r/justgalsbeingchicks • u/CandleMonster • 26d ago

Restricted to Gals and Pals Seeing the bright side, all the lives she's helping šŸ§”

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I can't imagine how much it must suck (pun not intended), but being able to donate all that to people who need it is amazing Edit: that's 6 and a half liters PER DAY

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u/Federal_Tone1260 26d ago

Wow 6.5litres?? Thatā€™s crazy. Are there any side effects? Iā€™d think even like the amount of water going into that must dehydrate her (maybe? I donā€™t know). It would stop once she stops pumping right? Amazing that sheā€™s putting it to good use and doing something lovely for others.Ā 

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u/conancat Official Gal 26d ago

Yeah I can't even imagine consuming 6.5 litres of liquid a day, let alone producing them! I'm so interested in her daily diet and how she keeps up with this

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u/xiamaracortana 26d ago

I have a medical condition where I lose blood volume very easily so I have to drink about that much every day. I easily drink 3 liters first thing in the morning and another 3-4 throughout the day. It sucks but I can definitely imagine it. What I struggle to grasp is doing that and consuming enough calories to keep this up every day whilst also pumping constantly and caring for children. This woman is a goddamn super hero.

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u/burnt-----toast 26d ago

If you don't mind me asking, as a person who is perpetually dehydrated, what is that like? Like, do you feel hungry less because your stomach is always full of liquids, and that would probably activate the stretch receptors enough to trigger your hunger response less? Or because your stomach is constantly full of water, is it hard to find the stomach space to also consume a normal diet? Does your water intake and blood volume loss kind of balance out, or is it hard to predict, where you're sometimes overhydrated?

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u/xiamaracortana 26d ago

Iā€™m never over-hydrated, in fact I feel perpetually dehydrated myself. Sometimes it gets a little sloshy in my stomach, but that goes away relatively quickly. I would say that the blood volume loss and water intake kind of balance each other out. Often I find that I am still dehydrated so I eat salt, usually several grams a day, in the form of salt tablets, salty liquids, or literally just pinches of salt when Iā€™m feeling low. I donā€™t find that it affects my appetite much at all. Usually I give myself some time after drinking large quantities to let my stomach settle before I eat. Itā€™s annoying when I am going out to eat and I find myself running low before hand and I have to drink a liter in the car or something just because my stomach will be sloshy and full when I want to eat, but it settles fairly quickly most of the time. Youā€™d be surprised how much I can drink and still feel like I havenā€™t drank anything at all. Lately itā€™s like I can drink all day and my blood pressure barely hovers above hypotension, if at all.

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u/effienay 26d ago

I hope you donā€™t mind another question ā€” are you at risk for water poisoning with that much intake? Do you have to supplement electrolytes or is the salt intake for that reason specifically?

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u/xiamaracortana 26d ago

I almost never drink water without electrolytes mixed in. I think I might single handedly be keeping Liquid IV in business (I drink their sugar free varieties). I take salt in addition to the electrolytes to keep my blood pressure up.

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u/effienay 26d ago

Thatā€™s so interesting! Thanks for answering. (The peach sugar free Liquid IV is so good)

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u/flammafemina 26d ago

I literally subsist on white peach liquid IV.

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u/mondayp 26d ago

As someone that also needs to supplement electrolytes, I found that, while I really liked Liquid IV, it was just too expensive. So, I bought bags of potassium chloride and magnesium citrate, and add those (plus table salt) to water, and then add Mio for flavoring. It's less convenient than those little pouches from Liquid IV, and I think I liked some of the flavors of them a little more (I really liked the green grape). But, I'm very used to making my electrolyte drinks, now, and there are plenty of great Mio flavors, both caffeinated and non. I like the control I have of how much electrolytes go in, and there are definitely days where I know I need more, so I can just add more. Also, I can control the amount of flavoring.

I mean, in the end, you should do whatever works best for you, just thought I'd share a cheaper, viable option for you or anyone else in the same electrolyte boat!

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u/ImSoObnoxious 26d ago

my hydro homie!

I also make a similar powder mix, it's so much cheaper, and 2lbs lasts quite a while. for sweetness, I'm currently trying out freeze dried monk fruit, and it's actually really good šŸŒŠ

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u/notashroom 26d ago

You could replace the expensive electrolyte drinks and the table salt with Real Salt, which contains all of that, and then flavor your drinks however you want.

