Pump it up
Lots of athletic events going down over here for a 40-week pregnant chica.
Like a half marathon
(or the one-hour walk that felt like one)
and an intense swim
(aka the act of flipping from side-to-side whilst in the bathtub. The octopus thing is a thermometer so the water doesn’t get over 100*).
You know.
As far as the walking thing goes, it’s an equal mix of ungainly and amazing. It’s challenging, but it’s great way to help the baby ease herself into a proper position for birth, and I enjoy walking while reading the Kindle. The woman who ran the marathon at full term blows my mind. I’ve managed to stay very active throughout the entire pregnancy, with things only coming to a major slowdown in the past couple of weeks, but I couldn’t imagine running 26.2 miles.
Is it possible to have contractions in your hips?
I Googled that this morning after a very long and painful night of contractions, back pain and hip pain. I found a few vague answers but was wondering if anyone else has experienced it. The really interesting tihng is that everyone experiences labor differently- some feel it all in their backs, for others it’s like intense menstrual cramps (which is a lot like what I’ve experienced so far), others hardly feel it at all. Of course, I was really excited to think I might actually be going into labor this morning, but when I slithered into the bathtub and the pain melted away, it proved me wrong. It all makes sense that so many women choose to have water births (our hospital won’t allow it- you can labor in the tub but have to get out before you push).
Trying to be as productive as possible over here so I don’t go crazy waiting, I finally ordered the breast pump. The only reason I’ve been avoiding it: it’s expensive –I always thoroughly research products that cost more than a couple hundred dollars- and the thought of being “milked” is a little strange to me. In the end, I’m sure I’ll be glad I have it. I only leave the house to work 3 days each week, but it will be nice to build up a stash of milk in the freezer.
I probably won’t be using the pump for the firs couple of weeks, but please let me know if you have any tips!
Dinner date and movie with Tom, since we never know if it will be our last date night for a little while 😉
Head’s up: The above long-sleeved tee was sent to me from my friends at For Two Fitness, after I bought two tanks earlier in the pregnancy (remember this one?) and raved about them. The long-sleeve tee is a different material, which is a little heavy to me with my extra body furnace, but it’s perfect for lounging or walking in. They have a ton of cute designs and sayings- a perfect gift for an expecting fitness-y friend.
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I’m sure many people will tell you this, but when you’re actually in labor – you KNOW. The pain is not only more intense, it’s just…different. And steady.
that’s what i figured, and then i read about women who had no clue they were in labor and all of a sudden they were crowning, haha.
i just found out i was pregnant and already bookmarked the for two fitness site haha. i love those shirts!! how cute! you look great btw…so exciting!!
You are such an inspiration! Keep up the good work, your little one will be here soon!
Pump and pump.frequently! Baby cakes.wont. eat as much as you produce. To avoid.mastitis. pump after each feeding. That way your.body will be sure to produce as much milk as you will feed as babycakes grows.
You are the cutest 40 week pregnant girl ever! I bet from behind you don’t even look preggers!
Pump now.
It’s said to cause your water to break…. Worked for me:)
Don’t worry your body will re-make the Colostrum so you’ll still have all those healthy nutrients for the babe!
WHOA! it doesn’t get here until thursday, but that’s good to know
It releases our body’s natural hormone Oxytocin. Which causes contractions…. Water may break…
Just FYI, you could look up nipple stimulation for preggos. Same thing.
Wow! An hour long walk! I think I would need a serious foot rub after that at 40 weeks pregnant!
Oh no – you’ll KNOW. LOL. The women who say they didn’t know til they were crowning – they’re nuts. And I did NOT find comfort in the tub while in labor. Still vividly remember yelling GET ME OUT OF HERE!!! And immediately demanded my epidural. Hope she comes soon! The last days are the absolute worst! But no worries – the best day of your life is near!
My sister was like that too. Being in the tub sped the contractions up a lot and she was like ‘get me the hell out of here!’
You look amazing Gina, and cudos to you for walking an hour at 40 weeks pregnant! Wish I had some answer for you, but I’ve yet to experience being pregnant! Hope tonights your night!
Haha, awesome post. So true. There is no fricken way I’d ever be running a marathon at 40 weeks either. I’d be giving birth on the pavement!
If your after-birth was anything like mine, I had to pump when my milk came in as my boobs got so full! Newborns only drink such a tiny amount at first (like 2 oz!), so you’re left with all this leftover milk. Same thing with my girlfriends. They all stocked a pretty good supply early on.
It could be early labor for you….if so, you’ll know in the next few days! 🙂
That shirt is adorbs!! And I agree about the women who ran at full term!! A little (more like A LOT!!!) CRAZYYYYY!
