CLIENT INTERVIEWS: Lhea’s Story

Lhea is an inspiring mom who recently met her breastfeeding goal despite numerous challenges. Her story is filled with ups, downs, and unexpected surprises—like so many of us experience!

If you’re a working mom or someone balancing the demands of a job and pumping, Leah’s journey will resonate with you. She’s an HR professional, and like many career-focused women, she had to figure out how to manage breastfeeding, pumping, and returning to a busy work schedule. Despite all the obstacles, she made it to a year of pumping and feeding her son—something she never imagined was possible at the start of her journey.

(This blog post was originally a video. Check it out, here!)

The Early Days: Unexpected Challenges

Lhea’s story began with high hopes for breastfeeding. She had always envisioned herself breastfeeding her son and was determined to make it happen. However, reality had other plans. After a difficult birth and a C-section, things didn’t go as smoothly as she expected. Her son had a lip and tongue tie, which made latching difficult, and Leah found herself relying on donor milk to keep her baby fed while her own milk supply struggled to keep up.

Lhea recalls how disheartening it was to try pumping for the first time in the hospital and see nothing come out.

“They gave me the pump, and nothing came out—nothing, not one drop. I was crying, I was upset. I thought, ‘How am I going to feed my baby if nothing is coming out?’” she shared.

The lactation consultant reassured her, but the emotional toll of seeing no milk was tough to handle.

“I remember celebrating when I got to the PP line on the Spectra pump—it was a tiny amount, but it felt like a victory after seeing nothing for so long.”

Despite the slow start, Lhea’s determination was unwavering. She continued trying to nurse and pump, even though she wasn’t seeing much milk early on.

My mantra became, “My baby has to eat,” and I just kept going.

-Lhea, PUmping for working moms client

The Transition to Exclusive Pumping

By the time Lhea’s baby was about four weeks old, she made the decision to exclusively pump. “It was tough trying to breastfeed him, bottle feed him, then pump. I was up for hours while my husband and baby were asleep, and it just wasn’t sustainable.”

At two months, Lhea fully committed to exclusive pumping and gave it her all, pumping up to eight or nine times a day.

Even after her son had his lip and tongue tie procedures, Lhea tried again to breastfeed. “But by seven months, he was so used to his routine, and the latch just wasn’t happening. At that point, I stuck with exclusive pumping.”

The Tipping Point: Finding Support

Around the six-month mark, Lhea realized she needed more support. “I was exhausted. I knew I needed help. I could either give up, or I could keep going—but I couldn’t do it alone anymore.”

That’s when Lhea found our Pumping for Working Moms program, and she joined, looking for community, guidance, and encouragement.

Lhea spoke about the emotional impact of feeling like she was facing this challenge alone: “I needed people who had gone through it, who didn’t just throw in the towel. I wanted to be surrounded by moms who understood how hard it was but kept going anyway.”

As she described joining our coaching program, Lhea shared, “The first time I joined a weekly call, I was nervous, but immediately I felt comfortable. Suddenly, you went from being someone on a screen to someone I could talk to. The community aspect was what I needed.”

She quickly found the support she was craving and saw immediate changes. “I breezed through six months after joining the program because I had people around me who understood. Whenever I had a question, I didn’t have to search 15 or 20 different websites and get conflicting advice. I could just ask and get an answer based on experience and research. It made a world of difference.”

The Weaning Surprise

Like many moms, Leah had been counting down the days to her son’s first birthday, excited to finally be done with pumping. “I had an Excel spreadsheet—I was ready! Every month, I was counting down: ‘Okay, four months to go, three months to go.’” But when the time came to introduce cow’s milk, Lhea found herself emotionally unprepared.

“When I gave him cow’s milk and he just threw it on the floor, it did something to me mentally. I thought, ‘I’m not ready to stop giving him breast milk if he’s not ready to drink cow’s milk.’” Lhea realized that while her son was still adjusting, she wasn’t ready to give up her role in nourishing him.

“It shocked me. I had been so excited to stop, but I couldn’t bring myself to fully wean,” Lhea admitted. “I’ve only dropped one pumping session, and I’m still going. Who knows when I’ll actually stop!”

Lhea’s Advice for Working Moms

Lhea’s journey is full of wisdom and lessons for other moms who are juggling work, pumping, and the demands of motherhood. Here are her top takeaways:

1. Give Yourself Permission: “This journey has taught me that it doesn’t always go how you think it will. You have to give yourself permission to be okay with how things go, even when they throw you a curveball.”
   
2. Celebrate Every Win: “I remember sending my husband a picture when I finally made it to an ounce, and we celebrated every step of the way. You need to celebrate those small wins to keep yourself going.”
   
3. Find Your Support System: “I can’t emphasize enough how much I needed a group of women who just got it. My favorite part of the weekly sessions was when everyone was throwing advice around and sharing experiences. You need that camaraderie.”
   
4. Stay Resilient: “No matter what you see in that bottle, don’t give up. You might not see results immediately, but if you keep going, you’ll make it through.”
   
5. It Doesn’t Have to Be All or Nothing: Leah supplemented with formula and was proud of the balance she found. “I’m giving him what I can, and that’s enough. I don’t have to be perfect—I just have to do my best.”
   

The Power of Community

Lhea’s story highlights the importance of community, especially for working moms who are navigating the complexities of breastfeeding and pumping while managing a career. Through our weekly group coaching calls and online forum, Lhea found a safe space to share her challenges, get real-time advice, and connect with other moms.

“When I needed support, I didn’t have to go through a hundred websites. I could just ask, and the team would help me immediately. That made all the difference.”

If you’re a working mom looking for long-term support and guidance on how to balance pumping, work, and life, check out our Pumping for Working Moms program. We offer personalized coaching, a supportive community, and practical advice to help you reach your breastfeeding goals.

Lhea’s journey isn’t over yet—she’s still pumping, still figuring things out, and still giving her baby the best she can. And isn’t that what motherhood is all about?