https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 02 Jul 2026 17:48:51 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-pep-talk-needed-please#post-2330239 Thu, 22 Oct 2015 11:03:01 +0000 rosegold 2330239@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MamaCate: girl. it gets better. wait til your boobs actually deflate. kidding!!!! it is a constant job, ON TOP of parenting. you will think about it from every angle, and rethink your findings again the next day. you WILL figure out what works best for you and baby. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-pep-talk-needed-please#post-2330183 Thu, 22 Oct 2015 10:29:38 +0000 ChiCalGoBee 2330183@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hang in there!!!!! It is SO hard, especially now that you're back at work and having to pump a lot of the time. You're doing amazing!! I find on days I don't drink enough water I can really tell a difference in what I pump. My son is 11.5 months old (hard to believe!), and as recently as yesterday I noticed I didn't get as much in my evening pump because I didn't drink a lot of water yesterday. Also, like @T.H.O.U.: said, I used to coat my pump shields in Motherlove cream. It made SUCH a difference in my pumping comfort. I don't need to use it any more, but it really made the pumping experience that much easier for me in the beginning. Best of luck on this journey! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-pep-talk-needed-please#post-2330152 Thu, 22 Oct 2015 10:05:49 +0000 rpparker 2330152@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MamaCate: I'm just pumping around the clock! Eating lactation cookies, I rented a hospital grade pump, lots of water, etc. I had to send some formula to daycare today which was a relief in some ways. LO will be with me tomorrow - Tuesday so I'm hoping to catch up some then. I'm also about to change jobs that will allow me to be home more so I'm hoping that if we can just get through the next 4 weeks or so we will get back in a groove. If I knew full time daycare was our long term situation I would be more panicked! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-pep-talk-needed-please#post-2329624 Wed, 21 Oct 2015 21:12:53 +0000 MamaCate 2329624@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@rpparker: oh no! That is awful! I am thankful for still having a decent freezer stash but I hate dipping into it this early so I hear you! I got a little more pumping at work today so I am feeling more hopeful.</p> <p>What is your plan to work on your supply? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-pep-talk-needed-please#post-2329195 Wed, 21 Oct 2015 16:00:13 +0000 rpparker 2329195@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MamaCate: I could have written this same update! I had a stomach bug that caused me to have to use my entire freezer stash the week before I went back to work full time. And then had mastitis! I think my supply is slowly working back up but I have zero stash and am barely pumping enough at work and bedtime pump for the next day. Best wishes to get through this rough patch! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-pep-talk-needed-please#post-2328706 Wed, 21 Oct 2015 11:47:12 +0000 Ms.Badger 2328706@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MamaCate: I pump before bed every night, except I give myself a night off every week either so I can go out with the girls so just relax and not have to wash the pump parts one more freaking time. The weekend sessions are actually most useful to me because I have those bottles of fresh milk for him Monday and have to use less of my frozen stash. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-pep-talk-needed-please#post-2328134 Wed, 21 Oct 2015 07:56:47 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2328134@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MamaCate: It sounds like an extra third pump may just be what your body needs. But also, I would try to also pump to that 20 minute mark if you can (especially if you are distracted and doing emails and such). </p> <p>Pumping also was a relief in the sense it was less damaging on the nipples. I was also told you can use lansolin before pumping if the friction is too much. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-pep-talk-needed-please#post-2328086 Wed, 21 Oct 2015 06:55:07 +0000 MamaCate 2328086@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks ladies! Writing all that out makes me realize that of course I would be frustrated. I got a little more milk today (Tuesday) at work but also was put on antibiotics for mastitis, second time in three weeks.</p> <p>@T.H.O.U.: I have my own office so I just pump at my desk and use the time to catch up on emails and other computer stuff. I am trying to do more compressions while pumping to see if that helps. I may need to "unplug" from work and see if that helps but things are crazy at work as I accepted a promotion right after I got back and am trying to get up to speed.</p> <p>@snowjewelz: @Happygal: thanks for the commiseration! This is baby #2 and one of my takeaways from the first time is that everything is a phase. I do tend to get ahead of myself and worry about getting through the year so the idea of smaller goals is great!</p> <p> @BabyBoecksMom: @FaithFertility: I think pumping on Monday actually gave the nipple a break and latching is less painful now so that is progress!</p> <p>@Ms.Badger: thanks for your honesty! I actually pumped before bed last night (in part because of the mastitis) and got about 3 oz, which gives me enough in a day for the next day of bottles. I am trying to make it "fun" so I watched a show and tried to relax. I think that will be my plan for now--I can't really see how to fit in a third pumping session at work at the moment. Did you pump every night or just every work night? