Can't decide what now.... long bleurgh post ;)

[Fleur]

Just need to get this out...maybe will help me have a clearer look at it....

Well we are nearly at the 6mth mark EE & I think I am going to have to make a decision.
Until now I have been thinking 'well we will just see how we are going then' but the truth is it's really hard right now - I'm back at work 2 days a week, we have all kinds of stuff going on with the kids, we are really busy & finding the time to express is hard!

And I am so tired of pumping during the night, I don't mind getting up to feed, that's only 15-20 minutes & back to bed but if I express it's an hour or more, then I'm wide awake & can't get back to sleep. Also Arlea is an early riser, so if I get up to pump at say, 3am, I don't get back to be until 4:00, and then we are usually up again at 5:30.

So the last couple of weeks I have missed so many night pumps, I just couldn't get up - and last night I went 9 1/2 hours
the plus side is, it has reduced my supply a bit, I had trouble even going 6 hours a couple of months ago - but still 9+ is a bit long. I am expressing heaps in the morning but my last pump last night was down quite a bit (for me). Still I have had such an oversupply that I think maybe this is a good thing, not a bad thing. It just means instead of expressing 2 or 3 feeds per pump, I might get one & a half, and have to mix & reheat milk - right now she has feeds every 3 or so hours, and I am expressing 4-5 hourly through the day, but I'm always 2 feeds ahead & she has it at room temp. If my supply drops I will have to mix batches & heat it. ITMS.
But that's not really a problem - not like I won't have enough milk - just that we will have to do it a bit differently.

We have started solids, and I want to keep giving her BM because of this - not just because of the allergies thing but to lessen the impact on her digestive system - I think the change to solids is enough without changing to formula at the same time IYKWIM? and if we go a bit longer then we may as well go all the way & never have to use formula at all. Not that I have a problem with it if we have to, but if we don't, well good. And it will be cheaper not to FF of course.

I am stuck...

Sorry for such a big bleurgh post! well done if you made it through all that

[Jas]

Wow well first of all that is amazing that you have been ee fr 6months and that you can get so much at one pumping session

I can see it would be a hard decision, it almost seems like you have answered your own question, it doesn't seem to me like you would feel comfortable stopping??

I don't know what to say because I have never been a member of the ee club and I can only fathom the work it takes. Also I am in the same situation with deciding when to wean ds1, whether I will stop bf at 12months or not and my miond flips back and forth, I guess I have come to the conclusion that I know I can't wean today but eventually I will get to a point where I feel ok to wean. I think it will still be a sad time for me but I will feel like it is a time I am ready to wean?? So maybe its just a matter of going with the flow and weaning when you are ready?

Also I think that even if you keep going past the 6month mark doesn't mean you would have to go o 12 (I can understand that thought process though...its like well I got past that marker so I have to make it to the next)

[MantaRay]

Jasp, you have done a fantastic job to maintain such a great supply for 6 months. That is a lot of dedication and hard work!!

I think you have answered your own question to - it does help to get it all written down. A lot of research has shown that continuing to bf beyond the introduction of solids helps to reduce the allergy risk and other complications, so you have done really well to do this.

I wonder if it would help you to add an extra express in during the day and permanently cut out the night one? I know it is difficult during the day also, but this might be one thing to consider, even if it's only on the days that you don't work.

I hope you figure out something that will work better for you

[Fleur]

Thanks, Jas & MR
You're right, I think I have answered my question getting it all out did help.

I don't want to stop just yet. Emotionally I don't feel ready which probably sounds stupid since I'm not physically BFing, well it feels weird to me to feel like that anyway.

whether I will stop bf at 12months or not and my miond flips back and forth, I guess I have come to the conclusion that I know I can't wean today but eventually I will get to a point where I feel ok to wean. I think it will still be a sad time for me but I will feel like it is a time I am ready to wean?? So maybe its just a matter of going with the flow and weaning when you are ready?

- that is exactly where my head is at I don't feel ready yet but I don't know when I will be.
And I'm sick of night pumps!
MR I love the idea of ditching them & just expressing through the day, that would be great. I am going to have a look at how I might do this...any suggestions welcome (please!) - also, do you think it matters if I do it one way for 5 days & another way for 2 days of the week?

Thanks again

[Kmn]

You have done an awesome job.
I think that you should decide how often you can handle expressing and do that. And then make up whatever you don't have with food and water and formula - without any guilt whatsoever. My feeling is that if you can manage a lesser level of expressing for a longer period (ideally one which would get Arlea through trying most solids) then that would be the best option.

[*EJ*]

I can't give any advice from personal experieance but i just wanted to say you have done a FANTASTIC job to get this far ee. Sounds like you have a great supply

The decision you make will be right for you and your little girl