#exclusive pumping

[freedominsidethebox]

[meqquan]

[ezekiels-mommyblog]

My (short lived) Breastfeeding journey

Once we found out about Ezekiels cleft lip and palate when i was about 30 weeks pregnant, i had already beginning mourning my dream of breastfeeding. I had resolved to trying to exclusively pump when he born to essentially "breastfeed" that way. I began pumping about a week before labor as an attempt to collect colostrum to take with us to the hospital. Nada. When he was born, his first feeding was formula in a dr drowns specialty bottle for cleft babies (that my OBGYN specially ordered for the hospital and trained the L&D nurses how to use btw. She's a saint) I immediately started pumping with the hospital pump the nurses brought me. Every 3 hours. I only got like maybe 2ML of colostrum to give him the entire time in the hospital. My milk came in at 3 days PP. I had just felt it. So i pumped every 3 hrs while Ezekiel was eating every 2 hrs at this point and was extremely colicky due to some GI issues we had not diagnosed yet. It was stressful and demanding. I was falling asleep while attempting to pump. I was exhausted. I kept trying and trying for a few days to not even get a half oz at a time. I was putting him on breast to help produce, doing skin to skin, etc and it just wasn't happening. It was heartbreaking for me. I wanted to give my child the best thing for him and i just couldn't. I had to make the sad decision to stop to do what's best for us so i could try to get more rest and not stress as much as i already was. The stress had given me HIVES over my face. As it turns out, even if my milk supply was enough he had severe reflux and other GI issues that would make breastfeeding not ideal anyways. I wanted to share this story to let other mommas know that FED IS BEST. Its okay to formula feed. You're doing a great job. Keep on doing you.

[pixieposts]

Well

I'm buying a tin of formula tomorrow. I'm also buying the supplements that my sister in law suggested, but we're going to have to also supplement with formula while I get my supply back up. I've been pumping every 2-3 hours and I'm barely keeping up with Quinn. I may even have to make a midnight run to the store if I don't get enough in the bed time pump.

I'm so anxious and disappointed.

[pixieposts]

Breastfeeding TMI

My supply has dropped DRASTICALLY. Like, excluding the first pump of the day I'm getting half of what I was. I was so proud of how much I was producing. I haven't changed anything, I'm still eating and drinking lots and sleeping when I can... I'm trying to stay calm and not stress and I'm staying active too. I just don't understand. I went from being way ahead to barely keeping up with him! How does that happen. I have a box of "Mothers Milk" tea that I haven't tried yet, so I'm going to crack into it tomorrow.

My sister in law suggested supplements that she used when she had trouble, so I'm planning to pick those up once my EI comes in on Tuesday. If those don't work then I'll have to give in and start supplementing with formula, I don't want to but if I have to I will. I just really didn't want that extra expense right now....

UGH

[roadtomotherhood]

Good news, blood pressure is still holding steady. In the 120/80s.

I definitely had some real contractions mixed in with my Braxton Hicks last night and I'm pretty much having constant Braxton Hicks. In addition, she keeps going lower and lower, so I have a feeling she's going to do her drop any day now.

I'm so excited to be this close, but at the same time I'm terrified about actually going into labor. I'm terrified about losing my little family of two to gain a family of three. I know that my husband and I only have a few weeks left where it is just us and that scares me.

I've also been rethinking my breast-feeding plans. I've been dealing with this huge but of depression since my Dad went into the hospital for the last time and I'm afraid it will continue. I'm such at high risk of PPD and the idea of being the only source of food for my child fills me with anxiety. My body starts to shake and I can feel my heart clutch.

So I think I'm going to start out my trying to simply pump exclusively. Which means I'll probably ask to start her on bottle feeding while in the hospital until I can build up a supply.

All I know is that in order to have a healthy family you have to have healthy parents. I can't be a healthy parent if I don't think about me first.

Cue breastfeeding Nazis. 😂😂😂

[kwudiking-blog]

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ive pumped a whopping 1.5ml today lads