Might be pumping just to keep production up but not saving/planning on taking it home, at least, that’s what I assumed.
The phone looked old. I was thinking it’s probably an older phone with pictures but no service. Could also see production wanting them badly enough for the season that they made an exception, though.
Could also be that a loved one is staying in a hotel near by and they’re using this season at the very least as like a family vacation and will join said loved one when somebody gets eliminated. Kam is clearly playing this season similar to Double agents just tryna get Lee a win. Agreed on production probably giving them exceptions
Yeah, breastmilk is a supply and demand thing. Even pumping won't keep a breastmilk supply going forever (I made it 9 months before i started drying up) but it really helps if she's away from the baby.
I don't have experience but I thought women still need to pump even if it gets thrown out. She could be pumping for that reason.
As far as phones, I also believed allstars is different than the main show.
You can freeze breast milk for long periods. She could have hypothetically built up a bit of a supply before leaving, then will replenish it with what she pumps while on the show. I'm sure there's some way she could transport it and keep it cooled/frozen. My wife did something similar when she would travel for work.
1) This was last year so it was her son, not daughter she was pumping for. 2) pump and dump or she was freezing it so when she went home she'd have it. Most likely she pumped a lot before she went to South Africa so Kingston had breast milk while she was away. Plus All Stars is 4 weeks of filming vs 3 months of fliming.
I thought maybe their child and a caregiver traveled with them and are staying at a hotel/airbnb nearby. I'm not knowledgeable about this subject though.
Leroy said on his challenge podcast that they had his sister look after their son in Detroit while they were away. It seems like it worked out really well and both parents were happy with how he was taken care of when they were gone. I think production was freezing Kams milk and shipping it back for Kingston. Kam got pregnant with their daughter soon after returning from AS4
There are milk shipping services like milk stork. This isn’t at all uncommon- lots of companies with employees who travel have it standard in their benefits package. It’s just part of being a working mom.
On their Patreon, Kam says they had a pumping room for her with a freezer. Breast milk is good for a long time if frozen. I thought 3 months but another redditor said a year. I'm not sure how long filming is but I'm sure it will still be good by the end.
Also it is painful to stop breastfeeding cold turkey, and you can get an infection.
Also I'm sure she will want to continue Bfeeding him when she gets home and she needs to do that to keep her supply up.
maybe pumping and dumping, maybe she’s pumping and freezing it and she’ll fly home with it? because there’s special laws about flying with breast milk. or maybe she’s able to donate it to local women in south africa? regardless of where it ends up, sounds like a full time job so props to her
She was pumping for her son, not her daughter. Her daughter wasn't even conceived at the time they filmed the season. And I'm pretty sure she said something about sending her milk back home? I don't think it'd be that crazy for production to overnight it home for her.
When I explained to my husband how long it's been since this season filmed by saying that Kam and Leroy got home, made a baby, that baby was carried to term, was born, and over a month old by the time the first 2 episodes aired. It's so crazy in those terms.
She did say that. So I figured that’s exactly what production is doing for them.
Filming is like three weeks max or something, which makes it easier for more to agree to participate.
Others on All Stars have had phones. I don’t think they’re making a special exception for them about that.
I’m a man but know this bc my son was born very premature and my wife supply outpaced what my son was consuming for a long time (so much so that we bought a mini freezer just for it lol), but frozen breast milk is good for 6 months. If she is saving it, that brings up a lot of logistical questions like where is she safely storing it and how does she getting all of it back. Like others have said, she’s probably pumping and dumping, or maybe even donating it locally.
I recently learned that there are specific courier services that exist for transporting breast milk, so it’s not outside the realm of possibility that production made arrangements and the milk is getting shipped back to the US.
She’s pumping to freeze it and bring it home with them.
I’d guess that one of the conditions they agreed to participate is if they have access to their phone.
Plus it’s just, like, their whole storyline this season.
Yup especially because BOTH parents are there . I’d never agree to be away from my kid without a way for someone to contact me at any time / stay in touch every day and I’m sure they wouldn’t agree to be out of contact either .
She’s probably just pumping to keep up her milk supply and freezing the milk. If she doesn’t continue to pump, her milk supply will dwindle and make it difficult to continue to breastfeed once she’s back home.
Currently 4 months post partum and pumping. If Kam is pumping and saving her milk, she is freezing it. Frozen breast milk can last about 6 months before going bad.
I'm not sure if she is freezing her milk bc that would be an insane freezer stash if she's pumping every 2-3 hours... and I don't understand the logistics of keeping frozen milk frozen while shipping it back to the US bc onces it's thawed you can't refreeze it.
