Pump it Up

Yesterday was a big day: for the first time, I was away from my baby for the entire day.  And while, yes, it was my first time being away from Doodle all day, it was actually my first time being away from any of my babies for a full day.  Both Honeyun and Sugarplum were well over a year before I was gone for  an entire day and they were also both weaned/working on weaning from the breast during the daytime.

So being away from my exclusively breastfed baby (exclusively, no other food and only 1 bottle a week!) for 9 hours required me to pump multiple times and Doodle to take multiple bottles which was new for all of us (including hubby who had to give the aforementioned bottles.)

When Honeybun was a baby I bought the cheapest double electric pump on the market at the time.  My theory was if I didn’t like it, I could by the next cheapest and still have spent less than the “good” one.  It worked fine for the once a week I used it.  I never used an electric pump at all with Sugarplum but with both I often used my manual which is an Avent.  I have LOVED my Avent manual pump and love that since I also use their sippy cups all the parts are interchangeable.  So I bought myself the Avent double electric pump (that I really, really wanted) when I was pregnant with Dodle not know if I would be back to work, how often and whether or not I’d need to pump.  But paid a lot for it (even with coupons, price matching and 5% off with my Target Card) so I took it back when I realized I wouldn’t need it.  Then a few months back a local mom offered an older Avent double electric up for sale, she offered it for so cheap I couldn’t refuse (she claimed new, it was opened so I’ll never know but it has a closed pumping system where milk can never get into the tubes or machine and all the parts that come in contact with the milk can be washed and sanitized so I’m comfortable with it).

So I’ve had this pump sitting around waiting for it’s chance to be used.  I had a dance conference 45 minutes away that I could not take Doodle to and it was too far for someone to bring him to me regularly so pumping and bottles were the best choice.  I did a few “dry runs” of using my new pump before the big day and that’s exactly what it turned out to be: dry.  I got hardly any milk and started to panic that it wouldn’t work on the day and I would have to use my manual or hand express and I was not looking forward to it!

The first time I pumped yesterday, I started with hesitation and worry (though I tried to keep it under control as stress can hinder the milk letdown).  I pumped about 5 minutes and got hardly anything.  I started taking deep, relaxation breaths and I started hearing a “wooshing” sound and realized my milk had finally let down and was pouring into the bottle!  It was honestly such a cool feeling and moment.  I was overwhelmed with this pride in being a mother and in seeing my body providing for my son even though I wasn’t with him.  It was totally a “look what I can do!” moment.  While I love nursing my babies and prefer it to any other infant feeding method (including pumping/bottles, formula or food), I don’t get to witness the miraculousness of it like I did pumping yesterday.

I got 7 ounces the first time and only 4 ounces the 2^nd since I was afraid of being interrupted by small children who were running around the studio (I didn’t want to have to explain and/or cause their parents to have to explain something they may not be comfortable with though I obviously have no problem with my own children knowing/witnessing it all).  While I was a bit disappointed in my overall amount pumped, it turns out it was more than enough as Doodle only ended up having 2 bottles!  Hubby put Doodle down for a nap about an hour after I left and he slept 2 hours then had a 3 oz bottle when he woke and then Honeybun gave him another 3 oz mid-afternoon before he napped again.

He was still napping when I got home and when I went in to get him when he woke up he just grinned ear-to-ear.  He obviously wanted to nurse right away and spent I don’t even know how long nursing (45 minutes maybe?).  He kept going on and off the boob and I kept thinking he was done but he wanted to be close and cuddling wasn’t good enough so we just kept on going.  I do think he was extra hungry since he only had 6 ounces of milk in the same amount of time he would have nursed four times if I had been home but he was overall in a good mood, just very tired from not having a real good afternoon nap.

We all survived the “big” day but I have to say, I won’t mind if I never have to do it again! (And I turned 30 but that, apparently, is not a big deal.)