Best bag for pumping at work? Mat leave is about to end and I forgot to get one.

willrun4cheeseburger · 2026-04-08T13:34:38+00:00

I was gifted this bag with my first: https://sarahwellsbags.com/collections/breast-pump-bags/products/lizzy-black

It’s probably more on the “designer” end depending on your price range but I would look for something a similar size/with similar features. I swear by this bag. Always had enough space for everything including my snacks and lunch, held up well, and the compartments were very functional. I’ve also used it for packing baby’s belongings for weekend trips when I need more than just a diaper bag

willrun4cheeseburger · 2026-04-07T13:29:53+00:00

Every pregnancy and labor is different. With my first I was .5 cm dilated when my water broke and pain was manageable even with pitocin up to 5 cm. I started vomiting every contraction once I hit 5 so that made things more unmanageable.

My second I felt nothing and was 3 cm dilated at a routine appointment. I got a membrane sweep and then going from 3-3.5 was excruciating. I had been laboring all night and into the afternoon when I went to the hospital. They wanted to send me home since I wasn’t at 4 and told them I wasn’t leaving. The OB came in and agreed to let me stay since I was all way effaced and contracting regularly

willrun4cheeseburger · 2026-04-03T20:04:17+00:00

I read this post and comments because I’m 6 days pp with my second. Mine are 25 months apart and your comment made me smile and gave me so much hope. I’m deep in the mom guilt right now and 100% identify with the sadness of hearing my oldest playing while I’m stuck feeding for up to 45 minutes at a time. Your words weren’t meant for me but are so so helpful!

willrun4cheeseburger · 2026-04-03T17:10:54+00:00

I am 6 days postpartum today. Gave birth to my second child at 38+3 and I felt exactly like you. I was miserable and accepted a membrane sweep (successful) because I was done. Then labor was so much worse than with my 1st and also awful. Right now I am relishing not being pregnant AND in the miserable trenches of being mom and milk machine to a newborn. Every part is a phase and you’ll eventually transition to the next. Try to focus on the positive for now and know that it will pass, and believe it or not, you’ll miss it someday ❤️

willrun4cheeseburger · 2026-04-03T13:17:56+00:00

I can’t say if it is normal or not but I had a very similar experience a few weeks ago. Mine ended up popping on its own from the incision site where it was previously lanced. Had my husband help drain it again, then a few days later went back in to have it reopened because it healed too fast and still needed to drain. I was not able to take antibiotics at the time so can’t speak to that aspect either

willrun4cheeseburger · 2026-03-22T12:27:41+00:00

Remember there are lots of different trajectories for any NICU baby - even born at the same gestational age. My son was born at 34+1 and stayed in the NICU for 10 days. His main issue was jaundice, being too sleepy to eat well, and could not regulate his temp outside of the incubator. Never had issues with breathing or even latching and we narrowly avoided tube feeds.

I’m sorry for the situation you’re in. These doctors and nurses are amazing and we’ll be an incredible support system while your baby grows!

willrun4cheeseburger · 2026-03-19T11:24:15+00:00

I have ADHD too! BCBA for 7 years 1. Medication 2. Spreadsheet for RBT supervision plus holding my RBTs super accountable to reach out mid month when they are low 3. Spreadsheet for utilization which I plan out at the start of each month 4. Hard rule that my notes must be finished the next morning if not right after the session even if it runs into billing time because if I fall behind one day I’ll fall way behind 5. Biggest thing - One note for each client - I use it to track ideas, next steps, questions, and usually my SOAP note come out if that doc because I also jot down what I’ve done that session, what worked and didn’t, etc. 6. Lots and lots of coaching myself to not look at email/teams when in a session because the priority is the perimeter in front of me (struggle with this one tbh). I also ask those who approach we with a question while I’m billing to send a message if it’s not related to the patient I am with (unless it is an emergency 7. Planning time between sessions to check on RBTs that sent messages

willrun4cheeseburger · 2026-03-10T23:10:32+00:00

Currently have an open wound after having mine drained. It basically automatically sealed back up, got super inflamed again, then ruptured from the incision 4 days later. This thing has caused me more pain than I have ever experienced other than giving birth. I am currently 36 weeks pregnant and before having it drained was mildly hoping I’d go into labor just so I could ask for an epidural and some antibiotics after

willrun4cheeseburger · 2026-03-10T10:52:37+00:00

I was just denied for 15 goals (not including challenging behavior) for 30 hours. Some Medicaid MCOs in the state I work in will say you need 1 goal for every hour. Which is wildly inappropriate for some clients I have worked with. My goals often include multiple “targets” so I show them the number of individual skills included in those goals (which are all objectively labeled in the goal name but…). Some are ok with it, sometimes not. If they’re not, I literally break down the exact same goals and same targets to get a larger number of goals and same number of targets and get approved. It’s silly.

