Last year, I shared my appreciation for all veterans--but especially my husband. At the time, he was halfway around the world in Djibouti for work. I'm so glad that he's here with me and Ella this time around.
I realize that unlike Mother's Day or Father's Day or Administrative Assistant's Day, you don't necessarily give any gifts to veterans on a day like today. The typical mode of operation is simply to thank them and recognize their selfless contribution to our country. But I can't help but think that I was able to give him the gift that he always wanted--he now has Ella. I look forward to explaining to her that her daddy is a brave and honorable officer in the US Army.
Today's blessing was that my big, strong veteran showed his soft side and stayed home with Ella so that I could go into town and have lunch with my friend. It was the first time that I had truly been completely alone (beyond going to the bathroom) since that afternoon in the hospital. Sure, I missed each of them in their own special way, but I know that it was healthy to take some time for just myself. Aside from a diaper blowout, they did just fine without me.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Wardrobe Changes
It seems as though both Ella and I are in need of some wardrobe changes. Hers need to be a bit bigger...mine need to be a bit smaller.
We didn't get many "newborn" outfits for her, but the few that we did get seem to be too small for her these days. She exceeded the 9 pound mark at her appointment last week, so she is definitely too big for the 5-8 pound items. But sometimes it seems that even the 8-12 pound pieces are too small for her as well--at least in the length, though not quite in girth. My husband and I are both fairly tall, and she also seems to have our length. Poor thing--she's going to be running into all sorts of wardrobe issues for the rest of her life if she has my long torso (though I finally appreciated my extra-long torso when I was pregnant with her). Sidenote on baby clothes...I find it so funny that some "0-3 month" items seem so tiny, and others seem so huge! Depending on the brand, she may have already outgrown some 0-3...and may be in others for months to come.
As for me, it's about time for me to put away the maternity clothes. To be honest, I should have put them away weeks ago. Since I'm on maternity leave until the new semester starts in January (have I mentioned how much I'm dreading going back?), I admit that I've been living in yoga pants and old t-shirts when I'm at home. So I really only have to get dressed in "real clothes" for church and if I have to run into town for any errands. And as I previously explained, my pre-pregnancy wardrobe ranges in sizes from 4-12...4 being at my healthiest and fittest as a result of implementing the recommendations that our RE laid out for us, and 12 being at my un-healthiest and un-fittest after our second loss. But since I'm so reluctant to get rid of any clothes, I've got a spectrum of sizes from which to choose. So yes, it's time to put away the elastic waistbands and extra-long shirts (though I might keep some of the maternity tank-tops in my regular rotation...like I said, my extra-long torso is hard to cover). I'll box them up today, and pray that I have the chance to wear them again someday.
Today's blessing is fall weather. Yes, I realize that we're almost half-way through November, but Fall comes a little later when you live in the desert (and it could easily be 90 degrees again next week). It's nice to be able to wear sweatshirts and cuddle up with my husband--and now Ella--under cozy blankets.
We didn't get many "newborn" outfits for her, but the few that we did get seem to be too small for her these days. She exceeded the 9 pound mark at her appointment last week, so she is definitely too big for the 5-8 pound items. But sometimes it seems that even the 8-12 pound pieces are too small for her as well--at least in the length, though not quite in girth. My husband and I are both fairly tall, and she also seems to have our length. Poor thing--she's going to be running into all sorts of wardrobe issues for the rest of her life if she has my long torso (though I finally appreciated my extra-long torso when I was pregnant with her). Sidenote on baby clothes...I find it so funny that some "0-3 month" items seem so tiny, and others seem so huge! Depending on the brand, she may have already outgrown some 0-3...and may be in others for months to come.