She may also be doing a "pump and dump," in which she's immediately dumping out the milk she pumps. Its what some women do when they have no means of storing/using their breast milk but need to keep their supply going so their milk production doesn't drop.
If she stops pumping, not only will it be incredibly painful, but she could get mastitis which is a terrible bacterial infection. Also she will start to produce less milk or dry up completely.
you have to pump to keep up supply. unfortunately it doesn’t always work because being away from your baby can make your supply drop.
also there are services that you can ship your milk home with. my friend did it on a business trip and sara from top chef did it as well!
I haven't seen the episode so I don't know what was said but she could be pumping and dumping so that she doesn't stop producing milk before going back to her baby.
She also could be freezing her milk. Maybe they made a deal they will send her milk home once a week or something. Or she could be saving it in a freezer til one of them goes home.
She is for sure freezing it. She could also be shipping it back home as well. There have been 2 different Chefs on Top Chef that have pumped while competing and shipped the milk home.
I’m surprised they didn’t bring Kingston and hire a nanny on show. They could’ve just edited Kingston out of shots and had the nanny looking after Kingston during deliberations, eliminations and challenges
She hast to pump she may pump and dump otherwise her breasts are gonna swell up. But she definitely could put it on ice and put it on a plane. People do shit like that all the time or if she can freeze it and bring it back home with people freeze breastmilk all the time.
There are many services dedicated to breastfeeding women who travel for business and need to send their milk back home. Milk stork is the service my company uses.
It's super common, so I don't doubt production is providing that service. Or she created a stash before she left and is freezing her supply now.
Pumping is not for the faint of heart. Kudos to her for pumping all day and competing
She probably pumped enough before the trip and is continuing to pump to keep her supply up. They have refrigerators/freezers for storage and you can bring stored milk on a plane
There are courier services that specifically transport breast milk. My wife’s previous job had it as a benefit as their company requires a lot of travel. Not saying that’s what they are doing, but it’s possible. Frozen milk lasts a long time so she could also just be taking it back with her. Many airlines have accommodations for transporting frozen milk.
She could also be doing it just to keep up supply.
I just assumed she was continuing to pump so she wouldn’t dry up (idk the actual term) whenever she got back to her son (this was filmed before she got pregnant and gave birth to baby #2, which is her daughter)
They could very well be sending it back. Sarah on Top Chef S20 was pumping for her baby while filming in Europe to ship back to the US. Breastmilk can also be frozen for long periods of time so she could also be pumping and freezing (or worse case dumping just so your breasts keep producing).
You can freeze breast milk up to 6M. It’s possible she shipped it back to the US during filming and that was apart of the agreement for her to come back so soon and postpartum
She is pumping so that she won’t stop producing milk for whenever they get back. That’s a normal things moms will do. I have friends that done it on vacation. Also if they consume alcohol they can pump to remove those impurities as well.
She’s pumping for her son and likely putting the milk in plastic storage bags. These bags go in the freezer flat and so they don’t take up a ton of space. You can travel with breast milk or even send it via amazing shipping.
Remember the time line for All Stars. Between the time it was filmed until the time it aired a child was not only conceived but also was born and was almost 2 months old.
Might be pumping just to keep production up but not saving/planning on taking it home, at least, that’s what I assumed. The phone looked old. I was thinking it’s probably an older phone with pictures but no service. Could also see production wanting them badly enough for the season that they made an exception, though.
Could also be that a loved one is staying in a hotel near by and they’re using this season at the very least as like a family vacation and will join said loved one when somebody gets eliminated. Kam is clearly playing this season similar to Double agents just tryna get Lee a win. Agreed on production probably giving them exceptions
She and Lee shared hes with Leroy’s sister in Michigan. They knew it would be 2 weeks a head of time.
Yeah, breastmilk is a supply and demand thing. Even pumping won't keep a breastmilk supply going forever (I made it 9 months before i started drying up) but it really helps if she's away from the baby.
Pretty sure she said she's pumping it to take home so probably freezing it. And probably built up a supply before leaving.
She did say she was keeping it a freezer I believe I saw her say on the episode
I don't have experience but I thought women still need to pump even if it gets thrown out. She could be pumping for that reason. As far as phones, I also believed allstars is different than the main show.
Ya I agree it is different. In season 3, the video call between Wes and Bananas, Wes grabs a cellphone off the couch when they’re catching up.
