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Welcome to the Nursing Mothers group on Mayo Clinic Town Square

Posted by Amber Caron @ambercaron, Mar 1, 2017

Welcome to the Nursing Mothers group on Mayo Clinic Town Square.

This is a welcoming, safe place where you can meet others who are or have been a nursing mother.
Here we can connect and share stories, offer tips, encourage each other in the breastfeeding journey. This is truly an open forum for all kinds of connections and conversations.

I'm Amber, and I'm the moderator of this group. I am a mother of 2 boys (4 year old & 1 year old). I moved to Rochester 11 years ago with my husband who is a Rochester native. I enjoy connecting with others who are in the middle of the crazy world of parenting.

I look forward to getting to know you and introducing you to other members.

Let's chat. Why not start by introducing yourself?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Employees and Learners Lactating group.

Amber Caron | @ambercaron | Apr 14, 2017
In reply to @chengel "I'm Cyndi. I have two daughters, one is 2 years old, one is five months old...." + (show)
@chengel

I'm Cyndi. I have two daughters, one is 2 years old, one is five months old. We live near Winona and both my husband and I commute to work--I drive to Rochester and he drives to Wisconsin. I breastfed my oldest for a little over four months before I stopped due to a needlestick exposure, but continued pumping to maintain supply. My supply eventually dwindled and I stopped three months after the exposure. Once I got the all clear from my doctors, we reintroduced the pumped breastmilk. I've had a much easier journey with my second! I'm a huge supporter of breastfeeding but I find it very, VERY difficult to balance working, pumping, driving, spending time with the family and still having time for myself.

I'm looking forward to chatting with other moms on here! Anyone else have the same issue with balancing work/family life?

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@jmreiman washing is the worst! I am so happy to be done with it. Hang in there!

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JOstby | @jostby | Apr 18, 2017
In reply to @chengel "I'm Cyndi. I have two daughters, one is 2 years old, one is five months old...." + (show)
@chengel

I'm Cyndi. I have two daughters, one is 2 years old, one is five months old. We live near Winona and both my husband and I commute to work--I drive to Rochester and he drives to Wisconsin. I breastfed my oldest for a little over four months before I stopped due to a needlestick exposure, but continued pumping to maintain supply. My supply eventually dwindled and I stopped three months after the exposure. Once I got the all clear from my doctors, we reintroduced the pumped breastmilk. I've had a much easier journey with my second! I'm a huge supporter of breastfeeding but I find it very, VERY difficult to balance working, pumping, driving, spending time with the family and still having time for myself.

I'm looking forward to chatting with other moms on here! Anyone else have the same issue with balancing work/family life?

Jump to this post

@jmreiman washing is the worst!! Thankfully my husband did all the part washing etc for me as well. I never pumped at home, except for a small period of time my daughter ate only one side in the morning when starting sleeping through night more. But that was stressful trying to find more time in an already busy morning so I was thankfully when my supply regulated and stopped that! Having a free lunch is so amazing now! I watched Netflix during my work pumping sessions to help relax, and now I miss the little TV time I got a day 😉

Keep up the good work! My breastfeeding journey just came to an end this weekend and definitely having mixed emotions. Thankful for more "freedom" but missing the bonding time with my daughter. Now to find new ways to bond!

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Jennifer Reiman | @jmreiman | Apr 18, 2017

I'm Jennifer. I'm a new mom and my son will be 8 months old this week. Glad to meet and interact with more moms! I currently live in Rochester (renting) but we have purchased a house in Chatfield and will move there next month. I have been pumping 3x per day (once before work) and twice during the day. Previously I had done a 4th pumping session (after nursing baby and before I went to bed). Luckily I've been able to drop this 4th session as I hated having to stay up (usually by myself) and then wash up as well when I could be sleeping! Sometimes I just left the pumping parts to soak overnight in soapy water and my husband would get to them in the morning. I have two full sets of pumping parts so they don't have to be thoroughly washed after every use (they do get rinsed) and thoroughly cleaned at least once per day. I nurse my son after we get home from daycare and another time before bed. He used to sleep through the night for several months but now gets up 1-2 times and sometimes 3 times to nurse during the night. Initially I had planned to pump for 6 months and see how it would go. As it has been going fairly well and he's nearly 8 months I am still continuing with it for the foreseeable future. Hopefully we can continue breastfeeding and pumping until he turns a year.

