I'm still pumping. I have bought my own 'supa-dupa' pump off Ebay - the same as the one the hospital lent us - just so that I have a choice in whether to continue or not.
We are still attempting to BF but I am becoming more accepting of the idea that it might not happen. In which case I want the choice in being able to continue.
ATM I think I probably will. It has gotten quicker & easier - I also used the hint of making my own pumping bra! so I can double pump, hands free & that has made things SOOOO much easier, I can read a magazine or eat lunch or dinner while I pump now.
I think I have identified a lot of my earlier stress as being related also to struggling to BF. I stepped away from it for a few days & just expressed without attempting to BF & we were both much more relaxed. Now that she is 6 weeks I will try again for a week or so. If that doesn't work I may just end up doing this, and I'm becoming ok with that.
Plus, I have started to find the 'plus' side in it all - at least I can leave her with DH while I go & get some sleep on the weekend!
Belfie thanks for sharing your feelings re pumpng & being tied to it. I can soooo relate! and it's nice to hear that you persisted & came through it, it makes me feel much better.
Now that the end is in sight for you how do you feel? Are you excited about weaning or do you have mixed feelings? 12 hourly pumps must feel great after what you have done for the past year!
setof3, how is your DS? It was my son who had the blood in his nappies, he's 7 now & fine. Isn't it interesting what different diagnosis & opinions you get within the medical profession. When we first noticed it he was 8 weeks old & we took him to the emergency dept. The dr we saw there tried to tell me it was cracked nipples! I told her I had had cracked nipples before, & mine were NOT cracked... she wouldn't listen. The MCHN pointed out that if that were the case the blood would be digested, it would be brown not red....anyway we got it sorted eventually.
Hope everything is going well for you.
So my original goal of 2-3 months is feeling toatlly within reach, we are halfway there. After that it will be 6 months... but we will see how the first 3 go!
I am backing off a bit on the number of times I pump per day, I have gone from 6 to 7 , every 3 hrs to every 3 1/2, maybe 4 - I will have to ask the LC what she thinks about this - but my supply has continued to increase each week by about 150ml/day. Right now I am expressing about 1500ml/day, the last 2 days has been 1600.
Arlea is only having about 450-600ml/ day and I am running out of room in the freezer, plus I don't think we will use it before it is no good anymore.
I was really paranoid about my supply dropping but given that it is stil increasing I guess I can relax a little bit.
I am freezing the milk in regular supermarket snaplock bags, the hospital LCS said this would be ok & that they were no different to the Avent ones. Does anyone know if this is true? It sounds terrible but I can't afford the 'proper' bags with the amount that I am freezing, I would go through a pack a day
One other question - what was the most EBM your bubs had in a day? I figure if I can get to that amount & stay there then I can back off on the expressing until my supply is steady, not increasing - if that makes sense?
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