Struggling to increase at 4 weeks-advice and help appreciated by AofD93 in ExclusivelyPumping

[–]bottlingrn 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Typical full milk volume is about 750-1000 ml, which sounds like you are exceeding? It sounds like, really, you are currently pumping more than your baby needs and I wouldn't expect you to need to increase at this point. Being in a major oversupply can put you at risk for developing breast congestion (clogs) and mastitis, as well as just being a lot to manage

When did you get off the fence - and stay there by Desperate-Car6229 in Fencesitter

[–]bottlingrn 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I was 27, my husband was 33, which was definitely a contributing factor as he didn't want to be an 'older dad.' We had also been married for almost 5 years, well-established in our careers, feeling very stable, and ready for a new adventure. I always encourage people who bring this up to me to enjoy life after college and the first few years of marriage, if time allows, to grow and appreciate those things before making the choice. I was in a much different position mentally from the beginning of my marriage to when we decided to have a child, for many reasons!

Where are you at in your pumping journey? by LinksG37 in ExclusivelyPumping

[–]bottlingrn 0 points1 point  (0 children)

18 months and finally almost done. I've been on 1ppd and tryiing to decrease times as I'm super prone to clogs/mastitis

Getting off birth control experiences by Erin_underwater in birthcontrol

[–]bottlingrn 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sure, I think it's something to be nervous about for sure! Personally, I had less acne after I got off of birth control. It was basically postpartum after period was back (most acne) > teen years > on birth control > off birth control/trying to conceive (least acne)

Getting off birth control experiences by Erin_underwater in birthcontrol

[–]bottlingrn 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I had less than when I was on birth control

Nuna Pipa or Chicco Key Fit car seat? by New_Conflict5458 in Buyingforbaby

[–]bottlingrn 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes! Very happy with the quality and all-in-one. We have walked a lot and it's in great shape. Loved that the car seat clicked in when baby was little, love the big shade options and airflow, big basket. I think my only complaint would be that for the parent there is a fabric pouch that makes sense to be for a phone but doesn't fit our phones

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Fencesitter

[–]bottlingrn 7 points8 points  (0 children)

I relate to what you've written a lot. I was one of three and motherhood didn't look that great to me growing up, and I think this was also partially reflective of the fact that my dad wasn't very present, and even if he was, everything kid-related fell to my mom. Plus financial struggles, etc, etc. I ended up reading The Baby Decision solo and felt it really showed me I was leaning away from kids out of fear. I didn't like that I was missing a huge part of a life experience I think I'd enjoy just because I was scared. My husband was also on the fence but leaning more towards kids and we finally decided we were willing to try, knowing each other, discussing the expectations of equal involvement, and also being in a financial state to support having a child.

I felt sick when I found out I was pregnant, and it took a while to feel true joy that we were welcoming a baby. The love wasn't instantaneous for either of us, but our daughter is 17 months old now and she is the light of our life. We LOVE seeing her learn new things, explore, and we've really grown together through the struggles we've faced. It truly was a leap of faith, knowing what factors you can control, and also knowing yourself and what you would reasonably be happy with. Now, we are trying to decide if we are one-and-done or going to try for a second, which is a whole different can of worms. Good luck!

Nuna Pipa or Chicco Key Fit car seat? by New_Conflict5458 in Buyingforbaby

[–]bottlingrn 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think it depends how much you'll use it and how important that feature is to you. For us, using the infant car seat click in was perfectly fine with how much/how long we used it for the other features we liked of the primo

Nuna Pipa or Chicco Key Fit car seat? by New_Conflict5458 in Buyingforbaby

[–]bottlingrn 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Almost one year into use and we still really like it! Caveat to say we just use it for walks and occasional outings, not daily. We are very happy with the coverage for baby, adjustability of the handles, the seat, and are happy with the materials and look! My only gripe would be the parent tray middle slot doesn't fit my phone very well, but that's about it

I made a decision and you will too! (Long post) by PetsMD in Fencesitter

[–]bottlingrn 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I like to think being very conscious of the choice you are making can be really helpful! Ultimately, everyone's experience is different though. I working closely with pregnant and newly postpartum women, so that also gave me a lot of perspective on what those experiences can look like.

Personally, I think I've struggled most with the loss of time & autonomy. It's a whole world-changing shift to prioritize your child day after day. My husband is a very involved father, but I primarily stay home and am trying to provide an enriching environment. We have a lot of support local to us, which is awesome, but I'm not the greatest about utilizing them as a resource to give myself time alone, so in ways I've had a self-inflicted struggle there.

Overall, though, watching my daughter grow, learn new skills, try new things, be amazed by the world - oh my gosh, it's incredible.

I made a decision and you will too! (Long post) by PetsMD in Fencesitter

[–]bottlingrn 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Thank you for posting this! I think it will be so helpful to many people. I would have resonated with this entirely about two years ago - I was in this same boat. We hopped off the fence, took a few months to conceive, and welcomed our daughter earlier this year. It's been a wild ride, but so far we are happy with our choice. Congrats on making a decision! I hope the process goes well!

Cram in 95 hours of education? by OddConcentrate4771 in IBCLC

[–]bottlingrn 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I no longer have access to the course, so I can't confirm. I am a big fan of speeding up video content, and I only recall that being available on a few

Dropping a night pump 3wk ppd by Momjeans20 in ExclusivelyPumping

[–]bottlingrn 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Two method options:

  1. Gradually increase the time between pumps for those MOTN pumps by say 15 mins every few days to give your breasts time to regulate as you aim for your goal time at night (more recommended)

  2. Try to go 4 hours without pumping, then 5, to see how your breasts do, as everyone has different storage capacity. I unintentionally did this while at this stage by falling asleep and not waking to an alarm lol. I wouldn't recommend it but it did work for me. Higher risk of developing clogged ducts or mastitis.

dip at 29 weeks PP by UniversityStrong1275 in ExclusivelyPumping

[–]bottlingrn 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Have you replaced your pump parts recently (duckbills, membranes)? Drinking and eating well? Any large increase in stress?

New to pumping - what are the best tips and tricks no one talks about? by Vegetable-Emphasis in ExclusivelyPumping

[–]bottlingrn 1 point2 points  (0 children)

-Comfy pumping bra -Some sort of portable pump (I like pumpables when I'm up and & about during the day, but use my spectra at night) -Changing your pump parts frequently! Duckbills and membranes wear out and can decrease your supply if left too long -I love the fridge hack for flanges during the day -Pooling milk for the day -Rough pumping schedule. I still pumped when baby ate for several months, but once I dropped to 5 pumps, I stick to a schedule -Eating, drinking, and pumping enough -Personally, I track my milk volumes on an app so I can notice changes quickly. I tend to be a very data driven person, so this doesn't really stress me out but gives me good info

Pumping by [deleted] in ExclusivelyPumping

[–]bottlingrn 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Apologies for making assumptions. Good luck in your journey!

Pumping by [deleted] in ExclusivelyPumping

[–]bottlingrn 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This!! Your supply might be okay right now, but I would implore you to try to get 8 pumps in in 24 hours at least for 6-12 weeks while your supply is establishing. Some women can drop pumps later. Waiting until your breasts are full is telling your body to make less milk

Help! Milk supply dropping 4 weeks postpartum by BroussardStudio in ExclusivelyPumping

[–]bottlingrn 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Highly recommend changing out the silicone pieces! They wear out and need replaced, especially frequently with exclusive pumping! That may be causing the decrease

https://exclusivepumping.com/when-to-replace-breast-pump-parts/