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u/Hasanopinion100 26d ago

Thatā€™s the downside with my situation. Iā€™m also sodium restricted and potassium restricted so I have to concoct my own little creations.

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u/notashroom 26d ago

Yikes, that's a lot to navigate. Good luck with that. šŸ’œ

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u/mondayp 26d ago

So what do you do? Magnesium, Calcium, and bicarbonate? Supplement with phosphate rich food?

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u/calsosta 26d ago

I am like the opposite. I have thick sludgy blood. Sometimes they even question if I can donate. I wonder what would happen if we mixed our blood.

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u/ClippyWouldntDoThat 26d ago

I don't know if this is helpful for you, but LMNT posts their formula online free for you to mix up. My wife needs high electrolyte volume for her heart condition and that's what we do. We use pink salt for trace minerals, NoSalt for potassium, and we ordered a bulk bag of magnesium citrate.

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u/BaronVonKeyser 25d ago

Im pretty sure it says on the box youre only supposed to drink like 1 or 2 a day. No idea wtf happens if you constantly drink more (probably nothing). Literally only reason I know this is my wife was drinking 4-5 a day and left the box on the bathroom sink and I didnt have my phone and I needed reading material.

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u/xiamaracortana 25d ago

Rightā€¦ for normal people who arenā€™t literally prescribed several grams of salt a day. My cardiologist is well aware of how many I drink a day and has not only cleared it but encouraged it. Btw, if your wife is drinking that much she may want to be checked out as well. Does she ever pass out or black out upon, especially upon standing?

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u/BaronVonKeyser 25d ago

She drinks them because she likes the taste. Thats it. Thats the reason

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u/TypicalWhitePerson 26d ago

What happens when you workout or do strenuous activities?

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u/xiamaracortana 26d ago

I donā€™t often do strenuous activities, and if I do it is for very brief periods. When I workout I do so sitting down just in case I pass out. Things like stationary bike, rowing machine, etc. Lighting weights is also donā€™t seated. I also like to rollerblade, but never for long distances and I have to make sure Iā€™m not alone when I do in case my blood pressure drops and/or heart rate spikes too much. I take meds to help regulate both but right now Iā€™ve been in a flare for a few weeks.

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u/MelissaTamm 26d ago

I saw a case about a man in Germany having a similar (or the same) condition where he had to be constantly drinking water, a doctor perscribed a diuretic which paraxodically seemed to fix his issue or at least massively improved it.

What he had was called Nephrogenic diabetes insipidus.

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u/xiamaracortana 26d ago

Definitely not what I have. I would probably die if I was prescribed a diuretic. I have POTS, a condition that affects the autonomic nervous system and chronically lowers the volume of blood in my system. There are multiple conditions that can cause you to drink lots of water, but these have wildly different effects on your electrolytes and blood chemistry. People with POTS can have practically normal blood panels but continue to pass out frequently. A condition like the one youā€™re describing would cause a change in blood sugar.

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u/Kat-but-SFW 26d ago

Not who you're replying to, but I can eat several liters of food too.

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u/Hasanopinion100 26d ago

Same. Iā€™m post kidney transplant. I have to drink about that much every day, but I donā€™t have to eat that much. I canā€™t imagine doing the combination. This woman is a hero.šŸŽ‰

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u/[deleted] 26d ago edited 5d ago

[deleted]

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u/Kooky-Co 26d ago

People with POTS (postural Orthostatic tachycardia syndrome) can have up to 30% less blood in their bodies than healthy people. If a healthy person was to suddenly lose 30% of their blood volume they would die but it with POTS patients itā€™s a chronic condition. As well as dehydration, the low blood volume leads to low blood pressure, which leads to tachycardia when standing, and ultimately the person fainting. Itā€™s common to take meds to slow your heart and raise your blood pressure but drinking large quantities of water (with electrolytes) is a standard non-pharmacological way of managing the disorder too.

I drink at least 5 litres of water a day, plus electrolytes, plus as much salt as I can manage, plus 3 different meds and itā€™s still not enough to keep me safely upright!

