I know it's the end of the week - but I have to post about my dreaded Mondays. For some reason, every Monday at work, my production is very low! It is like over the weekend my baby decides he doesn't need to eat as much and my milk supply drops off... then by Wednesday I start looking better, and by Friday I am a Moo-ing Milk Momma!
It is funny how we spend so much time worrying about if we are producing enough and what will happen if I don't... when really my baby is going to be just fine!
Friday, May 6, 2011
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Good Morning?
It's 2:20 am and it's pumping time!
My son did great tonight and slept from 7:30 pm to 2:00 am! Of course, I didn't get all of that sleepy goodness since I didn't go to bed until 9:30... but even then 4.5 straight hours for me is a record for the last couple weeks. So that leaves me with two very full breasts. He takes care of one - and that leaves the question what do I do with the other?
Some nights I actually might crawl back into bed and sleep - but tonight I am pumping! We just got done with a 2 week long stay at home vacation with multiple day trips and I had caught a cold and my fresh supply plummeted. So we dipped, okay dove, into the freezer supply. Perhaps 1/3 of my stash was used. Therefore it is pumping time at 2 in the morning.
A new father at work was talking with me about it and I emphasized to him the need to have a freezer pile and he asked me - "but when does a new mom find time to pump - in the middle of the night?" And the only answer is YES! Believe me I know it is not fun - but it is worth it - and necessary. Both to keep your production high and to have reserves for those times when you might get sick, travel, or ironically need a night off and have Dad take night time duty.
And with that, I'm empty :) and I've got another 4 oz for my freezer...
Happy pumping!
My son did great tonight and slept from 7:30 pm to 2:00 am! Of course, I didn't get all of that sleepy goodness since I didn't go to bed until 9:30... but even then 4.5 straight hours for me is a record for the last couple weeks. So that leaves me with two very full breasts. He takes care of one - and that leaves the question what do I do with the other?
Some nights I actually might crawl back into bed and sleep - but tonight I am pumping! We just got done with a 2 week long stay at home vacation with multiple day trips and I had caught a cold and my fresh supply plummeted. So we dipped, okay dove, into the freezer supply. Perhaps 1/3 of my stash was used. Therefore it is pumping time at 2 in the morning.
A new father at work was talking with me about it and I emphasized to him the need to have a freezer pile and he asked me - "but when does a new mom find time to pump - in the middle of the night?" And the only answer is YES! Believe me I know it is not fun - but it is worth it - and necessary. Both to keep your production high and to have reserves for those times when you might get sick, travel, or ironically need a night off and have Dad take night time duty.
And with that, I'm empty :) and I've got another 4 oz for my freezer...
Happy pumping!
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Perfect Timing
Today was one of those days that was jam packed with meetings and it was hard to find the time to pump. I still make time - pumping is the most important thing I do besides spending time with my little guy! But - today it was hard. I mentioned to one of the girls who was running the meeting that I would miss the first 20 minutes or so to pump, and she asked if I couldn't do it the last 30 minutes because she thought it would end early. I could - but this pushed my pumping to 11:40... not the best! But she was right - the meeting was over at 11:35 so I was able to avoid missing anything.
My afternoon session was then only 2.5 hours later... it's ironic that when I'm home, my chunky monkey eats that often or even more frequently, but for pumping sessions when they are that close I get next to nothing! I sat down and got started at about 2:40 and after 15 minutes had pumped less than an ounce!! I am recovering from a cold so my production is a little low in general - but it was heartbreaking. I then hunched over (for the gravity assist) and started messaging* - eeking out a couple more drops. At 3:00 coworkers would start gathering for our office ritual of birthday cake - for my birthday... and at 2:57 still not enough milk for one feeding even if I combined bottles... then just as I went to turn off the pump at 3:00 there was my letdown!! And in just three minutes I was up to about 4 ounces combined. What relief and horror! I got my milk - but now I'd be almost 10 minutes late for my own birthday cake!
