EP thread - 2.13.17

jennbaylor12 · February 2017

How long have you been EP'ing?

What is your current EP goal?

What is your biggest challenge this week?

Rants/Raves/Questions?

Toller · February 2017

How long have you been EP'ing?9 weeks

What is your current EP goal? ideally a year (ha- that will NEVER happen, but when I thought we'd be nursing that was my goal). So updated goal will be 6 months.

What is your biggest challenge this week? #of pumps per day. I just am not having time to fit them all in and have been hovering around 6 per day, and now my supply is varying down by 5-10ounces. Not sure if it is related to the fewer pumps or its stress/self care issues.

Rants/Raves/Questions?
I'm so over this already. my MOTN pumps take about an hour, which is really hard.

jennbaylor12 · February 2017

How long have you been EP'ing?
10.5 weeks

What is your current EP goal?
I'm not sure.... originally I was planning on BF'ing and pumping for daycare, then I had to EP. The original goal was nothing but breastmilk for at least 3mths and I'll def make that now so I'm reconsidering what my next goal will/should be or if I should just go with the flow

What is your biggest challenge this week?
I go back to work tomorrow. So.... getting up early enough to pump and get me and LO out the door, pumping at work, and all that all of that entails

Rants/Raves/Questions?
Rave - I'm really proud of myself for having the 500oz frozen before heading back to work!
Rant - I really don't know where I want to go from here with the EP'ing and it's driving me batty!

Christinaruth74 · February 2017

How long have you been EP'ing?

approx 6 weeks

What is your current EP goal?

keep going for as long as I can! I'd like to stick it out for a year

What is your biggest challenge this week?

figuring out production. I think I may be dealing with an oversupply issue which is ok right now as I am bagging and freezing any excess, but it could become an issue once we run out of freezer space. Sometimes it feels like no sooner do I pump that my boobs are filling up again.

Rants/Raves/Questions?

I was worried that dropping a MOTN pump session would decrease my supply, but so far it seems to have increased it. I wake up with sore boobs, but this morning I pumped 12oz whereas I typically pump around 5oz per session right now.

Have any of you invested in a deep freezer specifically for your BM supply? if yes, do you have one you recommend? with my supply increasing I am thinking it might be time to start considering one...

cjt121413 · February 2017

@Christinaruth74 I've thought about buying a freezer for BM, but I'm not sure we will. Still trying to figure out where we'd put it. I'm interested to hear recommendations too

How long have you been EP'ing?
7ish weeks

What is your current EP goal?
still kind of taking it day by day.

What is your biggest challenge this week?
Getting ready to go back to work next week.

also, I've been trying to increase my supply a bit by power pumping, drinking more water and Gatorade, and eating lactation cookies.

Rants/Raves/Questions?
Rant - my efforts to increase supply don't seem to be doing much. Has anyone here done power pumping? If so, how long did it take you to see results?

paulpaw · February 2017

I constantly deal with lack of freezer space issues. We have a second fridge in the garage, the entire freezer part is full of BM. I have all available space inside full and even some in my moms fridge. I struggle with buying a freezer just for BM when we already have the second fridge. I have around 1800 oz frozen and no end in sight and am not quite sure what to do going forward.

Toller · February 2017

@Christinaruth74 yep we bought one just for breastmilk! You can get a smaller deep freezer for not too much $$ and they are so energy efficient these days. Never regretted it! And this time we bought one with a lock so that it doesn't accidentally open and ruin it all- super paranoid about that!

yellingbanana · February 2017

@LandJ13 that's freaking amazing!!! I wish I had that much in storage!

@Christinaruth74 when Lucas started sleeping more at night and only waking up once or twice, my boobs were super sore and full for about a week or so. Then they adjusted and feel just regular full when I wake up. Most likely yours will adjust.

sourlemon · February 2017

How long have you been EP'ing?

10 weeks.

What is your current EP goal?
Get through this week. Then this month. Rinse and repeat.