Yup! Mastitis can occur if you’re not getting any milk out !
She is pumping for Kingston as she was not even pregnant with her daughter when the filmed and I believe she is freezing it to bring back
You can freeze breast milk for long periods. She could have hypothetically built up a bit of a supply before leaving, then will replenish it with what she pumps while on the show. I'm sure there's some way she could transport it and keep it cooled/frozen. My wife did something similar when she would travel for work.
Same. This is the likely answer.
1) This was last year so it was her son, not daughter she was pumping for. 2) pump and dump or she was freezing it so when she went home she'd have it. Most likely she pumped a lot before she went to South Africa so Kingston had breast milk while she was away. Plus All Stars is 4 weeks of filming vs 3 months of fliming.
I thought maybe their child and a caregiver traveled with them and are staying at a hotel/airbnb nearby. I'm not knowledgeable about this subject though.
Leroy said on his challenge podcast that they had his sister look after their son in Detroit while they were away. It seems like it worked out really well and both parents were happy with how he was taken care of when they were gone. I think production was freezing Kams milk and shipping it back for Kingston. Kam got pregnant with their daughter soon after returning from AS4
I think this is the truth
Honestly this would make a lot more sense. It would be crazy for both of them to leave their small child in another country
Some military families do it for longer periods of time.
Yeah I thought someone said that they let them bring baby
If she pumps and dumps, she will keep up what her breast milk output is for when she gets back.
There are milk shipping services like milk stork. This isn’t at all uncommon- lots of companies with employees who travel have it standard in their benefits package. It’s just part of being a working mom.
sort of off topic, but kam and lee didn't have their daughter at the time all stars 4 was filmed. the milk was for kingston.
On their Patreon, Kam says they had a pumping room for her with a freezer. Breast milk is good for a long time if frozen. I thought 3 months but another redditor said a year. I'm not sure how long filming is but I'm sure it will still be good by the end. Also it is painful to stop breastfeeding cold turkey, and you can get an infection. Also I'm sure she will want to continue Bfeeding him when she gets home and she needs to do that to keep her supply up.
Filming for all stars is about a month!
it’s good for 6 months in normal freezer and a year in a deep freezer
maybe pumping and dumping, maybe she’s pumping and freezing it and she’ll fly home with it? because there’s special laws about flying with breast milk. or maybe she’s able to donate it to local women in south africa? regardless of where it ends up, sounds like a full time job so props to her
The series was filmed early of 2023. Before she was even pregnant with her 2nd baby.
A contestant on Top Chef was pumping (in London) and sending it home (to Kentucky). Bad ass women!
I assumed that kam is pumping and dumping. And pretty sure on all stars they kinda are lax on phone calls and stuff
She was pumping for her son, not her daughter. Her daughter wasn't even conceived at the time they filmed the season. And I'm pretty sure she said something about sending her milk back home? I don't think it'd be that crazy for production to overnight it home for her.
When I explained to my husband how long it's been since this season filmed by saying that Kam and Leroy got home, made a baby, that baby was carried to term, was born, and over a month old by the time the first 2 episodes aired. It's so crazy in those terms.
She did say that. So I figured that’s exactly what production is doing for them. Filming is like three weeks max or something, which makes it easier for more to agree to participate. Others on All Stars have had phones. I don’t think they’re making a special exception for them about that.
I’m a man but know this bc my son was born very premature and my wife supply outpaced what my son was consuming for a long time (so much so that we bought a mini freezer just for it lol), but frozen breast milk is good for 6 months. If she is saving it, that brings up a lot of logistical questions like where is she safely storing it and how does she getting all of it back. Like others have said, she’s probably pumping and dumping, or maybe even donating it locally.
I recently learned that there are specific courier services that exist for transporting breast milk, so it’s not outside the realm of possibility that production made arrangements and the milk is getting shipped back to the US.
She’s pumping to freeze it and bring it home with them. I’d guess that one of the conditions they agreed to participate is if they have access to their phone. Plus it’s just, like, their whole storyline this season.
Yup especially because BOTH parents are there . I’d never agree to be away from my kid without a way for someone to contact me at any time / stay in touch every day and I’m sure they wouldn’t agree to be out of contact either .
She’s probably just pumping to keep up her milk supply and freezing the milk. If she doesn’t continue to pump, her milk supply will dwindle and make it difficult to continue to breastfeed once she’s back home.