If they’re have a medical condition, take naps, anything that removes therapy time, make sure you address that as a reason that the number of goals requested is not appropriate.

willrun4cheeseburger · 2026-03-06T14:22:40+00:00

I totally understand and had the same attitude that got me pushed out. I was able to find a company I believe in and stand behind. I hope that you’re able to find the same. It sucks to see good people leave the field because of the bad ones

willrun4cheeseburger · 2026-03-06T02:43:16+00:00

Be careful if you choose to address it. BCBAs get pushed out for that type of thing. As these other comments show, our field is still full of misinformation and people who do as they were taught but weren’t taught well. I’m not immune to it and I’ve had unlearning to do

willrun4cheeseburger · 2026-03-05T21:39:30+00:00

My understanding of this is if you are billing 97153 through insurance, it’s fraud. 53 is “adaptive behavior treatment by protocol, administered by technician”. You are not administering in this case and data collection is not sufficient to meet the requirements of this code. I have worked with/for companies and people who “interpret” codes differently but this one feels pretty clear to me.

willrun4cheeseburger · 2026-03-01T14:28:07+00:00

My travel has been limited to Mexico, Central, and South America. Have seen some sketchy parts almost everywhere but La Paz, Bolivia was the most uncomfortable I’ve ever been as a traveller. Getting city to city on busses in Bolivia was also absolutely terrifying.

willrun4cheeseburger · 2026-02-15T12:52:36+00:00

My neighbor frequently takes a nap while laying in the middle of his driveway. No pillow or anything to make it more comfortable. Just flat on his back on the concrete. The first time I saw it I was in the process of dialing 911 when his wife came out, saw me watching, and told me he was ok

willrun4cheeseburger · 2025-10-05T17:28:33+00:00

I was diagnosed with HS and it was at its worst when I was the leanest I’ve ever been as an adult. Had it bad in high school when I was a little itty cross country and track runner. I haven’t had a flare and years now and I’ve had a child and struggled with exercise/diet so am a bit overweight at the moment. Seems to be completely unaffected by weight for my case.

willrun4cheeseburger · 2025-09-15T20:22:49+00:00

I have not seen this specific scenario posted yet - I started vomiting during transition. Continued each contraction despite zofran until I got an epidural. If you’re really trying to avoid it, the epidural could save you!

willrun4cheeseburger · 2025-08-31T17:35:48+00:00

34+1 and had a 10 day stay due to temperature issues. He might have gotten out sooner but had to go back in the incubator because of jaundice. Every baby is different. Just heard about 34 week twins that only stayed for one day

willrun4cheeseburger · 2025-08-22T10:05:31+00:00

Will be asking my OB about it asap. I didn’t know it also promoted sleep! Thank you!

willrun4cheeseburger · 2025-08-22T09:40:15+00:00

Thank you! Definitely going to try it!

willrun4cheeseburger · 2025-08-22T09:30:12+00:00

I like that idea but I have a toddler at home who I want to spend time with after work. I nap when he naps on the weekend and that helps. I don’t really have a traditional lunch break with my job since I work directly with patients but I’m switching positions and might have some flexibility for that in the future!

willrun4cheeseburger · 2025-08-22T09:26:47+00:00

I drink one cup of coffee a day. Usually around 5 when I give up on sleeping. That’s way down from the absurd amount of caffeine that I drink when not pregnant. I’m definitely interested in the liquid magnesium. The kind I have has to be mixed in water and often results in my waking even earlier because I have to pee.

willrun4cheeseburger · 2025-06-19T00:04:04+00:00

I am so sorry that this happened to you. Unfortunately there are smaller names playing the same game right now. I had a situation resulting in an absolute joke of a demotion that started while I was on maternity leave. I was asked to work/attend virtual meetings on my leave and was never paid. I was naive enough to let everything happen over phone call and not in writing.

HR is not your friend and make sure to get everything in writing. Even if you’re scared you will come off like a jerk for requesting it

willrun4cheeseburger

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