Pump when you can (but save some for the baby), it stimulates your supply, best to do 2 at a time. Your body will think you have twins and produce double the milk. Also, the first stuff to come out (after colostrum is gone) looks watery, but keep pumping till you get to the good thick stuff. Hth!!
When I went into preterm labor at 30 weeks the pain was in my lower back and hips. It felt like an ache that would not go away. I went to work that day and just felt uncomfortable all day, went to the hospital that night and was told I was 3cm dialated and 80% efaced and put on immediate bedrest. At 35 weeks my water broke at night. I immediately woke up. The contractions were not bad at first…..just a sharper ache…this increased to down right pain within a hour. It is the most unique pain when you go into full on labor. But it is possible to feel it in the hips at first….. maybe from the widening of the birth canal?
that’s what i was hoping/thinking. my hips were hurting like the never have in my life- all night and all morning. it’s better for now though
that’s great your baby stayed in until 35 weeks- hope your little family is doing well <3
Awe thanks….yeah we are doing well…he is almost 3 now – It was traumatic at the time but it all worked out in the end:) Looking forward to seeing pics of your angel 🙂
OMG! You look awesome! Good job keeping active!
My water broke for two (no trickle….ala busted water balloon)…….consider a trashbag between your mattress pad and mattress in case it does break in bed, as mine did both times. Luckily I had thought of that.
For my third, it was a smaller break in the sac, but the contractions started regularly right away.
My advice….take a shower, fresh clothes, hair and make-up whatever time it is when you head to the hospital. You have time……believe me. It will be a couple of days before you get a shower and there will be pics 🙂
For my fourth, I was due and scheduled for an induction around the same time. A few hours before our 5:30 am arrival, I started having significant cramping and show. So I knew I was in labor. I showered (:))….and took my time getting to the hospital. It was still a couple of hours with my fourth, but went from 5cm to complete in 10 minutes and one push…..by #4, they fly out and the doc needs a catchers mitt.
Have nursed for most of the past 10 years…with breaks for pregnancies. The pump works differently for different people. My suggestion is that you need to be relaxed to get the let-down, so if you can find a quiet spot to pump, close your eyes and think of the baby if you need to…that helps.
The milk is like liquid gold when you first start out. As the baby eats more, your supply will increase. Your body produces what the baby needs…too much pumping to increase supply, throws your supply/demand out of whack and sometimes makes things complicated. Avoid this for the first few months if you can.
Drink a huge glass of water every time you sit down to pump.
I avoided peanuts and tree nuts with my last three, as #1 has a life-threatening allergy to peanuts and tree nuts – which I ate during my pregnancy and nursing. The proteins are passed through the milk. We knew at 6 weeks, he was reacting to what i was eating.
My biggest advice with nursing is that it is not always easy and is a learned experience for mom and baby, both. It takes time and dedication for all three of you.
Get a hands-free bra for that pump! It’ll make pumping time so much less annoying. You can blog while you pump!
do you have a link for a good one? i have never heard of that! multitasking at its finest, haha
Here is super cheap way to make one yourself: http://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/hands-free-pumping.html
thank you!
You can also just buy a few cheap sport bras and cut holes in the nipple area. Then, you don’t have to mess with anything. I bought 3 at Wal-mart and cut the holes. Then, just use washable nipple pads to hide the holes. They work great!
oh no! that thing would make me feel like a milk machine… it looks so silly!!! my husband and I were cracking up, when we first saw the hands-free pump (we made up our own “infomercial”-ideas for it: “now you can pump while you cook/work out/clean your house/”…) but here’s a link, if you really are interested:
http://www.amazon.com/Easy-Expression-Bustier-Medium-Black/dp/B002NUWQUM
I find that since pumping takes its time, I might as well sit down, relax and just hold the pump pieces. If that pumping-bra-thing works for some people though, that’s great. It’s just definitely not for me!
Our little guy was just 4 lbs when he was born and I had to pump because he was in the nursery and I had to establish my milk supply. I remember recovering from the c-section, pumping every 2-3 hours, and then being wheeled down to the nursery with the tiny drop of colostrum that came out after 20 minutes, in a feeding syringe, to give the little guy on top of his donor breastmilk (I’m so grateful he was able to skip the formula because of some great moms who donated thier oversupply!!!). We also had to top him off with a bottle of pumped milk after every nursing session for a few weeks, because his mouth was too small to latch on properly and he fell asleep after a few minutes, so I had to pump after every feeding, every 2-3 hrs for 15-30 minutes. It helped with getting my supply up, and after 3 weeks I breastfed him exclusively. Then I didn’t want to see the pump for a couple of months, because it just took so much time, but about a month ago I started pumping again at least once a day, in order to build up a stash for later.
