Breastfeeding has come very easily to me. I've been so blessed with a great milk supply and I honestly don't believe I ever struggled with it in the beginning. I think I had my mind set that I was going to be successful no matter what, therefore there was no other option.
A while back I had posted about my internal dilemma on feeling guilty about choosing to stop breastfeeding/pumping pretty much for my own selfish reasons. We have now made it to our goal of 6 months. So where do we go from here?
A few weeks ago I managed to comfortably get down to only doing 3 pump sessions per day. I quickly began taking more milk out of the freezer than I was putting in. I watched my once 400+ oz frozen supply dwindle down to less than 200 oz...and it frightened me!
I'm not ready to spend money on formula!
I'm not ready to worry about formula stains on Bryce's clothes!
I'm not ready to start watching my diet just when swimsuit season is coming around!
I'm not ready to give up my 20 minute breaks at work!
I'm not ready to quit getting my money's worth out of my Medela Freestyle pump!
I'm not really ready to stop...period!
Needless to say this lasted a week before I found my "second wind" and decided to pick that 4th pumping back up. I'm even considering adding back the 5th session to get my freezer filled back up. Yea, it's been tough with my 8-5 M-F job, but when I look at the big picture I'm spending less than 1 1/2 hours a day pumping. Any given evening I could spend that cooking just one meal for my husband and I, yet in an hour and a half I can make a full day's worth of meals (and then some) for my son. It's completely worth it. I do get tired of the constant bottle washing and the bottles and pump parts taking up space on my kitchen counters, but it's only temporary....I can't do this forever.
So who knows how long I'll go. I guess my new goal can be 9 months...but I'll definitely not exceed a year.
A while back I had posted about my internal dilemma on feeling guilty about choosing to stop breastfeeding/pumping pretty much for my own selfish reasons. We have now made it to our goal of 6 months. So where do we go from here?
A few weeks ago I managed to comfortably get down to only doing 3 pump sessions per day. I quickly began taking more milk out of the freezer than I was putting in. I watched my once 400+ oz frozen supply dwindle down to less than 200 oz...and it frightened me!
I'm not ready to spend money on formula!
I'm not ready to worry about formula stains on Bryce's clothes!
I'm not ready to start watching my diet just when swimsuit season is coming around!
I'm not ready to give up my 20 minute breaks at work!
I'm not ready to quit getting my money's worth out of my Medela Freestyle pump!
I'm not really ready to stop...period!
Needless to say this lasted a week before I found my "second wind" and decided to pick that 4th pumping back up. I'm even considering adding back the 5th session to get my freezer filled back up. Yea, it's been tough with my 8-5 M-F job, but when I look at the big picture I'm spending less than 1 1/2 hours a day pumping. Any given evening I could spend that cooking just one meal for my husband and I, yet in an hour and a half I can make a full day's worth of meals (and then some) for my son. It's completely worth it. I do get tired of the constant bottle washing and the bottles and pump parts taking up space on my kitchen counters, but it's only temporary....I can't do this forever.
So who knows how long I'll go. I guess my new goal can be 9 months...but I'll definitely not exceed a year.
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