My journey of Exclusively Pumping

My daughter turned 21 months on May 6^th, 2012, which also marked 21 months of breastfeeding/ pumping, but mainly pumping, since I haven’t successfully breastfed since she was 2 weeks old!

We were first time parents, and had no clue about some things when we were in the hospital and welcomed formula bottles when she was not getting enough at night. We kept doing it, and fed her formula for her first 2 weeks when she was not full.. along with nursing. I went to see a Lactation Consultant at my Pediatrician Office, along with seeing them in the Hospital. For some reason we had issues, high aeola, we tried nipple shields towards the end, different positions, and I was damned if I was not able to provide her with breastmilk and breastfeed.

When I went for one last appointment with the L.C. when she turned 2 weeks, she told me, you will loose your supply if you don’t start pumping, and to get a pump right away. Not sure why I for some reason never bought a pump before since it was on my registry, I guess I was told, “wait to see if you will have milk” well I was determined to provide my daughter with breastmilk no matter what. Since that 2 week mark I have been exclusively pumping a term I never heard of before I had my daughter. We went to the store and bought a Medela Freestyle and all supplies needed.

I was also ripped up and in pain every time she was breasfeeding, obviously it was all bad. I had to take a pain killer basically to be able to breastfeed. The pumping helped me heal, and since then she would just take the bottle. We used the Medela bottles for a week or two, then switched to the Born Free bottle’s I had gotten at my Baby Shower. The Medela bottle nipples collapsed, so were not as great.

I have tried until 9 months to get her to latch back on, with no success so pumping it was. I pumped 5 pumps per day (ppd) until she was 15 months. Then dropped to 4ppd, 3 ppd, and Easter April 8^th I dropped to 2PPD, and April 29^th I dropped to 1 PPD. My supply took a huge hit at the time I dropped to 3PPD.. I was never an overproducer, and was able to built up a small stash when she would be sick, or she started solids. I was very fortunate to have a stash, that was when we had growth spurts she was still able to get only breastmilk and we never had to pull out any formula!

My initial goal was 12 months, then 15, 18, and around 19 I said it would be time (I am pregnant with #2) and she drinks less now.. so why not. A small break in between will be nice. So from 20 months on she would not take any cow, coconut or almond milk, until last week when I dropped to 1 PPD I was finally able to. She finally drank warmed cow milk, we tried it all warm and cold.

It can be done! If you are just starting out, it’s a long road, not easy, but it can be accomplished and you will provide the best for your baby! Don’t forget breast is best! ;-)

Today is my first day of no pumping... feels super weird! I am sure I will be able to get back used it.. soon enough I will be at it again! 

 Will be cleaned up soon!

 Will miss this for a little but soon enough I will be at it again!