Planning for 2u2. Should I start pumping now??

catdwg83

Hi everyone! So H & I are planning for 2u2. Ideally we would conceive when DS is about 9 months old. I really wanted to BF for a year with him, but it looks like its gonna be either BFing or getting KU. My first trimester was exhausting (I mean 14hr naps, then 2 hrs awake, then repeat).... & BF takes so much energy for me & I feel like there's no way I could do both at once.

BFing is going really well for us, except I can't get LO to take a bottle again. Its not a big deal because I SAH now, but I'm thinking about pumping like crazy until September so I can build a freezer stash big enough to sustain him for the last few weeks just in case BF while PG proves to be too much or the PG dries me up. I'm assuming he'll take a bottle or sippy cup by then. Anyone try this?? Any stories of it working/not working?

MrsSteelerTeacherLady

I totally recommend building a freezer stash.  This pg was a surprise to us so I wasn't prepared.  I had planned on building my freezer stash back up over the summer (I'm a teacher) b/c it was dwindling during my work day- just not enough time to pump enough.  I was going to start trying to get pg in August.  

Since that didn't happen and I was having more and more trouble getting milk, I had to switch him to formula 2 weeks ago.  It's not the end of the world, but I wasn't happy about it as it wasn't my plan.  So I really encourage the pumping.

As for the energy- you just find it!  He's 10 months old and needs constant supervision and honestly I just nap when he does and try to find time to keep the house in decent shape.   Good luck! 

CaitlinJ22

a freezer stash may help. I got pg when DS was 9 months and it was hard, but i kept bfing til 13 months. The hardest part was eating and drinking enough to sustain my supply since i was so sick the second time around. DS didnt take BM from a cup, but he would take a bottle every so often. It wouldve helped some if I lost my supply or couldnt make it to 12 months. I woudlnt stress too much, maybe just add a pumping session every 3-4 days. just as a back up. I liked having some in teh freezer for an emergency situation anyway. 

I also have to say that gettiung pg when DS was that little was easy. he wasnt walking yet, he napped 2 times a day until 12 months, and he could be put in a playpen or exersaucer when I needed to sit down or go get sick It was easy when he was that little. When I started to feel beter is when he started to walk and so that worked out great.  

howleyshell

As someone who weaned early in order to TTC #2 I'd vote yes!!

sweetpea2003

If BFing for a year is important, yes, pump and get yourself a stash.

I got pregnant with #2 right after I weaned DD.  I had weaned her purposefully, though, and was okay switching to formula.  Had I not been okay, I think pumping a lot would have been the way to go.

As for you being tired...  It is amazing what mind over matter does when you are pregnant with #2.  For me, exhaustion is by far my #1 pregnancy symptom and was the reason I even took a pregnancy test the second time around.  But when you have a baby, you can't do the napping and lying around.  And somehow, you just don't.  I think that generally speaking, first pregnancies are a "luxury" and we just wallow a little bit.  But when you have a baby to take care of you find energy stores you didnt' know you had.  Don't get me wrong, I still went to bed some nights right with DD (at 7), but I wasn't getting to take long naps after work when I picked her up from daycare.

Good luck with TTC!

catdwg83

Thanks ladies I appreciate the answers!