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-pep-talk-needed-please#post-2328045 Wed, 21 Oct 2015 05:15:44 +0000 FaithFertility 2328045@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm so sorry! I had a horrible cracked bloody nipple, hurry APNO from your DR, it is a miracle!<br /> Hang in there!!!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-pep-talk-needed-please#post-2327053 Tue, 20 Oct 2015 11:49:28 +0000 Ms.Badger 2327053@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This is probably advice you don't want to hear, and feel free not to take it, but having a pump session right before bed saves me a lot of stress. Even if I don't pump enough during the week, those weekend night sessions mean I don't use Thursday's milk (my last work day for the week) on Monday so while I may not get enough daily, I do get enough weekly. It's a huge PITA though and I understand not wanting to add in another session.</p> <p>Second thing, I've been getting a lot of plugged ducts (no mastitis yet) and I'm trying Lecithin supplements. It's only been a few days in but it's easy and maybe it will help.</p> <p>Good luck mama! I know you will make the best decisions for your family </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-pep-talk-needed-please#post-2327036 Tue, 20 Oct 2015 11:40:22 +0000 PawPrints 2327036@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yikes you are really going through the wringer. You have my hugs and sympathy. Hang in there! Three months was the toughest time for my nursing/pumping journey but we got through it and things are wonderful now. It's so hard to figure out the balance of supply, engorgement, pumping, and nursing. You will get there though, just remember everything changes from week to week so nothing must be endured forever. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-pep-talk-needed-please#post-2326852 Tue, 20 Oct 2015 09:57:33 +0000 BabyBoecksMom 2326852@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm sorry - that's a lot to deal with. </p> <p>It's all about finding the rhythm now that you're back at work. I honestly never pumped enough for my LO. I'm sure it was a case of her being able to extract more than the pump could. But, I had to pump 3-4x at work and then once before I went to bed. </p> <p>As far as the cracked nipple, I'm so sorry - that's no fun. Just make sure to but some breastmilk on it after each nursing/pumping session and let it try to get it to heal, and then cover with lanolin before pumping/nursing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-pep-talk-needed-please#post-2326834 Tue, 20 Oct 2015 09:45:44 +0000 Happygal 2326834@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>That is rough--so sorry!</p> <p>I didn't go through all of that, but I did have a rough patch where I was feeling over it. I gave myself a deadline that if I still felt bad in X amount of weeks, I would quit. Just giving myself the space to throw in the towel made me feel better. It also seems like even one day can make a big difference! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-pep-talk-needed-please#post-2326722 Tue, 20 Oct 2015 08:32:57 +0000 snowjewelz 2326722@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am so sorry! I remember it being so hard too. I also had a tongue tie and latch issues to deal with, and then DD had bottle strike, followed by nursing strike when I went back to work! </p> <p>I wanted to quit so many times, but I was adamant to at least EBF for the 1st 6 mo so that goal really kept me going. I never really have great supply, so it was SO much work to just get enough and then try super hard to get extra to freeze.</p> <p>Hang in there!! :heart: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-pep-talk-needed-please#post-2326664 Tue, 20 Oct 2015 07:29:52 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2326664@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Aww I'm so sorry. You have been through a lot but you have hung in there! </p> <p>I think it sounds like you just need to find your rhythm being back at work. You'll get on a schedule and know where you can flex and not flex. I'm sure right now you are worried about mastitis again so pumping at night was a good choice. But in a few weeks you'll regulate and it hopefully wont be an issue. </p> <p>Are you doing everything you can while pumping at work? You have to play with things to figure out what works for you. For example, some people say it helps to relax and look at pictures or videos of their kids. For me, it helped if I focused on pumping and the milk and massaging to help. </p> <p>Great job! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nursing-pep-talk-needed-please#post-2326612 Tue, 20 Oct 2015 05:17:22 +0000 MamaCate 2326612@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ugh! I am feeling so defeated about nursing and pumping and I need some encouragement! After dealing with tongue tie and latch issues at the start, I was able to establish nursing and felt that things were going well...until now! </p> <p>LO is 3 months old and this is my third week back at work. Here is what is happening:<br /> -I got mastitis the weekend before I started work and was miserable<br /> -it seems like that affected my supply because I am not getting good output pumping at work in spite of pumping once a day on leave so I am already using freezer milk<br /> -this past weekend I got a cracked nipple so latching is super painful on one side<br /> -just now I woke up due to serious pain on one side and pumped just to get the engorgement out<br /> -LO woke up an hour later and is nursing now so my breast feels better but I don't want to start a pattern of pumping every night </p> <p>Advice? Commiseration? Words of encouragement? </p>