A little over a month ago, I became a mom of multiples, having only been to the hospital a couple of times. My second pregnancy ended with the birth of twins via C-section.

I was dead set on breastfeeding during my first pregnancy, thinking it was the most amazing thing that could happen to a woman and her baby. But after giving birth, my rose-tinted glasses quickly came off, and I started looking at things in a different light. By day four, I had a plugged duct in my breast. Panic, shock, tears – what do you do?

What is a plugged duct? In my breast, there was pain and red patches where the milk was stuck (I had 1-3), my back would ache in the area of my sternum, my temperature would rise, and it was almost impossible to express milk with my hands, a breast pump, or even massage. Forget about expressing it – even touching it hurt! My baby was also struggling with this process, as it usually happens in the beginning when the baby isn't able to suck out a lot of milk, let alone break up these blockages.

I used a Medela manual device 10 years ago and experienced painful sensations in my breast. I don't know why, but no one reassured me that breastfeeding isn't a magic solution, and I could switch to formula if needed. At the time, I blamed myself for everything: my diet, my baby's digestive issues, and their rashes. My pediatrician restricted everything, even forcing me to eat 0% fat yogurt. I was starving, thin, but breastfeeding! (Who needed that kind of sacrifice – I'm still not sure.) Yes, breast milk is an amazing product for babies, but a breastfeeding mom shouldn't have to suffer during feeding.

And to make matters worse, nature decided to bless me with an additional milk-producing breast under my arm, which also tried to lactate and swelled up like a tennis ball. I'm not sure what I did the first time, but I'll share my second experience below. I'm positive it'll come in handy for someone.

What to do when you have a plugged duct and a fever? A week later, my temperature spiked to 40 degrees Celsius. With a baby on my hands, I was barely able to move after giving birth, and I had a high fever and a rock-solid breast. I had to call an ambulance, which gave me a magical paracetamol tablet and, within 30 minutes, I felt human again! The milk started flowing, and my temperature didn't rise again. I was always on the lookout, though – I still don't understand why it happened, but okay.

Parecetamol is allowed during breastfeeding. You can also check what's allowed during breastfeeding and lactation on the Е-лактация website. This time, I didn't call an ambulance, but I wrote to our patrolozhnaya nurse. She said I could take one tablet, but no more. I didn't need to express milk, and I should continue feeding my babies as usual.

I'm getting to the good stuff now. For years, I'd been telling my husband that I wasn't planning on breastfeeding, but after having our second baby, I realized I wanted to. I'm not sure how much milk I'll have, but I'm hoping for the best...

The milk (or rather, colostrum) came in two days earlier this time around. As far as I know, it usually comes in around four to five days after giving birth, but I'm already seeing it on day two. That's interesting. Maybe it's because I have twins. With my daughter, it came in on day three.

What do you do with an extra breast when doing GBS? I woke up with a throbbing pain in my arm that I'd almost forgotten about, and my focus shifted from the stitches to the lump under my arm. When my OB-GYN came to check on me, I mentioned it to her. She recommended applying a cold compress wrapped in a towel and expressing the milk, as well as using Traumeel. Of course, I was also supposed to be breastfeeding the babies primarily from the affected breast.

Dop. moloch. zhelez. chto s nee delat pri GVIn the hospital, there's a special room where women express milk for reanimation. But I found myself needing to do it just to make things easier, using sterile equipment and taking up a machine. It felt a bit weird, to be honest. And to be honest, I didn't have a lot of time to spare, and I didn't want to leave my babies alone for too long.

molozyvo v sterilnom konteynerI asked my mom to pick up a milk pump from the Children's World store that comes with a massaging function. Honestly, I wasn't planning on buying one at all, but that's how it worked out. She recommended getting the hero of this review - Canpol babies Easy Start Electric Breast Pump.

In the hospital, I started trying to get rid of the engorgement and pain under my arm. By that time, my breast had already started to harden. I thoroughly cleaned the pump and asked the staff to sterilize it. Assembling the pump was a breeze, but it's still a good idea to follow the instructions.