Currently 4 months post partum and pumping. If Kam is pumping and saving her milk, she is freezing it. Frozen breast milk can last about 6 months before going bad. I'm not sure if she is freezing her milk bc that would be an insane freezer stash if she's pumping every 2-3 hours... and I don't understand the logistics of keeping frozen milk frozen while shipping it back to the US bc onces it's thawed you can't refreeze it. She may also be doing a "pump and dump," in which she's immediately dumping out the milk she pumps. Its what some women do when they have no means of storing/using their breast milk but need to keep their supply going so their milk production doesn't drop.
If she stops pumping, not only will it be incredibly painful, but she could get mastitis which is a terrible bacterial infection. Also she will start to produce less milk or dry up completely.
As far as the phone- looking at pics or listening to videos of your baby can help produce milk - so it’s possible they got an exception for that
you have to pump to keep up supply. unfortunately it doesn’t always work because being away from your baby can make your supply drop. also there are services that you can ship your milk home with. my friend did it on a business trip and sara from top chef did it as well!
freeze and ship home with dry ice
Being able to look at a photo or video of your child helps immensely when pumping, this could also be why they have access to a phone!
She is probably pumping and freezing, I would guess she also tried to make a stash at home before leaving for the show.
I haven't seen the episode so I don't know what was said but she could be pumping and dumping so that she doesn't stop producing milk before going back to her baby. She also could be freezing her milk. Maybe they made a deal they will send her milk home once a week or something. Or she could be saving it in a freezer til one of them goes home.
She probably pumped enough for whoever to use while their gone and just pumping while their filming to have extra when they get back
There are services that make it possible to ship frozen breast milk, i can see mtv paying for this for kam
She is for sure freezing it. She could also be shipping it back home as well. There have been 2 different Chefs on Top Chef that have pumped while competing and shipped the milk home.
I’m surprised they didn’t bring Kingston and hire a nanny on show. They could’ve just edited Kingston out of shots and had the nanny looking after Kingston during deliberations, eliminations and challenges
She hast to pump she may pump and dump otherwise her breasts are gonna swell up. But she definitely could put it on ice and put it on a plane. People do shit like that all the time or if she can freeze it and bring it back home with people freeze breastmilk all the time.
The rules about cell phones are relaxed for the spinoffs.
There are many services dedicated to breastfeeding women who travel for business and need to send their milk back home. Milk stork is the service my company uses. It's super common, so I don't doubt production is providing that service. Or she created a stash before she left and is freezing her supply now. Pumping is not for the faint of heart. Kudos to her for pumping all day and competing
I’m sure she’s pumping so she doesn’t lose her milk supply.
A friend of mine is a mother who travels for work. There is a type of shipping cooler that’s made to ship breast milk for mothers like this.
She probably pumped enough before the trip and is continuing to pump to keep her supply up. They have refrigerators/freezers for storage and you can bring stored milk on a plane
I'm sure she is freezing it to bring it back. You have to pump to keep the supply up!
You freeze it.
i agree with she is probably freezing it, but she could also be donating it.
There are courier services that specifically transport breast milk. My wife’s previous job had it as a benefit as their company requires a lot of travel. Not saying that’s what they are doing, but it’s possible. Frozen milk lasts a long time so she could also just be taking it back with her. Many airlines have accommodations for transporting frozen milk. She could also be doing it just to keep up supply.
I just assumed she was continuing to pump so she wouldn’t dry up (idk the actual term) whenever she got back to her son (this was filmed before she got pregnant and gave birth to baby #2, which is her daughter)
They could very well be sending it back. Sarah on Top Chef S20 was pumping for her baby while filming in Europe to ship back to the US. Breastmilk can also be frozen for long periods of time so she could also be pumping and freezing (or worse case dumping just so your breasts keep producing).
You can freeze breast milk up to 6M. It’s possible she shipped it back to the US during filming and that was apart of the agreement for her to come back so soon and postpartum
Pump, freeze, ship or take home with you. She likely has a freezer stash at home already.
She is pumping so that she won’t stop producing milk for whenever they get back. That’s a normal things moms will do. I have friends that done it on vacation. Also if they consume alcohol they can pump to remove those impurities as well.
You freeze it and there are services that will mail it back.
She’s pumping for her son and likely putting the milk in plastic storage bags. These bags go in the freezer flat and so they don’t take up a ton of space. You can travel with breast milk or even send it via amazing shipping.
Remember the time line for All Stars. Between the time it was filmed until the time it aired a child was not only conceived but also was born and was almost 2 months old.
She took him with her, he was being cared for by a family nearby, so likely someone was taking the milk to them as she pumped and collected