As for me, it's about time for me to put away the maternity clothes. To be honest, I should have put them away weeks ago. Since I'm on maternity leave until the new semester starts in January (have I mentioned how much I'm dreading going back?), I admit that I've been living in yoga pants and old t-shirts when I'm at home. So I really only have to get dressed in "real clothes" for church and if I have to run into town for any errands. And as I previously explained, my pre-pregnancy wardrobe ranges in sizes from 4-12...4 being at my healthiest and fittest as a result of implementing the recommendations that our RE laid out for us, and 12 being at my un-healthiest and un-fittest after our second loss. But since I'm so reluctant to get rid of any clothes, I've got a spectrum of sizes from which to choose. So yes, it's time to put away the elastic waistbands and extra-long shirts (though I might keep some of the maternity tank-tops in my regular rotation...like I said, my extra-long torso is hard to cover). I'll box them up today, and pray that I have the chance to wear them again someday.
Today's blessing is fall weather. Yes, I realize that we're almost half-way through November, but Fall comes a little later when you live in the desert (and it could easily be 90 degrees again next week). It's nice to be able to wear sweatshirts and cuddle up with my husband--and now Ella--under cozy blankets.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Familiar Pain
Yesterday afternoon, I was saddened to see a facebook post from my former hair-dresser and the wife of our music director for my church back home that they had lost their baby. It was a "surprise" type of pregnancy--they have three children ages 16, 14, and 9, and she found out she was pregnant just days before her 40th birthday--but I doubt it makes it any easier to cope with the loss. I read the news with Ella snuggled up against me in her carrier, all warm and cozy and precious, and yet my heart still broke as the familiar pain of loss crept in.
I realize that my hormones are still a little on the whacky side, so I'm "allowed" to get extra emotional, but I was a little shocked at how sad I was--for them, for my own losses, and for so many others who have experienced loss. I guess part of my reaction is because this was my first exposure to loss since the birth of Ella. I am just so overwhelmed at God's goodness, and it makes the fragility of life so much more visible...I guess.
As she said in her post, "things happen for a reason and God is in control". I believe this whole-heartedly, but believing it isn't necessarily a quick-fix. There is no anaesthesia that can instantly take away the pain. God can--and does--comfort and heal, but the pain and confusion of loss can linger. Please pray for Starr and Jeff and their family as they are saddened by the loss of this baby. Even though this baby was a bit of a surprise, it was still dearly loved.
I was blessed by the visit of my extremely-caring friend who brought over a delicious enchilada casserole for us. It was full of cheesy goodness, and I lived on leftovers all weekend while my husband was out of town for Army Reserve drill. I have one more serving that I'll eat up for lunch today, but it was such a blessing to not have to cook when it was just me and Ella.
I realize that my hormones are still a little on the whacky side, so I'm "allowed" to get extra emotional, but I was a little shocked at how sad I was--for them, for my own losses, and for so many others who have experienced loss. I guess part of my reaction is because this was my first exposure to loss since the birth of Ella. I am just so overwhelmed at God's goodness, and it makes the fragility of life so much more visible...I guess.
As she said in her post, "things happen for a reason and God is in control". I believe this whole-heartedly, but believing it isn't necessarily a quick-fix. There is no anaesthesia that can instantly take away the pain. God can--and does--comfort and heal, but the pain and confusion of loss can linger. Please pray for Starr and Jeff and their family as they are saddened by the loss of this baby. Even though this baby was a bit of a surprise, it was still dearly loved.
I was blessed by the visit of my extremely-caring friend who brought over a delicious enchilada casserole for us. It was full of cheesy goodness, and I lived on leftovers all weekend while my husband was out of town for Army Reserve drill. I have one more serving that I'll eat up for lunch today, but it was such a blessing to not have to cook when it was just me and Ella.
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Figuring It Out As We Go
As I type this (in between feedings, playtime, naps, and diaper changes), I'm starting to realize that it's turning into a long post. But that's just how it's been with breastfeeding and pumping--I feel like we're figuring it out as we go...and it's not always a quick solution.
Thank you so much for your words of wisdom in regards to my plea for support, guidance, and reassurance when it comes to pumping. I've changed some things around and have seen some improvements. I share these changes in case they can be helpful to anyone else.
