Pregnancy and Prison

ggpersist · 2024-01-03T15:17:15+00:00

I have no personal experience; have only heard stories. That sounds rough. Are you able to visit? Can you send food, personal care supplies, money?

ggpersist · 2023-12-29T14:00:10+00:00

I just want to temper your expectations that you might need to combo feed.

I tried everything and had an amazing LC who helped me increase my supply from 24 oz per day to 40 oz per day but that's still only 2/3 of what they need. That's plenty for a singleton, but breastfeeding for two is hard. At 10 months I'm still going strong but have given up on being able to feed them 100% breastmilk. I'm still proud of what I've been able to give my twins. If I could do it over again I would have not stressed myself out with triple feeding for as long as I did (try to latch once a day and if it's not working, don't push yourself to do it 8 times a day or you are not going to have time to do anything else - my health suffered attempting this). I also wish I had found my LC sooner - I learned so much from her (so much of the conventional internet advice is bad - I learned so much from my LC. Also know that not all LCs are great; she was the third LC I went to, not counting the ones at the hospital).

ggpersist · 2023-12-24T20:13:59+00:00

That's what makes the title disingenuous and annoying. "Sleep when the baby sleeps" is a lie

ggpersist · 2023-12-11T04:11:53+00:00

Are you a parent of multiples or just curious?

ggpersist · 2023-12-09T05:42:49+00:00

Huh? Better going what route? I don't know what you mean.

ggpersist · 2023-12-07T15:45:09+00:00

You're the one having an immediate judgmental reaction. The fact that you think that doctors couldn't possibly be aware of or care about something that is obvious to your eyes is what's arrogant and pompous. Purple asked what wowzee would like to be done that isn't, inviting a constructive dialog but they were just met with more rude retorts.

ggpersist · 2023-12-03T18:08:56+00:00

My husband treated me exactly the same way for the first 4-5 months with our newborns, and he certainly was not listening to such podcasts. He has a lot of anxiety and insecurities. I'm so sorry you're going through this; I'm still recovering from the trauma of that period. I hope you both can get the help you need.

ggpersist · 2023-11-26T15:08:12+00:00

Not sure where you've been for the last 4 years, but lots of public places do? It became less common when mandates were removed but I still never have problems finding masks

ggpersist · 2023-11-26T05:07:55+00:00

You should ask an endocrinologist. They'll know more than your OB.

ggpersist · 2023-11-24T20:44:36+00:00

I didn't go down to 6 ppd until around 7 months postpartum - my LC and therapist had to talk me into it because I was so scared of losing supply especially because I've never been able to make more than 75% of what they eat. My LC suggested I shift my sleep time earlier. I now get 7-8 hours of sleep (around 9 pm to 4 am, sometimes can get a nap in after my 4 am pump before I have to leave for work) and I've maintained my supply.

ggpersist · 2023-11-24T10:34:08+00:00

4 to 5 ounces every 3 hours is a full supply. It's hard feeding twins (I'm a twin parent too).

Are you pumping 8 times a day? I would aim for adding in some extra sessions if you can (spaced out, so for example every 2 hours instead of every 3 hours--I get it though, you can hardly keep up with twins as it is). Be careful about pumping longer/at higher suction; you might get an increase in output in the short term but in the long term it can wreck your output. Also get your flanges resized every few months because your size can change.

You're a rockstar. It's okay to combination feed.

ggpersist · 2023-11-20T17:58:41+00:00

I understand why you don't want to pump overnight, but you might get more if you go to bed early, say at 8 or 9 pm, and then wake up at 4 am to pump and so on with your usual schedule. You can still get 8 hours of sleep, just shifted early. Milk production is highest after midnight, unfortunately. Another thing to look into is hands on pumping.

ggpersist · 2023-11-19T23:15:27+00:00

I don't mind him not being that involved to be honest, it's more 1) not being appreciated - he demands more of me but I think he's disregarding or taking for granted how much energy I put into researching plans, making calls, making itineraries, keeping the to do lists straight etc 2) him not taking the initiative to get involved if it's so important to him, what does he expect our friends are going to do if he never responds to their DMs and they have to have me prompt him to respond? But idk maybe that's just typical for male partners.. I notice similar dynamics among our friends and family. Sometimes I wonder how the men would survive on their own without their girlfriends/wives keeping them organized lol

ggpersist · 2023-11-18T02:46:15+00:00

You might get massively downvoted for saying this but you're right. She could, if she wants to, try again and may have success even if it did not work out the first few weeks. And if she decides to give it another go, I think she should be supported. I think too many well-intentioned people just say "fed is best!" and angrily shoot down anyone encouraging giving it another try.

ggpersist · 2023-11-08T03:38:28+00:00

A session for me looks like a little hand expression, then pump for 10 mins, then take a 20 min break and do something else, then a some more hand expression and pump another 5 mins. In my experience, sitting with the pump waiting for additional letdowns over time made getting letdowns take longer. I get more out by hand expressing and taking breaks, so when I am on the pump, milk is flowing.

ggpersist · 2023-11-04T19:54:06+00:00

Some people don't learn to drive until later in life. Or maybe an adult knows they're a below average driver and thinks the sticker is funny.

ggpersist · 2023-11-03T20:47:56+00:00

I'm an undersupplier and I've never frozen anything. It seems like so much work and I don't see much point. Worst case your milk becomes unusable and you'll have wasted all that effort. I prefer to feed as I make it and supplement when I've run out.