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2 replies
Amber Caron | @ambercaron | Apr 19, 2017
In reply to @jmreiman "I'm Jennifer. I'm a new mom and my son will be 8 months old this week...." + (show)
@jmreiman

I'm Jennifer. I'm a new mom and my son will be 8 months old this week. Glad to meet and interact with more moms! I currently live in Rochester (renting) but we have purchased a house in Chatfield and will move there next month. I have been pumping 3x per day (once before work) and twice during the day. Previously I had done a 4th pumping session (after nursing baby and before I went to bed). Luckily I've been able to drop this 4th session as I hated having to stay up (usually by myself) and then wash up as well when I could be sleeping! Sometimes I just left the pumping parts to soak overnight in soapy water and my husband would get to them in the morning. I have two full sets of pumping parts so they don't have to be thoroughly washed after every use (they do get rinsed) and thoroughly cleaned at least once per day. I nurse my son after we get home from daycare and another time before bed. He used to sleep through the night for several months but now gets up 1-2 times and sometimes 3 times to nurse during the night. Initially I had planned to pump for 6 months and see how it would go. As it has been going fairly well and he's nearly 8 months I am still continuing with it for the foreseeable future. Hopefully we can continue breastfeeding and pumping until he turns a year.

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Hi Jennifer! Welcome to the group! Way to go for hanging in there for 8 months. I think it all gets easier with time. I think it is so funny that all of us hate the washing so much! Wish someone would come up with a better solution.

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JOstby | @jostby | Apr 19, 2017
In reply to @jmreiman "I'm Jennifer. I'm a new mom and my son will be 8 months old this week...." + (show)
@jmreiman

I'm Jennifer. I'm a new mom and my son will be 8 months old this week. Glad to meet and interact with more moms! I currently live in Rochester (renting) but we have purchased a house in Chatfield and will move there next month. I have been pumping 3x per day (once before work) and twice during the day. Previously I had done a 4th pumping session (after nursing baby and before I went to bed). Luckily I've been able to drop this 4th session as I hated having to stay up (usually by myself) and then wash up as well when I could be sleeping! Sometimes I just left the pumping parts to soak overnight in soapy water and my husband would get to them in the morning. I have two full sets of pumping parts so they don't have to be thoroughly washed after every use (they do get rinsed) and thoroughly cleaned at least once per day. I nurse my son after we get home from daycare and another time before bed. He used to sleep through the night for several months but now gets up 1-2 times and sometimes 3 times to nurse during the night. Initially I had planned to pump for 6 months and see how it would go. As it has been going fairly well and he's nearly 8 months I am still continuing with it for the foreseeable future. Hopefully we can continue breastfeeding and pumping until he turns a year.

Jump to this post

@jmreiman washing is the worst! I was so happy the first day didn't have to wash any parts when I was done pumping! I loved using the Kiinde system to pump into bags and then use those for bottles at daycare so I did have a lot less to wash. After a pumping session at work I just rinsed the parts and then reused for next session that day then washed with soap and water when got home that night. I think I should have put the parts into a refrigerator in between sessions but I never did. I probably should have been better about doing regular sterilizing of parts but also never did. Now I need to do that to store everything for hopeful baby #2 someday.

Keep up the great work! My breastfeeding journey just came to an end at 13 months. It was one of the most difficult but rewarding things I have ever done. Definitely stressful during the time but now I do miss those extra snuggles with my baby, or I should say toddler!

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Jennifer Day | @jenniferada | May 17, 2017

Hi, I'm Jen and I'm a mom/stepmom to three boys ages 12 (stepson), 4 and 6 months. I have had a tough breastfeeding journey struggling with low supply. I also had low supply with my first son and only nursed him for 5 weeks. We are currently 6 months breastfed with formula supplements. It's been a rough road but my ultimate goal is to make to 1 year!

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