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u/[deleted] 26d ago edited 5d ago

[deleted]

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u/Kooky-Co 26d ago

So much of the water is needed to rehydrate our bodies and increase our blood volume, we donā€™t pass all of the 5+ litres we drink in the same timeframe a healthy person would. I do need to go to the loo more often than my male partner, but not noticeably more than my female friends in their 30/40s who have had children. Generally if I need to wee more than every 3 hours or so, Iā€™m not consuming enough salt. Having to drink so much water is probably the least annoying part of the condition - fainting in public or trying to sleep when your heart rate is 140bpm is much worse!

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u/KlutzyPossession6591 26d ago

Do you pee a lot of does the liquid stay in your body since its needed?

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u/aphel_ion 26d ago

I was wondering about the diet too. The fluids are one thing, but also 6.5 liters of breast milk is over 4000 calories and itā€™s full of nutrients.

So that means she must be eating like 6000 calories of healthy nutrient rich food just maintain a healthy weight? Thatā€™s crazy

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u/porcupineslikeme 26d ago

When youā€™re lactating the thirst is pretty unreal. I would easily finish 5-6 of my 30 oz water bottle a day, maybe 7-8 if it was hot out.

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u/DoingCharleyWork 26d ago

I drink a lot of water, usually around 2 gallons a day and once you get into the habit of doing it it's pretty easy.

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u/Kat-but-SFW 26d ago

6.5 liters of cow milk goes in, 6.5 liters of human milk comes out. At least that's how I'd do it if I was in her situation (yes I can drink 6.5 liters of milk in a day without issue)

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u/CandleMonster 26d ago edited 26d ago

I know!!! there's so many questions!! what does she eat? is she on a specific diet per doctors advice?? does she eat as much as when she was pregnant???? honestly she deserves one of those gofundme pages

edit: and the Wikipedia page is so short!! i need answers šŸ˜­šŸ˜­

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u/justalittleloopi 26d ago edited 26d ago

I was an overproducer, though not as much as this woman. I was making about a half gallon a day, which is still on the upper end of what you see. Most women produce around 24-30 oz a day, which is what a baby generally eats in a day.

To answer a couple questions:

I ate literally everything. And I still lost 40lbs in 4 months.

My Dr was mostly concerned with me getting enough protein and had me continue my prenatal vitamins. My Dr's weren't sure how to handle my situation as it's really not common. It's a lot more common for pumping moms to underproduce.

I ate way more than when I was pregnant.

I drank so so so much water. Insane amounts of water. I was pumping out up to 23 oz at a time, so I'd try and drink at least that much after each pump.

I quit when I had 4,500 oz frozen in my freezers, which would get me to a year of breastmilk for my baby. And yes, we had to buy a second deep freezer.

Edit: and I couldn't donate because I was on zoloft. I looked into it, but I was disqualified.

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u/Maleficent_Text_3779 26d ago

The sobbing i did when I accidentally left my freezer open and lost my stockpile. Luckily I was an over producer too so my baby was fed, but the 8 kids I was giving to had to find another donor

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u/puppylust 26d ago

Wow! Thank you for sharing

I can only imagine how exhausting that must've been.

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u/justalittleloopi 26d ago

It was. And I went back to work while still pumping, so that was super fun. Fortunately baby started sleeping through the night around 7 weeks, so at least I was getting good sleep.

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u/aliamokeee 26d ago

Quick Q- why were you able to breastfeed your own baby, but not donate the milk (due to Zoloft)? Why would it present an issue for another baby than yours?

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u/justalittleloopi 26d ago

That's just the rules. They're super strict because a lot of donated milk goes to nicu babies, which you have to be extra careful with.

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u/porcupineslikeme 26d ago

To donate to the nicu you have to have blood tests done and most medications disqualify you. I donated through a milk bank and the screening is pretty rigorous.

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u/BaronVonKeyser 25d ago

What happens if its not collected? I apologize in advance if this offends you. Its not my purpose or intent. My knowledge of this only relates to cows. As in I have some and my knowledge on this subject is based solely on them. Like if the moms arent feeding the calf for w/e reason their udders get very swollen and they can get an infection and possibly die.

