Rhode Island Nesties
Dear Community,
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
working moms who BF
Okay so I have been pumping now since Allie was 6 weeks old. I pump every 3 hours(last pump of the night is at 8:30pm). I REALLY want to make it to a year but this is becoming more work. My supply is great so the only reason to stop is because I don't feel like it. I guess I need some advice/encouragment to keep going! This is what is best for Allie...tell me others have felt the same way!!
Re: working moms who BF
I SOOOO totally feel the same way. I was pumping 3 times a day at work for the longest time and it was just so draining. I recently went down to 2x a day since she's drinking a little less as her solids intake increases and at first it was so liberating.
Now it's so annoying and i keep telling myself its for her and I"ve made it this far. Dh has a ton of allergies so I really want to go as long as I can and keep her off formula to try and help with what I possibly can.
My plan is to keep it up as I am now and then b/t 11 and 12 months drop down to 1x a day. Then I'm eventually hoping to stop giving her bm during the day and transition her to cows milk and nurse her in the AM and PM when I'm with her.
I love nursing and the bonding we have during it, but pumping is so draining. I also feel so constained due to it - like this week I have to go to Boston for work and I have more anxiety about tryign to figure out pumping on top of my anxiety of driving up there. And I feel like it's so hard to go out and be me because I always have to have pumped milk available and if I'm going to be gone more than 5 or 6 hours I have to bring my pump with me and pump. Plus, she still nurses to sleep, so I am the one to put her down EVERY SINGLE NIGHT! (I know, my fault, but still...ugh!)
I went to a La Leche League meeting just to be around other moms who bf'd so I could feel at home, but they all had tiny little ones or toddlers so I felt in between.
I'm personally determined to make it to a year at this point unless something happens (I went in 3 month increment goals) and then once I get there, we'll see. Maybe I'll continue the AM and PM nurse session for a few more months, but we'll see...
I keep telling myself - you've made it this long, stick it out for her, but it's ultimately your call. Making it 7 months like you have is a huge accomplishment. So whatever your decision, pat yourself on the back!
i pumped at work for Lilly until she was 13 months old. when i first went back to work after leave was over I was pumping 4 times a day...that eventually decreased as her solid food intake increased and as i figured out my freezer supply was large enough to get me to the 1 year mark. I def. pumped in the car sitting in the parking lot at a Pat's game once ha ha ha! Hootie Hider out while everyone tailgated...It went to Ohio with us, as well as a wedding in Upstate NY with us...it went to Philly with me so I could pump while i was there for a race...and i got stopped at the security line and had a TSA agent yell at the top of his lungs, "I have a breast milk scan at lane 4...BREAST MILK SCAN!!!!"....it's been commical!!
My major reason was like PP said--i knew NOTHING about formula and didn't want to learn for a short time or deal with the expense...At 13 months I decided the little bit left in my freezer was good enough to get her through and then it was time for cow's milk. I'm not sure I have major words of encouragement other than to tell you I know what you mean about it being part of the family and what a drain it was, but in the end i'm glad I stuck with it. I honestly am already looking back and saying that that was one thing that I could do for my daughter for more than a year that no one else could...it's kind of special. Good luck and you've gotten to 7 months so that is already a major accomplishment!!
i hate pumping so much that i don't bother and won't leave liza for too long, BUT
you are SOOO close! If anyone that I know can do it, it is you!! You are closer to the end then the beginning
Hang in there. No major words of wisdom as I've never pumped at work (Ben was on formula b/c we had issues together, and I haven't gone back to work after Maddy... yet). But do what is best for you and baby. Sometimes the sanity of the mommy is just as important as what's best for baby. My son is FF and is fabulous - no allergies, no issues, and smart as a whip ;-) So if it gets to be too much, don't beat yourself up about it.
"It's not a sprint, it's a marathon." - Alex & Ani bracelet
My blog: Dodging Acorns