Mr Knowitall

By put your money where your milkmakers are - 28/02/2022 13:00 - United States

Today, I got pissed after my boyfriend tried mansplaining breastfeeding to me. I’ve nursed two children of my own, stocked and sustained two big freezers full, and still had leftovers to donate to preemies. He tried saying pumping "doesn’t increase supply" and that I just “got lucky” making so much. FML
I agree, your life sucks 1 045
You deserved it 167

Same thing different taste

Top comments

slhiggx 17

Same as bagelbitch^ did it all, barely produced. 3 children. All breastfed until I dried all the way up. All under 6 months.

Oh no, we've got a live one here. Who brought the incel to the party?

Comments

BagelBitch 2

He's not entirely wrong. I tried to breastfeed my two children and never made enough, despite pumping after every feeding and every two hours to try to tell my body to make more. I worked with various lactation specialists. I drank copious amounts of water, I even drank the teas and ate the foods known to help "up" production. Not even homemade lactation bites worked; nothing did. I have several friends who were in the same boat as me, and a couple friends who were as lucky as you. He is right, you are lucky that you were able to make so much and have an oversupply. Pumping had very little to do with it.

While some produce more than others, pumping does increase supply. (Though if you stress about it too much – stress decreases supply.)

BagelBitch 2

While you are correct on stress decreasing supply, what you said about pumping is actually a myth. Pumping is not a definitive diagnosis to increase supply. A lot of women do not respond to pumps at all and have to hand squeeze the milk out. Really the only way to increase supply is by removing all of the milk...which a pump does not do. If you have ever pumped and you give your breasts a squeeze afterwards, you will most certainly spray milk. In actual fact, the best way to increase supply is to have the baby on the breast more often because nothing removes milk better than your baby (as long as they are latching properly).

Sorry that's bs. Signed a bfeeding counsellor who's helped thousands of mothers to bfeed

I'm sorry that happened to you. It was still a whole lot more than just luck that meant OP managed to produce milk. Pumping does often increase supply, which is why consultants suggest it. OP also put in a lot of effort to fill the freezer and donate milk and she deserves a round of applause rather than being denigrated.

Well, he is the man. He must know his stuff.

slhiggx 17

Same as bagelbitch^ did it all, barely produced. 3 children. All breastfed until I dried all the way up. All under 6 months.

Comment moderated for rule-breaking.

Show it anyway

Oh no, we've got a live one here. Who brought the incel to the party?

OP said nothing to denigrate other women. Yes genetics are on her side but she also put in a lot of time and effort to do her best for her baby and even donate and she deserves a round of applause for that

taylor_b22 7

I mean….without knowing the context he’s not wrong, I didn’t produce enough milk despite having a hospital grade pump and alternating between latch and pump every hour, I tried foods, teas, etc, nothing worked, I had 4 kids and was able to breastfeed only my last one

Sorry you didn't get the right help for you first three. However op put in tons of effort it wasn't just luck.

Well done OP for all that effort and especially for donating!

It_gets_better 19

As a Mom who's NICU baby was fortunate enough to have donated breastmilk available, thank you for donating OP!