What is your biggest challenge this week?
I go back to work. Challenging in multiple ways.

Rants/Raves/Questions?

like jennbaylor12, I'm also struggling with what I want to do. I'm tired of 1am wake ups when everyone is sleeping. I'm tired of planning my life in 3-4 hour chunks and adjusting my pump schedule when things pop up. Also softball starts this weekend.. At a pump time of course. And soccer starts next week. And I'm trying to get back to running. Then the guilt over these selfish goals and activities start. Just can't win.

sourlemon · February 2017

Does anyone else have painful letdown? Like I'm gritting my teeth every time. I'm getting tired of it...not sure if there's anything I can do though??

princesslockness · February 2017

How long have you been EP'ing? 13 weeks in Friday.

What is your current EP goal? I am really hoping to go 4 months like I did with L. Everything else is just gravy.

What is your biggest challenge this week? I have a district wife PD day Friday, and IDK how and where Inwill be able to pump as it's not at my building.

Rants/Raves/Questions? I made those no bake LCs Christina posted about, but I did Coconut sugar, flax meal, coconut oil, and brewers yeast instead of regular sugar. They truly aren't awful, but definitely need followed with something else.

jandd2014 · February 2017

@sourlemon my let down is a little uncomfortable. Not painful, but it's on the edge of 'if this doesn't stop in a second, it will hurt'. No advice, just empathy!

How long have you been EP'ing? 3 weeks?

What is your current EP goal? back to work this week, so I guess my goal is to get in a good pumping session during lunch. Longer term goal would be to keep pumping until DD is 6 months, which is the end of May.

What is your biggest challenge this week? going back to work tomorrow.

Rants/Raves/Questions? I'm not as far ahead of DD as I wanted to be. She starts daycare full day tomorrow and I think I need to add a middle of the night pump to have enough to send with her for a full day. I envy those of you with big freezer stashes (though it's my own fault I only have 30 oz in the freezer- so far I have chosen not to get up at night to pump...)

ea301 · February 2017

How long have you been EP'ing? I'll always have a weird answer for this because I tried to breastfeed for a couple weeks in the middle. Also we've been supplementing with formula, so does that actually count as EP? I just don't know anymore. I've been pumping for 13 weeks though, off and on.

What is your current EP goal? Keep up with it... I'm starting to get tired of it honestly, and I am not even as rigorous as most of you. I try to pump every 5 hours but sometimes it slides to 6, and sometimes I skip overnight altogether and go almost 10 hours between pumps. I figure stressing over it is probably not good for my supply... although I know that not pumping enough is also not good for my supply.

What is your biggest challenge this week? Sticking with it. I'm trying the Glow app for tracking activities, so I'll try to keep a better tally on how much I am actually pumping per day vs. what LO is consuming.

Rants/Raves/Questions? I'm debating ordering a better nursing bra and maybe some new flanges... but I am so cheap and I don't wanna. I still don't really know what's a "normal" amount to pump per day for me. I'm hoping the Glow app will help with that. I do get about 5 oz per pump, and about 5 pumps per day, so I guess I have an estimate. Anyway, I'm blabbing now. It's 11pm and it feels like 3am... This is motherhood? haha

sourlemon · February 2017

I want to drop my 1am pump but I'm scared. Scared of plugged ducts. Scared of waking up in pain. Scared my supply will drop. But I'm just too tired.

paulpaw · February 2017

@sourlemon drop it girl!

My 4/5am pump is my favorite pump of the day. LO goes back to sleep when I give him his binky before going to warm his bottle. He usually sleeps another hour before demanding his food. I totally turn on whatever I can find on tv and zone out pumping in bed. No one talks to me/starts crying, I have no other responsibilities at that moment. I also don't sit and watch the pump bottles fill up so it doesn't seem like it takes as long.

jennbaylor12 · February 2017

@sourlemon - I dropped my motn pump last week and it's amazing!!

sourlemon · February 2017

Today I go back to the office.