As per some of your suggestions, I got some new shields for the pump (at least that's what I think that they are called). Some suggested that the size might not be right, and if anything, I think that I need a smaller size (I've never been large anywhere in this area). I must be unique--because the baby supply store didn't have them in small, though they did come in XXL (no offense if you fit an XXL...it just seemed that if they had one extreme, they would also carry the other). So instead, I went with the "softfit", and have definitely felt the difference! I found it interesting (and disappointing) that the softfit only comes in medium...strange. I also ordered the small regular shields online, but I admit that I have felt comfortable (enough) with the softfit, so I haven't even tried the smalls yet.
Also, based on multiple comments about only pumping in the morning, I've essentially given myself permission to only pump when it's convenient. I agree that my supply is greatest in the morning, so I try to get a session in each morning after Ella has had her fill. Throughout the rest of the day, I'll pump here and there as time allows. But I guess I don't feel as "tied" to my pump anymore. In fact, I still think that it tells me to "wrap it up, wrap it up, wrap it up", but sometime it may be telling me "let's go, let's go, let's go"--almost as if it's now encouraging me that yes, we can do this! I'm still averaging about 1.5 ounces per pumping session--sometimes more, sometimes less. I've even gotten really good at multi-tasking while I pump (I pulled it into the bathroom the other day and did my make-up while hooked up...it may not have been a pretty sight, but I hit two birds with one stone).
Although we plan to do so soon, we still haven't introduced Ella to a bottle yet...which means that my breastmilk is slowly but surely taking over the freezer. I recently learned a little trick to maximize our freezer space (perhaps others already do this, but it was new to me). We are using the little storage bags, and I initially just lined them up vertically. But this made for a wide base and a nearly empty top, so I couldn't fit as many pouches in the storage container. Then I read that you can lie the bags flat to freeze them--thus spreading the milk out evenly through the bag. Once frozen, I then line them up vertically, but they take up much less space without the wide base.
As for breastfeeding, I'm very proud of myself for figuring out a bit of a mystery when it came to Ella and her feeding. Around two to three weeks of age, I noticed that she wasn't stooling a lot. The pediatrician said it was totally fine, and that he's seen babies go up to 19 days without stooling. I figured that her little body must just be using up every little ounce of nutrients she was getting in order to grow (and she was growing normally, according to the pediatrician). This is what led me to start pumping in the first place--thinking that perhaps I didn't have enough supply for her. As my supply increased, so did her stools. But then I noticed that her stools were not quite the "seedy mustard-yellow" that they should be. Rather, her stools were on the greenish side, and they were watery and foamy (I know, because Ella has developed a new fondness of peeing and pooping in that half-second between when I take the old diaper off and put the new diaper on). So I did a quick search for "watery, foamy diapers" and found this information which led me to believe that it was perhaps a foremilk/hindmilk imbalance. All along, I had been nursing on 15-20 minutes on each side because it seemed like the thing to do--according to the nurses, my mom, On Becoming Babywise, etc.--and Ella seemed to be growing just fine. But the initial absence of stools, and then the foamy consistency, had me rethinking everything. So I began to ignore the clock, and started to let Ella completely drain the breast to ensure that she gets adequate hindmilk. Sure enough--it did the trick, and her stools seem to be back to normal (for the most part, at least).
So in the midst of my research, I put in a call to the Lactation Consultant at my hospital to confirm my suspicion, and unfortunately, had a less-than-ideal conversation with her. It wasn't "bad", per se, but when I mentioned Babywise, she completely shut down and nearly attacked me. I recognize and appreciate her expertise, but I think I'm going to take her feedback with a grain of salt (in the exact same way that I take the input in Babywise and from friends and family).
