Tell me your story

Say your favorite part of your breastfeeding journey or something that you went through and got through (like advice). Comment something encourage

MY STORY!!!!

My child had jaundice n we were told essentially to force feed him or he’d end up in the nicu, we had to supplement with formula. I’ve always wanted to bf my entire life so I was determined to do so n seeing them feed him formula literally broke my heart. I was shown how to hand express n to keep my supply up i started pumping at 2days, after 3 weeks of mix feeding we finally were able to take him off of formula. I lowkey became obsessed with making milk cuz I never wanted to have to supplement again, but turns out I don’t have the freezer space. So I exclusively nurse during the day n pump only at night so I don’t ruin the bed. Now I donate the extra milk to moms in my area who need it.

Your doing great 🥰

breastfeeding isn’t easy and I get so excited n happy when women decide to bf, where I live formula feeding is the norm and nobody really know anything about bf.

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

How did I know he was getting enough bm to stop supplementing?

I went to a lactation consultant the weighed him before feeding then after feeding the difference in oz was how much milk he was receiving per session, it was enough for his age. Once we got his jaundice test back and it was low then I definitely felt like there was nothing left to worry about.

How do you know if your an over supplier if you exclusively nurse?

For me I realized he only needed to feed 1breast at a time n he’d be full, apparently that’s not the norm, they should be feeding from both breast each time (I’m not a doctor this is just what I was told). Also a normal producer who exclusively nurses will only pump 0.5-3oz a day with both breast, i definitely make more.

Why do you pump?

I pump when I’m not with my child. I pump so his dad can feed him, his dad loves to feed him. I pump for relief at night not to ruin my bed. I try to avoid pumping during the day as I don’t want to make more milk but if I’m in pain I will pump.

What pump do I use?

My favorite is the momcozy but I use to use the ameda

Side note: I don’t like pumping but the momcozy feel very comfortable n do a good job at getting all the milk out, they are a bit loud though.

How do I donate milk?

There’s a facebook group “human milk for human babies (enter your state)” and it connects you to moms in need. If I knew about this when I gave birth I would have used donor milk over formula. Please be cautious when using the group cuz it’s not regulated but so far I’ve been able to help many moms and it’s super satisfying.

TIPS TO INCREASE SUPPLY…

This is my first kid so I don’t know if I was genetically an over supplier or if I forced it but here are something I did to fix my slacker boob.

Snack on trail mix, get a big bottle fill it with water n just sip on it through the day try to fill it 2-3x every 24hr, don’t stop your middle of the night pump even if your baby sleeps through the night, pump for at least 15-20min each session (even if nothing is coming out keep pumping this is signally ur body to eventually make more milk), pump both breast at the same time, use a Haakaa or pump while your child is nursing, hold your baby n or let them use your nipple as a pacifier. EAT at least by 1p I eat a meal, even if it’s just a big bowl of oatmeal for one meal n a heavy like lunch/dinner, the more food you get the better. Take your vitamins, if you are healthy your supply should stay up.