The Pumping Chronicles #4

"My success as a mother is not measured in ounces." ... Work Pump Repeat taught me that little mantra. And boy oh boy is it helpful....

I hate wasting a $0.25 bag (aka the good ones my mom who watches baby pajamas can hook the nipple to) on 3 ounces of milk. ...3 measly ounces. Sometimes I wonder if its worth the stress and pain. But then I repeat the mantra and I remind myself that to have supply you must have demand. If that's not true with breast feeding its not true with anything.

Sigh I need a beer. And some oat meal... (To increase my supply duh...and cause beer)

The Pumping Chronicles #3

I just want to rant (okay maybe rage for a second). About breastfeeding. ... I'm going to admit it, I LOVE breastfeeding my kids (right now its just the baby obviously so chill). I LOVE that I am able to breastfeed my baby. I LOVE that baby pajamas has never had even an ounce of formula. And want to know something else? I'm fucking PROUD of myself for being able to stick through the hard work.

Let me let you in on a little secret, breastfeeding isnt easy. Its also not for everyone and I totally understand that, I also totally understand that milk dries up early, and shit happens that may have ryined your plans to breastfeed. I recognize that it's shitty and that it was probably really sad for you.... So here comes a fucking truth bomb...

When little pajamas was a baby it was all "BREAST IS BEST!" All the time. Now I have baby pajamas, and whole breastfeeding is still considered the best, suddenly I have to tread lightly when talking about that success, because that rhetoric is so strong that people feel bad about using formula... Can we all please stop fucking shaming each other for our damn parenting choices??? I want to be able to celebrate my breastfeeding success and talk about my breastfeeding goals without feeling like when I post a picture of my freezer stash I may be hurting my friends, if it does hurt you, let me know! Ill probably offer you some to give your baby.

I'm not trying to be insensitive, but there has been so much pride lately for formula feedinf mothers, and that's awesome. However of your breast feeding, or pumping, or exclusively pumping GOOD FOR YOU. Its amazing that we can give this gift to our babies isnt it? Itsnt it great to not have to buy formula? Isnt it convenient to not have to bring bottles with us everywhere unless we choose to? Be proud of yourself and your baby no matter what you are feeding it. You are all doing a good job!!

And hey just incase you care ( I want you to care!) I am about half way to my goal with baby pajamas. He's 9 months and id love to make it to 18!

The Pumping Chronicles #1

I am pumping right now. Isn't modern medicine pretty amazing. I get to work full time and have an infant. Yay America... Obviously I'm joking. I have several draft posts from the last 7.5 months of being a mom of two, and I just havent had the where with all to finish them.

This week at work I had an opportunity for some training that can really advance my career so of course I took it. Only problem, up until last week I had been pumping 3 times a day still. I am so relieved I have had success pumping with baby pajamas, since it didnt happen at all with little pajamas. Daddy Pajamas has been instrumental to our success breastfeeding with this second baby.

But I cant help but think about how much of my time I'm spending attached to my pump and not my baby. I love that I can provide for him and it saves us money, but what benefits are we losing out on from not actual breast feeding all the time?

I have to go to much greater lenghts to keep my supply up. I constantly worry about it and it means letting him eat as much as he wants all night long. ... Long story short now that baby pajamas is eating more solids I'm finally decreasing down to twice a day. And this week I'm only getting in once a day. Its hard, and I just keep reminding myself he's worth it and wete saving so much money on formula.

Pump, I both love and hate you.