The conversation just left me with a bad feeling, and when I mentioned this to my mom, she offered the assistance of a woman in their church who is also a lactation consultant, so I sent her an email...and felt so much better with her response! She also isn't necessarily a fan of Babywise, but rather feeling "attacked", I felt supported and encouraged in how she recommended some suggestions that I should try. In fact, she started her email with "You are so smart! I love a mom who researches!". I felt like I was familiar with most of what she shared, but it's always nice to have the reassurance that I'm doing things correctly and to have a thoughtful suggestion on how I can improve the breastfeeding (and pumping) experience for both myself and Ella. She is a wonderful resource--and she said that I can continue to contact her by email, phone, text--whatever works best for me. In fact, she is still accumulating hours for her accreditation, and when I mentioned that I have friends who have newborns or are expecting soon, she was more than happy for me to pass on her name and contact information to anyone else who might need her as well. So if you have any questions or concerns about all that is involved with breastfeeding, please let me know your email address, and I'll send her contact information on to you.
Yesterday's blessing was a really nice conversation with my brother. Unfortunately, he's going through a bit of a rough spot--mainly due to a recent break-up--but he really opened up to me, and it was nice to be able to be a good, supportive big sister for him. He's coming out with my parents for Thanksgiving, so it will be wonderful to see him. And something tells me that he's going to be such a fun uncle!
Thank you so much for your words of wisdom in regards to my plea for support, guidance, and reassurance when it comes to pumping. I've changed some things around and have seen some improvements. I share these changes in case they can be helpful to anyone else.
As per some of your suggestions, I got some new shields for the pump (at least that's what I think that they are called). Some suggested that the size might not be right, and if anything, I think that I need a smaller size (I've never been large anywhere in this area). I must be unique--because the baby supply store didn't have them in small, though they did come in XXL (no offense if you fit an XXL...it just seemed that if they had one extreme, they would also carry the other). So instead, I went with the "softfit", and have definitely felt the difference! I found it interesting (and disappointing) that the softfit only comes in medium...strange. I also ordered the small regular shields online, but I admit that I have felt comfortable (enough) with the softfit, so I haven't even tried the smalls yet.
Also, based on multiple comments about only pumping in the morning, I've essentially given myself permission to only pump when it's convenient. I agree that my supply is greatest in the morning, so I try to get a session in each morning after Ella has had her fill. Throughout the rest of the day, I'll pump here and there as time allows. But I guess I don't feel as "tied" to my pump anymore. In fact, I still think that it tells me to "wrap it up, wrap it up, wrap it up", but sometime it may be telling me "let's go, let's go, let's go"--almost as if it's now encouraging me that yes, we can do this! I'm still averaging about 1.5 ounces per pumping session--sometimes more, sometimes less. I've even gotten really good at multi-tasking while I pump (I pulled it into the bathroom the other day and did my make-up while hooked up...it may not have been a pretty sight, but I hit two birds with one stone).
Although we plan to do so soon, we still haven't introduced Ella to a bottle yet...which means that my breastmilk is slowly but surely taking over the freezer. I recently learned a little trick to maximize our freezer space (perhaps others already do this, but it was new to me). We are using the little storage bags, and I initially just lined them up vertically. But this made for a wide base and a nearly empty top, so I couldn't fit as many pouches in the storage container. Then I read that you can lie the bags flat to freeze them--thus spreading the milk out evenly through the bag. Once frozen, I then line them up vertically, but they take up much less space without the wide base.
As for breastfeeding, I'm very proud of myself for figuring out a bit of a mystery when it came to Ella and her feeding. Around two to three weeks of age, I noticed that she wasn't stooling a lot. The pediatrician said it was totally fine, and that he's seen babies go up to 19 days without stooling. I figured that her little body must just be using up every little ounce of nutrients she was getting in order to grow (and she was growing normally, according to the pediatrician). This is what led me to start pumping in the first place--thinking that perhaps I didn't have enough supply for her. As my supply increased, so did her stools. But then I noticed that her stools were not quite the "seedy mustard-yellow" that they should be. Rather, her stools were on the greenish side, and they were watery and foamy (I know, because Ella has developed a new fondness of peeing and pooping in that half-second between when I take the old diaper off and put the new diaper on). So I did a quick search for "watery, foamy diapers" and found this information which led me to believe that it was perhaps a foremilk/hindmilk imbalance. All along, I had been nursing on 15-20 minutes on each side because it seemed like the thing to do--according to the nurses, my mom, On Becoming Babywise, etc.--and Ella seemed to be growing just fine. But the initial absence of stools, and then the foamy consistency, had me rethinking everything. So I began to ignore the clock, and started to let Ella completely drain the breast to ensure that she gets adequate hindmilk. Sure enough--it did the trick, and her stools seem to be back to normal (for the most part, at least).
