July 2019 Moms

Breastfeeding & Pumping Questions & Support Thread

1356

Re: Breastfeeding & Pumping Questions & Support Thread

  • @1stbabe719 I stay at home with my babes so kind of similar. I ended up pumping some with each of mine for different reasons. My first ended up using all the pumped milk when I decided to coach a couple days a week and my hubby did bedtime. It was also nice to be able to hand off night duties on the weekend on occasion. My second refused a bottle once he was discharged from the NICU and adjusted to the breast. So I ended up donating several hundred ounces and still have several hundred in my freezer. I'd suggest getting a Haakaa (or a similar knock off). It's a small silicone pump that you attach to the opposite breast you are feeding from. It catches your letdown, which would most likely be coming out anyway, so you aren't wasting any milk, but you aren't causing an oversupply. This *should* get you a nice little stash going without too much effort.  I'd also say to get the insurance pump because you never know what may come up and if you'll need it. It's nice to have it just in case! 
  • CbeanzCbeanz member
    edited February 2019
    @1stbabe719 I'd recommend a manual pump like the Medela Harmony. It's a simple design, easy to clean, and perfect for occasional pumping. No cords, no batteries. I love mine! Plus they're inexpensive so great to have around even if you end up getting an electric.

    ETA: If you can pump ~ 2-3 extra ounces a day, and freeze a 6oz bag every other day, you'll build up a nice stash for babysitters in no time!
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  • @1stbabe719 I work from home and have baby with me 95% of the time, but I still pumped a few times a week. It was always nice to have  small freezer stash whether I wanted to run errands by myself for a few hours or DH and I wanted to go grab dinner and the grandparents watched baby. 

    I second @Cbeanz suggestion for a manual pump. That’s all I used with my second and it was all I needed. I will be ordering a pump from insurance this time because I work out of the house 2 days a week so I’ll probabkt need to pump a bit more with this one than my first two babies. 
    Lilypie Pregnancy tickers
  • @ccmama3 yes, I saw a YouTube’er suggest using something to catch the letdown so totally getting something for that. Where did you donate your extra too? If I do produce extra I wouldn’t mind sharing. @Cbeanz & @nolemomma14 having the manual available makes a lot of sense. Thank you for the advice.
  • @1stbabe719 I donated to a friend of a friend who wanted to give her adopted daughter breastmilk. But there is an organization called Human Milk for Human Babies that I follow on fb in case I have extra extra lol. There are groups specific to your area/state. 
  • Has anyone used an Ardo breast pump? 
  • @1stbabe719, I second the manual pump if you're intention is just to make a little extra for sitters/partner/etc. Electric pumps can cause some women's supply to skyrocket, which is what happens to me. Then I have huge oversupply and clogged ducts. With a manual, you can get a few oz and release a little pressure when you're engorged. I don't leak anything from my "unused" side, so the Haakaa wasn't something I was able to use. 
    Momma to Amelia Marie (7/14) and Austin Samuel (11/17). Adding baby (girl) #3 on 7/21  <3
  • For those who built a freezer stash, how did you best organize it? I ended up with so much milk in our deep freezer, I didn't know how to store it so it made sense when it came time to use it. I was freezing it flat, and then tossing them in plastic grocery bags. I probably had 10 grocery bags filled with milk, pseudo sorted by how old the milk was. Is there a better way of doing it?
    Momma to Amelia Marie (7/14) and Austin Samuel (11/17). Adding baby (girl) #3 on 7/21  <3
  • @ameliabedelia-2 I dated them on the label, froze them flat, then stood them up in rectangular plastic totes from Target. Not too different from you. 