Anyway, I have exactly the same pump and I’m happy with it – compared to the one I got to use in the hospital, this one is more gentle on the nipples. But I would definitely also recommend the Medela Tender Care nipple cream, in case you don’t already have it.
Good luck in the next few days and I hope everything goes well!
I love the idea of making your own but I don’t think they hold up as well. This is the one I got and I totally love it!
http://www.amazon.com/PumpEase-Organic-hands-free-pumping-bra/dp/B003N8BB18
What I love is that you can put it on over your close and just open up your nursing bra/tank. Super easy!
No advice on the labor – I was induced and ended up with a C-section :/
I have the same pump, and I have been pretty happy with it thus far. It is a bit weird but you tend to I got over it fairly quickly. Breast massage and pushing the letdown button several times during a session will help with output. Good luck in the coming days!
I have the same Medela pump you have pictured–my baby is 4 weeks old–and I love it. My advice is to start pumping as soon as you get home, 4-6 times a day, in order to build up your supply. Then start freezing the surplus! I just started freezing a week ago and I already have a week’s worth put away. I love knowing that I have an emergency stash and am hoping to build up enough to nourish my baby for a year and beyond 🙂
PS. Breastfeeding is HARD. I hear it comes easy to a few, but it really takes a lot of commitment and hard work! But it is amazeballs looking down and knowing I am feedingy baby the best stuff on earth 🙂
Try to use your own colostrum/milk at first instead of nipple cream, as it smells like you so it won’t throw off the little one which some creams can (per my maternity floor rotation), and it’s realllly good at healing chapping. I watched that one happen!
So excited for you! 🙂 Good thoughts heading your way!
Will you be pumping at work when you return? If so, then it’s a good time now to make sure your boss knows and you know where you can pump in peace 🙂
I had an interesting experience pumping for my two kids. I took the advice to pump as much as possible and ended up producing way, way too much milk, which then turned into mastitis. I only did it at work with my second. As long as baby is is eating well and gaining weight at the beginning, it’s okay not to pump if you don’t want to. Your body will adjust and the baby will nurse more if she needs to.
Also, I saw someone mentioned having water while nursing. At first, the second the baby latches, you get sooooo thirsty. I sent my husband to the water cooler 10x in a row..lol! Also, when nursing the first few times, you have contractions, they aren’t painful, it’s actually your uterus shrinking. Kinda cool! 😉 no one told me this stuff beforehand so I thought I’d share! 🙂
Those contractions while nursing can be uncomfortable, also while your uterus is contracting, your bleeding will increase for that short time. It is normal.
Ohhhhh I am hoping I am right about my prediction of January 6. Any day now can’t wait to hear all about it!
I have nothing constructive to add…just wanted to say how stinkin adorable you look!
Youre so inspiring! I hope that if I am ever pregnant, I can stay active as well!
Totally feel like it’s going to happen tonight. AND PS, read this earlier, but I love that you put a towel down on your couch in case your water breaks, I would totally do the same. x ohh
I ended up exclusively pumping secondary to some early complications and one great website for nursing is kellymom.com. They have great ideas and recipes to increase milk supply. The other great thing is that she has a tutorial that teaches you to pump hands free using hair bands. I loved it because it meant that I could pump and read or do something else. Enjoy yourself. Get good support. Check out La Leche League or something else. Breast feeding can be hard but with support you can be very successful. Enjoy yourself and your new bundle of joy!
Pump after each feeding to increase your supply, especially in the hospital to help your milk come in. That’s what the lactation consultant told me!
I did this too after i had my twins and it really helped increase my supply. I felt like my babies weren’t draining my breasts, so i pumped to make sure they were drained. I didn’t think i was going to need my pump right away, but since i came home before my boys did, i had to pump around the clock until they were healthy enough to come home
The pump can help with supply and other breastfeeding issues so def good that you have it! Hopefully you won’t need to use it a lot because pumping gets old really quick! Haha
I actually only had pain in my back with my first son who was born on his due date so I know too well the anticipation of going all the way to term. I didn’t stay in such fabulous shape as you though…you look amazing. The back pain started the day before and progressed into the most agonizing pain ever. I got to the hospital at 4cm and my water broke within minutes of arriving….the pain got worse. I was all anti-drugs until that happened. Then I was screaming to give me something, anything NOW!! I hope you have a more relaxing, enjoyable experience. 😉
Gina, you look absolutely amazing! I know how hard the wait is, I was Googling myself for days and days waiting for my little guy this past April. Medela pumps are awesome, I teach and use mine every day. I didn’t use it for a while either, probably like 10-12 weeks, but that was plenty of time to build a stash before I went back to work when he was 18 weeks. Good luck to you, this is THE most exciting thing that will ever happen and it is totally worth the (agonizing) wait!