So in the midst of my research, I put in a call to the Lactation Consultant at my hospital to confirm my suspicion, and unfortunately, had a less-than-ideal conversation with her. It wasn't "bad", per se, but when I mentioned Babywise, she completely shut down and nearly attacked me. I recognize and appreciate her expertise, but I think I'm going to take her feedback with a grain of salt (in the exact same way that I take the input in Babywise and from friends and family).
The conversation just left me with a bad feeling, and when I mentioned this to my mom, she offered the assistance of a woman in their church who is also a lactation consultant, so I sent her an email...and felt so much better with her response! She also isn't necessarily a fan of Babywise, but rather feeling "attacked", I felt supported and encouraged in how she recommended some suggestions that I should try. In fact, she started her email with "You are so smart! I love a mom who researches!". I felt like I was familiar with most of what she shared, but it's always nice to have the reassurance that I'm doing things correctly and to have a thoughtful suggestion on how I can improve the breastfeeding (and pumping) experience for both myself and Ella. She is a wonderful resource--and she said that I can continue to contact her by email, phone, text--whatever works best for me. In fact, she is still accumulating hours for her accreditation, and when I mentioned that I have friends who have newborns or are expecting soon, she was more than happy for me to pass on her name and contact information to anyone else who might need her as well. So if you have any questions or concerns about all that is involved with breastfeeding, please let me know your email address, and I'll send her contact information on to you.
Yesterday's blessing was a really nice conversation with my brother. Unfortunately, he's going through a bit of a rough spot--mainly due to a recent break-up--but he really opened up to me, and it was nice to be able to be a good, supportive big sister for him. He's coming out with my parents for Thanksgiving, so it will be wonderful to see him. And something tells me that he's going to be such a fun uncle!
Thursday, November 4, 2010
$4.86
If you've been following my story, you may remember that I keep an eye out for pennies and any other change that I may find. As I previously shared, I try not to get too caught up in them being "signs"--like an "omen"--and I don't quite believe that they bring me "luck", but they do brighten up my day. I guess I think of them as little reminders from God that He's looking out for us.
I found my first penny on the morning that I took the pregnancy test that eventually led to Ella. That was back in January. Throughout my pregnancy, I continued to find pennies and other coins, and each one felt like a little reminder from God that everything was going to be okay. He gave Noah a rainbow...I feel like I got pennies. And not just pennies, but nickels, dimes, and quarters as well--in fact, $4.86 worth through the 40 weeks of my pregnancy. That breaks down to:
I continue to watch for pennies, and they continue to show up, and God continues to bless us. Perhaps I'll get Ella a piggy bank when she gets old enough to appreciate not only the value of money, but also the significance of these particular coins. For now, they are in a little trinket box which was a gift from my Grandma--the same woman who inspired my mom and me to watch for coins in the first place. (I should also mention that we have opened a real savings account for Ella...but something tells me that a bank teller isn't going to share the same warm feelings about my coins if I bring them all in).
Yesterday's blessing was learning that my dad walked away from a car accident (it happened a 1/2 block away from our house, so he literally walked home). He was rear-ended as he was turning onto our street, and while the back end of his car is completely smashed in, he was unharmed. He says that he's a little bit sore--but he doesn't know if that is from playing basketball that morning prior to the accident or if it was from the impact. It was an older car with lots of miles, but he took really good care of it, and probably won't get all that much for it, so he's a bit worried about replacing it. Please keep him in your prayers as he deals with the hassle of working through the insurance company and figuring out what to do. But either way, we are so blessed that God kept him safe!