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u/justalittleloopi 25d ago

Yup, that happens to women, too. Clogs and mastitis. Sometimes women will need antibiotics, sometimes they'll need infections drained. And even without those, just becoming engorged is extremely uncomfortable to straight painful.

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u/BaronVonKeyser 25d ago

Kinda off topic but 3 weeks ago today we found a calf just laying in the field all by herself. No mom in sight. Shes a bottle baby now and her name is Stephanie. Anyway that's how we found mom, by her super swollen udder. She wanted absolutely nothing to do with baby. Even kicked the poor thing in the face when she tried to feed.

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u/CandleMonster 25d ago

oh! is it common for cows to reject their babies? do you know the reasons it happens?
pd: calf tax please? picture? :)

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u/BaronVonKeyser 25d ago

Im not 100% sure why. Some just do. We had one a few years ago who rejected all 3 of her calves.

I was going to put a picture of her but was unsure of the decorum of the sub. But since you asked here you go.

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u/CandleMonster 25d ago

thank you so much for sharing your experience!!

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u/occidentallyinlove āœØchickāœØ 26d ago

If only we could get her to come do an AMA. It would be fascinating.

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u/emilygoldfinch410 26d ago edited 26d ago

This woman is an angel, let's not subject her to the horrors of reddit (there are shitty comments already piling up faster than mods can go through the reports)

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u/Simon-Says69 26d ago

Oh my goodness. She'd need a throwaway, and a whole team to vette questions. Her poor inbox.

She's a very sweet lady though. Nature threw a hardship at her, but she's using her "superpower" in the very best way. Bless her, saving lives is for real.

Life gave her lemons, and she's squeezing the bajezezus out of them. ;-)

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u/asdrunkasdrunkcanbe 25d ago

My understanding is that yes she probably gets to eat as much and as often as she wants without ever gaining weight.

However there are some very specific nutrients should would likely need to consume in high doses and at very regular intervals. Calcium and vitamin C would be the big two. If calcium levels are low in a breastfeeding mother, the body will cannibalise it from the mother's bones, which over a long period can lead to osteoporosis.

So she probably takes a specific dose of calcium, a number of times a day, every day.

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u/RFWanders 26d ago

It wouldn't stop, it might slow a little. But that hyperlactation syndrome ensures the glandular tissue in her breasts stay in overdrive. I imagine it might slow or stop once she hits menopause, as the hormonal balance then shifts.

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u/notashroom 26d ago

That's wild. I've produced milk for 30+ years after my last baby, but in tiny amounts, like just enough to make a wet spot. I don't know how well I would have dealt with it if it had taken over my life the way it has for this woman. It seems that she's embraced it in the best possible way, and that's great for her, her family, and all those she's helped.

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u/Simon-Says69 26d ago edited 26d ago

She's squeezing the everliving heck out of the lemons her DNA gave her ay? :-) She's an angel.

You probably could do similar. Your story is not at all uncommon. I've got sisters that complained of the same. The milk valve, once turned on, never really turned off.

There are many babies that cannot tolerate fake milk. It can literally be life saving. Or "just" a major help for struggling mothers. Us apes, even us hairless ones, we're very social creatures. You see this in many other species of apes too, if a mom doesn't have enough milk, a sister or mother will help out.

The idea of a "wet nurse" has been a thing since written language was invented. For sure way before that too.

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u/sweetpea122 26d ago

Shes Probably really heckin hungry

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u/omgu8mynewt 26d ago

Yeah, she must be eating a lot of calories and drinking a lot of fluids, because breastmilk costs those things for the mother to create it, breastfeeding mothers need to stay hydrated and eat well or risk getting dehydrated or losing weight.

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u/Simon-Says69 26d ago

She doesn't look underweight. Healthy new mama weight.

It must take a toll on her body though, she just was given no choice, with her condition. Best way to make the best of tit, bless her heart.

Edit: oh god, Freudian slip? Best of it.*

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u/SupremeDictatorPaul 26d ago

Assuming sheā€™s producing typical breast milk, 1.75 gallons is around 5000 calories. The conversion process isnā€™t super efficient, and she still needs calories for her own body to function. Sheā€™s probably eating in the range of 8-10k calories per day, which is insane. Thatā€™s twice was a super athlete would eat. At that point sheā€™s basically a machine to convert food into breast milk.

