Packing up the pump

Peepp79

Well, after a month long "nursing strike", but i think she's weaning herself, I decided to stop pumping to get to my year goal. My pedi says that we can't introduce milk until one year so I'm going to be just nursing in the morning and giving formula the rest of the day. This was very hard for me. I know this sounds silly but I feel rejected. It's just sad that this part is pretty much over. I guess the pros are I don't have to pump anymore, anybody can feed her at night, I can have my body back and start in a couple months to find real bras that I don't have to put over my head  I think I'm getting better at accepting this. There are going to be many more things like this that she won't need me for anymore. Anyways, thats the end of my whine for today.  

sharrison88

I will probably be not long behind you.  My goal was to make it to one year, and we were doing wonderful!  And then...we found out I was pregnant.  Pregnancy has greatly affected my supply, and I'm only pumping about half of what I was.  We got rid of some freezer stash a little while back, before BFP, because it was taking up too much space in the freezer and was reaching the end of freezer life.  Instead of using it up, I decided to get rid of it.  I probably dumped 30 bags.  I'm kicking myself now. 

Be proud you made it this far!  I'm having a really hard time with it as well, and am feeling really guilty.  Can you continue pumping and feed from a bottle?  Or will she just not take BM in general.  I'm so sorry! I know what you're going through. 

SteelCity44

I'm sorry that you're dealing with this. We started the weaning process a couple of weeks ago, and it's been bittersweet. I'm down to one pump a day and he's nursing less when we're at home together. He still nurses all.night.long though, but naturally that's the time I would be happiest to give up. You've done an amazing job to make it this far.

Peepp79

I can continue pumping a couple times a day but I don't get much. I have to supplement with formula anyways. She takes both from a cup so no problem there. I guess I'm just drained through this whole thing bc she weaned herself which I guess is a blessing in disguise bc then I won't have to deal with weaning her later. So I'm kind of being selfish not continuing pumping for the next few weeks. Oh well. 

sharrison88

Peepp79:

I can continue pumping a couple times a day but I don't get much. I have to supplement with formula anyways. She takes both from a cup so no problem there. I guess I'm just drained through this whole thing bc she weaned herself which I guess is a blessing in disguise bc then I won't have to deal with weaning her later. So I'm kind of being selfish not continuing pumping for the next few weeks. Oh well. 

Nope - not being selfish at all.  Trying to pump enough to even get two bottles is stressing me out, wearing me down and most likely, affecting my decreased supply even more.  I have thought many a time the stress I'm feeling isn't worth it.  She will be completely fine on formula for two months.  I totally get where you're coming from, and it sounds like you're making a good decision.  It will all work out for the best.  For some reason, I had this one year goal, and am so pissed that I'm not making it when I'm so close. 

jenbelsan

SteelCity44:

I'm sorry that you're dealing with this. We started the weaning process a couple of weeks ago, and it's been bittersweet. I'm down to one pump a day and he's nursing less when we're at home together. He still nurses all.night.long though, but naturally that's the time I would be happiest to give up. You've done an amazing job to make it this far.

Steel, we sound exactly the same. I pump once for 1 of 3 daycare bottles, he nurses less at home, but truly all through the night. I would try to wean if I could, but he is barely gaining weight, so I am nervous to withhold it. Good luck! 

laurenmae1228

I think it's awesome that you were able to make it this far, and I'm super jealous. I felt like a total failure when I had to switch DS to formula at 8 weeks, even though it wasn't my fault and I had no choice. (My csection incision opened up because a seroma was forming underneath, and I wound up with a systemic staph/strep b infection from it, concurrently got mastitis, and my milk dried up from the bodily stress.

(Which happened despite counseling from the nurses hotline, breastfeeding consultant, trying ice packs/warm compresses, sleeping with cabbage on my boobs, drinking enough water to float away, increasing protein intake, taking probiotics, exclusively pumping since we also had poor latch/plugged duct problems, etc etc etc. I wound up PAINFULLY pumping blood and milk clogs sometimes because the infection was so bad. It was crazy. But I cried for days when I finally had to throw in the towel since I was only pumping 1 ounce a day at the end. I felt like a total failure as a mom. These stupid big boobs didnt even do what they were supposed to!)

I've since come to terms a little (I mean, there's nothing I could do then, and nothing I can do now to change it, so I have to just accept it), but Im still jealous, since it seems like every mom on earth has no problems feeding their own child.  

Megasaurus12

Moms all over the world DO have struggles. They are lucky to have one another who often BF their babies when they struggle. We are lucky enough to have clean water and access to formula since the previous would not be socially accepted in our society : I hope your incision healed well those can be difficult to get to heal.