I found my first penny on the morning that I took the pregnancy test that eventually led to Ella. That was back in January. Throughout my pregnancy, I continued to find pennies and other coins, and each one felt like a little reminder from God that everything was going to be okay. He gave Noah a rainbow...I feel like I got pennies. And not just pennies, but nickels, dimes, and quarters as well--in fact, $4.86 worth through the 40 weeks of my pregnancy. That breaks down to:
- 61 pennies
- 6 nickels
- 22 dimes
- 7 quarters
I continue to watch for pennies, and they continue to show up, and God continues to bless us. Perhaps I'll get Ella a piggy bank when she gets old enough to appreciate not only the value of money, but also the significance of these particular coins. For now, they are in a little trinket box which was a gift from my Grandma--the same woman who inspired my mom and me to watch for coins in the first place. (I should also mention that we have opened a real savings account for Ella...but something tells me that a bank teller isn't going to share the same warm feelings about my coins if I bring them all in).
Yesterday's blessing was learning that my dad walked away from a car accident (it happened a 1/2 block away from our house, so he literally walked home). He was rear-ended as he was turning onto our street, and while the back end of his car is completely smashed in, he was unharmed. He says that he's a little bit sore--but he doesn't know if that is from playing basketball that morning prior to the accident or if it was from the impact. It was an older car with lots of miles, but he took really good care of it, and probably won't get all that much for it, so he's a bit worried about replacing it. Please keep him in your prayers as he deals with the hassle of working through the insurance company and figuring out what to do. But either way, we are so blessed that God kept him safe!
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
One Month Check-Up
It's hard to believe it...but we celebrated having Ella as part of our life for one month on Saturday. It really has been such an amazing month. Sure, I haven't had a lot of sleep (or many showers) this month, but I have my Ella!
She had her one month check-up with the pediatrician yesterday, and everything looks great. She is up to 9 pounds, 2 ounces (from her original birth weight of 7pounds, 6 ounces) and has grown almost two inches (though she is still smaller than my very-dear friend's BIG little boy who was already 9 pounds at birth). She seems to be experiencing mild cases of some of the typical baby issues--like baby acne and cradle cap--but like I said, they are pretty mild, so they should resolve themselves on their own. The pediatrician also confirmed that she called for the results of the second round of newborn screening tests, and all of those--including the hypothyroidism--all came back normal. All in all, it was a great appointment, and we'll go back in a month for the dreaded immunizations ("dreaded" just because it will break my heart to see her in pain from her shots...I'm not here to debate the pros or cons of the perceived risks or benefits of immunizations).
I leave you with a picture from her the day she turned one month old:
Today's blessing was a good night's sleep for the last two nights in a row. We all had a pretty rough night on Saturday night, where Ella just wanted to feed all the way from 2:00 am until I finally had to get ready for church around 6:00 am. Once we got into a routine, she had been pretty good about sleeping for 3-4 hour chunks at night, so Saturday night was somewhat of an anomaly (or perhaps a growth spurt). But it looks like we've gotten back to our "it's nighttime and it's time to sleep" schedule (still waking up every 3-4 hours to nurse, of course). You don't realize just how much you value your sleep (even if it is interrupted) until you go a night without any! But I know that God has graced me with His wisdom and patience in helping Ella get back to sleep.