    I donated to the state milk bank 5 or 6 times and they were particular about dates so I had to stay pseudo organized. That also cleared space in my freezer every month too.
  • @cbeanz, I wonder if they will take milk with excess lipase?  I have had to scald and then freeze my milk for either of my kids to drink it (the lipase just changes the smell/flavor, not the nutritional value). Scalding does something to help prevent those changes from happening. I'd be happy to donate, but there is ZERO chance I am going to scald milk for donations, it's just wayyyyyy too time consuming. I bet there are babies fed through tubes though, or ones that wouldn't mind the taste...
    Momma to Amelia Marie (7/14) and Austin Samuel (11/17). Adding baby (girl) #3 on 7/21  <3
  • @ameliabedelia-2 Breast milk donated to milk banks is typically pasteurized, so it's possible they might not ask or care. 
  • @ameliabedelia-2 I froze milk flat and put it into large ziplock bags by dates...I always put the newest on the bottom and had the oldest on top so I knew what to use first. I had a bin in the deep freezer to keep the newest milk organized until I had enough to fill up a ziplock bag. 
  • @ameliabedelia-2 They pasteurize the milk and most goes to NICUs where many are fed though tubes so I think you're right that taste won't matter. There was a screening interview to become a donor so you could always mention it but I really doubt lipase is an issue. Plus it sounds like you had a great supply if you had multiple grocery bags full!
  • @ameliabedelia-2 I also have high lipase milk. I donated mine to a friend of a friend but am also on Human Milk for Human Babies for my area. I just let the person know I am donating to about the lipase and let them say yes or no. Most still take it. I don't scald mine either. I think like the others said you could still donate through a milk bank with no issue!
    As far as organization, I did the individual milk bags, froze them flat, then put them in gallon freezer bags. I labeled the large bags by date and how many ounces so I could keep track of it all. I still have a few hundred ounces in the freezer lol because my babe won't take a bottle. They stack pretty well in the deep freezer! I stand them up vs laying them flat.
  • Whats lipase?
  • @sarac986 it's an enzyme that breaks down the fats in your milk. If you have high lipase it can make your milk smell/taste soapy.
  • msimimsimi member
    For moms who pumped: did any of you store your pumped milk in bottles as opposed to the plastic breast milk storage bags? If so, any feedback on bottles you liked/didn't like? I'd like to avoid the bags if possible and am looking for something that I can pump into directly and then store (either in the fridge or freezer).
  • @msimi my insurance covered a medela pump so I pumped into medela bottles. I only used bags for the milk going into the freezer. If you want to pump into bottles I’d probably pay attention to which bottles are compatible with your pump.
  • I was able to have a pretty large stock pile in my freezer with the storage bags.  It could potentially be a large expense to store in bottles in your freezer.  Then I'd also check on the bottles being freezer compatible as well.  
  • @msimi You can store breastmilk in the fridge up to 5 days, so depending on your production, you could just store it in bottles in the fridge. I would pump directly into bottles and store in the fridge, but my supply was low and everything got used within the day. I wonder if there are any guidelines for freezing milk and the amount of air in the storage receptacle, since bottles would have a lot and bags (plastic or silicone) would have very little to none. 
  • lilyeriksenlilyeriksen member
    edited April 2019
    Lurking from May 2019 ...

    Re: an option to pump directly into bottles.  I used the Kiinde system for 13 months of pumping for my daughter.  You pump in to their bags and then the bags become the bottles.  The bags are disposable once they’ve been used, so that’s a consideration, but it was very convenient for us.  No pouring milk from bag to bottle and no cleaning bottles every night.  You can use any pump - I had the Medela through insurance.
  • The Kiinde system starter kit was mentioned above, and it’s on sale today on amazon! I ordered one to try out when baby gets here! 

    https://www.amazon.com/Kiinde-Breast-Storage-Twist-Starter/dp/B00CXSPL24/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?keywords=kiinde+twist&qid=1555267850&s=gateway&sr=8-4
    Lilypie Pregnancy tickers
  • @nolemamma14 I want that! Totally gonna have to put it in on the registry though. I just don’t have the dollar bills. 

    I’m glad it works with all pumps. My insurance covers several. So far I’m going between the Spectra S1 and the Medela Advanced. 

    I do have big boobs but from what I can tell that’s adjustable. 
  • @leylea89 bit of advice, the medela advanced is an open system and the spectra is a closed system. I got a MISA this time around and I’m bummed I didn’t get the spectra considering the above info. I just don’t want to have to worry about milk getting back into the pump and causing mold/mildew. I’d look a little into this before you make your decision! 

    <3 Boden Gray 8-13-16
    <3 BB Girl Expected 7-10-19 

  • @mamahmh2 thank you! I didn’t know that. I’ve been looking at pumps and I saw that info on the Spectra but there was no mention of the opposite on the Medela. That alone made my decision easier.
  • @leylea89 yay, glad I could help! I used a spectra with my last and really loved it!

    <3 Boden Gray 8-13-16
    <3 BB Girl Expected 7-10-19 

  • Sorry if this has been addressed already - my insurance will cover a single breast pump but if I want the "deluxe" one (double) I have to pay the difference. STMs is it worth it? I feel like a single would take forever!
  • @quinniebear I would say it depends how often you plan to pump.  If you’re going to be pumping a lot, especially at work, I’d go with the double to get done faster.
  • @quinniebear if you feel like there’s a chance you’re going to end up pumping exclusively, I’d say absolutely go with the double! It’ll save you half the time. 