When you have the most milk (usually first thing in the morning), put baby on one side and pump the other at the same time. Baby will bring on the let down and you will get LOTS of milk put away. Don’t wait – start pumping the early weeks.
Good luck with labor!
This works great!
Here is a hands free pumping bra that gets good reviews on Amazon…
http://www.amazon.com/Simple-Wishes-Hands-Free-Breastpump-XS/dp/B00295MQLU
You look great!!
If you start walking bowlegged, like you’ve been riding a horse, then you know you’ve only got a day or two left.
So excited for you!
that was me this morning. YES!!!!!
It’s possible to have contractions in you hips. I know I had a couple of them. But mostly they were in my back I could have swear the baby was in my back. I never felt anything like mentrual cramps or anything in my belly.
(Sorry if this takes up a ton of room on your comments)
Emily asked this on her baby blog and got lots of GREAT responses, here is the link and my post
http://blogs.babble.com/babys-first-year-blog/2011/11/14/im-intimidated-by-my-breast-pump/
We introduced the bottle at 4 months with each daughter (we have 3) and it went well. Once we introduced it, we kept it up about one bottle every other day so baby wouldn’t forget how and dad could enjoy it. My tips:
1) Pump in the morning, about 15-30 minutes after the first feed. The morning is when you should have a lot of milk. Once he is taking longer naps and predictable, I would pump when he goes down for a longer nap, so your boobs have time to make more milk
2) It will take time for your boobs to get used to the pump. Once you get in the habit of pumping, keep it up. I find if I go a week without pumping, my output is less than normal than if I am pumping on a regular basis
3) Small amounts are normal: most women get 2-3 ounces total (and that would be after you have been doing this for a while. In the beginning, you may only get drops. Literally. It is normal)
4) Lasinoh freezer bags are awesome
5) Milk can stay in the fridge for up to 8 days. It is fine to add freshly pumped milk to milk already in the fridge. I normally have to do a few sessions to get a full bag of milk for the freezer, so I just keep adding to the same one until it is full
6) Freeze in 2-3 ounce increments for when he is young
7) The guideline is baby will need an ounce of breast milk for one hour. So if you plan on being away from him for 3 hours, try leaving a 2-3 ounce bag
8) Kellymom is a lifesaver. http://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/index.html
9) Not sure what kind of bottles/nipples you have now, but it may take a few different kinds until you find a nipple he likes and doesn’t choke on
10) If you notice at any time you is latching or acting differently at the breast than before the bottle was introduced, back off on the bottle. Once he learns how fast milk comes from a bottle, some babies get frustrated that they have to work so hard at the breast.
11) Whenever he eats and you are away, you should pump to replace that feeding so your body knows to keep the supply up.
Hope that helps, wow that was long!!
You look fantastic! It definitely gets hard at the end. I’m now pregnant with baby #2. Baby #1 came at 41 weeks and I couldn’t wait any longer for the day to come to meet her! That’s the same breast pump I used. Starting around week 3 I pumped once a day right before I went to sleep and stashed it in the freezer for times I was out. I was lucky and could usually skip 1 feed without any pain and sometime would skip 2, but then I’d come home and pump immediately to relieve the pressure. Good luck!!
You’ll be the happiest Mama alive that you have that pump when, at 2am, your little lady breastfeeds from one side and then decides she’s done and is back to sleep… and the other side is completely full and painful!
My only other advice is make sure you read all the directions and get the pump ready to go before you go into labor if possible. I waited until baby was here, and husband was back at work and I was EXHAUSTED and hormonal and looked at all the tubing and lost it! I think I cried for an hour straight!! Under normal circumstances I would have been completely capable of reading the directions… LOL!
I went onto labor early (34 weeks) with my second child. I ate something that caused me to get sick, and afterward I felt better. I went to bed that night, and felt mild tightness low down in pelvis, but could not get comfortable. After searching the web for clues (is it labor or not??), I went to the emergency room. They hooked me up, and said they saw no contractions. I insisted that I did not feel right, and after another 30 minutes, they saw I was in labor. They gave me medicine to stop labor, and all was good. The thing I thought was interesting, is the nurse said she knew something was going on, because she noticed I could not lay still, as a woman in labor does. So, if you notice you are tossing and turning in bed, or can not find a comfortable way to sit..it may be a clue!
