How Madi regained Control over Pumping & Work-Life Balance after her first… this time with TWINS!!

Motherhood is a journey filled with unexpected twists, challenges, and triumphs. And if you’re a working mom trying to balance breastfeeding or pumping with a demanding career, the path can feel even more overwhelming. Today, I have the privilege of sharing Madi’s story—a raw, real, and inspiring account of a mother who navigated the highs and lows of feeding her babies while working full-time.

Madi is a busy working mom of five, including 11-month-old twin boys, a 5-year-old, and two older stepchildren. She also holds a high-level leadership role as VP of Operations for a boutique commercial real estate brokerage firm, a position she humorously describes as managing an “adult daycare” for real estate brokers.

Her journey with breastfeeding and pumping wasn’t easy. But through every challenge—including supply struggles, Bell’s palsy, and a 10-day hospital stay with sick newborns—she found a way to take control of her experience and meet her goals.

If you’re a working mom trying to figure out how to make pumping work in real life, Madi’s story is one you won’t want to miss.

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

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First-Time Mom Struggles: Learning the Hard Way

Like many new moms, Madi started her breastfeeding journey with excitement but little preparation. She was thrilled when her milk came in right away at the hospital, but she had no idea what she was doing. A quick visit from a lactation consultant gave her some basic instructions, but it wasn’t enough to make her feel confident in breastfeeding or pumping.

Once she got home, things seemed to be going smoothly at first, but when she returned to work at four months postpartum, her milk supply began to drop. She hadn’t expected this change and felt completely discouraged. The emotional toll was heavy—she found herself crying often and feeling unsupported by those around her, including her husband, who had formula-fed his previous children and didn’t fully understand why breastfeeding mattered so much to her.

By six months, the stress became too much, and she made the difficult decision to stop pumping. At the time, it felt like a failure, but looking back, she realizes now that what she went through was completely normal.

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Pregnant with Twins: A New Approach

When Madi found out she was pregnant with twins, she immediately knew she had to approach breastfeeding differently. The thought of feeding two babies made her determined to find a better, more sustainable way to manage her milk supply. She started researching breast pumps, techniques for exclusive pumping, and ways to balance it all while continuing to work full-time.

That’s how she found the New Little Life YouTube channel. Initially, she was just looking for pump reviews, but as she watched more videos, she came across information about our Pumping for Working Moms coaching program. At first, she wasn’t sure if she really needed the extra support. Couldn’t she just figure it out on her own? But after thinking about it, she realized that having accountability and guidance would make all the difference in sticking with her goals.

She scheduled a consultation, and during our conversation, it became clear—she needed this. She decided to join the program while still pregnant, committing to setting herself up for success this time around.

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Postpartum Challenges: Bell’s Palsy and RSV

Welcoming twins into the world is already a huge adjustment, but just days after giving birth, Madi faced a completely unexpected health scare. Her dad noticed during a FaceTime call that something looked off with her face. When she looked in the mirror, she saw that one side of her mouth wasn’t moving properly. Within 24 hours, the drooping had worsened, and doctors told her it was either Bell’s palsy or a stroke. They weren’t entirely sure at first, which only added to the anxiety of being a brand-new mom to twins.

While still recovering from that shock, things took another terrifying turn. When the twins were about six weeks old, one of them started showing severe cold symptoms. His breathing sounded strained, and his cry seemed unusual. Madi took him to the pediatrician, who immediately sent them to the hospital.

Within a few days, her second twin started showing symptoms too. She took him to the doctor as well, hoping it wasn’t as serious, but while in the pediatrician’s office, he suddenly turned purple in her arms. His oxygen levels dropped dangerously low, and she was told to take him to the hospital immediately.

Both babies ended up hospitalized with severe RSV, but to make things even harder, the hospital didn’t have a room available where they could stay together. Madi spent days bouncing between two separate rooms, trying to care for both of her sick babies. Eventually, the hospital staff moved them into the same room, which made things slightly easier.

Through all of this, Madi continued to pump. Even in the chaos of hospital stays and exhaustion, she felt like pumping was the one thing she could control.

“I was just pumping, holding babies, eating, and repeating. Honestly, in the midst of all the chaos, pumping was the one thing I felt like I had control over. It was something I could do when everything else felt like it was falling apart. It gave me a purpose in those long hospital days, even when I was exhausted beyond belief.”

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The Turning Point: Finding Control and Confidence

As things settled down, Madi started feeling more confident in her ability to manage pumping and work. She had discovered that she had been using the wrong flange size with her first baby, which had likely contributed to her struggles back then. This time, she found the right fit and realized how much of a difference it made.

She also embraced flexibility in her pumping routine. One of the biggest mindset shifts she experienced in the coaching program was learning about the magic number concept—a way of figuring out how many pumps per day would maintain her supply while fitting into her lifestyle. Instead of obsessing over rigid schedules, she adapted her routine in a way that worked for her.

More than anything, she appreciated having a community of other working moms who truly understood what she was going through. The weekly coaching calls became a space where she could ask questions, share frustrations, and hear from other moms navigating the same challenges. It wasn’t just about pumping—it was about having support from people who got it.

“This program gave me the confidence to take control of my milk supply. I knew how much milk I needed, I knew how to get it, and I knew how to adjust when needed. I wasn’t just surviving—I was in charge of my own journey. And that feeling? That was everything.”

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Final Advice for Other Moms

Now, at 11 months postpartum, Madi is preparing to wean from pumping. She has noticed that her twins are naturally decreasing their milk intake as they eat more solid foods, and she’s down to pumping three times a day. While she once worried about making enough milk, she now feels at peace with gradually slowing down.

Reflecting on everything she’s been through, Maddie has one piece of advice for other working moms:

Take care of yourself.

She learned firsthand how easy it is to put everyone else first—to the point of exhaustion. But through this journey, she realized that if she wasn’t prioritizing her own well-being, she couldn’t show up fully for her babies, her job, or herself.

Madi’s story is a powerful reminder that breastfeeding and pumping don’t have to be an all-or-nothing experience. With the right knowledge, support, and mindset, you can take control of your journey—whatever that looks like for you.

If you’re ready to take control of your pumping journey like Maddie did, we’d love to support you. Learn more about our Pumping for Working Moms coaching program here.

And in the meantime? Go do something for you today—you deserve it. ❤️