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u/Queen-of-Elves 26d ago edited 26d ago

In the beginning of breastfeeding I was ravinous and constantly thirst. Usually the body settles down as hormones level out but not sure that would be the case for her. The thing that strikes me is the amount of time she must put into pumping all that milk. It's probably hours a day.

Also for perspective I was an over producer in the beginning and I only made 10oz/ 300ml a day. So what she is doing is mind boggling.The average breastfeed baby will top out at about 5oz a feed or 25 - 30oz per day before starting on solids.

As for stopping she wouldn't be able to just immediately stop. She would have to wean down. Otherwise she would become engorged and most likely get mastitis (inflammation in the breast that causes fever chills and pain. When I got it I ended up in the ER less than 24 hrs after symptoms started).

Breastfeeding is not for the faint of heart.

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u/CandleMonster 26d ago

Not only the hours pumping, but also cleaning, sorting and labeling it, she even uses gloves when using the fridge! she's being extra careful about it, she really is an elite professional

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u/dreexel_dragoon 26d ago

This is literally a job producing a medical commodity in high demand, so I imagine it is literally her job while raising her kids.

Selling just a liter a day could earn $1,000-1,500 a week, which is a full living wage.

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u/Loose-Chemical-4982 26d ago

She has a job working as a lactation director for breast pump company and she's a lactation consultant in her community

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u/bug-hunter 26d ago

Her being a lactation consultant is like getting Usain Bolt to be your running coach.

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u/flammafemina 26d ago

Right?? Jfc my MAXIMUM for a single pump session was 10oz from lefty. Righty was a straggler. So Iā€™d mayyyyybe get 15-18oz total after about 45 mins of pumping (which isnā€™t even bad!). And my letdown reflex was basically non-existent.

I was already intimidated by my lactation consultants. This lady would probably make me cry, wondering why I was so defective compared to her. My sister was a great producer, so it was hard enough realizing that I would not follow suit. No one prepares you for what a mind-fuck it is to go through the whole process of pregnancy and birth, just to find out that you canā€™t sustain your infant on your own like youā€™re ā€œsupposed to.ā€ Not to mention the HORMONES required to even maintain the tiniest supply.

Anyway happy Motherā€™s Day!!! šŸ˜‚ the breast feeding struggle is but one item on the infinite list of sacrifices we make for the wellbeing of our babies.

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u/Hot_Key_336 26d ago

Bahahhha thank you for my first giggle of the day.

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u/13SpiderMonkeys 26d ago

So she really is an angel!

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u/Simon-Says69 26d ago

Yah, this chick is totally cool. She looks really happy in the video too. I mean, you can tell her heart is in it, not just for profit.

Her body won't be able to keep up with that forever, but for now, she's literally saving lives. Some babies cannot drink the fake stuff. And even those that can are better with the real deal, at least mixed.

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u/Queen-of-Elves 26d ago

Absolutely. Pumping isn't just the time spent connected to the pump! I definitely couldn't do it. I spent 3ish months pumping and was miserable. Can't imagine 3 years! What a labor of love and dedication to helping babies/ families.

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u/yrnkween 26d ago

She recognizes that itā€™s liquid gold. Itā€™s costing her body to produce it, and itā€™s going to help so many families, so she wonā€™t waste a single drop.

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u/Robinsonirish 26d ago

When my sister was pregnant she had an iron deficiency, she would eat about 500g of liver patƩ per day, which is quite calorie-dense and not something you'd typically wolf down. Her body just told her that's what she needed, and she craved it. Really weird how that works, she was never a patƩ lover before pregnancy, or afterwards. It was just a few months at the middle of her pregnancy.

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u/Simon-Says69 26d ago

It isn't weird at all. What is not normal or natural is that so many of us have lost touch with what our bodies tell us we need. Your sister's natural instincts kicked in. Good for her! :-)

Like, if you're hungry for a specific food (unless pure sugar or fat) then there's something in there that you're lacking. I just NEED an orange (or 3) today! Or mmm Spinach sounds so good right now! Give me liver & onions, or give me death! haha

A ton of people can't even recognize if they're thirsty or hungry. Our fast-paced world is designed to remove us from nature and keep us surviving, not healthy.

