Pumping and Breastfeeding - Update

Hopefully the title either sparked your interest (as in you are doing the same and are wondering what my experience has been) or discouraged you from reading the post so that either you are ok with reading the probably tmi post I am about to write or you have choosen not to read because it is tmi.

Either way, I apologize if this is tmi but this blog has become my journal from which I can reference back and this post in particular will be helpful on my next children so, SORRY if it is too much. You can stop now if you are worried of that...

Pumping and breastfeeding for the most part has been successful. I wanted to keep track of my progress so I could resort back in the future for reference. The reason I thought to do this is becasue I just recently made the decision to cut out two pumps.


I didn't pump until I went back to work (except to stock up the necessary amount for E while I was at school) and when I came back to work on the first day of school in August, pumped at 4am before going to the gym. That pump was enough for E to eat when she got to mom's around 6/6:30. I then pumped on my way to school around 7 and then at 9:45 (planning), 1 (because that was when E was eating next) and then at 3 when school was over. If I could make it home by 6 I would feed her and then again at 9 before bed. If I had to work late, I would pump on my way home and then just feed Eleanor at 9.


After a couple of weeks, my principal asked me to cut out the 1pm feeding and instead pump at lunch which forced me to drop a pump. I know the comments will come that that was not allowed but I chose to not fight it and complied. Because of that, I did have to start supplementing with formula. I was upset about it at first but it has been fine since and definitely took off the stress of "would I pump that extra ounce to get enough or would I have to pump at midnight just to make enough?"


We supplemented with a bottle of formula a day until she started solids. I feel like at that point, my supply started dwindling. I still made enough to keep her happy on solely nursing on the weekends but my pumps were nowhere near the 8oz. I used to would get in one pump. Lately, I am lucky to get 3 or 4oz.


Over Christmas break my intentions to get up at 4 and still pump were shot when I wanted to sleep in and so I think that might have messed me up a little as well. Eleanor is now getting ONE BREASTMILK bottle and the rest formula during the day. I feed her at night and somehow make enough milk during the day on the weekends to make her happy. She sometimes will get frustrated at night though and we will give her a 4oz. bottle (1/2 of a full feeding).

Other new developments are her top teeth. When her bottom teeth came in at about 4 months, she bit me a few times, more when she was finished and would get bored and just KNAW down. She quit that though but since her top teeth in have bit me a couple of times. One time so hard that when she nursed the next few times it felt like the first few times I ever breastfed - QUITE painful.

Eleanor is also probably getting frustrated with the extra work she has to do when she nurses as opposed to the bottle as she will often suck for a bit and then sit up, then lay back down and the cycle continues. I don't feel like she gets as much as when she eats anymore so anyway, I am thinking we are nearing the end.

My goal at first was to make it to 6 months which we did easily. After that, it kind of just became a month to month thing - you know my competitive nature...wanting to make it to the next month each time. SO we have made it 8 months and are close to 9 months, so that is the current goal!