Luckily - it seems like most people had forgot - there were only 3 people hanging around the cube for my birthday cake! And after I arrived, one of them gathered the rest of the bunch - and no one even noticed I was missing. So far - I havn't had one instance where I thought "man, I wish I'd stopped pumping earlier and showed up on time."
* For those that don't know - Messaging your breasts while pumping has been proven to increase milk letdown and reduce the time it takes to pump. Also, hunching forward and letting gravity help is supposed to work too!
My afternoon session was then only 2.5 hours later... it's ironic that when I'm home, my chunky monkey eats that often or even more frequently, but for pumping sessions when they are that close I get next to nothing! I sat down and got started at about 2:40 and after 15 minutes had pumped less than an ounce!! I am recovering from a cold so my production is a little low in general - but it was heartbreaking. I then hunched over (for the gravity assist) and started messaging* - eeking out a couple more drops. At 3:00 coworkers would start gathering for our office ritual of birthday cake - for my birthday... and at 2:57 still not enough milk for one feeding even if I combined bottles... then just as I went to turn off the pump at 3:00 there was my letdown!! And in just three minutes I was up to about 4 ounces combined. What relief and horror! I got my milk - but now I'd be almost 10 minutes late for my own birthday cake!
Luckily - it seems like most people had forgot - there were only 3 people hanging around the cube for my birthday cake! And after I arrived, one of them gathered the rest of the bunch - and no one even noticed I was missing. So far - I havn't had one instance where I thought "man, I wish I'd stopped pumping earlier and showed up on time."
* For those that don't know - Messaging your breasts while pumping has been proven to increase milk letdown and reduce the time it takes to pump. Also, hunching forward and letting gravity help is supposed to work too!
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Bag Lady
Does anyone else feel like a total bag lady going into work?
I have my work bag on one shoulder - which is a totally cute but still professional bag from Jack Georges... and then my trusty Medela pump bag on the other side! When ever I walk into or out of the office people comment on how I look "loaded down." But I don't see any other option.
Another funny thing, is that often for my afternoon pumping session, people see me with the black bag and comment "leaving for the day?" Of course then I have to explain that I am not. I actually don't mind explaining... I am very proud to be a pumping momma and am not embarrassed by it in anyway. I just wonder if there is anything I can do to stop looking like a bag lady! Maybe I should have bought the backpack version?
I have my work bag on one shoulder - which is a totally cute but still professional bag from Jack Georges... and then my trusty Medela pump bag on the other side! When ever I walk into or out of the office people comment on how I look "loaded down." But I don't see any other option.
Another funny thing, is that often for my afternoon pumping session, people see me with the black bag and comment "leaving for the day?" Of course then I have to explain that I am not. I actually don't mind explaining... I am very proud to be a pumping momma and am not embarrassed by it in anyway. I just wonder if there is anything I can do to stop looking like a bag lady! Maybe I should have bought the backpack version?
You found me!
Hello! I am a first time Momma with a 5 month old little boy. I am also a working momma - which means I am a pumping momma. People talk about the nectar of the gods and I am convinced it is actually breast milk. I love that my little baby not only grew inside me for 9 months but has grown thus far just from me and the milk I make for him. Nothing makes me more proud!
I couldn't have survived my first pumping adventures without the book Milk Memos, but after I finished it I yearned for a place to share stories and advice. Unfortunately I couldn't find a chat room or board that I liked... and all the blogs I found were OBE - the kids had grown up and the blog was dead.
So I am starting a new blog about my adventures in being a Working, Pumping and now Blogging Momma! If you'd like to contribute to the blog, just leave a comment and I will set it up for you as well.
I couldn't have survived my first pumping adventures without the book Milk Memos, but after I finished it I yearned for a place to share stories and advice. Unfortunately I couldn't find a chat room or board that I liked... and all the blogs I found were OBE - the kids had grown up and the blog was dead.
So I am starting a new blog about my adventures in being a Working, Pumping and now Blogging Momma! If you'd like to contribute to the blog, just leave a comment and I will set it up for you as well.
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