She had her one month check-up with the pediatrician yesterday, and everything looks great. She is up to 9 pounds, 2 ounces (from her original birth weight of 7pounds, 6 ounces) and has grown almost two inches (though she is still smaller than my very-dear friend's BIG little boy who was already 9 pounds at birth). She seems to be experiencing mild cases of some of the typical baby issues--like baby acne and cradle cap--but like I said, they are pretty mild, so they should resolve themselves on their own. The pediatrician also confirmed that she called for the results of the second round of newborn screening tests, and all of those--including the hypothyroidism--all came back normal. All in all, it was a great appointment, and we'll go back in a month for the dreaded immunizations ("dreaded" just because it will break my heart to see her in pain from her shots...I'm not here to debate the pros or cons of the perceived risks or benefits of immunizations).
I leave you with a picture from her the day she turned one month old:
Today's blessing was a good night's sleep for the last two nights in a row. We all had a pretty rough night on Saturday night, where Ella just wanted to feed all the way from 2:00 am until I finally had to get ready for church around 6:00 am. Once we got into a routine, she had been pretty good about sleeping for 3-4 hour chunks at night, so Saturday night was somewhat of an anomaly (or perhaps a growth spurt). But it looks like we've gotten back to our "it's nighttime and it's time to sleep" schedule (still waking up every 3-4 hours to nurse, of course). You don't realize just how much you value your sleep (even if it is interrupted) until you go a night without any! But I know that God has graced me with His wisdom and patience in helping Ella get back to sleep.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Love-Hate Relationship
I love breastfeeding. I love the bonding time I get to spend with Ella, I love that I can give her body the nourishment that it needs, and I love the way she looks up at me with her beautiful blue eyes. I have been blessed that breastfeeding has been a really good experience thus far. She latched and nursed well from within the first hour of birth, and--as far as I can tell--things continue to go well.
But I hate pumping. It hurts, it seems so unnatural to be hooked up to a machine, and I always end up feeling like a cow. Not to mention, it always sounds like the motor of the pump is telling me to "wrap it up, wrap it up, wrap it up". Ella is a very efficient eater, and I never seem to have that much milk leftover, so it often feels like a futile attempt to pump after nursing (it seems like I'm averaging 1.5 ounces each time). But I want to build up my supply--both internally and externally. Perhaps it might be better if we rented one of the higher-quality pumps from the hospital, but for now, I think I'm just going to grin and bear it (and by "grin", I really mean "grimace through the pain but know that it's worth it").
Any thoughts or recommendations on how I can make pumping a more enjoyable experience? Also, I'd be curious to hear about anyone's "system" for pumping, storing, freezing, bottling, etc. I know that there are plenty of "how-to guidelines" online, but it's kind of nice to hear it from women who I trust.
Today's blessing was having my husband stay home with me. He woke up with a bit of a headache, so decided to just stay home. I've noticed that he's been more and more willing to skip out on work ever since Ella arrived, whereas he was previously so diligent about building up his vacation time and not taking a day off for himself. It was really nice to have him home with me and Ella--he really is so wonderful with her!
But I hate pumping. It hurts, it seems so unnatural to be hooked up to a machine, and I always end up feeling like a cow. Not to mention, it always sounds like the motor of the pump is telling me to "wrap it up, wrap it up, wrap it up". Ella is a very efficient eater, and I never seem to have that much milk leftover, so it often feels like a futile attempt to pump after nursing (it seems like I'm averaging 1.5 ounces each time). But I want to build up my supply--both internally and externally. Perhaps it might be better if we rented one of the higher-quality pumps from the hospital, but for now, I think I'm just going to grin and bear it (and by "grin", I really mean "grimace through the pain but know that it's worth it").
Any thoughts or recommendations on how I can make pumping a more enjoyable experience? Also, I'd be curious to hear about anyone's "system" for pumping, storing, freezing, bottling, etc. I know that there are plenty of "how-to guidelines" online, but it's kind of nice to hear it from women who I trust.
Today's blessing was having my husband stay home with me. He woke up with a bit of a headache, so decided to just stay home. I've noticed that he's been more and more willing to skip out on work ever since Ella arrived, whereas he was previously so diligent about building up his vacation time and not taking a day off for himself. It was really nice to have him home with me and Ella--he really is so wonderful with her!
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