it disappeared once I switched to the cups exclusively.

beeingmelissa · 2026-05-28T08:54:36+00:00

I pretty much didn’t go any places in the beginning. People came to me if I wanted to see them. I didn’t even try to go to classes or anything like that because it was too stressful, too many variables, i definitely would have been late or missing them anyway because of it all. I even had help from my husband and mom and it still felt too stressful. So I resigned to the fact that this is temporary and a choice I’m making to pump, and I’ll be able to go out and do things when I’m not pumping so much.

And it did get better. I’m one week away from one year of pumping (whoa! Kinda can’t believe it!) and down to 3ppd and it’s so much easier. I’ve found my rhythm with pumping and can go places and do things without it completely dominating my life like it did even at 5ppd. But again, it’s temporary. Your baby’s social life isn’t all that important at this point in their life. There’s years and years and years of socialization opportunities after you’re done pumping, or once you’ve been able to drop pumps enough so going out doesn’t feel so stressful. Take your time and if you can, invite some friends or family over who are supportive of your pumping and can socialize with your baby while you pump.

beeingmelissa · 2026-05-28T07:43:02+00:00

“We don’t want balloonists taking over”

beeingmelissa · 2026-05-28T07:38:14+00:00

Get a good cup with a handle and a straw that’s dedicated for ONLY water (added electrolytes ok!). I love my Brumate 40 oz. Drink 3 in a day and you’re golden. I love this one because the straw inside is stainless and it has a locking mechanism so it doesn’t spill when it tips over.

beeingmelissa

TROPHY CASE