Hit Girl
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Been a while since I posted here.
I expressed for about 4 and a bit months almost 5. In that time I managed to freeze over 200 litres. At one point I was producing 3 litres of milk a day. I felt determined to produce enough to get him to (at least) his first birthday. I decided to start the weaning process one day when my spirits were really low. Honestly, I didn't know what I was in for and I should have commenced that process a month earlier.
It took me about 6 weeks to wean from expressing. I did it very slowly but still got engorged almost every day and got a really awful case of mastitis. There was about a week where I just cried constantly, I was that uncomfortable. My dr recommended cabbage leaves but they did absolutely nothing. In fact I think they made it much more uncomfortable. I ate sage a lot. Sage sandwiches with peanut butter and sage powder in orange juice. Don't really know if that worked either but it didn't do any harm. Also took a full course of the proper sudafed (which was VERY hard to get my hands on). I remember not even being able to hold my son because he would automatically trigger a let down and that was physically extremely painful and uncomfortable. I don't think any of those 'remedies' were effective for me as I had a mammoth supply.
To be free of lactating boobies is amazing. I feel human again. Having gone through that whole experience has really changed my view of breastfeeding/lactation/feeding/lactation consultants etc. I went into this thinking that I'd be able to breastfeed my son, no worries. Hell, my mum did it. I figured that if there were any bumps in the road, a lactation consultant (the 'best' in town) would fix the problem. I actually took it on board when the lc's in the hospital/on the breastfeeding helpline said that under no circumstances should I give my baby formula.
I should have listened to my obstetrician. I should have listened to our paediatrician. They both saw me several times in hospital and saw how distressed I was. They both said that as long as my baby's tummy is full - that's what matters. And I completely, wholeheartedly understand what they were saying now. At the time I thought they were just wanting me to 'give in' and that made me more defiant. In actual fact, they wanted to make sure I was a happy mum with a happy, fed baby.
I built my supply up to the point that it made me miserable. I had oversupply which is why I was given milk bank donation forms in the hospital by the midwives. I was so determined to never give my baby a drop of that 'horrid' formula that I pumped far too much. If I had done things differently, I could have been a more present mum for my little guy when he was a teeny baby. I could have had more sleep. I had it in my head that in order to be a perfect mum I had to suffer. I wish I could go back in a time machine and sit myself down and let 'new-mum-me' know that providing my baby with breastmilk does not 100% define me as an amazing mother. There is so much more to it than that.
I can't even begin to tell you how much my blood boils when I think about my lactation consultant sessions in hospital and out. The way the latching issue was handled and the advice to keep trying at all costs was just ridiculous. I was so scared, hormonal and vulnerable... terrified of doing anything even slightly wrong that would harm my baby in any way.
If we are lucky enough to have another one my husband and I will be A LOT more selective about the advice we take on board. My case was an odd one. My dr has told me to never do that to myself again. I must agree with her. I don't think I could handle it.
I once had an appointment with a male midwife/lactation consultant. I wasn't expecting anything miraculous as I had only ever encountered the militant types. He was the most amazing person I had ever spoken to. He said that he hated the term 'lactation' consultant and believed that they should be called 'feeding' consultants. If only more people in his field could be as open minded.
Expressing can be hard and it can be easy for some. Keep doing it but if you feel like it is dominating your life too much or it's making you miserable, it's totally okay to stop. You are not being irresponsible. A happy baby needs a happy mum. Life does not have to be that hard. Enjoy your beautiful baby and enjoy being a mum.
I expressed for about 4 and a bit months almost 5. In that time I managed to freeze over 200 litres. At one point I was producing 3 litres of milk a day. I felt determined to produce enough to get him to (at least) his first birthday. I decided to start the weaning process one day when my spirits were really low. Honestly, I didn't know what I was in for and I should have commenced that process a month earlier.
It took me about 6 weeks to wean from expressing. I did it very slowly but still got engorged almost every day and got a really awful case of mastitis. There was about a week where I just cried constantly, I was that uncomfortable. My dr recommended cabbage leaves but they did absolutely nothing. In fact I think they made it much more uncomfortable. I ate sage a lot. Sage sandwiches with peanut butter and sage powder in orange juice. Don't really know if that worked either but it didn't do any harm. Also took a full course of the proper sudafed (which was VERY hard to get my hands on). I remember not even being able to hold my son because he would automatically trigger a let down and that was physically extremely painful and uncomfortable. I don't think any of those 'remedies' were effective for me as I had a mammoth supply.
To be free of lactating boobies is amazing. I feel human again. Having gone through that whole experience has really changed my view of breastfeeding/lactation/feeding/lactation consultants etc. I went into this thinking that I'd be able to breastfeed my son, no worries. Hell, my mum did it. I figured that if there were any bumps in the road, a lactation consultant (the 'best' in town) would fix the problem. I actually took it on board when the lc's in the hospital/on the breastfeeding helpline said that under no circumstances should I give my baby formula.
I should have listened to my obstetrician. I should have listened to our paediatrician. They both saw me several times in hospital and saw how distressed I was. They both said that as long as my baby's tummy is full - that's what matters. And I completely, wholeheartedly understand what they were saying now. At the time I thought they were just wanting me to 'give in' and that made me more defiant. In actual fact, they wanted to make sure I was a happy mum with a happy, fed baby.
I built my supply up to the point that it made me miserable. I had oversupply which is why I was given milk bank donation forms in the hospital by the midwives. I was so determined to never give my baby a drop of that 'horrid' formula that I pumped far too much. If I had done things differently, I could have been a more present mum for my little guy when he was a teeny baby. I could have had more sleep. I had it in my head that in order to be a perfect mum I had to suffer. I wish I could go back in a time machine and sit myself down and let 'new-mum-me' know that providing my baby with breastmilk does not 100% define me as an amazing mother. There is so much more to it than that.
I can't even begin to tell you how much my blood boils when I think about my lactation consultant sessions in hospital and out. The way the latching issue was handled and the advice to keep trying at all costs was just ridiculous. I was so scared, hormonal and vulnerable... terrified of doing anything even slightly wrong that would harm my baby in any way.
If we are lucky enough to have another one my husband and I will be A LOT more selective about the advice we take on board. My case was an odd one. My dr has told me to never do that to myself again. I must agree with her. I don't think I could handle it.
I once had an appointment with a male midwife/lactation consultant. I wasn't expecting anything miraculous as I had only ever encountered the militant types. He was the most amazing person I had ever spoken to. He said that he hated the term 'lactation' consultant and believed that they should be called 'feeding' consultants. If only more people in his field could be as open minded.
Expressing can be hard and it can be easy for some. Keep doing it but if you feel like it is dominating your life too much or it's making you miserable, it's totally okay to stop. You are not being irresponsible. A happy baby needs a happy mum. Life does not have to be that hard. Enjoy your beautiful baby and enjoy being a mum.
LO is now in daycare because I'm back to the hospital full time (and then some) and I pump 3 times a day to keep her stocked up - once in the morning, once at lunch at work and once at night before bed. I BF when I'm home.
You did an amazing job!
Naturally AF just arrived so I won't have any idea how dropping the pump would have affected my supply without that...I just knew this would happen. But my goal is to drop to 2 if I can produce at least 5 opd. I've also ordered some Mrs. Patel's fenugreek bars and tea so hopefully that will help.