I think you are in the home stretch and she will be here soon.
When I had my son, I rented a breast pump machine from my HMO. It was great. It allowed me to get a few more hours of sleep in the AM, so my husband could feed the baby. It was so thankful for it.
I swore I was having hip/pelvic contractions today because the pain was so bad I could barely walk. I’ve been waddling all over the place. The pain got better as the day went on (sort of), so I knew it wasn’t contraction related, but seriously OW. I have no idea how that lady ran a marathon. I’m 36 weeks and can barely walk around my house.
You’ve inspired me so much to look into the bardley method when i get older and ready to become a mom <3 I hope I'm as active as you when I become full term haha!
Dang, I need to comment earlier. I had the same exact pump (I had a love/hate relationship w/ it — the pump was fine but I HATED pumping). Anyway, I always wished I’d gotten the hands-free bra thingy but never got around to it, so I was going to suggest it. Glad others already did. Also, get to know kellymom.com. That site saved my sanity during the early days of nursing. Also, get to know the lactation people at your hospital. Our hospital had a free hotline that you could call anytime (I don’t remember if it was staffed 24 hours but it was staffed often) and those lades were an AMAZING free resource who answered so many questions for me.
Did you know the best part of the Medela is that you can buy replacement parts for it. My best friend is using mine right now and when I gave it to her, I bought her all new tubes, connectors, nipple shields and bottles and gave that to her as her baby shower gift! If you have a friend in town, you guys could swap it back and forth between babies!
Finally, if she’s still sunny side up, I hate to break it to you but you’re going to be have a LOT of back labor. E was sunny side up and when I finally got an epidural, even that couldn’t do anything to ease the back labor pain. I felt every damn contraction. Eventually they had to do a c-section after 15 long, hard hours of back labor and not dilating beyond 7 cm so I’m pulling for a flipped baby for you!! I know those last few days are brutal but you’re almost there. And yes, you WILL know when you’re in labor. That was my biggest fear too and believe me, when it came, I knew it!
I’ll be following along closely! Hang in there friend!
Girlfriend,,,all I can say is you are Super Gorgeous,,little pregnant woman.I love your posts,and please keep us updated on when she arrives:)
I don’t enjoy pumping, but it is the only reason why my 9 week old is still getting breast milk. She is a notoriously poor sucker, to the point that she couldn’t nurse well enough to gain weight and my supply dried up. I had to pump exclusively for 6 weeks until my supply re-stabilized and the doctors were satisfied with her weight gain and I’m still primarily pumping, even though she has improved some with nursing. The hands-free bra is worth every penny. Also, if the baby has trouble latching, try pumping for a minute or two first–it can make it easier for her to latch. If your hospital has a good breastfeeding office, take advantage of it. I continued to meet with lactation consultants at our hospital weekly until my daughter was 6 weeks old in an attempt to improve her nursing. Good luck!
I never ended up using the hands free bra – pumping was quick enough (and I could hold both shields with one hand while flipping mag pages or browsing the net with the other) that it wasn’t worth the hassle of putting it on.
Re: hips – I was induced, but my contractions were not in my hips until time to push. My hips were in excrutiating pain throughout pushing – the hip pain was what bothered me the most, not the, uh, stretching. So, maybe your hips are getting ready?? So exciting! (And the pain was 100% worth it, of course)
Have a great date!
I pumped for 2+ years. I am a walking tip drawer. Ask away when you have questions.
Also, nipple stimulation usually can or usually will trigger some contractions. So, if you wanna get labor started, strap that pump on and see what happens.
And yes, labor in my hips, my back, my whole lower region of bone structure…not so much my “belly” per se, as my bones in that area. Hang in there…you are so close!
Look at you rocking it at 40 weeks. amazing! I couldn’t imagine running a marathon at full term, or even running. I walked a ton too, but everytime I got to the bottom of a hill I felt like sitting down and crying, or hiring someone to push me up in a wheelbarrow!
I’m still pumping for my 14 1/2 month old and have the same pump. It’s fantastic. If you haven’t already, do yourself a favor and check with your insurance company about pumps. Mine was 100% covered by insurance, just needed a prescription from the doctor. There are places that will provide pumps (even some hospitals-mine had a card with baby and new mom things like pumps that would provide it for you). It’s definitely worth asking!
Enjoy your date night :).
Those “for two” shirts are almost cute enough to make me want a baby right now…almost….
haha
I keep checking back expecting some news on the little one!
Any day now…good luck and enjoy your date night!
Wow, you’re getting so close! Youre so cute 🙂 Medela pumps are the bomb diggity.
Have fun on your date night before the little one comes!!