Monday, November 7, 2011

A Day in the Life of a Breastfeeding, Pumping and Working Mom

4:30-5am ~ Stumble out of bed to change, feed B from one side & pump from other
5:15am ~ shuffle downstairs, pour pumped milk into larger bottle to take to MIL, deconstruct pump & wash
5:20 am ~ reassemble pump
6:15am ~ pack pump for the workday & put in car
9:00 am ~ 1st pumping session locked behind a classroom door praying no one disobeys my sign for privacy. 
Pump needs to be rearranged to double instead of single pump (again!)
9:30 am ~ combine pumped milk into 1 container, reassemble pump & run upstairs to fridge to hide milk in lunchbag while also making copies and finding time to pee
12:20 pm ~ run upstairs to get lunch, pee, run downstairs to lock classroom and start pumping session #2 (with more prayers no one walks in). 
While hooked to pump, return emails, eat lunch, return calls (with pump covered with coat) & grade (more prayers I don't spill milk on papers to be returned)
12:45 pm ~ combine pumped milk #2, deconstruct pump, quickly hide pump and milk as students fill into room
2:30 pm ~ optional pump session #3 (although it rarely occurs because 9 times out of 10 I have a meeting, parent, call or student making up work).
3:00-3:30pm ~ retrieve milk from shared fridge and bring pump and milk back home for the millionth time in lunch bag that has extra cooler pack in it.
4:30/4:45 pm ~ feed B
4:50 pm ~ optional meeting of hubs at the gym to exhange kids AND MILK so he can put in fridge at home. 
I have even taken the bag of milk in the gym locke rroom or to T's taekwondo practice with me to avoid it sitting in a warm car.
6:30 pm ~ make decision on ultimate usage of said pumped milk.  There are three options:  1. freeze for future use 2. become part of bottle I provide MIL fresh every morning or 3. become part of new homemade baby food I make.  (most often 4 oz are part of tomorrow's fresh bottle, 2 left for babyfood & 4-6 are frozen)
7:00 pm ~ deconstruct pump and leave parts in sink to wash after kids go to bed
7:30/8:00 pm ~ feed B
9:00/9:30 pm ~ wash pump parts, bottles, lids, etc
10:00 pm ~ set up pump for single instead of double pump (again!) & set out parts to dry for tomorrow
11:00 pm ~ optional pump session (if needed)
11:15 pm ~ trapse back upstairs, sneak into B's room to plug in pump ready for morning
Start all over again! 

I'm exhausted!  I want to quit!  Why don't I?  Because I truly believe that breastmilk is the best form of nurishment for MY baby (that's just my own perrogative).  It's important to me that I continue as long as I can.  Minor victory that I made it to my goal of 6 months ::does happy dance::...now it's 1 week at a time!  ::deep breath::

4 comments:

  1. You are AMAZING! Your dedication is truly remarkable. Way to go mama!

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  2. Thanks Mrs. G! I'm growing weary...but taking it one day at a time! :)

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  3. I'll admit, I've taken the little cooler full of pumped milk into the gym with me to avoid leaving it in a hot car, too.

    I don't know how you do it - getting up at 4:30 every day. For me 5:45 has been rough. You are doing an amazing job!

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  4. Wow, that is impressive!

    I breastfed mine, but pumping... ugh. That didn't really work for me.

    Big props to you for keeping this up!

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