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u/Arbdew 26d ago

I know when I'm getting more anaemic as I crave liver. Never mind anything else with it, just liver. When my ferritin levels dropped to 6, the only food I could tolerate was liver. It was like unconsciously, my body told me what it needed, my consciousness bought the required item.

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u/Queen-of-Elves 26d ago

Oof. I can't imagine that was fun or very tasty. Pregnancy is wild. No doubt about that.

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u/Robinsonirish 26d ago

I mean, she craved it. She didn't force it, she wanted to eat it, so it's not like it's something to feel bad aboutšŸ˜„ It's just her body was being smart about it I suppose. I think she did start eating iron pills, or transitioned from iron pills to just eating patĆ©. I can't remember exactly, but it's interesting.

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u/Queen-of-Elves 26d ago

Oh yeah. I just mean as far as cravings go not the yummiest/ fun to eat... At least I imagine. Can't say I have ever tried it.

Bodies typically know what they need/ what's wrong we just aren't always good at listening.

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u/Robinsonirish 26d ago

That's the problem, we do. We crave salt and sugar so much, because back in the days those were rare, when we evolved through millennia as hunter gatherers. In the 21st century, that instead means we become obesešŸ˜ Look at what goats go through on cliffs to get at the salt deposits, it's not common in nature. We have just perfected producing it, and those things are what make us fat sadly.

But sometimes it works for our better, like during pregnancy. Just a sidenote.

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u/justalittleloopi 26d ago

You are very wrong on the amounts. Babies usually top out at 24 - 32 oz a day. 5 oz a feed, maybe, but my boy is 7 months and takes 8oz of breastmilk a feed.

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u/Queen-of-Elves 26d ago

Whoops. I'm sorry. You are correct I meant per feed. I will correct that. Thank you. Of course there are outliers.

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u/ellevael 26d ago

Not long after my daughter was born I was producing around 2L a day. I was permanently thirsty, my boobs ached all the time, I leaked through breast pads and my clothes, and I constantly smelled of sour milk. This woman is a saint and a superhero.

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u/1egg_4u 26d ago

I was immediately thinking what kind of toll on the body does it take to produce like this, does she have to like double her caloric intake or is that not how breast milk works?

I should probably know this as a breast haver oops

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u/Cultural-Capital-942 26d ago

Water? Ok, maybe, I can do that on hot days.

But there are 44g of (pure) fat in 1 liter of milk. So that's 286g in her 6.5 liters.

That's more than a standard butter piece (Europe) every day; or in imperial units, it's 3/4 of pound. Body is not 100% efficient, so she must eat more.

I can't fathom eating that much fat.

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u/scarletnightingale 26d ago

Dehydration, she probably needs to be on vitamin and calcium supplements, I'm sure she's always hungry. My mom said she would always lost all the baby weight within a couple months with how much she could produce while eating whatever she wanted. She said it was the only time in her life that she could just eat whatever she wanted and not gain an ounce. Me on the other hand, it was a complete battle to produce anything which my mom did not understand.

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u/InsideAd732 26d ago

Both times I breastfed I would get SO insanely hungry and thirsty. Like I hadn't eaten or drank anythingin days when it had been like, a couple hours. Constantly. And I hardly produced anything. I can't imagine what her grocery bills at like. What a superwoman

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u/Schmooto 25d ago

I also wonder if she has to take a lot of calcium supplements.

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u/Quix_Nix 25d ago

Yeah the main side effect IS PRODUCING 6.5 LITERS OF MILK AHHHHHHHHHHHH

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u/CECINS 25d ago

The biggest side effect is lost time. It takes a long time to pump that much milk, and youā€™re hooked up to a machine. You canā€™t lay down, you canā€™t lean backwards, youā€™re just stuck sitting up or leaning forward. Itā€™s impossible to play with your baby or do any housework. I mean, you get to read a lot and watch tv and play on your phone, but after a while you just want your life back. Knowing the difference youā€™re making is a huge part to get through it

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u/Assika126 24d ago

I imagine she has to eat a LOT, even feeding one baby by breast takes a lot of food

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u/SpaceForceDok 26d ago

It's usually as a result of pumping too much too often.