    <3 Boden Gray 8-13-16
    <3 BB Girl Expected 7-10-19 

  • @quinniebear yes go for the double, it’s a matter of 10-15 min vs 20-30 min for a pumping session. Whether you’re at home with baby or at work it can make a huge difference in time management. 
  • acgxacgx member
    What do y'all think about breastfeeding classes? I had planned to do one, but then found out we have a wedding to go to on the day we'd signed up for the class. When I asked to switch into a different class, I found out that they're all full 'til August, so not super useful. 🙄 I'm disappointed, but feel like it's probably fine. The hospital has lactation consultants and the nurses help too. Does that seem sufficient or do y'all think the classes are important??
  • @acgx I think that the breastfeeding classes can be an invaluable source of info that helps to save you from a lot of the frustration that early days of breastfeeding can cause. They teach you about techniques, timing, common issues, solutions, pumping, bottles, pacis, etc. If you do not have time for a full class, I would suggest setting up for a prenatal breastfeeding consultation with a local lactation consultant. You may be able to find one covered by your insurance plan and often, if you have an established relationship, after the baby is born it's quite easy to setup a postpartum checkin (often at your home) to see how things are going and if they are difficult, develop a realistic and supportive action plan. 
  • @acgx I took a class and now looking back, I feel like breastfeeding is a learn as you go. There are LC's in the hospital that help a ton. I bet you can look up some info online to get the basics. I think you will be okay though! 
  • @acgx I would highly recommend reading the la lache league book, especially if you can’t attend a class. It really helped me to understand milk production and the things that can have long-term impacts on production (like skipping a night feed for DH to give a bottle early on, using nipple shields, c-sections...). I had a ECS which meant I needed to be an even stronger advocate for myself to get everything kicked off well and I was so happy to have the book on my kindle to refer to!! I re-read many parts at different points along my journey and will reread again this time!!
  • @acgx do some reading yourself, Kelly mom and the Le Leche League websites have amazing articles to help get you started. Also make sure you take full advantage of the LC while you are in the hospital. They've always given me the number to their 24/7  hotline for help as well as done a few follow up calls just to see how everything was going. You could also look to see if their are any BFing/momma groups local to you for extra help if needed as well. While I'm sure BFing classes can be helpful, I don't think they are absolutely necessary. 


    Wife. Boy mom x6. Expecting #7. Wannabe homesteader.
    , 💙💙💙💙💙💙
  • I never had any diagnoses of problems, but I always felt like I never made enough. My boys were so hungry all the time and I felt like a shit mom for like the first month until my mom convinced me to supplement. There's no shame in getting help. 
  • So i was just reading our new insurance documents (yes, i'm procrastinating that much!) The documents state: 
    Breastfeeding pumps purchased overthe-counter are limited to $500 per pregnancy. The plan participant is responsible for submitting the claim to the Claims Administrator for reimbursement. I need to call them to confirm, but to me it sounds like that means i get up to $500 for the breast pump.  That really makes me lean towards the willow.  I do worry that it's a lot of plastic because it's small 4oz bags that I have to purchase from Willow--not sure if i want to do that or not.  The office i'm in is private but sound carries far! I knew the last person who used this office, her neighbors could hear her pump every time.  

    I read earlier post that we had one person with a friend that used it--anyone else know someone who has tried it?
  • So I'm 31 weeks pregnant wity my third. My right breast is starting to feel like I have a clogged duct. I've only ever experienced this once, and it was after I was nursing my second for over a year I think. Are warm compresses and massaging enough? I've also NEVER been able to express milk or leaked at all while pregnant and a few times I've felt a little wetness there during the night and have gotten a few drops out. I'm thinking it's because it's only been about a year since I stopped nursing. I'm hoping this doesn't mean I'll have more issues this time😔
  • @kingdommom I saw this really neat hack with a bowl of warm water and epsom salt and just soaking your boob in it gently pulls/draws out the clog. If you have a Haakaa you can also fill that with warm water/salt mix... saw it on YouTube. 
    Maybe this may help if it gets bad enough. Hope you feel better soon xx 

    <3 Boden Gray 8-13-16
    <3 BB Girl Expected 7-10-19 

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