Even though I'd managed to alleviate some of the discomfort, my lump was still there and hurting just as much. The Canpol babies milk pump was my last hope.

When I first applied it to my chest, I was like a spark had flown out of my eyes - it was so painful. But gradually, the lumps inside started to break down, and my chest became softer. By morning, the inflammation and swelling had gone, and I was able to express myself again without overdoing it. I guess that's just the way nature works, and women are no exception. The discomfort was gone, but I still felt like a milked cow.

Despite the initial shock, my first impressions of the breast pump were still positive. I went on to use it as intended, but the milk supply wasn't as plentiful as it was 9 years ago when I first started lactating. Thankfully, I haven't had any additional engorgement for over a month now.
I got so excited about the idea of breastfeeding that I ordered storage bags, but it turned out I didn't have much milk to spare. The babies were draining me dry, and I even had to supplement with formula. It wasn't until about a month in that I noticed the babies were wanting to nurse every 40-50 minutes. I was feeding one for 30 minutes while I switched to the other, and they'd wake up the moment I put the first one down. With that schedule, I barely had time to eat and drink before the next feeding session.

The device comes in a sturdy cardboard box with some of its features listed on the side. There are also spare parts included, but I'm not sure if I'll ever need them.

Inside, you'll find the instruction manual in multiple languages and the breast pump itself.

The device itself looks sleek and modern. I was expecting something more compact, but I'm grateful they were able to deliver it to me quickly.

You can also use it on the go by inserting batteries, but I only charged it from the wall. To be honest, I'm a bit of a cleanliness freak, so I wouldn't dare use it anywhere outside of a sterile environment. I did see some women in the hospital using it to express milk, though.

Honestly, when I'm pumping, I always wear a nursing bra. It's super convenient for feeding, and it helps support my breasts, keeping them from sagging. I actually bought this bra during my pregnancy, and it fit me just right. But when I tried it on after giving birth, it felt way too tight. I was bummed and ended up ordering a bigger size. But let's be real, my body and breasts have changed 10 times already in just a month, and I've lost 16 kg in total. I'm not on a diet, and I'm not starving myself. I eat everything: soups, oatmeal, sushi rolls, pizza, chocolate, candy, cookies, yogurt, nuts, fruits, veggies, and I drink a ton of water and warm beverages, especially tea with milk. To get milk coming in, you need to eat and drink a lot, and take warm showers.

3 modes, plus different intensity levels. If there's no milk coming in, no matter which mode you choose, it's not going to make a difference. I find it works best when I've just eaten a decent meal. It's nice to have some help from the little ones during this time, so you can relax. I do all the pumping when they're sleeping. If my breasts are healthy, it doesn't hurt at all in any of the modes - the massage is super gentle and comfortable, even if it's not the most pleasant thing to do from a moral standpoint. You need to customize it to your own body, since everyone's physiology is different... The manual mode was a nightmare for me - it was so painful, my breasts and nipples were even bruised from the process.

As for whether the breast pump helps with engorgement and temperature, in my case, the answer is a definite no. But when my breasts are just hard, but not inflamed, it does help to break up the ducts and makes things a lot easier. If I were to give birth in a hospital, I'd definitely recommend getting a breast pump to help with expressing milk, at least for the first little while.

I've got a ton of milk with my first daughter, so I had to express it. I was exclusively breastfeeding for the first few months, but with twins, they're able to feed themselves sometimes, and I still have to supplement with formula. Occasionally, I'll try to express some milk, and I'll get about 30-60 grams - that's basically nothing for a bottle, so I don't bother freezing it. If my baby is just starting out and needs to leave, I can express and feed right away, or store it in the fridge and heat it up in hot water (not the microwave). My kids, for some reason, are super picky about drinking my milk from a bottle, unlike formula.

After each expression, I wash the pump and send it off to be sterilized.

I store it in this container.

Moloko-otsos Canpol babies Easy Start Electric Breast Pump - I highly recommend it!