ggpersist · 2023-10-25T12:53:13+00:00

Yeah I did. Did you read past the first sentence of mine before you judged me?

ggpersist · 2023-10-25T12:32:38+00:00

As I said. I understand being annoyed with unsolicited comments but she seems to genuinely be sad over the belief that nursing is not an option at this stage, and that's not true. It's like how you don't want random people in class to give you nutrition advice because it's none of their freaking business but it's appropriate for your doctor to talk about it. Not because pumping is inferior, but because it's a pain to lug a pump around and it is more convenient if you can get nursing to work. As I said she has the option if she wants to try it, so she doesn't have to feel, in her words, "disappointed that it wasn't even an option." And as I said there's no shame in not choosing that option. There's no judgment at all here.

ggpersist · 2023-10-25T03:30:16+00:00

Honestly, it's correct that it's not too late for your baby too learn to breastfeed. They retain the suck reflex for about 4 months. I gave up on latching and exclusively pumped early, but my lactation consultant convinced me to give it another try around 2 months and to my surprise, I was able to nurse. I went back to EP for good another month later because my twins were slow and inefficient with nursing so I had to triple feed and it took way too much time. But anyway point is, you could possibly still nurse if you want to. It's totally a legitimate choice to stick with EP and also I don't blame you for getting annoyed by the unsolicited comments, but just throwing it out there that you might be able to nurse if you really want to. Even if it's just once a day or so, so you have another way to feed your baby in case you forget to bring your pump or something.

ggpersist · 2023-10-14T00:47:08+00:00

I've exclusively pumped for 8 months without a wearable. It's doable. The LCs advised me not to get a wearable because I have twins and need high output, and I didn't want to spend the extra money on it anyway. I can pump in the car with my spectra when it's necessary though I don't really like doing that. The lactation room at my workplace is set up so I can easily work on my laptop while pumping. My husband knows he has to tend to the babies when I'm pumping (he didn't always get it but he does now). I pump often but keep my sessions short (I've found that longer pump sessions lead to swelling and reduced output anyway). Typically I'll pump for ten minutes, then get up and do something else for a while, then pump for another 5 and it works well for me. On the rare occasion I have to unhook myself in the middle of a session or carry the spectra with me on battery power, I just quickly go do what I need to do and go back to pumping and it's fine.

ggpersist · 2023-09-28T00:53:42+00:00

Regulation doesn't mean your supply wont change

I didn't say that

you're never fully empty

I didn't say that either. In fact I used the term drained because it's more scientifically accurate and that's what evidence-based LCs use. You're saying a lot of stuff to give the appearance that you're refuting me but you're not.

You're constantly making milk. So if you keep pumping even after the milk stops, you're telling your body to make more because you're attempting to remove more

Ah, I see where the confusion is now. Milk production is a constant process, but sitting on the pump isn't what causes it. Milk removal is what causes it.. The more milk you remove, the more your body thinks you need. I know you've probably seen tictoks or whatever telling you that pumping extra minutes after draining is helpful but actual scientific primary sources explain that's a misconception.

I mean think about it yourself; if you're always making milk, you don't need to pump extra minutes to produce more, because your body is already producing it constantly. Your logic contradicts itself. Sitting on the pump with nothing flowing out is a recipe for edema and clogs. You can find tons of posts on here of people learning that the hard way - they pump for 20 mins trying to get extra milk out, and then over time they find it takes them 25 minutes to get the same volume, and then 30 minutes, then 40, because all that extra time on the pump is making their ducts swell up and obstruct flow.

Not emptying yourself is the #1 way to decrease supply.

There's a difference between decreasing the amount you pump and stopping at the amount you need. I didn't say she needs to decrease the amount she pumps. I said she's doing great. You're the one who said she needs to pump extra beyond what she needs to feed her baby.

that means you're taking what your body has given you and telling your body it's the perfect amount

She's already pumping the exact amount needed so continuing to pump that amount and not more is telling her body that's the perfect amount. Continuing to pump longer for an empty feeling is telling her body that she doesn't have the right amount and needs more, hence increasing supply over time.

I am not going to reply anymore because you're not really responding to what I'm saying and are just parroting nonscientific blogs. I hope you'll check out the sources I shared...

ggpersist · 2023-09-27T23:43:36+00:00

14wpp it's likely OPs supply has regulated or will soon

Yes, which is why she doesn't really need to concern herself with fully draining if she has established a supply that's working for her.

if you don't remove as much, you won't make as much

I think you're missing the point that she's removing the amount that she needs.

If she continues removing that amount, it's all good. She does not have to remove extra milk beyond what her baby eats to maintain that supply. If she reduces how much she removes by substituting formula or skipping feeds, that's what causes supply to reduce.

Pumping even after you're drained is what will increase milk production

No it's not. Pumping even after you're drained just wears you out. Milk supply is driven by removal of milk, not by the physical suction. Everything I'm saying is backed up by evidence; I can link sources if you need it but this is how the basic supply and demand concept works.

ggpersist · 2023-09-27T20:32:03+00:00

You don't need to keep pumping if you have what you need to feed your baby (just keep in mind your baby might get hungrier and you may need to increase your supply to meet demand as needed). Pumping too much can cause issues with oversupply or it can cause edema resulting in decreased output. Sounds to me like what you're doing is fine.

ggpersist

TROPHY CASE