I think I'll keep my motn pump through the weekend then try to drop it. I'm worried about losing those 7 ounces...but I guess those typically were extra anyways. Why is this so hard. Boo.

@LandJ13 I wish my morning pump was calm like that! Typically the toddler is screaming about her clothes and I'm trying to feed the baby during it. Then immediately after I pack up, get dressed, and now start leaving for work. There's just not enough time in the mornings and I can't start earlier than 5.

paulpaw · February 2017

I had a busy day yesterday and wasn't home for my 2pm pump. I thought I was slick and pumped at 4 then waited for my bed time pump. Big mistake. I woke up in agony at 3am and again at 8am. I didn't know skipping a pump would cause issues for so long. I could prolly pump double my normal 12 oz right now but I know that will cause even more issues.

now I'm really scared to stop pumping for good. I can only imagine the discomfort,

princesslockness · February 2017

LandJ13 said:

****SNIP*****
now I'm really scared to stop pumping for good. I can only imagine the discomfort,

Cabbage leaves in your bra, cut water intake; if you want to quit quickly.
If you want to wean down slowly, just slowly stop pumping as much each session. Just enough to take the edge off, then stop.

ea301 · February 2017

I can go 8 hours or more without a lot of pain. I've actually forgotten to pump a few times and while I get a little bit more (maybe an extra 2 oz), its nothing too crazy. I feel full but not super uncomfortable. Maybe this means my supply is dwindling? I'm not really stressing about it, either way.

princesslockness · February 2017

ea301 said:

I can go 8 hours or more without a lot of pain. I've actually forgotten to pump a few times and while I get a little bit more (maybe an extra 2 oz), its nothing too crazy. I feel full but not super uncomfortable. Maybe this means my supply is dwindling? I'm not really stressing about it, either way.

I know mine is going down, or has gone down and is now leveled out there. I'm not stressing about it, but I'm stressed about everything else it seems.

ea301 · February 2017

I hear you @Kate08Young!

paulpaw · February 2017

I can go 8 hours without a ton of discomfort as long as. I make up for it by pumping more frequently after. It was the missed pump that killed me.

Toller · February 2017

How many times a day are you ladies pumping and how old is your LO? I'm at 6 but would LOVE to be at 5....babies are 10 weeks

princesslockness · February 2017

Toller said:

How many times a day are you ladies pumping and how old is your LO? I'm at 6 but would LOVE to be at 5....babies are 10 weeks

I have decided to stop, but I was pumping 4 times a day and Emma is 14w. She just decided to go from 24oz a day to over 36oz a day.

paulpaw · February 2017

I do 5xs...9am, 2pm, 6pm, 10pm, 4am. I'd like to go to 4 but my boobs won't let me. James is 9 weeks.

sourlemon · February 2017

11 weeks and pumping 6-7 times. Typically 6 (1a, 5a, 9a, 1p, 4p, 8p). Sometimes I need to add one in between if I'm going running or shopping or something.

paulpaw · February 2017

@sourlemon didn't you say you were gonna try to drop your overnight? No go?

ea301 · February 2017

She is 14 weeks, and I pump 4 to 5x. Most days I do 4: 6am-ish, noon-ish, 6pm-ish, and midnight-ish.

jennbaylor12 · February 2017

12 weeks and pumping 5xs per day... usually 4-5a, 9a, 1-2p, 6p, 10-11p

sourlemon · February 2017

I have been unsuccessful in dropping motn sessions. I'm still trying but they wake me up.

My designated pumping room at work was in use do for a telecon at my reserved time! Pumping in the car now. Ugh.

jandd2014 · February 2017

Even though BF had become pretty painful for me, I still miss the bonding and closeness of nursing. Anybody else?

EP thread - 2.13.17

Re: EP thread - 2.13.17

Choose Another Board

Search Boards